Abstract: An airless paint or material spray system having a pressure sensor and regulator for controlling the pressure of paint flowing from a paint pump to an airless spray gun. The pressure sensor and regulator includes three contiguous flexing diaphragms in a material chamber in the outlet flow line of the pump with the outermost diaphragm in direct contact with material being constructed of a thin plastic impervious to attack by common painting or coating materials. The two other diaphragms are rubber coated fabric diaphragms that axially position a precision steel rod movably mounted in a low clearance bore in a regulator housing. The axial movement of the precision rod is converted to rotational movement by an adjustably spring biased, pivotally mounted member in the housing having a universal connection with the precision rod. A normally closed snap action switch in the housing is actuated after a predetermined axial travel of the precision rod by an amplifier bar connected to the pivotally mounted member.

Abstract: A soft tread caster that is manufactured by first molding a relatively rigid plastic hub with integral projections about its periphery and thereafter molding a softer plastic tread directly to the hub periphery so that the tread material flows around and under the projections. The projections consist of two adjacent annular rows of integral T-shaped projections on the outer surface of the hub with the rows being staggered to form a plurality of axially extending holes through the projections. When the tread is molded around the hub, tread material flows under the T-shaped projections securely holding the tread to the hub radially and it also flows through the axial holes, thereby locking the tread to the hub laterally.

Abstract: A caster assembly of the type that accommodates swivelling movement of the caster wheel including a U-shaped horn that flanks the sides of a soft tread and supports a wheel axle. A swivel plate is mounted at the top of the horn, adapted to be connected to the underside of the article to be supported, and it carries a pin that extends through the horn and has an annular toothed swivel lock plate at its lower end. A unitary swivel lock and brake member is reciprocably mounted on spaced rearwardly projecting horn ears and has serrations at its top defining teeth that engage the swivel lock plate teeth to lock the horn with respect to the swivel plate. The lower end of the swivel lock and brake member has an arcuate brake shoe that bites into the soft tread of the outer surface of the wheel to effect braking.

Abstract: A caster assembly of the type that accommodates swivelling movement of a caster wheel including a U-shaped horn that flanks the sides of the wheel and supports the wheel axle. A swivel plate is rotatably mounted on top of the horn and is adapted to be connected to the underside of the article to be supported. This plate carries a kingpin that extends through the horn and has an annular swivel lock plate fixed to its lower end. A swivel lock assembly is provided for locking the caster selectively in one of four 90 degree positions and it is mounted on rearwardly projecting ears on the U-shaped horn. The swivel lock assembly includes a spring biased axially movable plunger mounted radially with respect to the swivel lock plate and it is selectively engageable with four ninety degree spaced recesses in the swivel lock plate.

Abstract: A swivel caster of the type having an inverted U-shaped horn member with a cup-shaped upper portion that rotatably receives a swivel plate adapted for connection to the underside of the supported article. A thrust bearing is provided including an annular array of ball bearings that are seated in adjacent semi-toroidal recesses in the bottom of the swivel plate and the top of the horn member. The area around the ball bearings is sealed by an integral plastic seal and lubrication ring that has an upper frusto-toroidal surface engaging and sealing the swivel plate and a lower frusto-toroidal surface engaging and sealing the horn member. The ring has an integral outwardly extending cylindrical projection that defines a lubrication fitting with a small radial bore extending therethrough and communicating with the interior of the ring to supply lubricant from a source to the bearing.

Abstract: A combination caster and fixed support that supports an article either for rolling motion on a dual wheel assembly or alternatively supports the article on a floor engaging foot that raises the caster wheels from the floor. A central horn, having a vertical swivelling pintle, carries wheels on the opposite sides thereof supported on a common axle that permits the wheels to go up and down a limited distance relative to the horn to compensate for uneven floors. A threaded pad vertical support rod is received centrally in the horn between the wheels and carries a universally mounted channel-shaped pad at its lower end that selectively engages the floor as the threaded rod is lowered to raise the caster wheels off the floor. In the raised position of the foot the pad is locked in a tilted position between abutments on the lower end of the support rod and a lower surface on the horn so that the pad may easily pass over inclined floor surfaces.

Abstract: A high resolution video display system suitable for use in displaying large outdoor scoreboards is disclosed. Video signals are converted from analog to digital format. Portions of the signal are selected for display on the scoreboard and the selected portions are then processed and transmitted to the scoreboard elements. A high resolution display is obtained by utilizing quantizing, selection, and transmission circuits which can operate in real time at a rate sufficiently high to keep up with the incoming video signal. This permits the system to utilize more video information than it has previously been possible to use. An additional feature of the invention is the ability to simulate a traveling sign display by causing a message to appear to move across the scoreboard.

Abstract: A programmable divider is provided for dividing the frequency of an input signal by a selectable integer. The divider includes a multiple stage ripple counter, a transmission gate coupled between each stage of the ripple counter and a means for producing an output signal, and a means for selectively enabling each transmission gate.

Abstract: A mileage counter for vehicles that provides signals after predetermined mileage intervals indicating the need for vehicle maintenance. Several different maintenance requirements are signalled at different intervals and after the maintenance on the vehicle has been performed each of the counting functions may be reset independently.The counter consists of a plurality of ascending order counter wheels driven by the vehicle's speedometer drive. Several ratchet wheel and switch counting assemblies are mounted adjacent and driven by the higher order one of the counter wheels. One of these counting assemblies may, for example, provide a signal indicating the need for maintenance after a five thousand mile interval, and another signal after fifty thousand miles. Each of these counting assemblies includes an advancing pawl for the ratchet wheel that moves laterally to reset the wheel after the maintenance has been performed, and a holding pawl that also defines one of the contacts of the switch.

Abstract: An air cooling tower system for condensing exhaust steam in power plants, that has water cooling augmentation to maintain the plant cooling capacity during high atmospheric temperature periods. The cooling tower includes a plurality of banks of brazed aluminum plate and fin type heat exchangers arranged in inverted "V" shaped sets. These heat exchangers cool ammonia used as the cooling fluid in the primary condenser for the power plant turbine exhaust steam. Each of these heat exchangers has a core consisting of a plurality of parallel aluminum plates spaced apart by fin assemblies that define a plurality of fluid passes. Approximately every other one of these passes has closed sides that open at the ends of the core to headers and define ammonia passes. The passes adjacent the ammonia passes are open at the sides and define air passes that permit the free flow of air transversely through the heat exchanger cores.

Abstract: A vacuum operated electric switch designed for automotive applications having a vacuum responsive diaphragm that releases the switch mechanism for movement from one of its two stable conditions. The switch assembly has a spring biased pivotal overcenter contact blade movable between two stationary contacts to give the switch a snap action characteristic. Stationary contact wiring is eliminated by bending the ends of the terminals, which are insert molded in a switch base, to directly support the contacts. Movable contact wiring is eliminated by staking a bracket for the movable contact blade directly to one of the terminals so that the bracket provides the conductive path between the movable contact and its terminal. The switch assembly is designed as a complete integral subassembly that may be manufactured separately from the main switch housing having a vacuum chamber and diaphragm therein.

Abstract: A follower assembly for a lubrication gun that effectively seals in either the gun cylinder after bulk-loading of the lubricant, or a smaller diameter lubrication cartridge positioned alternatively in the gun cylinder. The primary element of the follower assembly is a one-piece elastomeric follower body slidably received on a follower rod in the gun cylinder. This elastomeric follower body has a heavy central portion with a thin forwardly extending outer wall that seals against different diameter bores. The forward end of this thin outer wall has a heavy inwardly directed flange portion that stabilizes the thin wall. A plurality of forwardly projecting posts on the heavy central portion of the follower body engage this flange to pull the thin wall when the follower assembly moves forwardly.

Abstract: A switch assembly having a single plunger that sequentially actuates electrically independent terminal contacts such as found in a speed control and brake light switch adapted to be actuated by an automobile brake assembly. The switch has a reciprocable plunger with a conductive ferrule on its end that actuates one set of terminal contacts and an intermediate cylindrical cam that operates another set of terminal contacts. A cover is positioned over an opening in the housing and it has a first integral yolk projection that surrounds a reduced shank on the plunger to maintain the plunger within the housing which permits the plunger to be inserted from outside the housing during assembly, and it also has an integral slotted projection that fits over one set of terminals to secure these terminals within the housing.

Abstract: An incandescent display system suitable for use in displaying video images is disclosed. Incandescent lamps are positioned closely to each other in order to achieve a high resolution picture. The lamps are mounted in modules which can be removed from the rear of the display for periodic servicing. The modules include openings to permit cooling air to flow over the surface of the lamps and the display system enclosure is pressurized to create a constant flow of air for this purpose.

Abstract: A speedometer drive for a bi/cycle or exercising/cycle that includes a circular plate rotatable with the front wheel having an annular array of apertures that drives an intermediate plastic idler gear and also axially positions the gear to eliminate the requirement for any thrust rings to position the gear. The intermediate idler gear drives a one-piece plastic out-put gear and coupler. The output gear has a flange that slidably engages a thrust surface on the intermediate idler gear to axial position the output gear so that the output gear does not require any thrust rings either.

Abstract: A tire deflation monitor and method of making the same including a pressure switch consisting of a cup-shaped conducting retainer element and a cup-shaped substantially rigid electrical conducting diaphragm that has a very short travel. The diaphragm closes against a conducting base member spaced very close to the diaphragm but separated therefrom only by a thin insulator so that the contact travel of the diaphragm is very short and the switch is very insensitive to temperature gradients. A first terminal is connected to the diaphragm and a second terminal is connected to the base member. The retainer is roll staked around the diaphragm and the conducting base member.

Abstract: An indicator assemblyhaving a plurality of indicators mounted in a common rectangular housing having a rear wall, there being provided a circuit plate integrally molded in the rear wall of the housing that provides the necessary circuitry for actuating each of the indicators from a remote transducer, the circuit plate prior to being molded into the rear wall of the housing having narrow cut-out portions defining the circuits in the plate with small web bridges across these cut-out portions to provide the necessary support for the plate prior to insertion molding into the rear wall, and after molding the housing these supporting webs are selectively removed through the housing rear wall and the circuit plate at each of these webs to isolate the circuits in the circuit plate.

Abstract: A circuit is disclosed for driving an electronic speedometer (or tachometer) and an associated odometer of the type suitable for use in automobiles, trucks and tractors. The circuit includes a programmable divider which can be user calibrated so that a change in a system parameter, such as tire size, can be accommodated. The circuit employs a pulse generator producing timing pulses for a magnetically driven air core gauge. The timing pulses are produced in response to pulses indicative of the remote condition being sensed as, for example, wheel rotation or engine speed.

Abstract: A high pressure, airless paint spray gun having a body with a nozzle at the forward end, a reciprocating valve operator for the nozzle and a pivotal hand lever for operating the valve operator and permitting paint to flow through the nozzle. Dual safety devices are provided for preventing the accidental depression of the hand lever and the accidental discharge of high pressure paint from the nozzle. One safety assembly consists of a pivotally mounted thumb lever on the back of the gun body that selectively receives or blocks a stem projecting rearwardly from the valve operator. The other safety assembly includes a trigger pivotally mounted on the hand lever that grabs a projection extending downwardly from the body and selectively prevents accidental pivotal movement of the hand lever.

Abstract: This disclosure deals with a line or pattern following system for use with a machine including first and second motors for moving a device in first and second generally perpendicular directions. The system includes an array of light sensitive elements arranged at angularly juxtaposed positions, the array being positioned adjacent said line or pattern. An image of the line or pattern falls on the array and makes an angle .theta. with a reference point on the array. The system further includes means for sequentially scanning the outputs of the elements, and angle means responsive to said outputs and to said reference point for generating first and second signals. The first signal is a function of sin .theta. and is connected to control energization of the first motor, and the second signal is a function of cos .theta. and is connected to control energization of the second motor.