Abstract: A fluid strut includes a frangible locking member including a generally cylindrical locking pin mounted to an outer cylindrical housing of the strut and extending radially inwardly toward a gas spring cylinder. The locking pin is movable between operative and inoperative positions. In the operative position, the spring-loaded frangible locking pin extends into engagement with the gas cylinder and can advance radially to a locking position once the outer housing extends beyond the location of the gas cylinder. In an inoperative position, the locking pin is held in a retracted position. The end of the locking pin has a reduced diameter, such that, if a purposeful force is placed upon the strut when in a locked position, the pin can shear, allowing the rod to be retracted within the cylinder and the closure member to be closed without damage.

Abstract: A fluid strut includes a frangible locking member including a generally cylindrical locking pin mounted to an outer cylindrical housing of the strut and extending radially inwardly toward a gas spring cylinder. The locking pin is movable between operative and inoperative positions. In the operative position, the spring-loaded frangible locking pin extends into engagement with the gas cylinder and can advance radially to a locking position once the outer housing extends beyond the location of the gas cylinder. In an inoperative position, the locking pin is held in a retracted position. The end of the locking pin has a reduced diameter, such that, if a purposeful force is placed upon the strut when in a locked position, the pin can shear, allowing the rod to be retracted within the cylinder and the closure member to be closed without damage.

Abstract: A lift includes a housing for rotatably receiving a hydraulic cylinder with a piston rod coupled to a generally cylindrical support tube. A low profile connecting head for supplying hydraulic fluid to the cylinder is rotatably mounted to the housing but captively held to the housing in the axial (longitudinal) direction. This allows the connecting head to be rotated during installation of the lift to a table leg for easy coupling to the pressurized source of hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: A spool-shaped damper piston which is slideably mounted on a damper rod and has an external foam friction element engaging the inner surface of the cylindrical damper body. A pair of axially movable limiting disks are spaced from the spool-shaped damper a predetermined distance to allow movement of the damper rod a predetermined amount before the spool-shaped damper is engaged. In one embodiment, the disks include axially extending tabs which extend through slots in the ends of the spool and selectively engage the foam friction element when the motion of the damping rod exceeds a predetermined threshold. In another embodiment of the invention, the limiting disks include spring fingers extending between the disks and the spool ends to cushion the initial engagement between the disks and the spool as the free space threshold is exceeded.

Abstract: A spring assist raising assembly includes a pivot pin with a noncircular cross section which is mounted to either a pivoted panel, such as a tailgate, or a stationary member, such as a vehicle body adjacent the tailgate. A spring-loaded rotatable socket is rotatably mounted to the other of the panel or member section and is keyed to receive the pivot pin and rotate with the rotation of the tailgate by such interconnection. The socket is coupled to a spiral torsion spring, in one embodiment of the invention, such that, as the panel or tailgate is lowered, the spiral torsion spring is loaded to provide a restorative force for assisting in the raising of the panel or tailgate.

Abstract: A telescopic leg has a housing with a lift cylinder or mechanical screw jack type lift and an external track for adjustably coupling to a member. Such telescopic legs can be used to define a variety of table base configurations by providing multiple angularly aligned tracks in each leg for receiving cross supports adjustably coupled to the tracks.

Abstract: A coupling member includes a body having a socket for receiving a mating ball with the body including a recess for receiving a cam member over which a generally C-shaped spring extends. The body includes slots for receiving the ends of the C-shaped spring which engage a ball for locking the coupling member to the ball. The cam includes a lever which is operator accessed for rotating the cam to move the spring from a locking position to an unlocking position with respect to the body and ball to which the body is coupled for allowing the end of the body attached, for example, to a gas assist strut to be removed from the mating ball.

Abstract: A control for a fluid cylinder includes a cylindrical housing made of a polymeric material which pivotally receives a control arm having a cable release receiving member at one end and which can be snap-fitted within an open end of a pneumatic cylinder to lockably engage a valve spacer manufactured as part of the cylinder. With such a system, the control can be installed in the cylinder and rotated to position the cable release in any orientation within a 360° adjustment range to allow proper alignment of the cable release.

Abstract: A glide adapter for a lift includes an inner seal extending between the piston rod and glide adapter to prevent leakage of hydraulic fluid which may escape the hydraulic cylinder from seeping from the lift. The sealed glide adapter comprises a generally cylindrical member having an axially extended threaded section for receiving a threaded glide at one end and a cylindrical recess formed at an opposite end, including an undercut recess for snap-receiving a resilient polymeric cylindrical seal which includes an annular groove for receiving an O-ring extending between the outer surface of the seal and the inner cylindrical surface of the glide adapter. The seal includes a blind aperture for receiving one end of the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder. This design also facilitates servicing of the unit by allowing removal and replacement of the hydraulic cylinder.

Abstract: A table assembly has extruded motorized telescopic legs with an outer leg including adjustable feet which provide micro adjustment of the height of the table assembly. The combination of the telescopic support leg and adjustable feet provide macro and micro adjustment of the table to accommodate workers of different stature.

Abstract: An adjustable leg assembly includes a base leg which receives a pair of spaced, multiple section slides, each having one end coupled to a motor actuator attached to the underside of a work surface and an opposite end coupled to the base leg. The slides provide lateral strength for the motion between raised, lowered, and intermediate adjustable positions and provide a trim cover for concealing the drive mechanism employed for adjusting the table height. A pair of trim strips are mounted to an actuator on the underside of the table surface to extend in the areas between the slides for concealing the actuator mechanism which extends to the base leg. In a still further preferred embodiment, the base leg is an extrusion having a plurality of mounting apertures formed therein and trim panel receiving slots such that the appearance of the adjustable leg assembly can be modified for a given work environment and décor.

Abstract: An inner leg telescopically fits within an outer leg and includes a motor coaxially mounted to an end remote from the outer leg. A drive screw is coupled to the motor shaft and extends through a drive nut in an axially extending drive nut riser. As the motor rotates the drive screw, the inner leg extends and retracts from the outer leg. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drive nut riser is a hollow cylindrical tube extending substantially the length of the outer tube to position the drive nut near the intersection between the inner and outer legs when fully extended. Such an arrangement allows a motor to be coaxially mounted within the inner leg and, therefore, concealed and provides the desired extension and retraction of the legs for adjustment to different operative positions.

Abstract: A compact telescopic leg assembly includes a generally cylindrical drive motor mounted axially within the inner leg and coupled to a drive collar by a pedestal mount. A drive screw is threadably coupled to a first drive collar which is attached to the inner leg to raise and lower as the drive screw is rotated by the motor. The pedestal mount couples the motor through the first drive collar to a second drive collar which is coupled to an intermediate leg telescopically receiving the inner leg. Gears couple the motor-driven drive screw to a rotatable power nut coupled to the second drive collar. A fixed drive screw extends from the base within an outer leg upwardly through the second drive collar and cooperates with the power nut within the second drive collar to simultaneously extend and retract the legs as the motor rotates the motor-driven drive screw.

Abstract: A housing which includes a cable take-up reel is mounted to the underside of a work surface for storing excess cords or cables employed to control an adjustable height table. In one embodiment, the housing is a motor control which integrally includes a toroidal transformer covered by a cylindrical body extending downwardly from the housing and which forms the drum of the take-up reel. A snap-fit flange extends over the end of the cylindrical body to hold cords in position once wrapped around the drum. A protective and decorative cover snap-fits over the motor control and take-up reel once the excess cord has been wrapped around the take-up reel for storage.

Abstract: A position sensor holder for a powered lift system includes a polymeric member having a mounting surface on one side for attachment to the housing of a lift system and an elongated socket for receiving a magnetically responsive sensor positioned on an opposite side for providing a control signal as a magnet on a movable element of the lift system approaches the sensor. In a preferred embodiment, the socket comprises a pair of upwardly extending resilient legs for snap-receiving the sensor and including an undercut for receiving a cover element which covers the sensor and wires extending along the elongated socket coupling the sensor to a control circuit for the lift system.

Abstract: A damping cylinder having a staged rate of movement. The cylinder includes a tube, a rod extending from the tube, and a piston carried by the rod within the tube. A liquid at least partially fills the cylinder, and the piston travels within the liquid. A port through the piston permits the liquid to flow through the piston as the piston moves within the cylinder. The piston also carries a normally open flapper valve over the port. If the flow rate of the liquid through the piston is below a preselected maximum rate, the flapper valve remains open. If the flow rate of the liquid exceeds the preselected maximum rate, the flapper valve closes over the port to prohibit flow beyond the maximum rate. In preferred embodiments, a pair of flapper valves is included to limit the rate in both directions, and a bleeder bypass port is included to permit reduced rate movement of the piston after either or both of the flapper valves close.

Abstract: An extruded aluminum upright support of a first, vertically elongated, extruded, integral, outer upright member and a second, vertically elongated, extruded, inner upright member telescopically arranged with each other, the outer member having a pair of spaced outer bearing channels, the inner member having a second pair of bearing channels; a first pair of bearings positioned in the first pair of bearing channels and extending laterally into the second pair of bearing channels; and a second pair of bearings positioned in the second pair of bearing channels and extending laterally into the first pair of bearing channels. The bearings are laterally expandable and contractible relative to bearing channels into which they extend.

Abstract: A condition settable combination gas cylinder and electric switch, the switch being mounted on the extended piston rod of the cylinder. The switch has an internal retainer within the switch housing and engageable by the cylinder housing in the first compression stroke of the cylinder, to shift the retainer and two electrical contacts thereon to a set position exactly suiting the cumulative buildout tolerance of the vehicle or other machine on which the novel combination is mounted. The retainer is locked there against reverse movement when the cylinder again extends and thereby withdraws from the switch. Another electrical contact is located on a switch plunger that moves axially back and forth with the retainer and switch housing. Thus, each repeat extension by the cylinder causes interengagement of the three electrical contacts.

Abstract: A slow closing faucet assembly having hot and cold water inlets, a spool valve capable of rectilinear movement for controlling water flow volume and rotational movement for controlling relative amounts of hot and cold water, a tubular housing mounted on the faucet, a hydraulic damper in the tubular housing having an extended piston rod attached to a valve stem of the spool valve, a compression coil spring around the hydraulic damper between an upper retainer and a lower retainer, the upper retainer being threadably attached to the housing, and adjustable to vary the spring compression, the lower retainer being rectilinearly movable within the housing toward the upper retainer to compress the spring and hydraulic damper, and a lever having an end within said housing engaged with the valve stem for rotation thereof allowing water temperature control, and operable on said lower retainer for moving said lower retainer toward said upper retainer.

Abstract: A pneumatic spring having a cylinder piston and piston rod biased toward extended condition by compressed gas in the cylinder, an elongated cover tube severed at one of its ends to the outer end of the rod, extending over the length of the rod to define an annular space therebetween, and always in axial alignment with and extending over portions of the cylinder. A transversely shiftable plunger lock assembly on the cover tube near its open end includes a fixed body and a lock plunger movable transversely of the piston axis into the annular space when the rod and cylinder are extended, to abut the annular end of the cylinder to securely retain the assembly in one position, preferably a substantially extended condition.