Abstract: A sleeve for the protection of electrical wires or pipes formed from a flame-retardant nylon or polyester monofilament wherein the monofilament is formed by a process comprising the steps of compounding a mixture consisting essentially of 5 to 20 weight percent melamine cyanurate and 3 to 10 weight percent of an organopolyphosphonate, with the balance being polymer; and extruding as a monofilament the compounded mixture.

Abstract: Flame-retardant polyester monofilaments formed by extrusion from a mixture consisting essentially of 5 to 20 weight percent melamine cyanurate and 3 to 10 weight percent organopolyphosphonate with the balance being either poly(ethylene terephthalate) or poly(ethylene naphthalate).

Abstract: A flame-retardant molded component comprises a matrix-forming polymer material. The component also comprises 5 to 20 wt % of melamine cyanurate and 3 to 10 wt % of a polyphosphonate.

Abstract: A convoluted flexible protective sleeve comprises a wall made of heat-resistant plastics material and a layer of infra-red radiation-reflecting metal vacuum deposited on the outer surface of said wall. The layer is between 0.05 and 5 micrometers in thickness.

Abstract: A disc brake rotor comprises mounting portion, a first friction portion which provides an annular friction surface, a second friction portion which provides the other of annular friction surface, a connecting portion which joins the mounting portion to the first friction portion, and vanes which extend between the friction portions and support the second friction portion. The vanes define cooling ducts extending radially outwardly of the rotor. The first and the second friction portions vary in thickness in radial directions, the first friction portion having its greatest thickness at a radius which is greater than the radius at which the second friction portion has its greatest thickness.

Abstract: A flexible protective sleeve (10; 20) for use in protecting an elongated member (W). The sleeve comprises a generally tubular wall (12; 22) for at least substantially surrounding the member. The sleeve also comprises resiliently-deformable projections (16; 24) projecting from an inner surface (18; 26) of the wall, the projections being arranged so that they cushion relative movement between the member and the wall.

Abstract: A plain bearing having a metal backing, a bearing lining secured to the backing and an overlay plated to an interlayer, which is itself plated onto the bearing lining, is disclosed. The bearing lining is formed from an alloy based on aluminum or copper. The overlay is formed of an alloy of zinc with 0.5 to 25% by weight of a metal selected from nickel, cobalt and iron, and the material of the interlayer is selected from nickel and copper.

Abstract: A plain bearing having a metal backing, a bearing lining secured to the backing and an overlay plated to an interlayer, which is itself plated onto the bearing lining, is disclosed. The bearing lining is formed from an alloy based on aluminum or copper. The overlay is formed of an alloy of zinc with 0.5 to 25% by weight of a metal selected from nickel, cobalt and iron, and the material of the interlayer is selected from nickel and copper.

Abstract: The bearing comprises a metal backing, a sintered layer on said metal backing, and a lining layer infiltrated into pores of the sintered layer and standing proud thereof to provide a bearing surface. The lining layer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene including 2 to 10% by volume of fibrillated aramid fibers.

Abstract: Bearings are described having composite overlay coatings. The composite overlay coating comprises an electro co-deposited soft metallic matrix having incorporated therein from 0.05 to 2 wt % of a hard metal oxide, said material exhibiting a Vickers hardness (Hv) of from at least 300 to in excess of 600.

Abstract: The pump has an inner rotor bounded by an outer peripheral shape which is generated by moving a first circle around a first trochoid. The inner rotor is mounted for rotation about a first axis. The pump also has an outer rotor mounted for rotation about a second axis which is offset from the first axis. The outer rotor is bounded by an inner peripheral shape which is generated by moving a second circle around a second trochoid.

Abstract: An elongated bead made of resilient material is used to make a seal in a gasket. In an uncompressed state, the bead has a cross-sectional shape which is defined by a substantially planar bottom surface, two inwardly-inclined side surfaces, and a convexly-curved top surface which is joined to the side surfaces by transitional curved joining surfaces.

Abstract: A plain bearing is disclosed comprising a bearing layer bonded to a sintered metallic layer, which in turn is mounted on a backing plate. The bearing layer comprises a material formed from two interpenetrating networks, one of polytetrafluoroethylene and the other of polyphenylenesulphide. The percentage by volume of polyphenylenesulphide is between about 45% and about 55%.

Abstract: An embossed sheet coated at least partially with expanded graphite and suitable for use as a gasket or as a component layer of a gasket is manufactured by positioning a planar metallic sheet between an upper embossing die and a lower embossing die with a layer of particles of expanded graphite between one of said dies and a surface of the sheet. One of the dies has a protuberance to emboss a ridge into the sheet while the other die has a recess to receive the ridge. The method also comprises pressing the dies together to cause the particles to coalesce and form a coating attached to the sheet while simultaneously embossing said ridge into the sheet.

Abstract: A piston (10) containing a cavity (16) is manufactured by forming a box (20; 50; 70; 80). The interior of the box defines the cavity (16). The box ms mounted in a die cavity (26) and the piston is cast around the box. The box is provided with projections (22c; 24c; 52; 58; 73) which enter recesses in the wall of the die cavity and support the box. After removing the piston from the die cavity, the projections are machined off.

Abstract: Non-asbestos flexible sheet material suitable for use in gaskets (e.g., automobile exhaust manifold gaskets) operating at high temperature (e.g., 500.degree.-700.degree. C.) is made by impregnating a non-woven tissue of glass or like fiber stable at 700.degree. C. with an aqueous slurry of inorganic filler, particularly a clay, said aqueous slurry including a dispersed elastomeric binder (e.g., an acrylic) and a dispersed or dissolved binder (e.g., colloidal silica) which is essentially inorganic and is effective above 300.degree. C. The impregnated tissue is then dried.

Abstract: A flanged half bearing (10;50) comprises a shell portion (12;52) which provides a bearing surface (14;54) against which a shaft can rotate. A flange portion (16,18;56,58) of the bearing provides a thrust surface (20,22;60,62) to resist axial movement of the bearing. The thrust surface (20,22;60,62) is formed from injection moulded plastics material either integrally with the shell portion (12;52) or a layer thereof, or the flange portion is injection moulded as a separate piece and secured to the shell portion.

Abstract: A machine for manufacturing piston rings from the metal strip (10). The machine comprises feeding means (12) for feeding the strip, shaping means (14, 16, 18, 20) for shaping successive portions of the strip into piston rings of a desired shape, and severing means (22) operable to sever the piston rings from the remainder of the strip. The machine also comprises displacing means (28) operable during each operation of the severing means (22) to move the severing means to substantially reduce the relative movement between the severing means and the point on the strip (10) at which the strip is severed. The severing means (22) is moved along a linear path which extends substantially tangentially to the path of said point.

Abstract: The size of the spiral gaskets which are formed by winding a sealing strip and a compressible filler strip around a mandrel is controlled by measuring the angle through which the mandrel turns, e.g., by means of an encoder. The lengths of arcs on the periphery of the gasket as it is wound around the mandrel are also measured, e.g., by means of a wheel running on the periphery of the gasket and an encoder counting turns of the wheel. The arcs are defined by the angles through which the mandrel turns. The supply of strip is terminated, e.g., by cutting the strips, as result of an arc achieving a particular length.

Abstract: A thermal radiation baffle for apparatus for use in directional solidification of crystalline material, to be mounted at one end of a furnace, and to allow a mould containing the material in molten form to pass through, has at least one clamped layer of interconnected flexible strips of refractory material. Each such layer has an ordered construction, for example, with the strips being interwoven, or knitted; and has one or more slits therein. At least substantially the whole of each slit is inclined at a significant angle to the strips, so that the strips do not become detached or worn in use, but the layer is capable of resiliently engaging the sides of, for example, an irregularly shaped mould. A slit may be provided between two separate, but adjacent, pieces of the layer.