Abstract: A ball-valve in which the housing within which the ball is received comprises two half members resiliently biased together and adapted to separate from each other against such bias.

Abstract: A pump assembly provides for direct replacement of volumes of liquid from a reservoir with equal volumes of air preferably at substantially atmospheric pressure, the same pressure or with pressure equalization to be at least equal to atmospheric pressure. A slide arrangement preferably positively displaces liquid from the reservoir and air into the reservoir. The pump draws air from the atmosphere into a chamber from which the air either is available for passage to replace liquid from the reservoir or is pressurized to assist dispensing liquid, preferably, admixing with the liquid to provide foaming. Gravity separation of air and liquid to be dispensed is used to replace liquid with air in the reservoir and to selectively place air and liquid into communication with passageways for ejection.

Abstract: A pump assembly provides for direct replacement of volumes of liquid from a reservoir with equal volumes of air preferably at substantially atmospheric pressure, the same pressure or with pressure equalization to be at least equal to atmospheric pressure. A slide arrangement preferably positively displaces liquid from the reservoir and air into the reservoir. The pump draws air from the atmosphere into a chamber from which the air either is available for passage to replace liquid from the reservoir or is pressurized to assist dispensing liquid, preferably, admixing with the liquid to provide foaming. Gravity separation of air and liquid to be dispensed is used to replace liquid with air in the reservoir and to selectively place air and liquid into communication with passageways for ejection.

Abstract: A valve assembly for a fluid dispensing unit, particularly for a soap dispenser, comprising a resilient valve member secured within a chamber. Valve member comprises a sealing member, a support member and a securement member. The support member carries sealing member at one end and securement member at the other end. The valve member when secured within the chamber is under compression with the sealing member biased by the support member engaging and sealing the inlet port of the chamber to fluid flow therethrough other than fluid flow under a pressure differential across sealing member sufficient to resiliently deflect the sealing engagement. The valve member is formed entirely from recyclable plastic as an integral unit by injection molding.

Abstract: Blended thermal spray powders are characterized by the presence of a ZrO.sub.2 component and a ceramic coated plastic component. The ceramic coated plastic component is made by attrition milling ceramic fine particles with plastic core particles, causing the ceramic fine particles to bind to the surface of the plastic core without the use of a binder. Abradable coatings formed by thermal spraying the powders have superior high-temperature properties such as heat resistance and yet abrade readily to form abradable seals.

Abstract: A method of preparing a liquid reservoir disposable pump for insertion into a permanent dispenser housing is disclosed. The pump comprises two basic unitary, preferably all plastic, elements: a chamber forming body having an open outer end and an inner end in fluid communication with the liquid reservoir, and a piston formed to slidably fit into the chamber. The reservoir and pump are prepared for insertion into the permanent housing by first substantially filling the reservoir with liquid, and then evacuating air from the reservoir by applying a vacuum to the outer end of the chamber to provide vacuum pressure sufficient to draw air out of the chamber and reservoir.

Abstract: Thermal spray powders are characterized by the presence of a matrix-forming component, a solid lubricant component and a plastic component. Abradable coatings formed by thermal spraying the powders abrade readily to form abradable seals. The abradable coatings have a metal, metal alloy, or ceramic matrix with discrete inclusions of solid lubricant and plastic. The thermal spray powders may be prepared as mechanically fused agglomerates.

Abstract: A liquid soap dispenser is disclosed having a permanent housing which permits simplified insertion and replacement of disposable fluid reservoirs. The housing includes and actuator assembly which is cycled by a lever between first and second positions. The actuator assembly is configured to couple to a valve assembly on the reservoir so that when cycled, the valve assembly is actuated in sliding movement to dispense a quantity of fluid. The actuator assembly includes a pair of resiliently deformable fingers which act to secure the valve assembly to the actuator assembly for sliding movement therewith. If on insertion of a replacement reservoir, the reservoir is positioned uncoupled from the actuator assembly, on first cycling of the actuator assembly the fingers deform to permit movement of the actuator assembly relative to valve assembly and move towards a coupled orientation. In the coupled orientation, the fingers return to an undeformed configuration securing the valve assembly to the actuator assembly.

Abstract: Composite thermal spray powders having a core to which fine particles of exothermically reacting aluminum or aluminum alloy and iron or copper fine particles are bonded. The thermal spray powders are useful in producing coatings having both high adhesive bond strength and good machinability.

Abstract: A liquid soap dispenser is disclosed having a permanent housing which permits simplified insertion and replacement of disposable fluid reservoirs. The housing includes and actuator assembly which is cycled by a lever between first and second positions. The actuator assembly is configured to couple to a valve assembly on the reservoir so that when cycled, the valve assembly is actuated in sliding movement to dispense a quantity of fluid. The actuator assembly includes a pair of resiliently deformable fingers which act to secure the valve assembly to the actuator assembly for sliding movement therewith. If on insertion of a replacement reservoir, the reservoir is positioned uncoupled from the actuator assembly, on first cycling of the actuator assembly the fingers deform to permit movement of the actuator assembly relative to valve assembly and move towards a coupled orientation. In the coupled orientation, the fingers return to an undeformed configuration securing the valve assembly to the actuator assembly.

Abstract: A method of forming binderless clad powders using a high energy ball mill, preferably an attritor-type ball mill, is described. The binderless clad powders are formed by combining and processing a core material powder and a coating material (either a powder with significantly smaller particle size than the core material powder or a brittle material that will quickly form a powder with significantly smaller particle size than the core material powder) in a high energy ball mill for a relatively short time (generally less than one hour The processing time employed is such that the particle size of the core material powder is not significantly reduced but that the clad powders are formed. At least one of the two materials (i.e., core forming material or coating forming material) must be deformable within the high energy ball mill. Such binderless clad powders are suitable for use as thermal spray powders and which can be thermally sprayed to form coatings on a various substrates.

Abstract: This invention relates to a free standing implement such as a mop comprising: an elongate handle having a longitudinal axis; a base having a planar bottom adapted to support the mop with the handle in a free standing upright position; universal coupling means joining the base and handle; a nib having a rounded inward end extending inwardly from the handle beyond the universal coupling toward the base; and socket means, connected to the base and resiliently biased to engage the nib, for providing lateral resistance to brace the handle in said upright position and for releasing the handle to coact with the base in a universal manner when said axis is positioned at an acute angle relative to the planar bottom.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for adjusting the preload of an anti-friction bearing is disclosed. A compressive load is applied to the opposite transverse faces of the outer races of a linear bearing by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders. While the bearing assembly is held in compression, a test force is applied to one end of the inner race or slide in a direction parallel to its constrained direction of travel to cause the slide to move through the bearing at a steady rate of travel. While the slide is in motion, rolling friction characteristics are measured by a force gauge. The resulting force gauge measurement corresponds to a particular bearing preload.

Abstract: A disposable plastic pump for dispensing liquids is disclosed which comprises two basic unitary, preferably all plastic, elements: a chamber forming body having an open outer end and an inner end in fluid communication with a liquid reservoir, and a piston formed to slidably fit into the chamber. The chamber forms two axially adjacent coaxial chambers, an inner chamber of one diameter and an outer chamber of a greater diameter. The piston comprises a stem on which is located two spaced flexing disc each sized to fit in and serving as a one-way valve in the inner chamber and outer chamber, respectively, permitting fluids to flow outwardly past each flexing disc. A sealing disc is located on the stem outwardly of the outermost flexing disc. A passageway is provided from an inlet on the piston between the outermost flexing disc and the sealing disc through which the dispensed liquid flow.

Abstract: A heat curable organic sand binder based upon epoxide or epoxide novolac resin and a latent dicyandiamide or imidazole curing agent, with or without an imidazole accelerator, which may be used as a direct replacement for other "Hot Box" and "Warm Box" foundry resin binders and as a direct replacement for other "Shell Sand" foundry resin binders.

Abstract: Thermal spray powders are characterized by the presence of a matrix-forming component, a solid lubricant component and a plastic component. Abradable coatings formed by thermal spraying the powders abrade readily to form abradable seals. The abradable coatings have a metal, metal alloy, or ceramic matrix with discrete inclusions of solid lubricant and plastic. The thermal spray powders may be prepared as mechanically fused agglomerates.