Abstract: A support and associated flexible untearable band which incorporates a plurality of energy-absorbing loops intended to destruct under the effect of an applied impact load. The energy-absorbing loops are made of an elastic elongated material and are secured on the band, and a rigid holder is provided onto which the loops are put one after another. The flexible band is a woven ribbon provided on at least one side with at least one row of woven loops made integral with the ribbon and having a width less than the width of the woven ribbon itself.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-disc brake comprising a stationary rotary disc (1) and a moveable rotary disc (2) which is mounted on a splined sleeve (5) sliding on a splined part (3a) of a hub (3) of axis (4) and with which the disc (1) is solid. An assembly of friction pads (6 to 9) can interact with the discs (1,2) under the action of a hydraulic jack (13). The splines (23,25) of the hub and of the sleeve are protected from dirt by deformable diaphragms (20,26) which are turned in on themselves and which are arranged so as to be shielded from the thermal radiation emitted by the braking members (1,2,6 to 9).

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for feeding single sheets of paper from the bottom of a stack of paper sheets. The device includes a feed tray angled at approximately 60.degree. with the horizontal and a substantially rigid paper drive member cooperating with a plurality of differentially yieldable retard members. By successively increasing the normal pressure on the members or by changing their coefficients of friction, increments of increasing or decreasing retarding force are provided. Uniform frictional forces between individual sheets are provided by a bail weight.

Abstract: A disc brake with caliper mounted brake shoes and including the negative feedback of the brake shoe friction forces to oppose the applied hydraulic brake actuating force for the purpose of reducing variations in brake torque due to random variations in the coefficient of friction between brake shoes and brake disc. The brake shoe friction force feedback is accomplished by means of a fulcrumed lever at each shoe, and with the hydraulic piston actuating force applied to the shoe and lever assembly through a ball bearing mounted on the piston that permits the entire sliding friction force of the brake shoe to be converted, without diminution to a force acting in a direction opposite the applied brake actuating hydraulic force. Feedback embodiments are shown both for the rigidly mounted brake caliper with two opposed actuating pistons, and for the sliding or floating brake caliper with a single actuating piston and an opposed caliper reaction force.

Abstract: A sliding caliper disc brake has a fixed carrier carrying directly and indirectly actuated pads. A caliper is slidably mounted on the carrier and carries brake actuators. The backing plates of the pads are provided with ribs for engagement in corresponding grooves in the carrier and arranged to provide additional support for the caliper, in use, in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A brake force regulating system for motor vehicles has a brake pedal, a brake regulator and transducers for ascertaining driving-situation variables which act upon the brake regulator. A desired value (Z.sub.s) of the deceleration (Z) of the motor vehicle is prespecified by the brake pedal; the actual value is ascertained; and the brake regulator is regulated by the deviation between the desired value and the actual value. Furthermore a regulation is provided in accordance with the slip between the road surface and the wheel.

Abstract: A brake lining wear sensor includes a metal contact secured to a grounded brake lining support plate through a semiconductor ceramic bushing containing silicon carbide and silicon nitride which establishes an electrical resistance between the contact and the support plate so that the contact has a resistance to ground when the brake lining is not worn, but when the brake lining is worn and the contact touches a grounded brake rotor or drum, a short to ground occurs. The sensor is coupled by a lead wire to an indicator circuit which tests for the resistance value in the circuit path to ground to determine whether the contact is connected to the indicator circuit and whether it is electrically grounded to the rotor. An indicator lamp comprises a tri-color LED to emit different colors signifying a normal condition, an open circuit or a worn brake lining condition.

Abstract: A mounting mechanism for the backup roll of a roll pair wherein a four bar linkage is provided. The backup roll is mounted at one end of a first arm and bears against a mating roll positioned in a stationary location. The first arm extends to a pivot point around which the backup roll rotates to engage the mating roll. A second arm is rigidly connected to the first arm at the pivot point and extends to an end point. A third arm, comprised of a coil spring with a coupler threaded thereto, extends from the end point of the second arm to a stationary point. The fourth arm of the four bar linkage is the ground extending between the stationary points to which the first and third arms are attached. By adjusting the coupler, the number of active coils in the third arm is adjusted thereby adjusting the normal force between rolls to a desired value.

Abstract: A label handling system, particularly for use in supermarkets. The system includes a plurality of boxes (108) for receiving parts of labels (103) from merchandise (106). The box with a stack of labels in it is placed in the box-receiving station (109) where the labels are fed upwardly into a downwardly facing hoppper. Labels are sequentially removed from the top of the stack in the hopper and passed through a data reading station (112) at which price and weight data are read from the labels and subsequently further processes (113, 114, 115).

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-disc brake comprising a stationary rotary disc (1) and a movable rotary disc (2) which is mounted on a splined sleeve (5) sliding on a splined part (3a) of a hub (3) which has an axis (4) and with which the disc (1) is solid. An assembly of friction blocks (6 to 9) can interact with the discs (1, 2) under the action of a hydraulic jack (13). These blocks occupy a limited angular sector over the periphery of the discs. The splines (23, 25) of the hub and of the sleeve have shaped flanks. A ring (30) for guiding the sleeve (5) radially relative to the hub (3) is provided at each of its ends, so as to prevent any jamming of the sleeve (5) because of the tendency of the disc (2) to rock under the action of the jack (13).

Abstract: A fluid-filled resilient bushing structure having a resilient member interposed between an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve disposed radially outwardly of the inner sleeve. The resilient member has portions in which are formed plural fluid chambers which are filled with an incompressible fluid and held in communication with each other through an orifice. The resilient bushing structure comprises a non-fixed independent radial stop member of a rigid material accommodated in at least one of the plural fluid chambers and movable in this at least one fluid chamber. The radial stop member is abuttable on surfaces defining the at least one fluid chamber, thereby preventing an excessive displacement of the inner and outer sleeves relative to each other in a radial direction thereof.

Abstract: An improved material pick-up device to allow sheets of material of varying texture and resiliency to be picked up and moved without piercing and without damage thereto. A pair of support members having saw-tooth shaped projections thereon are guided and supported to be relatively reciprocated along side by side paths to move the projections together and apart. The reciprocation is carefully controlled and adjusted by an adjusting device cooperably with the device powering the reciprocation so that the spacing of the respective pairs of teeth in the support members may be carefully controlled to define a gripping position and a release position. Thus, the gripping position may be varied in accordance with the texture and resiliency of the material to be gripped such that the surface of the material is pinched without piercing and can be moved without damage thereto. In one embodiment, a pair of coaxial cylindrical supports are nested together and one rotates relative to the other.

Abstract: A three way check valve for a vehicle fluid pressure braking system includes a housing having first, second and third inlet ports and an outlet port. A pair of shuttles are slidably mounted in the housing, and are responsive to variations in the fluid pressure at the first, second and third inlet ports to communicate the inlet port having the highest pressure level to the outlet port, and to terminate communication through the other inlet ports to prevent back-flowing from one inlet port to the other inlet port.

Abstract: An actuating mechanism is disclosed as particularly useful for a braking assembly, and especially for a disc brake assembly. The mechanism is a device having elastic properties formed from a plurality of layers, or laminae of rigid (metal, hard plastic) and resilient (elastomer, rubber) members bonded together and to the inside of a casing or caliper housing sealing it therein. The casing together with the bonded and sealed actuator therein is threaded into the caliper housing of the brake assembly. Fluid pressure applied to the casing interior activates the mechanism and it yields by flexing axially. An attached brake shoe or pad is operated by the actuator, given an axial displacement and urged against the brake assembly drum or rotor in a braking action. The actuator mechanism returns the shoe or pad to a neutral, non rotor contacting position automatically when the pressure of the fluid in the casing is relieved.

Abstract: This invention relates to a drum brake with two internal expanding brake shoes pivoted at substantially diametrically opposite axes. It incorporates the negative feedback of the brake shoe sliding friction forces to oppose the applied hydraulic brake actuating forces for the purpose of reducing variation in brake torque due to random or uncontrolled variations in the coefficient of friction between brake shoes and brake drum. The required brake shoe friction force feedback is accomplished by eliminating the normally leading brake shoe with its undesirable lock-up prone positive feedback and replacing it with a brake shoe pivoted about an axis diametrically opposite the pivot axis of the normally trailing brake shoe. The location of the shoe pivots is chosen to establish the required feedback magnitude by use of lever ratios whose adequacy is verified by the force equilibrium equations of the brake system.

Abstract: A brake proportioning system for a motor vehicle is responsive to the presence or absence of loads exceeding a threshold at passenger and cargo-carrying locations in the vehicle and includes load presence sensor switches, a signal processing system such as an onboard computer, and an electrically controllable brake proportion valve that has a plurality of finite settings controllable in response to passenger and cargo-load presences in the vehicle. The ratio of rear-to-front braking effort is controlled by the proportion valve so that the ratio increases as the number of passenger and cargo-load presences increases. The location of the loads in the vehicle can also influence the brake proportion ratio.

Abstract: A cushion isolator comprising a base body, a drum vertically disposed on the base body, a supporting plate disposed on the upper flange of the drum, a valve disposed in the inlet of the passage, a first fixing plate securing the drum on the base body and a second fixing plate securing the drum on the base body, whereby the cushion isolator can absorb the shock of a running machine.

Abstract: A paper-sheet dividing apparatus has a blade wheel which has a plurality of curved slots. Each curved slot is rotated to sequentially deliver a paper sheet to a conveyor belt. The apparatus also has a dividing member rotated together with the blade wheel and timed such that a corresponding curved slot for receiving the last paper sheet among the first predetermined number of paper sheets to be divided is axially matched with one of the first blades which is positioned between the curved slot which receives the first paper sheet among the second predetermined number of paper sheets and the curved slot which receives the last paper sheet described above. The dividing member is rotated through a predetermined angle and is separated from the blade wheel. During this movement, the paper sheet removed from the blade wheel is temporarily supported on the dividing member.

Abstract: A bank note processing machine has at least one cassette in which feed rollers and a gate gap is provided to enable conveying of bank notes. When the cassette is placed outside the machine, the feed rollers are locked. When the cassette is loaded in the main body of the machine, the lock is released. The feed rollers provided in the cassette 2 are driven by one driving system while first and second bank note conveying system in the cassette and the main body are driven by the other driving system.

Abstract: A wheel cylinder for drum brakes having a mechanism for automatically adjusting the excess clearance formed between the lining on each brake shoe and the inner surface of the brake drum due to the wear of the lining. Excess clearance may be produced in different amounts by the respective (two) brake shoes. The wheel cylinder of this invention has incorporated in its cylinder body a mechanism for adjusting such excess clearance caused by each of the brake shoes. There are provided guide gears designed to rotate in accordance with piston movement and clutches making ratchet engagement with the guide gears, and the excess clearance is adjusted by the axial movement of each piston corresponding to the angle of rotation made by a new ratchet engagement. Also, clamps are provided between the brake shoes for ensuring the correct amount of piston movement corresponding to the angle of rotation. The present wheel cylinder finds best application to drum brakes for vehicles.