Abstract: An apparatus and method in conjunction with a copier and/or a collator is disclosed for providing on-line and off-line insertion of sheet material or collation, respectively. The apparatus includes a single supply tray and sheet feeder therefor. The supply tray is pre-loaded with one or more types of insert material, each type being separated by a coded sheet. As the insert sheets are fed, a sensor detects the coded sheet which is fed to an overflow tray and further feeding from the supply tray is inhibited until additional copy sheets from the copier is supplied in the on-line mode of operation, or a different type of material is to be collated in the off-line mode.

Abstract: This relates to sheet feeding apparatus of the kind in which sheets following separate first and second belt transport paths are fed into a common belt transport path. At the junction of portions of the paths of belts 5 and 9 which define portions of the first and second belt transport paths, a sheet guide 8 is freely mounted for pivotal movement about the shaft of a roller 20, the guide 8 having surfaces tapering to a leading end which extends towards the meeting point of the belts 5 and 9. One of these surfaces assists in guiding notes from the first path into the third common belt transport path, defined by the belts 5 and 9 upstream of their meeting point and the other of the guide surfaces guides notes arriving from the second belt transport path into the common path.

Abstract: A brake apparatus has an actuator mechanism for bringing a friction member into tight contact with a braking member to generate a braking force, the actuator mechanism comprising:a main actuating unit for moving the friction member to a position where the friction member is in contact with the braking member;a subactuating unit for further urging the friction member which is in contact with the braking member so as to generate the braking force, the subactuating unit being constituted by a piezoceramic element; anda controller for operating the main actuating unit first and then the subactuating unit in accordance with a brake command from a first sensor.

Abstract: A lading protection device in the form of a shock absorber for a railway car including a cylinder containing a piston and a body of hydraulic fluid normally captive between the front face of the piston and the closed end of the cylinder. A flow control valve assembly, centered in the piston, mounts an orifice bushing defining a constricted circular orifice. The assembly includes a valve stem slidable in the piston with a spring at its inner end for pressing the stem in a direction to seal the orifice. The piston has a fluid passage extending therethrough and an annular separator piston defines, with the main piston, a receiving space into which the fluid flows upon impact. The space in back of the separator piston is filled with a charge of gas under high pressure so that when the impact has been dissipated the gas pressure acting upon the separator piston restores the fluid to its normal position in readiness for a succeeding impact.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pressure regulating valve for an hydraulic vehicle braking system, comprising a housing which has a main cylinder connection and an inlet chamber connected therewith, as well as a wheel cylinder connection and an outlet chamber connected therewith. A piston is arranged between the two chambers and normally leaves open a connection between them. A valve member is adapted to be moved when a certain deceleration force acting upon it is exceeded into a closed position in which it interrupts the connection between the two chambers. Thereupon, when pressure in the inlet chamber continues to increase, the piston enlarges said inlet chamber at the expense of the outlet chamber. A throttle member is arranged in the outlet chamber and normally leaves open the wheel cylinder connection but is adapted to be moved by the flowing brake fluid on sudden brake actuation into a position in which it partially covers the wheel cylinder connection.

Abstract: In a disc brake, a brake lining support forms a brake ring from one or more support segments, each segment having a lining pad or pads attached to such segment so that the resulting force from frictional braking passes through the attachment device that non-rotatably supports the segment.

Abstract: A motorcycle has a front wheel brake with a manual actuator, and has a rear wheel brake with a pedal-type actuator. First and second pistons are slidably mounted within the same bore in a body and define within the bore a first oil chamber between the first piston and the end of the bore, and a second oil chamber between the pistons. The first oil chamber is connected to operate the front wheel brake, and the second oil chamber is connected to operate the rear wheel brake. The manual actuator is hydraulically connected to move the second brake piston toward the first piston, and the pedal-type actuator is mechanically connected to move the second piston in the same direction, so that either or both of the brake actuators may operate both of the brakes.

Abstract: Multi-disc brake, of the type incorporating at least one first rotary disc firmly fixed to the wheel of the vehicle and a second rotary disc mounted so as to slide on a support component itself firmly fixed to the wheel, the driving in rotation of the second disc by the said support component being effected by the intermediary of complementary splines having a gear tooth profile. To overcome the undersirable effects of the tilting moment exerted on the sliding disc (2) by the thrust of the actuating cylinder (12), the invention is arranged to provide this disc with axial guiding projections (14) engaging in openings of corresponding shape (15) arranged in the other disc (1).

Abstract: To pull apart interfolded, imbricated paper copy products (4, 5), two pairs (1, 2) of upper and lower transport systems, typically sprocket chains, each have engagement projection elements (10-13), preferably roller elements, extending therefrom, and gripping laterally projecting edges of the respective imbricated in-folded copy products. The paths of the upper and lower transport systems (6-7, 8-9) converge towards each other to grip the copy products and, after having gripped the copy products, the pairs diverge laterally from each other to pull out and pull apart the copy products (4', 5') gripped by the respective pairs of the transport systems, the upper and lower transport systems then diverging to release the copy products to further removal transport arrangements, for example transport belts (17, 18).

Abstract: A board for feeding a single sheet of paper including holes for paper-feeding which are to be engaged by the sprocket for a paper-feeder of a printer formed at specified intervals on both sides thereof and a part for gripping the rear end of the single sheet of paper and a part for gripping the front end of the single sheet of paper respectively formed on the surface of the board at a specified distance between them in the paper-feeding direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a FRP leaf spring suspension for an automobile including a FRP leaf spring body interposed between a hat-shaped retainer having flanges at its free ends and a U bolt seat having opposed flanges through a rubber pad at its longitudinally central portion. The FRP leaf spring body is fixed through a spring seat to an axle housing by a U bolt passing through mating holes formed in flanges of the retainer and the U bolt seat. A reinforcing fiber impregnated with resin is wound around a central portion of the FRP leaf spring body and is fixed thereto to form unevenness on a surface of the FRP leaf spring body, thereby distributing frictional force between the FRP leaf spring body and the rubber pad uniformly on the frictional contact surface of the FRP leaf spring body, and preventing stress concentration from being generated in the FRP leaf spring body.

Abstract: An apparatus in which successive flexible sheets are advanced from a stack. One edge of the stack of sheets is supported rollably in a substantially vertical orientation. Successive outermost sheets are fed from one side of the stack. The stack of sheets moves toward a sheet feeder so as to position successive outermost sheets of one side thereof in a feeding relationship therewith.

Abstract: A system for handling discrete sheets including a nozzle for simultaneously lifting the sheet from a surface by suction and propelling the sheet in a direction generally corresponding to the plane of the sheet.

Abstract: A system for measuring the coefficient of friction between the bottom two sheets of the stack. The vacuum corrugation feeder tray is rigidly mounted and supports a stack of sheets resting at one end of the tray against a movable backstop. An air knife provides air pressure between the bottom sheet from the rest of the stack. The stack of sheets is forced up the tray by the backstop and allowed to slide back down the tray when the backstop is moved. The coefficient of friction between the stack and the bottom sheet is determined by the acceleration of the stack as it moves back down the tray. The coefficient of friction is then used to control the amount of air pressure from the air knife until an optimum coefficient of friction is achieved.

Abstract: A mechanical locking device for restraining the piston rod of a gas spring n an extended position comprises a lock tube mounted on the piston rod coaxially with the cylinder and adapted to ride telescopingly over the cylinder during normal inward and outward movement of the piston rod. Apparatus is provided on the piston rod whereby the piston rod can be overextended, beyond its normal fully extended position, to permit the lock tube to move out of coaxial alignment with the cylinder; the end of the lock tube thereby abuts the end face of the cylinder and prevents inward movement of the piston rod.

Abstract: A descender for use when sliding down a rope during an abseil, the descender including a self acting brake mechanism, which will slow the rate of decent unless the brake is held in the release position. The descender has a fixed braking surface and a pair of sheaves mounted on a support member which is pivotable about an axis passing through a lower one of the sheaves such that a rope passing around the lower sheave, between the two sheaves, around the upper sheave and finally between the upper sheave and the braking surface, will cause the pivotable member to be pivoted to press the rope between the upper sheave and the braking surface when a tension is applied to the upper end of the rope. The descender is also provided with a handle to reduce the braking force by pivoting the upper sheave away from the braking surface and a retaining plate pivotable between a position in which a rope is retained in the descender and a position in which the rope is able to be inserted into and removed from the descender.

Abstract: A radially resilient caliper pin assembly for slideably mounting a disc brake caliper to a torque member comprises an elastomeric core and two preferably metal shell members bonded to the elastomeric core to form a split-shell case about the elastomeric core. The shell members each provide substantially flat outer surfaces adapted to lie against corresponding surfaces of the caliper pin receiving way.

Abstract: A centering device for a floating caliper brake which has a cap screw extending through an opening in the brake mounting plate. A lock nut on the cap screw abuts the inner surface of the mounting plate. A centering spring surrounds the cap screw in abutment with the outer surface of the mounting plate. Together they maintain clearance on both sides of the brake disc when the brake is not applied.

Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder is disclosed that employs a moveable air blocking vane capable of redirecting the flow of air from an air knife. The moveable vane when in a first position allows air to exit the air knife toward a stack of sheets uninterrupted. Alternatively, when the vane is moved to a second position, air flow from the air knife is interrupted to thereby allow an increased vacuum in a vacuum means adapted to lift the top sheet off the stack for feeding.

Abstract: A slack adjuster for a cam actuated brake system is disclosed in which the change of angularity of the brake applying push rod relative to the actuating arm during brake application is used for sensing stroke length and effecting adjustment to compensate for brake wear. The adjusting mechanism comprises a pull rod and a gear rack coupled together by a lost motion connection. The lost motion distance corresponds with the normal stroke length of the brake applying push rod when the brake linings have the normal clearance. A pinion meshes with the gear rack and is coupled to an adjusting shaft through a one-way clutch. The adjusting shaft carries a worm which drives a worm gear to reposition the actuating shaft of the brake system to compensate for brake wear. When the brake is applied, any overtravel of the lost motion represents brake wear and the overtravel is memorized by the position of the gear rack. This movement of the gear rack causes the one-way clutch to overrun the shaft and the shaft is not rotated.