Abstract: To protect shores against oil pollutants, a web-like oil-retaining textile, is lowered into the water in parallel with the shore and the textile is drawn up on the shore over a strip of land which is in danger of getting polluted in such a manner that a longitudinal edge of the textile remains in the water. The oil which is thrown towards the shore by the waves adheres to the textile and is thereby prevented from contacting the strip of land.One longitudinal edge of the textile is provided with a heavy foot rope and the other longitudinal edge is provided with floats and cords for drawing the textile up on the shore. The textile may be a needled fibrous felt having a width of 4 to 8 meters, the width being comparable to that of the strip of land to be protected.

Abstract: A joint is provided which can serve for connecting two elements, but can also be employed for making a column or pole like structure. The joint consists of two superposed plates or frame shaped bodies which are interconnected by two pairs of crossing rods. The joint serves to connect two modular parts in a chain-like construction.

Abstract: A steering column assembly for a vehicle which provides an infinite number of column positions within a field of motion and a larger field of motion than existing mechanism with memory set for all possible column positions with automatic return to retracted position.

Abstract: A rack and pinion assembly (10) includes a self-adjusting rack support yoke (23) which eliminates the need for yoke (23) adjustment during initial assembly, and provides automatic adjustment of the support yoke (23) during the life of the assembly (10). A rack and pinion housing (12) receives the pinion (13) which engages the rack (20) supported for movement within the housing (12), the rack (20) engaged by the yoke support (23) biased into engagement by a main spring (40). The support yoke (23) has a recess (25) receiving therein a plug member (60), plug member (60) coupled to the support yoke (23) and having a predetermined separation (33) therebetween maintained by a spring (71). A removable member (50) having a central opening (54) is located within the housing (12) and provides sloped surfaces (52) around the central opening (54) into which extends an end (28) of the plug member (60).

Abstract: A fluid-powered helical actuator including a body, a rotatable shaft member, first and second independently rotatable sleeves reciprocally mounted within the body, a piston reciprocally mounted in the body to produce axially movement in response to the application of fluid pressure, and torque-transmitting ball races and balls for transmitting torque between the sleeves and the body, and the sleeves and the shaft. An adjustment collar is provided for applying an adjustable and oppositely directed axial force on the first and second sleeves for selective relative axially movement thereof to axially preload the first and second sleeves for simultaneously eliminating backlash in all the ball races. In one embodiment, the collar is replaced with a cam ring. An alternative embodiment utilizes a non-cylindrical body a dimension in a first lateral direction greater than a dimension in a transverse second lateral direction.

Abstract: Gear shift device for geared vehicular transmission with a rotating shaft vertically disposed in a housing with a coupling lever fastened to the upper end of the former and arranged outside of the housing and with a manual gear shift lever above the rotating shaft linked near its axis to the housing in the manner of a universal joint. The connecting linkage between the rotating shaft and the manual shift lever consists in essence of a connecting shaft journaled in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle near the axis on housing and a bell crank in an essentially vertically oriented axis. On the other end of connecting shaft is the manual shift lever journaled in an essentially horizontal axis transverse to the axes of the bell crank, the rotating shaft and the connecting shaft. The two lever arms of the bell crank are connected via universal joints with the coupling lever of the rotating shaft and one coupling arm of the manual shift lever, respectively.

Abstract: A tractor provided with a cable reel at one end and a plow at the trailing end includes a system to monitor tension applied to the cable during underground placement. A capstan engages the cable while driven by a hyraulic motor and the pressure of the fluid supply to the motor is monitored by a pressure transducer. An electrical signal from the pressure transducer is fed to a control which also receives a setpoint signal corresponding to a maximum allowable tension on the cable. An output signal from the control is used to slow down or stop advancing movement of the vehicle and a second signal is used to operate a valve to divert fluid pressure from the hydraulic motor. Tension on the cable extending between the capstan and the reel can be monitored as well as tension on the cable between the capstan and the plow.

Abstract: A taper connection between a chair column and a seat plate is proposed. The external taper of the chair column adjoins a cylindrical section of the chair column. The internal taper of the seat plate, fitted together with the external taper of the chair column, protrudes beyond the transition between cylindrical section and external taper.

Abstract: Garments hang-rail coupling securely removably mountable at the forward portion of each of a plurality of parallel conventional horizontal brackets respectively forwardly provided with an upstanding lug such as hook or cube. The coupling forward portion includes an upwardly open trough adapted to removably support a conventional garments hang-rail. The coupling rearward portion includes a housing having forward and rearward open-ends, there being opposed side-panels rigidly attached to lower rearward portions of the trough. The housing also includes a roof-panel spaced a finite-gap rearwardly from the trough to accommodate the bracket upstanding lug and also includes a rearwardly positioned base extending between the side-panels and adapted to abuttably underlie the bracket.

Abstract: A universal, direct drive fan coupling designed to attach a radiator cooling fan to a water pump of an internal combustion engine for an automobile or like vehicle wherein the subject coupling is specifically designed to efficiently replace the fan idling clutch present in many relatively current models of American made automobiles, or like vehicles. The inherent versatility of the subject direct drive coupling enables the elimination of any clutch mechanism normally found in the aforementioned automobile type which is positioned between the rotating shaft associated with the conventional cooling fan and a subsequently positioned and driven component of the circulation system such as the water pump.

Abstract: A gearmotor for the alternate drive of two operations has a housing which receives a drive pinion, mounted on the output shaft of the reduction gear. The drive pinion is able to engage alternately with a first rack cable A and a second rack cable B, both mounted parallel in a sliding guide that can move in the housing in a plane perpendicular to the shaft of the drive pinion between two end positions in each of which one of the two cables is engaged with the drive pinion while the other cable is in a disengaged position. A device is provided for actuating the sliding guide. Application is particularly for electrical equipment of a motor vehicle side door.

Abstract: An improved quick disengagement apparatus is provided for selectively altering the positioning of an axially translatable member between an axially biased first position and a second position in opposition to said axial bias, and for releasably locking said translatable member in at least said second position. The mechanism is especially adapted for use with power wheel hub assemblies, such as may be commonly employed in vehicles and agricultural implements or the like, in which provisions are to be made for disengaging the hub from an associated power shaft. The apparatus in accordance with the present invention provides a housing, mountable to the hub assembly, which carries an axial plunger, engageable with a distal end of the axially translatable power shaft, and a transverse release plunger, acting under a yieldable bias to interlock with the axial plunger to retain the axial plunger in a position whereat the power shaft is disengaged from the hub assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector system for structural frameworks which comprises a strut element (14) having one end connected to the end of a beam member (16). The strut element (14) has an axial bore (26) with the head portion of a bolt (36) retained therein. The shank (40) of the bolt extends outwardly from the strut element for threaded engagement with a correspondingly threaded aperture of a dodecahedral node (12). A drive nut (42) is fixed to the shank of the bolt and used for rotating the bolt so that the shank is screwed into the node (12). A set screw (46) passes through the strut element (14) to impinge upon the head of the bolt thereby preventing rotation of the strut element with respect to the bolt. A hollow metal rod (54) extends through the end of the beam member (16) and aligned apertures (52) in the end of strut element (14). The ends of the rod are riveted to secure the strut element to the beam member.

Abstract: The connection unit for a seat comprises guides resting on a frame fixable to the motor vehicle floor, in such a manner as to enable the seat to be supported by said floor and to undergo translational movement relative thereto, Said guides comprise a first portion arranged for fixing to the seat and to translate relative to a second portion. This latter is arranged to form a connection with said frame by way of positioning means and locking means.

Abstract: A ball joint is disclosed having a socket, a ball received by the socket and a stud extending outwardly from the ball. A ball seat member is received in the socket and has a soft portion with an inner spherical surface which covers the portion of the ball at the side opposite to the stud. The soft portion is axially compressed by a cap closing an opening in the socket opposite to the stud, while expanding radially outward to be penetrated by linear projections formed in a hard portion of the ball seat member. Further, a gap remains between the soft portion after it has expanded radially outwardly and the inner cylindrical surface of the hard portion of the ball seat member so that the soft portion of the ball seat member contacts the hard portion of the ball seat member only at the linear projections.

Abstract: A method for positioning an offshore platform jacket is used wherein the jacket is loaded on a barge in a conventional manner and towed out to sea to a predetermined offshore location. The barge is submerged, and the buoyant jacket is detacted. The jacket is towed away, and the barge is resurfaced for additional use.

Abstract: The disclosed fitting connects a tubing end to a fluid conducting member which have a fluid port and end walls surrounding the port and a threaded portion surrounding the end wall. The fitting comprises a ferrule of resilient deformable material having a forward portion with a wide flat sealing surface which is adapted to mate with and sealingly engage the end wall surrounding the port. The ferrule has a throughbore with a diameter through its rearward portion being sufficient to receive the tubing end and the diameter through the forward portion being smaller than the tubing exterior thereby forming a tubing abutting shoulder within the ferrule. The ferrule is forced into sealing abuttment with the end wall of the fluid conducting member and into sealing engagement around the tubing by means of a fastener having a throughbore for receiving the tubing which is flared at its forward end to present conical walls for axially engaging the rearward end of the ferrule.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a matched set of pseudo herringbone-type gears from ordinary helical gears. Two cooperating shafts are provided with two helical gears on each which, when placed on the shaft, are oppositely angled with respect to one another, and which when combined together, herringbone gear profiles. The two cooperating shafts are held in a helical gear matching fixture which allows precise alignment of the helical gears in the creation of a matched pair of herringbone gears.

Abstract: A chain link fence system has end, corner, or gate posts, each comprising a tubular metal post with a series of spaced, vertically-aligned openings along at least one side thereof. A supporting cross bar extends from one post to another and has a horizontally-positioned, apertured tonguemember at each end positioned in the top side opening of the post with the apertures oriented vertically. The end links of a chain link fence are positioned in the vertically aligned openings and a retaining rod inserted downwardly through the aperture in the tongue member and through the end links of chain link fence to secure the cross bar and the chain link fence wire to the post. A cap member covers the top of the post. The chain link fence is preferably secured to intermediate line posts by a novel retaining wire tie of a heavy bendable wire having the initial shape of a shepherd's crook and self closing at the crook end when properly installed.

Abstract: An improvement was provided in the method for forming a water-impermeable layer in a sandy soil by sprinkling an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymer, e.g. poly(acrylic acid), over the land so as to infiltrate the soil with the solution, according to which the water-impermeable layer can be formed at a controlled depth as desired from the ground surface by controlling the value of pH of the aqueous polymer solution in the range from 4 to 12.