Abstract: The invention relates to a lifting apparatus of flat construction for vehicles comprising a first bearing with a rotation axis, a strut arranged to be pivotable around the rotation axis, a carrier arm that has a second bearing in common with the strut; the strut dividing the carrier ann into a first and a second carrier arm section, the second carrier arm section forming a triangle with the strut and the base frame, a guide that has a fourth bearing arranged on the guide for receiving the second carrier arm section, which guide can move back and forth on the base frame, a load receiver arranged on a fifth bearing at a free end of the first carrier arm section, at least one lifting unit that acts on the carrier arm, and a parallelogram guide with which the load receiver is aligned horizontally, in which a resultant force acting on the load receiver runs along a straight line extending between the first and fifth bearings or is situated outside a movement space of the scissors arrangement circumscribed by the f

Abstract: A ratchet wrench stop member positioning arrangement having a stop member mounted in a transversely extended side hole in the body thereof and forced by a spring member into engagement with peripheral teeth of a ratchet wheel in a box in one end of the body, wherein the longitudinal central axis of the side hole defines with the horizontal line which passes through the center of the box a container angle at about 8˜18° so that the angle of action produced between the stop member and the ratchet wheel during the operation of the ratchet wrench is minimized, reducing the formation of inactive componenet of force.

Abstract: A method for forming blunt surgical needles having a radiused tip includes tumbling the surgical needles in a tumbling medium for a period of time sufficient to achieve a desired radius on the tip of the needle. The needles to be radiused may be taper pointed needles, taper pointed needles with a portion of the tip removed, or partially completed tapered needles. Tumbling may be performed in one or more tumbling steps using abrasive and/or burnishing media If an abrasive tumbling operation is used, preferably a second tumbling operation is performed with a hard, smooth medium which burnishes rather than abrades the needle. The tumbling media used to form a radius on the needle tip preferably is wet and can be acidic, neutral, or alkaline. The radiused needles may be polished by subsequent tumbling in a substantially dry tumbling medium.

Abstract: A portable vehicle lifting apparatus and method comprising a plurality of ramps having a lifting bar means pivotally connected between each ramp. The apparatus, via the lifting bar meas, raises and lowers a vehicle which has been loaded onto the ramps.

Abstract: A wrench with a quick release handle for providing torque to a fastener. The wrench comprises a wrench head having a retention opening for engaging the fastener and at least two engagement portions for attachment of a releasable handle thereat. The retention opening includes and open end for allowing the wrench head to be laterally extensible over the fastener. The engagement portion of the wrench head includes a head channel that can receive a corresponding handle lip disposed on the handle in order facilitate engagement between the wrench head and the handle. Additionally, the handle further includes a locking mechanism for maintaining releasable attachment between the wrench head and the handle.

Abstract: A workpiece clamp for holding a workpiece securely to a fixture block or work table during operations, such as machining and woodworking. The clamp includes a body and an insert, the insert having a contact face for applying force to the workpiece. The body preferably held in a cavity in the fixture block surface and the insert received in an inclined or angled recess in the body. The insert preferably includes a bore therethrough, such that a tension bolt can be inserted through the insert and into the body. Threads in the tension bolt can be engaged with threads in the body, drawing the insert along the inclined recess in the body, thereby applying tension to the tension bolt and applying downward and forward forces to the workpiece at the contact face. In one clamp, the body top is flush with or below the surface of the fixture block. In a preferred clamp, when the insert is fully inserted into the body, a small portion of the insert, including the contact face, extends above the fixture block surface.

Abstract: The invention, in a preferred embodiment, is an apparatus for pulling wire and other objects between two vertical supports, such as telephone poles, connected by a cable strung above the ground. It is particularly suited for making lashers easier to use in rough terrain. The device consists of a carrier having four sides, a base, and an adjustable split top having an upper surface and a lower surface. Contained in and on the carrier is a pair of gear driven looped roller chains horizontally mounted on opposite sides of the split top. These roller chains have mounted about their outside surfaces cable-gripping clips. A pressure-regulating bar is positioned within the inside vertical surfaces of the opposed looped roller chains. Also present is a drive for adjusting the split top so that the opposed looped roller chains engage the strung cable. Within the carrier is mounted a motorized drive train for turning the opposed looped roller chains in opposite directions at a constant speed.

Abstract: A pneumatically operated disc brake piston installation tool is disclosed for use in installing a piston into the piston bore of a disc brake caliper housing. The tool comprises a first piston engaging plate and a second plate positionable against the inside surface of an outer shoe bracket of the caliper housing. A cylinder extends from the second plate. A piston shaft is centrally attached to the first plate and extends perpendicularly therefrom, passing slidably through an opening in the second plate into the cylinder. In response to pneumatic pressure, the piston shaft is pushed outwardly against the piston to force the piston back into the piston bore of the caliper housing.

Abstract: A sheet material work bench for holding sheet material without the need of clamps. The sheet material work bench includes a support portion. The support portion comprises a central column. The column is generally hollow. A table portion comprises a plate having a top side, a bottom side and a peripheral edge. A plurality of bores are located in the plate. Each of the bores is generally adjacent to a central location of the table portion. A coupling means couples the table portion to the support portion. A suction means draws air through the bores. The suction means is mounted in the support portion and draws air into the support portion through the bores.

Abstract: A clamping device and method wherein the device comprises a movable jaw and a fixed jaw wherein the movable jaw is displaced toward the fixed jaw along a plurality of load points. In one embodiment, the displacing action is through a plurality of inclined plane or ramp surfaces. In another embodiment, the displacing action is through a camming surface. A biasing mechanism is also provided to apply a consistent, predictable clamping force to a group of objects retained between the movable jaw and the fixed jaw. A low friction surface or coating on the jaws permit movement of the objects transverse to the clamping force while clamped.

Abstract: A universal lifting device for elevating heavy off-the-road vehicles, e.g. mechanical shovels used in mining operations, is proposed to raise the upper revolving section of the shovel and allow for its lower wheeled base to be removed with a view to attending to the maintenance, for instance, of the rotation mechanism of the shovel. The lifting device comprises front and rear lifting beams to which various type of brackets can be removably mounted to ensure a proper positioning of the front and rear lifting beams with respect to the revolving frame of different models of mechanical shovels. Front and rear lifting points are provided to control the vertical displacement of the front and the rear lifting beams, respectively.

Abstract: A mechanism for a multi-axis flexure positioner includes a fixed part and a movable part (7), the movable part (7) being connected to the fixed part via a plurality of transmission means, one for each axis, for transmitting actuation forces for the respective axes to the movable part (7). The transmission means for each axis includes a flexure member (2,3,8) arranged to transmit actuation forces for that axis to the movable part (7) and to flex between the fixed part and the movable part in response to actuation forces associated with the or each other axis. There are three flexure members (2,3,8) arranged to extend along three mutually-perpendicular axes so that each flexure member (2,3,8) is flexible along the axes of extent of the other two flexure members (2,3,8). Each of the three flexure members (2,3,8) comprises a pair of flexure linkages arranged to extend parallel to each other, the three pairs of linkages thus defining three mutually-perpendicular planes.

Abstract: A positioning actuator with three axes includes a base having a movable supporting member and a device for moving the member up and down, and a shaft connecting the movable head of the actuator to the base. The connecting shaft forms a swivel-type double linkage enabling sideways movement of the head relative to the base, and the lower end of the connecting shaft engages a part made of elastomeric material and is provided within the movable supporting member.

Abstract: A new wrench for holding a nut in the head end when threading and unthreading the nut from a threaded object such as a threaded bolt. The inventive device includes a handle with a head end coupled to the handle. The head end has a first and second faces, and inner and outer side surfaces. The inner side surface of the head end defines an opening through the head end between the first and second faces of the head end. The head end also has a supporting flange extending radially inwards around the inner side surface of the head end. The head end has a break therethrough extending between the inner and outer side surfaces of the head end. The break also extends through an adjacent portion of the supporting flange.

Abstract: An accessory (10) for a wrench socket (12) is disclosed including a generally cylindrical magnet (32) secured to a generally cylindrical, nonmagnetic, compressible disk (26) which snugly fits within the well (14) and magnetically insulates the magnet (32) from the socket (12). The accessory (10) is removably insertable into the socket (12) of any design and model and without need for modification of the socket (12) and captures a spark plug (100) slideably received in the well (14) of the socket (12) to magnetically hold the spark plug (100) captive in the well (14) as the socket (12) is moved to the fastening location while not magnetizing the socket (12) or the spark plug (100) sufficiently to be detrimentally magnetically attracted to metal adjacent to the fastening location. Specifically, the connecting nut (112) and insulator (104) of the spark plug (100) are insertable through an axial bore (70) formed in the disk (26) for access to the magnet (32).

Abstract: A bleacher seat cap installation tool is provided that has a first guide surface that slides along an edge of the seat board of the bleacher seat to be retrofit, and a second guide surface that guides a free end of a bleacher seat cap into position. The tool enables a single installer to install a bleacher seat cap quickly and easily, while avoiding injury or marring of the exterior surface of the bleacher seat cap.

Abstract: A technique for installing a length of cable assembly and coiled tubing includes application of both compressive and tensile forces on the cable assembly. The compressive forces are applied to the cable assembly in a compression station at an entry end of the coiled tubing. Tensile forces are applied to the cable assembly by a wire line or a similar structure situated at an exit end of the coiled tubing. Following installation of the cable assembly in the coiled tubing, the coiled tubing may be transported to an application site, and coupled to equipment, such as a submersible pumping system. The submersible pumping system may then be deployed by extension of the coiled tubing and cable assembly. Additional lengths may be obtained by joining subassemblies formed by the tensile and compressive force technique. The technique reduces residual elongation or strain in the cable assembly as compared to conventional methods.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for installing a threaded fastener having a sleeved or interference fit into a workpiece. The apparatus of the present invention includes a pulling device for pulling the threaded fastener into the workpiece, an adapter for connecting the threaded fastener and the pulling device, and a collar that fits over the adapter for allowing the adapter to more inside the collar when subject to a pulling force from the pulling device. In addition, the aforementioned apparatus may be used in a method for installing the threaded fastener having a sleeved or interference fit into the workpiece. The method includes inserting the threaded fastener into the workpiece until the threads of the fastener are exposed on the other side of the workpiece, attaching an adapter to the threaded fastener, placing the collar over the adapter and attaching the pulling device. The pulling device is then pressurized so as to pull the threaded fastener into the workpiece until the threaded fastener is fully seated.

Abstract: A clamping device for allowing the user to easily attach two objects together.

Abstract: A nut holding device is mounted in a socket of the type including a compartment defined by a polygonal inner periphery. The nut holding device includes a body mounted in the compartment, elastic plates formed on an upper side of the body for holding a nut to be loosened, a positioning arrangement formed on the body to position the body in the compartment, and resilient plates for biasing the nut to a level partially beyond the ratcheting tool. The positioning arrangement includes a number of legs extended downward from an underside of the body. Each leg includes a column section that engages with an associated angular section of the polygonal inner periphery of the ratcheting tool when the nut holding device is received in the compartment of the ratcheting tool.