Abstract: An apparatus for securing a flowline to a structure near the seabed comprises a vertically oriented guide funnel placed atop a guide tube that is provided with a helical shoulder cooperating with an alignment key mounted on the flowline. During installation the flowline is stabbed into the guide funnel and guide tube thereby causing the alignment key to slide along the shoulder until a pair of hinge pins mounted on the flowline have entered into a pair of slots in the wall of the guide tube. Subsequently the flowline is hinged down to a horizontal position.

Abstract: A handle design for game racquets such as tennis, racquetball, squash, etc. which handle is contoured to produce a more balanced use of the two main groups of forearm flexors and the hand muscles so as to minimize tendonitis and bursitis in the elbow and shoulder of the user. The handle is contoured on three of its sides by providing concavities to accommodate the region of the hand known as the hypothenar eminence and to accommodate the shorter second and fifth digits.

Abstract: An intermittent gear wheel lock mechanism includes major engaging portions and secondary engaging portions formed on one surface of an intermittent gear wheel and spaced by a predetermined distance. When an unlock lever is inserted, and a lock member is detached from the major engaging portion, the lock member is moved to the movement path of the secondary engaging portion while the unlock member remains in the inserted position, so that the lock member engages the secondary engaging portion which reaches there as the intermittent gear wheel rotates, and locks the intermittent gear wheel unrotatable. When the unlock lever returns to its original position, the lock member moves from the secondary engaging portion to the movement path of the major engaging portion and engages same to lock the intermittent gear wheel unrotatable.

Abstract: A planetary reduction gear has an internally-toothed ring gear which is made of a molded synthetic resin. The ring gear has a rim formed in its outer periphery in which is formed a plurality of seats comprising through seats and non-piercing holes, the seats being provided at equal intervals around the periphery of the rim. The non-piercing seats extend only part way through the thickness of the rim. The provision of seats over the entire periphery of the rim causes sink marks which develop at the time of molding of the ring gear to act uniformly and deformation of the ring gear is prevented.

Abstract: An inverted U-shaped clip is provided for coupling together shelves on adjacent shelving units. The clip body comprises a pair of spaced-apart parallel sidewalls and a top wall connecting the sidewalls. A first pair of projections extends outwardly from one side of the two sidewalls and each terminates in an upwardly extending hook. With the clip body, the first pair of projections form a first shelf-receiving space. From the opposite side of the clip body, a second pair of projections extends outwardly from the clip, each terminating in an upwardly extending lip. A tongue extends outwardly from the top wall above the second pair of projections and from the same side of the clip body as does the second pair of projections. The tongue terminates in a downwardly extending lip, and with the second pair of projections and the clip body, forms a second shelf-receiving space.

Abstract: An expansion seal assembly in which a corrugated plate extends between two members that are subjected to differential thermal expansion and contraction. An expansion joint connects the upper and lower edges of the corrugated plate with the two members respectively to accommodate differential thermal expansion and contraction between two members in an axial direction. The expansion joint acts as hinges to accommodate the lateral movement.

Abstract: A dynamic damper comprising at least one elastic member and mass member is mounted within a conventional shaft housing eccentrically with respect to an axis center of a steering shaft. The elastic member of the dynamic damper gives a spring constant which is maintained at a constant value designed to provide a required resonant frequency at the mass member for suppresing a vibration transmitted to a steering wheel via the steering shaft since the vibration transmitted from the steering shaft to the steering wheel is always applied to the dynamic damper in the shear direction of said elastic member regardlessly of the steering wheel angular position.

Abstract: A torsion rubber type damper disc wherein either or both of claws of seats for a torsion rubber, which connects a flange and side plates in the circumferential direction, are bent toward a side apart from the torsion rubber so as to avoid an interference between the torsion rubber and the claws, thus a durability of the disc being improved.

Abstract: A slip connector is provided for swivel chairs, and other similar seating, of the type having a base, a seat rotatably supported thereon, and a weight actuated height adjustor, which engages when the seat is unoccupied to facilitate adjusting the seat height, and disengages when the seat is occupied to permit the seat to swivel on the base without affecting the seat height. The slip connector includes two coupling members, which rotate about a common axis when the seat swivels about the base. A stop mechanism positively interconnects the coupling members causing them to rotate together when they assume a first, angular relationship.

Abstract: A highly-resilient shaft coupling includes a hub for rotating about a longitudinal axis, a drive ring, a resilient ring assembly including two axially-continuous circular ring parts bearing radially on the hub. Each ring part includes elastomeric ring sectors and ring sector plates adhered to opposite axial ends of each elastomeric ring sector. An elastomeric ring sector of one circular ring part spans parts of two elastomeric ring sectors of the other ring part. A drive ring drivingly interconnects the hub and the resilient ring assembly at one axial end thereof. Fastener means secure together the ring sector plates at one axial end of each of the two circular ring parts, in a confronting relation. Passageways for cooling air extend between the ring sectors which are secure together. A coupling part is secured to one of the ring sectors at the end which is opposite the drive ring.

Abstract: An extended lift coupling for joining tubular members in an end-to-end relationship is disclosed. The coupling is of simple design having only three components: a pin, a box and a threaded lock ring. An external compressive axial preload places a torus on the pin in axial compression. Make-up of the lock ring maintains the compressive strain on the torus and the lock ring when the axial make-up force is removed. Thereafter, increased tensile loading on the pin and box is partially absorbed in benign compressive stress of the locking ring. By controlling the geometry of the coupling such that the stiffness of the torus is high compared to the stiffness of the box and the stiffness of the lock ring, the fatigue life of the coupling caused by applied cyclic tensile forces is enhanced.

Abstract: A guideline connector (30) capable of being inserted over the top of a guide post (12) and has releasable locking means (40) which responds to the guide post contour to resiliently lock the connector onto the guide post profile (22). The locking means includes means (82, 84) for inactivating the locking means to free the connector of the guide post (12) and for automatically resetting (80, 86) (reactivating) the locking means (40) for further use. The locking means is functionally responsive to the outer contour of the guide post (12).

Abstract: In a rack and pinion power steering apparatus including a hydraulic cylinder housing, a pinion, a rack, a piston, a bolt for mounting the piston to the rack, etc., the rack is formed at one end thereof with a boss portion having a threaded portion which is formed with large inner diameter cylindrical cavity between the boss portion and the bolt in such a way that the female thread extends from a position radially corresponding to near the middle of the boss axial length or near the end surface of the rack to the bottom of the threaded portion. Therefore, it is possible to concentrate a load applied to the piston due to difference in pressure between two chambers to the relatively thick rack, not to the relatively thin boss portion, thus improving the mechanical strength of the steering apparatus without increasing the size or volume thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pedal mechanism for a bicycle with variable leverage pedal cranks. Two guide pulley assemblies fixedly mounted on the frame of a bicycle each comprise two relatively rotatable members cooperating with an arrangement of a chain sprocket, a flange, pins and the pedal cranks so that the lengths of the cranks varies between minimum and maximum values during each rotation of the cranks. The chain sprocket has fifty-two teeth and a free wheel sprocket eighteen teeth, the driving ratio being 2.88. Owing to the variation in driving arm of the cranks, the power consumption can be lowered and speed can be increased up to 20% compared with conventional pedal mechanisms.

Abstract: A mechanism for removably joining elongate frame members comprised essentially of a series of geometrical apertures in some frame members which are adapted to receive specially designed, geometry-conforming detents or keys which have been affixed to, or constructed integrally with, adjoinable frame members. Major connecting action is effected by insertion of one member, a strut which has special cylindrical projections at its ends, into another member, a spar which has a special keyway for receiving said projections, and rotating said strut into a position which, because of the unique geometry of said projections and internal surfaces of said spar, result in capture of the projections, thus immobilizing said strut.Two adjunct locking mechanisms are suggested for rigidifying connections of the preferred embodiment. The first such locking mechanism employs detent means, the second, lever and snubbing action.

Abstract: A single-lever control lockout for a boom and bucket control lever. The lever is selectively movable in both fore-and-aft and side-to-side directions to control the lowering and raising of the boom and the roll back and dumping of the bucket. A cover encloses the control valve and the control lever extends through an opening in the cover. A lockout is slidably attached to the lever and is movable within the cover opening between a locked position where the lockout engages the cover, and a free position where the lockout is spaced from the cover thus allowing free movement of the lever in all directions.

Abstract: A stacked array comprising at least one or more similar or dissimilar metals or composites and having either a tapered bore or a tapered sleeve. A tapered bolt adapted to be inserted into the tapered bore and having a taper that is different from the tapered bore. A method for selecting a greater or lesser taper on the bolt than the taper on the bore depending on the relative strength of the materials forming the stacked array as a means of reducing the installation force of the tapered bolt within the tapered bore.

Abstract: A conical stressing device for connecting a hub to a shaft, the device including a double conical stressing assembly adapted to be mounted on the outer periphery of the hub, so that the hub may be radially compressed to attach it rigidly to the shaft by frictional forces, the double conical stressing assembly including: (1) a double conical ring which has two coaxial peripheral surfaces axially spaced apart and tapering in opposite directions, whereby the greatest wall thickness of the double conical ring is in the central region of its axial length, (2) two conical rings, each of which possesses a conical peripheral surface that acts in conjunction with a respective conical surface of the double conical ring, and (3) axial tensioning bolts which are distributed around the perimeter and are inserted in holes drilled axially in the conical rings, the axial tensioning bolts placing the conical rings under axial tension to force them to slide along the conical surfaces, wherein one of the conical rings tensions

Abstract: A coupling 10 for connecting an elongate first member 12 to a second member 14. The first member 12 is provided with external radial fins 16. The second member 14 defines a recess provided with a number of internal radial fins 20. The first and second members 12,14 and their fins 16,20 are sized such that the first member 12 can be positioned within the recess of the second member 14 with each fin of each member extending between two corresponding fins of the other member. At least one wedge 24 is positioned in the space intermediate each set of opposing fins 16,20. The fins 16,20 and wedge 24 are configured such that biasing the first member 12 in a first axial direction relative to the second member 14 causes the wedge 24 to lock the fins 16,20 together, preventing movement of the first member 12 in the first axial direction. The present coupling 10 can be used to support the members 12,14 under either a tensile or compressive axial loading.

Abstract: A chain guard fastener for secure fitting of the down tube and the seat tube of a bicycle comprises a fastening means and bolt having a key projecting in front thereof to permit engagement with a counterpart keyway provided on the chain guard. The fastening means is made of molded plastic, and includes a median split and a cylindrical form projecting out of a pair of symmetrically disposed faces, two suitably formed bolting ports traversing the pair of faces on either side thereof so as to permit passage of a bolt therethrough. One end of the bolt is stopped, while the other end of the bolt goes to a continuously toothed groove, in close proximity of the teeth.