Abstract: An arrangement for the mounting support of a drive unit of a motor vehicle which consists of an internal combustion engine with a clutch, of at least one change-speed transmission and of an axle gear, whereby preferably the change-speed transmission together with the axle gear is combined into a rear drive unit provided in the rear section of the vehicle and a tubular support member disposed in the vehicle longitudinal direction connects with each other the front drive unit consisting of the engine and the clutch with the rear drive unit; the internal combustion engine arranged in the front section of the vehicle is also drivingly connected with the rear drive unit by way of a drive shaft arranged on the inside of the tubular support member; the internal combustion engine together with the clutch, the tubular support member and the rear drive unit are thereby fastened at the vehicle body, frame or the like by way of elastic members which are mounted within the areas of low vibrations of the aggregates of the

Abstract: In a method of preparing a low friction bearing having an inner bearing member, a housing and a low friction surface element therebetween, wherein the housing having an inner surface is constructed to surround the bearing member and said housing is comprised of a plurality of sections which cooperatively define the shape of the outer surface of the inner bearing element, the improvement comprising the steps:1. winding onto a mandrel a continuous strand of a bondable low friction thread comprised of low friction filaments and bondable filaments impregnated with a bondable resin which is in a solidified yet thermoplastic state;2. affixing the wound thread to the inner surface of at least one housing section;3. curing the resin to coalesce the threads and intergrate the turns of the threads to produce a low friction element; and4.

Abstract: First and second horizontally disposed parallel guide rods are provided to guide an object. First and second roller assemblies are fixed to the object and rollingly connect the object to the first guide rod and a third roller assembly fixed to the other side of the object rollingly connects the object to the second guide rod. The third roller assembly comprises a shaft fixed to the object and a roller carried by the shaft which rollingly rides on the top of the second guide rod. The first and second roller assemblies each comprise a shaft fixed to the object carrying first and second rollers spaced from each other along the shaft. The first and second rollers straddle the top of the first guide rod and rollingly ride on the upper surface thereof. The apparatus further comprises a shaft fixed to the object which carries a roller, the top of which rollingly engages with the lower surface of the first guide rod.

Abstract: A compliant bearing of the fixed or movable type for supporting heavy loads in compression, as advantageously used for coupling piers and scaffolds of a bridge or viaduct, has been developed using multiple layers of polychloroprene and fluorocarbon resin. A steel base plate provided with a recessed seat contains in ascending order: a first sheet of a fluorocarbon resin having a low coefficient of sliding friction, a thick layer of pressed polychloroprene having on its upper part a peripheral seat wherein at least one peripheral weather strip is arranged, and a second sheet of fluorocarbon resin also having a low coefficient of sliding friction, and an upper steel plate located upon the second sheet of fluorocarbon resin. Fixed, unidirectional, and multidirectional horizontal displacement configurations are described.

Abstract: A cross-country ski which consists of a composite or sandwich structure comprising a core which comprises at least two layers, which define an interface that is approximately parallel to the tread face, the uppermost layer of the core consisting of wood, the lowermost layer of the core extending substantially from the rear end of the ski at least to the rear end of the scoop consisting at least in part of foamed plastics material, and the upper layer having preferably a thickness of at least 1.5 mm at its thickest part and having a length which in dependence on the profile of the core and the thickness of the layer is shorter than the ski and consists of wood which in the direction of its grain has a modulus of elasticity of at least 3 .times. 10.sup.5 Ncm.sup..sup.-2.

Abstract: A reflective surface for positioning on the frame of a bicycle has at least two sides thereof positioned in closely spaced relationship to the sides of the bicycle frame. The generally planar member is luminescent and has a pattern disposed thereon to further improve its visibility.

Abstract: A safety ski binding comprises a sole grip pivoted on an end of a sole-supporting plate elastically connected to the ski by a flexible cable tensioned by a spring winder incorporated in the plate. A device for automatically opening the sole grip, after removal of the sole grip from the ski by withdrawal of the cable but before the cable is fully withdrawn, comprises a projection on the winder which actuates a lever to pull or push a transmission member which either disengages a bolt retaining the heel grip, or directly tips the grip open against the action of a biasing spring.

Abstract: A vehicle such as a motor grader includes a hydrostatic auxiliary front wheel drive system which utilizes implement system pressurized fluid flow to drive a pair of fixed displacement hydraulic motors, such motors being drivingly connected to cause rotation of the front wheels. A pilot operated series-parallel valve in combination with a flow divider allows the motors to be driven in series or in parallel. A directional control valve is selectively responsive to operator control, and clutch actuation is accomplished automatically by directing a controlled portion of system fluid to such clutches to overcome the normal spring bias thereof.

Abstract: Various motorcycle towing devices are presented wherein the connection between the towing vehicle and a motorcycle or a carrier therefor is of a fifth wheel type inclusive of king bolt and turning plate or bolster plate components that permit turning movements about the vertically oriented king bolt while movements about horizontal axes are limited and controlled by the positioning of the bolster plate and the horizontal pivot support provided thereby. Separate embodiments provide a rigid connection from the bolster plate pivot support to the frame of a motorcycle or to the front axle thereof while the rear wheel of the motorcycle remains in contact with the ground to provide trailed support therefor; or alternately, the bolster plate pivot support is used with a trailer component having separate support wheels and a pivot linked frame that receives, supports and carries the motorcycle.

Abstract: A ski comprising an elongated body having a leading end portion which terminates in an upwardly curved scoop. The scoop has a rounded end, which is tapered in width and has a length of up to 90 mm, and a succeeding portion which has parallel side faces.

Abstract: A standard bicycle frame is modified by rigidly and permanently securing two generally parallel integral tubular members extending from the head tube of the frame past the seat support tube and then past the axis of the rear wheel and beyond the same rearwardly to a point which will touch the ground when the center of gravity of a rider's body, riding on the rear wheel only, moves backward and approaches dead center over the axis of the rear wheel. These two tubular members are attached to the head tube and one to each side of the seat support tube in a rigid and permanent manner, and are detachably secured one at each end of the opposite ends of the rear wheel axial shaft.

Abstract: A slide-rocker bearing having an elastic pressure cushion arranged between a pair of opposed bearing members, peripherally enclosed in a casing which is spaced from the bearing members so as to permit at least one of the bearing members to tilt. A slide plate is interposed between the tiltable bearing member and the pressure cushion and support means is inserted at least between the marginal edges of the slide plate and the pressure cushion. Means are provided for fixing the slide plate support means to the casing and thereby enclose the support within the peripheral confines of the casing in contact with the pressure cushion.

Abstract: A loading aperture is provided in the circumference of the race of a rolling bearing for the insertion of rolling members into the race, and an expandable closure is provided for closing the aperture. The closure may have a slot into which a member, such as a ball or wedge, is inserted, for expanding the closure.

Abstract: A variable-diameter power-transmission device comprises a rotatable member and a plurality of arms attached at their inner ends to the rotatable member and extending outwardly in a radial direction, the arms being curved at their outer ends in a circumferential direction to provide a generally cylindrical coupling surface for coupling to another device, the arms being flexible, permitting them to flex with respect to the rotatable member to change the radial distance of the outer end of the arms from their inner ends, and thereby to change the effective diameter of the coupling surface.

Abstract: The skateboard includes only one forward roller and one rearward roller both of sufficient width to provide stability. Each roller is rotatably supported by a combined fork and fender member which in turn is supported to the underside of the board in a manner to permit swivelling about a journal axis formed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the board. A cantilevered leaf spring in the main frame portion cooperates with a pinion in the journal for the swivel axis to return the roller to a neutral position.

Abstract: This invention relates to a bearing system for supporting a nuclear reactor vessel of the kind which is suspended from the reactor closure slab.The bearing system comprises a ring connected at one end to a collar and at the other end to two collars. The collar connected to the bottom end of the ring forms the top part of the vessel to be supported while the other two collars fit into the slab at two separate places. The ring and collars are disposed in an annular space formed in the slab and dividing it into two parts, i.e. a central part and a peripheral part surrounding the central part of the slab.

Abstract: A longitudinal frame has a conventional fifth wheel on its forward end and this end of the frame is supported on caster wheels. The rearward end of the frame has a depending portion provided with hitches on each side for connection to two hitch points on the front of a towing vehicle to form a longitudinally rigid extension of the towing vehicle. With this arrangement the operator faces the dolly. The hitches on the dolly are vertically adjustable to provide easy connection to the towing vehicle and to accommodate various ground conditions during connection. The fifth wheel assembly of the dolly is supported on an auxiliary longitudinally extending frame pivotally connected at a rearward point on the main frame, and an air lift bag assembly is provided between the auxiliary frame and the main frame for raising and lowering the fifth wheel assembly. A vertically adjustable pony wheel is provided at the rear of the main frame.

Abstract: An improved tongue support device comprises a cantilever leaf spring positioned within the tongue member attached to a wagon. A second tongue member is biased upwardly by the leaf spring about a pivot axis connecting the first and second tongue members.

Abstract: A bearing and bearing material adapted for use with a relatively movable bearing member or bearing material having a considerably greater hardness, the bearing material of the invention comprising aluminum bronze which is heat treated to create therethrough particles of harder material than the aluminum bronze prior to heat treating, said particles being harder than the matrix in which they are dispersed. Preferably, this material is used as a complement to a harder relatively movable bearing surface, such as hard metals known in the art, which are deposited upon supporting bodies, usually by a weld operation.

Abstract: A vehicle anti-skid mechanism is a wheel attachment and fits on the outside of a vehicle wheel. The mechanism includes a central portion having an inner pair of plates between an outer pair of plates and tread members pivoted to each pair of plates. Turning the inner pair of plates relative to the outer plates displaces active portions of the tread members outwardly to more or less ground engaging positions. The tread members define the periphery of the mechanism and are configured to interfit with one another in their withdrawn inoperative positions. Hydraulic piston assemblies are mounted around the hub of the mechanism and connected to the inner pair of plates.