Abstract: The present invention provides an electric switch having a mechanism comprising an actuator, a contact member capable of being moved along a path by the actuator and two spaced apart electric contacts arranged along said path; wherein one of said contacts functions, in use, as a fulcrum and wherein said member is so shaped and the switch is constructed and arranged such that said member is moveable, from a first position in which it is in contact with said contacts, slideably with respect to said contacts and in so doing initially rotates in one direction and thereafter pivots about the fulcrum in a rotation of opposite direction whereby to come out of contact with the other of said contacts.The above can be applied to a host of switches including those with arcuately, linearly and rotary moveable actuators.

Abstract: A multi-electrode welding apparatus is provided which includes a torch body and a least two electrodes, preferably of the non-consumable type, which are adjustably mounted in the torch body so as to be vertically positionable with respect to a workpiece and a nozzle mounted in the torch body. Interchangeable nozzles are provided for the electrodes, each nozzle being removably and interchangeably mounted in the torch body and adapted to be employed in conjunction with either of the electrodes so that one of the nozzles in conjunction with one electrode provides an open arc between such electrode and the workpiece, and another of the nozzles employed in conjunction with the other electrode provides a constricted arc between such electrode and the workpiece.

Abstract: Welding torch comprises a combination collet body which functions interchangeably for electric arc welding, of the open arc type using a consumable electrode, or for inert gas shielded welding using a non-consumable electrode. The collet body has a screw-threaded collar at one end which is screwed into the welding head. At the other end, it has a slitted or splined chuck. The slightly enlarged central body portion between the collar and the chuck includes a plurality of gas vents. For open arc welding, a consumable electrode, interposed into the chuck, is secured in place by a constricting metal adapter sleeve which also serves to close the gas vents. For inert gas shielded welding, the consumable electrode and the metal adapter are replaced by a nonconsumable electrode and a ceramic shield open at one end. The open vents permit inert gas to escape under the ceramic shield and surround the nonconsumable electrode during the welding process.

Abstract: A plasma-arc spraying torch is disclosed which comprises a cathode unit and a separable anode unit which units are connected to each other approximately at a section of the torch in which the cathode of the torch is mounted on a cathode supporting member. The connection of the units and the mounting of their parts are all self-centering. Each unit has its own separate cooling circuit. Cooling of the anode nozzle is provided by a helical water duct within a nozzle holder member surrounding the anode nozzle. The nozzle holder and cathode supporting members are each at least laterally embedded in body parts of insulating material.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and a device for igniting a gas planing process. The method is based on applying heat to a workpiece by means of a movable heat source, which in principle has a point effect so that the heated or molten portion of the workpiece forms a strip, which in principle extends perpendicularly to the flow direction of the planing oxygen. The device for carrying out the method comprises one or more planing burners and one or more movable ignition means so connected to the burner that the ignition means can move relative to the planing burner both in parallel with and perpendicularly to the planing direction and at the same time carry out the function of a heat source of in principle point shape, which preheats a strip-shaped zone on the surface of the workpiece and/or in addition to said preheating adds molten metal to said zone.

Abstract: A temperature control system controls operation of two heaters, such as the solution heater and dryer heater of a photographic processor. First and second temperature detectors sense temperature and provide first and second detector signals, which are compared with first and second reference ramp signals by first and second comparators. The comparators produce first and second inhibit signals, which prevent power from being supplied to the first and second heaters, respectively. A priority circuit prevents power from being supplied to the second heater if the first heater is receiving power.

Abstract: A cooking appliance wherein a unique U-shaped bracket is provided for connecting an outer housing, an inner cooking vessel, a thermostat assembly and a bottom cover to each other. One of the arms of the bracket is inserted through a downwardly extending tab of the cooking vessel, the other arm of the bracket is connected to a screw for mounting a stack thermostat, and the central portion of the bracket is connected to a screw for urging the vessel downwardly and the bottom cover upwardly to economically hold the parts in assembled position on the outer insulated housing.

Abstract: A method for TIG welding by using a plurality of nonconsumable electrodes extending frm the tip of a TIG welding torch and one filler wire fed through a space between the electrodes, each electrode being independently supplied with power. A molten pool is formed by melting both the base metal to be welded and the filler wire by means of arcs generated between respective electrodes and the base metal. Melting of the base metal is mainly controlled by the arc produced by one of the plurality of electrodes while melting of the filler wire is mainly controlled by the arc generated by the other electrode.

Abstract: Apparatus for heating the outer surface of an object such as a loaf of bread. The object is conveyed through a heating chamber which has a plurality of apertures therein. A plurality of laser beams of a wavelength that is readily absorbed by the outer surface of the object are generated and each beam is directed through a respective aperture in the chamber. Each beam entering the chamber is diverged to scatter the beam and spread the energy contained therein out over a wider area than that in which the energy is initially contained. The divergent beams are directed into a predetermined zone within the chamber through which the object must pass and the laser radiation within the zone strikes the outer surface of the object and is absorbed thereby to heat the outer surface.

Abstract: To control the plasma arc in accordance with the present invention, the pressure change characteristics or curve in a torch is determined from the moment a plasma forming gas is delivered thereto until this plasma forming gas reaches the pressure in the supply manifold. Such a measurement is done for each selected cutting condition characterized by a constant flow rate of the plasma forming gas. The arc supply current is then fed in two stages: at first by a jump to a current amounting to approximately half the cutting current for a selected condition and then by gradually increasing the current in compliance with the pressure change characteristics or curve until the cutting current value is attained.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for machining an object wherein a source of coherent radiation is pulse modulated in accordance with the desired machining and the radiation is directed to a deflecting device and deflected to the object which is moving at a controlled speed. Movement of the deflecting device is controlled to deflect the pulsed radiation on the area of the object to be machined regardless of its motion. The method is applied to engrave intaglio printing forms by using gating or pulse length modulation to reproduce accurately the large number of volume variations of the printing cells.

Abstract: A bilateral heater unit including an elongated sheath in the form of two substantially parallel adjacent leg portions interconnected by a return bend portion formed of the elongated sheath bent back upon itself and integral with the adjacent parallel extending leg portions. Each of the leg portions is provided with a terminal portion extending outwardly from the end of the leg portion and spaced from the sheath. A resistor assembly is secured between the terminal of each of the leg portions and extends along the sheath between the terminals, the sheath between the terminals being filled with compacted powder insulation spacing the resistor assembly from the sheath. The parallel extending leg portions have opposing inner surfaces thereof spaced from one another and the resistor assembly may include at least one electrically conductive member extending within the sheath along the portion thereof for producing a non-heat generating zone thereat.

Abstract: A device for heating keys comprised of a plug which fits the socket of a cigarette lighter having means for heating a key. The device is comprised of a heating element surrounding a slot in the plug into which a key may be inserted for heating. The plug, when pushed into the cigarette lighter receptacle, activates the heating element which in turn heats the key. The device can be constructed as a slot in an existing cigarette lighter for use in conjunction with it, or may be a separate adapter plug. The device is activated by pushing the key into the slot in the plug or cigarette lighter and engaging the contacts by pushing the plug inward.

Abstract: An electric snap-action electric switch is disclosed which employs movable contact means having an inverted V-shaped cam surface. The movable contact means is spring biased into engagement along its cam surface with the end of a pivoted operator lever. Upon movement from one extreme position the lever cams and pivots the contact means inwardly of the switch until the end of the lever rides beyond the apex of the V-shaped surface, whereupon the contact means moves with snap action under spring action to change switch circuits. Contact wiping action occurs during inward pivotal movement of said contact means, and abutting stationary contact engagement results from its snap-action movement.

Abstract: A compact plasma-MIG welding torch in which the contact tube and the nozzle are directly connected together electrically, thereby enabling welding with a very short extension of the welding wire.

Abstract: A laser system includes a nozzle assembly for use in directing a shielding gas around a laser beam and thereby protecting the point of focus from contamination by the atmosphere as is useful in welding and cutting applications. The nozzle includes a manifold section for admitting a shielding gas such as inert gas through a diffuser formed therein which exits from an outlet aperture through a nozzle tip section. The geometry of the nozzle is such that a certain amount of the shielding gas is flowed backward through an inlet aperture in the manifold section and thence into a housing container reflecting mirrors for directing and focusing the laser beam through the nozzle assembly. The remaining shielding gas, which is the bulk of the gas admitted, passes out through the outlet aperture in column fashion around the laser beam. By producing a back flow of shielding gas, aspiration of air through the housing and onto the workpiece is avoided.

Abstract: A heating tape is described which comprises two longitudinally extending foil conductors and a longitudinally extending tape incorporating heating elements spaced apart along its length. The heating elements are connected electrically in parallel between the heating foils, enabling the heating tape to be powered from one end.

Abstract: A two conductor, nonpolarized, low voltage control cable is used in conjunction with the single conductor welding cable to achieve excellent stability of wire feed motor speed without the use of silicon controlled rectifiers or other three terminal semiconductor devices. One conductor of the control cable is used as a ground return path for the wire feed motor. The voltage across the wire feed motor is the difference between the welding power supply voltage and a second control voltage which tracks variations in the power supply voltage due to fluctuations of the AC input to the system. When greater wire feed speeds are desired, the control voltage may be driven below ground and wire feed motor speed stability is obtained by operating the motor in a region where angular velocity is relatively insensitive to incremental changes in terminal voltage. When the control cable running from the power supply control circuitry to the remote unit is severed, it may be spliced without regard to polarity by the user.

Abstract: Induction heating apparatus for a dieless drawing operation includes a flexible induction coil made from a flexible metallic strip contained within an elastomeric sleeve which also defines a cooling fluid passage. The coil is sufficiently flexible to be capable of being formed into a shape which substantially conforms to that of a workpiece being heated at any point along the length of the workpiece. The apparatus of the invention also includes cam followers connected to the coil and cams which represent the shape of the workpiece over which the followers move during the heating operation to change the shape of the coil as required to maintain the coil at a substantially constant distance from the surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: A method of plasma multiarc welding by permanently burning direct-current arcs of different polarities makes use of a plasma forming gas and shielding mediums and the arcs are located so that the adjacent arcs have opposite polarities, consisting, according to the invention, in that all arcs are started between nonconsumable electrodes and a workpiece or some arcs are started between nonconsumable electrodes and a workpiece and other arcs are started between consumable electrodes and a workpiece, the currents of all arcs and the distance between the arcs being set so that the ratio of the product of the currents of two adjacent arcs to the distance therebetween is equal or more than 6.10.sup.3 A.sup.2 /cm.