Abstract: A roller assembly (12) for use with a mower head (10) is disclosed. The roller assembly includes a roller body (24) to which a shaft (26) is attached such that the body and shaft rotate in unison. The shaft has a pair of opposed ends, each of which is coupled to a bearing assembly (30) that is attached to an arm (28) that is secured to the mower head. The bearing assemblies freely rotate relative to the planes in which they are normally seated so that in the event the arms with which they are associated become out of alignment, the associated shaft and roller body will be able to continue to freely turn. In the preferred versions of the invention, the roller body is made out of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene plastic. The roller body is further formed out of individual sections. The individual sections are each not more than 15 inches in length and are mated together to form the integral roller body.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ink jet head including an ink-chamber member having ink chambers, and a nozzle plate secured to a front end face of the ink-chamber member and which has ink-jet holes communicating with the respective ink chambers, wherein a blank for the nozzle plate is formed by injection molding, such that blind holes are formed in one of opposite surfaces of the blank and such that each blind hole has a varying-area portion whose cross sectional area decreases in a direction from the above-indicated one of opposite surfaces of the blank toward the other surface, and the blank is subjected to laser-cutting to prepare the nozzle plate having orifice holes which cooperate with the blind holes to form the ink-jet holes. The size of each blind hole at an open end thereof is preferably smaller than the size of the ink chamber at an end thereof at which the ink chamber communicates with the ink-jet hole.

Abstract: A rotational device such as an industrial roll includes a rotational body such as a roll body and at least one journal member in the form of a stub shaft removably mounted and terminating within a journal opening provided in an end of the body. Engaged threaded portions provided in the journal opening and on the journal member prevent withdrawal of the journal member from the journal opening or separation of the abutting transverse stop surfaces on the journal member and in the journal opening. The journal opening includes a tapered portion and a tapered sleeve is interposed radially between the tapered portion of the journal opening and the journal member. A nut threaded onto the bearing member urges the tapered sleeve into engagement with the tapered portion of the journal opening further preventing relative rotational or transverse movement between the roll body and journal member. The abutting stop surfaces accurately position the bearing member axially with respect to the rotational body.

Abstract: A flashless metal connecting rod of the type having a one-piece construction and being fracturable into a cap portion and a body portion is produced by providing a precise preform of predetermined dimensions and a precise weight, induction heating the preform to a suitable forging temperature, sequentially compressing the preform between a plurality of unique sets of forging dies. The resulting final forging is both flashless and burrless. Preferably, the sequential compressing of the preform is accomplished through three sets of forging dies which progressively form the precision preform to its ultimate shape.

Abstract: A thin-walled valve guide insert for lining and relining a valve guide of an internal combustion engine includes opposing ends each having a tapered insertion section thereon. The tapered insertion section defines a reduced outer diameter to facilitate installing the insert into a valve guide bore have a nonchamfered opening, and further defines a reduced inner diameter so that the insert has a substantially continuous wall thickness throughout its length and thus maintains the structural integrity of the insert from end to end. In the preferred embodiment, the valve guide insert is made of a phosphor bronze material of about 0.018 inch thickness or less, and includes a lengthwise slit therein. The insert is sprung open longitudinally along the slit and must be radially compressed so that the insert defines a sufficiently small outer diameter so that it can be axially installed in a press-fit condition into the valve guide bore of the engine.

Abstract: A tube traveler and slitter for extracting a tube from a heat exchanger tubesheet and slitting the tube longitudinally into two segments includes two spaced apart deforming rolls having a nip between the peripheries defining a passageway. The periphery of each roll is serrated and has a cylindrical central portion of a larger diameter than the remainder of the periphery, and a cylindrical portion spaced from the central portion at each end of the roller, a truncated conical surface being between the cylindrical portions. The rollers extract and deform the tube into a configuration having a flattened central portion and a bulbous configuration at each edge. A rotary slitter blade is positioned for engaging and slitting each edge longitudinally. The axis of rotation of the slitter blades is downstream from the axes of rotation of the rolls.

Abstract: A valve body unit is automatically assembled by inserting a cylindrical guide bush into an entry bore section of an axial bore of a valve body. The largest diameter of the valve spool is coaxially aligned with the guide bush. The valve spool is forced into the guide bush and then into the valve body.

Abstract: A pivot assembly for an actuator arm of a disk drive is disclosed. The housing of the actuator arm is supported on a shaft by two or more bearings. An assembly load is applied to the housing relative to the shaft such that the assembly load is carried by only one of the bearings. The axial location of the housing relative to the shaft with the assembly load applied is observed as a reference location. The assembly load is removed. One of the races of a bearing is moved until the housing returns to the reference location. In this state the bearings have a preload which is equal to the assembly load. The preload can be achieved with none of the races being loose-fit, and there is no need for adhesive.

Abstract: A roller assembly for guiding webs and removing wrinkles includes an outer cylindrical surface that is supported on a shaft about which it can rotate. Portions of the outer diameter of the outer cylindrical surface can expand and contract radially using a radial expander that can move axially along the shaft. The radial expander has an increasing radius from a point closer to a central transverse axis of the roller assembly to a point further from the central transverse axis of the roller assembly so that the closer the radial expander is to the central transverse axis, the greater the radial expansion of the outer cylindrical surface.

Abstract: Lead wires extending out from an electrical circuit device are removed from respective bonding pads to which they are bonded by a lateral shearing action. Shearing can be accomplished either unidirectionally, or with a bidirectional reciprocating movement. A shearing tool is provided with a single shearing projection for a unidirectional shearing, or with a pair of spaced shearing projections for bidirectional shearing. A vertical alignment is established between the tool and a first lead to be sheared, and this initial alignment is also used for shearing the other leads of the device. With the actual bond between a lead and its bonding pad occupying only a minor portion of the available surface area, a subsequent lead from a replacement device is bonded to the same bonding pad as the first lead by forming a new bond at a different site along the pad.

Abstract: A process for making metal inking rolls, particularly for flexographic printing, having: A roll structure composed of an ammonia hardenable steel, in particular stainless steel, the selection of a roll wherein the minimum thickness of the wall, if tubular, is a direct function of the diameter and an inverse function of the length of the roll, so that, when the roll is supported at its ends and stressed in the middle, on a surface relatively distributed, it may be permanently distorted in the axial direction but without distorting its cross-section; a post-engraving ionic nitriding treatment to increase the surface hardness of the screen to at least 60 HRC and a final straightening step, to reduce the screen eccentricity at least 0.02 mm.

Abstract: A wheel spindle and bearing assembly for either a non-drive or driven wheel of a vehicle includes a unitary spindle of substantially constant diameter along the bearing section which includes dual raceways formed in the outer surface. Dual annular arrays of antifriction elements are seated in the raceways and are held captive by dual outer support rings, thus providing relative rotation between the spindle and the rings. The support rings are preferably mounted for telescoping movement relative to each other between a retracted position in the direction of the axis of the spindle to allow loading of the antifriction elements and an axially extended position for applying an opposed, axial preload force to the bearing assembly. In the axially extended position the rings form a gap between opposed faces and a split, annular keeper is positioned in the gap and held in compression to secure the entire assembly. The cross section area of the keeper is slightly larger than the gap to establish the preload force.

Abstract: A reference range of tightening torques is predetermined relative to the rotation angle of a threaded member as normally tightened. In tightening up a nut on an externally threaded member, the tightening torque is detected by a torque sensor every time the nut is rotated through a specified angle, and whether the tightening torque relative to the rotation angle is within the reference range is judged by a microcomputer. The result of judgment is indicated by a light-emitting diode and a buzzer.

Abstract: Method of making a lined metallic water tank for a water heater, using the steps (a) making a metallic tank pre-form which is open at one end; (b) inserting a collapsible container through the open end into the pre-form; (c) drawing a vacuum on the container to displace the container away from the open end; (d) enclosing the open end to form a completed water tank while continuing to draw vacuum; and (e) applying pressure, within the container to expand the container against the inside surfaces of the completed tank.

Abstract: Apparatus for making personal computer cards nests side walls with side channels and end walls with end channels to close an enclosure of a personal computer card and then qualifies the dimensions of the closed enclosure by forming the nested walls and channels, preferably by impacting the nested walls and channels within forming dies, to attain the critical length, width and thickness prescribed for the personal computer card.

Abstract: A thin-walled valve guide insert for lining and relining a valve guide of an internal combustion engine includes opposing ends each having a tapered insertion section thereon. The tapered insertion section defines a reduced outer diameter to facilitate installing the insert into a valve guide bore have a nonchamfered opening, and further defines a reduced inner diameter so that the insert has a substantially continuous wall thickness throughout its length and thus maintains the structural integrity of the insert from end to end. In the preferred embodiment, the valve guide insert is made of a phosphor bronze material of about 0.018 inch thickness or less, and includes a lengthwise slit therein. The insert is sprung open longitudinally along the slit and must be radially compressed so that the insert defines a sufficiently small outer diameter so that it can be axially installed in a press-fit condition into the valve guide bore of the engine.

Abstract: A belt fastener assembly attachment apparatus attaches belt fastener assemblies to the end of a belt with rivets and with a non-manually powered rivet assembly driving tool. A guide template having a plurality of guide apertures is alignable with the anvil die apertures of an anvil die plate. Each guide aperture receives and aligns the rivet assembly dispensing barrel of the non-manually powered rivet assembly drive tool to the anvil die apertures of an anvil die plate and rivet receiving apertures of the belt fastener. Guide pins carried by the guide template and received within guide apertures of the anvil die plate maintain the guide template apertures in registration with the anvil die apertures of the anvil die plate and the rivet receiving apertures of the belt fastener.

Abstract: A roll for the preparation or treatment of fiber webs includes a fixed central axis, a roll shell adapted to rotate around the fixed axis and a first chamber disposed between the central axis and the rotatable roll shell. The first chamber is filled with liquid which can transfer a hydraulic supporting force from the central axis to the roll shell. The roll includes a second chamber that is partially filled with air and partially filled with a liquid. Several narrow capillary lines connect the first and second chambers. The capillary characteristic (K) of the capillary lines ranges between about 2.5.times.10.sup.7 m.sup.-2 and about 2.5.times.10.sup.8 m.sup.2.

Abstract: The compound roll having a shell portion made of a hard, high-alloy cast steel or iron having excellent wear resistance and resistance to surface roughening and a core portion made of a tough cast iron or cast steel, the cast iron of the shell portion having a composition consisting essentially, by weight ratio, of 1.0-3.0% of C, 2.0% or less of Si, 2.0% or less of Mn, 2.0-15.0% of Cr, 10.0% or less of Mo, 2.0-8.0% of V, the balance being substantially Fe and inevitable impurities, an average diameter of crystal grains constituting a matrix of the metal structure of the shell portion being 100 .mu.m or less in a range from a surface to a depth of 50 mm when determined by an image analysis method on the crystal grains having diameters exceeding 30 .mu.m, and the crystal grains satisfying the formula: m.sub.2 .ltoreq.1.2 m.sub.1, wherein m.sub.1 is an average diameter of the crystal grains at the surface of the shell portion, and m.sub.

Abstract: A removable clamp assembly for the ends of an elastomer sleeve of a spreader roller which includes and outer bearing ring, a clamp cup and a clamp cover. The outer bearing ring has a textured outer diameter which is sized to fit closely in said elastomer sleeve. The outer bearing ring also includes a central bore for mounting of an anti friction bearing therein. The clamp cup is sized to fit on the outer diameter of the elastomer sleeve and includes a plurality of clamp segments which are arrayed on the outer edge of an end ring. The segments have a tapered outer surface terminating in a mouth portion. A clamp cover is fitted onto and over the tapered outer surface thereby clamping said elastomer sleeve between the clamping segments and the bearing ring.