Abstract: A hollow handle portion and a hollow barrel portion communicate with each other in a hollow housing. A first detent in the barrel portion has a first relationship for retaining a chalk in the barrel portion and a second relationship for releasing the chalk from the barrel portion. The detent is operable to the first and second relationships by a control member externally disposed on the barrel portion. A rotatable reel and a second detent are disposed in the handle portion. The second detent has a first relationship for preventing the reel from rotating and a second relationship for providing for the reel rotation. The second detent is operable to the first and second relationships by a second control member externally disposed on the handle portion. A string wound on the reel extends at a free end through an opening in the handle portion to a position external of the handle portion.

Abstract: A bore sighting assembly for accurately mounting a telescopic sight on a rifle or other firearm, with the sighting assembly utilizing a laser beam generator for creating a beam having a diameter of less than that of the bore, and with the light being directed axially through the bore onto a remote target. In addition to the laser generator, the bore sighting assembly includes a guide for controllably directing the beam from the generator through and along the axis of the bore for impingement onto a remote target. The guide includes eccentric bushings for adjustably positioning the laser generator in the receiver area of the rifle or firearm, and a beam control disc may be secured to the distal tip of the barrel for additional guidance and control of the laser beam.

Abstract: An accelerator position sensor urges a rotary member 2into rotation relative to a fixed member 1 fixed on the side of a vehicle body in a direction of a returning operation of an accelerator pedal by torque of a torsion spring 3, and detects the angle of rotation of the rotary member 2 in a sensor unit 4 thereof. In the accelerator position sensor, a cylindrical resin member 6 is disposed between a boss 1a of the fixed member 1 and the torsion spring 3 so as to be pressed against the boss 1a by a reaction of the torque of the torsion spring 3 to create sliding resistance to the boss 1a during rotation of the rotary member 2, in order that the pressing force characteristic of the accelerator pedal exhibits sufficient hysteresis between pressing and returning operations.

Abstract: A thermal analyzer scans temperature by thermally altering a sample and measuring a thermal change based on physical and chemical changes of the sample as a function of time and/or temperature. The thermal analyzer includes a heat-generating section for heating a sample. The heat-generating section includes a first semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type forming a thin-film heater with a cavity section in a lower section thereof and a second semiconductor substrate of a second conductivity type connected to the first substrate. The cavity section forms a sample holding section for holding the sample. The thermal analyzer further includes a temperature detecting section for detecting a temperature of the sample holding section. The sample holding section and the temperature detecting section are monolithically formed on the thin-film heater or an area proximate the thin-film heater in a thin-film supporting section for supporting the thin-film heater.

Abstract: A novel back stop gauge for determining accurate and safe positioning of work piece material in a machine tool, such as a press brake, wherein a linear stop has an axially stiff, but transversely flexible coil spring intermediate end portions, one end portion being engaged by work piece material and the opposite end portion being anchored to a cooperating support. Misplacement of work material either over or beneath the stop, while normally destructive of the work piece upon closure of the press brake, does not result in damage to the machine tool or the press because of the flexible nature of the back stop, which permits movement of the stop out of the path of the machine tool.

Abstract: An installation template for installing a door closer. The installation consists of an under sheet coated with a release agent and two installation templates, a pull side template and a push side template, both coated with a self-stick adhesive, attached to the under sheet. The pull side template and the push side template include two sets of written instructions, each set being upside down to the other set, which permits each template to be used for both right hand and left hand installations. The use of both pull side and push side templates on the single under sheet along with the two sets of written instructions, allows a single template to be used for both push side installation and pull side installation of both right hand and left hand doors.

Abstract: A gage device and a test system for statistically qualifying compliant or semi-rigid molded bearings and bearing sets to predetermined material conditions includes a gage body, a flanged plug, a stud used to set a first predetermined material condition, an adapter used to set a second predetermined material condition, and a test fixture. The device simulates the assembly of ball joints to determine whether molded conformal bearings or bearing sets are acceptable from a beginning of life perspective. In this way, functional acceptability of a given number of samples drawn from a production lot is proven to satisfy pre-determined maximum and minimum material conditions. A method of testing and statistically qualifying the bearings is also disclosed.

Abstract: A dipstick guide assembly for guiding a free end of a dipstick into a dipstick tube. The dipstick guide assembly comprises a clamp secured to an upper portion of the dipstick tube, a guide member and an adjustment mechanism for fixing the position of the guide member. The guide member has a portion removed therefrom so as to enable to aid in removing the dipstick from the guide member. The adjustment mechanism fixes the guide member in a position such that the distal end of a guided dipstick is introduced into the mouth of a dipstick tube.

Abstract: A back-light unit for a liquid crystal display is provided with a fluorescent lamp having a pole lamp body, electrodes inserted from a side near both ends of the pole lamp body for emitting thermoelectrons, and lead connectors fitted to said pole lamp body. The fluorescent lamp is stored in a lamp storing part formed at a side of a light-introducing plate having a display area on a plate surface. With this arrangement, it is possible to provide a back-light unit capable of equalizing the whole display area without changing a liquid crystal display frame.

Abstract: A mechanism capable of achieving an arbitrarily specified spatial compliant behavior is presented. The mechanism is a parallel connection of multiple individual elastic components that connect a support body to a single compliantly floated body. Each elastic component is, in itself, a low friction 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) mechanism that provides compliant constraint along and/or about a single axis. The elastic components are of three functional types: 1) a “line spring” which resists only translation along its axis, 2) a “torsional spring” which resists only rotation about its axis, and 3) a “screw spring” which resists a specified combination of translation along and rotation about its axis. Through proper selection of the connection geometry, spring constant, and functional type of each elastic component, a spatial compliant mechanism capable of passive force guidance is realized.

Abstract: A rolled web in combination with a dispenser having gauge indicia, the rolled web having roll volume indicia to aid a consumer in determining the relative amount of the product remaining on the roll. The web having indicia in a diagonal pattern along its length such that the lateral position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia on the dispenser indicates the relative portion of web remaining on the roll. Also disclosed is a method of indicating the relative portion of web remaining on a rolled web product where the method includes the steps of applying indicia to the web in a diagonal pattern along the length of the web, winding the web into a roll, and inserting the roll into a dispenser having gauge indicia wherein the position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia indicates the relative portion of web remaining on the roll.

Abstract: The invention relates to an orienteering compass comprising a distance measuring device (4) including a circular element (11) to be rotated over a map from an arbitrary point A to an arbitrary point B for determining the distance from point A to point B. In order to make orienteering easier without significantly enlarging the size of the compass, the distance measuring device comprises an axis (7) provided with a screw thread (6), a pointer (11) to be moved using the screw thread (6) and at least one measuring scale (13, 14) for indicating the distance. The invention also relates to a distance measuring device for an orienteering compass provided with a base plate.

Abstract: A position sensing device is disclosed wherein the positioning sensing device may determine the velocity and position of an object relative to a surface as the object is moved relative to the surface. The positioning sensing device may comprise two depth measurement devices that are mounted to the object on an axis that is substantially parallel to the direction of movement between object and the surface. The depth measurement devices are spaced a predetermined distance from each other. The depth measurement devices measure the contours of the surface as the object is moved relative to the surface and may output data representative of the surface contour to a processor. Accordingly, the processor receives two data signals that are out of phase wherein the phase shift is proportional to the relative velocity between the object and the surface. The processor may then perform an analysis on the data signals to determine the velocity of the object relative to the surface.

Abstract: A target base (10) for attaching an apparatus (13) to an object (11) has a substantially rigid body (12) with a mount surface (14) adapted to couple the apparatus (13) to the body (12), and a base surface. A suction cup (46) affixed to the base surface (18) of the target base (10) has a suction cavity (62) defined by a deformable sealing lip (64) at the perimeter of the suction cup (46). The sealing lip (64) and suction cavity (62) form with the object (11) a vacuum chamber (66). A vacuum system (44) includes vacuum passages (50, 52) for communicating a vacuum pressure to the vacuum chamber (66). One or more contact members (60) are affixed to the body and have contact surfaces which engage the object (11) to provide consistent off-set positioning of the target base (10) with respect to the object (11).

Abstract: A ruler for measuring and marking lengths and angles, relative to a horizontal plane by utilizing gravity. The ruler includes a substrate for being oriented relative to a horizontal plane and for measuring and marking lengths, and angle measuring assembly associated with the substrate for measuring and marking angles. The angle measuring assembly has a pointer whose lowermost end is heavier than its uppermost end, which allows the pointer to always remain vertical, regardless what angle the substrate is oriented relative to the horizontal plane, with the tangle the substrate is oriented relative to the horizontal plane being the angle to be measured and being that angular increment of a scale of the angle measuring assembly that the pointer points too.

Abstract: A device for the measurement/layout of angles when using surveyor's stakes to locate reference points and erect building lines for construction of a structure. Capable of being used to determine one angle at a time for non-regular polygons, or for the simultaneous determination of multiple angles for the layout of regular polygons such as hexagons and octagons, this device provides a greatly simplified solution to the very first problem in construction, which is how to effect the layout.

Abstract: A programmable system employs a driver computer control programmed via a personal computer having a keyboard input. The controller sends programmed signals via the keyboard input to a three-dimensional coordinator circuit which generates X, Y and Z drive signals representing left, right and height positions of a scribe which is in alignment with the surface of a workpiece. Positioned between the three-dimensional coordinate circuit and the scribe is an electronic-to-mechanical conversion means in the form of a machine piston which converts the electrical X, Y and Z programmed instructions to a servo and trigger network interfaced with the scribe. An angle position driver directly couples, in parallel, the driver computer control and the three-dimensional coordinating circuit with the servo and trigger network. By programming the instructions into the system, the scribe can follow or coordinate with the workpiece surface whether it is flat, curved or irregular.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for measuring the thickness and or unevenness of wadding or non-wovens. The device has a guide element (30) for the wadding or non-wovens and a thickness sensor (26, 27, 28) which presses the wadding or non-wovens against the guide element and can move relative to the latter, the position of the sensor providing a measure of the thickness and/or unevenness of the wadding or non-wovens. To achieve a simpler and cheaper design without sacrificing measurement accuracy, an individual sensor is provided with a translation element (31) which converts the deflections of the individual sensor in one direction into a path signal available in another direction. This allows signals corresponding to the deflections of several individual sensors to be added together and applied to a single common path measurement system (32).

Abstract: An electromechanical dimensioning device measures dimensional attributes of an object and transmits the dimensional attributes from the dimensioning device to a remote receiving device. The dimensioning device converts rotational motion of a measuring wheel into a linear distance traveled by the wheel. In one embodiment, the dimensioning device incorporates a rechargeable battery power source and a radio frequency transceiver, allowing fully portable operation. The dimensioning device also optionally includes a bar code scanner for identifying the dimensioned object.

Abstract: There is disclosed an internal sizing apparatus comprising a pneumatically activated probe that moves axially within a shoe and non-destructively measures the interior dimensions of the shoe. A linear pneumatic actuator is mounted between a heel piece and a probe. A linear potentiometer is mounted above the actuator and also connects to the probe. The apparatus is inserted into a shoe with the heel piece seated against the interior heel portion of the shoe. A computer system controlling the actuator extends the probe linearly into the shoe until the probe contacts the toe portion of the shoe. The potentiometer then measures the linear distance traveled by the probe and thus determines the internal linear dimension of the shoe. Depending on the type of probe, three-dimensional internal measurements of the shoe can also be quantified.