Abstract: A photographic film cassette manufacturing apparatus, has a perforator for providing a long film with perforations and a cutter for cutting the long film into individual filmstrips to be contained in the film cassette driven synchronously with transport of the long film. A magnetic recording head for recording data on a magnetic recording layer of the long film is driven in synchronism with the perforator and the cutter. The long film is transported in a first direction before being cut into the individual filmstrips. In cooperation with the cutting, a trailing end of the individual filmstrip in the first direction is moved in a direction which is reverse to the first direction to secure the trailing end to the spool. A cassette shell consisting of a pair of shell halves is temporarily assembled by mating the shell halves together while containing a spool inside the shell halves, and thereafter opened to an extent that confining elements still confine the position of flanges of the spool.

Abstract: A small footprint mechanical positioning stage capable of operating in two perpendicular orientations comprises a base plate, a carriage plate, linear bearings, a brushless linear motor, and a linear encoder. The linear bearings, the linear motor, and the encoder scale are all parallel to the direction of travel of the positioning stage.

Abstract: A method for manufacture of a metal cosmetic case having contrasting bright areas and duller textured areas, comprising the steps of: fabricating a cosmetic case from aluminum alloy; including polishing the cosmetic case and applying a surface texture to portions of the cosmetic case to form textured portions thereon; anodizing the cosmetic case to provide a bright shine to at least the outer surface of the cosmetic case; and printing over the textured portions with an ink to provide the textured portions with a contrasting finish to the bright shine of the outer surface of the cosmetic case.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing metal shapes with a partially or totally polygonal cross-section by means of continuous casting in a double-flanged wheel and continuous rolling using a series of at least 3 pairs of rollers with a peripheral flange, whereby said rollers are alternately horizontally and vertically disposed in a symmetrical position with respect to said shape.

Abstract: Several embodiments of resilient slider members and methods of assembling such slider members onto interlocking fastening strips are disclosed herein. The slider member (200) comprises a pair of spaced-apart side walls (210, 230) and an intermediate body portion (250) therebetween. In addition, each side wall includes an interior surface (215) with an inwardly projecting shoulder (216) formed thereon, an exterior surface (217), and opposed end surfaces (218).

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for separating an internal filtering component from an outer casing of an internal combustion type oil or fuel filter. The apparatus includes a holder having an opening extending therethrough and a peripheral support about the opening upon which the filter is supported with an open end of the casing in alignment with the opening of the holder. A rigid ram rod is penetrated into the capped end of the casing and subsequently punched through the casing to punch the internal filtering component out through the open end of the casing.

Abstract: An application tool (and a method of use of the tool) is provided for assembling an outboard seal and roller assembly into a hub unit. The tool and method allow for the use of standard seals and standard cage/roller assemblies, thus avoiding the problem associated with the use of special cages or oversized large-diameter seals.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising the steps of locating, on a surface of a downhole component, a plurality of thermally stable polycrystalline diamond (TSP) bearing elements, and then applying to the surface a settable facing material which bonds to the surface between the bearing elements and embraces the elements to hold them in place. A method in which bearing elements each comprising a body of TSP at least partly surrounded by a layer of less hard material are secured to the surface by welding or brazing part of the surface of each bearing element which comprises said less hard material to said component is also described.

Abstract: A method of chamfering and deburring the teeth of a gear having first teeth, each of the first teeth having a first and a second side and respective end faces; the method providing for meshing the gear with at least one tool having a ring gear meshing with the first teeth at edges formed between the first and second sides and the end faces; exerting compression between the first teeth of the gear and the ring gear; effecting a first permanent deformation of the edges to form first chamfer faces; and effecting at least a second permanent deformation between the first and second sides and the respective end faces; the first and the second permanent deformation being effected by means of enbloc tools having a first number of teeth and a second number of teeth.

Abstract: A garment loader for a screen printing machine includes a carriage 37 which reciprocates between an extended position where a garment is fed into the jaws of grippers 42 attached to the carriage 37. The grippers are raised above the pallet 22 and the carriage retracts to the other end of the pallet 22 where the grippers 42 are lowered and release the garment which is now fitted on the pallet. While the pallet is rotated to the first print station the carriage is extended and the grippers lowered to be ready for loading the next garment.

Abstract: In the process for the monolithic molding of superplastic material, generation of wrinkles on the molded product can be prevented by avoiding local expansion generated in the no-bonding regions of both of three or more metal plates when the metal plates are monolithically molded by means of superplastic molding. The process is characterized in that auxiliary plates for molding are placed on both sides of the superposed plates through the no-bonding regions, these plates are set in the molding die, and a pressure lower than applied to the non-bonding regions is applied to spaces between inner wall of the molding die and the auxiliary plates to control movement of the top and bottom.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for effecting an interference fit of a first part and a second part, wherein a thrust force is applied to the second part in a direction toward the first part to thereby accelerate the second part for applying a kinetic energy to the second part to cause abutting contact of the second part with the first part for achieving the interference fit of the first and second parts, and wherein the initiation of acceleration of the second part by the thrust force is inhibited until the thrust force has been increased to a predetermined threshold, and is permitted when the thrust force has been increased to the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: System, apparatus, and method for making composite articles. Jewelry items such as finger rings, bracelets, earrings, body jewelry, and the like, are examples of such articles. Medical, dental, and industrial devices or components are other examples. Method of manufacturing an article including a substrate comprising a first material and an inlay comprising a second material includes the steps of preheating the substrate; contacting a depression in a surface of the substrate with the second material; heating the second material at a point contact with the substrate causing it to liquify and flow into the depression; and moving the point of contact along the along the depression in the surface of the substrate while continuously feeding the second material and heating the second material at the point contact with the substrate to cause it to substantially fill the depression.

Abstract: A technique for fabricating datum surfaces on a print cartridge body. One technique includes fixing the print cartridge in a tooling fixture after the printhead has been affixed to the body, performing a position measurement on the fixed print cartridge to obtain position measurement data, and using the position measurement data, machining precisely located datum surfaces.

Abstract: A method for assembling a wheel rim and a wheel disc together to produce a vehicle wheel includes the steps of: (a) providing a rim defining an axis and including an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, a well portion, an outboard tire bead seat, and an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange, the inboard tire bead seat retaining flange including a radially extending first inner surface, the well portion including a radially extending second inner surface, the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange including a radially extending third inner surface; (b) providing a disc having a centrally located inner wheel mounting portion and an outer annular portion which terminates in an axially extending outer annular flange, the inner wheel mounting portion including an inboard mounting surface and an outboard mounting surface, the outer annular portion including an inner surface; (c) supporting the rim at the first inner and at least one of the second inner surface and the third inner

Abstract: A process for producing thick aluminum/aluminum alloy sheet useful for truck parts and the like includes the steps of feeding molten aluminum/aluminum alloy (10) into a direct casting apparatus (12) to provide an ingot that is subjected to a cooling (15) and optional scalping step (14), followed by hot rolling (18) to provide a sheet having a thickness for from about 3.2 mm to 5.8 mm and is suitable to coil in step (20), and where the sheet is cooled (21) to less than to 60° C. and cold rolled (22, 24) at from about 120° C. to 160° C. to reduce the sheet to about 0.9 mm to 1.5 mm to 160° C., where heat generated during the cold rolling (22, 24) stabilizes the sheet without additional energy intensive oven furnace annealing. The reduced sheet can then be trimmed (28) and coated (30) as with paint or the like.

Abstract: A process for forming a vehicle wheel wherein a wheel blank having a wheel disc and a cylindrical skirt extending axially form an inboard surface of the wheel disc is mounted upon a spinning machine and the skirt is spun into a vehicle wheel rim.

Abstract: Process for manufacturing hydraulic anti-vibration mounts comprising two rigid parts (2, 4) connected by an elastomeric body (5) that partially defines a liquid-filled working chamber (A) that communicates via a restricted passage (C) with a compensating chamber (B). A rigid partition (6) which separates the working chamber (A) from the compensating chamber (B) comprises a recessed shell (10) whose upper face is covered by a closing plate (11). Two parallel grooves (16, 17) are let into the upper face of the recessed shell and communicate with the compensating chamber (B), while the closing plate comprises a cavity allowing communication between either both grooves, or one (16) of the grooves, and the working chamber (A) in order thus to define the restricted passage (C).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for making a decorative device to be incorporated in jewelry or other objects that will likely be worn or carried by a person. The invention generally comprises the steps of removing a computer chip from a personal computer or other type of computing device and then removing from the computer chip substantially all of the metal connector elements used to mount the chip to a board, usually known as the “mother board.” Next, at least one of the two main faces of the computer chip, typically made of silicon or a graphite material, is grinded down so as to expose a plurality of the conductive pathways formed within the computer chip, whereupon the main face of the computer chip with the pathways exposed thereon may be polished.

Abstract: A gear reducer housing includes rotating assembly supports in a housing shell, and fixturing pads disposed about the periphery of the housing shell. The fixturing supports are formed in the casting blank from which the housing shell is machined. The pads permit the shell blank to be fixtured once for machining of various features of the final shell. The pads may be formed in a peripheral flange and the flange may be machined around the pads to form a sealing surface. Apertures may be provided in the flange to facilitate assembly of the gear reducer. The apertures and fixturing pads may be provided in mirror image locations about a centerline of the housing. The apertures may be slotted, with major axes of mirror image-located apertures having transverse major axes, such that inherent tolerance is provided for positioning fasteners used to assemble the product.