Abstract: A washer pump for an automobile includes a substantially circular pump chamber receiving concentrically therein an impeller and having an inlet aligned with the center of the impeller and first and second outlets defined in a sidewall of the pump chamber and extending tangentially to the sidewall, and a directional control valve including a valve chamber connected in fluid communication with the pump chamber through the first outlet and also through the second outlet, and a valve element movably disposed in the valve chamber for selectively connecting the first and second outlets, respectively, to first and second washer nozzles of the automobile. The washer pump further includes a projection disposed between the first and second outlets and projecting inwardly from the sidewall of the pump chamber toward the impeller for substantially blocking the flow of a cleaning fluid between the first and second outlets, thereby increasing the pressure difference between the first and second outlets.

Abstract: The radially compact fluid compressor especially suitable for use in the distillation apparatus or other environments where space may be at a premium is disclosed herein. The compressor includes a power driven impeller and a compressor housing which surrounds the impeller and which together with the impeller defines a fluid collection chamber extending between the first upstream end and a second fluid exiting downstream end. This collection chamber progressively enlarges vertically from its upstream end to its fluid exiting downsteam end, whereby fluid passing through the collection chamber from its upstream end to its downstream end progressively decreases in velocity and therefore progressively increases in static pressure.

Abstract: A composite member includes circumferentially extending ceramic fibers in a metallic matrix. A rotor member integrally includes such a ceramic fiber/metal matrix composite member to reinforce a homogeneous remainder portion of the rotor member with respect to centrifugally induced stresses. Method of making are included in the disclosure.

Abstract: An electrically driven master cylinder assembly and various vehicle control systems utilizing the master cylinder assembly. Several forms of master cylinder assemblies are disclosed. In the preferred form, the assembly includes an electric DC motor directly coupled to a master cylinder unit with the central axis of the motor coaxial with the central axis of the bore of the master cylinder, a ball nut is positioned within the housing of the electric motor for rotation with the armature of the motor, and a ball screw is positioned on the axis of the motor and is driven linearly in response to rotation of the armature.

Abstract: A master cylinder includes a valve that is slidably mounted in a movable piston means for limited axial movement therein between a closed position wherein the valve is sealingly engaged with the piston and an open position wherein a gap is maintained between the valve and the piston. The valve includes a passage for providing fluid communication between the supply chamber and the pressure chamber when the valve is in the open position. An orifice in the piston limits the flow of fluid from the pressure chamber to the supply chamber at least during the limited movement of the valve from the open position to closed position. An overflow arrangement on the piston is responsive to movement of the piston against the bias of a biasing device for establishing fluid communication between the passage and the supply chamber only when the valve is in the closed position.

Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a shaft and a planar vane extending in a radial direction from the shaft and having a peripheral groove receiving a resilient sealing gasket. The vane includes a tongue portion which depends into a radial cavity in the shaft and is sealably cemented thereto. Radially extending ribs on the ends of the tongue are accurately fitted against the ends of the cavity which are aligned with the adjacent ends of the bottom walls of the peripheral groove.

Abstract: A retrofitted rotor blade having a longer length than an original rotor blade provided for a steam turbine rotor assembly has a tuned airfoil portion with natural resonant frequencies in a plurality of vibrational directions similar to the original rotor blade. Since lengthening the blade causes a decreased and resonant frequency, a unique combination of tuning techniques raises the resonant frequencies to the required levels. The tip of the retrofitted rotor blade is profiled to increase the natural resonant frequency in the second mode of vibration, which is in the axial direction of the rotor.

Abstract: The drive control valve for constant speed is for driving a pneumatic actuator at a constant speed by use of a meter-out control mode, and includes a nonreturn valve for blocking discharged air from its pressure chamber and a relief valve for controlling the air pressure in the pressure chamber so as to be equal to an adjustable set pressure which is constant. When air pressure is supplied to one of the pressure chambers of the pneumatic actuator, the air pressure air discharged from the other pressure chamber is blocked by the nonreturn valve, so that it is discharged to the outside through a relief valve. In this case, however, the air pressure of the pressure chamber on the exhaust side is maintained at a set pressure for the relief valve which is set beforehand, and hence, the flow rate of air discharged from the pressure chamber becomes constant, and the pneumatic actuator is driven at a constant speed.

Abstract: A containment system for a radial flow turbine assembly includes a housing assembly, and a turbine rotor journalled for rotation about an axis and having a hub portion and a generally tapering disc portion extending radially outward from the hub portion. An annular nozzle assembly normally secured in the housing assembly against rotation forms a tapered rotor chamber within which the rotor rotates with minimum axial and radial clearance between the rotor and the chamber. A plurality of support struts extend axially inward from the nozzle assembly to a minimal axial and radial clearance with the hub portion of the rotor and forms a first stage of containment. The rotor must first break through the nozzle struts and separate the nozzle assembly. A rotatable nozzle assembly then absorbs some of the force by rotating in the housing assembly and containment ring. An armored containment ring stops the fragments that escape the nozzle assembly and finally, an outer housing provides still further containment.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for dividing a moving stack of flexible workpieces, such as paper hand towels, face towels and the like, which are interfolded with one another in a zigzag manner, into partial stacks comprised of predetermined numbers of such workpieces, and for transferring such partial stacks to a depositing table. One of the material webs participating in the manufacture of the flexible workpieces is first marked, the spacing between the marks being adjusted to correspond with the number of towels required in the partial stack. Downstream of the folding device, the stack formed thereby is reversed upwardly and scanned by an optical detector which reads the marking and controls a separating blade, which is driven into the stack and lifted. The gap formed by the separating blade is engaged by lifting forks, which lift the partial stack to the level of the depositing table, where the partial stack is taken over by transport forks and guided across the depositing table.

Abstract: An oil pump of an automatic transmission, which comprises a casing having an oil pump gear chamber formed therein, the casing having first and second bores exposed to the oil pump gear chamber, the first and second bores being coaxially spaced from each other with an interposal of the oil pump gear chamber therebetween; gears operatively disposed in the oil pump gear chamber of the casing; a first splined portion formed on a leading end portion of a stator shaft of a torque converter; and a second splined portion formed on an inner surface of the second bore, wherein the stator shaft is thrusted through the first and second bores in this order into a fixed position wherein the first and second splined portions are operatively engaged.

Abstract: A centrifugal blower with rearwardly curved impeller blades positioned in a housing between two housing faces that are spaced apart along the impeller axis. One of the housing faces defines a housing inlet. The housing is substantially closed off with the exception of the inlet and an outlet. The blower is generally characterized in that the: (a) clearance between the impeller blades and at least one of the housing faces is greater than 30% of the impeller blade depth; (b) the impeller diameter is at least 70% of the housing dimension along that diameter; and (c) area of the blower outlet is greater than 70% of the area of a section of the housing taken perpendicular to the direction of airflow along the impeller axis.

Abstract: An axial thrust limiting system for a steam turbine including a rotor having a shaft, the turbine containing a plurality of chambers each defining a pressure zone containing a fluid which, during operation of the turbine, is at a pressure which influences the axial thrust load on the shaft, the turbine being constructed such that at least during rapid shut down a pressure differential can develop between two of the chambers to create an excessive axial thrust load on the shaft. The axial thrust limiting system includes controllable valve connected in a fluid flow path between the two chambers, and valve operating components connected for operating the valves during rapid shut down of the turbine in order to reduce the pressure differential between the two chambers.

Abstract: Uniquely contoured interior surfaces have been found to stabilize the flow patterns through centrifugal pumps of the volute type, especially pumps having wide impellers and wide volutes for pumping slurries. The contoured interior surfaces may be provided in the pump casing, but are preferably defined by a volute liner. The interior surfaces comprise a volute region and a discharge nozzle region which both are at least in part contoured interior surfaces and which cooperate to provide a flowingly contoured interior surface of changing axial cross-section.

Abstract: When arranging a plurality of sheets side by side in predetermined pattern on a sheet receiving member, the sheets are fed to a receiving position one by one, and are picked up one by one by a suction cup on a rotatable arm member. The rotatable arm member is rotated to bring each sheet picked up by the suction cup to a delivery position, and the sheet is placed on the part of the sheet receiving member positioned in the delivery position while the sheet receiving member is moved, in synchronization with rotation of the rotatable arm member, along a predetermined path corresponding to said predetermined pattern so that a new part of the sheet receiving member is brought to the delivery position each time the sheet receiving member is moved. This method is applicable to a process for making chemical analysis slides.

Abstract: A steam turbine including a casing structure which has an outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, a blade support ring, a plurality of stationary blades arranged in a number of annularly-shaped rows along the length of the turbine on the ring, and a rotor with a plurality of rotating blades arranged in a number of annularly-shaped rows along the length thereof and attached thereto, also includes improved structure providing integrated casing alignment and steam extraction. The improved structure, in combination with the conventional extraction steam piping that exits from the inner cylinder, includes a load plate arranged perpendicularly to the extraction steam piping, one or more flex plates attached between the load plate and the inner cylinder, a plurality of alignment lugs attached in predetermined positions about the load plate, and a plurality of stiffening gussets attached both to the alignment lugs and the load plate.

Abstract: A rotor blade for a horizontal axis wind turbine wherein a multiplicity of sucker rods are utilized internally of the blade root for securing the blade to the rotating hub of the turbine including the method of attaching the blade root to the hub and the method of making the blade root.

Abstract: Device for transforming the alternating motion of a piston into a circular motion of a shaft with the possibility of predetermining the stop time of the piston at each of the two dead centers. It is comprised of an assembly of two pistons connected by two racks alternatingly in mesh with a toothed sector keyed on the shaft. On either side of said sector there is provided a cam of which the groove takes charge of the pistons, through rollers at the two dead centers.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump of the hydraulic sealing type has a novel and improved sealing apparatus for establishing a hydraulic seal and limiting the flow of liquid from a pump casing into a reservoir or seal housing at one end of the pump casing, and a valve assembly in the seal housing has a valve member normally urged into engagement with the seal housing to isolate liquid in the seal housing from the casing when the pump is not in operation. When the pump is activated and brought up to speed, centrifugal force-responsive pivot members are operative to move the valve member away from sealed engagement with the seal housing to establish fluid communication between the seal housing and pump casing. The force-responsive pivot members are fully enclosed so as to be completely isolated from the liquid in the seal housing and yet be capable of operating directly in opposition to the resilient or spring-loaded valve to move the valve away from sealed engagement with the seal housing.

Abstract: Flow amplified control systems are useful in pilot operated steering systems. The load responsive flow amplified control system includes a directional control valve movable to an operating position to direct fluid from the operating fluid circuit through a variable orifice to a steering motor and to direct control fluid from a control fluid circuit through another variable orifice to be combined with the fluid going to the steering motor. The operating fluid circuit and the control fluid circuit are provided with fluid from a common variable displacement pump. The directional control valve is moved to an operating position by the control fluid acting thereon and is pressure compensated insofar as the flow of control fluid passing through the another variable orifice such that a substantially constant predetermined pressure differential exists across the another variable orifice.