Abstract: A modular workbench device is provided having an elongated work surface comprising a first and second side surface situated on either side of a central surface, the surfaces being supported in an elevated position by a workbench frame. The central surface includes an upper and lower side and a hingable connection to the workbench frame, wherein the surface can be rotated upwards to reveal its lower side. The upper side of the central surface provides a clean work area for a user to engage work pieces thereupon. The lower side of the central work surface provides a power tool mounting frame that allows for connection to a power router tool or power circular saw tool for work piece cutting. The working end of the power tool extends through the central surface, while the mounting plate secures the base or shoe of the tool in a stable configuration during use.

Abstract: A weed-pulling tool including a rectangular blade with a V-shaped notch at one end thereof and a handle connected to the blade via a tubular extension member extending from a second end thereof. The handle forms approximately a 50° angle with the level ground when the blade is laid flat against the ground. Such a configuration provides suitable leverage whereby a user may: (i) slide the blade into position with stems from one or more weeds in the V-shaped notch and (ii) push down on the handle thereby causing rotation about a support point such that the V-shaped notch portion of the blade pulls the one or more weeds, including root systems, out of the ground. One or more stiffening ribs runs along the perimeter of the V-shaped notch. The stiffening rib helps prevent the blade portions adjacent to the V-shaped notch from bending or failing while weeds are being pulled.

Abstract: An assembly includes a carrier device having proximal and distal ends. The carrier device includes a workpiece platform along the proximal end. The workpiece platform supports one or more slider bars. The carrier device attaches to a lapping machine. An adaptive component, including at least one spring, has a first portion that couples to the carrier device and a second portion that couples to a grinding-slicing machine.

Abstract: A method for recycling a plurality of battery cells, the method includes the steps of orienting a plurality of battery cells along a processing path having at least two fluid jets, moving the plurality of battery cells along the processing path proximate the at least two fluid jets, wherein the at least two fluid jets are positioned to cut first and second ends of each of the plurality of battery cells, and cutting the first and second ends of each of the plurality of battery cells with the at least two fluid jets to expose an interior volume of each of the plurality of battery cells.

Abstract: A machining apparatus includes a transfer mechanism portion and a grinding wheel unit. The transfer mechanism portion transfers a tapered roller having a large end face directed outward in a radial direction by causing the tapered roller to revolve about a vertical line while causing the tapered roller to rotate. The grinding wheel unit is substantially C-shaped, and has a grinding wheel surface that comes in sliding contact with the large end face of the transferred tapered roller on an inner peripheral side thereof. The grinding wheel unit has a substantially C-shaped seat fixed to an apparatus main body, and a grinding wheel body that is separate from the seat and is detachably mounted to the seat. The grinding wheel body is substantially C-shaped, and has the grinding wheel surface on an inner peripheral side thereof. The grinding wheel body is constituted by segments disposed along a circumferential direction.

Abstract: A stabilizer apparatus operable with a jack device that includes a jack device base and a vertical member is provided. The stabilizer apparatus includes a stabilization base, which has a surface area greater than the surface area of the jack device base. The stabilizer apparatus stabilization base also includes a receiver section that is configured to removably receive the base of the jack device and couple the jack device to the stabilizer apparatus. The stabilizer apparatus further includes a stabilizing system configured to counteract a side load applied to a lifting end of the jack device while the jack device supports a load during a lifting operation. Related methods and systems are also provided.

Abstract: A jack assembly includes a base, a support platform, a pair of links connecting the base to the support platform and an actuator connected between the base and the support platform. The actuator is operable to move the support platform between lowered and raised positions. The actuator may be coupled to a power assist cylinder which utilizes pressurized compressible fluid to assist in lowering the support platform. A safety lock system includes a lock bar pivotally connected to the support platform and one or more pockets on the base positioned to receive a free end of the lock bar to retain the support platform in a selected raised position. A preferred support platform includes trays which receive contact blocks selected from a set of varied contact blocks. A portable automobile lift comprises a pair of the jack assemblies in combination with a portable power unit.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner is provided with a handle assembly drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head and comprising a multi-position brush control electrically coupled to the brush motor whereby the brush motor is operable in at least two different modes. An upright surface cleaning apparatus with a removable portable surface cleaning unit is also provided. The upright surface cleaning apparatus includes an air flow path extending from the cleaning head air outlet to the air treatment member air inlet and comprising a flexible electrified air flow conduit wherein the brush motor is electrically connected to the surface cleaning unit by a circuit that includes the flexible electrified air flow conduit, a handle assembly drivingly connected to the surface cleaning head and a brush control electrically coupled to the brush motor.

Abstract: A method and method for processing grit used for abrasive blasting may include receiving grit blasted onto a surface, where the grit includes moisture content. Air in which the grit being recycled is being processed may be heated. The moisture content may be evaporated from the grit using the heated air to produce dry recycled grit. The dried recycled grit may be stored.

Abstract: A polishing method includes: rotating a polishing table that supports a polishing pad; polishing a conductive film by pressing a substrate having the conductive film against the polishing pad; obtaining a film thickness signal with use of an eddy current film-thickness sensor disposed in the polishing table; determining a thickness of the polishing pad based on the film thickness signal; determining a polishing rate of the conductive film corresponding to the determined thickness of the polishing pad; calculating an expected amount of polishing of the conductive film to be polished at the determined polishing rate for a predetermined polishing time; calculating a temporary end-point film thickness by adding the expected amount of polishing to a target thickness; and terminating polishing of the conductive film when the predetermined polishing time has elapsed from a point of time when the thickness of the conductive film has reached the temporary end-point film thickness.

Abstract: A portable surface cleaning apparatus is removably mounted from a wheeled base. The portable surface cleaning apparatus is provided with an energy storage member and a suction motor.

Abstract: A self-actuating tooling die located beneath an industrial press impact zone clamps a the tongue of an end ring side-to-side to hold it dimensionally stable during a pressing operation that clinches a nut to a hole in the tongue. The tooling die comprises a cone-shaped split collet fitted into a corresponding cone-shaped receptacle in the die housing. As the installation force of the press forces the collet into the receptacle, jaws of the collet grip the tongue a corresponding amount. At a pre-determined point of advancement, the collet bottoms out against a stop in the socket to hold the tongue in its pre-installation relaxed shape and size. A spring-loaded stepped pin, which reciprocates within an axial bore of the die, centers the nut and hole in the tongue during installation and later ejects the completed assembly.

Abstract: A C-clip tool includes a first part and a second part. A first arm and a second arm are connected between the first and second parts. The second part has a reception hole and a rod is located at the mediate portion of the reception hole. Two enlarged holes are located on two ends of the reception hole and communicate with the reception hole. A resilient plate is located in the reception hole and two pillars are connected to the resilient plate. A push member has a block which optionally contacts one of the two pillars. Two operation members are respectively connected to the first and second arms. The operation members are replaceable to operate on different sizes of C-clips.

Abstract: A gasket retaining apparatus and a method which uses the apparatus to install a gasket between a pair of flanges. The retaining apparatus includes a gasket holding element which is temporarily secured between the flanges while joining the flanges together. A gasket groove is formed in the forward edge of the gasket holding element and one or more bolting slots extend into the body of the holding element from the forward edge. The gasket holding element preferably also includes a pair of retention holes so that a pair of releasable locking pins can be inserted through a pair of the bolt holes of one of the flanges and into the retention holes to temporarily secure the gasket holding element during the installation process.

Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus is presented. The manufacturing apparatus comprises a tool support movable along multiple axes; a tool mounted on the tool support for performing a manufacturing operation on a workpiece; and an ancillary device releasably mounted on the tool support and used in conjunction with the tool, the ancillary device moveable along at least a first axis independent of the movement of the tool.

Abstract: A metal member coupling structure and a metal member coupling device that can perform high-strength and high-precision coupling are provided. A shaft-like portion of the second metal member is fitted in an annular portion of the first metal member, a restraint ring is disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the annular portion of the first metal member, and the annular portion is pressed to be plastically deformed, whereby the annular portion is made to flow into a coupling groove of the shaft-like portion and the first metal member and the second metal member are coupled to each other through mechanical engagement therebetween.

Abstract: A surface cleaning apparatus is disclosed having an upper portion mounted to a surface cleaning head, a portable surface cleaning unit mounted to the upper portion, an above floor cleaning wand removably receivable in the upper portion, and a wand lock having a locked position in which the wand is secured to the upper portion and an unlocked position in which the wand is removable from the upper portion. The upper portion may stabilize the wand when the wand is drivingly connected to the cleaning head. An electrified flexible air flow conduit may electrically connect the surface cleaning head to the cleaning unit.

Abstract: An alignment system for aligning components includes a first component, a second component, upstanding, elongated tabs connected to at least one of the components, each elongated tab having a tab wall, and deformable elongated tab apertures formed in at least one of the components, each deformable tab aperture comprising opposing deformable aperture walls. The apertures are geometrically distributed in coordinated relationship to a geometrical distribution of the elongated tabs such that each elongated tab is receivable into a respective aperture and each tab has a width larger than a cross-sectional width of its respective aperture measured in a same direction. Each aperture is configured to elastically deform upon disposition of each elongated tab into its respective tab aperture at an interface between the tab wall and the aperture wall.

Abstract: In certain embodiments of the invention, devices for locking a spring assembly on a tandem-axle vehicle are provided. Some embodiments relate to methods of locking a spring assembly on a tandem-axle vehicle. In some embodiments, devices for locking a spring assembly on a tandem-axle vehicle, such devices comprising: a block having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein the top surface may or may not be parallel to the bottom surface, wherein the distance between the top surface and the bottom surface is between about 2 and about 25 cm, and wherein the top surface is angled between 5 and 45 degrees with respect to the bottom surface; wherein the block is adapted to be inserted between a first leaf spring and a frame of a vehicle to lock the vehicle's spring assembly.

Abstract: A wine-glass polisher includes a housing having at least one cleaning chamber defined by a bottom wall and at least one sidewall. Extending from the sidewall is a wine-glass holder including a horizontal arm having a C-shaped gripping member at a distal end for holding the stem of an inverted wine glass. Immediately above the gripping member is a motorized disc for engaging the base of a wine glass to rotate it during a cleaning and drying cycle. Mounted on the sidewall, below the wine-glass holder, is an upper dispensing nozzle for projecting either drying air or steam onto the exterior surface of a wine glass. Upwardly extending from the bottom wall of the cleaning chamber is a lower dispensing nozzle for projecting drying air or hot water onto the interior surface of a wine glass. Hot water and air are sequentially delivered to the nozzles to clean and subsequently dry a wine glass.