Abstract: An apparatus is provided to enable a press to automatically apply an electrical connector to a printed circuit board. A locator block is secured to a floating pin holder plate which is mounted to a press ram, the connector is placed in position and partially inserted on the board and the board is secured and accurately disposed below the locator block. The locator block has a recess which surrounds the connector when the locator is lowered by the ram, urges the connector to the vertical and in turn urges the floating plate a slight but important two-dimensional horizontal increment to be precisely positioned and oriented with the connector. When the position of the locator block/floating plate assembly is thus adjusted, the locator block retracts exposing push pins mounted in the floating plate which enter cavities in the connector, engage the terminals therein, and push the terminals fully into plated through-holes of the board.

Abstract: A machine for connecting successive rows of coil springs together into a coil spring assembly. The machine, in preferred form, initially picks up a row of coil springs by inserting a pick up finger into the barrel of each coil and moving the springs onto a support platen. In the course of transporting the coils between pick up and the support platen, the pick up fingers change the spacing of the coils. The springs are then compressed against the support platen to a desired height through use of a reciprocable compression bar. Thereafter, and through use of rotatable transfer fingers on a transfer shaft, the springs are removed from under the compression bar, and are moved into clamping dies. Leading rotary transfer fingers on the transfer shaft first pull the row of springs out from under the compression bar, and trailing rotary fingers then push the springs into the downstream one of upper and lower clamping dies.

Abstract: A pipe covering for flanged insulated pipes. The pipe coverings are characterized by the presence of toroidal protrusions and tapered sections extending outwardly from the protrusions.

Abstract: A mechanism for the lathe-working of longitudinal, cylindrical, or slightly conical work-pieces (88), preferably cartridge cases for firearms, which uses at least two driven rotating spindles (80) located in a housing (17). The housing (17) is rotatable around an axle (16) and is rotated by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder (22, 23) into a series of operating positions. Tools for working the cartridge cases (88), (a) a shaper for the extractor groove (93) and the extractor flange (92) and (b) a cut-off piece (103), are both attached to a cut-off sled (101). This cut-off sled (101) is guided back and forth on a main sled (94) laterally with respect to the axis of rotation of a spindle (80). The main sled itself may be moved in the direction of the axis of rotation of the spindle (80). In this manner, the length of the cartridge case is determined exactly. Furthermore, each rotating spindle (80) is driven individually.

Abstract: This invention is related to method and devices for applying and holding a wafer chuck assembly against an X, Y, .theta. alignment plate, said system including latching a wafer chuck assembly with a chuck handling device while inserting alignment pins carried by the device into corresponding V-like grooves in the chuck assembly to form a rigid unit, mounting the unit on pins extending from the X, Y, .theta. alignment plate, releasing the latching to allow the chuck assembly to fall downwardly a short distance until it rests on the X, Y, .theta. pins, and extending two pistons from the chuck handling device to engage the wafer chuck assembly to urge it snugly against the X, Y, .theta. alignment plate until the chuck assembly and alignment plate are locked together by vacuum means.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for threading a lamp cord through links in a lamp-supporting chain, for example, swag lamps. Selected links may be chosen to receive the lamp cord, that is, every fourth link, for example.

Abstract: Pin and box elements for the separable connection of the ends of the respective halves of a slide fastener are applied by deflecting the coupled stringer previously provided with the slider, at an angle to enable the elements to be threaded through the window onto respective edges in the shadow of the deflected stretch of the band.

Abstract: An applicator for installing a retaining ring into an external groove of a workpiece comprises a base plate forming a ramp. A forward end of the ramp includes a slot for receiving a groove workpiece. A groove locator is mounted on the base plate for movement between a locating position within the groove of the workpiece, and a retracted position. The groove locator is yieldably biased to its locating position. A pusher is mounted for sliding movement along the ramp for pushing a retaining ring forwardly into engagement with a cam face of the locator to cam the locator to its retracted position as the retaining ring enters the groove of the workpiece.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing a bottom end stop to an indefinite length of fastener chain including alternately space portion where elements are removed and engaging element portion are disclosed. The feeding movement of the fastener chain is arrested by protruding a chain stopper into the space portion downstream of one of the element portions while slidably guiding the opposite edges of the element portions. The fastener chain is then resiliently held down at its space portion or element portion downstream of the space portion by an element stopper and the chain stopper is pulled out of the space portion. By this, the fastener chain is allowed to move until its element portion upstream of the space portion abuts against the element stopper, where upon a bottom end stop is driven into the end of the element portion upstream of the space portion.

Abstract: A semi-automated machine for use with Spendel type belt buckle dies which are mounted on a horizontally reciprocable table to position selectively either an outer or an inner buckle piece die beneath an upper die, which is adapted with a core and a pressure frame controlled by a pressure cylinder called a shot cylinder and a pin that entends into an annular ring and a mandrel. The upper die receives initially an outer buckle piece member and it decorative covering, retains them and then forcibly urges them against an inner buckle piece member to form a decorative buckle that need not rely on adhesives. A power cylinder urges the upper die downward, while another called a slide cylinder, reciprocates a table on which the lower dies are secured. An operator guard is reciprocably retained on the table support to move oppositely from the table to force the operator's hands and arms away from the danger of the engaging dies, being powered for such movement by a fluid cylinder.

Abstract: The method of mounting a radar reflector on an artillery shell contemplates providing a body constituted by a functional element and a sleeve element formed rotationally-symmetrical about a lengthwise axis of said body with at least one explosive device arranged at least at the neighborhood of an outer surface of said sleeve element near to one end of said sleeve element and remote from the functional element. The body is mounted on the artillery shell and the explosive device is detonated in order to establish a form-locking connection of the sleeve element with the shell. The detonation of the explosive device severs the sleeve element at the region of said one end of said sleeve element in order to provide a substantially straight-lined closure of the sleeve element about the artillery shell in order to avoid undesirably altering ballistic characteristics of the artillery shell.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for attaching sliders and bottom stops to a slide fastener chain having longitudinally spaced gaps free of fastener elements, in which the chain is conveyed forwardly until a gap is detected. The chain is stopped and the gap area widened. A rotor movable beneath the chain is adapted to carry a slider and is also formed with a die plate portion. The rotor rotates to deliver the slider to the gap, thread the slider onto the fastener elements of the chain, and place the die plate beneath the gap across from bottom stop punch and chain cutter means which then fix a bottom stop to the chain and separate adjacent fastener element ends.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing venetian blinds in which at least two ladder tapes, preferably with rungs each consisting of at least two cross cords, are provided, of a sufficient length for a large number of venetian blinds.The slats are inserted between the cross cords of the ladder tapes to form a substantially continuous mat of slatted ladder tape. The mat is then stored, for example, on a roll or in a container, and is subsequently cut off into individual lengths, each length being suitable for one blind.

Abstract: An index bar is secured to a machined and leveled surface of a base. One side of the bar is machined to be contacted and to act as a buttock plane. The bar has a series of in line holes positioned for lengthwise indexing. A second index bar, secured to the base, has a series of matching holes and the bar is positioned parallel to the buttock plane. The index bars are used for alignment for scribing header locations on the base. Headers, contoured with respect to the base surface and with respect to the buttock plane, are formed and while on the scribed line and while contacting the base and the buttock plane surface, are secured to the base. The secured headers are vertically aligned and held in that position to provide the critical lines for forming a master model.

Abstract: Apparatus, for positioning a venetian blind ladder cord (or the like) and for guiding the slats of a venetian blind between individual rungs of a multiple cord cross-rung, is described. Specifically, this apparatus applies a force to a rung of a non-active cross-rung in a direction opposite to that in which the ladder cord advances and provides an abutment surface that engages with the bottom surface of an interlaced slat in order to support the slat form below. This, in turn, holds the active cross-rung in a fixed position against the force urging the rung downward and thus advantageously maximizes the opening (target) between the individual rungs of the active cross-rung. Furthermore, this abutment surface resiliently moves in a substantially perpendicular direction transverse to the direction in which the ladder cord advances so as to readily permit an assembled slat to advance, while advantageously reducing the likelihood that a heavy slat load will be dumped.

Abstract: A method of producing a hydrodynamic sealing element is disclosed wherein washer-like sealing elements may be partially sliced from a cylindrical billet and formed to have an axially extending inner portion adapted to sealingly engage a rotating shaft. The inside surface of the axially extending portion is grooved to facilitate the sealing action. Grooving is accomplished by axial withdrawal action of the same cutting element that partially slices and forms the sealing element.

Abstract: In the making of knobs, pulls or handles such as used on cabinets or furniture, a stock is created by casting a rod, bar or block of a suitable synthetic resin and, preferably, incorporating into the stock during the casting a pattern of various colors and configurations. The resulting stock is then machined to the final shape of the product and polished to the desired surface texture.

Abstract: A tool is provided for continuously and concurrently monitoring both caster and camber during realignment of wheels on an automotive vehicle. The tool includes a fitting which couples to the spindle for a wheel of an automotive vehicle and a degree gauge mounted on the fitting which is adjustable for horizontal alignment in a plane perpendicular to the spindle. A conventional camber gauge is coupled to the fitting so that camber can be observed on the conventional camber gauge and caster can be observed on the tool of the invention while effectuating realignment of the spindle. The tool of the invention allows caster to be monitored without the necessity of keeping a vehicle on an expensive wheel alignment rack and without the expense of electronic or computerized alignment equipment. By reducing the time required for occupancy of a wheel alignment rack, the wheels of more vehicles can be realigned in a much shorter period of time than has heretofore been possible.

Abstract: An automatic film loading device for loading a sheet of film into a cassette wherein the cassette is discharged out of a system with cassette lid closed if the sheet of film is loaded into the cassette, and with the cassette lid kept open when the sheet of film is not loaded into the cassette. An element for detecting the presence of a sheet of film in the cassette is provided. The element consists of an infrared light emitting element and an infrared light receiving element. An element for detecting the size of the cassette inserted into the device is provided. Guide plates supporting both sides of the cassette and movable symmetrically against the both sides of the cassette are provided.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing light waveguide branch elements and multi/demultiplexer elements, which elements operate in accordance with the beam divider principle by providing a first body having a plurality of parallel extending waveguides adjacent one side thereof, cutting the body at an angle to the waveguides to form two parts, after preparing the cut surfaces of the parts, applying a mirror or filter structure onto one of the polished surfaces and reassembling the parts to form an assembly, and forming an element by subsequently positioning and securing a second body on the assembly with the second body having light waveguides extending to one surface and the end faces of the waveguides of the one surface being adjacent to the mirror or filter structure so that light traveling in the waveguides of the first assembly will be reflected into the waveguides of the second body.