Abstract: The assembling of a ball joint to obtain a consistent torque reaction value of a desired level is accomplished by applying a torque responsive probe to the shank of a headed stud such that the rotation of the headed stud will develop a signal proportional to the torque reaction of the headed stud on the bearings in the ball joint, closing the housing upon the headed stud while sensing the torque reaction to be able to stop the closing of the housing when the torque reaction of the headed stud in the housing has reached a desired value, and applying the assembling technique to a run of similar ball joints to produce consistency of results.

Abstract: A strain transducer of the kind in which a plug is inset into a workpiece surface requires an accurate interface fit with a drilled hole. One method proposes an oversize hole (12) which first receives an annular insert (14) in whose aperture (15) the transducer plug is a precision fit. The outer cylindrical surface of the insert has axially parallel serrations (16) which bite into the sides of the hole. Another method also has an oversize hole (22) whose mouth is constricted by a cylindrical punch (25) around a precision mandrel (24) which is then replaced by the transducer plug (28). Serrations (35) may alternatively be provided directly on the transducer plug (32), which can then be driven into a drilled hole (36) of only approximate accuracy.

Abstract: A method of producing a slide fastener wherein a series of fastener elements are secured to each of a pair of fastener tapes along one edge each thereof, each said fastener tape is formed thereon with a waterproof sealing layer, and when said series of fastener elements on each said pair of fastener tapes are engaged with each other, the edges of said waterproof sealing layers on each said pair of fastener tapes are press-contacted with each other so as to provide airtightness and waterproofness.

Abstract: Insertion of a lightguide preform (12) into a tube (14) without contacting the sides thereof is accomplished by first roughly aligning the rod in spaced axial alignment with the tube. Thereafter, the offset of the rod from the axis of the tube is measured and the amount of lateral movement of the rod from the axis is determined. Then the rod is moved laterally in accordance with the determined amount of movement to precisely align the rod with the tube. Once alignment has been achieved, the rod is inserted in the tube and the tube is collapsed thereabout. An apparatus (10) for practicing this method is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for fabricating optical fiber cables having improved hermeticity. The optical fiber cables are formed by first reducing the water content of the buffer material surrounding each optical fiber. Thereafter, the dried optical fiber(s) are encapsulated into a metal or metal alloy tube. After fiber encapsulation, the tube may be sealed to prevent the ingress of moisture and/or water from the surrounding environment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for continuously monitoring the making-up a joint between two mutually-engageable threaded members (12,13,14,22,23), the threaded members having co-operating shoulder seal elements (18,19,20,21). The invention involves the application of torque to the mutually-engaging members and detecting when a shoulder-engaging position has been reached. A predetermined additional torque is then applied if a good joint is indicated as being achievable. If a good joint is indicated as not being achievable, the application of additional torque is terminated.

Abstract: A device for automatically presenting fasteners in a predetermined disposition comprising a container for the fasteners which presents the fasteners to a rotary drum which raises the fasteners upwardly for deposit into a chute. The fasteners are fed down the chute to a ramp which positions individual fasteners in a predesired position in a feed barrel for receipt by a fastener tool. An escapement mechanism is positioned between the chute and the ramp so that a single fastener at one time falls down the ramp into the feed barrel.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically closing a slide fastener with two rows of partly interengaged coupling elements, comprises a conveyor for feeding the slide fastener, a holder for temporarily arresting the movement of the slide fastener on the conveyor, and a driver for moving a slider in a fastener closing direction to fully close the slide fastener while the latter is being held in position by the holder. The holder and the driver are supported on opposite ends of an elongate support frame disposed above the conveyor. An actuator is connected to the support frame for reciprocating the latter with respect to the conveyor to bring the holder into and out of engagement with the slide fastener. The apparatus thus constructed is simple in construction, easy to adjust and maintain, and reliable in operation.

Abstract: A device and method for use in forming an access port, and also in forming a leakproof seal between a conduit (e.g., a catheter tube) and a thermoplastic film (e.g., the wall of an ostomy bag, wound cover pouch, or similar pouch). The device includes internal and external coupling rings adapted to be locked together with a collar of film material clamped therebetween. An elastomeric nipple has an enlarged proximal end portion similarly clamped between the coupling rings and contributes in forming fluid-tight seal between the parts. The method of use of the device is also disclosed, such method including the insertion of a piercing element into the opening of the internal ring to form a two-piece piercing assembly, followed by the step of utilizing that assembly to pierce a flexible plastic film and form a collar of plastic material about the outer surface of the internal ring.

Abstract: An apparatus for crimping edges of workpieces comprises a workpiece supplying device for consecutively supplying the workpieces, a rotary support member situated under the workpiece supplying device for supporting the workpiece one by one, a crimping device for crimping the workpieces, and a driving mechanism for operating the rotary support member and the crimping device. The crimping device includes a base member immovably situated under the workpiece supplying device, a first frame pivotally connected to the base member, a crimping member rotationally connected to the first frame, a roller connected to the crimping member, and a frame moving device for pivotally moving the frame relative to the base member. The driving mechanism comprises a first driving device for rotating the rotary support member, a second driving device for reciprocally moving the rotary support member toward the workpiece supplying device, and a third driving device for operating the frame moving device.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for forming a space section in a pair of concealed-slide-fastener stringers, with a pair of tapes gripped with interengaged coupling elements disposed at the upper side of the tapes, a pair of continuous concealed-slide-fastener stringers is pushed upwardly from the under side of the tapes by a pair of laterally spaced and vertically movable dies until head portions of a series of the interengaged coupling elements are exposed to the dies and supported thereon. A punch is then lowered to cut upper legs of certain interengaged coupling elements supported on the raised dies. Finally, an ejector is raised through the dies to clamp the cut coupling elements against the punch and continues to be moved upwardly together with the punch to pull the cut coupling elements out of sewn stitches.

Abstract: An improved fluid mandrel having an eddy current probe connected thereto is disclosed herein. The eddy current probe generally comprises a probe body which is detachably connectable to the bottom of a fluid mandrel on one end, and a source of hydraulic fluid on the other end. The probe body includes a pair of sensing coils which are separated along the longitudinal axis of the body by a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the metallic structure desired to be detected. The improved mandrel finds particular application in performing expansions which eliminate the clearance between heat exchange tubes extending through the baffle plates in nuclear steam generators. In such an application, the sensing coils of the probe are longitudinally spaced the same distance as the thickness of the baffle plates in order to generate a sharp and unambiguous electronic signal indicative of the relative positions of the mandrel and the baffle plate.

Abstract: A multipart article comprising a rod or pin (26) with a sleeve or collar (58) on it is made from one piece of wire by parting off a blank, impact extruding a stem to form the pin or rod, backward extruding a residual portion of the blank to form the sleeve or collar with an internal diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the stem and joined to the stem by a short thin web (64), and then fracturing the web and inserting the pin or rod into the thus separated sleeve or collar.The advantage in manufacturing small articles on a mass production basis is in the economy of forming two parts in one machine operation rather than making them separately, an example being parts of a blind-riveting assembly.

Abstract: A joint assembly for connecting the ends of a pair of generally rectangular sheet metal duct sections includes a pair of frame members secured to each other and connected to the respective duct end sections. The frame members each include four flange portions. Each flange portion has an upstanding channel shaped leg portion and an angularly extending duct receiving leg portion. A corner piece connects adjacent flange portions and extends into the channel portions of the upstanding leg portions to form the generally rectangular frame. The end portions of the ducts are inserted into longitudinal openings of the duct receiving leg portions. A flowing type gasket material is positioned in a longitudinal pocket of each flange. The end of each duct wall partially displaces the gasket material so that the gasket material extrudes outwardly around the duct wall and between the ends of the flange portion and the corner piece.

Abstract: Balls are loaded into ball recirculating grooves of linear bearings by snapping balls past resiliently deformable edges of slots in the linear bearings. The edges are lips on ball exposing slots adjacent races in linear bearings.

Abstract: Anchor track for attachment thereto of a seat cover through intermediation of C-rings, with the anchor track having serrations for locking C-rings thereto, and being secured to bottoms of front and side channels of automotive front seat frame.

Abstract: An improved double wrap brake band for an automatic transmission and the method of making the band wherein the band is lightweight and heat set round at the released open position with the utilization of thinner strap material at higher hardness ranges. The band is formed from a preslotted and preformed strap and a stamped one-piece bracket member secured to the strap. The band subassembly is heat treated and heat set, the interior surface is acid etched and a preslotted friction lining applied to the interior treated surface, the subassembly is sized, and the connecting ties for both the strap and bracket member are removed to provide the final band assembly.

Abstract: Apparatus for exchanging a billet-guiding roller for another in a plant for continuous casting comprises a handling head, and two pivoted arms, each of which is pivoted to said handling head on an axis that is parallel or identical to the pivotal axis of the other of said pivoted arms. Each of said arms carries a holder for holding a billet-guiding roller. Said handling head also carries arm-driving means for pivotally moving each of said arms about its pivotal axis. In order to minimize the dimensions of said handling head, said pivoted arms have two inner ends, which are adjacent to each other and at which said arms are pivoted to said handling head, and outer ends, which are remote from each other and provided with said holders.

Abstract: A pair of separable slide fastener stringers is fed in one plane along parallel spaced paths, respectively, toward throats of a Y-shaped guide channel in a slider fixed in position. Pins of the stringers are introduced into the guide channel through the throats, respectively, in the slider while keeping the separable slide fastener stringers in the parallel spaced paths. The separable slide fastener stringers are inserted through the slider with the pins guided by guide flanges, respectively, and a diamond of the slider while moving the separable slide fastener stringers in the one plane along the parallel spaced paths and at the same time allowing the stringer tapes to flex.

Abstract: The object of the invention pertains more particularly to the art units of the manufacturing of rotary organs for the production and assembly of organs of plastics. The method is characterized in that toothed rotary organs (2) are made by molding directly with their rotational axis (1a) and their supporting cheek (1), and that a countercheek (3) is then made which is equipped for receiving for free rotation the toothed organs (2) and designed for a forced fit on the axis (1a) after the two cheeks have been brought nearer under pressure towards one another, in order to cause the fastening portions (2d) which connect the axes (1a) with the organs (2) to be broken off. The invention is more particularly to be used with the chain guide means of the gear shift devices of bicycles and similar vehicles.