Abstract: A wine barrel having a rigid external reusable frame with replaceable wooden side panels and substantially identical upper and lower wooden ends assembled within the rigid external frame to provide a wooden enclosure for the wine. A liquid tight container is provided; the wine exposed only to wooden surfaces. Panels can be replaced in the frame with new panels or existing panels having an unused side can be removed, reversed, and reused. Assembly of the barrel is straightforward requiring only minimum tools and skills without the need for the hand-fitting expertise required in constructing a traditional barrel. When assembled, the rigid frame, and not the wood panels, supports all the external and internal loads of the wine barrel. For introduction of a caramel taste to the wine the wood panels can be initially placed in an oven with the degree of caramelization controlled by the oven temperature and exposure time.

Abstract: A wine barrel having a rigid reusable frame with replaceable wooden side panels and substantially identical upper and lower wooden ends assembled within rigid connecting bars to provide a wooden enclosure for the wine. A liquid tight container is provided; the wine exposed only to wooden surfaces or materials non-reactive to wine. Panels can be replaced in the frame with new panels or existing panels having an unused side can be removed, reversed, and reused. Assembly of the barrel is straightforward requiring only minimum tools and skills without the need for the hand-fitting expertise required in constructing a traditional barrel. When assembled, the rigid frame, and not the wood panels, supports all the external and internal loads of the wine barrel. For introduction of a caramel taste to the wine the wood panels can be initially placed in an oven with the degree of caramelization controlled by the oven temperature and exposure time.

Abstract: A fastener retention apparatus 10 for retaining a fastener base 60 has first and second complementary half-channels 20 and 30, each having a plurality of holes 40 therein for acceptance of a fastener 50 to secure the half-channels in a nested arrangement. Each half-channel further has a plurality of slots 24, 34 therein for acceptance of a plurality of tabs 64 depending from the periphery of said fastener base 60, thereby providing for secure retention thereof.

Abstract: A gear sub-assembly for a bicycle chain derailleur system comprises a plurality of gears of different pitch diameter oriented and retained in a conical array by gear support arms having locking means at each end thereof releasably engageable with the gears at each end of said gear sub-assembly. Torque is transmitted from the gears intermediate the end gears to said arms, thence to the end gears, thence to a wheel hub.

Abstract: A three piece seal nut comprises an aluminum base having a workpiece engaging surface with an elastomeric seal ring thereon and an annular titanium torque accepting wrench pad that is seated on said base and has a threaded bore for the acceptance of a bolt.

Abstract: A continuous forming method is provided here whereby long composite structural shapes such as "Z", "HAT", "L", etc. can be formed economically with relatively small equipment. First, a lay-up is made from unidirectional tape or woven cloth, then the material is heated to accommodate softening of resin, then pulled through a set of rollers, then through a matched metal die and a rapidly reciprocating punch that facilitates to form the final shape. As the material is pulled through the area of match metal die and punch, it is cooled down by the heat sink of the die and punch, or any other means, so when the part exits the die and punch area, it is sufficiently cooled down to retain the desired shape. The rapidly reciprocating punch permits the part to be pulled continuously, thereby enabling it to produce a long part very economically.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a grommet for relatively soft panels comprising male and female elements that mechanically interlock with one another. The male and female elements having complementary truncated conical surfaces that pinch and deflect a flanged portion of the skin of the panel into a complementary annular rib and groove thereby to fasten and minimize creep of the skin relative to the grommet. The male and female elements of the grommet are positively locked to one another by a relatively simple assembly operation.

Abstract: A composite blind plastic rivet having a ductile plastic sheath fully covering the blind head on the rivet to preclude protrusion of fibers upon formation thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for precisely heating a continuous stream of heading tool dies to a desired temperature for immediate use thereafter in a rivet heading operation comprises a closed-loop transport system having a variable-speed drive and receptacle means for receiving and retaining heading tool dies for transportation therewith, with a first section of the die transport system being exposed to fluid medium having reference temperature below the desired die temperature, and a second fixed-length section of the die transport system being exposed to a constant temperature heat source. The temperature of the dies is thus normalized by exposure to the reference temperature fluid medium, whereafter a metered quantity of heat is transferred to each die by the controlled exposure thereof to the constant temperature heat source as determined by adjustment of die transport speed, whereby the dies are precisely heated to the desired temperature.

Abstract: A tool for installing an externally threaded and keyed insert comprising a mandrel for the acceptance of an externally threaded insert. A cylindrical key-set sleeve is journaled on the mandrel and is movable axially thereof so as to bias the keys on the insert to the locked condition. An air chamber supports a piston that is movable upon the introduction of pressurized air into the air chamber to effect locking movement of the key-set sleeve.

Abstract: A tool for forming a head on a plastic rivet while achieving and maintaining "draw up" of the elements to be conjugally secured thereby. The tool may be heated to facilitate head forming and to effect complete polymerization of a plastic rivet, such as a rivet comprising a "B" stage thermoset resin.

Abstract: A fastener comprises composite head and shank portions having an encapsulating metal sheath thereon that is electrically isolated from conductive fibers in the head and shank portions and from an exposed surface of the head portion.

Abstract: A composite channel and plate nut assembly comprises a U-shaped channel having a plurality of apertures in the web portion thereof immediately adjacent the flanges therein for the acceptance of a plurality of downwardly extending lugs on the plate nut whereby reaction forces are accepted directly by said channel flanges upon threading of a bolt into said nut.

Abstract: A composite rivet comprises a preformed head portion, a shear portion, an integral mandrel extending from said shear portion having an annular recess therein, a deformable plastic locking ring radially aligned with and filling the recess in said mandrel, and a collar telescoped about and radially aligned with said locking ring for controlling deformation thereof.

Abstract: A composite rivet comprises a preformed head portion, a shear portion, an integral mandrel extending from said shear portion having an annular recess therein, a deformable plastic locking ring radially aligned with and filling the recess in said mandrel, and a collar telescoped about and radially aligned with said locking ring for controlling deformation thereof.

Abstract: A composite rivet comprises an integral mandrel from which material is sheared to form a head on the blind side of a workpiece.

Abstract: A composite rivet comprising an axially compressible and radially expandable tubular plastic preform with a mandrel extending centrally thereof and a collar radially aligned with an annular recess in said mandrel for controlling radial deformation of the preform and locking of the mandrel in the rivet.

Abstract: A composite rivet comprises an integral mandrel having a collar telescoped thereabout for controlling radial deformation of a head forming portion thereof.

Abstract: An encapsulated metal bolt comprises a head portion having an encapsulating cap thereon with a plurality of conductive fibers therein electrically isolated from the head but electrically exposed to the surface of a complementary aperture.

Abstract: A nut driver comprising a generally cylindrical frame having a cylindrical nut magazine disposed thereabout comprising a pair of semi-cylindrical magazine sections each having a plurality of elongated, aligned circumferentially spaced fastener chambers therein, a front magazine holder on said frame having an annular channel for the acceptance of one end portion of said magazine, and a rear magazine holder having an annular channel for the acceptance of an opposite end portion of said magazine.