Abstract: An end attachment assembly for a twisted rope torsion bar includes anchor nut, an elastomeric hub and a wrap spring adapted for cooperative interaction. The anchor nut provides strength and durability while the elastomeric hub provides resilience and elasticity to beneficially accept the angular deflection of the composite, twisted rope torsion bar when torque is applied. The elastomeric hub is molded onto the end of the torsion bar to improve its connection therewith. The torsion bar is preferably fabricated of a lightweight glass fiber/epoxy composite material. In assembled relation, the nut and hub provide a substantially continuous, even cylindrical surface which cooperates with the wrap spring. The wrap spring tightly engages the nut and hub, securely maintaining the components in adjacent relation. The wrap spring constricts in the presence of applied torque, resulting in a tighter and tighter grip when influenced by increasing torque in a working environment.

Abstract: A deflatable sealing member forms a weatherstrip to seal a closure opening for a vehicle. The sealing member includes a sealed tubular section to provide tight interference engagement between the closure and the vehicle body. A rolling diaphragm pump deflates the sealing member during closing of the closure. Upon deflation, the sealing member collapses to a reduced cross section. This permits easier closing of the closure and avoids compression shock, common on vehicles having tight fitting weatherstriping. An atmospheric vent valve vents the sealing member to the atmosphere upon closing. As a result, the inherent resiliency of the sealing member returns it to full cross section, restoring the desired tight interference engagement. A vacuum limiter valve is provided to limit the level of vacuum within the pump in order to maintain the closing force below a desired maximum.

Abstract: A deflatable sealing member forms a weatherstrip to seal a closure opening. The sealing member includes an operative tubular section designed to provide tight interference engagement between the closure and vehicle body when vented to atmosphere and expanded by built-in resilient memory. A bellows pump is connected to the sealing member through a flow control circuit. The bellows pump serves to deflate the sealing member during closing of the closure. The bellows pump is adapted for convenient mounting in a cavity in the closure or vehicle body spaced from the closure hinge area. A flexible cable connects the bellows pump to the closure or vehicle body to provide the necessary actuation for operation of the bellows pump in response to the swinging movement of the closure. As the closure closes and latches, a valve is opened to vent the sealing member to ambient pressure, and the sealing member expands by resilient memory to its full cross section so as to provide a tight seal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sealing between a movable vehicular closure and body, especially adapted for an automobile, is disclosed. A deflatable sealing member forms a weatherstrip to seal the opening in the vehicle body and includes an operable tubular portion and an integral mounting portion. The sealing member is designed for resilient interference engagement between the closure and the body when expanded by the built-in resilient memory. The closure is mounted so as to provide relative transverse movement between the sealing member and one of said closure and said body during closing. In order to deflate the sealing member, a vacuum source, which may be a bellows pump, separate electric pump, engine vacuum, or the like, is connected to the single port of the sealing member and is activated at least during the closing of the closure. After closing, the control valves switch from the vacuum source to a vent to ambient pressure thereby inflating the sealing member.

Abstract: A hydraulic mount assembly is disclosed having a partition including a hydraulic damping decoupler between two hydraulic chambers. One chamber is formed by an elastomeric member and the other by a resilient diaphragm. During dynamic loading of the mount, fluid passes between the two chambers of the mount causing expansion and contraction of the diaphragm. A pneumatic bladder is positioned to exert external pressure against the diaphragm in order to change the damping characteristics of the mount. As the bladder is expanded, the diaphragm is stiffened and the fluid flow between the two chambers in the hydraulic mount is restricted. When the bladder is deflated, the pressure against the diaphragm is reduced or effectively removed thereby restoring full freedom of movement of the fluid in the hydraulic mount. By actively controlling the diaphragm expansion in this manner, the dynamic characteristics of the mount are varied.

Abstract: A trim part of the type having a visible outer surface and a resilient foam substrate is provided with real thread decorative stitching. Visible loops of the thread are tensioned against the outer surface by embedded loops held in the resilient substrate. A method is disclosed for applying the decorative stitching with two different types of thread, which is done by partially penetrating the foam substrate to a controlled depth in a repeating pattern.

Abstract: A decoratively stitched trim panel is produced by a new apparatus. The trim panel includes a series of decorative stitches of alternating visible and embedded, non-visible loops frictionally retained within the substrate of the trim panel without passing all the way therethrough. The stitching is produced by a method involving the steps of embedding the thread into the substrate with a hollow thread-containing needle, withdrawing the needle up out of the trim part to draw sufficient thread therethrough to make up a visible and half of an embedded loop, indexing the needle forward, re-embedding and withdrawing it again. A stitching machine includes a hand held frame with a pivoted air cylinder having an extendible and retractable arm with a hollow needle thereon. The needle has a slanted tip with a pointed leading edge and a notched trailing edge through which the thread passes.

Abstract: Flow measuring apparatus includes a support loop having strain gages mounted thereon and a drag means which is attached to one end of the support loop and which bends the sides of the support loop and induces strains in the strain gages when a flow stream impacts thereon.

Abstract: A dictation-transcription method and system in which dictated material and instructions concerning the dictated material for use during the transcribing of the dictated material are separately recorded on a recording medium along with indexing signals which include indexing signals identifying the location on the recording medium of the separately recorded instructions concerning dictated material. The recording system and method permit the recording of instructions at any location on the recording medium relative to the dictated material including a location along the length of a recording medium which is the same as the location of the dictated material to which an instruction relates without obliterating any of the dictated material, while at the same time preventing the inadvertent placing of the recording system in a recording mode of operation following the recording of an instruction which would cause dictated material to be inadvertently obliterated.

Abstract: In a catalytic converter, an air tube is permanently fixed and sealed at an open end thereof between two flanges on one side of a clamshell type housing enclosing reducing and oxidizing catalyst means. The tube extends between the catalyst means and has a closed end slidably mounted between flanges of the housing on the opposite side thereof internal of where these flanges are joined. The tube which has holes for delivering air into the passing exhaust gases prior to reaching the oxidizing catalyst is thus firmly supported by the housing while relative expansion with heat is permitted therebetween and without interrupting the sealed integrity of the housing flanges at the closed end of the tube.

Abstract: A dictation-transcription method and system in which dictated material and instructions concerning the dictated material for use during the transcribing of the dictated material are separately recorded on a recording medium along with indexing signals which include indexing signals identifying the location on the recording medium of the separately recorded instructions concerning dictated material. The recording system and method permit the recording of instructions at any location on the recording medium relative to the dictated material including a location along the length of a recording medium which is the same as the location of the dictated material to which an instruction relates without obliterating any of the dictated material, while at the same time preventing the inadvertent placing of the recording system in a recording mode of operation following the recording of an instruction which would cause dictated material to be inadvertently obliterated.

Abstract: A catalytic converter having a catalyst coated monolith of frangible material supported in a sheet metal housing by both a wire mesh sleeve and intumescent sleeve with the latter also providing sealing between the monolith and the housing.

Abstract: A dictation system having means for providing a signal for indicating when dictation which the system has been made operative to record on a recording medium is not being recorded on the recording medium because of a malfunction of the system or the improper operation of the system. The system includes means for providing a signal when the audio input to the dictation system and the audio input of dictation recorded on the recording medium are not in a predetermined relationship and means for providing said signal when dictation which the system has been made operative to record on the recording medium is absent from the recording medium for a predetermined length of time.

Abstract: A ski brake comprises plow means pivotally mounted to the trailing end of each of a pair of skis and hydraulic operator means to move said plow means downwardly and under the trailing ends of the skis to plow snow on which the skis are operating upwardly behind the skis. The hydraulic operator means is assembled to a ski pole carried by the skier, hydraulic forces developed by the operator means being transmitted through a harness attached to the skier's waist.