Abstract: A radial lip seal (10) having a sealing lip (16) made of first and second materials arranged in alternating regions (20,22) and forming a continuous contact band. The seal is a rotational seal for contacting a shaft or sleeve in a relatively rotatable relationship. The first and second materials have differing physical characteristics to increase hydrodynamic activity at the sealing lip (16). The first material may be a polytetrafluoroethylene material and the second material disclosed may be silicone, fluoroelastomer, nitrile, ethylene acrylic or polyacrylate elastomers. The boundaries (42) between the first and second materials at the contact band preferably intersect the circumferentially extending contact band at an angle. A method of making a radial lip seal is also disclosed wherein an annular wafer (32) of a first material having an undulating circumferential edge (34) with spaced radially recessed portions (36) is placed in a mold (44).

Abstract: Precision spacers are inserted between the cutoff and stripping blades of an insulated conductor processing machine. The spacers have accurately controlled lengths that take into account the thickness of the various blades and that corresponds with different commonly specified strip lengths. The various strip lengths are accurately set by a single selected spacer. The spacers also assure that cooperating cutoff and stripping blades mesh properly when closing over the insulated conductor during the cutting and stripping process. The spacers have small slots on their top surfaces for receiving a small screwdriver. The slots and screwdriver facilitate handling the spacers in the machine at strip length changeover.

Abstract: The tool holder of a machine for cutting a supply of insulated electrical conductor into discrete lengths employs a standard cutting blade. The standard blade serves as the outer boundary of the tool holder and of the remainder of the machine, thereby assuring that the cut lengths can pass to the next processing station without striking any component and thereby become disoriented. Use of the standard cutting blades is accomplished by employing conventional fasteners to retain the blade on the tool holder. The cutting blade is located in the tool holder by a slotted member and blade shank end locator.

Abstract: A method of efficiently melting aluminum and aluminum alloys in a vertical shaft furnace substantially completely by convection is disclosed. The vertical shaft furnace has a generally cylindrical cross-section with a refractory liner and a cast refractory hearth having a concave, generally conical shape. A plurality of downwardly inclined burners are provided in the walls of the furnace arranged in such a way as to prevent the high velocity burner flame from blowing the aluminum material to be melted across the furnace and into burners on the opposite furnace wall.

Abstract: An improved blade for cutting and stripping insulation from insulated electrical conductors has a cutting edge with a circular cross-section when viewed in the direction parallel to the axis of the insulated conductor to be stripped instead of the elliptical cutting edge of conventional blades. The blade is manufactured by feeding a manufacturing tool through a blank so as to generate a curved surface having a longitudinal axis connecting the blank faces at an angle thereto. The curved surface has an elliptical contour when viewed along the axis.

Abstract: A dual-lip shaft seal with two PTFE sealing members bonded to a molded elastomeric body, and a method and mold for its manufacture includes an elastomeric body bonded to the radial flange of a metal case and provides (1) a shaped lip with a garter spring held in a recess and, bonded to its other side, a frustoconical PTFE ring providing its sealing lip portion and (2) an inflexible portion bonded to a radially extending PTFE wafer.

Abstract: A dual-lip shaft seal with two PTFE sealing members bonded to a molded elastomeric body, and a method and mold for its manufacture includes an elastomeric body bonded to the radial flange of a metal case and provides (1) a shaped lip with a garter spring held in a recess and, bonded to its other side, a frustoconical PTFE ring providing its sealing lip portion and (2) an inflexible portion bonded to a radially extending PTFE wafer.

Abstract: A blade for cutting and stripping insulation from insulated electrical conductors has two blade angles leading to the cutting edge. The first angle is a gathering angle which opens onto the leading surface of the blade and provides a wide opening for gathering offset insulated conductors. The gathering angle converges toward the interior of the blade and intersects the second blade angle, which also converges toward the blade interior. The second blade angle, the cutting angle, terminates in a radius cutting edge adapted to slice the insulation. The blade walls defining the cutting angle are tangent to the cutting edge radius. The cutting angle is minimized so that the radius cutting edge provides a maximum circumferential contact with the conductor. The blade may include a stop for positively controlling the cutting stroke to avoid nicking the conductor.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for molding an elastomeric component of a shaft seal while bonding it to a fluorocarbon seal lip member. The lip member is initially shaped as a flat washer, and a radially outer portion is flexed during molding to a frustoconical shape. Positive retention of the fluorocarbon washer during molding is assured. Radially inner portion of the fluorocarbon washer rests on a planar annular mold ledge, its radially outer portion overhanging a frustoconical mold surface. A ring of uncured elastomer is located above that radially outer portion and radially inwardly from the outer periphery of the ledge. The radially inner portion has a horizontal toothed mold portion with a series of concentric sharp tooth edges. This directly engages the upper surface of the washer and clamps it firmly and immovably against the ledge. When the mold is closed, the elastomer flows and forces the outer portion of the washer down on frustoconical mold surface while bonding elastomer to washer.

Abstract: A method of making a seal of the type which includes a rigid case, a first seal portion of an elastomeric material and a second seal portion of a low friction material. The method includes placing the rigid case, a wafer of low friction material and two elastomeric blanks into a mold, closing the mold to maintain the aforementioned case, blanks and wafer in position and thereafter further closing the mold to form the seal.

Abstract: The hanking machine of this invention cooperates with a lead forming machine wherein each cord, gripped near opposite ends by intermittently moving cord grippers, arrives at a discharge station where the cord, extending along a horizontal line, is released by the grippers. Two carriages are guided for motion wherein a cord clamp on each tracks said line. In initial positions of the carriages, towards which they are biased and in which their cord clamps close on a cord substantially simultaneously with its release by the grippers, they are spaced substantial distances to opposite sides of a vertical plane; in release positions, wherein they release the cord, they are substantially nearer said plane. A turntable with coiling posts spaced to opposite sides of its rotational axis, has its axis horizontal and contained in said plane and has its coiling posts projecting across said line, one above it, one below it.

Abstract: This cord hanking machine has two turntables coaxially mounted on a carrier, each having pair of coiling posts spaced to opposite sides of its axis and projecting away from the other turntable. The carrier swings about an axis transverse to the coinciding axes of the turntables to carry each turntable alternately to a coiling station and to a tying station. Gripper jaws at the outer end of each post open to clamp a straight stretch of cord presented to the turntable at the coiling station. As that turntable rotates, an oscillating cord guide adjacent to the coiling station guides the cord into a coil around its posts. At the tying station a tying machine moves bodily toward the turntable and places a wire tie around the coiled cord on it. During tying, a claw on the tying machine engages behind the coil, and as the tying machine retracts from the turntable the hank is thereby drawn off of its posts.

Abstract: In a wire lead forming machine whereby a European-type plug is attached to plug-end portions of two wires of a cable length, a wire bending device at each of a wire stripping and a plug attachment station has a pair of carriages mounted on parallelogram linkages for horizontal translatory movement. A clamping element on each carriage swings down to clamp a wire end portion against a flat top surface portion on the carriage, whereupon the carriages diverge, bending the wires to hold their tip portions parallel and spaced apart. A restraightening device at a station between the stripping and the plug attachment stations has upper and lower jaws between which the wires are received. The upper jaw swings down to confine the wire end portions in coplanar relationship, whereupon other jaws, moving horizontally between the upper and lower jaws, push the wires together.

Abstract: A machine with separate motion on two axes for toroidal polishing and gring of mirrors. The axes are at 90.degree. to each other and the amplitude of motion in each direction is independently adjustable. A portion of this machine can be modified to serve as an adapter unit that fits on standard polishing machines and can be removed leaving the standard machines able to function in the normal way. A gimbal assembly and stablizer bar are used to prevent twisting between a lens and a polishing surface.