Abstract: A rack and pinion steering system including a rack slidably supported within a housing that engages in a pinion gear wherein the housing includes a cylindrical sleeve having an outer seal surface with a slight medial taper at one end thereof. A yoke assembly, which is received by the cylindrical sleeve, operates to guide the rack and maintain engagement of the rack and pinion during operation of the steering system and includes a yoke member engaging the rack. A retainer member holds a yoke plug, used in the yoke assembly, in position and has a compliant annular seal member having an inner sealing surface that has a complementary slight outward extending taper to provide a self-sealing interface with the medial taper of the outer seal surface of the cylindrical sleeve to protect the internal components of the steering system from water and other contaminants.

Abstract: A rack and pinion steering system including a rack slidably supported within a housing that engages in a pinion gear wherein the housing includes a cylindrical sleeve having an outer seal surface with a slight medial taper at one end thereof. A yoke assembly, which is received by the cylindrical sleeve, operates to guide the rack and maintain engagement of the rack and pinion during operation of the steering system and includes a yoke member engaging the rack. A retainer member holds a yoke plug, used in the yoke assembly, in position and has a compliant annular seal member having an inner sealing surface that has a complementary slight outward extending taper to provide a self-sealing interface with the medial taper of the outer seal surface of the cylindrical sleeve to protect the internal components of the steering system from water and other contaminants.

Abstract: A pair of rotary dies with lands having coacting cutting edges which cut blanks of material from a web passing between the rotating dies. To provide a clean cut and improved squareness of the cut ends, a side face of the land adjacent the cutting edge has a positive rake. To insure that the cutting edges can be brought into coacting relationship to produce a clean cut, they are located and arranged on the dies so that they can be varied and adjusted axially and in rotary phase relationship to each other. A die stand for positioning, adjusting and driving the rotary dies, and a method for making negative electrode cylinders for producing the rotary dies by hardening, grinding and electric discharge machining blank cylinders of tool steel, are also disclosed.