Abstract: A marine wet exhaust system (10) which injects water into the exhaust flow for cooling and attenuating noise includes a particulate capture and containment system (14) for removing particulates and fluid contaminants from the exhaust gas and the waste cooling water of the discharge. With a first embodiment, this is accomplished by separating the waste cooling water and entrained particulates from the exhaust gas in a muffler/separator (912); accumulating the waste cooling water and entrained particulates in a reservoir (52); and separating the entrained particulates from the waste cooling water in a filter (50). The system further includes a reservoir discharge pump assembly (54), a reservoir drain line (86) and a bleed line (74) to maintain water levels in the reservoir and the filter. With a second embodiment, a condensate trap (56) separates particulates and condensates from the de-watered exhaust gas and returns them to the reservoir (52).

Abstract: A guide sleeve receives and supports a guide post of a bead restraint within a seat back frame of a seat assembly. The guide sleeve includes a body extending between opposite upper and lower ends. A bare defined by cylindrical inner walls extends longitudinally through the guide sleeve for slidably receiving the guide post therethrough for allowing selective adjustment of the head restraint relative to the seat back between a plurality of head supporting positions. A plurality of rings project outwardly from the body and are deformable against the seat back frame during insertion of the guide sleeve into a hole or tube formed in the seat back frame for creating a interference fit between the guide sleeve and the seat back frame without deforming the bore, and thereby, not increasing efforts required to slide the guide post through the bore during movement of the head restraint between the plurality of head supporting positions.

Abstract: A seat assembly secured to the floor of an automotive vehicle includes a generally horizontal seat cushion movable between a seating position spaced above the vehicle floor and a stowed position resting against the vehicle floor. A riser is operatively coupled to the seat cushion for supporting the seat cushion in each of the seating and stowed positions. A seat back is pivotally coupled to the riser for movement between a generally upright seating position and a folded position in overlapping relationship with the seat cushion. A slide mechanism is coupled between the riser and the seat cushion for slidably articulating the seat cushion along the riser between the seating position and the stowed position. A first link arm is coupled between the seat back and the seat cushion for automatically controlling the sliding articulation of the seat cushion between the seating and stowed positions in response to pivotal movement of the seat back between the upright seating position and the folded position.

Abstract: A seat assembly secured to the floor of an automotive vehicle includes a generally horizontal seat cushion movable between a seating position spaced above the vehicle floor and a stowed position resting against the vehicle floor. A riser is operatively coupled to the seat cushion for supporting the seat cushion in each of the seating and stowed positions. A seat back is pivotally coupled to the riser for movement between a generally upright seating position and a folded position in overlapping relationship with the seat cushion. A slide mechanism is coupled between the riser and the seat cushion for slidably articulating the seat cushion along the riser between the seating position and the stowed position. A first link arm is coupled between the seat back and the seat cushion for automatically controlling the sliding articulation of the seat cushion between the seating and stowed positions in response to pivotal movement of the seat back between the upright seating position and the folded position.

Abstract: A guide sleeve for receiving and supporting a guide post of a head restraint within a seat back frame of a seat assembly. The guide sleeve includes a body extending between opposite upper and lower ends. A bore defined by cylindrical inner walls extends longitudinally through the guide sleeve for slidably receiving the guide post therethrough for allowing selective adjustment of the head restraint relative to the seat back between a plurality of head supporting positions. A plurality of rings project outwardly from the body and are deformable against the seat back frame during insertion of the guide sleeve into a hole or tube formed in the seat back frame for creating an interference fit between the guide sleeve and the seat back frame without deforming the bore, and thereby, not increasing efforts required to slide the guide post through the bore during movement of the head restraint between the plurality of head supporting positions.

Abstract: A marine wet exhaust system (10) which injects water into the exhaust flow for cooling and attenuating noise includes a particulate capture and containment system (14) for removing particulates and fluid contaminants from the exhaust gas and the waste cooling water of the discharge. With a first embodiment, this is accomplished by separating the waste cooling water and entrained particulates from the exhaust gas in a muffler/separator (12); accumulating the waste cooling water and entrained particulates in a reservoir (52); and separating the entrained particulates from the waste cooling water in a filter (50). The system further includes a reservoir discharge pump assembly (54), a reservoir drain line (86) and a bleed line (74) to maintain water levels in the reservoir and the filter. With a second embodiment, a condensate trap (56) separates particulates and condensates from the de-watered exhaust gas and returns them to the reservoir (52).

Abstract: The invention relates to a marine wet exhaust system and a method for treating the exhaust from a marine engine. The system comprises a first conduit for receiving an exhaust flow including gaseous, liquid and particulate solid components, a separator for separating the liquid and particulate components from gaseous component, and a second conduit for expelling the gaseous component. A third conduit is provided for receiving from the separator the liquid and particulate solid components, which then pass to a filter for separating the particulate solid component from the liquid component, and the liquid component is discharged via a fourth conduit.

Abstract: A wet marine exhaust muffler includes a metallic housing and a polymeric jacket substantially encapsulating the metallic housing. The metallic housing defines one or more chambers in the interior of the housing. An inlet pipe and an outlet pipe each extend through openings in the polymeric jacket and communicate with at least one chamber in the interior of the housing. The metallic housing is preferably formed from stainless steel and the polymeric jacket is preferably formed from a thermoplastic material having a thickness of approximately 0.001 inch to 0.1 inch, and more preferably of approximately 0.005 inch to 0.060 inch.

Abstract: A combined wet marine exhaust muffler and water separator comprises a housing having a tangential inlet for inducing the exhaust flow to rotate about a lengthwise axis of the housing, a first outlet positioned along the axis for conducting dried exhaust gas from the housing, and a second outlet positioned near a bottom end of the housing and spaced from the tangential inlet and the first outlet for draining water from the housing.

Abstract: An apparatus for injection molding plastics material has an injection unit for delivering a plasticized melt through a nozzle, a press unit for urging a mold together at a predetermined pressure, a mold mounted in the press unit and a programmable controller operably connected to the injection unit and the press unit for automatically controlling the operation of the apparatus for repetitively producing uniform articles. The mold has a stationary mold section and a moveable mold section. The press unit is adapted for reciprocating the moveable mold section between an open position and a closed position. The stationary mold section has a plurality of ports at pre-selected points. Each port has a controllable gate for selectively opening and closing the ports for passing melt to a mold cavity until the melt fully occupies the mold cavity while controlling and minimizing melt lines formed when a flow of melt from one of the ports meets with a flow of melt from another of the ports.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a workpiece or chair mat with cleats on the underside thereof, and with a marginal peripheral area void of cleats, and for trimming the edge of a generally planar workpiece. A rotatable work table is provided for positioning the workpiece. A router head includes an inclined router blade engageable with the edge of the workpiece to form a beveled ramp edge thereabout. A template is positioned between the workpiece and the work table, and the router head has a cam follower engageable with and movable along the edge of the template for guiding the router blade along the edge of the workpiece during rotation of the work table. A cooling medium is directed toward the area of engagement between the router blade and the edge of the workpiece. The depth of cut is controlled by a cam disk mounted on the bottom of the router head engageable with the top of the workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a workpiece or chair mat with cleats on the underside thereof, and with a marginal peripheral area void of cleats, and for trimming the edge of a generally planar workpiece. A rotatable work table is provided for positioning the workpiece. A router head includes an inclined router blade engageable with the edge of the workpiece to form a beveled ramp edge thereabout. A template is positioned between the workpiece and the work table, and the router head has a cam follower engageable with and movable along the edge of the template for guiding the router blade along the edge of the workpiece during rotation of the work table. A cooling medium is directed toward the area of engagement between the router blade and the edge of the workpiece. The depth of cut is controlled by a cam disk mounted on the bottom of the router head engageable with the top of the workpiece.

Abstract: An exhaust muffler for a marine engine comprises a first vertically oriented tubular member having a lower end sealingly extended through the bottom of a main body chamber and an upper end extending upwardly through the top of the chamber. A second tubular member surrounds and is spaced from the first tubular member for forming a passage therebetween, and has its upper end sealingly extended through the top of the chamber and its lower end extending to a point below two chamber inlets, yet spaced from the bottom of the chamber. A cap seals the upper end of the second tubular member to invert upwardly flowing exhaust gases and cooling fluid within the passage between the first and second tubular members downwardly into the first tubular member for discharge from the muffler.

Abstract: An early warning system detects the failure of a marine cooling system by monitoring a resistance ground signal generated by a sensing element inserted into the cooling system. An alarm is given upon the detection of an increased resistance value of the resistance ground signal due to cessation or a severe reduction of water flow through the cooling system and hence contacting the sensing element. The sensing element is preferably inserted into the exhaust system portion of a marine engine cooling system and a detection circuit is connected to the sensing element. An alarm signal is generated by the detection circuit if insufficient water flow is present to maintain a low resistance value for the resistance ground signal generated by the sensing element. Such low resistance signal is maintained either by the electrical conduction of the water or the cooling effects of the water on the sensing element.

Abstract: An early warning system detects the failure of a marine cooling system by monitoring the presence of water within the cooling system so that an alarm is given upon cessation or a severe reduction of water flow therethrough. A water sensing element is inserted within the cooling system preferably within an exhaust system of a marine engine cooled by the cooling system and a detection circuit is connected to the water sensing element. An alarm signal is generated by the detection circuit if insufficient water flow is sensed by the water sensing element. The circuit preferably comprises a darlington amplifier having a power input terminal, a power output terminal and a control terminal. A resistor and a capacitor are connected in parallel between the power input terminal and the control terminal of the darlington amplifier, the water sensing element is connected to the control terminal and an audible or visual or combined audible and visual alarm device is connected to the power output terminal.

Abstract: A current sensing circuit that controls a contactor that connects a load to power lines. The circuit provides an initial momentary delay period after energization of the circuit and before operation of the contactor to permit transients and other short duration anomalies to die out. An immediately succeeding second momentary delay period during which the contactor operation cannot be changed, assures that an initial inrush of current to the load will not cause a fault signal to erroneously operate the contactor. When a fault signal does cause the contactor to be operated, the circuit cannot be set back to its intended operation condition until energization of the sensing circuit is manually interrupted and reestablished. During normal operation of the circuit when current on the power lines is within acceptable limits, the circuit is latched in its proper operating mode.

Abstract: A reactive type marine muffler which combines principles of both baffled construction and expansion chamber attenuation with a liquid flow path to provide improved sound attenuation over a broad spectrum of octave bands and a substantially lower dB(A). The baffles are preferably dome-shaped with their apices directed counter to the flow through the muffler and the expansion chambers are interconnected by a connecting tube mounted in a median baffle and projecting into adjoining expansion chambers.