Abstract: An apparatus for polishing spherical surfaces of workpieces includes a polishing device rotating on a shaft thereof while holding a polishing tool at an end of the shaft. A pivoting device pivots the polishing device around a polishing position of the tool. A plurality of workpiece holders each hold a workpiece at an end thereof so that one of the workpieces is opposed to the tool. Workpiece holder-holding devices hold the workpiece holders so as to be rotatably and vertically movably. A workpiece holder-pressing device presses at least one of the workpiece holders held by the workpiece holder-holding device against the tool. A rotary table rotates while holding the workpiece holders and the workpiece holder-holding devices, thus placing at least one of the workpiece holders at a workpiece replacing position when the other of the workpiece holders is placed at the polishing position of the polishing device.

Abstract: A wire winding apparatus for connecting a plurality of fine wires and a surface-insulated solid wire such as an enamel coated wire. Clamp members clamp an end of the solid wire. Then a winding mechanism pinches an end of the plurality of fine wires with a predetermined force and rotate around the clamped solid wire. During the winding operations, a moving mechanism moves the winding mechanism in a direction of the clamped end of the solid wire. Prior to winding, any excess of the solid wire and plurality of fine wires is trimmed away. After the winding, the solid wire and plurality of fine wires are mechanically and electrically connected.

Abstract: A fluid circuit for a work handling apparatus having a suction holder adapted to be selectively communicated with a vacuum source and a compressed air source, an having a first electromagnetic valve having first, second and third ports which are fluid-connected with the vacuum source, the compressed air source and the suction holder, respectively. The first electromagnetic valve is operable, when in a suction position, to communicate the first and third ports with each other and, when in a release position, to communicate said second and third ports with each other. The fluid circuit also has a first passage communicating the suction holder and the third port of the first electromagnetic valve with each other, a pressure sensor, a second electromagnetic valve operable to selectively establish and open a fluid circuit between the pressure sensor and the first passage.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically performing plural sequential spherical grinding operations on workpieces such as optical lenses includes a machine base, an index table mounted on the machine base for rotation about an axis, a plurality of chuck units supported by the index table at positions equally spaced about the axis for grasping respective work pieces, and a conveyor for sequentially moving the workpieces adjacent the index table. A positioning device is located adjacent the conveyor for positioning sequentially workpieces to be ground at a selected position on the conveyor. A transfer device is positioned adjacent the conveyor and the index table to sequentially grasp individual workpieces at the selected position and transfer such workpieces sequentially to respective of the chuck units as the index table is rotated about the axis. The chuck units grasp or chuck the respective workpieces. A plurality of grinding units are mounted on the machine base at positions above the chuck units.

Abstract: A porous regenerated cellulose hollow fiber is obtained by a micro-phase-separation method. The hollow fiber is characterized in that the viscosity average molecular weight is at least 5.times.10.sup.4, each of the average pore diameter D.sub.1 on the inner wall surface of the hollow fiber and the average pore diameter D.sub.2 on the outer wall surface is 0.02 to 10 .mu.m, the in-plane porosity Pr on the outer wall surface is at least 10%, and the hollow fiber comprises a wall thickness portion having pores piercing therethrough between the inner wall surface and outer wall surface and a hollow portion extending continuously over the entire fiber length.

Abstract: An alloy for heat transfer pipes excellent in an alkali stress corrosion cracking resistance which is obtained by heating and retaining said alloy at a temperature within the range of a temperature (T.degree.C.), at which a carbide in said alloy is thoroughly solubilized, to T+100.degree. C. for 1 minute or more; cooling it once to a level of 200.degree. C. or less; and carrying out a thermal treatment under conditions within a hatched range Z in FIG. 2, said alloy comprising: in terms of % by weight, 0.15% or less of C; 1.0% or less of Si; 1.0% or less of Mn; 25 to 35% of Cr; 40 to 70% of Ni; 0.5% or less of Al; 0.01 to 1.0% of Ti; 0.5 to 5.0%, in all, of one or more of Mo, W and V; 0.30% or less of P; 0.020% or less of S; and the residue of Fe and impurities.

Abstract: A method for a thermal treatment of a nickel based alloy, characterized in that said nickel based alloy for a material which will be subjected to a high-temperature and high-pressure water or vapor comprises, in terms of % by weight, 58% or more of Ni, 25 to 35% of Cr, 0.003% or less of B, 0.012 to 0.035% of C, 1% or less of Mn, 0.5% or less of Si, 0.015% or less of P, 0.015% or less of S, and the residue of Fe and usual impurities; in a first thermal treatment process, said nickel based alloy is heated and retained at a temperature of T.degree. C. to (T+100).degree.C. and is cooled at a cooling rate of a furnace cooling rate or more; and in a second thermal treatment process, said nickel based alloy is then retained at a temperature of 600.degree. to 750.degree. C. and at a temperature within a sensitization recovery range for a period of 0.1 to 100 hours and is cooled at a cooling rate of said furnace cooling rate or more.

Abstract: A porous regenerated cellulose hollow fiber obtained by a micro-phase-separation method is described. The hollow fiber is characterized in that the viscosity average molecular weight is at least 5.times.10.sup.4, each of the average pore diameter D.sub.1 on the inner wall surface of the hollow fiber and the average pore diameter D.sub.2 on the outer wall surface is 0.02 to 10 .mu.m, the in-plane porosity Pr on the outer wall surface is at least 10%, and the hollow fiber comprises a wall thickness portion having pores piercing therethrough between the inner wall surface and outer wall surface and a hollow portion extending continuously over the entire fiber length.

Abstract: A spindle device has a housing, a hydrostatic fluid bearing in the housing, a spindle rotatably supported in the hydrostatic fluid bearing, a bracket securely mounted on the housing, a roller bearing on the outer circumference of the bracket concentric with the spindle, a pulley mounted on the roller bearing, and a connector connecting the pulley with the spindle for transmitting rotation of the pulley to the spindle.

Abstract: A lead face machining apparatus for machining a lead face on a cylindrical workpiece. The apparatus includes a spindle unit having the workpiece rotatably mounted on it, an end cam provided rotatably together with the spindle, a first slide table and a second slide table such that each of the spindle unit, first slide table and second slide table has a static pressure fluid bearing structure. The apparatus is further provided with means for supplying fluid to the static pressure fluid bearings in common, whereby the workpiece is least subjected to vibration produced through contact of the end cam by a lead machining unit for machining the workpiece.

Abstract: A porous regenerated cellulose membrane consisting essentially of cellulose molecules having a viscosity average molecular weight of at least about 5.times.10.sup.4, the crystalline region of the cellulose molecules being substantially cellulose II crystal, cellulose III-2 crystal or the mixture thereof and having a degree of crystal orientation at a face of (101) in the crystalline region in the direction of the surface of the membrane of at most about 40%, the membrane having a dynamic modulus at 30.degree. C. measured with a frequency of 110 Hz of at least about 1.5.times.10.sup.8 (100-pr.rho.) dyn/cm.sup.2 wherein Pr.rho. is a porosity by percentage, a mean pore size represented by D(.mu.m) of about 0.01 .mu.m to about 20 .mu.m and at the same time a porosity in a plane of at least one plane of at least about 30% or a number of pores in a plane per 1 cm.sup.2 of about 6.times.10.sup.5 /D to about 3.times.10.sup.7 /D; and a process for preparing the same.

Abstract: A positioning device includes an X-direction slide table and a Y-direction slide table which are slidable in directions perpendicular to each other. Stops are adjustable as to their relative positions with respect to the slide tables to define accurate stop positions of the slide tables. Cams and levers shift the slide tables. Biasing devices bias the slide tables against the stops. A linear drive shifts at least one of the slide tables over a predetermined distance against the respective biasing device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing a casing loaded with a plurality of articles such as small-sized electronic parts for use in the electronic industries, which ensures that the stored parts will be positively and stably aligned in the casing without the possibility of any play or disorientation from their regular positioning within the casing. The casing is provided with a single piece resilient element which is inserted into the casing, the resilient element being designed to resiliently expand against the inner wall surface of the casing to frictionally engage therewith. Thereafter, a plurality of parts are inserted one after another into the casing so that they become stacked in a serially aligned manner inside the casing against the resilient force of the resilient element, thus preparing a casing loaded with a plurality of parts therein stacked in a serially end-to-end resting state.