Abstract: Bales of filamentary material are separated into weighed charges of the material by disintegrating the bales in a rotating drum to produce tufts that are passed to a picking chamber wherein a toothed roll strips individual filaments from a supply roll formed from the tufts and passing the filaments to scales upon which the charges are accumulated. Each time a charge is accumulated on a scale, air is blown across the scale to discharge the scale. The charges are delivered to a magazine having a plurality of vertically stacked chambers, each chamber underlain by a movable gate, through which the charges are passed sequentially to be discharged at a fixed schedule from the lowermost chamber. Spikes mounted on the interior of the drum are shaped to loosen portions of bales entering the drum, tear tufts from such portions, and finally deposit the tufts into an air stream passing through the drum to expel the tufts.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing sidewall replacement members on a used tire carcass by attaching sidewall members to the pre-buffed and cement coated sidewalls of the tire carcass, covering each sidewall member with a flexible sidewall mold, placing a flexible curing envelope around said tire carcass including the sidewall molds and sealing the envelope in the bead area of the tire carcass. The envelope covered tire carcass is then placed in a curing chamber at a preselected temperature and pressures for time period sufficient to cure said sidewall members and bond them on said tire carcass. The sidewall members can be installed in conjunction with the installation of tread rubber on the tire.

Abstract: Bales of filamentary material are separated into weighed charges of the material by disintegrating the bales in a rotating drum to produce tufts that are passed to a picking chamber wherein a toothed roll strips individual filaments from a supply roll formed from the tufts and passing the filaments to scales upon which the charges are accumulated. Each time a charge is accumulated on a scale, air is blown across the scale to discharge the scale. The charges are delivered to a magazine having a plurality of vertically stacked chambers, each chamber underlain by a movable gate, through which the charges are passed sequentially to be discharged at a fixed schedule from the lowermost chamber. Spikes mounted on the interior of the drum are shaped to loosen portions of bales entering the drum, tear tufts from such portions, and finally deposit the tufts into an air stream passing through the drum to expel the tufts.

Abstract: Bales of filamentary material are separated into weighed charges of the material by disintegrating the bales in a rotating drum to produce tufts that are passed to a picking chamber wherein a toothed roll strips individual filaments from a supply roll formed from the tufts and passing the filaments to scales upon which the charges are accumulated. Each time a charge is accumulated on a scale, air is blown across the scale to discharge the scale. The charges are delivered to a magazine having a plurality of vertically stacked chambers, each chamber underlain by a movable gate, through which the charges are passed sequentially to be discharged at a fixed schedule from the lowermost chamber.

Abstract: In a vehicle having a hydrostatic transmission responsive to a transmission control lever to effect the speed and direction of the vehicle, a control linkage which translates a U-shift pattern motion of a gear lever to arched motion congenial to the transmission control lever includes a disk and first and second control plates pivotally mounted on a shaft. The gear lever is pivotally supported by the disk to engage either of the control plates. Upon engagement of the gear lever in either of the control plates, the gear lever can be pivoted about the shaft to displace the corresponding control plate which is in linked communication with the control lever of the hydrostatic transmission.

Abstract: A device for use in vulcanizing a premolded, precured tire tread to a tire casing in a tire retreading operation, for sealing a retreading envelope against the tire carcass in the bead area of the tire. The device comprises a pair of rigid circular ring members each sized to fit against the exterior bead portion of the tire casing, with the envelope interposed between the ring and the tire casing. A series of interconnecting springs are attached to the rings at circumferentially spaced apart locations to hold them against the tire in the bead area, and spacers attached to at least some of said springs maintain a uniform distance between the bead portions of the tire casing. A compression member on an edge of each ring member provides increased sealing pressure against the envelope on the tire.

Abstract: A plasma and heating treatment is carried out to reduce the density of charge carrier traps adjacent the interface of an insulating layer of a thermally grown silicon dioxide and a semiconductor body. During this plasma and heating treatment, the device is covered with an additional layer of silicon containing hydrogen, such as silane, for example, and this additional layer protects the insulating layer from direct bombardment of the plasma. During and/or after the plasma treatment, heating of the structure is at about 400.degree. C. or less. After the plasma and heating treatment, the additional layer is removed from at least most parts of the semiconductor device structure.

Abstract: A method for recapping a solid tire with precured tread rubber is disclosed. The method comprises preparing a used solid tire for recapping, including buffing down the tire to remove the old tread and to prepare the surface; applying intermediate bonding material including cushion gum; adding precured padding stock for a base layer where needed; applying and splicing together the precured tread rubber strip; placing wicking material across the tread rubber surface, for air bleeding; enveloping the tire; placing the enveloped tire assembly in a curing module having annular sealing means that can be pressed against the envelope at both tire sidewalls to form a sealed space around the envelope; and supplyng heat and pressure in the space to press the envelope and tread rubber against the tire carcass while curing the internal layer(s) of bonding material, thereby securing the layers together and forming an integral retreaded tire.