Abstract: A fluid-filled piston-cylinder unit with a tubular fluid-filled housing closed at one end and with a piston rod emerging from the other end comprising, for guiding the said piston rod, a guide bush which is sealed on the one hand against the inside wall of the housing and on the other against the piston rod by the use of seals. Provided at the inner end of the piston rod there is a guide piston. In order on the one hand to avoid surface pressure between the piston rod and the guide bush and on the other to achieve an adequate length of guidance for the piston rod itself, the guide bush is provided with at least one spacer extending in axially parallel manner beyond the seals and in the direction of the guide piston and the cross-section of which is substantially smaller than the cross-section of the guide bush.

Abstract: A gas spring adjustable in length has a housing and a piston rod brought out at one end. Disposed at the opposite end is a valve by means of which movements of longitudinal adjustment of the piston rod relative to a housing filled with a pressure medium are released or stopped. These gas springs are principally used for the vertical adjustment of chairs or tables. In order to make said vertical adjustment more comfortable, a damper valve is disposed in the valve effecting in different manner in each instance the throttling on the insertion of the piston rod into the housing or on the extraction of said piston rod out of the housing.

Abstract: A gas spring with end positions damping has a cylindrical housing filled with a fluid under pressure, in which a piston rod, sealingly extending from one end of the housing, is disposed to be coaxially slideable and on the inner end of which a piston is attached. To create an end position damping that is simple in structure, and which can be used purely pneumatic, purely hydraulic or hydropneumatic, an auxiliary piston in the form of a throttle piston is slidingly disposed on the piston rod, which is supported via an energy accumulator towards the end of the housing where the piston rod exits. The piston abuts against this auxiliary piston at the end of the extension movement of the piston rod. Its throttle effect is larger during movement in the direction toward the end where the piston rod exits than in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An adjustable-length gas spring has a compressed gas-filled housing in which a piston with a piston rod is sealingly guided. At one end of the housing is provided a valve with a valve pin for connecting or separating two housing chambers, the valve pin being movable into the housing against the force exerted thereon by the gas pressure with the valve in the open position. The pin is movable against such force when the valve is in the closed position. There is also a permanent release mechanism for securing the valve pin when the valve is in the open position. In order to permit a particularly simple operation of the gas spring, the permanent release mechanism is formed by a bi-stable locking mechanism constructed in the manner of a mechanical flip-flop and which is coupled to the valve pin, being operated by the insertion thereof into the housing.

Abstract: A positionally bistable domed annular disc includes a projection which engages a transverse through hole or a recess in a shaft to be retained. The disc fits concentrically about the shaft and is concave in different directions when in its two stable positions, respectively. In a cotter pin embodiment the projection extends from the outer rim of the disc and is bent to fit solidly in a transverse hole in the shaft. The projection is inserted when the disc is convex toward the hole and not surrounding the shaft. When switched to be concave toward the hole the disc surrounds the shaft to preclude longitudinal and rotative movement of the projection. In a retainer ring embodiment the projection is a plurality of fingers extending from one or both rims and arranged to engage the shaft or the bore in which the shaft is retained in its closed position. In a shaft coupling embodiment the projecting fingers engage two or more shafts in a manner which tolerates axial, radial and angular shaft misalignment.

Abstract: A frictional damper, includes a circular-cylindrical casing and a ram which is coaxially displaceable in the casing and the inner end of which is provided with a cylindrical friction piston. On its external face, the friction piston is provided with one or more friction elements which are elastically pressed against the inner wall of the casing. To obtain a uniform surface pressure over the entire friction surface of the friction element or elements during the entire life of the frictional damper, the friction piston is provided with a bushing having a circular-cylindrical external shape and of counter-holder flanges or disks which project radially from the bushing and delimit the latter at a fixed axial extent. Moreover, at least one annular-cylindrical friction sleeve which has a closed circumference, is made of an elastically yielding material and is under tension in its inner circumferential zone, is provided on the bushing.

Abstract: A friction damper, especially for washing machines with a spin cycle, consists of a housing (1) having a substantially circular cylindrical inner wall and a tappet (2) that can be pushed coaxially into the housing, extending at one end out of the housing and at the other end being provided with a friction piston. The friction piston is provided with friction elements pressed elastically against the inner wall of the housing (1), and securing elements (4, 8) are formed on the respective ends of the tappet (2) and housing (1). To attain a considerable reduction in the damping forces once there has been a passage through the critical rpm level, the housing (1) is made of plastic.

Abstract: An adjustable-length gas spring has two compressed-gas-filled cylinders concentrically surrounding one another, with a piston and piston rod disposed in the inner cylinder thereof. A valve for effecting communication between housing chambers divided by the piston is provided at one end of the cylinders. This valve has a valve body, which is sealed with respect to the cylinders by means of outer ring seals.

Abstract: A spray nozzle is provided with various surface configurations within a chamber to stress the liquid flow therein whereby the liquid issues from the nozzle as individual drops of liquid in a stressed state so as to further break up into smaller drops after leaving the nozzle.

Abstract: A center-opening saw blade having an inner sawing edge is spanned or tensioned to provide an accurate, high quality cut by apparatus including inner and outer clamping collars between which an outer peripheral edge region of the saw blade is clamped, a spanner ring having an inner edge and an outer centering heel, the clamping collars being tightly affixed to the spanner ring with the clamping rings positioned in the centering heel with the inner edge of the spanner ring engaging an inner region of the saw blade to impart an initial stress thereto. A form ring is axially slidably mounted within the clamping collars and is slidable to engage an intermediate portion of the saw blade between the outer peripheral edge region clamped between the clamping collars and the inner region engaged by the inner edge of the spanner ring to impart a fine adjustment stress to the saw blade.

Abstract: An adjustment circuit for a hand-operated electric power tool includes a data input device for entering information concerning the kind of material to be treated and other information relevant to the operation of the tool. The selected binary coded address word is applied to addressing inputs of a read only memory storing control words for a controlling device for a motor of the tool. Part of the bits of a control word outputted from the ROM are applied to a display device which displays the desired or actual rotary speeds of the tool and/or other data selected by the input device.

Abstract: A small, but nevertheless high-flow fluidic oscillator has a dual level body portion including an interaction chamber in a first level. An inlet plenum supplies fluid to a supply nozzle which enters directly into the inlet end of the interaction chamber to direct a jet flow from the supply nozzle, through the interaction chamber and out of an outlet opening. A fluid passage is located at least partly in the second level of the body portion, and connecting passages on either side of the supply nozzle connect the fluid passage to the inlet end of the interaction chamber. The walls of the interaction chamber converge from the inlet end toward a neck portion and thereafter diverge and then converge again at the outlet so that a fluid column extends between the jet flow and the sidewalls of the interaction chamber, and moves cyclically back and forth through the fluid passage and the connecting passages to obtain interaction between the fluid column and the jet flow without the need for control nozzles.

Abstract: A height-adjustable office chair having an incline-adjustable seat and back includes a bearing device to which is connected a length-adjustable seat pneumatic spring connected by an articulated joint to the seat structure, a length-adjustable back-rest pneumatic spring connected to the back by an articulated joint, and a height-adjustable pneumatic spring. The actuating rods of all three of these pneumatic springs are in the bearing device and are controlled by an actuating lever movable both horizontally and vertically. Vertical movement of the actuating lever controls the height-adjustable pneumatic spring. Horizontal movement of the actuating lever serves to control one of two intermediate levers which are respectively arrestable and lockable by a detent lever located above the height-adjustable pneumatic spring.

Abstract: A lockable tilting apparatus for the seats of chairs and which can be used selectively either for chairs which tilt backward or for chairs which tilt forward, comprising a base plate securable to chair seat and a stationary body member adapted to be supported by the pedestal of the chair, spring means supported by said stationary body member, means supported by said stationary body member mounting said base plate for tilting pivotal movement relative to said stationary body member, link means engaging and movable with said base plate against the restoring force of said spring means whereby said base plate is tiltably movable relative to said body member against the restoring force of said spring means; and wherein a locking apparatus which is actuatable by displacement of an operating lever between two terminal positions is provided for selectively locking the base plate against tilting movement or for releasing the base plate for tilting movement, characterized by a slide member mounted in said body member f

Abstract: An angle joint, consisting of a ball socket and a ball pivot, is pivotally mounted, by means of the ball, in a ball socket recess which is shaped like a spherical cap and acts as a ball seat. On one side of the ball socket is a rigid locating or contact shoulder, which is integral with the ball socket and partially grips the rear of the ball when the ball has been inserted into the recess.A locking element, which is situated opposite the locating shoulder, also partially grips the rear of the ball when the ball is inserted into the recess. The locking element is slidably located in a guide recess in the ball socket at an acute angle, between 15.degree. to 30.degree., to the direction of insertion. A locking spring presses the locking element in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion. The locking element is loaded by a pretensioned helical spring, acting as a locking spring, which bears both against the locking element and a section in contact with the ball socket.

Abstract: A flying saucer type toy is made suitable for indoor use by relying on spin velocity, rather than translational velocity, to effect lift. A flat disc is provided with plural generally spiral through-cuts to define plural spiral blade members therebetween. The center of the disc is raised relative to the rim so that the blade members extend between the planes of the disc center and rim and provide lift when the disc is spun about an axis perpendicular to the disc.

Abstract: The present invention is a puzzle game which employs a plurality of moveable members, each of which bears at least one indicium, slideably mounted over rail-like means formed on a sectionalized base. One section of the base is the display section whereto the moveable members are moved in order to form a sought after display of the indicia which represents a solution of the puzzle. Another section of the base is the maneuvering section which is employed by the person solving the puzzle to change direction, location or orientation of the moveable members in an effort to find the solution to the puzzle. The maneuvering section includes a turntable means which enables the movable members to be moved from one rail to another and which enables the orientation of the indicia to be changed. In addition the moveable members can be readily removed or added to the puzzle to effect flexibility in the degree of difficulty offered in solving the puzzle.

Abstract: In a clothes washer, liquid pulses are delivered to a bucket or tank of water to create continuously re-circulating flow therein in a vertical plane. The flow carries the clothes in a tumbling action and the pulses agitate the clothes passing the pulse source. Air is introduced into the water pulses and forms air bubbles in the tank which attract dirt particles and carry them to the surface where they are removed as part of a continuous surface overflow. In a preferred embodiment the liquid pulses are delivered by a novel fluidic oscillator of the feedback type in which air is continuously entrained by the power stream from each feedback passage in alternation.

Abstract: A latch mechanism useful for belt buckles, door latches, etc., includes an endless member in the form of a frusto-conical or frusto-spherical band of spring-like material which can be snapped between two stable positions. In one position the rim of the band is disposed on one side of a reference plane defined by the outer rim; in the other position the inner rim is on the opposite side of that plane. An integral tongue projects from one rim of the band and is positionally slaved thereto to assume first and second orientations depending upon the band position. The band is secured to one of two members to be latched, the second member having a keeper for receiving the tongue and a portion of the band, precluding relative movement between the two members. A keeper surface abuts the distal edge of the tongue in one stable band position such that movement of the band out of the keeper is resisted by the abutting force of the surface applied longitudinally to the tongue.

Abstract: The fluidic oscillator consists of a resonant fluid circuit having a fluid inertance and a dynamic fluid compliance. The inertance is a conduit interconnecting two locations of a chamber on each side of a working fluid jet issuing into one end of the chamber, the inertance conduit serving to transfer working fluid between the two locations. Through one or more output orifices located approximately at the opposite end of the chamber, the fluid exits from a chamber exit region which is shaped to facilitate formation of a vortex (the dynamic compliance) from the entering fluid. The flow pattern in the chamber and particularly the vortex in the chamber exit region provide flow aspiration on one side and surplus of flow on the opposite side of the chamber, which effects accelerate and respectively decelerate the fluid in the inertance conduit such as to cause reversal of the vortex after a time delay given by the inertance.