Abstract: An apparatus collects a leaking viscous liquid, such as grease from a bearing, and then transfers it under pressure for reuse or for reclaiming. The apparatus has an open top collector or head tank which may be positioned under the source of the leak. After a sufficient liquid head is present in the head tank the collected liquid flows through a check valve into a pressure vessel. A liquid level sensing means in the tank responds to a predetermined level of liquid in the pressure vessel to shift a valve to connect a source of high pressure air to the pressure vessel. Outlet conduit means from the pressure vessel allows the pressurized liquid to flow from the vessel. One way check valves are preferably used in the conduit means to restrict the liquid flow to that mentioned. Preferably the entire assembly is mounted on a lightweight skid to be easily moved.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for automatically substituting a fully threaded bobbin assembly for a used bobbin assembly in a thread shuttle of a sewing machine having the bobbin assembly latched to the thread shuttle. A pivoted hook unlatches the spent bobbin assembly from the thread shuttle and then a plunger extracts the spent bobbin assembly and places it in a magazine. The magazine carries a new and full thread bobbin assembly and the plunger transfers the full thread bobbin assembly into latched engagement with the thread shuttle. An electric control system including an automatic counter counts the number of sewing operations and after a predetermined number of sewing operations causes the automatic exchange of bobbin assemblies.

Abstract: A method and apparatus employing the method are disclosed for attaching a plastic cover to a safety belt retractor frame. A plastic cover having a pair of spaced legs is attached to a seat belt retractor frame by inserting the legs through an opening in the retractor frame and wedging a plastic plug between the legs to hold them tightly in the opening and restrict withdrawal from the opening.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a loop in a seat belt and stitching the looped belt plies together. One sewing machine performs the strength forming stitch pattern such as the butterfly stitch and it is used as a master sewing machine whose sewing time of operation is maximized. During the stitching of butterfly pattern, another seat belt will have been fed into a loop forming means at which a loop is formed and its looped belt plies will have been tacked together by another sewing machine sewing a zigzag stitch. An automatic transfer means transfers looped belts from the first sewing station to the butterfly stitching machine. An automatic bobbin changing apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing the sizes of the kerfs of safety belts made from severed webs of woven synthetic filaments such as polyamide or polyester filaments. In the preferred method, a laser beam sweeps across the belt to vaporize some of the belt material and severs the same. Preferably, all four sides of the belt are confined as by means of a clamping pressure to restrict the growth or expansion of the filaments in the direction outwardly of the sides of the belt. The preferred apparatus has means for feeding the webs to the severing station and means for actuating the clamp into clamping engagement to confine the belts as well as a discharge feed means for discharging the severed belts from the severing station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus employing the method are disclosed for attaching a plastic cover to a safety belt retractor frame. A plastic cover having a pair of spaced legs is attached to a seat belt retractor frame by inserting the legs through an opening in the retractor frame and wedging a plastic plug between the legs to hold them tightly in the opening and restrict withdrawal from the opening.

Abstract: A retractor is provided with a tension relieving mechanism which is operated by a belt sensor for sensing a taut or slack condition of the belt. The belt sensor operates a blocking means between a blocking position in which the tension of the winding spring is relieved from the protracted belt on the passenger's shoulder and a release position in which the spring winding force is applied to the belt to rewind the belt. Preferably, a cam means is provided to hold the blocking means in its release position to rewind slack occasioned during slight forward protraction movements of the passenger when the belt has been initially set in the tension relieving state. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the tension relieving mechanism is set into the tensionless condition immediately upon buckling of the belt tongue plate to a buckle. The amount of slack in the protracted belt cannot be increased by ratcheting past the teeth as with prior art tension relieving mechanisms.