Abstract: The invention relates to a method of assembling two parts of which one part is a sub-assembly formed of a plurality of relatively movable components.The method comprises the steps of holding the components of the sub-assembly in their desired relative positions for assembly, cooling the sub-assembly sufficiently to prevent relative movement between the components of the sub-assembly, and offering the sub-assembly to the other part while the components of the sub-assembly are locked against one another.It is preferred to coat the sub-assembly prior to cooling with a liquid, the cooling being sufficient to freeze the liquid to cause locking of the components.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has intake and exhaust ducts, including an exhaust duct portion formed as an integral part of the engine along with the engine coolant jacket and passages, the exhaust duct portion being located in good thermal contact with the engine coolant flow passages, and flow diverting valves in the exhaust duct portion to direct exhaust gases to flow through the exhaust duct portion when the engine is cold in order to accelerate warm-up, the valves causing the duct to be bypassed under normal operating conditions.

Abstract: A blender for installation under kitchen cabinets includes a housing mounted underneath the cabinet with a shaft detent connection bushing extending downwardly from the housing connected to a motor which is electrically controlled to provide various speeds to the bushing into which a shaft disengagingly connects having blending blades at the lower end with a cup shaped container with annular threads at the top edge which engage annular threads on the bottom wall of the housing to seal the container around the blender shaft with a switch to shut off the power with the cup container is not in position.

Abstract: A low collapse speed, self priming, lubricating oil pumping system for a turbomachine, operatively driven by the turbine main shaft, is disclosed. In a preferred form, the invention includes a permanent magnet generator operatively coupled to shaft of the turbine-generator or turbomachine being lubricated and driven thereby to produce an electrical output; an induction motor directly connected to the electrical output of the permanent magnet generator without intervening protective devices such as fuses, switches, and so forth; and a positive displacement pump located in or in proximity to an oil reservoir and driven by the induction motor to pump oil from the reservoir at a flow rate and pressure sufficient to supply oil to the turbine-generator or turbomachine during all operating phases thereof during which lubrication is required.

Abstract: A rolling mill roll having adjustable axial compliance is formed by a sleeve in the bore of which is located a stiffening arbor. The arbor is an interference fit with the bore of the sleeve over a limited central part of the roll but on each side of that central part is stepped in diameter to form, at each side, a divergent stepped space between arbor and sleeve. That space is occupied by a number of annular wedges which normally do not give support to the sleeve. At each end of the roll there is a hydraulic actuator which applies axial force to the wedges at that side and expand the wedges progressively against the sleeve. By varying the force applied by each actuator the number of wedges supporting the sleeve can be adjusted, thereby to vary the length of the sleeve supported by the arbor.

Abstract: A composite roll for a rolling mill is constituted by a sleeve and an axially adjustable arbor therewithin. The ends of the sleeve are closed by end members, one of which has an axial passage with a diameter smaller than the bore diameter of the sleeve. An adjustment rod is secured to the arbor and passes through the passage of the end member. By operation of the adjustment rod, the position of the arbor within the sleeve and hence the axial compliance of the roll can be adjusted.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for aligning paper documents includes a paper jogger having a removable paper tray for receiving a large number of individual paper documents, such as retail store coupons, and adapted to slide onto and to be removably secured to an oscillating platform of the paper jogger for aligning the edges of the paper documents. A removable divider is positioned in the tray to segregate the paper documents in the tray into discrete portions. The tray containing the divider and segregated paper documents is then placed on and secured to the platform for oscillation and resultant paper alignment. After the paper documents are sufficiently aligned, the tray may be removed from the platform for use in storing the aligned paper documents or in conveying the aligned paper documents to subsequent processing stations.

Abstract: A current collector for an electrical machine employs a rotor collector ring encircled by a stator collector ring to which a compliant brush fabricated of an electrically-conductive, liquid metal-permeable material is attached. Liquid metal saturates said liquid metal-permeable material and forms a thin liquid metal film which makes sliding contact with the rotor collector ring, completing contact between the rotor and stator collector rings through the compliant brush. Adequate liquid metal is maintained in the collector by pumping means supplying liquid metal through the stator collector ring.

Abstract: An electrical current collector for an acyclic machine employs a rotor collector ring and a stator collector surface connected by a liquid metal current collector having a limited area defined by a nonconductive enclosure for containing conductive liquid metal. Liquid metal is supplied to the enclosure by a passageway through the stator contact area having an orifice within the enclosure area. The enclosure is resiliently mounted upon the stator and spring biased toward the rotor collector ring. The liquid metal making the contact between the rotor collector ring and the stator collector area is maintained under pressure and a limited leakage between the enclosure surface and the rotor collector ring is allowed. The enclosure wall may contain permanent magnets to limit the magnetic affects upon the liquid metal in the current collectors from the excitation field.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying images having different spatial characteristics divides the image into a predetermined number of image elements, determines whether each of the image elements is relatively light or relatively dark and assigns a white designation or a black designation to each image element as a result of this determination. The number of white designated and black designated image elements are counted, as are the number of like designated image elements adjacent to each image element. The counts thus obtained are compared with corresponding counts resulting from known images, and the image is identified when a match within a predetermined tolerance is found.

Abstract: A current collector for an electrical machine employs a rotor collector ring encircled by a stator collector ring to which a compliant brush of U-shaped cross section and fabricated of an electrically conductive, liquid metal-permeable material is attached. The region enclosed between the stator collector ring and the brush is filled with liquid metal which seeps outward through the brush interstices, forming on the brush a thin liquid metal film which makes sliding contact with the rotor collector ring, enhancing conductivity between the rotor and stator collector rings through the brush filaments.

Abstract: An automatic document sorter particularly suitable for sorting retail store coupons employs a plurality of relatively coarse sorting processes in cascade. The sorting processes sequentially sort the documents according to predetermined properties of the document, including codes, such as bar codes or the like; physical properties, such as size, thickness, color, reflectivity and opacity; the characteristics of the inscriptions on the face of the document; and any uniquely marked areas of the document face. Such a sorting hierarchy permits the documents to be sorted rapidly by reducing the precision required in each sorting step. The hierarchy also permits each document to be classified during each sorting step as falling into a particular class of documents in order to simplify subsequent sorting steps. If a property uniquely identifying the document is found during any one of the sorting steps, the processing is terminated at that point without completing the subsequent sorting steps.

Abstract: An L-shaped bracket has a hook on its upper end for hanging the bracket on the upper edge of the wall of a toilet tank. An upstanding pin on the lower end of the bracket holds a spare roll of bathroom tissue. The pin is colored a brilliant fluorescent red so as to be conspicuous when there is no roll of paper on the pin.

Abstract: A varistor has a cylindrical core made of a sintered varistor material which includes a longitudinal opening between the core ends. A pair of terminating layers are applied to the core, each adhering to one of the ends of the core and being in electrical contact with a lead wire inserted into the longitudinal opening. An electrode film is applied to the outer longitudinal surface of the core with each end in communication with one of the terminating layers. The electrode film is divided between the terminating layers into a pair of electrode portions by a gap which is dimensioned to predetermine the electrical properties of the varistor.

Abstract: A thick film varistor comprises a varistor film sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, one of which is in contact with a cylindrical substrate. Alternatively, the electrodes may be positioned on the same surface of the film--either in contact with the substrate or the surface of the film opposite the substrate. The preferred method of manufacture involves applying a terminating layer to each end of the substrate, forming the varistor film and the electrodes on the substrate in the desired configuration, attaching a lead wire to each end of the substrate in electrical contact with an adjacent terminating layer, and enclosing the varistor film within a conformal coating.

Abstract: An arrester system for arresting without substantial bounce a moving object, such as the arm of a billet stamper, is constituted by a housing mounting at one end a steel ball which is struck by the moving object. The housing also guides an axially movable steel cylinder which is normally in contact with the steel ball but is driven away from it on impact of the moving object with the ball. The housing further carries a hydraulic or resilient energy absorber which has a piston rod which extends parallel to the movement of the cylinder and which is struck by the cylinder when the latter is driven away from the steel ball. The ball and cylinder form an energy transforming device, the energy of the moving object being transferred via the ball to the cylinder, which in turn transfers the energy to the energy absorber in the direction of the piston rod. Energy transfer is effected without movement of the steel ball and without any substantial bounce of the object.

Abstract: A composition resistor incorporates a thermal fuse inert preferably positioned at its center. The insert includes a fuse link which under normal conditions provides electrical continuity between lead wires extending from each end of the resistor. If a current overload occurs, the heat generated by the resistance material raises the temperature at the center of the resistor to the melting point of the fuse link and the fuse link opens circuit before the organic constituents of the resistor begin to decompose or ignite.

Abstract: Anaesthetic steroids of the androstane and 19-norandrostane series are described, the steroids possessing a 3.alpha.-hydroxy group, a 17.alpha.-hydrogen atom and at the 17.beta.-position a --COSH or esterified --COSH group.