Abstract: The invention relates to an actuator subassembly for a vehicle brake with a drive, which is connected to an input side of a lever arrangement, wherein an output side of the lever arrangement is adapted to operate at least one friction element of the vehicle brake. If a vehicle brake of this kind is used as a parking brake, static preloading forces occur at the friction element. In order that these forces may still be taken up within the actuator subassembly, it is proposed that the lever arrangement be changed over from a service brake region, in which it is self-releasing, beyond its force reversal point into a parking brake position, in which it is self-locking. Various operating possibilities for an actuator subassembly of this kind and the use thereof in a vehicle brake are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to an actuator subassembly for a vehicle brake with a drive, which is connected to an input side of a lever arrangement, wherein an output side of the lever arrangement is adapted to operate at least one friction element of the vehicle brake. If a vehicle brake of this kind is used as a parking brake, static preloading forces occur at the friction element. In order that these forces may still be taken up within the actuator subassembly, it is proposed that the lever arrangement be changed over from a service brake region, in which it is self-releasing, beyond its force reversal point into a parking brake position, in which it is self-locking. Various operating possibilities for an actuator subassembly of this kind and the use thereof in a vehicle brake are described.

Abstract: The compression ratio is variable in that the piston hub may be adjusted, since the connecting rod is mounted at the crankshaft side on an eccentric pin. The eccentric crank pin can be adjusted around its axis of rotation by control means while the engine is running. The control means include a toothed wheel that turns concentrically to the axis of rotation of the eccentric crank pin and is fixed thereto. This toothed wheel acts as an external gear inside a larger diameter internal gear inside which it rolls. The internal gear is concentrically mounted around the axis of the crankshaft and its rotating position may be adjusted. The external gear turns exactly once upon itself every time it rolls round the internal gear.

Abstract: A ceramic catalytic converter is made by first creating an electrode by cutting space apart holes through an electrode block, threading an electrode wire through each hole in the block and performing wire cutting electrical discharge machining to form a cutting surface with a plurality of cell walls converging at rounded corners. The electrode is used to cut an extrusion die, a feedhole is provided in the die (preferably connected to a corner of the cell), and ceramic material is extruded through the extrusion die to form an extruded substrate having a plurality of open cells defined by adjacent walls converging in a rounded corner to form the ceramic catalytic converter. The rounded corner cell walls allows a more uniform deposit of washcoat and precious metals and reduces the amount of precious metals necessary in the ceramic catalytic converter.

Abstract: The invention includes a ceramic catalytic converter substrate having cell walls with rounded corners. The cell walls have a honeycomb or hexagonal shape with rounded corners. The cell walls may be manufactured with very thin walls from 0.003-0.005 inches. There is provided increased structural strength of the substrate due to rounded corners of cell walls into honeycomb or hexagonal shaped walls. The rounded corners of the cell walls also substantially increases the strength of the substrate. The honeycomb shape of the substrate uniformly dissipates any force applied to the substrate. The rounded corner cell walls allows a more uniform deposit of washcoat and precious metals and reduces the amount of precious metals necessary which coat the substrate along with reducing additional backpressure of the exhaust system caused by the washcoat which normally forms fillets in corners of squared-celled substrates.