Abstract: Secure and rapid assembly of magnets or other articles in tubular or other-shaped housings is achieved with bow type compression retainers which are made from reformable spring metal, and are initially formed shorter and higher than their ultimate working dimensions to permit loose or easy manual or automatic assembly in their final working location, after which the retainers can be reformed in place to a reduced height and extended length so as to take up any clearance and to place an initial load on abutting faces of the article to be secured. Then the bow shaped retainer is finally reworked in a comparatively small portion of its length, and in a direction which tends to change the natural curvature and extend the intrinsic unloaded length of the restrained bow, thus off-setting "spring back" type load losses characteristic of normal spring forming, and assuring maximum spring retention forces irrespective of large assembly tolerances and high spring rates.

Abstract: A formed metal ring, made from a strip of material which has a tongue at one end and a groove at the other. The tongue and groove are interdigitaled to form a seam, and abut each other with an interference at their edges. The interference is made by flattening a dimple into the plane of the material so as to move the material of one edge into interference with the other edge. The ring has a perimeter pattern in its surface containing the shapes resulting from the flattening of the dimple.

Abstract: Curved metal structures such as cylinders, circumferential parts of cylinders, tubes, and circumferential parts of tubes formed from flat stock have reformed protrusions in limited areas in order more accurately to position mating parts. The flat stock is formed to its cylindrical or tubular shape with known onestroke die-mandrel techniques, and near and at the end of the forming process there also is a concurrent precision reforming of limited sections of the formed stock by localized radial thinning of the material. When precisely-located radial and axial surfaces are desired at an end of the structure, then this is done at an axial end at least by related localized elongation and cold working of material into contact with a die wall. When a precise internal surface is desired, the reforming and cold working can be done at a substantial distance from the end.

Abstract: A metal structure such as a tube having an axial seam formed with interlocked tongues and recesses with in-plane stabilization created by locally moving areas of the metal out of plane to form dimple-like structures ("dimples") either before or after forming the tongues and recesses. After the tongues and recesses are interengaged, the dimples are flattened to cause the out-of-plane metal to return to the plane so that the metal adjacent to them is moved strongly laterally, and the walls of the tongues and recesses make a strong abutting fit against one another which resists relative out-of-plane displacement, thus providing "in plane" stabilization.

Abstract: Self-aligning press-in bearing structures in which a bearing and a receptacle are engaged to one another so as to permit the bearing axis to make a minor angular accommodation to conform to a shaft axis. The bearing and the receptacle have matching non-circular surfaces with a limited axial extent to permit this accommodation. A method for making this assembly includes an off-axis gyration of the bearing or of the receptacle.

Abstract: Clamp capable of mechanical clamping and optionally useful for providing especially high electrical conductivity having a pair of juxtaposed clamping jaws for gripping an object. One important use of the clamp is to grip an article through which high current is required to flow as, for example, in electric welding. At least one of the jaw blocks is of deep case-hardened cold rolled steel, and when used for high electrical conductivity, is copper coated. The face of this block is provided with concentric teeth which bite into the article. The outer faces of the teeth are perpendicular to the surface of the article being gripped. This inhibits skidding of the clamp and also provides good electrical contact where needed, even in the presence of rust or corrosion. The circular shape of teeth permits rotation or oscillation of the clamp during the clamping operation, which facilitates cleaning of the engaged surfaces and enhances electrical conductivity.

Abstract: Clamp capable of mechanical clamping and optionally useful for providing especially high electrical conductivity having a pair of juxtaposed clamping jaws for gripping an object. One important use of the clamp is to grip an article through which high current is required to flow as, for example, in electric welding. At least one of the jaw blocks is of deep case-hardened cold rolled steel, and when used for high electrical conductivity, is copper coated. The face of this block is provided with concentric teeth which bite into the article. The outer faces of the teeth are perpendicular to the surface of the article being gripped. This inhibits skidding of the clamp and also provides good electrical contact where needed, even in the presence of rust or corrosion. The circular shape of teeth permits rotation or oscillation of the clamp during the clamping operation, which facilitates cleaning of the engaged surfaces and enhances electrical conductivity.

Abstract: There is described a three dimensional clamp for holding a plurality of rod-like elements in various relative positions and angles. The clamp body has two opposed clamping sections aligned along a longitudinal axis and joined by an obliquely extending intermediate section or strip. The two opposed clamping sections have respective tongues extending along opposite sides of the intermediate strip but normally slightly spaced from the strip so that a clamping screw passing through both tongues and the intermediate strip draws the tongues toward each other and toward the strip, thereby reducing or warping the dimensions of the bore or hole in which the respective rod-like elements are inserted. In one embodiment the hole for one of the elements is fitted with a thimble rotatable in the hole which actually receives the element. When the clamping screw is tightened, the rod-like elements are gripped, one of them being gripped by the thimble.