Abstract: A dual tank fuel system has primary and secondary fuel tanks, with the primary tank including a filler pipe to receive fuel and a discharge line to deliver fuel to an engine, and with a balance pipe interconnecting the primary tank and the secondary tank. The balance pipe opens close to the bottom of each tank to direct fuel from the primary tank to the secondary tank as the primary tank is filled, and to direct fuel from the secondary tank to the primary tank as fuel is discharged from the primary tank through the discharge line. A vent line has branches connected to each tank to direct fuel vapor from the tanks as the tanks are filled, and to admit air to the tanks as fuel is delivered to the engine.

Abstract: The invention described here in is a computer-implemented method and apparatus for controlling a hand-held tool. In particular, the control of a hand held tool is for the purpose of controlling the speed of a fastener interface mechanism and the torque applied to fasteners by the fastener interface mechanism of the hand-held tool and monitoring the operating parameters of the tool. The control is embodied in intool software embedded on a processor within the tool which also communicates with remote software. An operator can run the tool, or through the interaction of both software, operate the tool from a remote location, analyze data from a performance history recorded by the tool, and select various torque and speed parameters for each fastener.

Abstract: A removable leakproof stopper for use with liquid containing bottles which enables the user to quickly and easily dispense desired quantities of liquid and the method of use of the stopper. The stopper is a hollow chamber with a pour spout located at the top. A horizontal partition containing an exit port divides the chamber into two sections. The exit port is closed with a plug activated by a trigger which is located outside the chamber. Beneath the partition is a delivery tube attached about the interior circumference of the chamber. The delivery tube tapers downward to a constant bore portion which extends into the neck of the bottle. A compressible collar surrounding the constant bore portion provides a tight seal within necks of bottles of varying interior diameters. An opening in the wall of the chamber communicates with a pressure equalizing tube. A second trigger is used to close this opening.

Abstract: Shrouded towers for supporting adjustably cantilevered work platforms for performing external surface work on ship hulls (such as abrading and painting) are modularized for sake of economy and efficient utilization, including shifting of modules using techniques and equipment currently used for shifting shipping containers. Supply and recovery line connections between support barge-mounted equipment, floating drydock and work platform-mounted work applicators is facilitated by fixed installation of some portions and the provision of flexible connectors between these portions. Alternative adjustable cantilevering structures are disclosed for mounting the work platforms to the vertically movable trolleys. Preferably, rotating wheels rather than compressed air, are used to propel the abrasive grit against the hull surface, and abrasive supply systems having degrees of automated recovery of spent grit are disclosed.

Abstract: For coating the exterior of a ship hull while the ship is in drydock or afloat, creating a sizable chamber with comprehensive staging access for all required work, sealing off that chamber to contain environmentally unacceptable byproducts of the coating process, to keep storm water runoff from passing through spent abrasive and paint overspray on the deck of the drydock or barge and to keep out weather conditions which could delay and deteriorate the quality of this coating process, ventilating and evacuating the chamber maintaining an atmosphere inside the chamber which is conducive to worker safety and high coating quality and maintaining an atmosphere outside the chamber which is conducive to meeting requirements for the clean air and clean water laws and regulations, and at the same time reducing the overall cost of coating.

Abstract: Dry, particulate abrasive for use in abrasive blast cleaning of a ship hull is supplied to blasting pots from abrasive supply hopper assemblies lifted into place from a recycling station. Spent abrasive, with debris, is collected and placed on a conveyor belt extending parallel to the keel blocks, for conveying the collected material to the recycling station. There, the collected material is processed to remove undersized and foreign material from the reuseable abrasive grit. The latter is loaded into supply hopper assemblies, which are crane-lifted back into supplying relation with respective blasting pots. By preference, the abrasive blasting work takes place from elevatable, curtain-enclosed platforms supported on a drydock floor, the blasting pots are located on the drydock wing wall, the abrasive grit is ferromagnetic and recovered from the drydock floor partly with the aid of a magnetic abrasive pick-up unit, and the recycling station is located on a barge moored at an end of the drydock.

Abstract: For cleaning and/or painting the exterior of a ship hull while the ship is in dry dock, one or more staging devices are provided. Each includes a metal framework tower supporting a vertically movable elevator assembly that comprises a trolley, from which a variably laterally projecting platform is supported on articulated, cantilevered arms. Adjustable, non-porous shrouds enclose a volume of space between the outside of the tower and an increment of one side of the exterior of the ship hull, from above, fore, aft and outside. Cleaning and painting operations are conducted from the platform on the hull increment, and debris is removed from the dry-dock deck area enclosed by the shroud, after which the device is moved by crane, typically twenty feet (6.1 m), towards the ship's bow or stern. The shrouds are then adjusted so that a further hull increment can be worked on. The trolley and extension-retraction of the platform support arms are operated by electrohydraulic winch and hydraulic cylinders, respectively.

Abstract: Under certain operating conditions, an emulsion of an acidified unfiltrable tarry bottoms stream from a reactor for the chlorination of ethylene to 1,2-dichloroethane can be demulsified and separated in a phase separation tank. The presence of FeCl.sub.3 in an amount more than 5 ppm Fe in the separated organic waste, fouls the reboiler and lower internals of a "heavies" column in which the separated organic waste is concentrated, and deactivates the catalyst in a Catoxid fluid bed reactor in which the concentrate is burned. By maintaining an iron salt chlorination catalyst in a concentration which results in 2000 ppm to 4000 ppm of Fe in the HTC reactor bottoms, and operating the HTC reactor at a temperature in the range from about 90.degree. C. to 120.degree. C. and a pressure in the range from 9 psig to 12 psig, an unfiltrable reactor bottoms drawoff is produced which may be acidified without forming an emulsion.

Abstract: A steering mechanism is disclosed for a boat equipped with an outboard motor. The steering mechanism has a pair of opposed single acting cylinders maintained in a spaced relationship by a frame member. A pair of brackets enable pivotal connection of the steering mechanism with the mounting bracket of the motor. A piston is received in and extends between the cylinders and carries a lost motion linkage connectable with the tiller arm of the motor to induce steering movement of the motor upon actuation of the piston.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotating a shaft about an axis of rotation less than one full revolution. The apparatus comprises a crank attachable to the shaft; a first link pivotally attached to the crank, the first link having a first attachment point; and a first stop for preventing rotation of the first link about the crank when the shaft is rotated in a first direction from a neutral position. A force applied to the first attachment point has a lever arm to the axis of rotation that lengthens as the shaft is rotated from the neutral position in either clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing outside payoff from a wound package of flexible strip-like material wherein the package is mounted on a swivable support member through a radial hole in the wound material. The support member is mounted to enable oscillation about its longitudinal axis and the wound material is paid-off the package from its outer end by pulling it in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wound material and the support member. Tension forces may be provided to the support tube to prevent premature throw-off of the wind by controlling the oscillation of the package. Such tension forces may be provided by springs attached to the support tube or by mounting the support tube on a torque motor.

Abstract: In winding coils of great wall thickness, such coils including a plurality of layers each formed of a plurality of figure-8s with the cross-overs progressing angularly around in each layer and with a radial hole extending from the outside of the coil into the axial opening thereof, by previous winding methods it is likely that the hole will be curved, even in cases where the guide for traversing the flexible material on the mandrel is spaced away from the mandrel and the outside of the wound material. In order to prevent the formation of a curved hole and to ensure that the hole is substantially radial, the guide carrier is moved in such a way that the line from the carrier to the surface of the coil always remains substantially tangential to the package at the same angular position in space with respect to the mandrel.

Abstract: Control apparatus including first and second hydraulic cylinders hydraulically interconnected in parallel. Cam operated means for reciprocating the piston in the first cylinder, this causing relative movement between the second cylinder and the piston thereof. The second cylinder is connected to a cutter unit of a wood edging machine so that movement of the second cylinder moves the cutter unit. Pneumatic control means is connected to the piston of the second hydraulic cylinder and is operable to cause movement of the second cylinder unaffected by the piston therein. Detecting means is operatively connected to the pneumatic control means. This detecting means is positioned to detect knots in the edges of boards moving in the direction of the cutter unit to cause movement of said unit to avoid the knots.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for producing electrical harness assemblies and sub-assemblies of the type comprising at least one multi-contact electrical connector and wires secured to, and extending from, the terminals in the connector. The apparatus comprises an insertion zone through which the wires are fed and in which the wires are severed. Electrical connectors are fed into the insertion zone and positioned in alignment with the severed ends of the wires. The wires are connected to the terminals in the connector by moving the connectors laterally towards the wires and, at the same time, moving an insertion tool towards the wires and towards the connector to push the wires into the terminals in the connector. The wire feed means is programmable to permit selective feeding of the wires and/or the feeding of different wire lengths during each operating cycle so that a variety of types of harness assemblies and subassemblies can be produced.

Abstract: High speed wire feeding means comprises a wire feed roll and a pressure roll, the wire feed roll being driven by a printed circuit motor under the influence of control means which maintains a high and constant level of acceleration and deceleration at the beginning and end of the feeding cycle. One embodiment has a single driven feed roll and a plurality of side-by-side pressure rolls for feeding a plurality of wires. This apparatus is capable of producing a bundle of wires having varying lengths in a minimum amount of time.

Abstract: The improvement in a combustion engine of the conventional type includes air inlet means disposed in the vicinity of an end of the cylinder facing away from the spark plug for receiving air into the cylinder, and a first plate attached to the cylinder in the vicinity of that end. The first plate is attached to the cylinder and formed with first and second openings for the cylinder and air to pass therethrough, respectively. A second plate, which fits into the cylinder is attached to the piston in the vicinity of an end portion of the latter facing the spark plug, and is formed with a third opening for passing air therethrough. Piston-and cylinder-rings slide between the first plate and the cylinder end, and between the second plate and the end portion of the piston, respectively, for a timed control of the air received into the cylinder through the air inlet means.

Abstract: A wrench for surgical use including a housing having an extension at the end of which there is a socket member having a slot through the wheel thereof with the socket member aligned with the corresponding slot in the free end of the extension to permit a nut on an extremely threaded rod to pass into the socket. The socket is peripherally toothed for engagement by a pair of worm gears disposed at respective sides of the socket member so that there is always driving engagement between the worm gears and socket member for rotating the socket member. Crank operated gears are exposed in the housing and are connected by drive shafts of the worm gears.A slidable nut retainer is disposed at each side of the extension and each is provided with a notch for reception of the threaded rod; the parts of the slidable nut retainer at the side of the notches, overlap the nut to prevent it from coming out of the socket.