Abstract: Apparatus that detects the pressure of water that can move through a water channel (26) towards and away from a pressure sensor (22), wherein the apparatus is constructed to avoid damage from freezing water. The water channel is constructed with a narrow channel portion (40) and a wide channel portion (42) connected in series, with the narrow channel portion lying closer to the pressure sensor. When the ambient temperature falls below the freezing temperature of water, water in the narrow channel portion freezes before water in the wide channel portion freezes, and frozen water in the narrow channel portion acts like a plug to prevent water (or ice) from moving toward the pressure sensor.

Abstract: Apparatus that detects the pressure of water that can move through a water channel (26) towards and away from a pressure sensor (22), wherein the apparatus is constructed to avoid damage from freezing water. The water channel is constructed with a narrow channel portion (40) and a wide channel portion (42) connected in series, with the narrow channel portion lying closer to the pressure sensor. When the ambient temperature falls below the freezing temperature of water, water in the narrow channel portion freezes before water in the wide channel portion freezes, and frozen water in the narrow channel portion acts like a plug to prevent water (or ice) from moving toward the pressure sensor.

Abstract: An enclosure (10) that contains a switch (40, 42) and that is surrounded by an explosive or flammable environment that could be ignited by a spark from the switch, includes a body (52) that guides a flat cable (16) through a body bore (56) to the inside of the vessel. A tight and strong seal is formed around the flat cable by a tubular seal (60) that lies in the body bore, that is formed of Teflon, and that has a tapered seal section (84) that lies in a tapered section (74) of the bore. A nut (62) at the rear of the body can be turned to push the tubular seal forward within the body bore and thereby compress it against the outside of the flat cable to form an explosion-proof seal.

Abstract: An enclosure (10) that contains a switch (40, 42) and that is surrounded by an explosive or flammable environment that could be ignited by a spark from the switch, includes a body (52) that guides a flat cable (16) through a body bore (56) to the inside of the vessel. A tight and strong seal is formed around the flat cable by a tubular seal (60) that lies in the body bore, that is formed of Teflon, and that has a tapered seal section (84) that lies in a tapered section (74) of the bore. A nut (62) at the rear of the body can be turned to push the tubular seal forward within the body bore and thereby compress it against the outside of the flat cable to form an explosion-proof seal.

Abstract: A snap action switch (12) which includes an M-type actuator having an actuation location that can be depressed to cause a middle contact to snap up against an upper contact, and which can be released to cause the middle contact to snap down against a lower contact, which enables adjustment of the position at which the middle contact snaps against a selected one of the upper and lower contacts. The adjustment of a snap position of the actuation location is accomplished by raising or lowering the position of one of the upper or lower contacts.

Abstract: A valve (10) for use on a large truck with a tire inflation system, flows air into a leaking tire and energizes a light to indicate the presence of a leak to the driver. The valve has a passage (22) that connects a high pressure inlet (14) to an outlet (16) that connects to the tire. The passage has a blockable part (24) extending in forward-rearward (F, R) longitudinal directions, and the valve has a piston (26) with a front end (30) that slides in the blockable passage part and that is biased forwardly by a spring (36). The spring lies in a spring chamber (40) extending rearward of the blockable passage part. An electric switch (50) senses rearward piston movement to energize a warning light (62) in the vehicle cab. In one valve, the passage blockable part has a tapered rear end (24R) to rapidly increase air flow as the piston begins to allow air flow.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a spreadable conductive polymeric coating having a positive temperature coefficient of resistivity including the steps of mixing aromatic solvents in a heated vessel, stirring, and heating to a temperature between 40 and 60 degrees Celsius; adding a quantity of substrate-forming elastomer, which contains no diene monomer, equal to 25% to 40%, by weight, of a conductor powder to be added in a later step; adding a quantity of a paraffin equal to 25% to 40%, by weight, by weight, of the conductor powder to be added and continuing to stir until all solids are dissolved; adding a fine conductor powder and continuing to stir until a smooth paste is formed; and mix-kneading the paste until a substantially uniform dispersion of the fine conductor powder in the paste is achieved.

Abstract: A gas valve assembly has a safety valve and two controlled valves connected in series. A first of the controlled valves is electromatic and a second is a conventional pressure controlled valve. A control knob provides for manual control of the safety valve and for locking the first electromagnetically controlled valve in an off position. The manual control knob, when in the off and pilot positions, causes a stop member to be moved against the movable core member of the electromagnetic operator to hold the electromagnetic controlled valve in an off position.