Abstract: A schottky diode and process of manufacture therefor is disclosed wherein a schottky junction is formed between a high work function metal, typically molybdenum, and a single crystal intermetallic alloy of either palladium or platinum with silicon. The intermetallic alloy is formed by sintering palladium or platinum with silicon at the surface of an epitaxial silicon layer, and then removing, by etching, all of the silicide which is formed. The intermetallic layer remains after the etching process. When using platinum as the metal to form to silicide, the platinum is sheathed with molybdenum before sintering. A titanium layer is placed between the surface of the high work function metal and the outer conductive layers used to permit soldering of the finished wafer or chip in place to avoid degradation of the junction during solder-down.

Abstract: A dielectric substrate for a thin film dot matrix thermal print head has its working surface etched or otherwise treated to selectively remove the dielectric material, in all areas which will constitute electrical connectors for the resistance heater print elements, to a depth at least equal to the sum of the thicknesses of all of the conductive films to be applied to the substrate surface in those areas, following which the working surface of the substrate is selectively coated with films of high-resistance electrically conductive material and low-resistance conductive material, with suitable adhesion films as required, to complete the print head. An outer protective wear-resistant film is also employed. The resultant print head has its resistance heater print elements and blank surface elements raised at least to the same level as the outer surfaces of the electrical connectors, and preferably slightly higher, to provide improved performance and operating life.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading solder preforms on to the pins of a multiple pin connector. A positioning plate has open sockets in the pattern of the pins of the connector to be loaded, the sockets being sized to receive a single solder preform in each one. A slidable retainer fits into a channel below the positioning plate to partially close the sockets and retain preforms therein. Loose preforms are contained in a dam attached to the top of the positioning plate and are shaken into the sockets on a vibrator table. The dam and excess preforms are removed and the positioning plate is covered by a cover plate to hold the preforms in place. The connector pins are then inserted through slots in the retainer, through the preforms and through holes in the cover plate. The retainer is removed, allowing the preforms to drop on the pins and the loaded connector is removed from the apparatus.

Abstract: A pin-insertion tool 30 for inserting a replacement pin 12a into a vacant aperture 26a of a wiring board 10 includes a guide member 32 having alignment slots 74 for aligning the tool with a row of in-board pins 12. A pin-insertion member 36 is slidably mounted adjacent to the guide member 32 and includes a pin-retaining means 50 for releasably retaining portion of the replacement pin 12a. The pin-retaining means 50 is positionable in the plane of the alignment slots 74 of the guide member 32 to facilitate insertion of the replacement pin 12a at a uniform orientation with the row of in-board pins 12.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing coupling element residuals from a coupled pair of slide fastener stringers comprises a scraper roll drivable for continued rotation and an idler tumbler roll around which the slide fastener stringers travel for rotating the tumbler roll. The tumbler roll has a radial wing which when the tumbler roll is rotated, brings the coupling element residuals thereon into contact with the scraper roll while it is revolving so as to scrape off the residuals reliably. The tumbler roll has pawl means for engaging the fastener stringers at a predetermined position thereon so as to place the coupling element residuals on the tumbler wing. The tumbler roll is rotatable in response to engagement of the pawl means with the fastener stringers being fed. The apparatus of one embodiment includes stop means for temporarily stopping rotation of the tumbler roll and guide means for guiding the fastener stringers properly onto the tumbler wing.

Abstract: Two preformed pieces are joined onto a natural tooth to constitute a single thickness crown offering the esthetics of a facing and the utility of a full metal cap. Splinting of a dummy tooth between two of the crown assemblies is also accomplished at chairside in conjunction with a routine office-lab procedure.

Abstract: A track system for a slidable tray of a dental instrument delivery system includes a stationary slide guide member, a movable slide body member and a floating bearing assembly interposed between these members in coupling arrangement.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to an instrument used in making dental restoratives and more particularly concerns a unitary instrument used to perform the functions of mixing and applying porcelain paste to a metal understructure utilized in the dental restorative and for condensing the porcelain paste subsequent to being applied to the understructure.

Abstract: A tool for measuring different details of conical bores comprising a straight elongated member adapted for close engagement against the wall surface of the bore, and having at one end a stop for limiting the length to which the said straight, elongated member can be pushed into the bore and at a predetermined distance from said stop an opening wherein a measuring arm can be pivotably fitted.

Abstract: A spectacle lense is formed so that its critical center is on the visual axis of the eye of the patient. The point where the visual axis of the eye intersects each lense of a spectacle to accomplish this purpose, is marked on a plane simulated lense of a transparent resilient plastic material. The simulated lense is contoured so that its contour is congruent to the contour of the spectacle lense. A wand is provided for determining the point where the simulated lense is to be marked. The wand includes a transparent plate having a target mark. Magnets are secured to the plate near its periphery. The transparent plate is mounted on the outer surface of the simulated lense with the plate engaging this outer surface and held in slideable engagement by the magnets on the plate and cooperative magnets on the inner surface of the simulated lense. The wand is set to align the target mark with the center of the pupil of the eye. The simulated lense is then marked at the point coincident with the target mark.

Abstract: Plumbing devices (10,30,60) are described comprising a source of light in a gimbal system (12,13,51,72) for providing two oppositely directed aligned vertically oriented beams of light. The gimbal system (12,13,51,72) is removably attached to a support (14,31,61). A handle (14a,45,62) is provided for holding the plumbing device at various distances from underlying and overlying surfaces. Each of the light beams can be focused individually. A windshield (15) is provided for removable attachment to the support for preventing wind induced oscillation of the light source. A rigid frame (32,33,65) is provided for holding the light source in a fixed position relative to an object to be plumbed and for removable attachment to the object while the object is being plumbed.

Abstract: A Universal parallel ruler for use with three-dimensional drawings is disclosed which utilizes a pair of perpendicular scales individually secured to a mounting plate which is connected to a head portion. The head portion contains a plurality of preset stoppers which are angularly adjustable relative to the angular position of the respective axes of the three-dimensional drawing. Once each of the preset stoppers are angularly adjusted to their proper angular positions, clamp members secure each of the preset stoppers in position within the head portion. A locking piece is then utilized to disengage the head portion from one preset stopper allowing the head portion to be rotated to another preset stopper. Releasing the locking piece re-engages the head portion to another preset stopper and thus in alignment with another axis of the three-dimensional drawing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control system for controlling the operation of an appliance and the like which is particularly adaptable for controlling at least one operation variable of an apparatus for drying articles such as a clothes dryer, washer-dryer or similar type of appliance. The drying apparatus is capable of accurately drying any number of articles to a desired degree of dryness irrespective of time by sensing a plurality of temperatures and deriving a final temperature difference for each load of articles indicative of the degree of dryness desired. Furthermore, the control system provides the ability to optionally control the drying apparatus by timing its operation, to control the temperature of the air used for drying, to reduce the temperature of the air used for drying before the completion of an operation cycle so as to avoid setting wrinkles, and to determine and indicate when excessive lint has accumulated on the lint filter.

Abstract: A method for drying or curing a coating on a strip passing through an oven having a number of oven zones comprises continuously moving such a strip sequentially through the oven zones, in each of which oven gases are continuously circulated about the strip to entrain vaporized solvent. Solvent-carrying gases are then removed from at least one such oven zone and transferred untreated to a solvent incinerator disposed essentially at a different one of such oven zones and in which they are incinerated to oxidize the solvent vapors contained in such gases. After incineration, the gases are discharged at an elevated temperature and with a reduced solvent vapor content into such a different one of the oven zones so as then to mix with the oven gases circulating in that zone so as in turn to maintain a stable solvent vapor content and operating temperature in that zone.

Abstract: A heat cycling apparatus and method is provided for a bulk tobacco curing barn having at least two chambers in which the tobacco is cured in bulk utilizing a pressurized heat source. The heated curing air is directed first to one chamber and then to the other on a predetermined repetitive time cycle. Crops other than tobacco may be cured or dryed with the same apparatus and method on an appropriate time cycle.

Abstract: A Venturi dispersing feeder particularly suited for utilization as part of a flash drying system, and through the operation of which wet material is introduced into a hot gas stream for purposes of effecting the rapid evaporation of the moisture in the material. The subject Venturi dispersing feeder includes a feeder body, which functions as a housing for rotor means. The latter rotor means is equipped with a multiplicity of blade means suitably mounted thereon for rotation therewith. The feeder body further has formed therein inlet means, connectable in fluid flow relation with a source of wet material and operable for feeding the wet material therethrough into the feeder body, and outlet means, connectable in fluid flow relation with a stream of hot gases and operable for discharging the wet material from the feeder body into the stream of hot gases in substantially parallel relation to the path of flow of the latter. The feeder body is suitably supported on a base.

Abstract: A device used for the application of fingernail polish and the like comprises a housing, a finger insert for positioning a finger on the housing, lighting means in the housing for providing direct illuminatin on the finger insert, a motorized fan for drying a polished fingernail, means for actuating the lighting means and the motorized fan, an air inlet in the housing for supplying air to the fan and an air outlet in the housing for directing air blown by the fan at the finger insert so that when a fingernail is polished it is quickly and easily dried without moving the finger to a new location.

Abstract: In a teaching system, a television screen displays a question calling for one of four possible answers, together with one or a pair of dots of light at locations illuminated in a binary pattern indicating the correct answer. Optical sensors detachably secured to the television receiver screen at the locations and concealing the same from view feed a pair of binary signals to a logic decoder. The decoder provides an output signal over one of four output lines to a number of student-actuated responder units, each of which includes four switches for selecting an answer and a lamp that is illuminated to indicate the selection of a correct answer. In an alternative embodiment, each responder unit is disabled after the switches are first actuated to select an answer and is re-enabled only after receiving a reset signal from an additional optically sensed screen dot at the beginning of the next response period.

Abstract: An exercise shoe for wear on a human foot during simulated jogging comprises a foot support platform characterized by a substantially planar foot support surface, a sharper-than-circular curved bottom surface for providing forward-breaking and backward-breaking motions during simulated jogging and means for attaching the platform to a foot. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom surface is substantially hyperbolic.

Abstract: An illuminated transparency viewing device is supported by a leg construction which may be adjusted to orient the viewer at different angles relative to a supporting surface. Two pairs of spaced apart legs are provided, each leg being pivotally mounted to the viewer housing for movement between retracted and extended positions so that either pair may be retracted or extended to tilt the viewer on edge. Each pair of legs may be of different length than that of the other pair. One leg of each pair is colinearly arranged with a corresponding leg of the other pair to define a pair of leg assemblies. Each leg assembly therefore has a pair of legs, each being mounted for pivotal movement between the side walls of a U-shaped bracket secured to the bottom of the viewer housing and may be extended from or retracted into the bracket.

Abstract: A revolver of the swing-out cylinder type is provided with an improved ejector means the longitudinal travel or stroke of which is appreciably greater than that of conventional ejector means. The ejector means has a cartridge ejector portion for engaging the rims of cartridges contained in the chambers of the cylinder of the revolver and a generally tubular ejector guide portion slidably mounted on the rearward end of the cylinder and extending forwardly into the longitudinal center bore of the cylinder pivot shaft. The ejector spring that urges the ejector means to its normal forwardmost position has an outer ejector spring section disposed within the annular space between the tubular guide portion of the ejector means and the center bore of the cylinder pivot shaft and an inner ejector spring section of smaller diameter than the outer ejector spring section disposed on the rearward end of the ejector rod.

Abstract: A fish hook extractor has an elongated body with a handle means at one end and, at the other end is disposed a fish hook gripping means for gripping the fish hook for removal from the fish. This latter means is shaped essentially like a 2-prong fork wherein each prong has parallel sides and the prongs are parallel to each other. Each prong is preferably wider in the dimension disposed in the plane of the prongs than in the thickness, i.e., in the dimension perpendicular thereto. The base where the prongs come together is formed into a semi-cylindrical surface and coaxial with this semi-cylindrical surface are formed opposing counter-sunk surfaces each disposed on one side thereof. The ends of each prong are tapered to a point wherein the points are disposed on the outer edges of the respective prongs.

Abstract: An improved fish trap comprising an open work structure having top, bottom, and bottom side walls with an opening in one of the end walls and a guide suspended in the trap and having a mouth bounding the opening, the guide defining an upwardly converging path and having an opening confronting the bottom of the trap and being spaced from the top, bottom, and side walls within the trap.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device which uses a trigger and pistol grip wherein the trigger has a gripping side adapted to receive a finger and an opening rearward of the gripping side which is substantially parallel to the grip. The trigger is covered by a guard made of a smooth material which covers the opening so that the guard contacts a portion of the hand holding the grip and urges the portion of the hand out from between the trigger and the grip.

Abstract: A robot doll made up of a plurality of diverse shaped pieces wherein each pair of pieces are joined together by a press fit joint is disclosed. The pieces that make up the body and limbs of the robot doll are jointed for articulate movement. Each arm features a pair of parallel jointed extensions mounted for articulate movement to a main shoulder piece that is attached to the body piece. The parallel jointed extensions are adapted for grasping a missile launcher. The arms of the robot doll are formed from pieces that become the trunk and leg portions of a smaller toy doll. Small heads and small articulated arms are provided and may be attached by stub-cup joints to the trunk portion of the toy doll, thus converting the robot arm into a smaller toy doll. The trunk portion of the robot doll is formed so that it can be used as the main body portion of a toy airplane. Pieces such as wings, a nose, and tail portion are provided and can be attached to the trunk by press fit joints to form an airplane.

Abstract: A liquid activity toy having a housing with one or more reservoirs into which the child user can introduce a liquid, such as water, to operate one or more actuators to cause one or more actions or activities to occur. One of these activities is the rising of an object to a position outwardly of the toy housing and thereafter a dropping of the object back into the housing, and where this object may represent a growing of a toy flower. Another activity which may occur by the introduction of water is the rising up of another object such as a toy animal and which may thereafter drop back into the housing of the toy. A third activity which may occur upon the introduction of water into the toy is the movement of an object representative of a toy animal or insect in a circular path as to represent a flying bee. The various actuators which cause the activities to occur are designed so that only a small amount of water which may be free flowing water is required to cause the desired activity.

Abstract: A toy device comprising a hand-held manipulating handle having an opening at one end through which at least one end of a straight, round shaft can pass.

Abstract: A combination of a toy and a piece of furniture which is in the form of a figure representing an adult female mammal such as a human. The figure has a bin located in the lower torso in the form of a removable drawer. One or more baby dolls may be placed in the bin, as in a bed. Holes may be provided in the bin bottom and laces may be used therewith to secure the dolls and/or to secure the bin to the adult doll as a backpack. They also allow the child to practice lacing and bow-tying. The bin has an external knob which when placed against the floor, serves as a support about which the bin containing the babies may be rocked. The location of the bin in the female figure familiarizes the child with the general anatomical location of the source of babies.

Abstract: A plurality of dolls are joined together in face to face relationship by attaching the extremities thereof together. The extremities are bendable to permit relative movement between each of the joined dolls. In one embodiment of the invention, the dolls are joined together in a manner to form a joint at the contiguous areas between the two dolls. In another embodiment of the invention, the legs and arms are sewn to one another and to the torso of each doll, to provide a joint at the location where each of the members are interconnected.

Abstract: A tractor is equipped with a tool bar to which are attached a plurality of cultivators. Sensors are fixed by means of clamps and shanks located over the drill of the planted crop in such a manner that weeds growing above the height of the crop are detected. Once the weed is detected, a spray nozzle is activated and the weed is treated with herbicide. Weeds which are not taller than the growing crop are sprayed as the driver of the tractor manually activates spray nozzles to spray low lying weeds which he visually detects.

Abstract: A device for supporting a vessel, such as a flower pot and for containing water or liquid draining therefrom is disclosed. The device comprises a flat liquid impervious base covered by a layer of absorbent material which is clamped to the flat base. Sides are also included to contain liquid in excess of that that can be absorbed by the absorbent layer.

Abstract: A bunker closure door mechanism for a bunker housing which has an opening with a seat around the opening which is closed by a closure door body, comprises, first and second spaced apart end levers which are pivotally connected between the housing and one end of the door. In addition, central levers are pivotally connected to the door body intermediate its length and pivotally connected at their opposite ends to a toggle lever which is pivotally mounted on the housing. The door body carries guide pins which are engageable in vertical slots of guide members supported on the bunker housing. By means of an actuator in the form of a fluid-pressure operated piston and cylinder connection, a guide rod is actuated to engage the central lever intermediate its length and to pivot it about its connection to the toggle lever and to also shift the toggle lever over its dead center position.

Abstract: A device for controlling the expansion of an expansible grinding tool includes control means for effecting controlled axial movement of a cone in the tool. The control means includes a screw engaging a fixed nut and controllably rotatable by a driving motor, the resultant axial movement of the screw being transmitted to the cone. The expansion control device is provided in the form of a removable grinding head unit arranged to be inserted between a grinding machine and the grinding tool. The grinding head unit also includes means for transmitting rotary motion from the grinding machine to the grinding tool.

Abstract: Apparatus for tumbling rocks or the like has a generally-cylindrical canister with a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis that intersects that longitudinal axis at a right angle thereto. The canister is mounted so as to revolve around its longitudinal axis, and the canister is driven in revolution around the axis. The orientation of the longitudinal axis is adjustable between a first position wherein that axis remains in a horizontal plane as the canister revolves about the longitudinal axis and a second position wherein the longitudinal axis wobbles relative to the horizontal plane as the canister so revolves. In one form, the canister is seated within a yoke so as to revolve around its longitudinal axis, with that yoke being driven to effect its rotation about the aforementioned transverse axis. In another form, the canister is mounted within a gimbal ring within which the canister is pivotally mounted so as to rotate about its transverse axis.

Abstract: Apparatus for abrading or polishing a spherical or other curved surface is disclosed. This apparatus includes a support base which is held and manipulated by an operator. A multiplicity of dowels having various lengths are permanently attached perpendicular to a surface of the support base. The length of the dowels is selected such that the unattached ends of the dowels defines a surface which conforms to the curved surface to be abraded or polished. A sheet of material for abrading or polishing the curved surface is stretched over the unattached ends of the dowels such that when in operation the working sheet also conforms to the surface. Pads may be included on the ends of the dowels which support the working sheet to provide resilience.

Abstract: An insulating and weatherproof protective cover adapted to protect and insulate a mobile home has an outer layer of waterproof material and an inner layer preferably of foam-type insulating material bonded to the outer layer for enclosing the roof and side walls of a mobile home. Openings are cut in the sides to permit the opening and closing of windows and doors. Transparent coverings may be provided which roll up and away from the window openings. Door panels may be provided and hinged from the sides of the mobile home cover to insulate the door. Tie-downs are provided along the lower edge of the cover and may be used to secure the cover to the undercarriage of the mobile home or its supporting pad.

Abstract: The specification discloses a desk top in which a prestressing bar having a convex upper surface is located within a groove in the bottom of the desk top. The ends of the bar are biased towards engagement with the upper surface of the groove whereby the desk top itself is biased towards a convex configuration, thereby compensating for forces tending to cause the top to bow downwardly.

Abstract: The element includes lateral walls and a bottom. An inner gap is arranged to be filled with bulk fiber. The walls and the bottom are formed of fibers bonded together. The bottom has a projection arranged to be nested in the inner space of an adjacent element.

Abstract: A structure of a grid tee member for suspension ceilings, and a method for producing such structure is disclosed. Such grid tee provides a web, a bulb at one web extremity and a flange at the other web extremity. The tee section includes three strips of material in which the first strip is relatively thin and is shaped to provide the web, a portion of the bulb and a portion of the flanges. A separate cap strip is secured to the flanges on the side thereof remote from the web and separate stiffening material having a generally U-shaped cross section is located within the bulb with the base of the U located at the extremity of the section. The three strips provide a structure in which material is concentrated at the extremities and is therefore efficiently placed to provide a high moment of inertia and high rigidity to the total structure.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically outfolding the leading and trailing gusset panels of the end closure of a rectangular carton being moved along a predetermined path on a continuous conveyor. First and second arms are attached to a vertical shaft and to a sleeve mounted for independent rotation about the shaft. The shaft and sleeve rotate in opposite directions so that one arm contacts the leading gusset panel and folds it outward along a line at an angle to its hinged edges and the other arm subsequently contacts the trailing gusset panel and similarly folds it outward. A plow positioned adjacent the conveyor path begins to plow the major end closure panel toward the carton opening while the rotating arm is in contact with the leading gusset panel.

Abstract: A brush mowing attachment to be secured to a tractor including a bracket assembly, for example a yoke adapted to be secured to the tractor, an extendable retractable outrigger arm arrangement connected to the yoke by pivot means located below the body of the tractor where the pivot means permits the outrigger arrangement to be selectively pivoted in a horizontal and a vertical plane, where the outrigger arrangement is adapted to carry a mower device and be selectively extended outwardly from the tractor and retracted toward the tractor, including means to selectively raise and lower the outrigger arrangement. Also, the outrigger mower device can be adapted for pivotal movement in a vertical plane.

Abstract: A corn harvester has a chassis adapted to travel along the ground and provided on its front with an intake mechanism for picking ears off the cornstalks and for reducing these ears to fragments including pieces of cob, corn kernels, and pieces of husk. These fragments are displaced backwardly onto a ridged floor having a rear edge spaced by an upstream gap from a riddle having in turn a rear edge spaced upwardly by a downstream gap from a comb. A blower directs a current of air through these gaps to separate out the chaff-like husk pieces, while the smaller and denser fragments can drop through the riddle and be collected. Both the riddle and the floor are oscillated to displace the fragments backwardly. A second comb meshes with the first comb and has a plurality of tines that are continuously displaced through the tines of the first comb to separate out husk pieces from the fragments on the first comb.

Abstract: A self-propelled windrower having a crop cutting header mounted forwardly thereof by a pair of laterally spaced lower suspension links and an upper centrally located stabilizing link, is provided with lifting linkages including upper lift arms mounted on the frame and lifting links interconnecting the lift arms and the lower suspension links wherein the upper lift arms are actuated by hydraulic cylinders connected hydraulically in a master-slave relationship, the rod end of the cylinders being connected to the lift arms through axially acting lost motion connections. Stops are provided to limit the upward motion of the lift arms at the transport position thereby rendering the lost motion connections ineffective.

Abstract: A crop harvesting header for a self-propelled combine. The header includes a "floating" cutterbar which is flexible and movable up and down so as to cut a standing crop (soybeans, for example) close to the ground to minimize crop losses. The flexibility and movement enable the crop to be cut closely to the ground even though the ground is uneven or undulating across and along the harvesting path. The cutterbar is mounted on a plurality of ground-engaging structures including runners upon which a counterbalancing system imposes pre-selected forces to control the ground pressure of the cutterbar as ground and crop conditions vary. The counterbalancing system provides a substantially constant ground pressure throughout cutterbar movement. The effect of the system is to moderate or eliminate the variations which come from spring force changes.

Abstract: A crop harvesting header for a self-propelled combine. The header includes a "floating" flexible cutterbar movable vertically relative to the header frame to cut a standing crop (soybeans, for example) close to the ground to minimize crop losses. The cutterbar is connected to a plurality of runner structures pivotally mounted on the header frame. A spring system is operative on the runner structures to resiliently counterbalance the cutterbar. Structure is adjustably operative on the runner structures to selectively limit the range of movement of the cutterbar or to lock it against movement. Elongated skids are connected between adjacent pairs of runners to effectively extend along the length of the header. The skids are mounted to permit individual movement of the runners relative to each other as the cutterbar flexes over uneven ground across the harvesting path. The skids are selectively shiftable by crank pins to vary the cutting height of the cutterbar.

Abstract: A vehicle has a main frame which is adjustable for height, and a swivel frame pivoted to the main frame. There are at least three driven saws on the frames, and at least one of those is on the swivel frame. The saws are arranged to cut canes which extend respectively upwardly, outwardly and inwardly of a vine which is carried on a trellis wire.

Abstract: A mowing machine has two or more cutting members adapted to rotate about a vertical axis and each provided at the bottom with an annular skirt having cutting knives mounted thereon. Each skirt has a series of upwardly inclined sectors arranged circumferentially therearound. The mowing machine may also have an adjustable cutting height which is achieved by providing each upwardly inclined sector of the annular skirt with a number of circumferentially spaced knife fastening members. Due to the inclination of an annular collar these cutter fastening members are located at relatively different heights. The height of the cut may be determined by selecting the fastening members to which the cutting knives are to be attached.

Abstract: In a crop roll forming machine adapted to be towed across a field, a kicker means is fastened to the opposing sides of the frame and extends at least partially therebetween adjacent the conveying means and the rear end so that upon completion of the formation of the crop roll the roll is ejected from the bale forming region into contact with the kicker means which propels it rearwardly of the roll forming machine.

Abstract: A yarn throwing and twisting machine has at each of a number of working positions two or more throwing spindles, a twisting spindle, a manually disengageable yarn feeder, and yarn break detectors. Pneumatic jacks are provided to disengage the spindles and feeder upon yarn breakage and are controlled by air supplied through a solenoid valve responsive to the yarn break detectors and by a manually operable valve between the throwing and twisting spindles. The solenoid valve is closed, however, upon manually disengagement of the yarn feeder for the purpose of allowing starting up at an individual working position after yarn breakage.

Abstract: A method of forming a self-twisted fibrous structure comprises twisting two strands of similar count such that each has repeated along its length alternating zones of opposite twist, converging the strands at a convergence point such that they partly untwist around one another to form a self-twisted structure and acting on the strands at or downstream of the convergence point by applying further alternating zones of opposite twist so as to modify the strand to ply twist ratio of the structure. The further twist is applied at a point not greater than one half cycle length from the first twist point and at a phase difference 20.degree. to 60.degree. following.