Abstract: The invention relates to a device for maintaining on a non-horizontal surface an apparatus adapted to move along said surface.Said device consists, according to the invention, of a support (1) adapted to move normally to the surface carrying the apparatus, of a rocking lever (5) having a flexibility held within a certain range to allow it to accommodate changes in curvature, and of at least two suction cups mounted close to the ends of the rocking lever. There is thus afforded a more reliable, less expensive holding effect.

Abstract: A mechanically operable suction device for lifting and holding objects indes a housing having therein an intake chamber adapted to be connected to a vacuum source, an intake orifice opening into the intake chamber from the surrounding atmosphere, and a cylinder chamber. A valve member within the intake chamber is movable between a ready position sealing the intake orifice and a suction position spaced from and opening the intake orifice. A plunger is connected to the valve member and extends therefrom through the orifice. Abutting the plunger on an object to be lifted moves the valve member from the ready position to the suction position. A control piston connected to the valve member extends into and seals the cylinder chamber from the intake chamber. The control piston is movable with the valve member between first and second positions when the valve member is in the ready and suction positions thereof, respectively.

Abstract: An IC socket with a mechanism for removing an IC package mounted therein and which has terminals to be brought into contact with terminals of the IC socket, the IC socket has a socket body with terminals around a package receiving recess to receive terminals of the IC package, a cover pivotally attached to the socket body and pivotable to a closed position, a lock for locking the cover, and a suction cup attached to the under side of the cover for snugly retaining the IC package in said recess in said socket body when the cover is locked and holding said IC package thereon by suction when the cover is opened relative to the IC socket body for removing the IC package from the socket body. A mounting stem on the suction cup extends through a bore in the cover and a flange on the end of the mounting stem seats in a flange receiving recess.

Abstract: Apparatus for suction mounting to a curved surface, such as a section of pipe, is disclosed. The apparatus is particularly suited for securing a container of industrial articles, such as tools and supplies, on a curved surface. The suction mounting apparatus includes a housing having a diaphragm assembly carried thereon. The diaphragm assembly includes a curved backing plate structure having a centralized opening therein to the interior of the housing. The assembly further includes a pad of pliable material disposed adjacent the backing plate and being of a configuration conforming to the periphery of the backing plate. The pad further includes an upstanding lip extending about its periphery, the lip being disposed in an overlapping relationship with the peripheral edge of the backing plate. A crankshaft is carried in the housing and connected to the diaphragm pad.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a suction device for securely holding printing plates in a processing position by sub-atmospheric pressure. The suction device comprises a turnstile arrangement with four suction tables in two mutually perpendicular planes and is connected to a motor which rotates the turnstile arrangement in 90.degree. steps. Four suction chambers are located in a hub part of the turnstile arrangement, these chambers being connected, via pressure lines, to a vacuum source for generating sub-atmospheric pressure. The supporting surface of each suction table comprises suction slots, which communicate in pairs, each of these communicating pairs of suction slots being connected to the associated suction chamber via a common suction passage. Each suction chamber comprises a piston with its piston rod being guided outwardly through an end face of the hub part and carrying a circular plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting a transducer to the rearward surface of the transom of a boat including a suction cup of resilient material which is retained on the boat transom when pressed against it, the suction cup having an integral rearward extending boss portion, a bracket having a vertical portion affixed to the cup boss portion and having a lower, rearwardly extending arm and an upper forwardly extending arm, a fastening bracket secured to the lower arm providing means of attaching a transducer to the bracket so that the transducer is held in an upright position with the lower face of the transducer tilted at an angle with respect to the horizontal when the boat is in the water, the cup boss portion being flexible so that when the boat moves with speed the transducer is permitted to be pivoted rearwardly relative to the boat transom with the upper bracket arm portion engages the rearward surface of the cup to limit the pivotation so that the lower surface of the transducer never has a negative angle with r

Abstract: A flexible printing plate is mounted on a print cylinder by first disposing the plate on a porous transparent panel and securing the plate in place by drawing a vacuum on the side of the porous panel opposite the plate. The panel is pivoted to a position where an operator may view the printing side of the plate and adjust the same according to indicia on the panel to insure proper alignment. Next the panel is rotated to a position where the exposed surface of the plate may be brought into contact with a properly aligned print cylinder. Adhesive on the cylinder will bond it to the plate in line contact and after the vacuum is released the free ends of the flexible plate will be drawn around the print cylinder.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding a laminate pack into a press and for discharging the finished product such as a laminated, finished board. A plurality of lifters and holders arranged on support arms are provided along the longitudinal edge of the finished board to remove it from the press. These same support arms carry conveyors to transport the laminate pack into the press at the same time or before the finished board is discharged. Fast operating cycles are obtained by reducing the feeding and discharge operating times.

Abstract: A suction cup has a flat central portion on its concave side having a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon, the layer of adhesive is covered by a stripable protective liner.

Abstract: A device for maintaining an object on a surface comprising two membranes kept in spaced parallel relationship by a support ring, the membranes being interconnected at the center thereof by a centering element; by rotation of one membrane with respect to the other, the membranes may be brought closer to each other at the centers thereof or spaced apart at the edges thereof to create a suction gripping effect between an object on the upper membrane and a support surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for holding medical and other devices while sterilant gas is passed over and through the device. The apparatus comprises an inflatable cuff which inflates by interior pressure as the pressure in the sterilizer chamber decreases, and relaxes as chamber pressure increases, thereby alternately holding the device and exposing its surfaces to the sterilant gas and desorbing gas.

Abstract: For rolling out dough, a flexible pastry cloth includes a plurality of first fastener parts or buttonholes spaced successively around its margin. A plurality of suction cups, each securingly engageable with a flat surface, such as a tabletop or countertop, each have a second fastener part or button individually connectable removably with a corresponding part on the cloth. Engagement of the cups with the surface permits stretching of the cloth to enable rolling of the dough against the surface through the cloth. A further improvement adds a second flexible cloth affixed atop and overlying the first.

Abstract: A flow regulating valve comprising a cylinder and a valve rod telescopically fitted within said cylinder, and a flow passage of small sectional area being formed therebetween so as to control flow of the fluid by adjusting depth of the fitting of the valve rod within the cylinder.The valve is capable of fine and accurate adjustment of the flow rate over a wider range than in the conventional needle valve regulator. A flow regulating valve capable of controlling flow of one direction and permit rapid flow of the opposite direction is also provided by using a check valve together.Further, a fluid feeding apparatus which is capable of feeding the fluid for a predetermined time interval is provided, by using such flow regulating valve, and a fast acting vacuum chuck device is provided by using such a fluid feeding apparatus.

Abstract: A vacuum operated work piece holder and method are disclosed for holding slides and the like during subsequent work operations. In the apparatus of this invention, an elongated and generally cylindrical vacuum chamber containing a plurality of ports is provided. When a vacuum is drawn through the chamber, biological laboratory slides or the like may be held in place on the port to enable gram staining and washing operations to be carried on in sequence. Multiple chambers may be used and each chamber is preferably mounted so as to be rotatable to allow the operator to rotate the chamber to aid in draining the wash water.

Abstract: A suction cup mounted holder is provided for waterborne watercraft which may be easily attached and detached to the exterior hull surface both above and below the waterline, and without penetrating or permanently disfiguring the exterior hull surface. The holder is especially useful in securing a swimmer or diver in the water during cleaning and maintaining the exterior hull surface. This may be accomplished while the watercraft is waterborne and without the expense and inconvenience of drydocking or otherwise removing the watercraft to dry land. A waterborne watercraft is also disclosed which has the holder of the invention releasably attached thereto to thereby allow the exterior hull surface to be cleaned and maintained by swimmers and/or divers. In a further aspect, a novel method is disclosed for cleaning and maintaining the exterior hull surface of a waterborne watercraft by swimmers and/or divers.

Abstract: An improved approach to printshop paste-up operations involves a vacuum table having a grid of closely spaced air passage apertures in the top surface, a mounting member for receiving sheets carrying text and illustrative material comprising a sheet apertured to match the grid of said top surface having an imperforated border facilitating vacuum positioning on said top surfaces with apertures aligned, arranging and rearranging sheets of text and illustrative material on said mounting member while preventing unintended movement thereof by the vacuum effect at apertures covered thereby until desired composition is achieved, and then bonding a transparent plastic sheet over the mounting member and arranged sheets of text and illustrative material to provide an assemblage which is durable for transport, printshop use and extended storage.

Abstract: A support member or bridge member used for holding a repair material injector in proper position relative to a piece of glass that is to be repaired, such as a windshield, and which holds the injector under a predetermined spring load even when there is a rounded or curved surface to be repaired. The support is self orienting relative to the windshield so that the injector used for injecting repair materials is held normal to the tangent plane at the opening of a break that is to be repaired in the windshield.

Abstract: An improved machine is disclosed for forming cable harnesses by simultaneously terminating all conductors at one or both ends of a cable formed of a plurality of flat conductors embedded within a web of insulating material. The subject machine incorporates a cable positioning and hold down mechanism which both accurately positions the end of the cable to be terminated at a proper location relative to the terminals, which are subsequently gang applied thereto, as well as firmly holds the cable in position during termination. The subject hold down mechanism is adjustable for various widths of cable and the dual terminating machine is adjustable for cables of varying lengths.

Abstract: A holder is described for temporarily mounting a ski on a work surface for permitting the ski to be tuned or otherwise routinely maintained by filing the ski edges and bottoms and for coating the ski bottoms etc. Each holder has a threaded clamp for mounting it on a work table or other convenient surface and has a pivotally mounted vacuum ski engaging device at its top for removably engaging the ski. Two of these holders firmly position a ski on the work surface for the ski tuning operation.

Abstract: A conveying mechanism and flexible carrier for transporting a planar printing plate and flexible overlying mask from a flat loading station to a precisely-curved cylindrically-shaped scanning station, and back to the flat loading station, is disclosed. The vacuum carrier used is rigid in one axis and flexible in a second axis, and has a pair of reference strips which define a neutral bending axis for the plate and mask when the latter are wrapped around a pair of precisely machined cylindrical discs. By locating the flexible mask and printing plate outside the neutral axis of bending, both are placed in tension when wrapped around the discs. This maintains uniform contact between the plate and mask and prevents wrinkling of the mask as it overlies the plate.The carrier and discs support the plate and mask within a precise and uniform cylindrical plane for scanning with focussed beams of radiation.

Abstract: An improved approach to printshop paste-up operations involves a vacuum table having a grid of closely spaced air passage apertures in the top surface, a mounting member for receiving sheets carrying text and illustrative material comprising a sheet apertured to match the grid of said top surface having a imperforated border facilitating vacuum positioning on said top surfaces with apertures aligned, arranging and rearranging sheets of text and illustrative material on said mounting member while preventing unintended movement thereof by the vacuum effect at apertures covered thereby until desired composition is achieved, and then bonding a transparent plastic sheet over the mounting member and arranged sheets of text and illustrative material to provide an assemblage which is durable for transport, printshop use and extended storage.

Abstract: A holding fixture is operated by vacuum and consists of a plurality of suction assemblies mounted on a carrier. Each suction assembly forms an independent unit and operates as an automatic valve to disconnect itself from a common vacuum source when the vacuum is broken. To this end each suction assembly is mounted on a common carrier and disposed in a hollow chamber. It includes a flexible member capable of being sucked into the chamber by a pressure differential thereacross to disconnect the particular assembly from the vacuum. The sealing means may consist of a suction cup or O-rings. The movable member may consist of a flexible plastic or a movable disk.

Abstract: The conventional rear ground glass and vacuum back of a copy camera is replaced by an optically transparent platen and a flexible vacuum curtain. The vacuum curtain acts both as a copy viewing screen and as a photographic film or paper retainer. A vacuum channel with vacuum passageways is defined around the perimeter of the optically transparent platen to exhaust the air between the vacuum curtain and the transparent platen to thereby retain the light sensitive material to be exposed therebetween. The vacuum curtain is mounted on a roller that engages the transparent platen as the curtain is unrolled and rerolled over the sheet of photographic material.

Abstract: A double suction cup holder in which the two suction cups are connected by a stem has a longitudinal air passageway through the stem connecting the two cups. A diametrical opening traverses the passageway and has a valve member rotatably mounted therein which has inter-communicating longitudinal and diametrical bores. When the valve is turned so that its diametrical bore communicates with the air passageway, the vacuum in the cups is spoiled releasing the holder.

Abstract: An X-ray film marking device for selectively shielding X-ray film from X-rays so as to imprint identifying characters on the subsequently developed X-ray film. Lead indicia are supported by an X-ray transparent support sheet. The support sheet and therewith the indicia is releasably secured to any suitable structure between the X-ray source and film by a flexible pad having pressure-sensitive coatings of adhesive substances. A tab connected to the support sheet and of a predetermined color for easy association with a particular indicia allows for rapid removal of the marking device.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance, such as a meat grinder, is equipped with a suction plate arranged underneath the bottom of the housing of the appliance. The suction plate is attached to the housing by means of a shaft which is mounted on the lateral walls of the housing of the appliance and can be withdrawn to thereby detach the suction plate from the housing of the appliance. The suction plate has an aperture in a connecting element thereof, and the shaft has an eccentric crank portion which is received in the aperture and lifts it upwardly, together with the central region of the suction plate, when the shaft is pivoted from a rest position to an extended position. When the shaft is pivoted further beyond the extended position, it reaches a releasing position in which the shaft can be withdrawn to dissociate the suction plate from the housing. A bulge on the connecting element, located beyond a dead-center position of the shaft, holds the shaft in its extended position.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring photosensitive sheets from the transporting plane into the copying plane of a photographic copying machine has a suction chamber with a perforated cover having a flat upper side which defines the copying plane. The interior of the suction chamber is subdivided into one or more centrally located primary sections which are in direct communication with the intake of a suction pump and two or more secondary sections which communicate with the primary section or sections by way of narrow passages defined by internal partitions of the suction chamber so that a sheet which is advanced in the transporting plane to a position of register with the cover is attracted first to that portion or those portions of the cover which overlie the primary section or sections and thereupon to those portions of the cover which overlie the secondary sections.

Abstract: A vacuum-actuated holding device is provided for securing an article having a relatively flat surface against a support having a relatively flat surface and which is capable of maintaining adhesion between the flat surfaces of the article and support for a prolonged period of time by means of an external vacuum source having a needle valve pin. The device has a rubber gasket positionable between the flat surfaces of the article and support in abutting relationship therewith. The gasket has an inner periphery defining a vacuum retaining area and a hermetically self-sealing, radially extending slit formed therethrough in which the needle valve pin of the external vacuum source may be inserted to communicate with the vacuum retaining area and to effect evacuation thereof. The slit is hermetically sealed upon withdrawal of the pin so as to maintain the established vacuum.

Abstract: A support structure for assisting an exercising dancer in maintaining her balance has vertical legs which support a horizontal rail. The legs are telescopic and adjustable as to length. Suction cups are pivotally mounted on bracing members which are adjustable lengthwise and circumferentially of the legs. The cups can be clamped to surfaces disposed at an angle to the floor on which the legs rests, or to a surface parallel to the floor, and thus lend support to the rail.

Abstract: Apparatus for supporting a sheet of photosensitive material in the image plane of an optical imaging system for exposure thereat. The apparatus includes a first cover plate assembly having a transparent cover plate and a second backing plate assembly including a relatively flexible backing sheet. The cover plate assembly is driven into contact with the backing plate assembly with the photosensitive sheet to be exposed supported therebetween such that an air-tight chamber is defined between the cover plate assembly and the relatively flexible backing sheet. The air-tight chamber is then evacuated through the cover plate assembly, and as it is evacuated, the flexible backing plate will be sucked towards the cover plate assembly and drive the photosensitive sheet into firm contact with the transparent cover plate.By the use of the flexible backing plate, the chamber can be evacuated very rapidly, for example, in two or three seconds.

Abstract: An adjustable securing base has a surface radius of curvature which can be adjusted to support an adjacent part on the base surface. The securing base comprises a flexible thin plate with an adjustment mechanism connected on opposite edges of the base for adjusting the plate curvature. An opening in the plate is coupled to a vacuum device for securing the part adjacent the plate surface.

Abstract: A vacuum contact printer for printing indicia formed on a translucent drawing sheet onto a sensitized sheet material. The contact printer includes a vacuum chamber defining an enclosure having a planar upper wall with vertically directed through perforations. Secured to the upper wall of the vacuum chamber is a screen element which is pulled taut and located in fixed relation to an upper surface of the upper wall of the vacuum chamber. A cloth member is positioned over the screen member and secured to the frame of the vacuum chamber.In order to provide an image, the drawing sheet and sensitized sheet material are inserted over the cloth member and sandwiched between a transparent polyester film and the cloth. A light fixture is linearly driven across the upper surface of the vacuum chamber and the various sheet mounting mechanisms in close proximity thereof to permit light to pass through the translucent drawing sheet onto the sensitized sheet material.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for exposing light-sensitive printing plates through an original to be copied, which includes forming a cassette-type, vacuum frame assembly by superimposing the printing plate and the original upon one another and disposing them in a cavity formed between an elastic blanket and a light-permeable plate, and evacuating the assembly, to improve contact between the printing plate and the original, at a position removed from a light means, thereafter temporarily placing the assembly in a position to be exposed to the light means and finally removing the assembly from the exposure position. A vacuum frame assembly is provided having a connect-disconnect means for temporary attachment both to the evacuation means removed from the light source and, if desired, to an evacuation means at the exposure position.

Abstract: A tee for holding a football in kicking position and including suction means for retaining the ball against dislocation from the tee by wind or the like, with the suction means preferably including a motor driven blower contained in the tee and creating a vacuum effect at several locations of contact with the ball.

Abstract: This invention relates to a magazine for wares for use in automatic shops, comprising a shaft for receiving a pile of packages, wherein there are distributed along the shaft a number of suction cups for retaining the packages individually in the shaft without the packages being in contact with each other, and wherein the suction cups are individually controllable in order to be made inoperative temporarily during a short interval one at a time in a sequence beginning from below and continuing upwards.

Abstract: A suction cup is configured to assure a permanent attachment of an instrutation package to a surface. A dish shaped body member is provided with an annular lip which resiliently engages this surface. A radially outwardly disposed ring shaped recess contains a highly resilient material, such as gum rubber or adhesive liquid. This material is extruded out of the recess as the annular lip is pressed against the surface to ensure a long term, permanent attachment.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for holding a plurality of modular components against a surface. A fixture prepositions the components and a vacuum develops a uniform pressure which presses and holds the fixture and objects against a surface. The surface may be curved, vertical, or overhead and since local load concentrations are avoided, fragile ceramic tiles may be installed using the apparatus.