Abstract: An automatic adjustment device for internal shoe brakes, comprises a fixed housing disposed interiorly of a rotating brake drum, a slidably guided, non-rotatable, axially displaceable pressure element disposed in the housing and operated mechanically or by a pressurized fluid, the pressure element acting on the brake shoe via a rotatable adjustment bushing and an adjusting bolt which is screw-connected to the adjustment bushing and is non-rotatably connected to the brake shoe, and a ring rotatably mounted in the pressure element. A first end face of the ring rests against a spring which presses against the base of the pressure element, and a second end face of the ring rests against the end face of the adjustment bushing which extends into the interior of the pressure element. The ring has an inclined slot engaged by a pin element affixed to the housing. The mutually facing end faces of the ring and adjustment bushing form a ratchet-like unidirectional clutch.

Abstract: A spring is constructed as a resilient U-shaped piece comprising a middle portion and leg portions disposed in the same plane, the leg portions including a bearing for taking an external load. The bearings are disposed on the leg portions in such a manner that a line passing through the centers of the bearings is parallel to the middle portion.

Abstract: An excavating tooth point having a socket adapted to receive the nose of an adapter, the point being equipped with vertically alinged pin openings and with each pin opening having a recess extending around the pin opening in the socket interior, the recess being defined by a horizontal wall extending from the rear of the point forwardly and merging with a vertical wall so as to provide clearance for a basket spring flange and further including a sloping surface to accommodate the tang of a wear cap.

Abstract: It is known to use springs to deploy steering fins on board projectiles, each fin having its own spring and a separate mechanism for latching it in its deployed position. Described herein is an integral spring/latching mechanism which is operable to deploy a plurality of fins and then to latch them in their deployed positions. The mechanism comprises a single piece of spring material which is formed such that a first portion engages with the projectile body and a plurality of second portions each exerting a spring force on respective fins to deploy the fin and to latch it in its deployed position, the second portions extending radially outward with respect to the first portion when deploying the fins.

Abstract: An instant coupling comprises a male element and a female element which are locked together by two teeth (19) supported by flexible strips (18), which are normally in the disengagement position but urged into the engagement position by the action of an axially slidable outer collar (12), which is itself maintained in said engagement position by annular elastic elements (20) interposed between the strips (18).

Abstract: An off-highway vehicle suspension system strut of the type employing rubber impact pads to provide damping is modified by conversion of the housing to accommodate a nitrogen-over-oil suspension system. The rubber pads are removed and the inner barrel is capped with a piston. The outer barrel is fitted with a gas inlet valve, and an interface between the two barrels is created by a combination of one-way and two-way valves. Appropriate wall sections in the two barrels are reinforced or replaced to create adequate strength for hydraulic operation, and the barrels are linked by a stop rod that permits limited telescopic movement.

Abstract: A pneumatic spring for motor vehicles comprises a bellows. Adjacent portions of the bellows overlap each other. These adjacent portions are normally maintained at a distance from each other. Under certain conditions the faces touch each other. In such a case, considerable friction and wear occur between adjacent faces. In order to reduce such wear, a lubricant is provided. In order to prohibit undesirable effects of the presence of the lubricant, particularly with respect to the fixation of the bellows to adjacent parts of the pneumatic spring, the lubricant is enclosed and fixed by at least one membrane. This membrane is destroyed only when the faces are pressed against each other.

Abstract: A mechanical lifting device, preferably for a chair seat, comprising two reciprocally telescoping parts, one of which is attached to a chair support, whereas the other part is attached to the chair seat, both parts being mutually spring loaded, a locking screw being pivoted to the first part inside one of its ends and revolving about the longitudinal axis of the part, that the second part comprises an outer locking tube coaxially surrounding a hollow pressure rod and a number of locking nuts, e.g. three, intended for engagement with the locking screw and provided inside the locking tube, the locking nuts being mutually spring loaded and when the pressure rod is actuated enabling the locking screw to turn relative to the locking nuts when they move in the longitudinal direction of the lifting device, thereby the mutual position of the two parts is also changed. When actuation of the pressure rod stops a locking engagement is achieved between locking nuts and locking screw by the aid of the mutual spring load.

Abstract: A device for relieving mechanical loads on electrical conductors and line poles. The device includes arms pivoted to one another and a rod connected to the arms so that upon pivoting movement of the arms towards a full open position the rod is elongated. An indicator link is provided for indicating deformation of the rod.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for sprung tilting movement of a component such as an inclining mechanism for a tiltable seat. The spring system is formed by at least one spring rod which is rotatably mounted in at least two bearings of which one bearing is stationary in the operating state while the other bearing is rotatable about an axis spatially offset relative to the axis of the spring rod. This results in a simple, light and space-saving construction.

Abstract: A protective covering for the piston rod of a telescoping spring element which includes a gas pressure cylinder and a piston rod. For protecting the piston rod during painting of the motor vehicle, the gas pressure cylinder is surrounded with a protective covering of sponge rubber which surrounds in a fluid-tight manner the cylinder casing and a sealing disk arranged at the free end of the piston rod. For the rapid removal of the protective covering after the painting operation, it is provided with a radially projecting tearing extension which has at its two base edges one cross-sectional reduction each formed by a longitudinal groove. The protective covering is longitudinally divided by these cross-sectional reductions, when tearing the tearing extension radially outwardly or in the longitudinal direction of the gas pressure cylinder, so that as a result thereof the protective covering then only has to be pulled off the gas pressure cylinder.

Abstract: An endovascular stent formed of stainless steel wire of 0.018 inches diameter and arranged in a closed zig-zag pattern. The stent is compressed into a reduced size shape of an outer diameter which is many times smaller than its expanded shape. The stent is positioned in a passageway in the vascular system by means of a sheath while the stent is retained in the compressed reduced size shape. A flat-ended catheter is used through the sheath to hold the stent in place in the passageway while the sheath is withdrawn from the passageway allowing the stent to expand in the passageway into its expanded shape to hold the passageway open and enlarged. Other possible applications of the stent are in the respiratory, biliary and urinary tracts to reinforce collapsing structures.

Abstract: A drum brake assembly includes a pair of brake shoes which are slidably mounted on a fixed support. An elastic retention member is mounted on each of the shoes before they are assembled onto the fixed support. Each of the retention members includes a locking portion which engages the web of the brake shoes, and a pair of arm portions which extend from the locking portions and which engage the web of the brake shoe in such a way as to releasably maintain the locking portion engaged with the web of the brake shoe. When the brake shoes are assembled on the torque member, a portion of the torque member is provided with a sloped edge that engages the locking portion to release the latter as the brake shoes are assembled onto the fixed support, so that the retaining member then exerts a biasing force between the torque member and the brake shoes.

Abstract: A roller retainer for retaining a cam following roller in a pair of laterally aligned open-ended recesses provided at adjacent ends of a pair of axially spaced brake shoe webs comprising a length of spring wire formed to provide a pair of spaced substantially parallel legs, a bridge portion joining the legs and a U-shaped ear at the junction of each leg and the bridge. Each of the legs has an end formed to encircle at least 180.degree. of a trunnion surface of the roller and the bridge portion is of a length greater than the space between the legs and is formed to permit resilient deformation of the bridge while moving the ears toward one another whereby the retainer may be readily deformed to engage or disengage the ears with laterally aligned apertures provided to the spaced brake shoe webs.

Abstract: A superconductive coil assembly has a housing formed of an inner shell and an outer shell, and a superconductive coil situated in a space defined between the shells. A plurality of spring elements arranged in a mosaic-like pattern on a surface area of one of the shells between the superconductive coil and the shell. Each spring element has a first flat member being of a material having a relatively small dilatation and a second flat member being of a material having a relatively large dilatation. The first and second flat members are inseparably bonded to one another. The spring elements have an effective thickness that is greater at a relatively low temperature than at a relatively high temperature.

Abstract: Belt-lock and plug-in tongue for safety belt having movable spring loaded latch and slideable member to move latch out of engagement by pressing push button. A wire spring is disposed in the push button with a bent portion of the spring banked at the lock housing to effect counter-action for the pressure against the push button and a free, bent-spring ending abutting against the slide member to keep it fixed and prevent rattling. The spring arrangement also relieves pressure on the sliding member when the push button is pressed.

Abstract: An electrically conductive gas spring for use in opening and closing a hinged deck lid of an automotive vehicle and for transmitting electric current to current consuming devices on the deck lid by way of an electrical path which extends between terminal connectors at opposed ends of the spring. The terminal connectors each have integrally formed mounting apertures which are of smaller size than a respective terminal pin upon which the connector is mounted such that the connector tightly and securely engages the outer perimeter of the terminal pin in electrically conductive relation without the need for auxilary threaded fasteners or the like. In one embodiment, the terminal connectors further serve to secure end mounting fittings to the ends of the gas spring without additional fastening means.

Abstract: A resettable apparatus including a deformable restraining element adapted to contact and restrain active elements for producing a time-delayed force or displacement response. The apparatus functions by the release of the force and/or displacement active element by the creep deformation action of the restraining element at a time interval after actuation of the active element.

Abstract: A spring arrangement includes a cylinder member and a plunger member axially movable inward and outward of the cylinder cavity and resiliently biased outward of the cavity. The members conductively engage each other at rest and at least during a portion of the axial plunger member movement. They carry respective conductive terminals outside the cylinder cavity. The two spring members each may be hingedly connected to associated structures by means of a first connector, a first fastening device made of metallic material for fixedly fastening the element to the spring member, a second connector element secured to the first element for pivotal movement, and a second fastening device for fastening the second connector element to the associated structure. Insulation is interposed between the spring member and the associated structure for preventing flow of electric current in a path including the two elements and the two fastening devices.

Abstract: In an air or gas spring having a metal cylinder with a rigid gas-tight closure at one end and a flexible convoluted diaphragm seal and piston at the other end, the piston has an inner floating member restrained vertically by hardened roller balls that ride in a hardened ball race and horizontally by elastomer spring material.

Abstract: A wheel of a driven track of a track-type vehicle has a plurality of teeth connected to a hub. A plurality of annular springs is positioned in the openings of the teeth and actuated in response to associated plungers on the springs contacting a portion of the track. The springs controllably resist the impact forces of the track that are directed onto the wheel.

Abstract: A wheel of a driven track of a track-type vehicle has a rim connected to a hub with an annular chamber formed between the rim and the hub. A plurality of annular springs are positioned in the chamber and actuated by plungers in response to contacting a portion of the track. The springs controllably resist the impact forces of the track that are directed onto the wheel.

Abstract: Drive or driven wheels of a track-type vehicle have a hub and a plurality of teeth around the outer periphery each of which are spaced one from the other by an intervening root having an opening. A biasing hoop assembly having a multiplicity of generally concentric biasing hoops encompass the hub and are positioned between the hub and teeth. Actuating apparatus extends from the root into contact with the biasing hoop assembly and is generaly movable for deflecting the biasing hoops and resisting entry into the root for dampening impact, loads, and noise of elements entering the root.

Abstract: An arrester system for arresting without substantial bounce a moving object, such as the arm of a billet stamper, is constituted by a housing mounting at one end a steel ball which is struck by the moving object. The housing also guides an axially movable steel cylinder which is normally in contact with the steel ball but is driven away from it on impact of the moving object with the ball. The housing further carries a hydraulic or resilient energy absorber which has a piston rod which extends parallel to the movement of the cylinder and which is struck by the cylinder when the latter is driven away from the steel ball. The ball and cylinder form an energy transforming device, the energy of the moving object being transferred via the ball to the cylinder, which in turn transfers the energy to the energy absorber in the direction of the piston rod. Energy transfer is effected without movement of the steel ball and without any substantial bounce of the object.

Abstract: A wheel of a driven track of a track-type vehicle has a rim connected to a hub with an annular chamber formed between the rim and the hub. An annular spring is positioned in the chamber and actuated by plungers in response to contacting a portion of the track. The spring controllably resists the impact forces of the track that are directed onto the wheel.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an electromagnetic shock absorber which may be employed to prevent the bottoming of springs in autos during shock conditions, or to replace, in its entirety, a shock absorber.The present shock absorber includes two electro-magnets, the first having a fixed north-to-south field and the second having a field whose polarity is reversible dependant upon the direction of the shock which is to be absorbed or dampened. Where the undesirable shock involves a movement of the car axle toward the auto frame, the polarity of the magnet having a reversible field causes a repulsion between the two electro-magnets. Where the undesirable motion of the car axle is away from the auto frame, the field of the reversible magnet creates an attraction between the two electro-magnets.Hence, any undesirable motion of the auto axle relative to the auto frame is counteracted by virtue of the present system.

Abstract: An improved method for providing non-contact active support between the unsprung and the sprung elements of a railway truck as well as lateral stability and banking of vehicles used in surface supported transportation systems having unsprung surface contacting elements, sprung load carrying elements, magnetic force fields, inertial and position sensing elements mounted on the sprung element and a non-linear feedback circuit for actively varying the strength of the force field to maintain a relatively stable air gap between the unsprung and sprung elements while also holding the sprung element to a smooth course not withstanding irregular surface conditions encountered by the surface contacting elements or variations in loading on the load carrying element.