Abstract: A method for manufacturing hollow and other metal products of irregular shape provides metal powder and binding agent, and the two are feed-mixed and heated to a plastic state. The feed-mix is injected in a mold cavity of a first injection mold to form a first blank, and injected in a mold cavity of a second injection mold to form a second blank. The first blank and the second blank are welded together to form a built-up blank which is degreased to remove the binding agent therein. The degreased built-up blank is sintered to obtain the metal product of irregular shape.

Abstract: A saw chain includes a tie strap adapted to be pivotally connected to other links of the saw chain. The tie strap features an interior hole with a chamfered edge. An interior counterbore in the interior hole receives a barrel portion of a rivet. The rivet has two flanges extending from both sides of the barrel, each with a smaller diameter than the barrel, and each with chamfered corners in a transition area where the flanges meet the barrel. An exterior counterbore on an exterior surface of the tie strap receives a rivet head formed from one of the flanges, such that an exterior surface of the rivet head sits flush with the exterior surface of the tie strap.

Abstract: A manipulable multi-piece toy having a spherical body that is removably captured between a base and an attachment member is provided. The base and the attachment member are configured to have portions of a coupling element associated therewith. The base also has a depression with curvature for receiving and securely retaining a first portion of the spherical body in its assembled configuration. In some configurations, the depression comprises a seat with geometry that mates with geometry of the spherical body. By one approach, the base includes a vehicular or figure body. In another aspect, the attachment member includes, for example, a helmet, a hat, a headdress, hair, horns, ears, and/or a mask.

Abstract: A golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system includes a shaft, a shaft sleeve, a club head. The shaft sleeve is coupled to an end of the shaft and is received in a hosel included in the club head. The shaft sleeve is removably coupled to the club head. Alignment features on the components provide discrete orientations between the shaft and club head. The shaft sleeve may be constructed from non-metallic material.

Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve, a hosel portion, a tubular adjustment piece having non-parallel upper and lower surfaces, and a retention feature that provides an engagement between the tubular adjustment piece and the shaft sleeve to prevent the tubular adjustment piece from becoming detached from the shaft sleeve.

Abstract: An adjustable shaft and hosel assembly allows for dependent and independent adjustment of a golf club's face angle, loft angle, and lie angle. The adjustable shaft and hosel assembly comprises a shaft sleeve, a hosel portion, a tubular adjustment piece having non-parallel upper and lower surfaces, and a retention feature that provides an engagement between the tubular adjustment piece and the shaft sleeve to prevent the tubular adjustment piece from becoming detached from the shaft sleeve.

Abstract: A releasable connection system for assembling a shaft and a club head, e.g., a golf club shaft and a golf club head. The connection system provides interchangeability between a shaft and a club head and allows the head to be adjusted with respect to the shaft. The mating structures between the shaft and the club head may be indexed for reproducible placement. In an embodiment, the connection system also includes retaining structures that maintain the connection fastener position when the head and shaft are separated.

Abstract: A toggling punch for attaching a waveguide entry spinning to a waveguide entry panel wherein the cylindrical body portion of the waveguide entry spinning is deformed outwardly over the waveguide entry panel by means of a plurality of inclined movable pins which are moved to their crimping positions by means of a hydraulic cylinder operatively connected thereto.

Abstract: A release bearing is provided for transmitting release force to a corresponding force accumulator of each of the first and second clutch regions of the double clutch assembly, the release bearings being arranged in succession in the direction of an axis of rotation. Each of the release bearings has an action region for a respective release-force transmission member to act on, the release-force transmission members interacting on the same axial side of the release bearings. The action region of one of the release bearings includes a sleeve-like action element which is surrounded by the other release bearing. The sleeve-like action element has a holding region, by means of which the other release bearing is secured so that it cannot be removed from the sleeve-like action element.

Abstract: A hollow self-lubricating thrust rivet or fastener is adapted to pivotably fasten first and second members to one another. The fastener is laminated on its outer surface with a self-lubricating or lubricious bearing material such as an organic polymer or plastic material. The bearing material provides the fastener with requisite lubricity to enable the members to rotate about the fastener without requiring application of a discrete lubricant to the interface of the fastener and the members. The fastener thus effectively combines the functions of a conventional fastener and a conventional bearing into a single unitary device. The fastener preferably includes an annular thrust portion laminated with the lubricious bearing material and adapted for placement between the members. The thrust portion effectively eliminates the need for installation of a discrete washer between the members.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for making and assembling reliable mechanical rebar couplers so that a short upstand of rebar that protrudes from an existing concrete structure can be connected to a new rebar at a retrofit work site out in the field so as to provide a connection between a new and the existing structure. According to a first embodiment, one end of the protruding upstand is upset, and a threaded male coupling member surrounds the protruding upstand behind the upset end thereof. The threaded male coupling member is mated to a threaded female coupling member that is affixed to the new rebar such that the upset end of the upstand is retained between the male and female coupling members. According to a second embodiment, one end of each of the protruding upstand and the new rebar is upset, and a threaded male coupling member surrounds the protruding upstand and the new rebar behind the respective upset ends thereof.

Abstract: A saw chain of a chain saw has its side links and center links interconnected by rivets. Prior to being staked, each rivet is in blank form and includes a cylindrical flange and a pair of barrels extending from opposite sides of the flange along a center axis thereof. Each barrel includes an axially inner cylindrical section and a tapered axially outer section. When the rivet is staked, the center section of each barrel fills a cylindrical portion of a hole formed in a respective side link, and the tapered section fills a chamfered portion of the hole to form a rivet head. The staked rivet bears against a wall of the cylindrical portion of the hole with a greater force than that with which the rivet bears against a wall of the tapered portion of the hole.

Abstract: A concentric roller pin for use in combination with a roller member of a vacuum cleaner wherein the concentric roller pin includes an inner end, an outer end and an intermediate portion. The inner end of the concentric roller pin is tapered and terminates in a transverse face. The transverse face of the concentric roller pin abuts a corresponding face in a tapered bore of the roller member. The intermediate portion of the concentric roller pin includes an outer knurled surface for securing the concentric roller pin to the roller member. The outer end of the concentric roller pin includes a bearing surface, a bearing lip, and an axial bore. The axial bore of the outer end of the concentric roller pin facilitates deformation thereof for securing a bearing against the bearing lip and the bearing surface.

Abstract: A concentric roller pin for use in combination with a roller member of a vacuum cleaner wherein the concentric roller pin includes an inner end, an outer end and an intermediate portion. The inner end of the concentric roller pin is tapered and terminates in a transverse face. The transverse face of the concentric roller pin abuts a corresponding face in a tapered bore of the roller member. The intermediate portion of the concentric roller pin includes an outer knurled surface for securing the concentric roller pin to the roller member. The outer end of the concentric roller pin includes a bearing surface, a bearing lip, an axial indentation, and a beveled edge surrounding the axial indentation. The axial indentation and beveled edge of the outer end of the concentric roller pin facilitates deformation thereof for securing a bearing against the bearing lip and the bearing surface.

Abstract: A method of forming a stem and assembling a snap ring in a groove in the stem without expansion of the snap ring. A stem blank is formed having a reduced diameter extension. A snap ring is slid over the extension without expansion of the snap ring and is positioned against a lower support surface. An orbitally rotating punch is inserted at an angle into the top end of the extension thereby deforming the top end and forming a continuous, tear free collar which forms an upper wall of a groove defined between the collar and the support surface. The snap ring lies within the groove and is free to move from the support surface towards the collar.

Abstract: An arm connectible to a seat back and having teeth formed at one end is pivotally mounted to a seat bottom frame formed of first and second spaced, fixedly connected plates. A toothed drive gear mounted between the first and second plates and rotated by a drive unit meshingly engages the teeth on the arm to rotate the arm between infinitely adjustable positions. Aligned slots are formed in the first and second plates and receive opposed tenons of a rivet having the arm rotatably mounted about a central body portion.

Abstract: A fastener and a workpiece assembly comprises a fastener composed of a relatively strong, inflexible material and having a shank portion. Wings are disposed upon the shank, and the workpiece has portions thereof composed of a relatively flexible, resilient material. An aperture having a predetermined diameter is located within each one of the workpiece portions. The wings define an outer diameter substantially greater than the diameter of each aperture. The wings are capable of swaging the apertures, thereby increasing the diameters thereof, so as to allow for passage of the wings therethrough. The relatively flexible, resilient material has sufficient elastic memory so that the diameter of each aperture will become smaller than the outer diameter defined by means of the wings after being swaged by means of the passage of the wings therethrough.

Abstract: A mechanical lock where a rod axially translatable through a lock housing is normally gripped by a clutch spring axially fixed to the housing, and a lever is actuated for unwinding the spring to release the rod. The lock housing is formed in a single piece by die cutting and stamping from flat sheet stock in a sequence which can be carried out in a single progressive die, to minimize the parts count and simplify assembly of the lock.

Abstract: A nut fixing structure for a resinous case which comprises a nut provided with an antirotative flange and caulking clicks on its respective ends, and a resinous case provided with a nut fitting hole and a flange receiving part. The nut is fixed in the nut fitting hole of the resinous case by bending the caulking clicks outwardly in the state of fitting the nut into the nut fitting hole and engaging the antirotative flange to the flange receiving hole. It is possible to fix the resinous case to the mounting position very firmly.

Abstract: A rivet for pivotally interconnecting first and second superposed links each having an opening therethrough, including a first head having a link engaging surface and an outer concave surface, and a shank having first and second portions with a shoulder therebetween, with the first portion being adjacent the head and receivable in the first link opening and the second portion being receivable in the second link opening. During assembly, the rivet is compressed so that the second portion is deformed to form a second head to secure the links between the first and second heads, and the first head is deformed to reduce the concavity of the recess therein and axially shift the first link over the first shank portion to virtually eliminate axial free play.

Abstract: A window operator having a base with an upstanding pivot pin having a bushing thereon and at least one component pivotally mounted on the bushing. The components are held in assembled relation by a captured washer and the washer has an outer annular portion formed to provide a controlled clearance. A method of forming the window operator comprises assembly of the pivot pin, bushing and pivotal component to a mounting base and the capturing of a washer beneath the head of the pivot pin and with an inner annular part of the washer engaging an upper edge of the bushing which extends beyond the upper surface of the pivotal component, followed by a deformation of the outer annular part of the washer to compress the pivotal component between the washer and the base followed by release of the compressive force to permit spring-back of the outer annular part of the washer to provide the controlled clearance.

Abstract: A drill chuck having a cylindrical sleeve connected to its bevel gear element and a rearward part of the sleeve being rotatable on a cylindrical portion of the chuck body, the chuck body being formed with a number of localized swellings at the surface of the cylindrical portion to retain the sleeve in position, the swellings having been formed by plastic deformation of the metal of the body part.

Abstract: Pressure fluid operated servo system method and apparatus including a servo valve operable by an input signal to effect a system output movement; and which servo valve is responsive to the time rate of input signal receipt to vary a gain ratio of system output magnitude compared to input signal value; and method of making such a servo valve.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fastening one member to another includes a holding member with a holding formation, the shape of which is complementary to the shape of the member to be held, and at least one bolt with an axial bore therethrough for receiving the holding member therein. The bolt is screwed into a threaded hole in a located member to apply tension to the holding formation of the holding member to secure the holding member to the member to be held.