Abstract: A latch includes a latch body, an opening rod and a structure to connect the opening rod to the latch body. The latch body includes a latching member, a ratchet and an opening lever. The connection structure includes a shaft member connected, at the root portion thereof, to the opening lever and provided, at the free end thereof, with an elongate slip-out prevention member, an elongate rest mounted rotatably on the shaft member and a biased push plate mounted on the shaft portion for movement in the axial direction of the shaft portion. In assembling, one end portion of the opening rod is mated, at an elongate hole formed therein, with the elongate rest and slip-out prevention member. The opening rod is pushed towards the opening lever, turned by about 90.degree. and returned away from the opening lever under the biasing force exerted on the push plate.

Abstract: A quick-action fastener for connecting two plates (III) and (IV) with a resilient gasket (V) interposed therebetween, all three being perforated by a throughgoing hole, comprises a bolt (I) passing through this hole and engaging with a bore (24) in a socket (II) which is rigidly fastened to the plate (III). A helical groove (14) is cut into the end of the bolt, which has a lead angle not exceeding 15.degree., and which engages with a protrusion (42) inwardly projecting from the bore (24) of the socket. Friction between the protrusion (42) and the wall of the helical groove (14) is strong enough to hold the bolt in position and to clamp the two plates together, owing to the tension of the resilient gasket.

Abstract: An anti-fatigue mounting mechanism, which is used to join a drag bar to an endless chain in a combine feeder mechanism, is disclosed. A combine feeder mechanism typically includes a feeder housing, a feeder drum rotatably carried within the housing, and endless chains rotatably carried in the housing and used to rotate the drum about an axis of rotation. A spaced pair of the chains is typically mounted on end portions of the drum, and a third chain is preferably mounted therebetween. One of the embodiments of the present invention pivotally joins a drag bar lateral end portion to one of the end-mounted chains. The other embodiment pivotally joins facing drag bar end portions to each other and to the chain disposed therebetween.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for adjustably supporting an object, such as a surgical light, between two points on a yoke-type frame. A housing having a cylindrical cavity and a threaded axial bore therethrough is secured to one of two hubs provided on the legs of the yoke. An adjustment screw having a face plate passes through the aperture. Wave washers and a spherical washer having a spherically concave friction surface are provided within the housing's cavity. A shaft is supported within the housing by a spherical bearing and terminates in a nut having a spherically convex friction surface. A keyway and recessed area on the shaft serve to secure the light to the shaft. The hub on the other leg is provided with a spherical bearing which supports a second shaft. The second shaft has a keyway and a recessed area which are engaged by a key and adjusting screw on a second mounting bracket in the opposite side of the light.

Abstract: A friction pivot joint for use between two components such as two arms, or an arm and a frame or sash plate, of a window stay. The joint comprises an aperture in a first of the components, an annular shoulder surrounding and projecting from the periphery of the aperture, an aperture in the second component such that the component is located about the shoulder. A self-lubricating and wear-resistant bushing interposed between the shoulder and the second component to prevent direct contact therebetween and a fixing element extends through the joint and is fixed within the aperture below the shoulder so as to apply friction creating pressure to the joint.

Abstract: An apparatus for closing a door (14), the door closer assembly (10) preferably including a torsional spring unit (12) and a pneumatic check device (22). The torsional spring unit (12) can be attached to a door frame (16) through the use of a bracket (20) whereas the pneumatic check (22) can be attached to the door (14) through the use of a bracket (24). The amount of closing force generated by the torsional spring unit (12) can be adjusted by tensioning the torsional spring (26); locking the two housing components (34) and (46) together; repositioning the locked housing unit and the door (14); and releasing the housings (34) and (46) to "restore" the formerly stored closing force at a new door position.

Abstract: A ball joint is disclosed to couple together elements of an electric lamp fixture. Two semi-spherical ball joint members are pivotalbly mounted about a pin so as to form a sphere. An arm portion extends from each ball joint member along its equatorial plane. Each arm draws its ball joint member into a socket having a truncated spherical surface so that semi-spherical surfaces of both semi-spherical ball joint members are drawn into sliding contact with truncated spherical surfaces of the socket. In drawing both ball joint members into the socket, the two ball joint members are urged together. The forces with which the arm portion is drawn into the socket determines frictional forces required to rotate each socket relative to the ball joint members as well as one ball joint member relative to the other ball joint member. A continuous passageway passes internally through the ball joint through which electrical wires may pass.

Abstract: A piston for combustion engines has connecting rod mounting apertures or pin bosses for receiving a gudgeon pin for a connecting rod, which bosses have resilient regions in the form of annular resilient sectors (17, 16) by the formation of slots in the axial direction of the piston. These annular spring sectors can however also be provided on the little end. Upon the occurrence of disturbing oscillations coming from the region of the crank shaft, these are transmitted axially of the resilient annular sectors and suppressed.

Abstract: A joint connection for attachment of reflector panels at a truss support structure of a radio telescope, where the bars of the truss and the reflector panels consisting of fiber composite material, and adjusting means for the reflector panels between the ball-shaped central body of the joint and the reflector panels.

Abstract: A seat swivel apparatus includes a first mounting plate rotatively mounted to a second mounting plate. Each of the first and second mounting plates has a circular recess formed therein to define a pair of bearing races which hold bearing means such as a plurality ball bearings. The first and second mounting plates are held together utilizing fastening means that include a Belleville spring to provide a continuous and substantially constant biasing force on the plates to maintain them in proper rolling contact with the ball bearings. Each of the races include two arcuate sidewall portions and a connecting portion between the sidewall portions, the connecting portions being substantially flat to help prevent the bearings from tightening within the races.

Abstract: A break away joint assembly for pivotally connecting an outer end boom section to a center boom section of an elongated spray boom to prevent movement of the outer section with respect to the center section from a normal condition in which the sections are colinear to a folded condition. The assembly includes a break away joint that pivotally connects adjacent lower ends of the boom sections and is formed of an inclined ramp disposed on an extension arm at the outer end of the center boom section, a stabilizing member fixed on an extension arm of the inner end of the outer boom section, and a yieldable biasing member extended through the stabilizing member and the center boom extension arm to form a yieldable connection there between.

Abstract: A tilt control apparatus comprises a tiltable display assembly pivotally coupled to a base support member through a hinge structure including a torsion spring and friction producing means which operate to permit the display assembly to be tilted to and held securely at any desired angle.

Abstract: A self-erecting joint for a pair of hinged, tubular members in which the hinging is located at corresponding portions of the members and the opposite edge portions are connected by spring-biased toggle links which in the unfolded position of the members are nested against one of the members in substantial alignment and over-center for securely locking the joint in the unfolded condition.

Abstract: An angle adjusting device for adjusting the relative positions of musical instruments, such as a bass drum and jazz tomtom. The angle adjusting device has two rods for holding the musical instruments separately. Each rod has a head which includes an annular inclined toothed portion. A wing nut mounted on one end of the axle and a lever having a cam surface for abutting against the wall of either one of the heads, through which full engagement, partial engagement and disengagement can be accurately set. Thus, rotation of one head relative to the other to adjust the angle of two rod can be implemented simply by singlehanded actuation of the lever.

Abstract: A pair of joint halves each include substantially cylindrical joint portions and end portions. Aligned openings are formed through the joint portions to receive therethrough a connecting pin which connects the joint halves together into a articulable joint. The connecting pin includes teeth on its outer surface sized to mate with teeth formed in the aligned openings of the joint halves. The connecting pin has a locked condition wherein its teeth mate with the teeth of both the joint halves and thus prevent relative rotation thereof, and an unlocked condition wherein its teeth are not in mating engagement with the teeth of one of the joint halves thus permitting relative rotation of one joint half with respect to the other. In one embodiment a spring urges the connecting pin into its locked condition and an operating button, disposed at one end of the connecting pin, facilitates movement of the pin so that its teeth move out of mating engagement with the teeth on one of the joint halves.

Abstract: A protective element for a hand-held power tool with a rotary tool, such as a grinding disk, a circular saw, or the like, has a protective member with cut-outs having increased portions, an additional member connectable with the protective member, and connecting elements for connecting the additional member to the protective member and including a plurality of holding screws having heads extending through the increased portions of the cut-outs and engageable behind the protective member, wherein the increased portions have the shape of the plan view of the screw heads and are provided at the same end of the elongated cut-outs, and a locking projection is provided near at least one increased portion in the path of the screw head of the screw sliding in the respective cut-outs.

Abstract: A multiple jointed support member comprising three members normally aligned in a generally co-planar end to end relationship. One of the members disposed at one end of the support has a swivel joint connection to the centrally disposed member. The other member disposed at the opposing end is provided with a hinged joint connection to the centrally disposed member and has an axis of rotation disposed at right angles to the axis of rotation of the swivel joint connection. Spring members are associated with each of the joint connections to bias each of said outer elements toward the central element in multiple, releasably latched positions about the axis of rotation of the respective pivot pins associated with each of said joint connections.

Abstract: A support knuckle for a luminaire has a first body attached to the luminaire housing and a second body which can be attached to a mounting location. The first body has a recess with peripheral teeth and a passage to the housing interior. The second body has teeth which are matable with those on the first body at various angular positions. The two bodies are held together by a threaded fastener passing through an elastomeric sleeve.

Abstract: A torsion spring door closer assembly for use with a in-swinging, out-swinging, right-handed or left-handed door. The door closer assembly is reversible so that it can be easily adapted to the various door styles above. Further, the closing force provided by the assembly can easily be adjusted. The door closer assembly includes a torsion spring (58) and a housing (56) comprising a top portion (60) and a bottom portion (62). The top portion (60) is disposed for angular movement relative to the bottom portion (62). Attached to one of the top and bottom portions of the housing is a known door closer assembly comprising a cylinder (52) and a rod (54) extending therefrom. The door closer further comprises a mounting bracket (76) which cooperates with the door closer to provide the features of reversibility, and adjustability of the door closing force.

Abstract: A pivot pin assembly is disclosed which eliminates the need for a high pre-load torque to be applied in order to fix a friction-reducing element relative to the pivot pin. The pivot pin assembly includes a pivot pin having a shoulder formed on a central cylindrical portion thereof which is received in the bores of a forked member and in the bore of an intermediate member located therebetween. The pivot pin, has a conical surface at one end and is held fast in the bore of the other forked member by a collet which also has a tapered surface. The tapered surfaces of both the pin and the collet are mateable with the surfaces of the bores in the forked members as the collet is physically bolted to the pivot pin.

Abstract: A sun visor assembly has a rotatable friction mount including an elongated shaft receiving thereon an inner tubular friction member, two tubular spacers and a helical compression spring, all telescopically received within an outer tubular member and trapped between longitudinally-spaced apart retainer washers. Notches adjacent to the ends of the tubular friction member define hinged end portions which are tiltable under the urging of the compression spring radially outwardly into frictional engagement with the outer tubular member. A similar hinged tiltable end portion may be formed on one of the spacer members. Plural pairs of notches may be formed in the inner frictional member to define plural sets of hinged tiltable portions. In one embodiment the outer surface of the inner fricitonal member has longitudinal ribs disposed for ratcheting engagement with spring clips which project inwardly through apertures in the outer tubular member.

Abstract: The connection assembly includes two generally L-shaped brackets having arms with through bores defined in their end portions. One of the bores of the first bracket is alignable with a mounting bracket for other component of a linkage system. Similarly, one of the bores of the second L-shaped bracket is alignable with another component of the linkage system. Other bores of the L-shaped brackets are alignable with each other. A bolt is insertable through each of the pairs of aligned shafts to releasably interconnect the parts. A spring is positioned between the head of the bolt and one of the surfaces of the combined parts for exerting a biasing force tending to fix the relative positions between the parts. The connection assembly provides three adjustment axes so that an end of the linkage system can be positioned and releasably retained at any desired orientation.

Abstract: A boom formed by spring biased telescoping tubes is gimbaled at one end to a docking or probe space vehicle and at the opposite end to an electromagnet probe with the gimbaled joints spring biased to axially align the assembly. A light weight conical drogue fixed to the captive space vehicle mounts a passive iron target at the cone apex. The electromagnet guides itself into contact with the target during space coupling. The tubes telescope against springs which dampen impact along with columb dampening created by the telescoping tubes. A switch mounted to the electromagnet automatically energizes the retraction motor upon contact with the passive iron target. A retraction wire functions to initially pivot a plurality of radial rigidizing struts into contact with the circular edge of the light weight drogue cone to automatically align the spacecraft for pitch and yaw.

Abstract: The specification discloses a constant torque pivot assembly for connecting a pivot arm supporting a mirror or the like to a support bracket coupled to the side of a vehicle. A pivot axle extends through apertures in the pivot arm and the support bracket and has heads at the extremities to compress therebetween noncorrosive washers and a spring so that relative rotational movement between the pivot arm and the support bracket is resisted by a constant torque.

Abstract: A thermionic cathode supporting device which comprises an electroconductive member adapted to support a thermionic cathode tip and a tip supporting heaters which hold said tip, a pressing means for resiliently pressing the above mentioned members from the outside thereof. The device is so arranged that the pressing force is easily adjustable and can be miniaturized, and applicable for the various different types of cathode devices of an electron gun or the like.

Abstract: A ski safety device for deflecting a ski leaving its direction from crossing over to the other ski, has two brackets each movable between a normal position in which it extends upright to the respective ski, and a folded position in which it folds down toward the same with resistance. The brackets pivot in the direction of travel and about an axis which is transverse to this direction.

Abstract: An arrangement for mounting and dismounting pivoted levers in tool housings in which the lever has a projection engaging a first groove in the tool housing and a blind bore extending transversely through the lever and coaxially within the projection, wherein an axle journal is inserted in the blind bore to project in a second groove within the tool housing. When mounting or dismounting the arrangement, an implement is introduced in a slit above the axle journal, to disengage the axle journal from the groove, thereby releasing the support of the lever.

Abstract: The present invention refers to an attachment device for attaching the forward profile bar of an awning or sun-blind to hinge arms. The device comprises a shaft portion adapted to be attached to the outer end of the hinge arm and a profile portion adapted to be attached at the forward profile bar. Both portions are resiliently connected to each other and provided with guide means tending to hold the two portions in a predetermined normal position and to return them to this position when they have been brought out of the normal position.

Abstract: A rotatable ram bar apparatus having at least one ram bar assembly for attachment to a vehicle bumper, the assembly including a ram bar, a bracket attachable to the outer side of the vehicle bumper for securing the bar to the bumper, a camming disc attached to the bracket, a mating disc attached to the ram bar, and biasing means for urging the two discs together. The camming disc includes a slot and the mating disc a corresponding key which lock together when the ram bar is in a vertical position extending above and below the vehicle bumper. Inclined guide surfaces terminating in a step are also provided on the camming disc. A removable bicycle carrier may be inserted into the top of the ram bar.

Abstract: A yoke-type pivot joint comprises a first member including a pair of parallel portions releasably fixed relative to each other and provided with holes which are axially aligned with each other and with a hole provided in a second member located between the parallel portions. A bushing is press fit into the hole of the second member and a pivot pin is received in the bushing and in the holes of the parallel portions. Received on the pin at opposite ends of the bushing are first and second pairs of opposed Belleville springs. One end of the pin is fixed to one of the parallel portions of the first member and a cap is fixed to the other parallel portion and is received on the other end of the pin. A cap screw extends through the cap into the pin and is operative for drawing the end of the pin against the cap and thereby effecting a predetermined compression of the springs at the ends of the bushing.

Abstract: A yoke-type pivot joint includes a first member having a pair of parallel portions provided with holes which are axially aligned with each other and with a hole provided in a second member located between the parallel portions. A bushing is press fit into the hole in the second member and a pin is received in the bushing and in the holes in the parallel portions. First and second pairs of opposed Belleville spring seals are respectively located between the pair of parallel portions and the opposite end of the bushing. The parallel portions contain respective slots extending from the holes therein and fasteners are provided to clamp the slots together to thus clamp the parallel portions on the pin at selected locations for positioning the parallel portions for effecting compression of the Belleville springs.

Abstract: A swivel joint for a leg prosthesis has its relatively rotatable members urged into a neutral position by a multiple-disk compound axial compression spring bearing upon balls which ride along inclined ramps upon relative rotation of the members.

Abstract: A locking mechanism for the height adjusting suspension system of side delivery rake is disclosed. A support trunnion bearing for the rotatable axially-adjustable height control rod of a rake has at least one crown thereon to cooperatively engage a mating washer which is biased into contact therewith by a compression suspension spring to thereby impede relative rotational movement between the rod and the bearing.

Abstract: This specification discloses a pivot support bracket for mounting a pivotable member supporting a mirror or the like. The bracket includes a base having an integral flange for strengthening and rigidifying the base and partially covering a coupling including a pivot axle between the base and the pivotable member. Further, the pivot axle serves both as the axis of rotation of the pivotable member and, together with a spring, as a structure for applying a constant, preset, externally nonadjustable biasing force against detent means which rotationally stabilize and resist rotation of the pivotable member with respect to the base. Applying a pivoting force above a certain magnitude to the pivotable member overcomes the biasing force and permits rotation of the pivotable member with respect to the base.

Abstract: A method of limiting backseat loading on a valve stem moved between a lower closed position and an upper open position engaging the backseat by an actuator having an upper stop position wherein the method includes the steps of setting a variable force transmitting coupling to a predetermined loading between a bearing surface and a gauging surface thereon, connecting the coupling to the valve stem in the lower closed position, lowering the actuator from the upper stop position, connecting the coupling to the actuator, raising the actuator to the upper stop with the backseat being below the upper open position, and increasingly connecting the coupling to the valve stem and the actuator until the backseat is engaged and the predetermined loading exceeded as ascertained by separation of the gauging surface from the bearing surface.

Abstract: An assembly for guiding movements of the non-pivotally supported one of a pair of hingedly interjoined bifolding panels, or the like, laterally across a door opening which includes a main body non-rotatably anchored in a mounting socket therefor bored inwardly of the upper or top edge of the one guide panel and including a vertically biased, laterally offset track engaging guide means cooperative with an overhead guide track such that the line of engagement between such offset guide means and the track is in proximity to the free or unhinged lateral edge of the guide panel whereby to increase opening movement of the panels and avoid binding between the track and guide means.

Abstract: A throttle control linkage adapted for connection to the governor mechanism of an engine preferably comprises a slotted quadrant slidably mounted on a pin attached to a support member. The quadrant is held in a selected position on the support member by a frictional device comprising at least one elastomeric member compressed against a side of the quadrant by spring means, preferably in the form of a pair of back-to-back Belleville washers.

Abstract: An industrial fastener, which may be secured or released by a one-quarter turn, includes a rotatable bolt. The bolt has a cam face on the underside of its head, a shank having opposite flats and a screw threaded end portion. A turning means, such as a handle member, slides on the bolt and has matching opposite flats to turn the bolt. The fastener also includes a spring which detents the handle member and an adjustable nut.