Abstract: A coupling device with two coupling members, which are to be connected coaxially together, and a tension rod, which penetrates the first coupling member and is to be coupled with the second coupling member. To minimize the effect of the cross forces on the positioning of the second coupling member, it is provided that the end, facing the head of the tension rod, penetrates into a passage borehole of the second coupling member with a radial clearance; and a connector, resting against a shoulder of the second coupling member, can be attached to the end, thus resulting in radial clearance between connector and second coupling member. Furthermore, a connector is described whose periphery has a contour, which prevents a turning action inside the coupling member, whereby the connector can also be moved in the coupling member and exhibits an axial contact surface, which is adequately small to enable a swivelling motion without generating a counteracting moment of flexion.

Abstract: A fastener which includes an inner collar having an axial bore and a retractable projection projecting into the axial bore when the fastener is in a locked position and retractable out of the axial bore when the fastener is in a retracted position. The inner collar further has a tapered indentation in the outside surface. The fastener further includes an outer collar having an axial bore, the outer collar placed uniaxially and slidably over the inner collar and having a movable protuberance extending into the axial bore of the outer collar. The movable protuberance is shorter axially than the tapered indentation in the inner collar and is positioned in the tapered indentation. The fastener is in a locked position when the outer collar is in its resting position relative to the inner collar in which the movable protuberance is resting in the deepest portion of the tapered indentation. The fastener is in a retracted position when the outer collar is moved axially out of the resting position.

Abstract: A telescopic extension for an electric household appliance comprises an inner tube, an outer tube, a sleeve, at least one first constraining element, a thrusting slider, resilient elements and an actuating element; in the extension the sleeve is arranged between the inner tube and the outer tube having a cross-section of substantially constant diameter, the sleeve is provided with a longitudinal cavity and a recess formed on the bottom of the cavity, the thrusting slider is housed in the longitudinal cavity and retained radially by the outer tube, the thrusting slider is provided with at least one first slot and the resilient means are housed in the first slot of the thrusting slider and are engaged with a recess of the sleeve.

Abstract: A control rod for an aircraft actuator system. The control rod incorporates a swivel insert to create a rotatably connected rod end. The swivel insert comprises a longitudinal bore for introduction of a rod end shaft. The rod end shaft has a circumferential groove that aligns with radially extending bores in a threaded portion of the swivel insert. Ball bearings are placed into the radially extending bores and the swivel insert is threaded into a tube having an internally threaded bore and a counter bored entrance portion. Once the swivel insert is threaded into place, the ball bearings are captured in the radially extending bores between the counter bored entrance portion of the tube and the circumferential groove. The rod end is thus free to rotate but is rotatably attached to the control rod.

Abstract: An interchangeable coupling is provided for removably fastening tools (2) to manipulators (3). The interchangeable coupling has two coupling parts (5, 6) with a form fit lock (7). The lock has several mobile balls (8) and a piston (11) for moving the balls. The coupling parts (5, 6) have corresponding cavities (9, 10). The cavities (9) in the tool side coupling part (5) are essentially cylindrical ball channels (30) with an oblique channel axis (31). In a locked position, these cavities (9) accommodate the blocking balls (8). The channel axis (31) preferably slopes from the robot-sided cavity (10) towards the tool side (2).

Abstract: A release link for interconnecting first and second cables, includes a cylinder having an open first end and an aperture through a second end, a collar fixed to the cylinder first end, and having an annular internal flange, and a guide washer slidably disposed in the collar second end. The link further includes a piston extending through the cylinder aperture and through the guide washer, the piston including a neck portion and a head portion disposed at a first end of the piston. A cap is connectable to the collar. Balls are adapted to be disposed adjacent the piston neck portion and radially adjacent the collar internal flange. A spring is disposed in the cylinder and biases the guide washer toward the balls. A first connector is on the cap for attachment to the first cable, and a second connector is on a second end of the piston for attachment to the second cable.

Abstract: A quick release ball type locking pin is described in which a tubular body is formed along an axis. The tubular body includes an internal bore defined by an internal tubular wall surface, and an external tubular body surface. A locking ball having an outside ball diameter is received within a locking ball retainer socket formed in the tubular body. The retainer socket includes an external opening along the external body surface and an internal socket wall leading into the internal bore. The internal socket wall includes a ball retainer flange formed by a first outer socket wall section and further includes a cross-sectional dimension less than the outside ball diameter. The internal socket wall leads inward with respect to the axis from the external opening to a first edge spaced inward of the external opening. The internal socket wall also includes a flared section leading from the edge to a second edge. A ball receiving section leads inward to the internal bore from the second edge.

Abstract: A quick connect coupler for connection to a stud includes a female coupler body having a plurality of balls in ball receiving bores which are advanceable into a stud bore in the female coupler for engaging a stud upon advancement of the stud into the stud bore. The balls are held in engagement with the stud by a locking collar having an annular groove. The female coupler is disengaged from the stud by pressurized air acting against a plunger mounted within the stud bore and connected to the locking collar to drive the locking collar forward such that the annular groove is advanced into alignment with the ball receiving bores in the female coupler body. A blocking sleeve is mounted on a plunger shaft and biased forward to slide across the ball receiving bores as the stud is withdrawn to hold the balls out of the stud bore.

Abstract: Roller member connectors facilitate quick change of tools used by robot hands. Each roller member includes a pair of projections on either side thereof. On the inner surface of each retainer opening, a pair of guide grooves are formed to guide the projections so that they are retained during operation.

Abstract: A trailer fastening device has a fastening shaft, a collar, a spring, and a solid ball. The collar has a center hole, a through hole, and an inner recess hole receiving the spring and the solid ball. The fastening shaft has a middle blocking disk, a lower threaded rod disposed on a bottom of the middle blocking disk, and an upper rod disposed on a top portion of the middle blocking disk. The upper rod has a helical groove, a blind hole formed on an end of the helical groove, and the end of the helical groove being a bevel. The upper rod is inserted in the center hole of the collar. The collar is rotated until the solid ball reaches the blind hole of the upper rod.

Abstract: A locking system with at least one locking element has a sleeve (2) with an inner groove (3) and an outer groove (4), which lie in a common plane and encircle at least one half of the circumference, the outer groove (4) accommodating a radially pre-stressed spring washer (9) forming an open sector in the circumferential direction between the legs (12) on either side, which are pointedly bent towards the inside and extend through assigned radial openings (5) of the sleeve (2) into the inner groove (3).

Abstract: A twist lock for connecting containers comprises a housing integrally formed with an upper fitting part and a lower fitting part each being capable of fitting into a fitting hole in a corner fitting of a container, a spindle inserted in the housing in a rotatable and vertically displaceable manner, an upper lock connected to the top end of the spindle and being engageable with the fitting hole in the corner fitting of the container, and a lower lock being in positional agreement with and fixed securly to the lower fitting part of the housing and slidably fitted with a plurality of locking members which can engage with and disengage from the fitting hole in the corner fitting of the container. In this twist lock, the spindle is urged by a spring member in such a direction that the upper lock can engage with the fitting hole in the corner fitting of the container, while each of the locking members is urged by another spring member in such a direction that it can retract into the lower lock.

Abstract: A bar (25) for holding open a cover (4) hinged on the nacelle enclosing an aircraft engine (7) comprises two sections (26 and 28) of unequal length, one of which is hinged (27) on the cover (4) and the other (30) on the engine (7). The mechanism for locking or unlocking the sections (26 and 28) is controlled by a handle adjacent to the cover hinge (27). The bar can therefore be controlled by the very operator who is responsible for raising the cover (4).

Abstract: An axle is made-up of a left and a right axle halves which axially engage to form a completed axle assemble for supporting a roller skate wheel or other rotating member. A control rod is positioned and enabled for axial translation within the axle and may be moved by physical contact with the rod through an access hole at one end of the axle. A spring normally positions the control rod so that a set of ball bearings mounted within radial holes in the axle are forced into outward positions for engaging the axle halves to form a unitary unit. When the control rod is translated against spring tension, however, the bearings are able to move radially inwardly so as to disengage the axle halves for quick disassembly for replacing a wheel or other need. The axle provides a spring bias enabled for forcefully separating the axle halves once released. A threaded cap is adjustable in its position to moderate the separating force.

Abstract: An axle is made-up of a left and a right axle halves which axially engage to form a completed axle assemble for supporting a roller skate wheel or other rotating member. A control rod is positioned and enabled for axial translation within the axle and may be moved by physical contact with the rod through an access hole at one end of the axle. A spring normally positions the control rod so that a set of ball bearings mounted within radial holes in the axle are forced into outward positions for engaging the axle halves to form a unitary unit. When the control rod is translated against spring tension, however, the bearings are able to move radially inwardly so as to disengage the axle halves for quick disassembly for replacing a wheel or other need. The axle provides a spring bias enabled for forcefully separating the axle halves once released. A threaded cap is adjustable in its position to moderate the separating force.

Abstract: A fixing device for a hub and a tube of a baby stroller frame includes a hub including an axial hole having two ends, each end of the hub having a bearing mounted therein. A tubular shaft of an appropriate length includes a longitudinal hole having two ends, each end of the shaft including a compartment having a diameter greater than that of the longitudinal hole of the shaft. One of the ends of the shaft includes an outer periphery with an outer threading formed thereon. The other end of the shaft is extended beyond the hub and includes two radial holes, a ball being partially received in each radial hole and partially exposed beyond the radial hole. A core rod includes an enlarged first end and a second end with a neck portion and a groove. A spring is mounted around the core rod. A dust cap is a soft cap made of plastic material with resiliency to provide a chamber for receiving the enlarged first end of the core rod that is extended beyond the shaft.

Abstract: A passive capture joint with three degrees of freedom is presented wherein two structural elements are joined together solely by moving the two elements into position, and which when joined together have rotation in all three axes. The inventive apparatus is comprised of two halves: 1) a joint ball mounted on a stem as in a common trailer hitch, and; 2) a socket. The socket consists of a base having an exterior wall and forming an interior chamber, the chamber having a top end and a bottom end, and an interior wall. The chamber is open at the top end, and forms a spherical cup at the bottom end. The socket base's interior chamber is sized to accept the joint ball. The base also forms at least one bore at an acute angle away from the interior chamber's open end. The bores have a first opening in the interior wall of the chamber, and a second opening in the exterior wall of the base.

Abstract: An adapter for a driver of a rotary tool, and including a pin and slot combination effective between an adapter body and an adapter collar which is slidable on the body. A pin and slot combination guides the sliding and a spring urges the collar with its pin and slot combination into a tool locking position. The slot in the combination is at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the adapter, and thus it secures the working tool relative to the body and does so by means of a rotary action for the collar which actually also induces the axial movement of the collar for the securing of the tool. The tool has a conical surface oriented opposite to that of a collar conical surface which bears upon the balls for the tool tightening action mentioned. The method of securing the tool is included in the aforementioned.