Abstract: A method and device for producing a hollow cylindrical, edible container composed of a vegetable item or fruit item (10), in particular of a cucumber, courgette or the like, which can be filled with a filling. The device has a centring means (11) for centring and fixing the fruit item (10), a hollowing-out means (21) for removing the core of the fruit item (10) and forming an internal cavity, and a peeling device for removing the outer shell of the fruit item (10).

Abstract: A drilling apparatus includes: a drill rotatable about a center axis and capable of advancing and retracting along the axis; and a pressing unit for pressing a work in an advancing direction of the drill. The drilling apparatus advances the drill while rotating the drill about the center axis to form a hole in the work, in a state in which the work is pressed by the pressing unit. A pressing force applied on the work by the pressing unit is set to a predetermined pressing force based on machining reaction applied to the drill from the work during drilling and the pressing force causing deformation of the work in the advancing direction of the drill. The predetermined pressing force can suppress deformation of the work and displacement of the drill due to the machining reaction. The machining reaction and the pressing force are calculated beforehand in a drilling test.

Abstract: A drilling system is formed as a support structure to be mounted on a surface to be drilled, a beam supported by the support structure, a tool holder supported by the beam and having a locking orifice, and a drilling tool mounted on the tool holder by sliding connection in the direction parallel to the drilling axis. The drilling tool includes a bearing mandrel and an expandable ring closely fitting the bearing mandrel along a tapered contact surface for expanding the ring to ensure its locking in the locking orifice. Relative movement between the ring locked in the locking orifice and the bearing mandrel procures, by movement of the drilling tool relative to the tool holder via the slide connection, a movement of the bearing mandrel towards the surface to be drilled, through the locking orifice.

Abstract: The present invention is a transfer apparatus for a substrate, including a substrate housing container housing a substrate therein and having a transfer-in/out port for the substrate formed in a side surface thereof; a gas jet unit jetting a predetermined gas toward a rear surface of the substrate in the substrate housing container; and a control unit regulating a supply amount of the predetermined gas supplied from the gas jet unit to control the substrate in the substrate housing container to a predetermined height.

Abstract: A tool is provided for drilling holes through first and second structural members having a layer of liquid shim disposed between the first and second structural members. The tool comprises a drill jig having apertures defining a location for the holes to be drilled in the structural members and a heat blanket coupled to at least a portion of a bottom surface of the drill jig, said tool being coupled to one of said structural members in an area proximate the liquid shim. A method of drilling holes in first and second structural members having a layer of liquid shim disposed therebetween is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for drilling a plurality of holes in a stretched substrate in at least two directions not in the same plane, including providing a substrate in a substrate holder, stretching the substrate in at least one direction to a stretched configuration, and drilling at least one hole in the substrate while in a stretched configuration. The present invention further provides methods and apparatus for drilling impinging jet nozzles in stretched or pre-stretched substrates.

Abstract: A pipe string in an oil well has a cable 2 slidingly attached along it. It may be necessary to break the pipe string. Apparatus is provided for controlling the position of a fracture in the cable, as it is desirable to break the cable at about the same point. The apparatus comprises a pocket 1 attached to the cable and having a passage through which the cable passes, and upper and lower nipples 5 and 6 attached to the cable in the pocket. The lower face 5′ of the nipple 5 is skewed relative to the lower internal face 3′ of the pocket and the facing faces (5″, 6′) of the two nipples are skewed relative to each other, so bending and kinking the cable when tension is applied. The cable therefore breaks at the bend or kink. The pipe string includes a plurality of such apparatuses located at spaced points along its length.

Abstract: A stringer clip end effector (21) suitable for use with a computer-controlled (CC) machine tool is disclosed. The stringer clip end effector (21) includes a pair of jaws (45,47) for picking up a clip (23) at a presentation location. After being moved by the CC machine tool to an insertion location adjacent to a hat-shaped stringer (31), a pair of cams (60a, 60b) located on opposite sides of the clip (23) are extended into the stringer cavity (25) and rotated to spread the stringer walls (27,29). Thereafter, the clip (23) is positioned in the stringer cavity (25). Then, the cams (60a, 60b) are rotated to a nonspread position, and clamp elements (49a, 49b, 51a, 51b) are actuated to press the walls (27, 29) of the stringer (31) against the clip (23). Next, drill bits (57a, 57b, 59a, 59b) that face the outer surface of the stringer walls (27, 29) are energized and moved toward the stringer walls. After holes are drilled through the stringer walls and the clip, the drill bits are withdrawn.

Abstract: A method of forming a disposable suction swab from an elongated stem having an enlarged, resilient tip at one end. The stem is installed in a longitudinal central channel in the tip, and the assembly is then compressed between a pair of displaceable clamp plates, the plates having drill apertures in registration with one another and with the tip being in alignment with the apertures. A hole is then bored through the compressed tip and stem by drilling through the apertures in the clamp plates. The plates are released to eject the formed swab.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for cutting an opening in the side of a pipe carrying gas under pressure, providing a bypass through the cut, and terminating the bypass when the pipe has been repaired, along with apparatus for performing steps of the method. To provide the bypass, a branching saddle is bonded to the pipe, and a fixture is mounted on the pipe at the saddle. The fixture comprises a barrel having an inlet at one end, into which the pipe stub of the branching saddle extends, and a second inlet at its opposite end, through which various tool-insertion assemblies may be inserted, and an axial bore connecting the inlets. A gate valve, housed within a drum around the midsection of the barrel, is operable to divide the barrel so that the bore region in its upper part is pressure-isolated from that in its lower part.

Abstract: Before being coated with the magnetizable material, the substrate plates are machined on a precision turning lathe in such a way that the annular surface provided for the storage area is convexly arched on both sides of the plate. For this purpose, the substrate plate, during machining, is held on the chuck in a concave arch of the annular surface and machined flat with a purely radial free movement of the cutting tool, or held on a flat chuck and turned down under a feed movement of the tool, which feed movement corresponds to the required convex arching of the annular surface. In the first machining method, the elastically deformed substrate plate, after removal from the chuck, loses tension and forms a convexly arched annular surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for the continuous cutting of a generally cylindrical rod from soft flexible polymeric foam slabs is disclosed.

Abstract: An extrusion die for extruding helical gears or the like is formed with an extrusion passage having a predetermined draft by initially forming a blank with a central bore and frusto conical outer side surface coaxial with the bore. The formed blank is then forcibly pressed into a frusto conical bore in a die case. The frusto conical bore in the die case is tapered at an angle less than that of the outer surface of the die blank, thus when seated in the bore, radial compressive forces are applied to the blank which progressively increase in magnitude from the small diameter end of the blank to its large diameter end. While so compressed, helical gear teeth are cut into the wall of the central bore of the blank. Upon removal from the case, the blank metal expands radially to provide the machined central passage with the desired draft.

Abstract: A cutting device for the precision trimming of a symmetrical portion of the peripheral edge of a centrifugally cast lens secured within a cavity of a female mold without the need for extensive and complex prior alignment of the cutting tool with the lens.

Abstract: A method for making a wheel and a wheel so made is disclosed in which the tire bead seats in the rim are deformed inwardly, the wheel is held by the deformed bead seats, and the bolting surfaces of the web are machined in fixed relation to the bead seats. Preferably, the bead seats are deformed sequentially to work welded metal attachment of a web to the rim, and then place it under compression. Preferably, the bolting surface is machined in the form of a flat cone that is approximately three degrees from planar, and the lug holes are chamfered to place surrounding metal in direct compression, and to deform the conically shaped bolting surfaces into flat engagement with planar surfaces on the hubs on which the wheels are to be installed. A method of determined angularity of the web to the rim is utilized to reject poorly aligned webs before machining the bolting surfaces, and thereby prevent undo thinning of the web, and as a means of product control.

Abstract: An elongated housing 10 has a positioning rod 13 located therein, slidable with respect to the housing. A guide rod 14 slides parallel to the positioning rod. The guide rod and the positioning rod are coupled together by end elements 38, 39. The housing 10 is formed with recesses or bores 11, 12 for the positioning rods 13, 14 and additionally is formed with bores to transfer energy at power level for subsequent positioning or operating units, as well as to permit transfer of control signals. The positioning rod can be operated by fluid pressure by coupling a piston, slidable within its operating space and forming a cylinder, or by an electrical rack-and-pinion or worm screw drive. The unit is compact and closed towards the outside, suitable for modular association with similar or other units, and devoid of external flexible hoses or cables interfering with access thereto.

Abstract: A sleeve having a tapered outer surface is shrink or interference fitted over the outer surface of a die blank in which is formed a central bore, a larger diameter bore and a transition bore therebetween. The diametrical interference between the sleeve and the die blank is effective in producing an elastic deformation of the smaller diameter bore causing it to assume a conical shape. The die blank and sleeve are restrained within a casing and the inner surface of the die is formed by electrical discharge machining, electrical chemical machining or by other known methods. The die casing and sleeve are removed from the die, allowing the release of the stored strain energy of deformation which causes the smaller bore of the die to assume a conical shape tapering radially outwardly from its inner extremity. The sharp corner that results at the innermost end of the smaller bore is removed by lapping a straight-sided tool through the central opening of the die.

Abstract: A machine for truing both the tire bead seats, and the side surfaces of a web of a wheel. The machine has a work supporting station with radially inwardly movable bead seat deforming jaws, and top and bottom machining heads on slides which move toward and away from the respective sides of the web of a wheel supported by the jaws. The axis of rotation of the machining heads are precisely concentric with the deforming jaws. The bottom machining head is used to chamfer the edges of bolting holes, and the top machining head is used to machine the bolting surfaces of the web. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom slide carries a plurality of gauging switches for contact with the web and for locating its welded position relative to the bead seats. The lower machine head also carries an adjustable gauge post which projects up past the jaws for contact by a gauging switch carried by the slide of the upper head.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning a boring machine relative to an engine block or the like has a base plate suitable for arrangement upon a deck surface of the block, the plate being formed with openings above each of the cylindrical bores as well as in alignment with threaded passages in the block. Preferably, bolts are threaded into the block to secure the base plate so that, during reboring, the bolts distort the block about the bores in a similar manner as during engine operation. Also preferably, adjustable means are arranged between the base plate and the deck surface of the engine block in order to position the base plate in precise alignment with the main bearing axis of the engine block so that the bores are formed perpendicularly to the main bearing axis.

Abstract: A curved slot is formed between an internal cavity of an airfoil and the trailing edge thereof by temporarily deflecting the airfoil trailing edge portion toward the suction side thereof, forming a straight slot in the trailing edge portion while it is in the deflected position, and releasing the deflecting pressure to allow the trailing edge portion to spring back into an unstressed condition so as to thereby curve the slot within the trailing edge portion. Further curvatures may be effected by subsequent reformation of the trailing edge portion toward the pressure side of the airfoil.

Abstract: A device for the centered clamping of an annular workpiece or workpiece stack formed of a plurality of annular workpieces, to hold the same in position for the machining of the inner faces thereof, includes first and second axially aligned clamping rings for engaging opposite, radially extending end faces of a workpiece or workpiece stack positioned in a space between the clamping rings; a centering cylinder surrounding the space and having a lead-in chamfer at one edge thereof; and a clamping arrangement for moving the two clamping rings relative to one another.

Abstract: For removable attachment to a sheet metal drain trough or gutter a cutting fixture which has rigid template portion having an opening therethrough defining the size and shape of a hole to be cut through the bottom of the gutter. Pivotable brackets extending from opposite edge portions of the template adapted to clampingly engage the upper side wall portions of the gutter to hold the template snugly against the bottom of the gutter and impart rigidity to the gutter for cutting and is particularly adapted for use with a router. The invention also includes a method of using the fixture in making cutouts in drain troughs for installing downspout tubing.