Abstract: A warning reflector construction is provided comprising a transparent plate having a rear surface opposite a light-entrance surface. The rear surface comprises torus surfaces arranged side-by-side and supporting an outermost reflective layer. The optical axes of the torus surfaces can be arranged at an angle to the perpendicular to the light-entrance surface. The warning reflector can be produced by injection moulding or stamping.

Abstract: Coating or lining normally-corrodible tubular metal shapes with corrosion-resistant metal coatings or linings is effected by placing the tubular metal shape in concentric telescopic relationship with a tubular shape of the corrosion-resistant metal to provide an assembly consisting of an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member, closing the ends of the inner member, introducing a liquid into the interior of the inner member to fill that member, and then freezing the liquid while confined in the inner member, whereby the outer wall of the inner member is expanded into firm contact with the inner wall of the outer member. The process is typically applied to an assembly of the two shapes in concentric telescopic relationship with one of the shaped defining an inner member and the other of the shapes defining an outer member, a first cap and a second cap enclosing the ends of the inner member in fluid-tight relationship, and means for introducing a liquid through one of the caps.

Abstract: A method of forming a permanent curve in a length of convoluted wire-reinforced flexible plastics tubing comprises the steps of first flexing the chosen region of the tube into a curve whose radius is tighter than that eventually desired; forcibly holding said region in said tighter than desired curves; applying to the tube an internal pressure which is insufficient to burst the tube but which is high enough to strain the wire-reinforcement, the tube material, or both, in the bend region beyond its or their elastic limit; maintaining said internal pressure for a finite period of time; releasing the pressure; and finally releasing the tube from its preheld curve.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for expanding cylinders for work hardening, especially for large diameter cylinders and cylinders of great length, are disclosed. The cylinder is clamped between two flanges and a shaft is inserted coaxially through the cylinders and through the flanges to reduce the force applied axially to the flanges while pressure is applied to the interior of the cylinder. Various arrangements for adjusting the position of the flanges to accommodate for expansion of the cylinder are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention is a structure and process of truing piston cylinders. The structure consists of a main mandrel support means to hold a mandrel member therein including (1) a support base means; (2) a piston cylinder support means mounted on the support base means; and (3) a power supply means connected to the support base means and the piston cylinder support means. The piston cylinder support means includes a stationary headstock and a movable tailstock, both supported on the support base means. The stationary headstock and the movable tailstock are operable to hold a piston cylinder to be trued therebetween plus each having a mandrel receiving member. The power supply means is operable to supply fluid under pressure to the stationary headstock and return fluid to a reservoir tank through the movable tailstock.

Abstract: Apparatus for bending a laminated panel about at least one intended bend line extending parallel with the bottom of a notch formed in the backing of the panel. The panel is retained in engagement with a forming edge which extends along and is at least coextensive with the bend line. The panel and the forming edge are supported spaced-apart from a base. A substantially air-impervious membrane covers the panel and cooperates with the base to provide a substantially closed chamber. Means is provided establishing a pressure within the chamber which is less than the pressure outside of the chamber, whereby the pressure outside of the chamber forces the panel to bend about the forming edge thereby to place the panel portions on opposite sides of the bend line in angular relation relative to each other. A method for bending laminated panels is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for forming an opening in a composite metal panel on an edge of the panel at a position wherein the opening is to be formed and hammered to delineate a bond interface. The opening is formed between the sheets of the panel and inwardly of the edge thereof starting from the delineated bond interface. The opening is adapted to provide a means for communicating a fluid under pressure for inflating tubular passageways in the panel.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for forming an opening in a composite metal panel. The edge of the panel is hammered to delineate a bond interface. The hammering includes both moving a hammering member to and fro against the edge while simultaneously rocking the member about the edge. This provides improved delineation of the bond interface for further processing.

Abstract: A process and means for forming or bonding a liner to a shell or element wherein the liner is filled with or immersed in water and a portion of the water is frozen.

Abstract: A sheet flattener for a sheet-fed printing press or the like in which sheets having a tendency to curl are conveyed edgewise from a source to a receiver along a path of flow. A pair of cylindrical members, or rollers, define between them a receiving space which extends cross-wise with respect to the direction of sheet movement. A vacuum is applied in the receiving space so that a conveyed sheet is drawn against the rollers in a cusped profile, undergoing an abrupt bend at the point of the cusp in a direction opposite to the direction of curling tendency so that the curl is neutralized. At least the downstream one of the roller is mounted for rotational movement at the speed of the sheet thereby to reduce the frictional drag of the sheet. In the preferred embodiment both rollers are mounted for rotation and the surfaces thereof are roughened with a two-dimensional pattern of shallow projections to minimize contact with the surface of the sheet and to prevent relative slippage.

Abstract: A method of quickly restoring a deformed outer vehicle panel to its original contour which consists in the steps of placing a deflated inflateable air bag between the inner surface of the indented panel and against an unyielding member in the vehicle, then inflating the air bag with sufficient air pressure to force the indented panel portion back to normal contour, and, if necessary, hammering out any irregularities in the panel while the air bag still remains inflated. After the panel has been restored to normal contour, the air bag is deflated and removed.

Abstract: An anticorrosive bellows made of stainless steel containing 0.10% by weight or less of C, 2.5-5% by weight of Si, 2% by weight or less of Mn, 15-20% by weight of Cr, 10-22% by weight of Ni, 10 times or more as much as the C content but at most 2.5% by weight of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ta and Zr, and the remainder consisiting substantially of Fe shows excellent corrosion resistance even under strongly corrosive circumstances, e.g. fuming or concentrated nitric acid. Said stainless steel has improved workability, weldability and endurance and the produced bellows can be used as a bellows valve, a bellows joint, and the like.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming dental matrices and copings is disclosed. The apparatus provides a first and a second compression member, each of which is provided with a pliable surface thereon. One of the compression members has a point for the attachment of a conventionally formed tooth die thereto, upon which a sheet of conventional coping material can be placed. The compression members are attachable to a jacking apparatus which imparts relative motion to the two compression members urging them together and compressing the tooth die therebetween the sheet of coping material conforming to the shape of the tooth die itself. In the method of the present invention, the first and second compression members are placed a distance apart, and the tooth die attached to one of the compression members at its pliable surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for taking dents, bends, and crushed areas out of siphon tubes and restoring the tubes to their original shape, the apparatus comprising a pair of end plugs, a pair of tube vises, a pair of screw clamps, and an hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump has an inlet from a water source, such as a common garden hose, and an outlet to one of the end plugs. The end plugs each have an internal fluid passage for fluid communication with the interior of the tube to be restored. A second end plug is attached to the other end of the tube; the second plug terminating in a draincock for ridding the system of any air. The end plugs are held in sealed engagement with the ends of the tube to be restored by means of screw clamps which are anchored to the tube by means of the vises. To restore a crushed tube, water is allowed to fill the system through the inlet of the hydraulic pump. The draincock is then closed, sealing the system.

Abstract: A device for removing curling tendency in sheets, particularly sheets fed to printing presses, in which the sheets are conveyed over two beam-like supporting members arranged transversely with respect to the direction of sheet movement and presenting supporting surfaces which are spaced parallel to one another on one side of the sheet to define a groove in between them. Suction is applied within the groove to draw a passing sheet downwardly into the groove to produce a relatively sharp concave bend in the sheet thereby to counteract the curling tendency. The cross-sectional profile of the groove is variable by a movable member to vary the profile of the groove and hence the degree of sharpness of the bend, thereby permitting the degree of correction to be varied while keeping the suction substantially constant. The device, in both preferred and alternate embodiments, has provision for removing curling tendency in opposite directions.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an integral reverse buckling fluid pressure rupturable apparatus comprised of a support body formed of a ductile material having opposite ends and having a recess extending inwardly from one of the opposite ends, the internal terminus of the recess being positioned in close proximity to the other of the opposite ends of the body or to the terminus of another recess extending inwardly from the other of the opposite ends, whereby a relatively thin integral concave-convex rupturable portion is formed in the body having a known reverse buckling rupture pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of shaping interconnect leads which have been cut from an interconnect lead tape and have a semiconductor chip attached thereto. With a semiconductor chip attached to the interconnect leads of one section of an interconnect lead tape, and either during or after cutting of such leads from the remaining portion of the tape by means of a punch and matrix, a pressure differential is developed across the leads and chip to shape the leads to a desired and repeatable uniform configuration. While this pressure differential is applied, the free ends of the leads are held in one plane, such that the semiconductor chip is translated to a position which is spaced from the plane in which the free ends of the leads are held, thus bending the leads to conform to this change in position. This shaping can occur either before, during, or after the free ends of such interconnect leads are bonded to a lead frame.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for plastically de-forming material in a high pressure cylinder, the material being pre-formed into a mandrel billet with an attachment portion and a piston at respective opposite ends thereof and interconnected by an intermediate portion having a smaller cross section than the piston. Holder structure releasably mounted within the high pressure cylinder adjacent the pressure chamber retains the mandrel billet and includes securing means at one end for retaining the attachment portion and engagement means at the other end for slidably engaging the piston. Pressurization of the pressure chamber generates an increase in the pressure medium which acts on the transition surface between the intermediate portion and the piston to cause an elongation of the intermediate portion of the mandrel billet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously bending or creasing sheet material as the material travels along a path. The invention creases and decurls the material; that is, compensates for a natural tendency to curl in the opposite direction, and serves as a drag on the trailing portion of the sheet material, thereby providing positive sheet control. It is characterized by an air pressure gradient which forces the material into a zone between a pair of parallel, spaced, elongated support surfaces as the material is drawn over the support surfaces.

Abstract: The sealing device comprises two interengaged members forming a clearance space in which is imprisoned a deformable seal for ensuring pressure-tightness between the members and the internal surface of the press chamber. The member which is in contact with the liquid medium under hydrostatic pressure comprises means for establishing pressure equilibrium within the press chamber and within the clearance space immediately after deformation of the seal.

Abstract: An improved decurler device, in the form of a rounded, substantially M-shaped vacuum bar, is provided for drawing curled sheet material into its rounded trough where a multiplicity of spaced vacuum openings are located thereby reversely bending the sheet and taking out the curl previously imparted to it. The bar is made of a reinforced plastic material with a hard and very smooth surface which wears well and does not scratch, mar or otherwise destruct the face of the sheet materials. A dispersion of fine carbon particles in the surface material of the bar is also effective to eliminate static electric charges built up in the sheet material incident to previous processing operations.

Abstract: An apparatus for expanding a tube or pipe by axially compressing an annular resilient element to cause said element to radially expand into engagement with the inner surface of the tube or pipe. The compressing of the resilient element and its radial expansion is caused by a main piston and cylinder structure which is subjected to fluid under pressure. A secondary or impact piston is provided in the main piston for applying higher stresses to the tube or pipe through the resilient element. The resilient element is interposed between a plurality of spaced annular ring members which constitute guide means therefor.

Abstract: An isostatic press of the kind in which the workpieces and associated tools are enclosed in a pressure vessel filled with a pressure liquid and closed by a lid. The pressure liquid is pressurized after the pressure vessel has been introduced into a frame adapted to absorb substantially vertical forces. The lid is disposed in the frame and is arranged to be moved substantially vertically in relation to the pressure vessel after said vessel has been introduced into the frame.

Abstract: A method of expanding the diametric size of coins and retaining the impressions, embossings, stamping definitions, or the like, thereon for use in jewelry, medallions, and the like, and which comprises initially placing a coin between two layers of carrier metal having a fluidity different from the fluidity of the metal of the coin whereby the carrier metal expands faster or flows more readily than the coin metal, applying pressure against the coin and carriers until the carrier material and coin metal begin to flow from the center out, removing the slightly enlarged or expanded coin from the initial carrier members and placing the enlarged coin between two additional layers of carrier material for repeating the process until the coin has been enlarged or expanded to the desired end size.

Abstract: In a weld for two metals having adjacent surfaces with a welded zone having deposited weld metal and an unwelded zone with a stress concentration between the two zones that would normally drastically decrease the fatigue strength, the fatigue strength is greatly improved by applying a preliminary load on the welds zone by the application of a fluid pressure between the unwelded adjacent surfaces to directly stress the stress concentration transition area. Preferably, the stress intensity factor for the fluid pressure at the stress concentration zone will be higher than the combined tensile and flexural stress intensity factors so that there will be localized yielding at the stress concentration area without damaging the remainder of the weld. The metal and/or fluid is heated to avoid fracture and further to vaporize any liquid remaining once the fluid pressure is removed.

Abstract: A means of and method of forming sheet metal by use of fluid pressure wherein an initially flat sheet metal work piece is placed on a backing plate with its margins clamped between the plate and a peripheral clamping ring. The clamping ring is clamped against the margin of the work piece by a plurality of fluid operated clamping units. the side of the work piece opposite from the backing plate and within the clamping ring is free to expand or distend without restraint except that provided by the metal comprising the work piece itself. Pressure fluid is introduced between the metal work piece and its backing plate to cause the work piece to distend away from the backing plate. A set of freely movable feeler strips engage the edge of the work piece at spaced points. The feeler strips control sensing units which, in turn, control the pressure exerted by the clamping units so as to permit predetermined slippage of the margin of the work piece with respect to the clamping rings.