Abstract:
The toggle lever clamp has a clamp housing coupled with a cylinder assembly. A piston assembly is movable within the cylinder assembly. A rod is coupled with the piston assembly. The rod extends into a cavity within the clamp housing. A toggle lever assembly is coupled at one end of the rod inside of the clamp housing. A sensor assembly is coupled with the clamp housing. The sensor assembly includes a pair of sensors or switches spaced from each other and positioned on a mounting plate. The mounting plate is slidably secured within the clamp housing. A sensor pickup is movably positioned on the rod so that the sensor pickup is multi-positionable on the rod to adjust the stroke of the toggle lever assembly.
Abstract:
A bearing arrangement comprises a sleeve having a cylindrical portion and a hemi-cylindrical portion; and a clamp having first and second halves, wherein the first half engages a surface of a shaft disposed through the sleeve, and wherein the second half has a hemi-annular recess for receiving the hemi-cylindrical portion of the sleeve.
Abstract:
A two-part clip construction includes a U-shaped clip made from a plastic material with the legs of the clip spaced so as to fit over and then be deformed through a through passage in a leg locking member. The construction is especially designed to permit utilization of polymerics for forming the clips.
Abstract:
A vehicle-straightening bench (20) is utilized to apply pulling forces to a damaged vehicle chassis to restore the damaged chassis to an original configuration. The bench includes a vehicle platform (22) with a carriage track (24) having a plurality of carriage assemblies (100) movably received by the carriage track (24). Each carriage assembly (100) supports a pulling assembly (200) for applying the pulling forces. A trapezoidal carriage body (102) of the carriage assembly (100) rolls in the carriage track (24), and the carriage assembly also includes a tower positioning mechanism (104) to hold the pulling assemblies (200) in place while the carriage body (102) is are rolled on the track (24). The carriage assembly (100) also includes a locking mechanism (106) to lock them in place during a vehicle a pull. A force arm (206) is extended between the pulling mechanism (200) and the platform (22), so that the carriage assembly (100) is not the only force transmission path between the pulling assembly (200) and the bench (20). The automated control system (300) of the bench (20) utilizes two hydraulic pumps (316,314) to power front and back lifts (65,64), respectively. Only one of the pumps (314) is used by the pulling assemblies (200). A PLC (308) and a remote control (310) are used to control the bench (20).
Abstract:
A refrigeration system for objects is disclosed. The system includes a refrigeration device and a defrost system. The refrigeration device provides a case or container defining a space for the objects, a first heat exchanger associated with the container for cooling a fluid communicating with the space to cool the objects and a second heat exchanger to receive a heat supply from an air source for warming the fluid. A system for cooling articles is also disclosed. The system includes a space configured to contain the articles, a first element to provide cooling of the articles within the space, a first coolant source to refrigerate the space by cooling the first element in a first state, and a second coolant source to elevate a temperature of the first element in a second state.
Abstract:
An improved laser scanning apparatus (46) for determining frame or unibody alignment or misalignment of a vehicle (40) is provided, which includes a laser assembly (54), a pair of rotatable mirror assemblies (56,58) and laser detectors (114,116) located within an enclosed housing (50,52). The laser assembly (54) has an upper pair of lasers (122,126) located in known, spaced relationship above a lower pair of lasers (124,128); detector assemblies (114, 116) are also provided including substantially parabolic reflective surfaces (118a, 120a) with detectors (114a, 116a) disposed substantially at the focal point of the surfaces (118a, 120a). The apparatus (46) is used in conjunction with a plurality of individually coded reflective targets (44) which are suspended from known reference points on the vehicle (40). In use, the laser assembly (54) in conjunction with the mirror assemblies (56,58) directs upper and lower laser beams through 360 degree scans to impinge on the targets (44); laser radiation reflected from the targets (44) is detected by the detector assemblies (114, 116), allowing trigonometric calculation of target positions using information derived from the scans of the upper and lower beams. In this way, a determination can be made if any of the targets (44) are out of plumb (i.e., not truly vertical). Preferably, the housing (50,52) includes a pair of elongated, laser-transparent panels (88, 90) and is effectively sealed to minimize contamination of the apparatus (46). The provision of parabolic detection assemblies 114, 116 increases the signal-to-noise ratio for the apparatus (46).
Abstract:
A vehicle loading system for the wash bay of an automatic vehicle wash system that eliminates the use of a floor-mounted target to capture the front tire of the vehicle to be washed. The vehicle wash system includes a pair of side position sensors that detect and create a side profile of the vehicle as the vehicle enters into the wash bay. The vehicle wash system includes a front sensor array that includes a plurality of through-beam sensors that detect the front bumper of a vehicle and signal the vehicle operator to stop when the front bumper is in the correct position. An overhead sensor contained on the overhead gantry detects the top profile of the vehicle positioned within the open wash bay. A control unit receives the information from the variety of sensors and operates the overhead gantry based upon the detected parameters of the vehicle.
Abstract:
A chemical dispenser for a chemical dispensing system is disclosed. The chemical dispenser includes an input selector valve having an opened position and a closed position and configured to be coupled to a diluent source, a diverter valve coupled to the input selector valve, and a plurality of eductors coupled to the diverter valve. The diverter valve includes a valve head having a diluent port, a valve seat having a plurality of eductor ports, wherein each eductor port is in communication with a respective one of the plurality of eductors, and a drive mechanism coupled to the valve head and configured to move the valve head relative to the valve seat. The valve head may include one or more pressure relief ports for equalizing the diluent pressure across the valve head. A chemical dispensing system including the chemical dispenser and a method of using the chemical dispenser are also disclosed.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for dispensing chemicals include an eductor having a diluent inlet, a chemical pickup port, a discharge port, and a venturi fluidly coupled between the diluent inlet and the discharge port. A diluent valve having an outlet is coupled to the diluent inlet. A chemical manifold includes a plurality of chemical inlets and a chemical outlet fluidly coupled to the chemical pickup port. A plurality of chemical valves are each coupled to one of the plurality of chemical inlets; and a controller is communicatively coupled to the diluent valve and the plurality of chemical valves and configured to operate the diluent valve and the chemical valves to dispense measured doses of individual chemicals through the chemical pickup port.
Abstract:
A chemical dispenser (14) includes a housing (40), a controller (34) disposed in the housing (40) for operating the chemical dispenser (14), at least one module bay (64) in the housing (40) and at least one module (66) selectively coupled to the at least one module bay (64) and operatively coupled to the controller (34) for operation with the chemical dispenser (14). The at least one module (66) may be selected from a plurality of modules each capable of being coupled to the at least one module bay (64) and operating under the control of the controller (34). A low-maintenance piston pump module (90, 240, 340) for use with the chemical dispenser (14) is also disclosed.