thimble
A pitted, now usually metal, cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, which is used in sewing to push the needle through material.
Industrial supplies, equipment, and components
401 entries in this trade.
three sisters
The combination of maize (corn), pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris or climbing beans, string beans, etc.), and squash (i.e. pumpkin), especially when planted together in intertwined plantings.
thresher
A modern farm machine for threshing grain, now a part of combine harvesters rather than a separate implement.
throttle valve
A mechanical or electrical device used to regulate the flow of a fluid entering the engine.
through-hole technology
Mounting scheme used for electronic components that involves the use of leads on the components that are inserted into holes drilled in printed circuit boards and soldered to pads on the opposite side.
tie-up
The connection of a loom's treadles to its shafts, used in combination with the threading and treadling to create a pattern.
time stretch analog-to-digital converter
A device for digitizing analog signals of very high bandwidth, effectively slowing down the original signal in time (or compressing its bandwidth) before it can be digitized by a slow electronic ADC.
time-domain reflectometer
An electronic instrument used to determine the characteristics of electrical lines by observing reflected pulses.
time-of-use meter
A device that measures and records the usage of electricity during a prespecified period of the day cumulatively over a meter reading period.
tonneau cover
A protective covering which may be secured over the exposed portion of a motor vehicle, such as the seating area of an open sports car or the back of a pickup truck.
torque steer
The pull of a front-wheel drive car's steering to one side (i.e. away from straight ahead) when accelerating. This is an undesirable phenomenon and arises from the driveline components that take the engine's power to the two wheels.
track brake
A magnetic brake fitted to a rail vehicle, which is pressed against a rail in railway track.
track gauge
The specified distance between the rails of a railway.
tractor
A vehicle used in farms e.g. for pulling farm equipment and preparing the fields.
train pipe
A brake pipe on a rail vehicle through which compressed air or vacuum is passed to operate the brakes throughout a train.
train stop
A train protection device that automatically stops a train if it attempts to pass a signal when the signal aspect and operating rules prohibit such movement, or (in some applications) if it attempts to pass at an excessive speed.
transformer
A static device that transfers electric energy from one circuit to another by magnetic coupling; primarily used to transfer energy between different voltage levels, which allows the most appropriate voltages for power generation, transmission and distribution to be chosen separately.
transmission
A device, usually an assembly of gears (gearbox) plus a clutch or torque converter, through which power is sent from the engine to the driveshaft in an automobile (motor car or motor truck).
transmission fluid
A specialized lubricant used in a vehicle to ensure the proper functioning of the transmission system.
trap car
A railroad car used for much smaller shipments usually within terminal or city limits.
traveller
Part of the apparatus in various fiber spinning processes (for spinning fiber to thread or yarn); several types exist.
triple valve
In railway air braking systems, a valve that performs three functions.
tubbing
A lining of timber or metal around a mineshaft, which is watertight, used to safely penetrate quicksand, water, etc. It can be made of various materials, such as wood, concrete, or cast iron.
turn-by-turn navigation
A feature of GPS devices, particularly smartphones, that continuously gives directions as the person or vehicle approaches navigation points.
turning center
Any of a class of machine tools with computerized control and actuation (usually and especially of the CNC type) whose primary action is turning and boring as opposed to milling: archetypally, a computerized lathe or screw machine (as opposed to a computerized milling machine).
typeform
The part of a printing press which holds the type, and against which the platen is pressed.
typometer
A ruler traditionally used in the graphic arts to inspect the measures of typographic materials.
ultrasonic bath
A piece of industrial or laboratory equipment that consists of a container, or bath, used for cleaning, mixing, or homogenisation of objects or substances by sending ultrasonic vibrations through the liquid contained in it.
uninterruptible power supply
A device or system that almost instantaneously provides emergency power in the case that main power fails.
vacuum brake
A brake used on trains, working on the principle of keeping up a vacuum in a continuous pipe or pipes extending under the train, and in brake-cylinders connected to them under each vehicle, the air being sucked out by ejectors or pumps on the locomotive.
vacuum tube
A type of electron tube that controls electron current through vacuum between electrodes within a sealed container, usually of glass or metal and often designed to be easily installed in and removed from the equipment in which it is used.
valve amplifier
A type of amplifier that uses vacuum tubes to increase the power of a signal.
varistor
An electronic component having a variable resistance; used to protect circuits against power surges.
warning triangle
A triangle made of (usually) red reflective material, used to warn other road users of a broken-down vehicle.
water wand
A type of device that is screwed onto the end of a garden hose in order to reduce water pressure without decreasing the volume.
weedwhacker
A device used to cut grass and destroy weeds; a string trimmer.
wheel brace
A hand tool that is used to loosen or tighten the lug nuts on the wheels of a vehicle.
window lock
In a motor vehicle, a safety feature that disables the rear passenger window controls, preventing them from opening.
windscreen wiper
A device used to clear rain and dirt from a windscreen; normally a pivoting arm with a rubber blade.
wiring harness
A bundle of insulated wires, often held together with straps or other connectors, that transmit signals or electrical current within a vehicle, electronic device, etc., or between them.
wiring loom
A wiring harness; a bundle of wires, tied together but not enclosed in a rigid conduit, that transmit signals or electrical current within a device.