Divestiture-Related Activities (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 02, 2011	Mar. 22, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Mar. 22, 2011 Marine Business [Member]	Jun. 25, 2010 Houston Wire & Cable Company [Member]	Mar. 02, 2010 SSI Surgical Services Inc. Business [Member]	Sep. 27, 2009 Power Systems Operations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Telair International [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Affiliate In India [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Affiliate In Japan [Member]	Mar. 20, 2009 Airfoil Technologies International Singapore [Member]	Jun. 26, 2011 Product Recall [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net (gain) loss on sales of businesses and assets charges					$ (582,000)	$ 341,000						$ 200,000	$ (300,000)
Gain on disposal of an asset held for sale			600,000		600,000	400,000
Additional litigation reserves associated with retained liabilities related to divested businesses			17,100,000		17,100,000										7,500,000
Amount paid as part of the settlement related to the recall costs				7,600,000	(125,000)
Proceeds from sale of business	280,000,000						123,100,000	50,000,000	25,000,000	14,500,000	94,000,000			300,000,000
Gains or losses resulting from sale of businesses or assets	126,800,000						57,300,000	17,000,000	2,200,000	3,300,000	51,000,000
Percentage sale of stock of company														51.00%
Cash proceeds from sale of business		100,900,000	3,600,000
Cash included as part of net assets sold		1,500,000
Subordinated promissory note							4,500,000
Liabilities assumed			82,679,000		82,679,000		15,500,000
Pension and postretirement obligations							8,400,000
Cumulative translation gains							33,400,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income			$ (159,353,000)		$ (159,353,000)	$ (51,880,000)	$ 25,000,000