Abstract: A lightweight, easly transportable wheelchair having seat-support frame members which are adjustably coupled to back-frame members so as to reciprocate up-and-down within guide slots formed in the back-frame members. Additionally, the front and back wheels, the armrests, and the footrests are readily detachable and attachable. This arrangement reduces the overall height, width and depth of the basic frame of the wheelchair to make for easy transportability when the detachable parts are removed.

Abstract: An electrical adapter plug having a body insertable into a mating socket sleeve of a vehicle lighter receptacle. The plug has a pair of ideally located circumferentially-spaced, retractable leaf-spring contacts projecting beyond the periphery of the plug body to establish improved retention and electrical contact between the adapter plug and the receptacle. The two contacts are preferably angularly spaced on the periphery of the plug at about 90.degree. and associated with projecting means located on the periphery of the plug body generally opposite the pair of contacts symetrically disposed on or about a line which bisects the space angle between the two contacts. An adapter plug fuse is retained in a socket defined by a fuse insert housed within a central cavity formed by the adapter plug. This fuse insert assists in holding two body halves together and also anchors the long leaf-spring contacts.

Abstract: An adjustable stand for a weigh scale in which the scale has a readout display at the front of the scale, and a weighing platform located behind the readout display. The adjustable stand is adapted to receive during one weighing operation one or more envelopes which are oversized relative to the platform. The adjustable stand comprises as upright envelope support which extends across the platform. The envelope support slideable engages the sides of the platform with a pair of C-shaped clamping guides. An upright lip is formed at the front of the platform. Appropriate sliding adjustment of the envelope support relative the lip enables one or more oversized envelopes to be securely held on the platform during a single weighing operation. The scale also features a circular platform support saddle. The periphery of the saddle is formed with a plurality of notches which engage fingerlike keys that project from the bottom of the platform.

Abstract: A clip for supporting a construction guide tube on a stringline rod which is adjustably clamped to a ground stake. The clip has a curved saddle shaped in the form of an approximate semi-circle. The saddle is sized to receive and retain the tube with a relatively tight press fit. The saddle is integrally attached to a tubular socket which is part of the clip. The socket has a bore sized for relatively tight insertion on the stringline rod. A method for using a plurality of the clips to form a curved guide is also described.

Abstract: A guide arrangement for a door element (14, 16), particularly a sliding door element for a shower enclosure, includes a guide element (10, 12) at the bottom edge of the door element including a rotatable member (34) engaged with a guide channel (8) of a lower guide rail (2). The guide element can be disengaged from the guide rail, when desired. The rotatable member (34) is at least partially mounted in a transverse hole (35) in a holding body so as to be at least partially rotatable about an axis of rotation extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the door element (14, 16). The rotatable member is additionally provided with an actuator, preferably in the form of a grip (10). The rotatable member (34) carries a pintle (38) which, depending on its rotational position, either engages the guide rail (2) or is pivoted out of engagement with the guide rail.

Abstract: A locking mechanism to be applied to an inactive door of a set of active and inactive double doors coordinated so that the inactive door closes first relative to a frame followed by the closing of the active door. Adjustable drive means is employed capable of either lengthwise contraction upon the application of a force between first and second separated locations on the adjustable drive means exceeding a threshold value, or linear movement without substantial contraction upon the application of a force less than the threshold value. A door-lock actuating element is coupled to the adjustable drive means at the first location. A door-locking element is coupled to the adjustable drive means at the second location. The adjustable drive means, the door-lock actuating element, and the door-locking element are supported at an upper or lower corner of the inactive door.

Abstract: An electrical adapter plug having a body insertable into a mating socket sleeve of a vehicle lighter receptacle. The plug features a pair of ideally located circumferentially-spaced, retractable contacts projecting beyond the periphery of the plug body to establish improved retention and electrical contact between the adapter plug and the receptacle. The two contacts are preferably angularly spaced on the periphery of the plug in the range of about 20.degree. to 150.degree.. Means are located on the periphery of the plug body generally opposite the pair of contacts symmetrically disposed on or about a line which bisects the space angle between the two contacts. Three different embodiments of these means are shown, namely, a groove, a flat surface, and an elongated deformation. All of these embodiments cooperate with the spaced contacts to improve retention.

Abstract: A pocket-size coin holder in which the coin is principally used as a golf ball marker. The holder has a relatively small metallic body punched from sheet metal. A shallow coin-retaining cup is stamp-formed at a central portion of the body. A coin-retaining bridging pin, which is capable of flexing laterally, extends across the mouth of the cup so as to bisect the area defined by the mouth. The opposite ends of the pin are firmly anchored to the body. The cup is preferably sized to receive a dime coin which is manually inserted into the cup beneath the coin-retaining pin.

Abstract: Apparatus for evacuating a rigid container using a two-stroke reciprocating-piston pump having an air evacuating vacuum cup which is to be applied to the container lid. The pump cylinder houses a reciprocating piston-check-valve. An adhesive-tape check valve is applied to a container access opening in the lid; and the vacuum cup is seated over the adhesive-tape check valve to evacuate the rigid container. An alternative embodiment employing a vacuum probe having an in-line check valve is inserted into an otherwise plugged opening in the pump cylinder wall to evacuate a deformable container. In the second embodiment, the adhesive-type check valve is eliminated. The two check valves employed in each embodiment alternate open and closed states during piston reciprocation.

Abstract: An electromagnetic lock including an armature and an electromagnet with the armature adapted for floating attachment to a door by a plunger-bolt assembly fixed to the door, and an electromagnet adapted for fixed attachment to a door frame. A door-movement alert switch structure comprising a pushbutton switch supported on the electromagnet, a plunger supported on the plunger-bolt assembly, and a spring force-biasing the plunger into mating contact with the switch when the door is electromagnetically locked to establish a first switch-actuation state. The force-biased spring maintains the switch in its first state while the armature is magnetically restrained. When the door is opened a door-movement distance slightly less than the armature float distance, the plunger is partially drawn into a plunger housing fixed on the plunger-bolt assembly. The switch responds by transferring to a second switch actuation state indicating an attempt to open the magnetically locked door.

Abstract: A process is disclosed to improve the efficiency of nitrification in activated sludge systems. Supplemental ammonium nitrogen in the form of anhydrous ammonia or an aqueous solution of ammonia is added to the nitrification zone preferably during periods of low flow and low loadings of oxidizable nitrogenous compounds. The ammonium nitrogen addition is controlled by monitoring the ammonium nitrogen concentration of the activated sludge mixed liquor exiting the nitrification zone. The supplemental ammonium nitrogen causes an increase in the population of the nitrifying bacteria which results in an increased capacity for nitrification. The increased efficiency obtained will result in increased reliability of nitrification and lower effluent nitrogen concentrations.

Abstract: A door holder-closer comprising a conventional door closer and a novel electromechanical door holder attached to the drive spindle of the door closer. The door holder features a lever which is coupled to the drive spindle of the door closer by an adjustable clamp comprising mating rotor and cone elements. Both the rotor and the cone are seated over the drive spindle with the cone being fixed to the spindle. The rotor is formed with a projecting rotor tab which is selectively engaged by a pawl. The lever is formed with a notch which selectively engages a roller driven by an electromagnet-actuated armature. The motion of the door closer spindle is restrained by a primary latch formed when the roller is seated within the lever notch in response to an energized electromagnet, and by a secondary latch formed when the pawl engages the rotor tab. The primary latch supports and controls the secondary latch. Hold-open door control occurs when both latches are in effect concurrently.

Abstract: An implement holder for a claw hammer having an elongated handle and a claw and head member carried by and projecting generally from one end of the handle, comprising a waist belt, a support pad carried by the waist belt, and a cradle-like collar defining a tool storage opening for receiving the tool including a partial loop and a hinged gate. The hinged gate has two angularly-spaced elongated elements pivotally supported on the partial loop approximately at the junction of the two elements. The collar is fixed to and projects from the pad with the tool storage opening being accessible for storing a tool by a first pivoting movement of the gate in response to a gate opening force applied by the tool to one of the elements and with the tool being removed from the tool storage opening by a second pivoting movement of the gate which is a reversal of the first pivoting movement in response to a force applied by the tool to the second element.

Abstract: The tube settler of this invention is comprised of a plurality of long and narrow tubular passages inclined to the horizontal. The tubular passages have an approximate boomerang cross-sectional shape with the central apex directed upward. Rapid separation of settleable suspended material from a liquid is achieved because of the enforcement of laminar flow and a minimal settling distance within the tubular passages. Improved performance of this settler is attributed to enhanced conveyance of settled solids resulting from reduced upward liquid velocity in the vicinity of the countercurrent solids flow and the utilization of two solids discharge groves in each passageway.

Abstract: A standoff mooring bar for a boat featuring an adjustable mooring bar body. This body has an inner cylindrical tube telescoping within an outer cylindrical tube, and a pair of end caps closing the telescoping pair of tubes. A mooring rope extends through the pair of tubes through openings located in both end caps. A compression locking assembly fixes the adjustable length of the telescoping pair of tubes. The locking assembly includes a generally cylindrical threaded sleeve fixed to the outer tube opposite its capped end, a thraded locking cap through which the inner tube passes, and a compression ring seal seated upon the inner tube and captured between the sleeve and the locking cap. The locking cap is manually tightened relative the threaded sleeve to cause the ring seal to bind frictionally the two telescoping tubes to a fixed length. A guy rope is fixed to the sleeve in such a manner that the guying forces do not tend to alter the combined length of the two telescoped tubes.

Abstract: A press brake having bed and ram members whose tool-holding faces, edges and surfaces need reconditioning due to wear, and a portable milling machine adapted to be fixed to the press brake to mill and thus recondition the faces, edges and surfaces. An improved milling machine comprising an elongated carriage-support assembly supported on the bed and separated from the ram, a milling-head assembly having a carriage and a set of cutters seated on the carriage with the milling-head assembly being mounted on the carriage-support assembly, and a carriage-feed drive assembly coupled to the carriage to drive the milling-head assembly the length of the carriage-support assembly with the cutters selectively engaging any faces, edges and surfaces needing reconditioning.

Abstract: A weighing scale having a shock-absorbing platform support. The scale comprises a scale platform seated on a platform saddle, a scale base, a load-cell transducer having first and second body portions separated from one another, and a platform shock-mount. The platform shock-mount includes a Y-shaped transducer-support frame formed with three arms each having an extremity extended from a central frame junction with the scale platform saddle being fixed to the first transducer body portion and the second transducer body portion being fixed to the central frame junction, a preloaded spring assembly carried on the base and having a spring resiliently supporting each arm extremity of the Y-frame on the base, and a set of adjustable platform motion-limit stop screws.

Abstract: A visual field image reflector attached to standard eyeglasses to extend vision into an impaired lateral visual field characteristic of a patient suffering from homonymous hemianopsia. The reflector is attached to the eyeglass frame adjacent the patient's nose, forward the lens for an eye having an impaired lateral field and displaced from the line of central fixation of gaze. The reflector includes a light-transmitting substrate and two differently tinted coatings. The first coating, near the patient's eye, is a partially-reflective and partially light-transmitting yellow tinted layer. The second coating, away from the patient's eye, is a light-transmitting, blue-violet layer. The reflected image of the lateral field is thus observed in yellow by the patient, and the portion of the central field image transmitted through the reflector is seen in blue-green.

Abstract: A weigh scale comprising a platform, a base, a transducer coupled to the platform, and a shock-absorbing compound spring having two serially-connected sections. One spring section flexes most favorably in a vertical direction and the other section in a horizontal direction. The compound spring moveably supports the transducer on the base so that shock forces applied to the platform from different directions are absorbed by the spring to prevent permanent distortion of the transducer and the resulting erroneous weight readings.