Abstract: A method and apparatus for space dyeing a plurality of strands of yarns which are fed over a series of dye applicator rolls. Each roll is rotated in a partly submerged condition in a dye pan containing a different color. Above and offset relative to each dye applicator roll is a yarn pattern roll which carries a number of slats in a circumferential array extending beyond the periphery of the pattern rolls for contacting the yarn strands. The slats sequentially engage and deflect the yarn strands onto the surface of the respective dye applicator rolls. The slats may be positioned in selected slots in the pattern rolls to determine the pattern of color applied to the yarn. Variable speed drives rotate the dye applicator rolls and the pattern rolls independently of each other to effect the spacing of the colors and the amount of dye received by the yarn strands.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling zebra mussels in the inlet cell of a utility power plant by isolating a batch of water in the cell from the water supply of a lake or river and the equipment plant by shutting an inlet gate and shutting outlet valves from said cell. The batch of isolated water is thereafter heated to a lethal temperature which is maintained for a sufficient period of time to ensure 100 percent mortality to the zebra mussels within the cell. The water may be maintained in a static condition and heated by a heat exchanger disposed within the cell. Alternatively the water may be fed to a heat exchanger, heated outside the cell, and returned to the cell. The water is heated to a range of approximately 95.degree. F. to 100.degree. F. and held at the heated temperature within the cell for approximately 30 minutes.

Abstract: A swim fin for use in a swimming mode and in a walking mode has a boot portion including a shoe having a foot receiving pocket and a bulbous connecting member. Three tracks are formed in the connecting member terminating in a cavity at each end of each track, the cavity at one end being disposed substantially parallel to the axis of elongation of the foot receiving pocket and thus the foot of a swimmer and the cavity at the other end of each track being disposed approximately 90.degree. to the axis of the foot receiving pocket. The fin also includes a web having fingers adapted to be received in the cavities at one end of the tracks or in the cavities at the other end of the tracks selectively when the web is positioned in the swimming mode or the walking mode. The web also carries pins which are resiliently connected to the boot portion of the fin and positioned within a guideway in the connecting member. The configuration of the guideway is such as to urge the fingers into one or the other sets of cavities.

Abstract: A birthing drape for catching body fluids expelled during birth and for precluding the fluids from splashing onto assisting personnel has a web of plastic material having first and second spaced apart ends and a pair of laterally spaced apart edges extending between the first and second ends. A support portion upon which the buttocks of a birthing woman may be positioned is defined at one end and a catch portion extends from the support portion to the second end. A splash guard in the form of a bulbous formation is formed at the second end and an opening is formed in the catch portion between the support portion and the splash guard. The opening has a mouth for receiving and storing body fluids. Elastic strips extend within pockets along the respective lateral edge, each strip having an end secured to the support portion and to the catch portion adjacent the splash guard but being free to move within the remainder of the respective pocket.

Abstract: A chromatography column having a media supply and product/buffer inlet assembly positioned at the inlet of a dispersion section at the top of the column and an outlet assembly positioned at the collection section at the bottom of the column for receiving and discharging product components and buffer liquid and for discharging liquefied spent media. The media and product inlet assembly includes a housing having a product and buffer inlet passage including a selectively movable media supply nozzle extending through the housing. The nozzle may be positioned through the dispersion section into the column housing for spraying media in the form of a slurry into the column housing, and may be withdrawn after the media bed is packed. The collection section of the column includes a hollow rod extending through a discharge conduit through which spent media may flow. The rod has a probe at the upper end for entering into the column, a point at the end of the probe being adapted to puncture and chip spent hardened media.

Abstract: A water purification device mounted within a housing adapted to be positioned on an existing water cooler/dispenser has a valve control member extending from the base of the housing and is positionable within the water reservoir of the dispenser to control the release of purified water from the device to the reservoir. The device includes a feedwater tank into which supply water is fed, either automatically, or manually. The feedwater tank, when the water is above a minimal level, feeds water to an anti-backflow control housing which communicates the water from the feedwater tank to the bottom of a boiler which is maintained at the same level as the water in the feedwater tank without the use of a float within the boiler. The anti-backflow housing includes a check valve in the form of a ball that prevents the backflow of heated water from the boiler into the feedwater tank.

Abstract: A fitted bed sheet having a storage pocket at each side wall at a location readily accessible to a person while in bed. A closure in the form of a zipper closes the top of the pocket while a lock may secure the zipper in the closed condition. A flap is pivotably connected above the pocket to overlay and conceal the zipper.

Abstract: A pallet constructed from thick walled hollow paperboard cylindrical cores has longitudinally extending runners to which deck forming members are connected, the runners having notches within which the deck forming members are tightly received. Each deck forming member is a longitudinal segment of a thick walled hollow paperboard cylindrical core. The pallet has feet attached to the runners to raise the runners and thus the deck members above the floor so that the pallet has four-way entry for forklifts and also permits use of standard pallet jacks for lifting the pallet. In one embodiment, each foot is a short length of hollow thick walled paperboard core connected to the bottom of the respective runners by a tab and slot connection, the tabs being longitudinal extensions of the feet while the slots being formed in the peripheral surface of the runners transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A bucket assembly for a tractor has a plastic bucket in the form of a trough including a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of end walls. A plurality of strengthening ribs having first and second legs are fastened to the bottom and rear walls of the bucket at respective legs. A mounting plate is fastened to three of the ribs at the rear wall and includes spaced apart rearwardly extending ears for connecting to the conventional bucket supporting arms and tilt cylinders of the tractor. A two piece cutting edge is attached to the ribs at the front of the bottom wall and projects forwardly of the bucket. The bucket also includes stiffeners upset out of the top wall and protective strips extending from the front of the end walls. By selection of the appropriate mounting plate the bucket assembly may be universally adapted for all of the known tractors.

Abstract: A method for producing tufted fabric in a hollow needle tufting machine having transversely spaced apart needles including apparatus for shifting a backing material into which the tufts are inserted by the needles. The backing material is fed continuously in the feed direction longitudinally through the machine and is fed a number of steps laterally between adjacent needles and penetrated by the needles after each shift. The sequencing of the shifting and the feeding of the backing is such as to provide a row of tufts in the backing material along a line inclined relative to the direction the backing material is fed to the machine. The nominal number of tufts inserted between lateral ends of each row of tufts is equal to the spacing between adjacent needles divided by the selected stitch gauge.

Abstract: An accessory positionable on top of a ladder has a pair of brackets which may be secured about the upper ends of the ladder rails and has a laterally extending beam secured to the brackets for resting on the upper rung of the ladder. The brackets each include a leg to which laterally spaced sidewalls of a work tray are pivoted so that the tray may be rotated from an inoperative position overlaying the front of the ladder to an operative position extending transversely from the front of the ladder to the rear of the ladder, the brackets having seat portions on which the sidewalls may rest in the operative position. The rear of the work tray supports a pair of laterally slidable stabilizer arms which include a respective transversely extending limb for engaging against a wall ascended by the ladder.

Abstract: A debris cleaning accessory for a spa tub having high pressure water jets directed into the tub includes an adapter selectively attachable to one of the spa jets to supply water into a conduit. A nozzle disposed in the conduit has an inlet communicating with the adapter and an outlet which opens into a passageway between the adapter and the outlet of the conduit. Another passageway communicates with the conduit at the location of the nozzle outlet. A hose has an outlet which communicates with the second passageway and an inlet which may be placed in the water within the spa tub. A mesh filter bag is attached to the outlet of the conduit and collects debris received from the hose while filtered water passes through the bag back into the spa tub.

Abstract: Towing apparatus mounted on the rear of a towing vehicle for lifting and towing disabled vehicles includes an extendible boom assembly positionable beneath the undercarriage of the vehicle to be towed. The boom assembly is carried by a vertically and pivotably movable housing assembly mounted on the towing vehicle and is pivotable relative to the housing assembly. The boom assembly includes a number of extendible boom stages telescopically mounted within first and second stage boom members, the first stage boom member being pivotably mounted on the housing assembly. Second stage boom member is mounted within and pivotable relative to the first stage boom member about a vertical axis so as to move from side-to-side, the extendible boom stages moving with the second stage boom member. The first stage boom member has an enlarged mouth through which the second stage boom member extends, the large mouth permitting the second stage to have substantial sideways movement.

Abstract: A camera for producing either two or four separate photographic images selectively on a single sheet of film has a fixed wall for dividing the exposable area of the film into two equal areas and a pair of movable walls acting in combination with the fixed wall for dividing the film into four equal areas. The movable walls are pivotably mounted and move from the two picture mode to the four picture mode merely by rotation of the camera from a vertical disposition to a horizontal disposition and vice versa. The camera includes a pair of lenses controlled to move in accordance with the disposition of the camera so that in the two picture mode the lenses are disposed with the center of each lens aligned with the center of each half of the exposable area of the film, and when in the four picture mode the lenses relocate and are disposed with the center of each lens aligned with the center of each one quarter of the exposable area of the film, first with one pair of such areas and then with the other pair.

Abstract: A chromatography column having a media supply and product/buffer inlet assembly positioned at the inlet of a dispersion section at the top of the column and an outlet assembly positioned at the collection section at the bottom of the column for receiving and discharging product components and buffer liquid and for discharging liquefied spent media. The media and product inlet assembly includes a housing having a product and buffer inlet passage including a selectively movable media supply nozzle extending through the housing. The nozzle may be positioned through the dispersion section into the column housing for spraying media in the form of a slurry into the column housing, and may be withdrawn after the media bed is packed. The collection section of the column includes a hollow rod extending through a discharge conduit through which spent media may flow. The rod has a probe at the upper end for entering into the column, a point at the end of the probe being adapted to puncture and chip spent hardened media.

Abstract: A method for producing tufted fabric in a hollow needle tufting machine having transversely spaced apart needles including apparatus for shifting a backing material into which the tufts are inserted by the needles. The backing material is fed continuously in the feed direction longitudinally through the machine and is fed a number of steps laterally between adjacent needles and penetrated by the needles after each shift. The sequencing of the shifting and the feeding of the backing is such as to provide a row of tufts in the backing material along a line inclined relative to the direction the backing material is fed to the machine. The nominal number of tufts inserted between lateral ends of each row of tufts is equal to the spacing between adjacent needles divided by the selected stitch gauge.

Abstract: A feeder for animals is mountable in a chain-link wire fence or gate, the feeder having a cage including a substantially rectangular front frame abutting the front surface of the fence or gate and includes an opening through which one or two feed dishes may enter and be supported on struts forming the floor of the cage. A rear substantially rectangular frame member abuts the rear surface of the fence or gate and is connected to the front frame member to secure the feeder to the fence or gate, the cage extending through an opening in the rear frame member. The cage includes a number of other struts for preventing the feed dish or dishes from being removed from the cage except through the front frame. Lock rods removably slidable in rings at the front of the frame preclude the dishes from being pushed out the front of the cage. The cage includes a divider so that two separate feed dishes may separately be inserted and removed from the cage.

Abstract: A tufting machine has two slidable needle bars in back-to-back relationship, each needle bar being reciprocated toward and away from a backing material in unison. Each needle bar carries a plurality of transversely spaced apart needles mounted in needle modules, the needles in one bar being staggered relative to those in the other bar. The needles in both needle bars may cooperate with identical hooks positioned on the opposite side of the backing material. Each needle bar is slidable transversely independently of the other needle bar. The gauge between needles in each needle bar is twice the gauge between the hooks and the hooks have a common throat length so that each hook may cooperate with a needle in either needle bar. Thus each needle bar may be shifted transversely by a distance equal to the pitch between needles of the composite needle bar assembly rather than the larger pitch between needles in the same needle bar as in the prior art.

Abstract: A tufting machine has a plurality of needles, each needle having a pair of eyes and cooperating with a pair of loop pile loopers seizing loops of yarn from a respective eye. The needle has an elongated yarn receiving groove extending along the surface of the needle facing the direction in which backing material is being fed. Each eye opens into the groove for receiving yarn guided along the groove. The point of the needle is offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the needle so that the needle does not enter loops previously shed by the loopers when relatively high pile height fabric is produced. The loopers of each pair of loopers have bills which point in the direction the backing material is being fed, the bills converging in the direction in which they point. The loopers of each looper pair are laterally spaced apart and each looper of the pair enters a clearance above a respective eye for seizing loops of yarn presented through the eye.