Abstract: A tensioner for a power transmission belt is disclosed comprising a return spring associated mechanically with a tensioner roller with which the belt cooperates for controlling the movement of said roller under the action of said spring, wherein the vibrations likely to arise in the belt are damped by a rubber sheath integral with said spring for forming a chamber closed at its ends by seals, one at least of which has a nozzle for the inlet and/or outlet of air into and/or out of the chamber defined by said sheath and said seals.

Abstract: A hinged building truss, such as a roof truss, includes elongated wooden structural members connected by a double hinge joint. The joint has a central elongated flat plate having first and second pivots located toward respective ends of the elongated plate. First ends of first and second flat plates overlap first and second ends of the central flat plate and rotate in the plane of the plates at the first and second pivots, respectively.The first and second plates each include a plurality of teeth, struck from second end areas of each plate, for fastening each plate to a face of a structural member to be pivoted. The structural members can thus be rotated about the pivots. The length of the elongated plate between the overlapping portions of the first and second plates is sufficient to accommodate sheet sheathing attached to each of the structural members when the double hinged joint is in folded position with the structural members substantially parallel and adjacent to each other.

Abstract: Floating barriers are provided with containment means (doublecoated with polyvinyl chloride) of woven twisted nylon thread and with low density polyurethane floating means. The two previous characteristics, along with a change in arrangement, size and shape of other means in current barriers, have surprisingly improved properties, such as wear resistance and use versatility, even under extreme conditions.

Abstract: A space frame node and connector assembly is provided in which the node is provided with a series of sockets each of which is formed into an inner and outer part, the inner part being screw-threaded for receiving a screw-threaded spigot portion of a connector and the outer part being of enlarged shape for co-operation with an enlarged spigot portion axially adjacent the screw-threaded spigot portion. Preferably the enlarged portion of the socket and co-operating enlarged portion of the spigot are of truncated conical shape such that the connector is firmly urged into the tapering enlarged socket formation when the screw-threaded spigot and socket are interengaged.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed which are used to mix two fluids, two gases, or a fluid and a gas. The preferred embodiment is useful primarily for the aeration of water but can be used to mix any gas with a liquid. The method involves creating relative movement between an elongate element and a fluid whereby a low-pressure area will be developed on the lee side of the element. The gas is then admitted to the low-pressure area and bubbles are formed. The element is preferably pointed to form a tine, and the bubbles are moved along the tine by a component of the relative motion toward the tip. When the bubble reaches the tip it will be detached and entrained in the fluid. When a plurality of tines is used, significant air induction capacities are observed. one embodiment employs tines mounted to a rotating body and other embodiments use arrays of parallel tines mounted to fixed structures and immersed in a stream of fluid.

Abstract: A feeding system for cows uses a track system which carries bowls in a first direction from each of the stalls in a stanchion type barn to a feeding room where the bowls are filled and back to the stalls. Each of the bowls is carried by a bracket and has a mechanism for allowing the contents of the bowl to be emptied into a feed trough associated with an individual stall. A one-way tripping mechanism adjacent each stall allows the bowls to pass freely when moving in said first direction and causes the bowls to be emptied when moved in the reverse direction. All the full bowls can be simultaneously emptied by moving them in the first direction to align them with the proper stalls and by then reversing the direction of movement of the track system.

Abstract: A dolly for an automobile comprises a first part which is U-shaped and includes a first side for engaging the tires of the automobile and casters. A second part is removably attached to the first part and provides a second side which can be pulled toward the first side to raise the automobile. The first and second parts are connected by threaded rods, and the two parts are pulled together by rotating nuts on the rods which also engage the first part of the dolly.

Abstract: An intrinsically safe power supply unit, more particularly for face supports in mining, comprising an ac transformer connected to a rectifier and power resistors for limiting the current and connected to the dc voltage output, wherein the ac voltage transformer is a resonance transformer which stabilizes the secondary voltage, and the dc voltage occurring behind the power resistors is kept constant by three voltage limiters connected in parallel.

Abstract: An oxidation catalysts/cocatalyst composition of matter is useful in oxidizing organic waste material. Use of the oxidation catalysts/cocatalyst composition causes the reaction rate to increase and causes the energy required for the reaction to decrease. A solution, including the oxidation catalysts/cocatalyst composition, and a reaction medium composition further including organic waste material are also described.

Abstract: In a pulse combustion device including a combustion chamber having a cylindrical wall, a forward end wall secured to one end of the cylindrical wall for attachment with a liquid vessel and being formed with an inlet port to be supplied with a mixture of gaseous fuel and air, and a rearward end wall secured to the other end of the cylindrical wall to close the combustion chamber, the cylindrical wall of the combustion chamber is formed with a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced radial exhaust ports which are located respectively in a position displaced from the center of the combustion chamber in an axial direction toward the inlet port, and a plurality of tailpipes are radially inwardly bent at their one ends and secured to the exhaust ports of the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An ignition control apparatus for a pulse combustor, wherein the number of trials for energization of a spark electrode is calculated and memorized, the memorized number of trials is reset to an initial value or zero after ignition of the fuel-air mixture in a combustion chamber of the combustor has been successfully obtained, a period of time for pre-purge of the combustion chamber is determined in accordance with the memorized number of trials for energization of the spark electrode, and a purge blower for the combustor activated for the determined period of time prior to energization of the spark electrode to change the unburned mixture ratio to a non-combustible ratio on the trial for ignition. In the ignition control apparatus, the presence of flame in the combustion chamber is further detected for a predetermined time, and the purge blower is deactivated when a predetermined number of trials for ignition have been attempted due to lack of the presence of flame in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: There is provided a new and useful combined muffler and catalytic converter exhaust unit for the exhaust stream from an internal combustion engine, the combined unit comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, first and second chambers within the housing, an oxidation/reduction catalyst within the first chamber, noise muffling means within the second chamber, and wherein the first chamber has an inlet leading to the inlet of the housing and an outlet leading to an inlet of the second chamber, and the second chamber has an outlet leading to the outlet of the housing.

Abstract: Hot-melt adhesives, useful for both glue-port and glue-gun applications, are formulated so that they can be applied at temperatures no higher than 280.degree. F. and preferably at temperatures of at most 250.degree. F. The adhesive compositions have a heat resistance of at least 125.degree. F. and are readily shaped into glue sticks for use in glue guns. The adhesive for the hot-melt adhesive compositions is suitably compounded with tackifyin resin and/or wax. The resulting composition has a shape viscosity profile, which is readily achieved, e.g., by using a high melt index adhesive polymer as an essential component.

Abstract: In a liquid heating apparatus of the pulse combustion type, a mounting plate is secured to a side wall of a liquid vessel for supporting thereon an air-fuel mixer head outside the vessel and a combustion chamber inside the vessel, and an inlet pipe is secured at its inner end to a front end wall of the combustion chamber and extended outwardly from the vessel through the mounting plate. The air-fuel mixer head is mounted to an outer end of the inlet pipe at a position spaced from the mounting plate, and the combustion chamber is supported by the inlet pipe at a position spaced from the mounting plate. During pulse combustion, the inlet pipe is cooled by the liquid flowing into the space between the front end wall of the combustion chamber and the mounting plate to protect the mixer head from the heat of high temperature transmitted thereto from the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An article and method for its manufacture are described. The article is preferably a ladle used in the manufacture of metals and receives molten metal for further chemical processing in the ladle or for transportation. The ladle is transparent to a wide range of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths which allows the metal to be heated or stirred by induction without heating the ladle itself. The ladle is made of glass fibers and an inorganic cement, and this provides strength along with high temperature resistance. The article is manufactured by winding glass fiber around a mandrel, the glass fiber having an inorganic cement adhered to it. In one technique, the cement is provided on the fiber as an aqueous slurry, and the product is allowed to air cure after winding. In a second technique, the cement is adhered to the fiber by electrostatic attraction.

Abstract: An electronically instrumented combination kneader compactor and plane-strain, simple-shear testing machine for use in testing paving materials under cyclic loading and over a range of temperatures and various rates of shear has been described. A very significant advance in pavement materials testing is made available in the machine by introducing cyclic vertical loading simultaneously with kneading shear--this being analogous to what actually happens in the pavement beneath a moving vehicle tire. Fundamental engineering (stress-strain) measurements, including dynamic moduli, are obtained which are suitable for use in design calculations in a rational engineering approach to flexible payment design in lieu of the conventional empirical correlations. The optimum bitumen or water content is precisely determined on the basis of the elasto-plastic properties response and independently of conventional empirical correlations with the percentage of voids.

Abstract: A unitary trailer alignment guide for positioning a towing vehicle with respect to a trailer for connecting a trailer hitch includes a base, a telescoping upright member, a telescoping horizontal member joined at one end to the upper end of the upright member and rotatable through 270 degrees at the joint, and a vertical locator member at the forward end of the horizontal member, remote from the joint. In use, a trailer guide is mounted on a trailer. The lengths of the telescoping vertical and horizontal members are adjusted so that the vertical locator member will touch the towing vehicle when the trailer is aligned with the towing vehicle in position for connecting the trailer hitch.

Abstract: An offshore sewage treatment facility or sludge facility is serviced on a ship. The ship is secured and in position by means of a single point mooring system which is attached to the vessel's stem or stern and is connected to a submerged pipeline as a conduit from the shore. This offshore facility is alternatively housed aboard a conventional offshore platform. The facility is totally and/or partially energy self sufficient by means of utilizing methane gas generated by the processing plant. The processing facility allows for primary and secondary waste water treatment and digestion, dehydration of sludge or solids, generation of methane gas, drying of sludge or solids and pelletization of sludge with end products or by-products of recyclable water for industrial and/or agricultural purposes, fertilizer after the dry sludge is mixed with potash, or the dry sludge may be manufactured into blocks suitable for the construction of buildings.

Abstract: An attachment for a ladder includes a housing and an extensible leg. The housing is clamped to the side of a ladder, and the extensible leg is extended to engage the ground after the ladder has been placed level. A bubble level is provided for visually determining when the ladder is level.

Abstract: A method for holding a reactant in a polymer includes combining reactant, hydrogel monomer and a quenching surrogate in a solvent, whereby the solvation of the reactant and the monomer is reduced. The monomer is then polymerized to form a polymer matrix formed around the reactant with sufficient intimacy to replicate the molecular shape of the reactant without chemically attaching to or embedding the reactant. The reactant remains accessible for reaction. More than one reactant may be retained by a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix retaining the reactant is also described. The polymer matrix may be sorbed on a substrate, coated on a substrate, cast into shapes or otherwise made available for reaction.