Abstract: A transfer device transfers an individual from a bed to an adjacent support surface or vice versa and includes a mobile unit defined by a base and an upstanding structure having lower and upper end portions respectively adjacent to and remote from the base. A lower drive pulley and an upper idler pulley are located respectively adjacent to and remote from the base. A motor rotates the lower drive pulleys to wind thereupon a cable at least partially entrained upon the upper idler pulley. Clamps releasably connect the cable to a slide interposed between an individual and a bed or an adjacent support surface upon which an individual is reposed whereby upon operation of the motor, the slide with an individual thereon is pulled from a bed to an associated adjacent support surface or vice versa.

Abstract: A dump hopper for a road sweeper includes a dump door, a debris guide chute, and an actuating mechanism for pivoting the dump door and debris chute between travel and dumping positions. The dump door is sandwiched between a hopper and the guide chute in the travel position and seals a debris discharge opening of the hopper. A pair of fluid cylinders are pivotally connected to the dump door and the guide chute and cooperate with cam and cam followers to hold the dump door in sealed relationship to the debris discharge opening until the debris guide chute has been fully deployed.

Abstract: A wheeled carrier for a golf club bag and a set of golf clubs which can be removably secured to a vehicle include a one-piece in situ molded cover and wheeled carrier body pivotly secured to each other. The carrier body includes a rib slidably received in a channel of a vehicle hitch bracket. The handle, slidably connectors and pivot means are located to one side of a vertical plane opposite two wheels of the carrier body, a hand grip portion of the cover and a latch for securing the cover to the carrier body in the closed position thereof.

Abstract: A structural panel, such as an appliance door, includes first and second frame members each having inner and outer peripheral edges with the inner peripheral edges each defining an opening. At least one of the frames is constructed from synthetic polymeric/copolymeric material. A glass panel has an outer peripheral edge in sandwiched relationship with at least one annular member inner peripheral edge thereby closing the opening thereof, and the two frames are secured together. A second glass panel can be associated with the other frame to close the opening therein, and the glass panels can be in spaced parallel relationship to each other. Alternatively, one of the glass panels can be of a concavo/convex relationship, particularly when the structural panel is a washing machine door.

Abstract: Normally hydroelectric dam powerhouses use river flow once before discharging it as turbulent tailwater, ineffective to spin turbines. The present invention uses tapered channels to confine and constrict turbulent tailwater into laminar flow that drives turbines both submersible and floatable utilizing the same water three times concurrently to generate new electricity. Channels originate adjacent to draft tube outlets, constrict in the downstream direction to create narrow necks where turbine/generators benefit from debris free, increased velocity and laminar flows to generate electricity. Hydroelectricity uses zero fuel, creates zero waste and has zero carbon dioxide emissions. Structures are uncomplicated, construction is within project boundaries minimizing environmental impacts and speeding projects coming online. New facilities are protected by existing dam security. Hydroelectricity replaces less dependable renewable energy systems.

Abstract: The inventive self-propelled vehicle, in particular a road-building machine, comprises a traction drive, a steering device and a rotatable driver seat (5) in which a traction drive control unit (6) is arranged. Adjustment signals for the traction drive are generated according to the direction of the adjustment of the control elements of said control unit (6). Said road-building machine also comprises a device for detecting the rotation angle ? of the instant rotating position of the seat and for correcting the directional components of the adjustment signals of the control elements to a ?? angle in such a way that the direction of the adjustment thereof corresponds to the direction of the vehicle motion at each rotating position of the seat.

Abstract: In a scraper device for a milling drum (2) mounted in a construction machine, with a scraper blade (10) arranged in a height-adjustable manner behind the milling drum (2) when seen in the direction of travel, which can glide on the surface (3) milled or to be milled by the milling drum (2), where the scraper blade (10) is guided in lateral guides (12) in a height-adjustable manner relative to the milling drum (2), and where first centering devices (14) are provided which center the scraper blade (10) between the guides (12) with small lateral play of movement when in a raised position, and which allow a greater lateral play of movement of the scraper blade (10) when the scraper blade (10) is in a lowered working position, it is provided that the second centering devices (20) act upon the upper end (16) of the scraper blade (10), restricting the lateral displacement of the scraper blade (10) at the upper end (16) in case of a lateral movement of the scraper blade (10) in the guides (12).

Abstract: A universal ballast mounting bracket is of a generally T-shaped configuration defined by a leg and a pair of oppositely directed arms bent to define an angle therebetween of substantially 90 degrees. A pair of holes are provided in the leg for permanently securing each leg to a flange of a conventional ballast and each arm includes a hole in an end portion thereof for securing the bracket to a wall adjacent a ballast access opening. First and second planes to the respective leg openings and arms openings are normal to each other and relative distances and geometries therebetween are such as to effect universal mounting of the ballast mounting brackets to any one of four corners of the ballast and in any one of two positions relative to the ballast access opening.

Abstract: An illuminated shelf includes a tempered transparent glass panel having edges each housed in a slot of a housing defining a chamber through which and/or in which light is generated to illuminate the transparent panel. Each housing is preferably snap-secured together to access the chamber interior for purposes of replacement and/or repair. Each housing can be totally or partially encapsulated and the encapsulation includes conductors which are operative in any position of vertical adjustment or sliding adjustment of the shelf.

Abstract: In a mirror comprising a transparent glass plate provided at least partly with a rear-side reflecting coating as well as at least one integrated electrical means, the first glass plate comprises transparent and/or half-reflecting portions, the first glass plate is bonded to a second glass plate with the aid of a transparent adhesive layer in the form of a laminated glass pane, and electrical cal means are mounted in portions on an electrically conducting coating of the second glass plate facing the transparent and/or half-reflecting portions of the first glass plate.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automotive milling machine for machining ground surfaces, comprising an engine frame (2), a movable milling drum (8) which is mounted on the engine frame (2), at least one conveying device (14,18) which is arranged on the engine frame (2) and takes over the milled material (3) from the milling drum (8) at a transfer location (5), and a device (20) sucking off the air that is polluted with dust and fumes. The milled material (3) is enclosed by a duct (16,16a,16b) on the at least one conveying device (14,18), said duct (16) being separated into two sections (16a,16b). The suction device (20) is connected to the first section (16a) of the duct (16) downstream from the first transfer location (5) and sucks off the air that has been polluted during milling at the milling drum (8) as well as inside the first section (16a) of the duct (16) essentially in the direction in which the material is conveyed.

Abstract: The plasma reactor comprises at least one cooling device (15, 16) consisting of two cooling elements (15a, 15b; 16a, 16b) adapted to be separately switched on and off. The heat produced during the plasma treatment is dissipated by the cooling device. In doing so, cooling elements are connected or disconnected in order to enlarge or reduce the effective cooling surface. The cooling elements (15a, 15b; 16a, 16b) are arranged in an interlaced manner so that local cooling peaks are avoided and, on the whole, an approximately uniform cooling sets in.

Abstract: Disclosed is a suitcase (1) comprising two metal or plastic shells (3, 5) that are hingedly connected to each other and can be locked on frame elements (9) by means of a locking device (7), said frame elements (9) being located on edges of the suitcase shells. At least one main area (11) of the suitcase shells (3, 5) is provided with an embedded cavity (13) inside which at least one pocket (15) is fixed via a base plate (17).

Abstract: A pump comprising a piston in communication with a valve chamber provided with a first valve seat and a second valve seat, and a resilient valve element comprising a first tapered portion, a second tapered portion and a flange portion extending from a periphery of the first tapered portion, in which the flange portion co-operates with the first valve seat to form an inlet valve, and the second tapered portion co-operates with the second valve seat to form an outlet valve, and in which negative pressure applied to the flange portion by the pressure means in use lifts it from the first valve seat, and positive pressure applied to the first tapered portion by the piston in use lifts the second tapered portion from the second valve seat.

Abstract: A security mark having multiple optically orthogonal coaligned bar codes is produced using a reflection hologram visible substantially at only a first wavelength that is layered over a wavelength sensitive filter, which blocks light transmission at the first wavelength but transmits light at a second wavelength, and having beneath it an additional bar code visible through the hologram and the wavelength sensitive filter at the second wavelength. A validation means reads multiple holographic bar codes with light at the first wavelength by illuminating the hologram separately from multiple directions, and further reads the bar code beneath the wavelength sensitive filter by illuminating the mark with light of the second wavelength. By suitable choice of multi-directional and multi-wavelength illumination, multiple coaligned bar codes may be read in the same physical location with no mutual interference.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a mattress retainer system for adjustable beds which includes a mattress-retention bracket housed within a pocket of a mattress accessible in an upward direction through an opening along a bottom edge of the mattress. The pocket is formed by attaching a separate piece of material along a bottom edge of the mattress at one or both of opposite head/foot ends thereof and permitting an overlying downwardly projecting portion of a peripheral covering of the mattress to remain free thereby defining the opening into the pocket.