Abstract: A shopping cart corral kit having modular components for assembling and disassembling the modular components in the parking area of a business establishment providing shopping carts for its customers. The corral kit modular components can be assembled with conventional fasteners without welding and without exposing sharp edges. The modular components are small enough in size to be shipped in a carton unassembled to permit the business establishment's personnel to assemble the component parts. The major modular components are constructed of galvanized tubing or pipe that may be provided with a colored plastic coating to prevent rust.

Abstract: An ejector for a printed circuit board plug-in unit for use with printed circuit board cages having a fixed ejection surface. The ejector is constructed and defined to be pivotally mounted through an aperture provided for the panel member of the plug-in unit for pivotally engaging the fixed ejection surface of the cage system for extracting the electrical connector carried by the printed circuit board of the plug-in unit from the electrical connector of the cage system. The ejector has a handle portion with an extraction portion extending through the aperture of the panel along with a portion defining a bearing surface for engaging the fixed ejection surface. A bracket secured to the panel member also pivotally secures the ejector extraction portion to the printed circuit board.

Abstract: Traffic control apparatus of the wheeled trailer type having pairs of links for selectively and uniformly moving a traffic control message panel between a substantially vertical display position and a substantially horizontal storage/transit position. Three pairs of links are controlled by a winch-cable system coupled thereto to control the pivoting movements of the pairs of links to cause the smooth movement of the traffic control message panel between positions. The pivot points for the pairs of linkages are preselected to minimize the tension on the winch cable during the panel movements between positions.

Abstract: Containment vessels including external aircraft fuel tanks having an internal plastic liner compatible with the substance to be stored in the vessel or tank. The plastic liner is manufactured from a cold formable thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer material that can be formed to the desired material configuration of the vessel. In a fuel tank the annular structural elements of the tank can be smoothly enveloped to provide a seamless, fluid tight liner having superior physical and chemical properties.A method of cold forming the plastic liner from a tubular element to achieve a seamless liner for a containment vessel is disclosed.

Abstract: A bidirectional valve useful at all temperatures from cryogenic to extreme fire temperatures. The sealing means for the bidirectional valve comprises a metallic sealing element having a pair of spaced sealing lobes defined thereon which are coated with a Teflon compound. A third sealing lobe is defined on the metallic sealing element between the pair of sealing lobes and is constructed solely of metal. A pair of coated sealing lobes further function as wipers to prevent sand, dirt or similar foreign particles from becoming crushed between the valve disc and metallic sealing lobe during the final closing of the valve. When the valve is exposed to fire conditions, the Teflon coated sealing lobes melt out leaving the metallic lobe as the fire safe sealing lobe.

Abstract: A truck latch for use with a motor vehicle equipped with an ICC bumper or bar for restraining the unexpected departure of the motor vehicle. The truck latch is securable to a loading dock for coaction with the ICC bumper for a motor vehicle parked adajcent thereto. The truck latch is in the form of a tubular latch element having a hook-like restraining device extending therefrom. The latch element is vertically mounted to be bidirectionally axially movable and rotatable in a tubular supporting structure to be positioned in a coupled or de-coupled relationship with the ICC bumper. The latched condition of the truck latch may be electrically signalled by a switching element located to sense the travel of the latch element and to be operated thereby when the latch is coupled to the bumper.

Abstract: A mount for a tubular supporting rail of a marine vessel for securing an antenna to the mount by means of an antenna ferrule. The mount includes clamping elements adapted to be secured to the supporting rail and carrying a threaded securing post, one clamping element has a cylindrical end to rotatably mount an L-shaped hollow rotary member that is mounted to the cylindrical end of the one clamping element and is rotatably positioned thereto. The L-shaped member includes an outwardly extending mounting post for securing objects thereto and thereby the supporting rail.

Abstract: A portable traffic signalling apparatus of the wheeled trailer type for temporary signalling at a traffic location for controlling the flow of traffic thereat. The apparatus includes a telescoping mast and a telescoping boom carried by the trailer for positioning at the traffic location. The telescoping action is performed without any large bending loads to permit the extended boom carrying a traffic signal to be moved over a traffic lane under traffic conditions after the traffic apparatus is erected alongside of the traffic location. The extended mast may also carry a traffic signal to be viewed by motorists along with the boom suspended traffic signal. The mast and boom can be telescopically collapsed to assume a storage position on the wheeled trailer after the need for traffic control has been eliminated to allow the trailer to be hauled to another location.

Abstract: A whirlpool jet housing having a unitary combination orifice and directional flow that can be readily coupled and decoupled from the jet housing. The combination orifice and directional flow includes means for drawing air into the directional flow immediately prior to discharge of the water and thereby discharge a mixture of air and water. The combination orifice and directional flow is adapted to permit the coupling to the water aperture for the jet housing to be continuously varied between a fully on and fully off position to vary the volume of water discharged. Control means are further provided to permit the user to turn the air fully on or fully off at the jet housing while controlling the flow of water at the housing. The whirlpool jet housing includes improved means for mounting the housing to a water vessel and an improved installation tool for use therewith.

Abstract: An information storage and retrieval system has a storage medium, a read device and a write device. The system uses light to transmit signals between the storage medium and the read, the write devices. And it is capable of both read and write operations. The storage medium has a substrate with a number of cells of empty spaces in it. The cell has an ablative material deposited on its wall. The pattern of distribution determines the information stored. To read an information, a light beam is directed towards a cell and the transmitted light is detected by a sensor. To write an information, the ablative material is vaporized and redistributed inside the cell by high intensity light beam. The storage medium can also be used to store visual images directly by having cells and pigment plates arranged regularly in a substrate.

Abstract: A traffic control device constructed as a one-piece traffic channelizing device of a plastic material. The device includes a bottom having a plurality of flexible flap elements for receiving and storing a ballast thereon. The flexible flap elements are responsive to a substantial impact to the traffic control device to cause the ballast to be released from the flexible flaps while the device is impacted to a horizontal position adjacent its original position. The device is adapted to mount warning lights and to be stacked including with the warning lights mounted thereto. The stacking of the traffic control devices does not effect the desired action for the flexible flaps.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dissemination of a spray substance comprising small liquid or solid particles or a jet stream and projecting it over large distances from the device. The apparatus comprises either conventional ejectors or jet diffuser ejectors including means for introduction of liquid or solid spray substances into various regions of the ejector to provide a capability for handling substances of various physical and chemical characteristics.

Abstract: A method of surgically repairing an injured human joint such as a finger joint by means of a prosthetic device. The prosthetic device comprises a U-shaped sack partially filled with a pressure sensitive material. The prosthetic device is implanted between two bones comprising the injured joint in a manner to control the growth of the scar capsule at the joint to prevent the joint from becoming stiff. The pressure sensitive material in the sack moves between the two bones in response to any slackness of the scar to fill out the slackness and thereby prevent shortening of the scar that would restrict motion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically extracting a series of integrated circuit packages from their sockets without bending the leads thereof. A plurality of extraction fingers are caused to be moved between a socket mounting an integrated circuit package and the package to an extent to permit the package to be extracted from its socket in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the socket. The extracted packages are controlled after their release to cause them to travel through a checking station to determine the condition of their leads. The integrated circuit packages that have not been damaged will continue to travel down an incline and be accumulated. The damaged integrated circuit package will be held at the checking station and then ejected automatically from the apparatus during the operation of an extraction cycle.

Abstract: An environmental curtain constructed of flexible, transparent plastic strips suspended in an opening to function as a thermal barrier. The plastic strips are arranged in a partially overlapping relationship. Each strip is defined with one end having each corner cut out to an extent for producing a central solid portion. The solid central portion of the strip may be provided with a row of spaced apertures arranged adjacent one end of the strip. An inner row of spaced apertures are arranged in vertical alignment with the outer row to permit a temporary suspension loop for the strip to be defined when the inner and outer rows of apertures are aligned in overlying relationship and secured together. The strips may include side flaps adjacent the central loop that extends below the strip suspension means and allow the relative position of the adjacent strips to be changed while still suspended by the suspension means.