Abstract: This invention relates to a multiperson emergency evacuation system characterized by a first rope used for the initial descent down the outside of the building, a combination anchoring and descent control fixture mountable adjacent the escape opening used to both anchor the upper end of a ground or rooftop-anchored fixed rope and for belaying with a second rope the personnel riding the fixed rope down by means of a friction drum mounted thereon, a body harness and a special connection for detachably fastening each individual escapee at spaced points intermediate the ends of the movable belay rope. The invention also encompasses the novel method of evacuating more than one person from the upper floors of a multistory building which comprises first erecting a fixture adjacent the escape opening having a drum-type friction belay feature, and then, assuming no one is on the ground to catch and anchor the fixed rope, sending one or more persons down to receive and anchor it while belaying them from above.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved self-anchoring fence post characterized by an anchor member in the form of a rigid blade substantially bisected by a vertically-disposed groove for use in initially detachably clamping same to a driving tool for both burying it in the ground and simultaneously producing a posthole therebeneath. Following removal of the driving tool, this same groove is employed to permanently clamp the anchor member to a fence post passed down alongside thereof into the posthole. The invention also includes an apertured disc which is placed on the end of the driving tool and precedes same down into the ground so as to produce an oversize hole from which the tool can be removed as well as a permanent base upon which to rest the fence post. The invention further encompasses the method of installing the post by using the disc to drive an oversize posthole while simultaneously burying the anchor member.

Abstract: This invention relates to an antibody capable of both specifically detecting and quantifying minute quantities of the herbicide, atrazine, left in biological samples, such antibody having been made by the process of first substituting a soluble straight chain amino acid at the 4 or 6 position of 2-chloro-4(isopropylamino)-6-(ethylamino)-S-atrazine so as to leave the chlorine exposed at the 2 position along with one of the amino groups, then conjugating the resulting substitution product at the site of the amino acid group to a lysine-rich protein, using the mixed anhydride method in a strongly-basic aqueous solution, then inoculating a susceptible host with the antigen to evoke an immune response, and thereafter harvesting the antibody.

Abstract: A balloon-inflation and load-lowering device which comprises an inverted cup-shaped member containing one or more side-opening ports operative when covered by the neck of a balloon to cooperate therewith and form a one-way valve effective to trap the lifting gas inside the balloon once the latter is inflated and the inflation pressure released. Spaced-parallel disk-supporting arms journal a shaft mounting a notched disk. A load-letdown device is operative to slowly lower a load to the end of a tether.

Abstract: A portable electrically-powered space heater includes an electrically-powered boiler generating steam at subatmospheric pressure from a mixture of water and ethylene glycol that is circulated through a closed loop heat exchanger, portions of which comprise fin-tube radiators. The boiler is thermostatically controlled by a thermostat located in a chimney into which a downdraft of ambient air is drawn by a fan creating a forced-flow of air over the fin tubes. An automatic temperature-responsive time delay mechanism allows the boiler to get up to its operating temperature before the fan is actuated to draw air across the thermostat. The heater is further characterized by a novel design wherein a pair of upstanding heat exchangers are each housed in branches of a generally Y-shaped housing with a fan located in the stem-forming portion thereof effective to cooperate with the heat exchangers and the double-walled side panels alongside thereof to distribute a curtain of warm air over a 90.degree. or better swath.

Abstract: This invention relates to a manual bowling lane stripping and dusting apparatus characterized by a frame journalling three rollers spaced one behind the other for independent relative rotation in parallel relation, the rear roller comprising a clutched supply roller for holding a supply of bowling lane dusting cloths, the front roller consisting of a ratcheted take-up roller for storing the soiled toweling or cloth dispensed from the supply roller, and an intermediate pressure roller offset beneath the other two and equipped with a cushioned surface tapered toward each end for pressing the portion of the cleaning web bridging the gap between the front and rear rollers into continuous area contact with the lane across the full width thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to a stationary drum friction-type descent control device for use with a rope and a load-supporting harness characterized by a dogleg arm hanging from one end of a cylindrical friction drum in acute angular relation to its axis cooperating therewith to leave the other end open so that turns of an unloaded medial section of a rope can be added or subtracted therefrom while under load without having to unthread and subsequently rethread the free end of the rope hanging therebeneath or even access the latter. The free end of the drum carries an upstanding post to keep the rope wound around the drum from coming off when slack and to permit the system to be tied off during the descent. A gate in an eye associated with the dogleg arm is either an integral part thereof or an attachment receives the unloaded portion of the rope and cooperates with the post to prevent the rope from uncoiling off the open drum end.

Abstract: This invention relates to a variable-power riflescope equipped with a novel range-compensating reticle system characterized by separating the horizontally-disposed element thereof from the vertically-disposed one, locating the former in the forward focal plane displaced off the optical axis and locating the latter in the rear focal plane while, at the same time, displacing the aiming point carried by the latter off the optical axis also. The resulting reticle system functions in cooperation with the means for varying the degree of image magnification in such a way that the shooter is enabled to precisely define two ranges, one near and one far, and shoot quite accurately at any distance therebetween. A further refined version of the same system allows the shooter to actually determine the range to a chosen target of known dimension an unknown distance away and in so doing automatically adjust the aiming point defined by the reticle system to coincide with the point of impact of the bullet.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved pillow block characterized by a cast body containing a main bore for housing an antifriction bearing and cast bolt-receiving slots for mounting same and for attaching endplates thereto that do away with the need for drilled and tapped holes. The endplates are cut from common sheet materials and gang-drilled to provide the apertures that accept the bolts used to assemble same onto the opposite faces of the body with an O-ring therebetween to establish a fluid-tight seal. In like manner, a hole cutter is used to cut rather than drill a central hole for passing the rotating element to be journalled in the bearing.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved lock for revolver cylinders of the type that releasably locks the latter against rotation by passing a rod from the barrel into one of its chambers, such improvement being characterized by a loose-fitting lock rod of a length greater than that of the cylinder but shorter than the combined lengths of the latter and the barrel, a friction-held keeper for insertion into the barrel ahead of the lock rod for the purpose of keeping it in place, and an extractor capable of being connected to the keeper upon insertion into the barrel for purposes of retrieving it preparatory to removing the lock rod. The extractor includes as a part thereof a normally recessed indicator attached to the front end of a probe which projects out the rear end and through an axial opening in the keeper to where it engages the front end of the lock rod so as to extend the indicator and thus provide the user with visual confirmation that the lock rod is fully seated in the cylinder.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an improved latch for releasably latching the hinged spare tire carrier to the tailgate or rear door of a vehicle, such latch being characterized by a mounting bracket attached to the carrier and movable therewith that carries a tapered guide pin projecting therefrom which cooperates with an annular cam surface bordering an opening sized to receive same provided in the latch plate fastened to the door or tailgate so as to move the interlocking elements of the latch into properly aligned relation for latched engagement. The guide pin also functions as a pivot for a release lever that carries one of the interlocking elements and which is in the form of a latch pin paralleling the guide pin offset to one side thereof.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved free-standing tent frame having at least three four-sided collapsible subframes linked together in side-by-side relation and angled relative to one another so as to stand alone while leaving a gap between the endmost subframes, and a triangularly-segmented roof frame having one more triangular segment than there are subframes in the wall structure. The invention is also characterized by a hub assembly for the subframes of the wall assembly that comprises a series of three or more strut-receiving socket subassemblies hingedly interconnected to produce a closed polygon in which those having four or more sides are self-adjusting to accommodate various included angles between adjacent struts without the latter having to bow or bend.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved pump jack characterized by a hollow piston rod which telescopes down over the sucker rod to which it is clamped for reciprocating motion. The cylinder, in turn, is fastened in fixed position directly to the upper exposed end of the well casing. As fluid is introduced into the lower end of the cylinder it raises the piston into engagement with a pushrod housed in the upper cylinder head that lifts switch-actuating means associated therewith into a position operative to actuate a switch located adjacent thereto thereby causing the latter to change state and actuate a multi-function solenoid valve so as to cut off fluid flow to the cylinder. As gravity lowers the sucker rod and piston exhausting the hydraulic fluid therebeneath, an adjustable stop engages the pushrod from above so as to return it together with the switch-actuating means associated therewith to their original positions thereby resetting the switch to complete the operating cycle.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved apparatus for applying a combination of liquid and gaseous fertilizers while at the same time tilling the ground which comprises providing the trailing edge of a conventional V-blade plow with an orificed pipe through which liquid anhydrous ammonia is pumped under pressure and a plurality of open-ended drop feeder pipes having their open ends terminating alongside one of the ammonia outlets through which the liquid phosphate issues in close proximity, say three inches or closer, to where the ammonia is dispensed. The invention also encompasses the unique method of introducing nitrogen and phosphorous into the soil so as to take advantage of the known phenomenon wherein the ammonium ion (NH.sub.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved pouch-type infant carrier characterized by a drawstring subassembly extending transversely of the seat operative upon actuation to preset the maximum distance separating the leg openings so as to locate the latter directly behind the knees when the child is seated in the pouch with his or her legs open in spread-eagle relation, and a belt-forming appendage located adjacent the leg openings operative upon being drawn taut and tied or otherwise secured around the waist to cooperate with the drawstring subassembly to maintain the leg openings in preselected fixed spaced relation.