Abstract: A backpack agricultural sprayer has a pressure vessel mounted within a container and connected to a high pressure piston pump to force liquid into the pressure vessel from which it may be discharged for spraying. Leakage of liquid past the sprayer pump is contained by a leak-proof diaphragm which defines an agitation chamber connected by a conduit to the interior of the sprayer container. The diaphragm and piston are connected to be operated together to provide two separate but simultaneously acting pumps. The piston pump pressurizes the pressure vessel, and the diaphragm pump forces liquid back and forth between the container and diaphragm chamber to agitate contents of the container. An unique piston skirt is clamped by a single bolt between a skirt retainer and a piston body to provide a unitary assembly of diaphragm, piston body, skirt and skirt retainer. The skirt is resiliently urged outwardly to improve sealing and compensate for wear.

Abstract: A folding box is constructed in which there are end flaps on certain of the edge panels glued to adjacent edge panels so that the end flaps have free bottom edges. When folded, the edge panels overlie a central panel and the end flaps fit beneath certain edge panels with their bottom edges at the bases of the bends. When unfolded, the edge panels are held in an upstanding relationship with the central panel by the bottom edges of the end flaps. Reverse scores are provided to enable bending of the edge panels from which the end flaps project. As a result, there is no protrusion into the base of the bend and it is not necessary to recess the bottom edges of the end flaps, so that the latter can support the edge panels in a nearly perpendicular relationship with the central panel.

Abstract: A cassette pulley is assembled from a flange part having three assembly pins which are received in corresponding holes of a hub part. The hub part has a number of reinforcing ribs which divide the bottom of the hub part into a number of recesses which are conveniently employed to hold the hub part on a group of hub holding stub shafts during assembly. Because there are more recesses than holding stub shafts, the hub may assume more than one orientation relative to the stub shafts. In order to achieve proper relative orientation of hub and flange, the hub holder is formed with a hole that is aligned with one of the hub holes when the hub is in one of a selected group of orientations. Optical sensing of such alignment enables the flange to be positioned in an orientation appropriate for assembly of the flange pins into the hub holes.

Abstract: A contact on the end of a wire is inserted into an aperture of a multi-pin connector by a traveling insertion head that moves in three dimensions to fetch the wire from a wire holder, pull it from the holder and drive it into a selected aperture of the connector. The head moves back toward a wire to insert the wire end contact between a pair of rotating wire drive rollers which grasp the contact and wire to position the contact wholly within a protective insertion quill. The insertion head is then driven into alignment with a selected connector aperture, slightly inserts the quill into the aperture while the contact is fully protected, and the wire drive rollers are rotated to drive the contact and wire through the quill into the connector. A pull test is provided by pivotally retracting the rollers which still grasp the wire. The rollers and quill are withdrawn and opened to enable the rollers and quill to move laterally off the now connected wire to prepare for fetching the next wire.

Abstract: A wire handling system removes a reel of wire from a conveyor, presents the reel to a terminal insertion head which grasps a wire on the reel, withdraws the wire from the reel while the reel is allowed to rotate, and inserts an end of the wire into a connector. After insertion of the wire end into the connector, the reel is moved by the handling system and stacked upon or within a group of previously stacked reels.

Abstract: A plant watering system and method including a container for providing a reservoir of fluid, which may include liquid nutrients as well as water, the container being attachable to a plant receptacle adjacent the upper end thereof. A first absorbent wick member communicates with the fluid within the reservoir, and exits the upper end of the container and angularly downwardly into a control trough where it terminates at a point above the soil or other potting material. The control receptacle is provided, at the opposite side thereof, with a generally vertically extending plate-shaped wick retention member pivotally connected to the trough housing at the lower end thereof, the upper portion being provided with a member detentably engaging side edges of the receptacle. A spring member beneath the absorbent member biases the absorbent member toward the plate-shaped member.

Abstract: A pressure vessel for a backpack agricultural sprayer is mounted within a container of the sprayer and connected to the sprayer pump so that liquid from the container is forced under pressure into the pressure vessel for a spraying discharge therefrom. Leakage of liquid past the piston of the sprayer pump is contained by a leak proof diaphragm in a diaphragm chamber which is connected by a conduit to the interior of the sprayer container. The diaphragm is connected to the piston to be operated therewith thus providing two separate but simultaneously acting pumps. The first pump is the piston pump for pressurizing the liquid for spraying discharge. The second pump is the diaphragm which forces liquid back and forth between the container and the diaphragm chamber in a high velocity stream which agitates the contents as the stream is projected into the container interior.

Abstract: A nebulizer has a mixing chamber into which is projected a high velocity jet of oxygen that aspirates water from a container connected with the mixing chamber. A compressed air input port in the chamber projects a stream of compressed air adjacent to and alongside the oxygen jet to impinge upon the tapered entrance surface of a venturi tube that forms an exit from the mixing chamber. The percentage of oxygen in the output is effectively rendered independent of output back pressure, the lower limit of the amount of oxygen in the output is lowered, the amount of water entrained in the output is increased, and the amount of waste water is decreased.

Abstract: A self-righting flywheel motor operated toy vehicle includes attitude restoration components at the rear thereof, the vehicle having the center of gravity thereof along the longitudinal centerline thereof. A first component includes an attitude restoration plate configured in the form of a spoiler member attached at the rear of the vehicle above the rear wheels and having a width greater than the distance between the outer sides of the wheels for enabling the maintaining of a slight elevational angle of the vehicle when on either side, with a corner of the driving wheel on that side in contact with the surface. The force of the driving wheel tends to self-right the vehicle.

Abstract: A power filter resonant frequency modulation network for coupling between a load and a variable voltage direct current power source which is subjected to superposition of alternating current thereon at various frequencies and at various voltage levels, the filter including first and second series inductor arrangements in the positive and negative buses between the power supply and the load, with capacitive elements in parallel between the two buses. Each series inductor arrangement includes a first inductor in series with a frequency and voltage responsive inductive load device, which is a second inductor having a tertiary winding loaded with a coil wound about the core of a saturable reactor. The firing angles of the reactors are directly proportional to voltage and inversely proportional to voltage to provide a phase staggered change of inductance in the network.

Abstract: A folding anchor having a shank formed in two pieces and joined together with a keyhole fitting, and, upon pivoting the upper shank abuttingly overlies the lower shank. The fluke assemblies are pivotally connected via a coupling assembly at the lower end of the shank, the coupling assembly including a retaining member for pivotal coupling to the fluke assemblies and a slide block member having a passage for receiving the retaining member therein, displacement of one relative to the other enabling pivoting of the fluke assemblies between folded and unfolded positions, this being accomplished by 90 degree pivoting of the fluke assemblies about first axes generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shank, whereby the two flukes may be rotated toward each other into proximate facing relation, or away from each other into alignment.

Abstract: The collet includes a compressible basket having a central opening to receive a tool shank and two exterior surfaces tapering in opposite directions. One tapered exterior surface engages a matching tapered interior surface of a hollow rotatable shaft that receives it. The other tapered exterior surface engages a matching tapered interior surface of a wedge received in the shaft and movable axially relative to it. The angles of the tapers are such that they are self holding. The collet is closed by moving the wedge which compresses the basket sequentially at the two tapered surfaces, locking the tapers. The force on the wedge is released after this, leaving the tapers locked without external force as the tool is gripped in two locations during operation of it.

Abstract: A bend arm assembly pivotable about a given axis of a bending machine and including a clamp die mechanism with a clamp die for coaction with a rotary bend die for clamping a workpiece for bending, the bend arm assembly including the clamp die mechanism then pivoting through the desired bend angle, as a unit, about the axis of the bend die. The bend arm assembly includes a back plate, with first and second guide slots, with the clamp die assembly mounted on the end of a clamp die block, which has laterally protruding guide bolts extending into the guide slots. A cam plate is secured to the clamp die block in depending relation, and is provided with a cam slot. A hydraulic cylinder driven cam actuator arm assembly includes interconnected parallel arms, which pivot about an axis, which is pivotally coupled to the structure about which the bend die pivots, with a cam follower rod extending through the cam slot.

Abstract: An improved, simplified and less expensive apparatus and method for cleaning wells embodies an elongated tube of combustible material, sealed at its ends, that is ignited at one end to generate a pressure wave that travels along the length of the tube. Outwardly directed pressure generated within the well casing by the deflagration is periodically attenuated at spaced locations along the length of the tube by a plurality of spaced short, steel sleeves circumscribing the tube and secured thereto. Three such tube sections are provided, each with its spaced, short circumscribing steel sleeves and each ignited in a selected chronological and positional sequence by three individual simultaneously electrically activated detonator caps which are provided with mutually different delay times.

Abstract: A movable working head carries a pair of drive rollers, an insertion quill, and a routing nozzle that are manipulated so that a first terminal on one end of a wire is grasped between the rollers and inserted into the quill which is then inserted partly into a connector aperture. The rollers are rotated to drive the wire and terminal through the quill into an engaged position within the connector, terminal insertion is tested, and the insertion quill is replaced with the routing nozzle so that the working head can traverse a harness routing path with the rollers and nozzle sliding freely along the length of the wire towards its other end. Near the second end of the wire, the rollers grasp the second terminal pin, rotate with the pin 180.degree. about an axis parallel to the roller axes and are moved to insert this terminal pin into the insertion quill so that the working head may move the quill and rollers to a second connector.

Abstract: A high sensitivity electroplating or corrosion sensor and method for sensing employing a relatively strong, self-supporting electrically conductive substrate of high resistivity and a test coating that is electroplated directly onto the substrate. For corrosion monitoring, a test element of the sensor is formed of a thick, high resistivity substrate, such as stainless steel, upon which is electroplated a thin test coating of material to be tested in a corrosive environment. For many applications, the ratio of resistivity of the substrate to resistivity of the test coating is substantially equal to the ratio thickness of the substrate to thickness of the test coating, which ratios may be about 40 to 1. The sensor may be employed in the monitoring of electroplating by immersing the stainless steel substrate in the electrolytic bath with the object to be plated and measuring the decreasing parallel resistance of the substrate and coating that is plated upon the substrate during a plating of the object.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for the bend arm of bending apparatus wherein a drive motor has the drive shaft thereof generally parallel to the axis of pivoting of the bend arm assembly, and along a line at an angle to the feed direction of a tube. The drive shaft is directly coupled to a bell crank having first and second generally perpendicular arms. A like bell crank arrangement is formed in the bend arm and is driveably coupled to the bend arm pivot shaft with the bend arm bell crank in aligned relation to the drive motor bell crank. First and second generally identical rigid noncompliant link arms have the first ends thereof pivotally coupled to the free ends of the arms of the bend arm bell crank, with the other end thereof pivotally coupled to the free ends of the drive motor bell crank. The link arms are generally L-shaped, with the distal ends of the short legs thereof coupled to the bend arm bell crank, one of the ends above the crank and one below the crank.

Abstract: A liquid sterlizing composition comprising the reaction product of a non-ionic surfactant, a gluteraldehyde and triethylene glycol.