Abstract: Disclosed is a device for providing illumination on a helicoptor rotor blade. A chemiluminescent light source, including a translucent container and a chemiluminescent substance received therein, is attached to the outer end of a helicoptor rotor blade so that the helicoptor operator, or a remote observer, may be provided with a light marker indicating the outer circumference of the blade's rotational path.

Abstract: Plug-together joints are formed between floor members (10, 10') and drive beams (18, 18'). These connections may comprise a pin or insert (72) secured to the drive beam (18) and a box or socket (52, 54) secured to the floor member (10). Or, it may comprise a box or socket (176, 178) secured to the drive beam (18') and an insert or pin (188) secured to the floor member (10'). The plug-together connection is used in a reciprocating floor conveyor of a type having slide bearings (122) for the floor members (10, 19') which allow the floor members (10, 10') to be snapped into place from above. The floor may also include hold down members (90) which are secured to the guide beams (14) for the floor members (10, 10') and which are also constructed to allow the floor members (10, 10') to be snapped into place from above. The hold down members (90) include hold down wings (100, 102) which, when the floor member is in place, locate lower edges (104, 106) above inner edge portions (84, 82) of the floor member (10, 10').

Abstract: A support attachment for structural stringers includes a strap having a hook portion at one end shaped to engage an edge of a stringer and a normally free end. The strap's surface has a plurality of upstanding engaging elements extending substantially along its entire length. Also included is a body having a hook portion shaped to engage another edge of a stringer. The body has a central portion and a pair of parallel spaced-apart guidewall portions which extend outwardly away from one side of the central portion to form a guide channel. A surface portion of the body, having a plurality of mating upstanding engaging elements, extends outwardly away from the opposite side of the central portion. A guide avenue through the central portion provides a pathway for guiding the strap's free end from between the guidewall portions to the surface portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reciprocating floor conveyor having floor members (10, 10') formed with a side lip (24, 26) overhanging either or both side edges. The slip (24) on one floor member (10) is contiguous with a closely-confronted side (16) or lip (26) of an adjacent floor member (10') when the floor members (10, 10') are installed. The lips (24, 26) form a narrow, material-excluding gap (28) between the floor members (10, 10'). An elongated seal strip (38) having a base portion (40) received in and retained by a longitudinal seal-retaining groove (30) formed in a side (14) of a floor member (10) is provided between each pair of adjacent floor members (10, 10'). A longitudinally straight, vertically convex side surface (36) may be provided vertically above the retaining groove (30) to bias the seal strip (38) into contact with a side surface (48) of an adjacent floor member (10' ).

Abstract: A flat member (22) is attached to a lower end of a support leg (14) so that it extends horizontally from the support leg (14). An expansion clamp assembly (24) is carried by the member (22). This assembly (24) is plugged into the tubular lower end portion (26) of the support leg (14). Wing portions (58) of a nut wing washer (50) are deflected by the insertion of the assembly (24) into the tubular portion (26), and the wings (58) are biased into a tight gripping contact with the inner tubular portion (26). This secures the nut wing washer (50) and a nut (46) against rotation. Then, the member (22) is rotated, relative to the support leg (14), causing a relative endwise movement of a stud (28) carried by the member (22) into the nut (46).

Abstract: This invention is a music theory teaching aid which structurally includes a base member, a main wheel member pivotally attached to the base member at a central location, and twelve secondary wheel members each pivotally attached to the base member at circumferentially spaced-apart points, radially outwardly from the main wheel member. The base member bears indicia indicating major scale reference notes for each of the twelve musical keys. Each reference note is associated with one of the secondary wheel members. The main wheel member is pivotable to selectively align indicia thereon to correspond with major reference notes on the base member such that the order of diatonic notes of a selected key are indicated for each mode of the selected key. Indicia on each secondary wheel member radially divides it into twelve equal sections representing chromatic steps of an octave.

Abstract: A crab trap (10) is provided having a frame including a multi-sided bottom frame portion (12), a larger, equal-sided top frame portion (14) spaced thereabove, and generally diagonal frame members (16) connecting the top and bottom frame portions. A door opening (36) is provided adjacent at least one side of the bottom frame portion (12). Barrier walls are secured to the frame to define an enclosure which is normally closed. The barrier walls include a bottom barrier wall (24) and an inwardly opening flap door (38) which normally closes the door opening (36). The flap door has a top (40) which is connected to the trap (10) and a lower edge (42) which is normally continuous with the bottom barrier (24). The flap door (38) is resiliently bendable inwardly so that a crap (44) seeking to enter the trap (10) can lift the flap door (38) and crawl into the trap (10) below the flap door (38) and onto the bottom barrier wall (24).

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus which carries and selectively deploys aerial-drop units. The apparatus comprises a plurality of substantially parallel tubes, each tube being sized to hold a stack of units and is suspendible from an aircraft by a carrier. Associated with each of the tubes is a releasable unit support element which, upon release, allows a stack of units, as its support is removed, to drop by gravity from the tube.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus (10) for suspending articles (14) from an overhead member (12) includes an elongated support member (20) attachable to the overhead member (12), first and second pulleys (22, 34) supported by the support member (20), an abutment (28) radially spaced from the first pulley (22), and a pivoting lock member (30) coaxial with and operably independent from the first pulley (22). A cord (32) passes over the first pulley (22) inwardly of the abutment (28) and extends further over the second pulley (34). One end of the cord (42) which is proximal to the second pulley (34), is attachable to an article (14) to be supported from the cord (32, 42). The cord (32) is normally freely movable over the pulleys (22, 34) to allow the height of a suspended article (14) to be adjusted, but may be restricted from movement in one direction by clamping engagement of the cord (32) between the lock member (30) and the abutment (28), thereby fixing the height at which an article (14) is suspended.

Abstract: Disclosed is a shallow water detector (10) for a boat (12) comprising a main housing (16) positionable on the boat (12), a source of electrical energy (102), a signal device (36, 38), and an actuating switch assembly (108). The actuating switch assembly includes a normally off, snap-action microswitch (110) enclosed in a housing and having a depressible operator (112) projecting therefrom which, when depressed, turns the microswitch (110) on. A switch actuator member (30) has an end portion (114) directed toward the depressible operator (112) and a guide means (116) which guides the actuator member (30) towards and away from the depressible operator (112). The actuator member (30) is biased by a spring means (120) toward and into depressing contact with the depressible operator (112). A line (28)is connected at one end to the actuator member (30) and at the other end to a weight (32).

Abstract: A loop clamp is provided for binding a wire bundle together or for attaching such a wire bundle to a support member. The loop clamp includes a base and a flexible strap having first and second surfaces on opposite sides. One surface includes a plurality of upstanding hook elements and the other surface a plurality of upstanding loop elements, each extending over a substantial area of the strap. One end of the strap is attached to the base and the other end may be passed through an opening formed in the base, thereby providing a size-adjustable loop. Respective upstanding hook and loop elements of the guided length of strap and an outer portion of the loop may be engaged, thereby fixing the size of the loop and binding wires or the like therein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a grip-enhancing device for a shaft handle which includes a grip portion generally coaxial with the shaft and sized to be grasped generally around its longitudinal axis by the palm and fingers of a user's hand. The grip-enhancing improvement comprises a rigid first portion extending substantially radially outwardly from the grip portion and presenting a surface positioned to bear against an edge of the user's hand. The surface has a cross-section which is spaced radially from and extends obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the grip portion. A rigid second portion extends from the first portion in a direction oblique to the longitudinal axis of the grip portion and toward the user's wrist. The grip portion, the first portion and the second portion define a gap in which the user's hand is partially captured, thereby preventing axial and lateral slipping of the hand from the handle and reducing fatigue to the user.

Abstract: Disclosed in an apparatus and method for self-cleaning a barrier-type air filter. In an aircraft, a filter may be located within an air delivery duct wherein normal airflow through the duct deposits airborne lint and the like on an upstream side of the filter. To clean the filter, an airflow discharge conduit interconnects the duct and the exterior of the aircraft from a position upstream of the filter. A valve is operatively positioned in the conduit for opening and closing the airflow path it creates. When both normal airflow is stopped and the valve is opened, a reversal of airflow through the filter takes place and the lint is removed therefrom.