Abstract: A portion of a hitch secured to the bed of a truck is flat so that when the hitch is not being used the hitch will not interfere with usual loading. A base is secured to the bed of a truck, and lateral spacing bars rigidly support a hold-down plate a short distance above the base. A removable, interchangeable portion connected to a goose-neck arm has a disk to be contained for rotation while the hitch is coupled, laterally between the spacing bars and vertically between the hold-down plate and the base. The peripheral edge of the disk guides it between the spacing bars to center the portions being coupled. The interchangeable portion adapts different types of couplings of connecting arms to the portion attached to the truck. Preferably, a disk or a plate is connected to the lower disk and spaced over the upper surface of the hold-down plate.

Abstract: The height of the arch of an arch-support member is adjustable by turning a screw that is positioned between the insole and the sole of a shoe. A lever extends from the central portion of the arch support downwardly through the insole to the adjusting screw. The lever turns about the insole as a fulcrum in response to adjustment of the screw for varying the height of the arch-support member.

Abstract: A precision level is the type that has a level indicating means and is turned end for end to determine the amount one point on which the end of the level rests must be changed in height with respect to a point at the other end of the level to have the points on a horizontal line. A mounting through one end of the main body of the present level positions a conventional differential dial indicator above a foot that is adjustable in height, and the sensing stem of the indicator follows the upper end of the foot to show the amount the points must be changed in height to position the points on a horizontal line. For levels of different lengths, sections for the main body are connected together. Latching assemblies for joining the sections have hook-shaped members mounted on eccentric pins, the pins being rotated to pull the sections tightly together.

Abstract: The wings on one side of a slot for an arch wire have slanting, oblong openings to receive a pivotal side of a generally rectangular fastening. The fastening is pivotally mounted in the openings; the pivotal side slides inwardly within the openings to allow the opposite latching side of the fastening to be passed over opposite latching wings; and then the pivotal side slides outwardly to retain the latching side within hook-shaped inner surfaces of the latching wings. The ends of the fastening cross over and retain an arch wire in a slot intermediate the wings. Auxiliary springs to provide rotational force on torque may be integral parts of the fastening.

Abstract: A necktie ornament is bent at the seam of a man's collar for a close fit and has strings of beads attached to its lower edge to hang as a necktie down the front of a man's shirt. A spring wire for a clasp extends from the lower edge of the ornament upwardly over the front of the ornament, and its upper end is bent over the top of the ornament to provide a loop adjacent the back of the ornament for fastening to a man's collar. The upper ends of the strings of beads are anchored within a hole in the lower portion of the ornament.

Abstract: A reel assembly is especially adapted for winding an electrical service cord in either recreational or industrial vehicles. The reel has flanges rotatively mounted to an arbor, and only one end of the arbor is fastened to a rigid supporting member. The reel assembly therefore has one flange clear of any obstruction so that the electrical cord can be wound readily over the end of the reel to adjust tension, and the mounting provides easy assembly and disassembly. In a preferred embodiment, the reel is held on the arbor by a single fastener associated with a slip-ring assembly. A notched ratchet disk has protrusions adjacent its notches to cause a pawl to jump across the notches except at slow speeds. For safety, a grounding circuit is completed through a special conductive, retractive spring to eliminate open circuits sometimes encountered with usual sets of electrical contacts.

Abstract: The lower side of a piston ring slants downwardly in an outwardly direction at an acute angle to its upper side that is perpendicular to the wall of the piston. Spacings along the upper side and inward side of the ring permits conduction of gas for pressing downwardly and outwardly, respectively. According to the principle of an inclined plane, force downwardly on the lower inclined surface provides an outward component to act with the pressure at the inward side of the ring and with moderate expansive tension to counteract inward force from pressure on the outer surface of the ring.

Abstract: A plurality of relatively small reflective panels, flat or curved, direct sunlight to an energy pickup which is approximately the size of one of the small reflective panels and are spaced three-dimensionally to utilize available space and support structures economically. Telescope-type drives tilt and rotate the panels individually or by selected groups to focus and maintain concentration of radiant or solar energy on the pickup during the day and seasonally. In one embodiment, energy from the sun is reflected from a first group of reflectors to a second group of reflectors that direct the energy down a tubular concentrator to an energy pickup. Each of the reflectors is curved about a single axis. The axes of the reflectors of the first group are oriented in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the axes of the reflectors of the second group.

Abstract: The unit may be mounted either in a window or between the studs of a building that is to be supplied with solar heat. The bottom of the unit extends farther from the building than the top and is wider than the top of the unit such that the transparent side away from the building has an arcuate form and is gradually flared outwardly in a downward direction to increase the exposure to the sun during the day. A plurality of absorptive tubes within the unit are slanted from the upper portion of the unit downwardly and outwardly to the front arcuate portion of the bottom. Openings between the unit and the building are provided for air flow, and a thermostatically controlled fan is mounted in one of the openings. A baffle is mounted between the absorptive tubes and the mounting side of the solar heating unit, and the surfaces of the baffle and the absorptive tubes are painted a dull black for absorbing heat transmitted from the sun through the transparent, slanting side.

Abstract: A plurality of rotary cutters for pulverizing soil for a subgrade, a conveyor for moving soil from the subgrade, and a leveling blade are connected successively on a slowly moving machine to prepare in a single pass a subgrade for concrete. Blades on the rotary cutter are revolved horizontally and are set at different levels to slice the soil evenly from the bottom of the subgrade and to pulverize the soil. The conveyor may be either a screw or a chain type, and a portion of the conveyor extends across the subgrade behind the rotary cutters. The leveling blade leaves a desired amount of leveled, pulverized soil, and when a screw conveyor is used, pushes the soil into the conveyor.

Abstract: A spiral outwardly facing surface, driving surface, of a dasher forces wash almost radially outwardly with little tendency for the wash to be whirled with the dasher. Therefore, the dasher can be driven unidirectionally by apparatus that is much simpler and more economical than the gearing used for reciprocating motion in conventional washing machines. Preferably, the height of the spiral surface is low, the change in rate of curvature is gradual, and a line normal to the tangent of the outer portion of the spiral is nearly radial to propel clothes radially while the dasher is being rotated at a speed within the range of speed normally used for drying by spinning. The use of the spinning rate further simplifies the rotative driving apparatus.

Abstract: A prior fifth-wheel braking control has a pair of links that support a trailer and rotate a small amount to operate brakes of the trailer to prevent overriding. A toggle or indexing action for stability is obtained by raising the fifth wheel and its load slightly to change positions of the links between a pulling condition and an overriding condition. The present improvement comprises adjustable stops positioned with respect to the links to determine the distance of their forward travel and therefore determine the amount of forward traction to be supplied by a tractor for changing position of the links as required for releasing the brakes of the trailer. The stops have different settings for substantially different weights of trailers to limit the amount of traction required to start the trailers.

Abstract: A heating coil in a firebox above a burner is connected to a hot water radiator positioned between the firebox and a hot air outlet. A usual short flue pipe between the firebox and a draft diverter is replaced by a plurality of longer flue pipes of smaller diameter spaced above the firebox for transferring heat to air that is flowing to space that is being heated.

Abstract: A small holder having a pair of jaws, has the general configuration of prior larger holders to be used for opening jars, but the inside surfaces of the jaws have thick cushions to conform to the wall of artist paint tubes. The cushions have thin supporting members to be attached to jaw members and are easily removable for changing to cushions with different thicknesses for holding tubes of different diameters.

Abstract: A rigid side extension draft bar locates to one side of a propelled implement the hitch for a tongue of a pulled implement. Preferably, the pulled implement has caster wheels. Pivots located at the ends of the tongue permit the pulled implement and the propelled implement to travel over different contours at different levels but maintain the fore-to-aft axes of the implements in the same direction so that they turn and back as a unit and maintain the amount of overlap of their paths uniform.

Abstract: A first separable pivot is at the height of the pelvis of an occupant and has a guide for supporting a back rest while the support thereof is being transferred from the first separable pivot to a second separable pivot near the bottom of the back rest. A pin secured to the back rest is positioned in a toothed slot for different positions of tilt while the first pivot is engaged and during folding is positioned in an adjusting arcuate slot for maintaining the second pivot engaged.

Abstract: An inner frame is telescopically positioned within an outer frame to be mounted horizontally on top of a vehicle. Folding rails for a ramp are pivotally joined to the rear end of the inner frame, and when the inner frame is extended, the ramp is positioned far enough back of a vehicle to permit a boat to be inverted while it is being supported on the top portion of the ramp. A carrier bar follows the rails and has, for connection to oarlocks, fastening means that permit a boat to be inverted easily by being rotated about the bar. The movements of the carrier bar and telescopic frame are controlled by winches.

Abstract: Quite a large cylindrical tube for a mouthpiece tube and a smaller stem for supporting a small bowl extend upwardly from different portions of a hollow base. The hollow base functions as a reservoir, and the base and the lower portions of the stem and the mouthpiece tube are filled with water. A plastic ball within the mouthpiece tube helps control the draw of the pipe. The plastic ball is the sealing member of the check valve that prevents rapid flow of water from the mouthpiece tube to the stem when inhalation is stopped abruptly. The port of the check valve is a hole that is eccentric within the bottom of the mouthpiece tube. The eccentricity provides a desirable amount of leakage for slowly equalizing the level of water in the mouthpiece tube and the stem.

Abstract: A driven rotary brush is mounted on an adjustable plate, and the adjustable plate is mounted through rails and runners to a wall plate. The wall plate has quick mounting devices such as suction cups for quick attachment. The rails and runners provide easy vertical height adjustment. The brush has a central member functioning as a sprayer that is easily connected through flexible tubing to the supply pipe for the shower spray head.