Abstract: A wall plate, for electrical switches, electrical outlets and the like, includes a frame and an insert received by the frame. The frame is held against the wall by the insert, which is secured to the electrical switch or electrical outlet by at least one fastening element which fits through an aperture defined in the insert. The insert includes at least one flange which serves as an abutment or stop to prevent damage to the insert as the fastening element is tightened and the insert is pulled toward the switch or outlet.

Abstract: A lock pick mechanism having a plurality of lock picks, a frame and housing members is disclosed. The lock picks, frame and housing members are connected together such that the lock picks may be contained within the frame and enclosed by the housing members when the lock picks are in their storage positions and such that an individual lock pick may be selected and pivotally moved from its storage to its operative position when the housing members are opened. After the selected lock pick has been moved to its operative position, the housing members may be closed to maintain the lock pick in its operative position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a vehicle indicating mechanism, in the form of a parking guide, for gauging the back clearance of an automobile or similar vehicle. The parking guide includes a hollow, translucent guide rod, which is movable responsive to a motor within a control box, from a substantially horizontal position, adjacent to the back bumper of the vehicle, to a substantially vertical position, extending upwardly from the corner of the bumper. The guide rod is illuminated by a light within the control box when the rod is in the vertical position, thereby also enabling the rod to be viewed by the driver and used as a guide for parking the automobile, at night.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printed circuit card with pin connector elements along one edge thereof. With two parallel rows of pins which pass through the card and extend out of each side, the same female-type connector element cannot be attached to either side; the two rows of pins are transposed relative to the connector on the two sides of the card. In the invention, however, three parallel rows of pins are provided. The pins of the middle row extend out of each side of the card, while the pins in only one of the outer rows extend out of each side of the card. The same-positioned pins in the outer rows are connected to each other through the circuit card. In this way, the same connector can be disposed on either side of the card and connected to the two rows of pins which extend from that side for establishing an identical electrical connection to the printed circuit.

Abstract: An improved support member for a frame carrying an article to be displayed is disclosed. The member is convertible between a hanging mode and a standing mode, with a hanger acting as the support element in the hanging mode and with a one-piece easel-type stand resting against a flat surface acting as the support element in the standing mode. The stand is held for pivoting action within tubular brackets on the hanger, and can maintain that position even when the hanging mode is being used. The upper edges of the planar stand pivot toward the hanger element as the lower stand portion pivots away, and contact between the upper stand edges and the hanger establishes a self-contained stopping position for the standing mode. The hanger element also includes a series of stepped cutouts to accommodate various surface attachment members.

Abstract: A loom for weaving a slide fastener element to a tape, the loom weaving two tapes, and a slide fastener element to each tape, simultaneously. The slide-fastener element is fed along with the warp ends to the weaving area, and undergoes simultaneous shedding movement with the warp ends. The filling needle is driven in an elliptical path through each successive warp shed. The eye of the needle, through which the filling passes, moves closely adjacent to the weaving point in the first half of its path and then moves distantly away from the weaving point in the second half of its path. Each pick of the filling thereby catches and binds the slide-fastener element at a location immediately adjacent to the weaving point.

Abstract: An anti-theft system for cars and the like. A receiver is mounted in the trunk of the vehicle. A first receiver wire is connected to the electrical system of the car for supplying power to the receiver only when the ignition switch is turned on. A second, normally grounded, receiver wire is extended to the ignition coil for preventing operating of the ignition system. To remove the ground from this second conductor, it is necessary to operate a small transmitter while the ignition switch is turned on. The transmitter and the receiver are sold as a pair, the receiver being tuned to recognize a coded signal from only the paired transmitter. Once the ignition system is turned on, the disabling ground potential is held removed from the second conductor even though the transmitter is no longer operated.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved display, of the type described in my co-pending application Ser. No. 455,197 now Pat. No. 3,906,173 issued on Sept. 16, 1975, for use with a telephone line characteristic measuring instrument. A signal representing the instantaneous in-phase component of the total disturbance on a received test tone is applied to one set of deflection plates of a storage oscilloscope, and a signal representing the instantaneous quadrature component of the total disturbance on the received test tone is applied to the orthogonal deflection plates. The display is formed only in response to the detection of a disturbance. By detecting a disturbance and maintaining a display of it, the display can be studied at length.

Abstract: In a gearing for the locomotion of toy figures between two end positions the gearing is formed as string drive with two string wheels mounted on a common shaft pivoted in bearing in the body of the toy figure and respective one string belonging to each string wheel, which string is mounted with the one end at the belonging string wheel and can be gripped with the other end, both strings being partly windable on the belonging string wheels and are tensionable in a direction opposite to one another and whereby furthermore in the end positions of the toy figure the one string respectively is wound up onto the string wheel belonging to it, the other string thereagainst is wound off.

Abstract: There is disclosed a textile package which offers the advantages of strength, ease of assembly, and low cost. A plastic hub is passed through a hole in each end panel. The hub consists of a flat section for bearing against the outer face of an end panel, a large central sleeve which passes through the hole in the end panel and is inserted into one end of a central connecting tube, and several peripheral lugs which pass through smaller holes in the end panel which surround the central hole. The hub is secured to the end panel by nuts on the inner face of the end panel placed over the lugs, and the central sleeve is secured to the connecting tube by circumferential sharp-edged ridges. Looking at the package from outside an end panel, the central sleeve is hollow as are one or more of the lugs. This permits each end panel to be fixed to a mandrel so that the package can be turned as fabric is wound around the connecting tube.

Abstract: There is disclosed a spike suppressor which is capable of switching very high currents at very high speeds. Typically, a current in the order of 80 amperes can be switched in less than 1 nanosecond. The device is also capable of dissipating high power. Typically, 80-ampere, 200-nanosecond pulses at a repetition rate of 10 per second can be tolerated. The device consists of a relatively thick layer (greater than 1 micron) of a refractory transition metal oxide such as NbO.sub.2 grown on a conducting refractory substrate. The metal oxide is polycrystalline and can be grown in several different ways.

Abstract: A tamper-proof backpack is disclosed which is formed of plastic or similar molded construction. The backpack includes a concave rear wall and shoulder straps which enable the backpack to be carried on the back of a user. The backpack may also be hand-carried and a cover is provided for fitting over the concave rear wall thereby hiding the shoulder straps when the backpack is so carried. The backpack includes a locking mechanism which prevents unauthorized access into the interior of the backpack and which also enables the backpack to be secured to a stationary object.

Abstract: There is disclosed a mechanism for dyeing yarns as they are fed from their cones into a knitting machine. Each yarn passes through a container in which there is a liquid dye of a color selected for that particular yarn. Although a quick-drying dye is used, to insure that each yarn is completely dried prior to its reaching a respective knitting needle, a jet of air is directed against each yarn as it exits from its respective dye container.

Abstract: There are disclosed packages for pile fabrics which safeguard against the layers in a fabric roll bearing against each other and against the entire roll from "telescoping". The fabric is wound on conventional hook strips. Cupped eyelets are formed in the strips, a pair of eyelets straddling every fabric layer. After the roll of fabric is wound, a skewer is passed through the fabric layers and the eyelets along each strip. Even if a fabric edge is torn off from a hook, as often happens during rough handling of a package, the layer is prevented from bearing against an adjacent layer because its edge is limited to movement between the two straddling eyelets along the skewer; and if the fabric edge is torn off from many or all hooks on one side, the roll is prevented from telescoping toward the opposite side when the package is stood on its end.

Abstract: A shoe construction in which an elastic gore is stitched to and runs from one side of the vamp to the other side across the throat of the shoe. The elastic gore is sandwiched between the tongue and the shoe lining, thereby hiding the gore from view, and preventing it from contacting the foot of the wearer. The gore, when contracted, shirrs the mid-section of the tongue.

Abstract: An anti-siphon and back-flow prevention valve having a main valve chamber including air ports, an inlet at its lower end and an outlet at its upper end. Contained within the main valve chamber is a check valve including a check valve seat, through which the flow of liquid in the valve must pass. The check valve seat has a flexible diaphragm which mates with the check valve seat and functions to block any back flow of liquid from the main valve chamber into the inlet. A flexible ring is also contained in the main valve chamber and mates with the air ports to function as an air valve, allowing air to enter the main valve chamber during low pressure conditions down stream from the valve. The check valve and air valve operate independently of each other, responding to the various air and liquid pressures in and around the main valve chamber. Both valves are normally held closed by the force of gravity and static water pressure within the main valve chamber during no-flow conditions.