Abstract: An improved smoke exhaust apparatus for a rotary welder which comprises an elongated stationary carrier having a support member mounted thereon for rotation about an upright axis. Plenum and shroud elements are vertically spaced apart and are connected to such support member for rotation therewith. The plenum is provided with intake and exhaust ports. The shroud includes a horizontally disposed plate having a depending skirt around a portion of the periphery thereof to provide an opening in the side of the shroud. Smoke inlet ports are provided in the plate and tubes connect the smoke inlet ports to the respective intake ports whereby suction applied to the exhaust ports of the plenum causes flow of air from the interior of the shroud upwardly through the smoke inlet ports, the tubing and intake ports and into the plenum from which such flow passes outwardly of the exhaust ports.

Abstract: An electronic organ, particularly of the institutional type employing classical voicing, having Swell and Great manuals as well as a full pedalboard wherein the manuals and pedalboard are multiplexed simultaneously to produce a plurality of synchronized serial data streams. Intermanual coupling is accomplished by connecting the data stream from one manual to the footage generation cirlcuit of another manual, and footages are generated for each manual by utilizing tapped shift registers introducing controlled amounts of delay of the keyboard data before demultiplexing thereof. There is a bank of demultiplexer-keyers for each voice, such as flutes, principals, complex and percussion, which receive the serial data streams from one or more of the footage generators. The demultiplexer-keyers are supplied with tones and function to demultiplex the serial data streams and provide to the voicing circuitry tones selected in accordance with the keydown pulses in the serial data streams.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for injection moulding of thermoplastic materials in which a screw in a plasticizer acts as an injection ram to inject plasticized material through a heated runner system into a mould. Part of the injected shot of plasticized material is passed into a reservoir communicating with the runner system. Upon completion of the injection of the shot, the passage from the plasticizer is closed by a valve and the screw is returned to plasticizing position while a pressure is applied to the plasticized material in the reservoir to force it into the runner system to apply a positive pressure so that an article is formed in the mold free of sink marks or weak spots. The reservoir may be provided in series with the shot injecting passage from the screw plasticizer by a nozzle on the plasticizer acting as a piston movable in a cylinder communicating with the runner system of the mould, the valve acting to close the plasticizer from the end of the mould.

Abstract: A furnace basket having a flat bottom and an upright peripheral wall formed of a gridwork of transverse rods pressure welded together. The rod portions which form the wall are reinforced by means of peripheral rods welded thereto.

Abstract: A device and method for converting electrical energy into heat energy including a cascade connection of bidirectional thyristors, such as triacs, operated from an alternating current power supply. The thyristor are submerged in oil which is thermally conductive but electrically insulative, the oil being in initimate contact with the thyristors junctions. The heat energy at the junctions flows to the oil, from there to a heatsink (radiator), and from the radiator to the surrounding atmosphere.

Abstract: A wind propelled craft adapted for movement over water or ice having an equilateral tetrahedral frame comprising three substantially equidistantly spaced support members adapted to engage and be supported on the surface of the water, four substantially rigid spars connected together at a juncture and extending radially outward therefrom such that they are separated from each other by equal angles, and a plurality of equilength stays connected between each of the spars and the other spars at points on the spars substantially equidistant from the juncture so as to form with the spars a frame of substantially equilateral tetrahedral shape. Three of the spars extend laterally and downwardly from the juncture and are connected to the support members by stays with the fourth spar extending upwardly from the juncture. A pair of triangular mainsails are connected to respective pairs of stays extending downwardly from the vertical spar in such a manner that they are capable of being raised and lowered.

Abstract: A ground leveling and tillage implement for attachment to the front of a tractor includes an elongated frame element disposed transversely in front of the front wheels of the tractor and generally parallel with the ground. A generally rectangular tine-supporting frame is provided having spaced opposite sides and ends, and having a plurality of ground-working tines mounted thereon and depending therefrom. The supporting frame is mounted intermediate its ends on the frame element for pivotal movement about an axis parallel with its sides and with the frame element between an operative position extending forwardly of the frame element and generally parallel with the ground and with the tines in engagement therewith, and a generally upright transport position.

Abstract: A system and method whereby school children waiting for the arrival of a school bus are notified of impending arrival of the bus by means of a radio transmitted signal which activates a visual or audio alarm located in their respective residences. A radio frequency transmitter is placed in each school bus, with the transmission frequency selected to correspond to a particular bus route. A radio frequency receiver is placed within a plurality of selected residences along a bus route and tuned to receive the frequency corresponding to that transmitted by the bus following the route followed by the bus which is to stop and pick up children at that residence. When the receiver receives the transmitted signal, an audible or visual alarm is activated thereby notifying the occupants of the residence of the impending arrival of the bus.

Abstract: A device for the magnetic treatment of liquids, particularly water, wherein a bypass chamber is provided so that only a portion of the liquid passing through the conditioner is subjected to the magnetic field. The device comprises one or more elongated magnetic cores each having an elongated magnet encased within a tubular inner casing of non-magnetic material. The magnetic core is received within an elongated intermediate casing of magnetic material, such as an iron or steel galvanized pipe, and being radially spaced therefrom so as to form a generally annular treatment chamber having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the opposite end. The intermediate casing, since it is formed of a magnetic material, provides a return path for the magnetic field produced by the magnet to confine the magnetic field substantially to the treatment chamber.

Abstract: Vehicle towing apparatus comprises a supporting frame adapted to be mounted on the rear and top of a passenger car. The frame includes an upstanding support having a horizontal cross member and an upright slot which opens through the cross member. An elongated boom is disposed in registry with the slot. The boom is carried for longitudinal movement on the cross member for only a portion of its length, a pair of side rails on the boom directly supporting it from the cross member. The frame further includes a guide device spaced from the upstanding support which is mounted on the top of the passenger car. The guide device receives the boom for longitudinal sliding movement and also for swinging movement about a pivot pin in the guide device. An adjustable pin is carried by the upstanding support for spanning the slot and for carrying the boom when it is extended to a position which disengages the boom-supporting rails from the cross member.

Abstract: A wind propelled craft adapted for movement over water or ice having an equilateral tetrahedral frame comprising three substantially equidistantly spaced support members adapted to engage and be supported on the surface of the water, four substantially rigid spars connected together at a juncture and extending radially outward therefrom such that they are separated from each other by equal angles, and a plurality of equilength stays connected between each of the spars and the other spars at points on the spars substantially equidistant from the juncture so as to form with the spars a frame of substantially equilateral tetrahedral shape. Three of the spars extend laterally and downwardly from the juncture and are connected to the support members by stays with the fourth spar extending upwardly from the juncture. A pair of triangular mainsails are connected to respective pairs of stays extending downwardly from the vertical spar in such a manner that they are capable of being raised and lowered.

Abstract: A threaded bolt has two elongated shank parts, the adjoining part ends having mating, stepped shapes. The shank parts when held and rotated in unison can be threaded in a piece such as a nut, but when not so held will frictionally bind in the threads of the piece. A keyway is provided through the shank parts to receive a key for rotating the parts in unison, preventing relative rotational movement therebetween, so that the nut and shank parts may be freely threadingly rotated in the aforesaid piece.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the injection molding of plastics material wherein the forward portion of the screw is designed such that mixing and shear of the material is minimized. This is advantageous when processing materials having diverse colorations so as to produce a mottled product, and also for processing glass reinforced materials wherein high shear processing would break the fibers thereby resulting in a lower quality product. Low shear processing of the material in the forward portion of the barrel is accomplished by providing a screw having a fully flighted rear portion, but a forward portion which is flightless so that a generally unobstructed, annular flow passage is formed between the cylindrical outer periphery of the flighted portion and the inner wall of the barrel. In a mottling application of the apparatus, materials of diverse coloration are softened by the flighted rear portion of the screw but not yet fully mixed so that distinct color patterns are present.

Abstract: An automatic vent damper and fuel valve control for a fluid fuel-fired furnace including an electrically-operated valve in the fuel line, a normally-open damper in the furnace vent having electrically-operated means for closing the damper, and a thermostat for sensing the temperature in the space being heated. A Hall-effect generator is employed for sensing the positions of the damper and for respectively providing signals in response thereto. A gas detector is provided for sensing the presence of hydrocarbon-containing gas in the region of the draft hood and vent of the furnace and for providing a gas-present signal in response thereto. A control is provided for the valve responsive to both the damper-open signal and the thermostat calling for heat to energize the valve to open the same, the valve control de-energizing the valve to close the same in response to the thermostat calling for termination of heating, or the damper-closed signal, or the gas-present signal.

Abstract: A device for the magnetic treatment of water and other liquids, having a pair of concentric tubular casings which are spaced from each other so as to form an annular treatment chamber. The inner casing contains an elongated magnet having two or more longitudinally spaced poles, and the intermediate casing is made of a magnetic material which serves to concentrate the magnetic lines of force within the annular chamber. The inner casing is supported within the intermediate casing by means of elastic, non-magnetic sleeves which are positioned over opposite ends of the inner casing and compressed between it and the inner surface of the intermediate casing so that the treatment chamber is rendered fluid-tight. A pair of apertures are provided in the opposite ends of the inner casing to permit fluid to flow into and through the annular chamber.

Abstract: A foot covering article adapted to be worn over the bare foot and directly underneath a sock for the purpose of preventing the formation of blisters when engaging in athletic activities and the like. The article is made of a single, porous, non-woven film-fibril sheet of plexifilamentary strands, wherein the sheet is consolidated by a large number of very small point bonds, and includes a plurality of minute perforations extending through the thickness of the sheet. The sheet is formed into a foot enveloping shape comprising a bottom portion which covers the sole of the wearer's foot, side portions extending upwardly from the bottom portion, a heel portion which covers the heel of the wearer's foot, and a front portion which covers at least the forward portion of the top of the wearer's foot.

Abstract: A keyboard switch assembly including a printed circuit board having four switch terminals on one side of the board, three of the terminals being arranged in a triangle and the fourth disposed within the triangle. Conductors on the one side of the board are respectively joined to the interior terminal and at least one of the three terminals. A conductive, generally triangular, snap-acting dome switch member is provided having arcuate apices, projections being respectively formed from the apices and respectively engaging the three terminals thereby spacing the periphery of the switch element from the one surface of the printed circuit board and the conductors thereon, at least the conductor connected to the interior terminal extending under the dome.

Abstract: A vibrator device, especially for connecting to a screen element for agitating the screen element, and including rotary shafts with off-center weights so oriented relatively that the agitation of the screen takes the form of vibratory movement thereof in one direction with a stronger impulse being imparted to the screen in one direction than in the other.