Abstract: A burner for reduced NOx emission and also for the control of the shape of the flame as regards its length and spread, comprises a first combustion zone, which is contained within a cylindrical chamber lined with refractory material. A burner tube is inserted through an opening in the upstream end of the first combustion zone, the burner including means for providing and burning liquid and gaseous fuel. A first air plenum is provided upstream of the first combustion zone with means for supplying less-than-stoichiometric combustion air in a tangential swirling manner, prior to entering the first combustion zone.

Abstract: A platen assembly for simultaneously contact heating surface portions of two polyethylene thick-walled pipes that are to be joined together in a heat bonding process is provided with opposed platen surfaces configured to match the respective pipe surface portions to be heated. The platen assembly is adapted to be placed between the pipe surface portions and an electric heating element in the platen assembly heats the platen surfaces to a temperature sufficient to heat melt the pipe surface portions contacted thereby. The platen surfaces adapted to contact the pipe surface portions are formed with ridges and grooves over their full extent to increase the surface thermal contact between the platen surfaces and the pipe portion surfaces. The ridges and grooves on one platen surface are aligned, respectively, with the ridges and grooves on the other surface to form aligned ridges and grooves in the heat melted pipe surface portions.

Abstract: Apparatus for the smokeless combustion of gases, supplied at substantial pressure, such that they will aspirate the required combustion air when discharged to atmospheric pressure. The apparatus comprises a plurality of spaced apart burner assemblies, each of which has a plurality of orifices arranged in a circular symmetrical pattern. Each burner assembly comprises a vertical tube supplying gas, with a plurality of short substantially radial arms, each of which has a plurality of orifices in its top surface. The arms themselves are tilted upwardly at a selected angle to the horizontal so that the orifices that are perpendicular to the arms will provide gas jets which will intersect each other along the axis of the assembly. In another embodiment, the top surface of the arms form a plane fingered plate of substantial thickness. The orifices are drilled at a selected angle toward the axis, in the top surface of the plate.

Abstract: Tucker wheelers for use on a hay baler in which hay is picked up from a window in the field, the tucker wheels being mounted on each side of the hay baler, the planes of the wheels being at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the hay baler. Each of the tucker wheels comprises a rotating wheel carrying radial wire spokes extending outwardly from the circumference, the spokes being attached to springs so that they can deflect through a wide angle. Each wheel is mounted at an elevation so that the spokes will engage the earth, and the wheel will rotate as the vehicle moves, picking up hay from the outer edges of the window and moving it towards the center of the windrow. Each wheel is attached to the baler with a universal joint mount allowing for use on uneven ground and allowing the wheel to caster when the hay baler is backed up.

Abstract: A device adapted to move through a pipeline for cleaning the inner periphery thereof and comprising a rotatable central hub member constructed of an abrasive resistant material and having a chamber therein for receiving a supply of abrasive material, a plurality of radial passageways extending outwardly from the chamber at an angle deviating from the perpendicular of the longitudinal axis of the hub, the radial passageways being in communication with the chamber for receiving the abrasive material therefrom whereby upon rotation of the device the abrasive material will be impinged against the inner periphery of the pipeline at an angle with respect to the perpendicular of the longitudinal axis of the pipeline.

Abstract: A switch placed in a bed under a patient, includes contacts which can make or break a connection to a signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit charges a capacitor at a selected rate, when the switch is in a first state and discharges the capacitor when the switch is in a second state. A latch is set to actuate a signal when the voltage of the capacitor reaches a selected high value. By controlling the rates of charge and discharge of the capacitor it is possible to provide an indication of the degree of restlessness of the patient, the presence of the patient in bed, and whether the patient is out of bed.

Abstract: A shock absorber for use to interconnect the polish rod of an oil well with the pumping unit in which the pumping unit includes a hanger bar having an opening therein receiving the polish rod, the shock absorber employing a tubular body axially receiving the polish rod, the body being supported on the hanger bar, and the body including a plurality of discs of elastomeric material, each having openings therein, and including a top plate secured to the polish rod with a polish rod clamp so that on up stroke of the pumping unit the elastomeric members are pressed and the openings therein form an air cushion to assist in alleviating shock transition from the polish rod to the pumping unit.

Abstract: A system of preheating of gaseous fuels to a furnace in which the fuels have a wide range of molecular weights, and corresponding calorific values, and in which all of the combustion air is provided by inspiration, due to the flow energy of the fuel. The invention involves the monitoring of oxygen in the products of combustion moving from the furnace to the stack, or, alternatively, monitoring the molecular weight of the fuel on the inlet line, and controlling the preheating of the fuel in a heat exchanger, so as to maintain a selected temperature of the fuel going to the burners, in accordance with the molecular weight of the fuel.

Abstract: A trigger device for facilitating pulling of a bow string and for quick release of the taut bow string for propelling an arrow from the bow, said trigger device comprising a main body portion provided with suitable finger receiving recesses and a secondary body portion substantially perpendicular to the main body portion having a bow string hold and releasing latch mechanism carried thereby. The latching mechanism comprises a flexible loop member adapted for encircling the bow string and engaging a loop receiving recess provided in the secondary body portion. A latch member extends across the open end of the loop receiving recess and is operably connected with a release trigger by way of a pivotal bell crank and a lever member whereby a light touch of the trigger member by the finger of the archer quickly causes the bell crank and lever member to operate to release the latch member for release of the taut bow string.

Abstract: A solar heated greenhouse formed with a rectangular floor having parallel sides and ends, a quonset type roof structure supported above the floor, the roof extending to the floor sides, the roof being formed of an inner and an outer spaced apart light penetrating member, the space between the two members providing a heat collecting chamber, water-filled strata beneath the floor, the heat collecting chamber between the roof members communicating with the strata along each side of the floor, means for spraying water in the heat collecting chamber between the light penetrating member so that the water is heated by solar energy and runs down the chamber and into the strata beneath the floor, and means for recycling water from the strata into the heat collecting chamber whereby water in the strata is heated during sunlit hours and the heat of the water in the strata penetrates the floor and maintains a warm temperature within the greenhouse at night and during sunless days.

Abstract: A portable shower including an open top vessel having a circumferential periphery defining an area of sufficient size to accommodate a bather thereunder, the vessel having an opening and means from underneath the vessel for controlling flow of water through the opening, a shower curtain having the upper edge secured to the periphery of the vessel, and a shower bottom in the shape of a shallow flat dish having means at the periphery for attachment to the lower edge of the shower curtain so that water placed in the vessel may be discharged onto a bather concealed by the shower curtain.

Abstract: Method and machine and a log product for log house construction includes improvements in apparatus to shape, and finish the logs, divide into halves or quarter sections for tongue-and-groove assembly construction of floors, walls, or ceilings appurtenant to the log house. Equally-spaced holes between the tongues and grooves provide additional functional uses for utility lines or vertical supports as needed. The logs are finished by spraying them with selected fluids such as preservatives.

Abstract: A hydraulic back-up system for use in combination with an equalizer beam of a drawworks brake system during the drilling of an oil and/or gas well bore for reducing the hazards in the event of failure of the drawworks braking system by automatically locking the equalizer beam in order that a single brake band of a two-brake band system will function for holding the load in an emergency situation.

Abstract: A piston detector switch adapted to be positioned on a pipe having an orifice in the wall thereof which may be briefly described as comprising a plate securable to the pipe having a bore extending therethrough in open communication with the pipe orifice, a valve seat positioned in the bore adjacent the pipe surface, a ball loosely positioned in the bore, having a diameter such that a portion of the ball normally protrudes within the pipe interior when seated, a housing sealably secured to the plate having a duct extending therethrough in open communication with the bore, and magnetically responsive switch means disposed in said duct for signalling movement of the ball from the seated position and for preventing fluid leakage from said duct.

Abstract: An improved air injector for use in feed preparation in the primary reformer of a HABER processor for ammonia synthesis. In the HABER process, process gas is introduced at relatively high velocity downwardly in a process reactor through a vertical conduit. Along the axis of the conduit is an air supply pipe with a fixture which produces a plurality of downwardly and radially outwardly directed pipes attached to a plenum on the bottom of the air pipe. In this invention the number of circumferentially spaced pipes is doubled over the prior art and they are spaced circumferentially into rows directed outwardly at about a 45.degree. angle so as to present, more or less, a continuous plurality of streams of air which block the annular space and force the downflowing process gas to be turbulently mixed with the air and to form a pressurized mass of process gas and air, which is then forced, by the gas pressure, to flow downwardly in, more or less, a uniform manner through a volume of catalyst.

Abstract: A system for eliminating odorous air from a bathroom stool of the type including a toilet bowl, a water tank connected by a discharge pipe to the toilet bowl, the water tank including a vertical open top overflow passageway connected to the discharge pipe so that water in excess of the desired level in the tank is dispensed into the toilet bowl and through which odorous air may be withdrawn from the toilet bowl, including a hollow open bottom vertical member positioned over the upper end of the overflow pipe, the sleeve lower end terminating below the normal water level in the water tank whereby a water seal is provided so that closed communication is established between the overflow passage and the sleeve, and an air pump having connection to the sleeve to move air from the stool through the overflow pipe and sleeve for remote exhaust.

Abstract: A method of extracting hydrocarbon from an underground strata, wherein the hydrocarbon has high in situ viscosity, by the steps of forming a vertical access hole from the earth's surface to a point below the strata, the diameter of the access hole being sufficient to permit passage of workmen and machinery, mining an elongated horizontal shaft from the vertical access hole under the strata, establishing at least one drilling station in the horizontal shaft, drilling upwardly from the drilling station a plurality of wells into the hydrocarbon strata, the wells being spaced apart and preferably drilled so as to be substantially vertical in the hydrocarbon strata, injecting a viscosity reducing agent into one or more of the wells to reduce hydrocarbon in the strata to free flowing liquid, withdrawing the free flowing hydrocarbon from the strata through one or more of the wells, and pumping the withdrawn hydrocarbon to the earth's surface.

Abstract: A device for suspending articles from a ceiling and comprising a sleeve member having an external hook secured at one end thereof for receiving the article thereon, a pair of pivotal gripping members secured to the sleeve at a common pivot point and pivotal in directions toward and away from each other to provide alternate gripping and releasing positions for the device, a threaded stem securing the pivotal gripping members to the sleeve member whereby rotation of the sleeve member in one direction engages the pivotal gripping members for movement thereof toward the gripping position and rotation in an opposite direction permits pivotal movement of the gripping members in a direction toward the releasing position, and a tool engageable with the hook member for transmitting rotation to the sleeve and for alternately positioning the article on the hook and removing the article therefrom.

Abstract: A burner system for burning gaseous or liquid fuel, comprises a primary burner system, which includes a liquid burner tube closed at one end and provided with a plurality of primary combustion ports symmetrically arranged to provide a plurality of jets forming a conical sheet of particles of fuel. Surrounding the liquid burner is a gas burner tube, which comprises the annular space between two coaxial tubes closed at the end, and including therein a plurality of primary combustion ports arranged symmetrically to provide jets arranged on the surface of a cone. Combustion air is drawn into the space around the gas burner tube, to supply combustion air for the liquid and/or gaseous fuel. Upstream of the primary combustion ports is a secondary burner which is circular in configuration, and surrounds, and is spaced from the gas burner tube. A limited quantity of gaseous fuel is supplied in the form of a circumferentially directed jet in the lee of an annular plate.

Abstract: This invention relates to improvements in magnetic tape transport mechanisms and provides means for facilitating the visual inspection of the magnetic head for use in combination with a flux shield for the magnetic tape. Reflector means is disposed in such a manner that the magnetic head may be easily visually inspected when the flux shield is in a position removed from the vicinity of the magnetic tape.