Abstract: Disclosed herein is a field replaceable protective cap for a thermocouple assembly for measuring the temperature of a molten metal bath. The cap has projecting pins which pierce and frictionally engage the refractory fiber sleeve which protects the thermocouple assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an appliance for transporting an invalid or handicapped patient to and from a bathtub and for supporting the patient while in a tub. An elongated generally rectangular frame is provided with a web having a pocket which forms a seat for the patient, with the pocket surrounded by a U-shaped fulcrum bar which protects the patient's hips and buttocks. The fulcrum bar enables loading of the appliance into the tub without the attendant handling the entire load. The appliance can also be used as a comfortable, stable all purpose seat for a handicapped patient.

Abstract: A molten metal sampler which employs a jacket of sand-sodium silicate mix around the metal mold halves to prevent molten metal splash on the exterior of the mold halves, prevent leakage of molten metal from the mold halves and provide good venting. The sand is molded around the mold halves and, in one embodiment, the protective cardboard sleeve used for connecting the sampler to a manipulating rod serves as the mold for the sand-cement mix.

Abstract: A signal device for a newspaper delivery box includes a hinged actuator located within the box and in the path of movement of an inserted newspaper, and includes a latch portion which projects through an opening in the side wall of the newspaper box to releasably engage a gravity biased, pivotally connected signal flag.

Abstract: A thermoplastic non-woven net fabric and a method of making the same. The fabric includes a plurality of apertures with the apertures surrounded by axially drawn, biaxially drawn and undrawn areas. In one method, the web is perforated and then drawn by one or more pairs of helical rollers. The differential drawing of the perforated web greatly increases the tensile strength, area and drapability of the fabric. The apertures make the fabric suitable for use in garments, pillowcases, sheets, sterile wraps and is a breathable waterproof fabric for use in rain gear and tents. Two layers of the fabric can be used to form a pouch or carrier for conditioning agents such as a fabric softener for a laundry dryer, the softener agent being controllably released through the apertures.

Abstract: Aquatic harvesting apparatus for removing waterborne vegetation from the water includes a harvesting barge with a pick-up conveyor, converging booms or pontoons pivotally connected to the barge to form a pick-up throat and a pump on the barge connected to a suction head adjacent the pick-up conveyor and in the throat to accelerate water and weed flow onto the pick-up conveyor. Discharge nozzles connected to the pump and supported adjacent the ends of the booms also induce water flow toward the pick-up throat.

Abstract: Aquatic harvesting apparatus employs a harvesting barge with vertical and horizontal weed cutters and a tunnel extending from the cutting throat through the entire length of the harvesting barge for discharge of the cut weeds into a collection container coupled to the stern. The cut vegetation is not elevated from the water during this procedure. The collection container is paneled with mesh and has a gate which can be opened to receive the weeds and closed to seal the container. The container can be towed to shore or elevated by a crane.

Abstract: A snap acting switch has a switch blade which is pivotally mounted for movement between two positions and is normally held in one position by an actuator spring. An actuator lever is pivotally mounted on the switch housing and has an external lever arm portion and an inner lever arm portion within the housing which is engageable with the actuator spring to move the spring laterally past the longitudinal axis of the switch blade in response to movement of the external actuator lever arm portion, to thereby cause snap acting movement of the switch blade from its normal position to a second position. Release of pressure on the external lever arm portion permits the actuator spring to cause snap acting movement of the switch blade back to its normal position.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for making diapers with elastic bands in the leg-contacting zone of the diaper involves forming folds, tucks or festoons in the diaper backing sheet or facing sheet and applying elastic ribbon treated with adhesive over the web and across the gaps of the folds so that the ribbon does not adhere to the web portion in the folds. Hence the elastic ribbon is only adhered to the portions of the web between the folds. The elastic ribbons are cut in the gaps of the folds, with the material in the folds later forming the nonelasticized waistband portion of the diapers. At the ribbon-web assembly station, the facing or backing sheet is supported by spaced plates separated by gaps. Before the ribbon is applied, the folds are formed by tucker bars which successively interfit in the gaps between the support plates and push the web into the gaps.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an inexpensive tubular electromagnetic solenoid which employs stamped and drawn parts with a minimum of machined parts. The tubular housing is deep drawn and has a relatively light gauge side wall and an integrally formed end wall with apertures for pin terminals. A stamped flux enhancing disc is anchored exteriorly of the end wall and is swaged to a projecting portion of a pole piece located interiorly of the end wall. The flux disc-pole piece assembly rigidifies the housing end wall and the pole piece supports and positions one end of the bobbin. Stamped washers having axial apertures interfit into the end of the tubular housing and receive and support the other end of the bobbin. The bobbin has integrally molded pin terminal support bosses which project through apertures in the end wall and position and support the terminations.

Abstract: A molten metal sampler includes opposed mold halves having recesses which form a fill passage and vent passage. The vent passage is positioned adjacent a supporting handle so that an elongated vent tube can be secured to the handle for support.

Abstract: A stream sampler includes a cylindrical refractory wall with an elongated fill tube held in place against the inner surface of the wall by one or more refractory struts and a sight gauge which indicates the quantity of metal in the mold cavity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a molten metal sampler having disc-shaped metal mold halves which join together to form a neck for a fill tube, and in which a cardboard shield is arranged around the neck. The sampler holder has a notch to wedge at right angles with the fill tube axis and between the mold halves and the shield.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a pneumatic molten metal sampler for pneumatically obtaining a sample of metal which includes an elongated fill tube which is secured to the side of a paperboard sleeve by refractory cement and projects beyond the end of the paperboard sleeve for immersion in a molten melt. A bend on the fill tube discharges into the sample cavity intermediate the ends of the cavity. A vent construction at the end of the cartridge affords communication with a vacuum pump but prevents loss of metal from the sample cavity.

Abstract: A protective stamp mount has a pair of opposed transparent glass plates which are hinged together by a silicone cement which is received in a recess formed by beveled adjacent edges of the plates. The other three edges of the plates can also be beveled to provide a recess for permanently sealing the stamp between the plates. A spacer and border provides clearance between the plates. In a modified embodiment, a continuous rectangular metal band is sized to receive the plates and provide a metallic periphery for the plates to protect the edges thereof.

Abstract: Coil winding apparatus includes wire tap pulling needles with the needles for pulling taps on each side of the bobbin mounted on separate mounting plates with a quick change cam mechanism and springs for spacing the plates and thus the needles to accommodate coil bobbins of different sizes with terminals at different spacings. The apparatus also includes wire feed means for clamping the wire between the winding flyers and the wire supply rolls to advance the wire at a rate greater than required by the flyer to make a winding to provide slack in the wire just prior to retraction of the tap pull needles so that the wire does not break or stretch during the tap pulling sequence.

Abstract: A molten metal sampler employs two refractory mold halves having circular openings covered with plates to mold a disc sample and recesses communicating with the circular openings for fill passages and the formation of pin samples. The recesses in the mold halves when assembled provide integral fill and pin sample passages, a mixing chamber, deoxidant chamber, flow deflection and tortuous flow passage. The orientation of the fill passages and the recesses for the pin sample tube enable the mold to be positioned in a protective paperboard sleeve or box with one passage oriented to provide an end fill sample lance and the other passage serving as a pin sample mold. Alternatively, and in one embodiment, the pin sample mold can be employed as the fill passage by communicating through the side wall of a protective paperboard sleeve to provide a side fill immersion sampler.

Abstract: A cutting guide for urging work material against the rip fence of a circular saw, joiner, shaper, or the like, includes a mounting block which is clamped to the work table with the mounting block provided with two spring steel bands arranged in loops and mounted in overlapping relation to each other on the mounting block. The spring bands are angled to provide a lead-in in the direction of work feed.

Abstract: Pumping apparatus for conveying animal waste from a livestock housing to a remote storage area includes a hopper with one downwardly inclined hopper surface with the other surfaces of the hopper being vertical and in which the inclined surface supports an agitating plate which oscillates and minimizes bridging of straw across the hopper walls. The agitating plate is oscillated by a motor driven crank. Spray tubes arranged around the vertical and inclined walls provide a water curtain to further minimize sticking and bridging of the manure in the hopper. Other features of the invention include a reducing cone to reduce the diameter of the pumping chamber to that of the discharge pipe with the reducing cone provided with check valves to prevent back flow of manure from the storage area through the pump and into the livestock housing when the pump is not in use.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a filter sector for a vacuum disc slurry filter which is molded from an elastomer such as rubber and which is provided with a grid of reinforcing bands and a grid of ribs superimposed on the supporting bands to provide a supporting surface for the filter bag. The bands and ribs form slots and channels with a minimum surface area contacting the filter bag to provide increased vacuum communication with the filter bag and thus enhance cake build-up for more efficient separation of the liquids and solids. The use of rubber results in a lighter disc sector and minimizes abrasion on the filter bag and increases bag life.