Abstract: External armament apparatus, including a machine gun, an associated ammunition box for supplying belted ammunition to the gun, a flare dispenser, a missile launcher or other external stores apparatus, and a forward looking infrared sensor (FLIR), is exteriorly supported on a landing gear sponson tow plate of a helicopter, adjacent a cabin area gunner's window. The external mounting of the gun and other armament apparatus frees up cabin space, permits the gunner's window to be closed with the gun in a ready position, and permits a 0.50 caliber machine gun to be used an alternative to either a 7.62 mm mini-gun or a single barrel 7.62 mm machine gun adjacent the gunner's window.

Abstract: A tire sealer and inflator provides utilization of R-134a propellant combined with a sealant composition. In a described example, a tire sealer and inflator includes R-134a propellant, and a sealant composition consisting essentially of, by weight, water approximately 77%, acrylic resin emulsion approximately 22%, sodium nitrite approximately 0.75%, oleic acid approximately 0.01%, and ammonium hydroxide approximately 0.01%.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system having a heat-frangible temperature sensing structure disposed within the combustion chamber senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A fuel-fired, forced draft air heating furnace has a draft inducer fan disposed in a vestibule chamber having an exterior wall with an air intake opening therein. During operation of the draft inducer fan its motor is cooled by combustion air drawn inwardly through the air intake opening. To enhance the combustion air cooling of the draft inducer fan motor, a deflection plate is supported within the vestibule chamber in an inwardly spaced apart, facing relationship with the air intake opening. A portion of the combustion air flowing inwardly through the air intake opening impinges on and is redirected by the plate toward the motor via a substantially unenclosed flow path within the vestibule chamber.

Abstract: A fuel-fired power vented heating appliance, representatively a water heater, has, in its draft structure, a single thermal or other type of cutoff switch which serves the dual function of preventing (1) the creation of an unacceptably high level of carbon monoxide in the combustion chamber of the appliance, and (2) thermal damage to a PVC vent pipe portion of the draft structure. When triggered, the cutoff switch operates to terminate further firing of the appliance. In one illustrative embodiment of the appliance, this is achieved by preventing further combustion air flow to the appliance. In another illustrative embodiment of the appliance, it is achieved by terminating further fuel flow thereto.

Abstract: A fuel-fired natural draft water heater is provided with a self-powered, low NOx burner system in which a thermoelectric generator is positioned to be heated by the water heater's fuel burner during firing thereof and used to power an auxiliary combustion air fan which operates to supply to the burner system a quantity of combustion air in addition to that normally supplied by the natural draft of the water heater during operation thereof. The burner system is configured in a manner such that the water heater is operative even if either or both of the thermoelectric generator and the auxiliary combustion air fan fail to function.

Abstract: A downhole tool and method for determining the viscosity of a reservoir fluid, the tool including a passage having entry, intermediate and exit regions, in which the reservoir fluid flowing through the passage will have a lower Reynolds number in the intermediate region as compared to the entry region, the tool also including differential pressure gauge for measuring the differential pressure across the intermediate region, and either a velocity controller or fluid velocity meter, for either setting or measuring the fluid velocity.

Abstract: Convective heat traps are installed at the cold water inlet and hot water outlet of a water heater. Each heat trap has a tubular body with two axially spaced apart resilient flapper members transversely extending across the interior of the body and being hinged on opposite sides thereof. The heat trap at the cold water inlet is coaxially disposed within a dip tube. In one alternate structure, flapper members are mounted directly on the dip tube, and in another alternate structure an external annular seal element is mounted on the dip tube or heat trap body, with a flapper member being integrally formed with the seal element.

Abstract: A safety device for shutting off the flow of gas to a gas-fired appliance in the presence of flammable vapors. The resistance of a variable resistance flammable vapor sensor is monitored by a microprocessor that controls the operation of a gas flow valve. When the measured resistance indicates the presence of a preselected concentration of flammable vapors, the gas flow valve is shut of and the ignition system cannot be energized.

Abstract: A tubing/fitting connection provides secure sealing attachment of a tubing to a fitting. In a described embodiment, a flexible tubing is connected to a non-rigid fitting using a retainer which grips both the tubing and the fitting. The retainer also internally supports the tubing, and may sealingly engage both the tubing and the fitting.

Abstract: External armament apparatus, including a machine gun, an associated ammunition box for supplying belted ammunition to the gun, a flare dispenser, a missile launcher or other external stores apparatus, and a forward looking infrared sensor (FLIR), is exteriorly supported on a landing gear sponson tow plate of a helicopter, adjacent a cabin area gunner's window. The external mounting of the gun and other armament apparatus frees up cabin space, permits the gunner's window to be closed with the gun in a ready position, and permits a 0.50 caliber machine gun to be used an alternative to either a 7.62 mm mini-gun or a single barrel 7.62 mm machine gun adjacent the gunner's window.

Abstract: A gas-fired water heater has a combustion chamber with a bottom wall defined by a perforated flame arrestor plate forming a portion of a flow path through which combustion air may be supplied to a burner structure within the combustion chamber. During firing of the water heater a combustion air shutoff system having a heat-frangible temperature sensing structure disposed within the combustion chamber senses an undesirable temperature increase in the combustion chamber, caused by for example a partial blockage of the flow path, and responsively terminates further air flow into the combustion chamber, thereby shutting down the burner, prior to the creation in the combustion chamber of a predetermined elevated concentration of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A rotatable connector pin assembly is disposed within an opening in an adapter nose, with opposite ends of the pin portion of the assembly extending outwardly beyond opposite sides of the adapter nose in axially fixed orientations relative thereto, and is used to captively and releasably retain a replaceable excavating tooth point on the nose. The configuration of the opposite pin ends permits the overall pin assembly to remain in the adapter nose during removal of the point and replacement thereof, with the pin being rotatable between a first orientation in which its ends permit removal of a point from the nose, or installation of a point on the nose, and a second orientation in which the opposite pin ends block removal of the point from the adapter nose.

Abstract: An aerosol UV dye cleaner. In a described embodiment, an apparatus for cleaning UV dye from an air conditioning system includes a UV dye cleaner, a propellant and an aerosol can having the cleaner and the propellant pressurized therein. The apparatus is particularly useful in servicing automotive air conditioning systems in which access to system components is restricted.

Abstract: A tag axle suspension system for use with a dump vehicle and other systems provides weight reduction and enhanced safety and ride quality. In a described embodiment, a tag axle suspension system includes hanger brackets pivotably attached to a vehicle frame. Actuators push rearwardly on the hanger brackets to raise an axle relative to the vehicle frame. The hanger brackets are rigidly attached to a tubular member extending laterally across the vehicle frame. The tubular member is rotatably attached to the vehicle frame.

Abstract: A refrigerant charging tool. In a described embodiment, a refrigerant charging tool has two separately formed handles pivotably attached to each other. One of the handles has a container piercing member mounted thereon. Interchangeable spacers are configured for attachment to the other handle, so that a selected one of differently shaped containers may be biased against the container piercing member when the handles are pivoted toward each other.

Abstract: A fuel-fired heating apparatus, representatively a forced draft or natural draft gas-fired water heater having a combustion chamber, is provided with a flammable vapor control system that functions, during firing of the apparatus, to substantially prevent entry into and combustion within the combustion chamber of extraneous flammable vapors externally adjacent the bottom of the apparatus, without detecting the extraneous flammable vapors or terminating firing of the apparatus. The flammable vapor control system includes a dilution air flow passage connected to a discharge portion of the apparatus vent structure and having an inlet externally adjacent a bottom portion of the apparatus and operative to draw dilution air and extraneous flammable vapors into the vent structure discharge portion, and a combustion air flow passage having an inlet disposed adjacent the upper end of the apparatus, and an outlet communicated with the interior of the combustion chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for facilitating the installation of a modular cabinet assembly on a wall includes two adjustable height lifting and leveling assemblies each having a base portion positionable on the floor. An upper portion of each assembly has spaced structures useable for receiving sections of two elongated, horizontally spaced apart support members which extend parallel to one another and to the wall. With the assemblies in a horizontally spaced relationship with one another and secured to the wall, and a plurality of cabinet modules resting on top side portions of the support members, the modules are secured to one another, and the resulting assembly is leveled about axes perpendicular and parallel to the wall by using leveling portions of the assemblies to vary the heights of the support member sections disposed in the receiving sections. The leveled cabinet assembly is then anchored to the wall.

Abstract: An event detector and associated methods of protecting systems provide convenient and economical safety features. In a described embodiment, an ignition sequence detector for a boiler system has a microprocessor which is programmed so that an ignition control module of the boiler system is deprived of primary power when an improper sequence of events occurs. The ignition sequence detector includes multiple event detectors interconnected to the microprocessor, and is configured so that it is usable in high RFI environments.

Abstract: A water heater is provided with a specially designed molded bottom pad/foam dam member formed from a crushable material, such as polystyrene, which is received in a metal bottom pan and has concentric circular grooves formed in its top side to receive circular bottom end edge portions of the tank and outer jacket portions of the water heater. A circumferentially spaced plurality of rigid support members are imbedded in the bottom pad/foam dam member and underlie its tank groove to prevent the tank from crushing the member one of the support members is formed from an electrically conductive material and defines an electrical grounding path between the tank and the bottom pan, and the other support members are formed from a thermally insulative material to inhibit heat loss from the tank to the bottom pan.