Abstract: A ballast housing having a uniform generally rectangular cross section is formed, preferably by extrusion, to accommodate any of a number of ballasts of varying sizes. Exterior sidewalls are formed with longitudinal grooves, one of which contains a pair of cylindrical members. A separate mounting plate carries screws which contact the cylindrical members and permit the cylindrical members to act as hinges permitting the housing to pivot away from the mounting plate. Closure plates are secured to each end of the housing and standard threaded ports may be formed in each closure plate as well as in the extruded member for mounting lighting fixtures or conduits carrying wires. Mating openings are formed on the backside of the housing member and the mounting plate for the passage of power leads to the ballast in the housing.

Abstract: A plastic boat is formed of wide extruded polyethylene foam planks all external surfaces of which have a skin. Two such planks are heated and then folded 60°, such that the longitudinal halves are at a 120° included angle. While still hot, with one half assigned as the bottom and placed on a flat surface, the folded ends are forced inwardly and the plank allowed to cool. A vertical cut is made through two of the planks thus formed, each of which becomes a hull half. The exposed edges are heated to a molten state and the halves aligned and bonded together to form a completed hull. The top edges are trimmed to a desired angle and rounded. A pair of stabilizers and a pair of handles are cut from edges of planks, such that they have skin on their tops, bottoms and one edge and with a smooth curve at each end on their unskinned edges.

Abstract: A process irradiator includes a heavily shielded, generally cylindrical, housing with a heavily shielded top. A radiation source includes source elements in several tubes extending from the top into a shielded storage cask below the center of the housing floor. A circular track concentrically positioned relative to the track guides a motor-driven carousel carrying a number of turntables which carry material to be irradiated, the turntables being rotatable on their axes. A heavy shielded door provides access to the turntables which are successively rotated on the carousel to a position adjacent the door opening. A lifting structure on the top includes two or more lifting devices which permit selective lifting of the source elements from the storage cask into the housing. Interlock controls prevent the door from opening and the carousel from rotating unless all source elements are stored in the storage cask.

Abstract: A laminated structural panel is formed of top, bottom, and one or more intermediate layers of material having low strength at high temperature and with perforated high temperature, high strength materials interleaved between the top, bottom and intermediate layers. Brazing material is clad on the top and bottom layers and the intermediate layer or layers may be entirely of brazing material or clad on both sizes with brazing material, such that when the assembled stack is subjected to high temperature in a high vacuum environment brazing material is caused to melt and fill the perforations in the high strength material. A particular application is for structural panels, used as shelves in manufacturing electronic chips or displays where aluminum is advantageous because it does not outgas or release particles under the high temperature, high vacuum environment used to make the product. Aluminum, however, does not maintain its strength and stiffness at the high temperatures involved.

Abstract: A dress or clothing form includes a sheet metal back to which are attached a plurality of reinforcing strips. A support rod is carried on one of the reinforcing strips and on the back. Leg supports are attached to the back to which are attached a pair of flat leg panels. Front and back molded plastic body panels are secured by fasteners to the metal back and similar molded front and back leg panels are secured to the flat leg panels. The support rod includes a large diameter portion at its top which includes a tapered surface. This surface mates with a socket on a support arm attached to a stand for supporting the form at the desired height. The stand includes telescoping members each including a rack with one member including a gas spring connected to a pinion positioned between the racks. The gas spring is arranged to essentially balance the weight of the dress form and garment so that a worker can move it up and down with little effort.

Abstract: A golf club includes a head having a striking face, a threaded cylindrical chamber behind and generally parallel to the face, a cylindrical weight member threaded in the chamber, a hosel attached to the cylindrical weight member having a shaft receiving socket with a non-circular portion and a threaded portion, a shaft having a hosel engaging end with a mating non-circular cross section and a ferrule having threads engagable with the threaded portion of the socket. An additional weight is adjustable in the chamber to provide the desired balance characteristics to the club. A second embodiment includes a head which is symmetrical so that the hosel may be attached at either end to make the club ambidextrous. Some different structures for attaching the hosel to the cylindrical weight member provide for variations in the loft of the club.

Abstract: A photocell unit in combination with a programmed microprocessor which samples the output of the photocell and detects day or night by sampling over a predetermined period of time, e.g. 80 minutes to establish a right reference value and a predetermined number of samples of increasing light values to establish a "sunrise detect value" to turn lights off. A further predetermined increase in light values is used to establish a "sunset detect" light value. This value is retained throughout the day until sensed light values again diminish to the "sunset. The sampling techniques makes the system immune from errors due to transient lights and also avoid unwanted daylight operation of lights or undetected light outages.

Abstract: A method of reduction and prophylaxis of the sphaerotheca (powdery mildew) in rose plants and other flowering plants. The method involves applying a silicone solution to the surface of a plant. The silicone solution can be a siloxane compound such as a methyl siloxane compound, a polydimethylsiloxane, and cyclic methylated siloxane.

Abstract: A handlebar assembly and method of making same includes cutting a straight handlebar tube to a desired length, forming a reinforcing member or slug to fit within the tube including drilling and tapping radial bores and forming a longitudinal groove in the slug for the passage of control wires etc. Somewhat larger diameter bores are formed near the center of the handlebar tube in registry with the bores in the slug. The slug is then fixed in the tube in the desired position after which the tube is bent to the desired configuration and handgrip sections are formed. The handlebar is then finished as by chrome plating. A mount is formed having bores spaced like those of the slug and a longitudinal groove to support the center section of the handlebar. The mount is then finished as desired. Threaded fastening members are then passed through the bores in the mount and the handlebar and are screwed into the threaded bores in the slug to secure the assembly together.

Abstract: A rigid wall telescoping wine bottle includes an outer cylinder member having an inner cylindrical wall with internal threads and an inner cylindrical member having a bottom end, a top end and external threads engagable with the internal threads. An axially located tube of small diameter as compared with the diameter of the inner cylindrical wall passes through the top and bottom ends of the inner cylindrical member and terminates at the top end in a transparent threaded neck which serves as a pouring spout. An O-ring seal near the bottom end of the inner cylindrical member seals against the inner wall of the outer cylindrical member. Turning the inner member into the outer member displaces air above the wine minimizing oxidation and causing the wine to be forced up the tube into the neck.

Abstract: Atmospheric Samplers are disclosed using aerogel filter material. The samplers include one or more cascaded impact sample stations with discs of aerogel as the targets. Ambient air carrying particulate matter is introduced into the sampler and the particles are captured by the aerogel in its pore structure. In certain embodiments, the aerogel filter is next transported to a position where it is fragmented by a spray of water. The fragmented aerogel and the captured particles are transported in the fragmenting water from the sampler for analysis. In one embodiment, the sampler is segmented with alternate nozzle and filter segments for easy assembly, sampling and disassembly for analysis of the captured particles in aerogel filters positions below the nozzles.

Abstract: A portable battery powered signal light includes a battery housing and batteries, a generally cylindrical lens having threads and a lamp in the lens, a flasher positioned between the lamp and the battery housing including electrical contacts, a day-night sensor connected to the flasher to permit operation of the flasher only when it senses darkness and a locking ring having threads mating with the threads on the lens and an internal flange overlapping flange on the battery housing so that when threads on the locking ring are tightened on the threads of the lens, the battery housing, flasher and lens are secured together and electrical connections are made across the flasher, the day-night sensor and the lamp.

Abstract: A handgun holster with an auxiliary or supplementary latching device is disclosed. The holster includes a body which defines a pouch for holding a handgun and includes a strap which extends over or around a portion of the handgun to hold it in place in the holster when the free end of the retention strap is secured to the holster as by a snap fastener. In the preferred embodiment the holster includes a thumbreak which is used to allow the wearer to separate the snap fastener by downward movement of the wearer's thumb to separate the snap fastener parts and allow the handgun to be withdrawn. A supplementary latching device is present which is movable from a latching to an unlatching position. Several different embodiments of the invention are illustrated including a molded plastic latch which encircles a holster thumbreak and is slidable longitudinally along the thumbreak.

Abstract: An assembly for mounting a lighting fixture on a tree includes a mounting plate having a flat mounting surface and angled flanges on opposite sides of said surface with slots in the flanges. A metal strap is secured to one of said flanges, passed through a clutch in two layers leaving a take-up loop on the opposite side of the clutch from the mounting plate. The free end of the strap is wrapped around the tree and passed through a slot on the opposite flange, being doubled over upon itself and clamped down with a screw and locking plate. The free end of the strap is then secured to the adjacent band with a clamp. The clutch consists of a housing carrying a pair of blocks between which two layers of the strap are passed to provide a take-up loop.

Abstract: A sanitary protector for telephone handsets includes a sheet of paper or tissue like material which includes a handle covering portion which allows the user to shield the handset while still on the switch hook of a pay telephone, and remove it following which the mouthpiece and earpiece covering portions are moved to cover the earpiece and mouthpiece for use without any user contact with the telephone handset. The handset may be replaced without direct contact by the user and the protector removed and disposed of. The protector may include small areas of light adhesive on the handle covering portion as well as the earpiece and mouthpiece covering portions.

Abstract: A linear hydraulic actuator of small size having limited clearance between the inside of the cylindrical housing and the outside of the piston rod is provided with a deformable or frangible piston of an engineered plastic material which is sufficiently strong to survive normal operation of the actuator but which will break or deform if the cylinder is punched through or "petalled" causing inward projections tending to block movement of the piston. Another embodiment discloses a plastic end gland which is frangible, or deformable in the event of an impact deforming the rod such that it would not pass through the end gland except for such deformation. Because of the relative weakness of the plastic material, the width of the land on the piston acting against the inside of the cylinder is maximized by placing the dynamic seals at or near its outside circumferential edges.

Abstract: A switching power supply comprising a transformer (10) the secondary side of which communicates a feedback signal to a current limiter (35). The current limiter (35) consists essentially of resistor and diode elements (28, 32) and is operative in response to the feedback signal and a reference voltage signal received from a pulse-width modulator (26) to prevent or permit current flow through the diode (32).