Abstract: A plant receptacle for storing and displaying plant material, such as a balled plant enclosed in burlap, comprises an inverted cup-like body of polymeric or plastics material having a flexible center portion adapted to change, in response to the weight of a balled plant placed thereon, from a convex shape to a concave shape. An outer circumferential lip or skirt portion depending from the central portion substantially retains its shape, in response to the flexure of the central portion, to provide vertical and lateral support for the central portion, thereby forming a saucer or cavity for capturing and retaining moisture while the balled plant is positioned therein. The central portion forming the saucer is provided with a series of integral and radially spaced barbs for engaging the burlap to stabilize the balled plant in a vertical upright position.

Abstract: A hand tapping device has a driving rod at one end provided with a handle and a chuck at the other end for holding a tap. A housing located between the rod and chuck is attached at one end to the rod for axial movement and at the other end to the chuck. A sleeve attached to the rod provides a guide for axial movement of the housing in response to rotation of the rod to effect cutting threads by the tap as the housing expands from the rod and sleeve with a progressively reducing force exerted by a spring located within the housing. At the same time, a graduated scale on the outer surface of the housing indicates the distance the housing moves outwardly from the sleeve and the corresponding depth of the tapped threads.

Abstract: A fluid operated cylinder is suspended from a crane by a cable and has a piston rod connected by a cable to a cleaning unit for supporting the cleaning unit within the screened inlet portion of a water well casing extending into the ground. Air is supplied to the cylinder through a solenoid valve which is controlled in response to movement of the piston to produce reciprocation of the piston and corresponding movement of the cleaning unit within the well casing.

Abstract: An endless belt is supported in apparatus adjacent a wheel, and at least a portion of the belt wraps around and is in driving communication with the wheel. A head supplied with a source of negative pressure pivots in timed relation with the belt, which is movable on the perimeter of the wheel, and operates to deflect the lowermost product of a stack of flat, flexible sheet-like products to a point adjacent the wheel. When the sheet is in its deflected position adjacent the wheel, the belt is actuated to move and engage the sheet to cause the sheet to be extracted from the stack between the belt and the wheel and to be fed away from the stack. The apparatus automatically adjusts to a wide variation in the thickness of the product being fed.