Abstract: There is disclosed a non-return indicator for a turn signal in a road vehicle which may be installed with at most three or four electrical connections; it includes a housing with four lead wires extending to a vehicle ground, a plus 12 volt wire, a right turn circuit wire tap, and a left turn circuit wire tap. The indicator includes a binary counter IC for registering a count of 64, 128, or 256; the count setting may be selectable; a separate time delay IC to reset the counter may be provided. A pair of back to back diodes in the right turn and left turn-connected conductors keep them isolated while the counter receives a count for either right turn or left turn signal flashes; upon reaching the predetermined count the counter signals a gate circuit to provide either a steady or intermittent current to an indicator buzzer, beeper or lamp. Alternatively a storage capacitor will permit the counter or other IC's to be powered only from the turn circuits.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ticket rack for tickets to performances of sports events in a readily accessible manner which is modular in form so that the modules can be arranged together providing many individual compartments for respective rows, sections or the like of theaters or arenas. The compartments are arranged in rows and columns similar to office desk pigeonholes, but are obliquely oriented for greater convenience, and a particular feature of the apparatus provides removable vertical dividers or partitions between certain of the compartment columns whereby their widths may be adjusted to accommodate two or more different widths of admission tickets. Thus the racks may not only be combined in a manner to best facilitate selection of particular tickets in a particular theater or arena, but also each rack module may be adjusted for different sizes of tickets by rearranging the removable partitions.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cathodic protection system current control apparatus incorporating an IR compensator circuit wherein the electric potential between a reference cell such as a copper-sulfate half-cell and the wall of a tank or other structure being corrosion protected is measured in such a way that nearly all of the potential due to IR voltage drop through the electrolyte is compensated for and eliminated leaving only a voltage measurement representing the true electrolytic potential at the cathodically protected object. This true electrolytic potential is utilized to act as a control input for a conventional current controller to maintain the desired electrolytic potential by changing the current passing through the electrolyte. The compensator circuit includes a rectifier device and a capacitor charged by a constant current source, and thus has a much longer response time for rising voltage values than it does for falling voltage values.

Abstract: Decoding apparatus is disclosed providing desirable multichannel separation among various signals received in a channel pair and distinguished by relative phase and amplitude, including re-distribution of output vs. input signal nulls or positions on the "phase-amplitude sphere." Disclosed separation enhancement circuits are characterized by improved economy and signal purity. Enhancement is preferably controlled within the circuit by combination of gain-controlled enhancement signals with fixed matrix signals in summing amplifiers or the like. In some embodiments the enhancement signal for one output channel is modified to produce a different enhancement signal for a different output channel. In such separation enhancement, alternatives to the preferred-embodiment variable-gain element may include such commercial devices as expander or noise-reduction chips.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for facilitating gas production in a flooded or partially flooded gas well. The well is provided with normal casing perforated in the production zone; tubing of about two inches in diameter is run from the surface inside the casing through the production zone, and the lower end is connected to a tool with a cylinder of about six inches diameter surrounding the tubing for a length from about ten to one hundred feet. The bottom of the cylinder is closed normally; fluid rising from the production zone passes through the restricted area between the cylinder and the casing. Means, such as a compressor, for injecting gas, normally gas from the well, is connected to the top of the tubing; the injected gas passes down the tubing and back up between the walls of the tubing and the cylinder at high velocity with a jet-like thrust between the tubing and the casing thereby causing a pull on the producing zone to enhance production.

Abstract: There is disclosed an adapter apparatus for permitting a trailer or similar vehicle intended to be towed from a rear-mounted ball hitch on a truck to rather be coupled to and towed by a truck having a fifth wheel type hitch. The apparatus includes a gooseneck with a kingpin adapted to engage the fifth wheel mount of a truck, a gooseneck mounting element for receiving the gooseneck in a horizontally adjustable manner and two upright columns which are rigidly secured to the tongue of the trailer on either side of the ball hitch and on which the mounting element is slidably attached. The columns and the gooseneck arm are of steel with rectangular cross-section and slidably engage respectively in steel box-beam portions of the mounting element. Each column and the arm include holes which selectively match a pair of holes in the mounting element. A pair of pin elements secure the mounting element against relatively sliding movement. The pin elements may be secured in place by padlocks for security against theft.

Abstract: There is disclosed a litter box with sifter apparatus for convenient cleaning and servicing of a pet litter box wherein the sifter element is in the form of a basket with a gridlike construction of molded rigid plastic and sloping sides. The grid of the basket is formed of bars of triangular cross-section, each such bar being oriented with the flat side facing the interior of the basket and the apex of the triangle pointing outwardly or downwardly. Spacing between the bars is such that kitty litter will fall through the bars into a conventional litter box, and, using a knifelike action of the triangular bars, the basket may be pressed back into the litter in the litter box after using the basket to remove solid waste. A frame around the top of the basket rigidifies the structure and serves as a handle on each end of the basket which is provided with openings for hand holds.

Abstract: Metatarsal pad structured with relation to the foot for which it is intended so that it bridges across the width of the five metatarsal bones; a configuration at the front is such that each metatarsal is supported just posteriorly of the head thereof and with a height to raise the heads of the metatarsals from weight bearing and transfer of the weight over a larger area. The front of the pad is characterized by a radius of curvature of about 3/16 of an inch in the vertical plane and the frontal outline in the horizontal plane is preferably convex in the central portion while being slightly concave on either side thereof; this conforms to the shape of volar surface of the metatarsal as it develops the head of each metatarsal. The alternate concave and convex frontal outlines follow a line just posterior to the head of the first metatarsal and progressing laterally just behind the head of each subsequent metatarsal. The pads are asymmetric and are provided for the left and the right foot.

Abstract: There is disclosed a twist drill particularly adapted for drilling plastics and composite materials having a sharp point angle, typically 85.degree. to 95.degree., and a very low lip relief angle, typically 2.degree. to 3.degree.; the relief surfaces are broad, though not unusually so, and may each subtend an angle of 40.degree. to 60.degree. about the drill longitudinal axis. A two-flute drill is shown, but the structure may be modified to provide three or more flutes. Land width, helix angle, and other attributes of the twist drill are generally similar to most common varieties of twist drills for steel, wood, or other uses in drill presses or hand drills.

Abstract: There is disclosed Q-loss compensation apparatus for a piezoelectric sensor such as a quartz crystal microbalance or other resonant vibratory device wherein the vibration amplitude of the device is controlled by negative feedback in a manner to obviate the effect of energy loss associated with viscous damping of a large liquid drop on the quartz crystal face serving as an environment for an experiment to measure mass deposited on the crystal face. The specific apparatus includes an oscillator circuit for the vibratory device in which two generally similar variable gain amplifiers provide the regenerative feedback for maintaining oscillation. The negative feedback amplitude control circuit serves to maintain constant the output from the variable gain amplifier following the quartz crystal in the oscillator loop, and it thus maintains at a near constant value the product of the crystal vibration amplitude and the square root of the total gain in the oscillator loop.

Abstract: There is disclosed a drop-in ceiling tile or the like together with method of making the same wherein expanded polystyrene in a large block is cut into substrate sheets approximately two feet by four feet by three-quarters to one inch thick using a hot-wire cutter, which substrate sheet thereafter is provided with a thin facing of vinyl plastic stretch resistant sheet, e.g. rigid PVC, about 0.001 to about 0.005 inches in thickness having nearly invisible perforations therein to facilitate the escape of moisture from water base adhesive utilized to laminate the vinyl sheet onto the expanded polystyrene substrate. The vinyl sheet will previously have been textured in a conventional manner or otherwise decorated, in a preferred embodiment.

Abstract: There is disclosed a circular table suitable for use as a dining table or the like, including a round, rotatably mounted table top supported by four outwardly extending feet and a standard which is provided with removably attachable arms to be secured to the top portion thereof, which arms extend beyond the periphery of the table top to support a plurality of leaves in the form of sectors of an annulus, such leaves being removably securable at the ends of the arms whereby the rotatable circular table top can be extended to a larger circular area with the outer annular surface thereof flush with the table top and non-rotatable. The entire table top and extensions are solely supported from the central standard with no other vertical legs for support. The rotatable table top is provided with means for locking it in position if desired.

Abstract: There is disclosed a carpet seam finishing tool for smoothing and shaping the carpet at a seam joined with conventional hot glue carpet seaming tape comprising a pair of similar generally rectangular bodies hinged back-to-back having a width of at least about six inches and substantially greater than (four-inch wide) carpet seaming tape, the bottom smooth surface of each said body having longitudinal ridges on each lateral edge forming runners to guide the body along a carpet seam. The bottom surface of the body is preferably slightly convex across its width with air vent holes located to receive hot vapors or moisture from the hot carpet seam which is passes over. Each bottom surface further preferably includes an indentation on the end to allow the body to accommodate greater carpet height over tack strips near a wall.

Abstract: There is disclosed a polyphase power line adapter for providing polyphase electric power to operate a motor at a speed less than rated speed particularly useful for pump motors and the like where it is undesirable to stop the motor. A bridge of from nine to eighteen thyristors, which is also conventially used in cycloconverters, connects the input terminals to the output terminals. A delta-to-Y transformer arrangement and a wave shaping circuit produces cyclic pulse control signals synchronized with the wave-forms of the respective phases of the polyphase power line input; one such signal is transmitted to a divider circuit with a maximum division factor (always an integer) corresponding to the factor, N, by which the frequency, and hence, motor speed is to be reduced. A plurality of logical "and" circuits each has its inputs connected to receive one output from the divider circuit and cyclic pulse control signals are supplied to another of the inputs.

Abstract: There is disclosed a chimney cleaner comprising a frame of rectangular cross-section narrower than the internal dimension of the chimney flue to be cleaned and having a substantial vertical height with spring-loaded pivotal flue side-scraping blades mounted to swing outwardly and upwardly from the sides of the frame to firmly contact and scrape the sides of a flue; preferably there are four blades with two oppositely disposed blades displaced vertically from the other two oppositely disposed blades whereby the blades may be substantially the full width of the flue and yet not interfere one with the other.

Abstract: There is disclosed a fixture for mounting an end of train marker light and/or other electronic apparatus to a railroad freight car coupler including an upright tubular member through which a threaded rod passes and extends into and through the flag hole in a standard railroad coupler; a frustro-conical enlargement at the bottom end of the tubular member seats in the top of the flag hole, and a frustro-conical collar threaded on the bottom of the rod is urged upward by rotating the rod to clamp the fixture in the flaghole. The top of the rod has a horizontal bar which is used to manually rotate the rod, and a keyed sleeve at the top of the tube may be raised to engage the bar to prevent its rotation while a padlock is secured through holes provided in the top of the sleeve.

Abstract: There is disclosed an environmental control system for a large volume structure (one horizontal dimension of at least 60 feet) having an air tempering unit including a horizontal cylindrical duct of about three feet diameter with an axial flow propeller fan and motor placed in one end to draw air through the duct and a gaseous fuel burner upstream from the fan with oxygen supplied from the air stream and with combustion products thereof being propelled through the fan. A series of propeller-fan air movers are placed in the structure near ceiling level with the first of the air movers placed about 25 to 50 feet in front of the air tempering unit. The air tempering unit and the air movers are operated by a control unit in response to a cycle timer and various sensor elements including an air velocity sensor for outside air supplied to the air tempering unit and an internal air temperature sensor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a framing T-Square and protractor wherein the head of the T-Square and the elongated rule thereof are connected by means of a ballbearing allowing the rule portion to be free-swinging with respect to the head, which is in the form of a rectangular plate having a protractor scale thereon marked in degrees and auxiliary scales marked with inches of rise per 12 inches of run for common rafters and for hip and valley rafters. A rectangular panel is hingedly attached to the plate on a hinged line normally at right angles to the elongated rule; a friction locking mechanism permits the rule to be locked at any desired angle relative to the plate and panel. The rule, plate, and panel are marked on the back with rafter tables and other data including run lengths and protractor angle settings useful in roof framing and other construction or carpentry work. A vernier scale on the front of the panel facilitates setting of angle measurements to an accuracy of one-tenth of a degree.