Abstract: A tobacco drying apparatus for holding stalks of tobacco in a drying barn, in which a stalk of tobacco may be inserted upwardly into the drying apparatus and is automatically held against undesired downward removal therefrom. The drying apparatus includes first and second substantially parallel support members and at least one friction lock assembly which is attached to the second support member. The friction lock assembly has a gate member which is pivotal about an axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second support member. The gate member further has a leading edge which extends toward the first support member, the leading edge of the gate member and the first support member which cooperate to receive a stalk of tobacco therebetween.

Abstract: A method for the injection molding of a laminate article having a deformable material sandwiched between a textile layer and a thermoplastic substrate and bonded into a unitary assembly by the thermoplastic. The laminate is molded into a sheet form for deformation to a preselected shape in a die-forming operation.

Abstract: A refuse collection unit for household use comprising a container body defining a first storage area adapted to receive at least a conventional plastic refuse bag therein and a second storage area adapted to receive at least two removable rigid liners in a side-by-side disposition therein. The removable liners are each used to store a particular type of recyclable refuse material therein, and the conventional plastic refuse bag for storage of nonrecyclable refuse. The liners include a bottom wall, three liner walls and an upwardly stepped fourth wall. Hand-gripping elements are provided on each of said liners. The first storage area rises higher than the second storage area for easy recognition of the areas. In addition, a pair of hinged cover members are provided, one for the first storage area and the other for the second storage area. A third liner may be placed in the first storage area to occupy substantially one-half of said first storage area.

Abstract: A male external catheter urine collection system and sheath therefor. The sheath is suspended from a belt worn by a user and receives the user's penis through an open upper end portion thereof that has an inwardly rolled-over peripheral edge. Urine in the sheath is discharged to an outlet tube through a discharge opening in a tapered lower end portion of the sheath. A coil spring associated with the outlet tube prevents the outlet tube from kinking shut during use. A discharge tube connects to the outlet tube and carries the discharged urine to a collection bag strapped to the lower leg of the user.

Abstract: The litter disintegrating machine is tractor drawn over a poultry raising area. Ripper teeth extended forwardly of and mounted on the side walls of the machine act with the forward edges of the side walls to provide a section of litter for travel between the side walls. On advance of the machine, the section of litter between the side walls is acted upon by a rotary flail unit extended between and mounted on the side walls rearwardly of the ripper teeth for disintegration and discharge back to the ground floor for reuse. The density of the discharged litter material may be varied by varying its rate of discharge from the machine.

Abstract: An animal gate latch mechanism having upper and lower latch units movable successively and alternatively between gate open and gate latching positions therefor by a linkage system including a single actuating arm. From a gate open position of both latch units, movement of the actuating arm in one direction will independently move the latch units to the gate latching positions therefor. An intermediate latched condition of the gate is thus provided which can quickly and easily be effected by an operator on horseback. With both latch units in the latched position therefor, the gate is securely latched at two spaced-apart locations to prevent twisting of the gate by a confined animal and its possible escape therethrough.

Abstract: The method of forming a porous pipe including extruding in a plasticized state two particulate incompatible resins, one of which is a thermosetting resin and the other a thermoplastic resin, and passing a gas through the wall of the extruding pipe and into the atmosphere to form a maze of gas passages between the particles of the incompatible resins.

Abstract: An animal handling device including a ground supported base frame and a squeeze chute pivotally supported on the base frame by an upright lever assembly. The squeeze chute includes two side members, a flat first side member and a second, generally open second side member, that are pivotally connected at their lower end portions to permit movement of the second side member relative to the first side member into and out of an animal restraining position. By means including the upright lever assembly, the squeeze chute is pivotally movable with the lever assembly toward the first side member relative to the base frame between an upright animal receiving position and an animal shift position and then independently of the lever assembly to a substantially horizontal operational position wherein easy access to the animal for treatment procedure can be made through the second side member.

Abstract: A narrow self-propelled trench soil compactor has a vibratory frame assembly connected in a towing relation to a mobile frame having steerable front wheels. The vibratory frame assembly is pivotally connected to the mobile frame for vibratory up and down movement independently of the mobile frame. A soil compaction wheel is rotatably supported at the free end of the frame assembly for movement to a lowered operating position and is power driven to function as the propulsion means for the machine. When the compaction wheel is in an elevated or non-operating position, the machine is attachable to a towing tractor for transportation purposes.

Abstract: A bale guide means is located at each end of a roller for feeding crop material into an expandable bale forming chamber to engage and guide the material at such ends inwardly of the bale to form a bale with end surfaces of planar contour and bale end portions with a density comparable to the density of the inner bale portions.

Abstract: The ground rolling bale forming machine has a plurality of belts having expandable lower run portions for rolling the bale material along the ground. The lower belt runs are trained about a material pick-up means and a movable bottom front roller. In a bale starting position, the bottom roller is adjacent the pick-up means and is movable forwardly to a bale formed position in response to the growing diameter of the bale. The axes of the pick-up means and bottom roller are in a generally common horizontal plane throughout the forming operation to provide for an enclosing engagement of the lower belt runs about a major portion of the peripheral surface of the bale.