Abstract: A manually operable combination strapping tool for applying plastic strapping around an object includes a strap-tensioning and gripping mechanism for holding the strap in a tensioned loop around the object with the supply portion of the strap overlapping the leading end thereof, and a heat-sealing mechanism which includes a movable pressure block and a heater movable to and from a heating position between the overlapping strap portions. As the heater is moved between the overlapping strap portions, the pressure block is moved to cooperate with an anvil to press together the heating element and strap portions for melting thereof. After retraction of the pressure block and the heater by separate bias means, the pressure block is moved for cooperation with the anvil to clamp therebetween and bond together the melted strap portions and sever the supply portion of the strap.

Abstract: A generally Y-shaped, flat table is detachably coupled to a surgical table by a coupling tongue and has outwardly diverging branches for respectively receiving the ankles and feet of a patient thereon, the branches defining therebetween an access space for accommodating the surgeon. Each branch has a foldable, adjustable-length support leg assembly. In one embodiment, the branches are pivotally coupled to a body member for varying the angle of divergence therebetween and the size of the access space.

Abstract: A thrust producing shoe sole and heel having fluid-proof cavities respectively located in the heel portion and in the sole portion which underlies the metatarsal ball area of a foot for which the sole and heel is sized, the two cavities being connected by a restricted passageway. The material underlying the two cavities at the bottom of the sole and heel is resilient and wear-resistant. Fluid, either gas or liquid, is contained within the cavities and passageway in such pressure and amount as to cause bulges below the normal bottoms of the sole and heel, whereby at rest a foot on the sole and heel is cushioned comfortably on the fluid in the bulges, and in walking fluid under bulge producing pressure alternates through the passageway between the two cavities, producing shock absorption and an alternate lifting effect by the bulges which provides forward thrust both in the heel portion and the metatarsal ball area that facilitates walking.

Abstract: A transition module is provided for use in constructing a modular trophy base including one or more column modules having end plates at the upper and lower ends thereof. The transition module includes a hollow closed peripheral wall having opposite ends, the perimeters of which respectively define predetermined closed figures which are substantially different from each other in shape and/or size. Each of these ends is adapted for mating engagement with the end plate of an associated correspondingly-shaped column module, with the hollow end of the transition module disposed in surrounding press-fitted relationship with a raised portion of the end plate. Thus, the transition module may be used at each end of a single column module to provide transition between the column module and other members, or may be used to provide the transition between two different column modules.

Abstract: The contact connects a circuit element (such as a piezoelectric transducer) to a circuit (such as an oscillator which drives the transducer). The contact comprises a body, an ear which is mechanically and electrically connected to the circuit, and a pair of bifurcated fingers which springingly electrically engage the circuit element. Several such contacts may be used to connect different portions of the circuit to corresponding portions of the circuit element.

Abstract: A pouch-like holder for a triangular carpenter's square includes a single sheet of flexible material which is folded in half to form two congruent panels, each in the shape of a truncated triangle, with the side edges opposite the fold line being secured together along a closure line disposed at about a 45.degree. angle to the fold line to define a triangular pocket having a large open top and a small open bottom for receiving the square therein. Belt slits are provided in each of the panels and a retainer strap is also provided across the top edges of the panels. The holder also has alternative closures and belt attachment devices.

Abstract: A rooting media in the form of a resilient, integral body of spongy open-celled hydrophilic polymer forming a first essentially continuous phase extending throughout the body and having passages therethrough forming a second essentially continuous phase extending throughout the body, a quantity of particles of soil mixture distributed throughout the body of spongy polymer and held thereby with a substantial portion of the surface area of the particles of soil mixture exposed and in communication with the passages, the exposed particles of soil mixture providing colloidal contact exchange surfaces in communication with the passages and having collectively a porosity maintenance capacity and a water holding capacity and an ion exchange capacity and a pH buffering capacity; also disclosed is a method of making such a body of rooting media, as well as a release agent useful in that method; there further is disclosed a particular form of rooting media for use in propagation by air layering and a method of propagat

Abstract: The trophy base has top and bottom members and a wall, defining a hollow interior filled with initially fluid material, such as gypsum, which is allowed to set. Bosses on the top and bottom members have bores extending therethrough, which bosses mate to minimize the initially fluid filler material from leaking out. An annular lip on one of the bosses encircles the other boss and serves substantially to eliminate fluid material from leaking out.

Abstract: A field transplant system including a machine for sequentially forming groups of polymerized soil plugs having seed receiving recesses in one end thereof and supported on a carrier, and in certain cases interconnected by strips, the carrier being used to transport the soil plugs through a seeding station and then to a germination station and then to a growing station either in the flat or on a plant turning machine in a greenhouse to grow the germinated seeds to transplant size, and then using the carrier to transport the soil plugs with the transplants growing therein to the field for transplanting by an automatic transplanter; several forms of soil plugs are disclosed, and several methods for supplying seeds to the soil plugs are disclosed, as well as an improved method of mounting a mat of soil plugs on the cylinder of a plant turning machine.

Abstract: A dispenser for liquid soap including two telescoping housing members generally cylindrical in shape and having the longitudinal axes thereof inclined upwardly, the inner housing member being mountable on a wall and the outer housing member having a broad contact area accessible to a user, a support extending upwardly and forwardly from the inner housing member and telescopically receiving a guide on the outer housing member with a spring therebetween, a discharge member removably mounted on the inner housing member and having a soap outlet in registration with an opening with the outer housing member and having structure for removably attaching a liquid soap container thereto, a pump on the discharge member for pumping charges of liquid soap from the liquid soap container to the soap outlet, and an actuating member on the outer housing operating the pump upon shifting of the housing members from the rest positions thereof to the actuating positions thereof; also disclosed is a novel container for liquid soap

Abstract: A field transplant system including a machine for sequentially forming groups of polymerized soil plugs having seed receiving recesses in one end thereof and supported on a carrier, and in certain cases interconnected by strips, the carrier being used to transport the soil plugs through a seeding station and then to a germination station and then to a growing station either in the flat or on a plant turning machine in a greenhouse to grow the germinated seeds to transplant size, and then using the carrier to transport the soil plugs with the transplants growing therein to the field for transplanting by an automatic transplanter; several forms of soil plugs are disclosed, and several methods for supplying seeds to the soil plugs are disclosed, as well as an improved method of mounting a mat of soil plugs on the cylinder of a plant turning machine.

Abstract: Strap feeding and tensioning apparatus is provided for use in a strapping machine to feed steel or plastic strapping in a loop around an object to be strapped and tension the strap loop about the object, providing maximum gripping force on the strap and minimum marring thereof. The apparatus includes a motor-driven drive wheel geared to a feed wheel, the drive wheel and feed wheel respectively having circumferential strap-engaging surfaces which cooperate frictionally to grip the strapping therebetween and move the strapping in a tensioning direction in response to rotation of the drive wheel. The axis of rotation of the feed wheel is shiftable about a fixed axis to accommodate movement of the feed wheel toward and away from the drive wheel, tensioning of the associated strap exerting a resultant force on the feed wheel tending to effect movement thereof about the fixed axis in a direction to increase the frictional gripping force exerted on the associated strap by the feed wheel and the drive wheel.

Abstract: A cartoner for elongated articles including a source of a series of unshaped bundles thereof, a first conveyor having first article buckets thereon with a first reach adjacent to the source of articles so that each first article bucket receives an unshaped bundle of articles therein, a second conveyor having a set of second article buckets each having at least one wall shiftable between receiving and shaping positions with a first reach of the second conveyor adjacent to the first reach of the first conveyor so that each of the second article buckets receive an unshaped bundle of articles from one of the first article buckets, a leveling plate for leveling the contents of the second article bucket with the wall in the shaping position thereof, a set of filler members on the second conveyor for pushing the elongated articles from the second article bucket into a carton on an adjacent carton conveyor, and suitable control mechanism for causing the proper interaction of the various conveyors and parts thereof.

Abstract: A wire stitching machine includes a head frame carrying a support, a staple former and a staple driver all reciprocally movable with respect to the head frame under the action of a single reciprocating drive bar coupled by crank mechanism to a rotary drive means. Wire feed rolls and a wire-supporting anvil are carried by the support. The support, staple former and staple driver are so coupled to each other and to the reciprocating drive bar that during a first portion of its drive stroke all three are moved to the associated workpiece and during a second portion of the drive stroke the support is arrested while the staple former and staple driver continue moving to form the staple and during a third portion of the drive stroke the staple former is arrested while only the staple driver continues moving to drive the formed staple into the workpiece. The anvil includes a forming shoe and is of integral one-piece construction movable as a unit between forming and driving positions.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically transferring elongated rows of articles from an oven hearth conveyor moving continuously in a first direction essentially normal to the longitudinal axes of the rows of articles thereon includes an outfeed conveyor continuously moving in a second direction disposed at an obtuse angle to the first direction and having a lateral width substantially less than the length of a row of articles. An endless transfer conveyor extends between the hearth and outfeed conveyors and carries thereon pickup mechanism mounted for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of the rows of articles for engaging and lifting a row of articles from the hearth conveyor and carrying it in a level upright condition to the outfeed conveyor without changing the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the row of articles. Cam-actuated unloading means at the outfeed conveyor engage the row of articles for removing them from the pickup means and holding them on the outfeed conveyor.

Abstract: A fare collection system using a bus fare box that receives and counts paper currency and paper transfers and tickets into a paper collection chamber and receives and counts coins into a coin collection chamber and receives and collects operating data into a data storage unit, the operating data including fare classification, bus identification and mileage; a secure coupling is made to the fare box chambers and the data storage unit after satisfying mechanical and pneumatic and electrical security devices so as pneumatically to convey from the chambers the papers and coins therein to a central processing unit and to convey the data stored in the data storage unit to a data collection center; the paper is first conveyed in an air stream and separated from the air stream and deposited into a storage vault therefor, after which the coins are conveyed to a coin slowdown device and then discharged to a sorter-counter-recorder for coins and then to a secure storage vault, the air stream being pulsed during conveyin

Abstract: Apparatus for use with an ultrasonic plastic welder in which an ultrasonic horn on a movable welding head produces sonic vibrations along a first axis generally normal to the contacting surfaces of the workpieces to be welded together, the apparatus rendering the welder suitable for welding metals. The apparatus includes a coupling member removably connected to the distal end of the horn and extending transversely thereof and having coupled thereto a workpiece-engaging member capable of adjustment along a second axis parallel to the first axis. A force-applying member is connected to the welding head and extends therefrom toward the workpieces, with the workpiece-engaging member being adjusted to contact the lower end of the force-applying member at a fulcrum point so that axial vibration of the coupling means by the horn serves to pivot the workpiece-engaging member about the fulcrum point to effect a vibration transverse to the first axis at the contacted workpiece.

Abstract: A hopper valve module is adapted to be removably mounted in the well of a hopper of a hopper dredge vessel for opening and closing the hopper outlet, the module being attached to the vessel only adjacent to the hopper outlet so that the module may be removed as a unit. An annular ring is secured around the top of the hopper well with support arms extending upwardly therefrom to support a vertically extending cylindrical housing having a hydraulic drive cylinder mounted therein with a piston rod connected to a valve member which closes against a valve seat to provide a watertight seal.In a first embodiment of the invention a conical valve member is coupled by a universal joint to the piston rod and has a replaceable resilient covering for sealing against the valve seat at the bottom of the hopper well. A watertight enclosure is provided for the drive means.