Abstract: Trash bagging apparatus for facilitating emplacing trash in a flexible container comprising two flat side sheets hingedly connected together at their interior edges, their exterior edges free to be pivoted about the hinged connection for carrying or storage, or opened up to engage a flexible container for trash or the like, at least one of the flat side sheets being adapted to lie flat on the ground for having trash swept thereinto; and biasing spring strip for biasing the exterior edges toward their extremities so as to hold a flexible container onto the bottom of the trash bagging apparatus. Also disclosed are respective improvements; such as, a handle for carrying the side sheets, front and rear bag holders for holding the top of a trash bag, and a preferred embodiment in which the trash bagging apparatus is formed from a single substantially planar plastic sheet.

Abstract: Apparatus for automating assembly of shock detectors having an indicator within an inner tube seemingly disposed within an outer tube, the indicator being adapted for indicating when a shock greater than a predetermined magnitude has been experienced, characterized by an assembly line machine for assembling shock detectors including a plurality of stations at which specific jobs are performed and an indexing table for moving a plurality of elements from station to successive station in the assembly line and including respective sub-assemblies for loading an inner tube into an assembly line rotator, a sealer for sealing a first end of the inner tube, an implacement mechanism for placing the indicator within the inner tube, an outer tube loader for loading the outer tube into the assembly line, a subcombination for combining and sealing the inner tube within the outer tube so as to form the shock detector and an unloader mechanism for unloading the shock detector from the assembly line with respective control m

Abstract: An improvement in an engine having conventional components including at least one valve, pivotally mounted rocker arm for operating the valve, reciprocally moveable member for effecting pivotal movement of the rocker arm, the improvement being characterized by a cover that is adapted for being sealingly emplaced about the rocker arm and having a plurality of oil inlet apertures to allow oil to be applied to the rocker arm at its points of contact that need lubrication and having at least one oil drain aperture to allow oil to drain therefrom; and oil reservoir for containing the oil, oil drain conduit between the cover and the reservoir, and oil pump having suction connected with the reservoir and a discharge for pumping the oil for lubricating the rocker arm, an oil conduit connected intermediate the pump and the reservoir and the pump and the cover for conveying oil is appropriate and an oil pump power means for powering the oil pump, the oil pump power means being drivingly connected with the oil pump and

Abstract: A knee brace for alleviating problems with tibia rotation and tibia desubluxation with respect to a femur of a wearer and including conventional first and second pairs of elongate braces having their respective hinges connected at their central ends and having conventional straps and harness for adjustably placing and holding the respective pairs of elongate braces and hinges at a desired attained position; characterized by the improvement comprising an anterior cuff connected with a second pair of braces below the hinges and adapted to firmly engage the leg at the inside anterior of the tibia with a padded flattened chord for preventing rotation of the tibia. In a preferred embodiment, the knee brace also includes a posterior cuff connected with the first pair of braces and adapted to engage the posterior portion of the thigh posteriorly of the femur for also preventing desubluxation of the tibia with respect to the femur.

Abstract: What are disclosed are method and apparatus improvements in a heliostat for reflecting solar energy onto a collector, the heliostat having a main support structure with pivoting and tilting motors and controls and mirror modules for reflecting the solar energy. The improvement is characterized by one of a combination, or curved, or lightweight mirror module in which the curved mirror focuses the energy more precisely, attenuates differential expansion due to temperature change, yet is simple and economical to build and is light enough in weight to enable building larger modules for the heliostats, as well as building larger heliostats. The specific improvement is characterized by a curved mirror formed over a plurality of templates with longitudinal support beams holding it into the predetermined curvature with transversely extending structural beams and attachment bolt for attaching it to the heliostat. Also disclosed are specific preferred methods steps and structural components.

Abstract: An improvement in a cage for small animals or the like having a perforate bottom to allow wastes to be dropped by gravity exteriorly of the cage, a continuous periphery of walls, and a top, characterized by a continuous belt traversing beneath the perforate bottom and contiguous to a scraper and waste collector, and through a cleaning pan adjacent steam-cleaning passageways for cleaning. The belt has motive apparatus comprised of a plurality of gears and belt moving roller connected to an animal-powered wheel to move the belt when the animal runs or walks in the wheel. Also disclosed are specific preferred embodiments including having one of the gears in a gear train movable responsive to movement of a fulcrum lever to disengage the belt from the animal wheel; and having a supplemental belt moving apparatus to move the belt as desired.

Abstract: A combination employing a disposable mold for making a test sample of set concrete or the like comprising a unitary plastic piece that includes a closed bottom end, a cylindrical, tubular wall extending substantially perpendicular to the bottom end and connected therewith and terminating in an open end and an annular lip connected with the cylindrical, tubular wall adjacent the open end; a locking, moisture-proof lid adapted to snap into place; and a carrying tong adapted to removably slide into engagement with said annular lip so as to carry said mold and any material in sample therewithin. Also disclosed are method of obtaining the concrete sample and the capping composition, each of which use the disposable mold. Preferably, the mold has a removable strip such as a scored stripping line or a tear away strip to facilitate removal from about the test sample.

Abstract: A universal leg brace system for controlling the degree of motion permitted by a wearer's knee characterized by respective flexible sheets of cushioned material adapted for snugly wrapping around the wearer's thigh and calf; elongate braces that are stiff and adapted to lie on opposite sides of the wearer's thigh connected with a hinge positioned on opposite sides of the wearer's knee; rear stays connected with the respective sheets for providing structural support in the longitudinal direction longitudinally of the posterior of the thigh and calf; tibial and femoral plates connected with the first and second flexible sheets for providing significant structual support in the longitudinal direction along the anterior portion of the tibia and femur; straps and Velcro for adjustably positioning and selectively attaching the respective braces, sheets, plates and the like by circumferentially encompassing the leg of the wearer to provide significant longitudinal support without the requirement for a heavy, relativ

Abstract: An improved knee brace hinge, per se, and as a part of external bracing apparatus for controlling the degree of motion permitted by a wearer's knee and including first and second pairs of elongate relatively stiff braces that resist torsion and bending loads and adapted to lie on opposite sides of the wearer's thigh and calf; harness, with or without flexible sheets, for adjustably placing and holding the respective pairs of elongate braces in a desired obtained position on respective opposite sides of the thigh and calf of the wearer with a hinge positioned correctly adjacent the wearer's knee. The improved hinge is connected with the central ends of the respective braces on each side of the wearer's knee and each hinge employs a single cam-slot operator for simulating flexural motion of a wearer's knee and a positive lock for limiting the range of the flexural motion.

Abstract: A knee brace for alleviating problems with tibia rotation and tibia desubluxation with respect to a femur of a wearer and including conventional first and second pairs of elongate braces having their respective hinges connected at their central ends and having conventional straps and harness for adjustably placing and holding the respective pairs of elongate braces and hinges at a desired attained position; characterized by the improvement comprising an anterior cuff connected with a second pair of braces below the hinges and adapted to firmly engage the leg at the inside anterior of the tibia with a wedge for preventing rotation of the tibia. In a preferred embodiment, the knee brace also includes a posterior cuff connected with the first pair of braces and adapted to engage the posterior portion of the thigh posteriorly of the femur for also preventing desubluxation of the tibia with respect to the femur.

Abstract: An improvement in a cutting torch assembly that obviates the tendency to have a flashback and sustained burning immediately adjacent the point of mixing of the fuel with preheat oxygen; including cutting oxygen valve and passageway, preheat oxygen valve and passageway, fuel gas valve and passageway, a head having a tip end for having a tip affixed thereto and having a head passageway for cutting oxygen and a head passageway for the mixture of fuel and oxygen; the improvement being characterized by an integral head mixer having within the head an incoming preheat oxygen passageway and incoming fuel passageway, a mixer disposed within a well in the head and having its central bore aligned with a longitudinally extending passageway in the head and having lateral passageway penetrating through the wall of the mixer and in communication with the fuel annular space of the well, the inlet end of the bore communicating with the preheat oxygen annular space of the well such that the fuel will flow laterally through th

Abstract: An improvement in a sealing combination for sealing intermediate a cap ring on the hydraulic cylinder or the like and a rod running concentrically therethrough characterized by, in addition to the usual cage assembly on the cylinder assembly, a stuffing box and a wiper ring box for holding respective seals and ring wiper, bearing for maintaining the rod centralized within the central assembly and facilitating longitudinal movement, primary seal disposed about the rod and within the sealing box, a rod wiper disposed about the rod and within the wiper ring box, secondary seal disposed about the rod and intermediate the primary seal and the rod wiper and stop device disposed intermediate the primary seal and the secondary seal and adapted to stop longitudinal movement of the bearing to prevent crushing the second seal. Also disclosed are specific preferred embodiments.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing frozen product characterized by flowing liquid substantially uniformly over a substantially vertically oriented freezing mold; supplying liquid refrigerant to a conductive surface in the freezing mold for freezing the liquid into predetermined shapes; collecting the excess liquid into a reservoir and circulating the excess liquid back over the top of the freezing mold, the liquid being at its freezing point; stopping the circulation of the liquid over the freezing mold and initiating a dump mode in which the freezing mold is heated and tilted to dump the frozen product into a receiving bin; detecting when the receiving bin has sufficient frozen product therein and stopping the production of more frozen product until some has been used; repeating the cycle orienting the freezing mold substantially vertically and starting the refrigeration equipment to freeze the product and repeat the cycle.

Abstract: An improvement in a pressure regulator including the usual valve body, seat, poppet, adjustable spring having a bottom plate for co-acting with the low pressure diaphragm member. The improvement comprises an improved regulator in which the poppet includes a centering extension shaft extending to the low pressure side of the valve seat and a larger diameter shaft in communication with the high pressure inlet chamber and having the valve seat include centering upper protrusion that closely engages the centering extension shaft of the poppet with at least three and no more than six slots disposed substantially uniform thereabout such that gas can flow about the valve poppet centering extension shaft through the valves without inducing destructive and noisy vibration when gas flow is called for by the regulator.

Abstract: What are disclosed are method and apparatus improvements in a heliostat for reflecting solar energy onto a collector, the heliostat having a main support structure with pivoting and tilting motors and controls and mirror modules for reflecting the solar energy. The improvement is characterized by one of a combination, or curved, or lightweight mirror module in which the curved mirror focuses the energy more precisely, attenuates differential expansion due to temperature change, yet is simple and economical to build and is light enough in weight to enable building larger modules for the heliostats, as well as building larger heliostats. The specific improvement is characterized by a curved mirror formed over a plurality of templates with longitudinal support beams holding it into the predetermined curvature with transversely extending structural beams and attachment bolt for attaching it to the heliostat. Also disclosed are specific preferred methods steps and structural components.

Abstract: A semi-automatic, motorized hand torch, or gas cutting machine, that is capable of being freely operated with one hand and characterized by device head having a cutting torch tip, respective conduit means for supplying to the tip preheat oxygen, cutting oxygen and fuel gas, a drive cylinder journalled for rotation about the tip, a drive wheel engaging the peripherally outer cylindrical wall of the drive cylinder so as to be driven thereby and moveable longitudinally therealong so as allow adjustment in height of the tip, a motor and transmission drivingly connected with a drive cylinder, control for controlling the motor, housing and bracket for supporting the drive wheel adjacent the tip. Also disclosed are specific preferred embodiments including those in which respective small and large circle cutting attachments are employed and wherein an angled cutting wheel and strut are employed for cutting at an angle, as well as specific preferred structure.

Abstract: What are disclosed are method and apparatus improvements in a heliostat for reflecting solar energy onto a collector, the heliostat having a main support structure with pivoting and tilting motors and controls and mirror modules for reflecting the solar energy. The improvement is characterized by one of a combination, or curved, or lightweight mirror module in which the curved mirror focuses the energy more precisely, attenuates differential expansion due to temperature change, yet is simple and economical to build and is light enough in weight to enable building larger modules for the heliostats, as well as building larger heliostats. The specific improvement is characterized by a curved mirror formed over a plurality of templates with longitudinal support beams holding it into the predetermined curvature with transversely extending structural beams and attachment bolt for attaching it to the heliostat. Also disclosed are specific preferred methods steps and structural components.

Abstract: A method of propping fractures in a subterranean formation employing high-strength particles of propping agent having at least one passageway formed through each of the particles and having the usual high compressive strength and particle size range and density to enable emplacement in the fracture by hydraulic transport. Each particle has its at least one passageway formed substantially directly therethrough for increased permeability to flow of fluids from the subterranean formation. Particles may have any of the shapes that are commonly and economically available.

Abstract: A multiple input, multiple output combination switching connector for matingly connecting a plurality of first connectors with a plurality of second connectors characterized by a housing, respective input and output conductors adapted to make electrical contact with the respective first and second conductors, respective wheels for rotating respective input conductors into electrical contact with respective output conductors, each of the wheels including an electrically conductive path connected with a respective input conductor and with an electrically conductive output contact that is adapted to be rotated into electrical contact with respective output conductor. The wheels are individually rotatable within the housing and a bias is provided for maintaining the wheels within the housing and biased together such that electrical continuity through each path per wheel is maintained.

Abstract: A pot for holding a plant or the like comprising a one piece container molded of plastic and having a bottom with side walls extending therefrom defining an open top end. An elongated narrow opening is formed in the bottom in a configuration defining a central tab extending from one side of an outer portion and which may be pushed inward into the container to remove the plant and its potting soil. The plastic employed to form the container is pliable or flexible such that the central tab may be pushed inward without breaking the central tab from the outer portion of the bottom.