Abstract: A device used for the application of fingernail polish and the like comprises a housing, a finger insert for positioning a finger on the housing, lighting means in the housing for providing direct illuminatin on the finger insert, a motorized fan for drying a polished fingernail, means for actuating the lighting means and the motorized fan, an air inlet in the housing for supplying air to the fan and an air outlet in the housing for directing air blown by the fan at the finger insert so that when a fingernail is polished it is quickly and easily dried without moving the finger to a new location.

Abstract: Steam curable agglomerates of particulate material are cured by passing steam at elevated temperature and pressure through a bed of such agglomerates in an autoclave. The flow direction of the steam through the bed is periodically reversed, at least during the temperature raising period of the autoclaving process, to reduce the autoclaving time and produce cured agglomerates of substantially uniform quality.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying particulate material includes an elongate housing having a chamber therein. A drum is positioned in the housing and has opposite ends thereof extending through open ends of the housing. The drum is mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis. The exterior surface of the drum and the interior surface of the housing are spaced apart and form an annular space adapted for flow of heating medium therealong. An inlet opens into the annular space and is directed for introducing heating medium in a generally tangential direction relative to the annular space such that the heating medium flows in a generally vortex manner along the length of the annular space to the outlet. A tube is positioned in the drum and extends along a major portion of the length of the drum. The tube is in flow communication with the annular space for receiving heating medium therefrom.

Abstract: Apparatus for handling creme filled cookies during a period in which the filling is hardening. The cookies are formed of a pair of baked base cakes separated by a layer of creme filling material which is applied in a heated fluid state and hardens as it cools. The apparatus includes a cooling tunnel and a conveyor extending through the tunnel. The conveyor is segmented, each segment having a bottom wall and a pair of side walls which form an elongated trough to carry a continuous column of cookies through the cooling tunnel. The side walls of the segments are inclined outwardly to tangentially engage the edge of the base cakes and support the cookies in a vertical position.

Abstract: Device for automatic draft control of a furnace having an oil burner, a smoke flue, and an exhaust valve located in the smoke flue, part of said smoke flue comprising a metal tube which is connected with the wall of a chimney, said device comprising a first sensoring device provided on said metal tube and subjected to the influence of the temperature prevailing in said tube, and a second sensoring device provided in said chimney wall, said first and second sensoring devices being connected with the exhaust valve in such a manner that their combined registration is transmitted to the exhaust valve.

Abstract: A restraining device is used in a dry kiln with a load of green lumber in order to reduce warpage during drying and cooling. A single restraint device is comprised of a pair of inverted leaf springs joined together at their centers and having a strap extending from one end of the top spring about the load of lumber and terminating at the other end of the top spring together with a tensioning device for the strap. Before the load of lumber is placed in the dry kiln, the tensioning device will draw down both the bottom and top leaf springs close to the load where the tensioning device will lock them in place. During drying, as the load shrinks, the top spring will be relaxed while the bottom spring will maintain a force across the width of the load, thereby substantially reducing warp.

Abstract: An ice-making heat pump system is disclosed which includes a number of evaporator freezing plates, each of the plates having two fluid passageways therein. One of the passageways is arranged to conduct boiling refrigerant fluid for freezing water on the surfaces of the plate. The other passageway is arranged to conduct warm condensed refrigerant for harvesting ice formed on the plate surface. A fluid valve arrangement is also provided to connect the plates with the rest of the system so that ice can be selectively formed and released from the outer surfaces of the freezing plates.

Abstract: A system for utilizing solar energy efficiently in air conditioning systems during the heating mode having at the evaporator heat exchange means which extracts the heat from ambient air when the latter is greater than 47.degree. F. and from solar heated fluid when the ambient air is less than 47.degree. F.

Abstract: A thermal break ventilator unit designed to extend between the opposed end jambs of a window frame. The thermal break ventilator unit has a box-shaped body with a ventilating passage therethrough. Essentially cylindrical, opposed raceways are attached to the opposed end jambs within the box-shaped body. A substantially drum-shaped closure unit rotates within the opposed raceways. The closure unit has a closed position wherein the ventilating passage is closed and an open position wherein the venilating passage is substantially unrestricted by the closure unit. Structural heat transfer barriers are incorporated into the metallic parts of the thermal break ventilating unit and are so located that, when the closure unit is in its closed position, there is no continuous, metallic path by which heat can flow between the interior and exterior parts of the ventilator unit.

Abstract: The described apparatus has utility as a doctor on a paper machine, as a drying element in an aircap dryer and as a sealing element in such a dryer. It involves a foot portion having an outer surface generally conforming to the curvature of the cylinder surface on which it is used. It is resiliently supported in close juxtaposition to the cylinder surface so that a gap diminishing in thickness towards one longitudinal edge of the foot portion is provided. At least two rows of nozzles communicate through the foot portion in order to project pressurized air into the gap. Each nozzle is angled relative to three orthogonal planes, one of which is tangent to the cylinder surface at the point where the nozzle axis meets the surface, another of which is parallel to the longitudinal edge of the foot portion. The flow from the nozzles is such as to support the foot portion and to seal the support flow from any disorganized flows.

Abstract: The disclosure is of a downdraft furnace fired by solid, carbonaceous fuels such as wood logs, coal and the like. The furnace is adapted for burning the fuel in three stages, to obtain complete combustion. The advantage of the furnace of the invention resides in its heating efficiency with few pollutants released into the atmosphere.

Abstract: A thermally responsive valve device comprises a body member having an inlet port and two outlet ports, a first passage connecting the inlet port and one of the outlet ports, a second passage communicating with the other of the outlet ports, a first valve seat positioned in the first passage, a first valve member movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat, a penetrating passage being provided through the first valve member and connecting the second passage and the inlet port, a second valve seat formed on the first valve member, a second valve member movable into and out of engagement with the second valve seat, first and second bimetal disks movable in response to variations in temperature. The first and second bimetal disks operating the first and second valve members to close and open the first passage and the penetrating passage respectively.

Abstract: A pressure regulator has a diaphragm controlled valve and a temperature responsive means for adjusting the loading on the diaphragm to provide a pressure control from a maximum pressure to a minimum pressure in a modulating manner as the temperature changes. The temperature responsive means operates a lever for varying the spring loading on the diaphragm which is accomplished by a resilient biased pin and a C-shaped spring so that when the pin is lifted by the lever to reduce the force on the C spring, the C spring provides for a broadening of the force on the diaphragm and thus widening the modulation range of pressure for a given range in temperature.

Abstract: The method and apparatus relates to defrosting cooling elements in an open type display cooler or freezer cabinet. The method involves circulating air over cooling elements and over the open display cabinet top having articles therein that are cooled or frozen. The air, during circulation, is taken into a channel along a side edge of the stored articles, and a guide member assumes another position other than its normal position during defrosting.

Abstract: An apparatus for opening and closing the draft hood discharge opening and vent and fuel line of a fluid fuel-fired heating device such as a domestic water heater. The disclosed apparatus includes a diaphragm-type expansible chamber fluid motor assembly mechanically linked to a damper assembly such that when the heating devices call for heating, the supply of pressurized fuel acts to actuate the motor for opening the damper assembly. The motor assembly also has a pressure output line which operates a fail-safe type of diaphragm valve for controlling flow. This prevents burner operation until after the dampers are open. Additionally, when the supply of fuel is terminated, the motor assembly does not close the damper assembly until after the diaphragm valve stops fuel to the burner.

Abstract: In a positive or negative heat transfer system with an intermittent source of positive or negative thermal energy, utilization means and a reservoir of heat transfer fluid flowing between the reservoir, the source and the utilization means, the reservoir is divided into two compartments of complimentarily variable volume and excess positive or negative thermal energy not required by the utilization means is used primarily to maintain the enthalpy of the fluid in one of the compartments of the reservoir at a maximum (for positive heat transfer) or mininum (for negative heat transfer) level, the volume of that one compartment being maintained at or reduced to a minimum until the required level of enthalpy is attained.

Abstract: An outdoor cooking grill for charcoal cooking and the like, including a generally rectangular fire box having a bottom wall normally disposed in a horizontal position and sidewalls provided with front and rear vertically extending slots for receiving front and rear leg portions of handles extending from opposite ends of a grating member to permit vertical adjustment of the position of the grating member. The front and rear slots have vertically spaced notches for receiving the handle legs and supporting the grating at different vertical positions, and the front slots open through the top edge of the end walls while the rear slots are closed at the top edge so that the grating may be swung about the rear handle legs to an inclined tilted position relative to the bottom wall of the fire box. The firebox is supported by a swivel coupling on a vertical pedestal which permits tilting movement of the firebox about a horizontal axis to a forwardly and downwardly inclined tilted position.

Abstract: A valve for limiting the temperature of water flowing to a shower head, including a poppet valve member moveable into sealing engagement with a seat in response to the operation of an expansible temperature sensing member. Resilient means for accommodating overtravel of the sensing member, baffle means for directing water to the sensing member, means for effecting self centering of the poppet member and sealing means for isolating a moveable actuating portion of the sensing member are provided.

Abstract: Air vent consisting of a fixed, gridlike apertured front panel and a stop plate disposed behind it, which plate is movable by a control mechanism in the direction of its plane and to the plane of the front panel and which plate in a position resting against the back of the front panel closes the grid apertures, but which in a separated position opens the grid apertures of the front panel for the passage of air.

Abstract: A system to accomplish both air cooling and air heating of indoor space by utilizing solar energy. In principle the disclosed system is an absorption refrigeration system, wherein a solution of an evaporable refrigerant in a less evaporable solvent is passed through a solar collector-generator, but the system has additional fluid passages with the provision of changeover valves arranged so as to pass the refrigerant in heated and vaporized state from the collector-generator to an indoor heat exchanger, bypassing the condenser of the refrigerator, thereby to accomplish air heating and return the refrigerant in liquid state from the heat exchanger to the collector-generator, bypassing the absorber of the refrigerator.