Abstract: A modular knifeback for a sickle knife assembly that is made into lengths that are standardized for permitting ease of shipment, storage and handling, and which lengths can be spliced into a desired extended length knife assemble for use in harvesting machinery, or the like, without sacrificing rigidity and strength where the modular sections are joined together. The modular sections are made sufficiently long so that the bolts or rivets used where the modular sections join are capable of withstanding the loads that are incurred on the knife assembly during use. The modular sections of the sickle are easily kept, and stored, and are assembled using standard components without specialized tools.

Abstract: A mower assembly in which a standard sickle guard having two long fingers is replaced with a guard having two long fingers and two alternate fingers that are relatively short. The sickle blade cooperates with cutting surfaces on both the long and the short fingers. In the case of the long fingers, there are slots through which the sickle bar moves. In the case of the short fingers, the blade merely moves over a cutting surface of the short finger. There are trash bars extending between the fingers to strengthen the fingers and guard against rocks or uncut plants jamming the space between the fingers.The guard unit is fastened at two points to the guard support bar so as to minimize any tendency of the guard unit to turn.

Abstract: A method for heating intake air and a carburetor of a dead, cold internal combustion engine of a first vehicle which uses an apparatus that heats the cold engine with energy supplied by a second vehicle having a running internal combustion engine. The apparatus is placed within the air filter housing above the carburetor of the cold engine. The apparatus includes a housing configured to be positioned within the air filter housing of the cold engine. The apparatus housing includes a source of heat such as a plurality of fin tubes that are fluidly connected to the cooling system of the running engine. The tubes transfer heat from the heated coolant to air surrounding the fin tubes. In a modified form of the invention, electrical heating wires are used to heat the air. The heated air is then mixed with fuel in the carburetor and used to start the cold engine.

Abstract: Liquid coolant of a liquid cooling system of an engine in a motor vehicle is heated by using hot exhaust gas emitted by the engine. A heat exchanger transfers heat from the hot exhaust gas to the coolant. A portion of the coolant is transferred from the engine cooling system to the heat exchanger and then back to the engine. A diverter valve actuated by a temperature sensing device diverts the exhaust gas from an exhaust system to the heat exchanger. The temperature sensing device actuates the diverter valve at a predetermined coolant temperature diverting the exhaust gas to the heat exchanger when the coolant is cold and shuts off the flow of the exhaust gas to the heat exchanger when the coolant is sufficiently warm.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for heating a dead, cold, fluid cooled internal combustion engine which includes the use of another internal combustion engine with a cooling system having heated coolant circulated by a circulation pump and transferring the heated coolant to the cold engine cooling system. The apparatus includes three male quick couplings communicating with the cooling system and rigidly attached to each engine and a pair of coolant transfer conduits with female quick couplings at both ends. The male quick couplings are connected by the transfer for conduits and the heated coolant is transferred to the cold, dead engine and back to the hot service engine to be warmed up again. Either engine may be used as the hot service engine or can receive heated coolant from a hot service engine.

Abstract: A wheel rim mounting device for variable wheel spacing in combination with a conventional wheel hub attached to an axle of a tractor includes a cylindrical sleeve with an inner flange attached to the flange of the wheel hub. A plurality of circumferentially spaced rigid bars are rigidly attached to the outer surface of the cylindrical sleeve with the bars having a plurality of outwardly facing threaded apertures. Circumferentially spaced U-shaped brackets are rigidly attached to the inner surface of a wheel rim and slidably engage the bars attached to the cylindrical sleeve. The U-shaped brackets include a plurality of apertures, two of which are alignable with two of the threaded apertures of the bar. Cap screws engage the apertures of the U-shaped bracket and the threaded apertures of the bar securing the wheel rim to the cylindrical sleeve.