Abstract: A wheel chair system including a pair of levers mounted to each side of an operator seated in the wheelchair, each lever having a handle which the operator can articulate between a position aligned with the levers and a position normal to the levers. The levers are each connected to a planetary gear system and a double ratchet assembly and are movable by the operator forwardly and rearwardly through an arc. Each double ratchet assembly is connected to two chains, one of which is driven when the lever is rotated in one direction and the other of which is driven when the ratchet is rotated in the opposite direction. The handles, levers, ratchets and gears are configured and interconnected such that when the operator moves the handles and levers through a rowing motion, the wheel chair is powered in a forward direction. The gear set can be chosen, and modified, to be compatible with the strength characteristics of the upper body musculature of the operator.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controlling the ripening of produce. The apparatus includes a chamber having a ceiling, a floor and a plurality of walls. Positioned in the chamber is a support and position structure to support two rows of palletized produce and to space the palletized produce away from the walls to define a fluid circulation space around the palletized produce. The rows of palletized produce are spaced apart to define an interstitial volume therebetween. Each row of palletized produce includes at least an upper and a lower tier with a vertical spacing therebetween. A flexible sealing strip is affixed to the support and position structure to generally seal the vertical spacing between the tiers from the fluid circulation space.

Abstract: A doped region (14) is produced in a substrate (11) of silicon by diffusion of dopant from a doped glass layer (13) that is arranged on an intermediate layer (12) situated on the substrate (11) . The dopant concentration in the doped region (14) is thereby limited by the intermediate layer (12). The doped glass layer (13) is particularly produced by chemical vapor deposition of (B(OSi(CH.sub.3).sub.3).sub.3).

Abstract: An improved hook plate for a windshield wiper arm includes a first end portion for attachment to biasing spring, a central portion for mounting the hook plate to a wiper arm and a second end portion for mounting a windshield washer jet assembly.

Abstract: The disclosure is related to a method and apparatus for controlling the ripening of fresh produce, particularly the ripening of fresh fruit such as bananas. The fresh produce is arranged into a palletized load which is inserted into a ripening chamber. The palletized load is arranged into two spaced rows, each of said rows including two vertically spaced tiers to maximize the total amount of produce to be processed for the given floor space of the ripening chamber. A low pressure plenum is formed between the two rows of palletized produce by sealing the space between the rows and the vertical space between the two tiers. A controlled fluid flow is introduced around the palletized produce load and fluid is exhausted from the low pressure plenum to create a pressure differential across the produce load such that the introduced fluid is forced to flow from the space around the produce load, uniformly through the produce load and into the low pressure plenum.

Abstract: According to the invention, a resilient element is disposed between interconnected elements on a windshield wiper blade assembly such as cooperating primary and secondary yokes and a wiper blade element. Preferably the resilient element is a tape with a pressure sensitive adhesive backing or a coating that can be sprayed or painted on. The invention also comprehends a method of forming the windshield wiping elements by applying the tape or coating to stock material before the individual elements are stamped and formed.