Abstract: A propane tank of less than 4 pounds includes a tank body with a collar welded in an opening and a cylindrical valve receptacle threaded into a female screw thread in the collar with a valve body in a central passage. A protection cap has an upper wall and a peripheral wall which engages onto the outside of the collar and is spaced outwardly of the valve receptacle so as to define a crush area to receive impact loads. The upper wall includes a ring which extends into and engages a wider section of the passage and a projecting pin which extends into and engages into the passage adjacent the valve body to provide an additional seal. The peripheral wall defines a female thread on a plurality of displaceable sections so that the cap can be pushed axially on to a male screw thread on the collar and unscrewed.

Abstract: A composite material is formed by preparing mass particles consisting of a fibrous material at least partially derived from recycled post-consumer materials and preparing particles of a binding material consisting of a thermoplastic material at least partially derived from recycled post-consumer material. The prepared mass particles and particles of binding material are mixed together such that the binding material liquifies and coats the mass particles which are subsequently then pressed together to form a composite article in which the mass particles typically occupy between 35% and 60% by weight of the composite material and the binding material occupies between 40% and 60% by weight of the composite material. The composite material is suitable for replacing concrete, wood, or other construction, manufacturing or industrial materials, and possesses properties that in some applications may be equal or superior such materials.

Abstract: A mattress cleaning system receives a mattress in a tank of wash liquid so that the mattress is fully submerged. A pressure applicator, for example a mechanical structure or a jetted flow of wash fluid, applies a cyclical compressive force to the sleeping surface of the mattress while the mattress is fully submerged so as to cause flushing of the wash liquid outwardly of the mattress through at least the sleeping surface of the mattress. When using a barrier to isolate one of the surfaces of the mattress on a first side of the barrier from remaining surfaces of the mattress on a second side of the barrier, use of a blower to create an air pressure differential between opposing sides of the barrier causes migration of the wash liquid through the mattress from the isolated surface of the mattress to the remaining surfaces for drying the mattress.

Abstract: A method for installing a ground heat exchange pipe uses a drive mechanism driven downwardly by a drive head including an elongate drive mandrel for driving a portion of heat exchange pipe into the ground. The pipe is attached to an inserting tool connected to the drive mandrel so that the tool carries the portion of heat exchange pipe into the ground. The mandrel engages the inserting tool which includes a base and tie attached to a portion of the pipe and drives the inserting tool into unbroken ground to a finite depth and then the drive head extracts the mandrel for reuse on the next installation leaving the inserting tool behind with the heat exchange pipe. The inserting tool includes side components engaging the heat exchange pipe and protecting it from damage as the heat exchange pipe is driven into the ground. A fluid supply duct can be provided in the mandrel.

Abstract: A mattress cleaning system receives a mattress in a tank of wash liquid so that the mattress is fully submerged. A pressure applicator, for example a mechanical structure or a jetted flow of wash fluid, applies a cyclical compressive force to the sleeping surface of the mattress while the mattress is fully submerged so as to cause flushing of the wash liquid outwardly of the mattress through at least the sleeping surface of the mattress. When using a barrier to isolate one of the surfaces of the mattress on a first side of the barrier from remaining surfaces of the mattress on a second side of the barrier, use of a blower to create an air pressure differential between opposing sides of the barrier causes migration of the wash liquid through the mattress from the isolated surface of the mattress to the remaining surfaces for drying the mattress.

Abstract: A composite material is formed by preparing mass particles consisting of a fibrous material at least partially derived from recycled post-consumer materials and preparing particles of a binding material consisting of a thermoplastic material at least partially derived from recycled post-consumer material. The prepared mass particles and particles of binding material are mixed together such that the binding material liquifies and coats the mass particles which are subsequently then pressed together to form a composite article in which the mass particles typically occupy between 35% and 60% by weight of the composite material and the binding material occupies between 40% and 60% by weight of the composite material. The composite material is suitable for replacing concrete, wood, or other construction, manufacturing or industrial materials, and possesses properties that in some applications may be equal or superior such materials.

Abstract: An apparatus for brewing a beverage has a base arranged to sit on a support surface with the water and ingredients in an upper urn portion until brewed following which the liquid is discharged from the urn through a filter and into a tube passing through the base into a receptacle. A valve in the form of pinch member acting on the tube closes the tube and is released to discharge the beverage by a movable plate mounted on the base and actuated by placing the base on a receptacle. The urn is formed as a separately molded piece from glass so that it is more hygienic than the plastic material of the base. The bottom of the urn fits into a receptacle in the base with a disk shaped seal connecting to the tube.

Abstract: A vehicle is wrapped by a printed adhesive film where the film is also applied over doors and other areas intended not to be covered. The film is cut at the door edge and over the area by adhesively attaching a tape having a release coating on the front surface and carrying a filament along a center of the front side. The printed film is applied over the door, the area not to be covered and the tapes and is cut along the door edge and around the area by pulling the filament from the tape so that a strip of the film at the door edge and the film over the area can be removed. The film can be stretched and pulled away from the tape for reapplying for proper fit.

Abstract: A vehicle is wrapped by a printed adhesive film where the film is also applied over doors and other areas intended not to be covered. The film is cut at the door edge and over the area by adhesively attaching a tape having a release coating on the front surface and carrying a filament along a center of the front side. The printed film is applied over the door, the area not to be covered and the tapes and is cut along the door edge and around the area by pulling the filament from the tape so that a strip of the film at the door edge and the film over the area can be removed. The film can be stretched and pulled away from the tape for reapplying for proper fit.

Abstract: A vehicle is wrapped by a printed adhesive film where the film is also applied over doors and other areas intended not to be covered. The film is cut at the door edge and over the area by adhesively attaching a tape having a release coating on the front surface and carrying a filament along a center of the front side. The printed film is applied over the door, the area not to be covered and the tapes and is cut along the door edge and around the area by pulling the filament from the tape so that a strip of the film at the door edge and the film over the area can be removed. The film can be stretched and pulled away from the tape for reapplying for proper fit.

Abstract: A vehicle is wrapped by a printed adhesive film where the film is also applied over doors and other areas intended not to be covered. The film is cut at the door edge and over the area by adhesively attaching a tape having a release coating on the front surface and carrying a filament along a center of the front side. The printed film is applied over the door, the area not to be covered and the tapes and is cut along the door edge and around the area by pulling the filament from the tape so that a strip of the film at the door edge and the film over the area can be removed. The film can be stretched and pulled away from the tape for reapplying for proper fit.

Abstract: An apparatus for brewing a beverage has a base arranged to sit on a support surface with the water and ingredients in an upper urn portion until brewed following which the liquid is discharged from the urn through a filter and into a tube passing through the base into a receptacle. A valve in the form of pinch member acting on the tube closes the tube and is released to discharge the beverage by a movable plate mounted on the base and actuated by placing the base on a receptacle. The urn is formed as a separately molded piece from glass so that it is more hygienic than the plastic material of the base. The bottom of the urn fits into a receptacle in the base with a disk shaped seal connecting to the tube.

Abstract: A vehicle is wrapped by a printed adhesive film where the film is also applied over doors and other areas intended not to be covered. The film is cut at the door edge and over the area by adhesively attaching a tape having a release coating on the front surface and carrying a filament along a center of the front side. The printed film is applied over the door, the area not to be covered and the tapes and is cut along the door edge and around the area by pulling the filament from the tape so that a strip of the film at the door edge and the film over the area can be removed. The film can be stretched and pulled away from the tape for reapplying for proper fit.

Abstract: A vehicle is wrapped by a printed adhesive film where the film is also applied over doors and other areas intended not to be covered. The film is cut at the door edge and over the area by adhesively attaching a tape having a release coating on the front surface and carrying a filament along a center of the front side. The printed film is applied over the door, the area not to be covered and the tapes and is cut along the door edge and around the area by pulling the filament from the tape so that a strip of the film at the door edge and the film over the area can be removed. The film can be stretched and pulled away from the tape for reapplying for proper fit.

Abstract: A vehicle is wrapped by a printed adhesive film where the film is also applied over doors and other areas intended not to be covered. The film is cut at the door edge and over the area by adhesively attaching a tape having a release coating on the front surface and carrying a filament along a center of the front side. The printed film is applied over the door, the area not to be covered and the tapes and is cut along the door edge and around the area by pulling the filament from the tape so that a strip of the film at the door edge and the film over the area can be removed. The film can be stretched and pulled away from the tape for reapplying for proper fit.

Abstract: A pad for collecting liquid exudate from food products is formed by a top and bottom sheet of plastics film with the bottom sheet shaped to define pockets which contain super absorbent particles and are closed by the top sheet. The pockets are perforated at least at the bottom and possibly at the top sheet. The pockets may be stiff enough to hold the parts of the bottom sheet spaced from at the support surface of a tray so as to define channels under the food product through which the exudate can run to access a number of the pockets to avoid unbalanced overloading of the pockets. The pockets are formed in rows and columns where there is overlap at least on one direction to form the channels in diagonal directions of the pad.

Abstract: In packaging of articles such as chocolate bars the articles are wrapped on a packaging line by a respective one of sheet portions of a continuous packaging sheet in turn such that the longitudinally extending side edges are brought together and are sealed by a cold seal material together to form a sealed longitudinal fin seal along the article and ends of the sheet portions at each end of the article are sealed to enclose the article. The sheet portions are than severed each from the next to separate the wrapped articles. An improved tear strip is disclosed extending transversely across the sheet portion from a position at or adjacent the first side edge to a position at or adjacent the second side edge for guiding the tearing action of the sheet portion transversely when pulled.