Abstract: A stair tread overlay includes a tread and a front nosing attached to a front edge of the tread by a tongue and groove joint to provide a strong mechanical joint between the nosing and tread. Adhesive may be applied at the tongue and groove joint to enhance the strength of the joint. A horizontally symmetrical side nosing having a profile matching the profile of the front nosing may be attached an edge of the tread adjacent to the front nosing. The stair tread and nosings may be in the form of a kit used to cover an existing staircase to enhance the appearance of the staircase. The method of making the overlay is also disclosed.

Abstract: A stair tread overlay includes a tread and a front nosing attached to a front edge of the tread by a tongue and groove joint to provide a strong mechanical joint between the nosing and tread. Adhesive may be applied at the tongue and groove joint to enhance the strength of the joint. A horizontally symmetrical side nosing having a profile matching the profile of the front nosing may be attached an edge of the tread adjacent to the front nosing. The stair tread and nosings may be in the form of a kit used to cover an existing staircase to enhance the appearance of the staircase. The method of making the overlay is also disclosed.

Abstract: A stair tread overlay includes a tread and a front nosing attached to a front edge of the tread by a tongue and groove joint to provide a strong mechanical joint between the nosing and tread. Adhesive may be applied at the tongue and groove joint to enhance the strength of the joint. A horizontally symmetrical side nosing having a profile matching the profile of the front nosing may be attached an edge of the tread adjacent to the front nosing. The stair tread and nosings may be in the form of a kit used to cover an existing staircase to enhance the appearance of the staircase. The method of making the overlay is also disclosed.

Abstract: A stair tread overlay includes a tread and a front nosing attached to a front edge of the tread by a tongue and groove joint to provide a strong mechanical joint between the nosing and tread. Adhesive may be applied at the tongue and groove joint to enhance the strength of the joint. A horizontally symmetrical side nosing having a profile matching the profile of the front nosing may be attached an edge of the tread adjacent to the front nosing. The stair tread and nosings may be in the form of a kit used to cover an existing staircase to enhance the appearance of the staircase. The method of making the overlay is also disclosed.

Abstract: A stair tread overlay includes a tread and a front nosing attached to a front edge of the tread by a tongue and groove joint to provide a strong mechanical joint between the nosing and tread. Adhesive may be applied at the tongue and groove joint to enhance the strength of the joint. A horizontally symmetrical side nosing having a profile matching the profile of the front nosing may be attached an edge of the tread adjacent to the front nosing. The stair tread and nosings may be in the form of a kit used to cover an existing staircase to enhance the appearance of the staircase. The method of making the overlay is also disclosed.

Abstract: A stair tread overlay includes a tread and a front nosing attached to a front edge of the tread by a tongue and groove joint to provide a strong mechanical joint between the nosing and tread. Adhesive may be applied at the tongue and groove joint to enhance the strength of the joint. A horizontally symmetrical side nosing having a profile matching the profile of the front nosing may be attached an edge of the tread adjacent to the front nosing. The stair tread and nosings may be in the form of a kit used to cover an existing staircase to enhance the appearance of the staircase. The method of making the overlay is also disclosed.

Abstract: A door sill assembly for use in an external doorway of a building having a novel, flexible, resilient weatherseal strip is disclosed. The weatherseal strip is disposed between a threshold member and an opposing upright side wall of a metal weather cover. A portion of the strip is attached to and covers an exterior facing side portion of the threshold member and contains a flashing or flap depending downwardly from a sloping shoulder which laps over an upper edge portion of the upright side wall. Water falling upon the weatherseal as, for example, due to rainwater dripping from the external face of an overhanging door when in a closed position, will be directed over the sloping shoulder and flashing beyond the upright side wall onto a sloping foot plate of the weather cover, there to gravitate off an exterior end of the weather cover. The weatherseal thus protects underlying wood parts of the door sill assembly from moisture damage without being held in a compressed state.

Abstract: A door sill assembly for use in an external doorway of a building having a novel, flexible, resilient weatherseal strip is disclosed. The weatherseal strip is disposed between a threshold member and an opposing upright side wall of a metal weather cover. A portion of the strip is attached to and covers an exterior facing side portion of the threshold member and contains a flashing or flap depending downwardly from a sloping shoulder which laps over an upper edge portion of the upright side wall. Water falling upon the weatherseal as, for example, due to rainwater dripping from the external face of an overhanging door when in a closed position, will be directed over the sloping shoulder and flashing beyond the upright side wall onto a sloping foot plate of the weather cover, there to gravitate off an exterior end of the weather cover. The weatherseal thus protects underlying wood parts of the door sill assembly from moisture damage without being held in a compressed state.

Abstract: A method for packaging, cooling, and storing fresh produce is disclosed. The produce is placed in a plastic bag having apertures that control ventilation so as to admit a fumigant gas but prevent significant moisture loss. Multiple units of the bagged produce are, in turn, placed in a corrugated shipping container. Using the bag design shown it has been found that humidity of the cold storage environment may be safely reduced to about 65-75% without significant deterioration of the contained produce. This is in contrast with the usual 90% RH environment needed to prevent moisture loss. The reduced humidity environment effects a very significant improvement in shipping container compression strength. Storage at 70% RH, in contrast to storage at 90% RH, results in an almost 50% improvement in compression strength. The result is less damage to the containers and their contents. Somewhat lighter weight shipping containers are also suitable, resulting in reduced costs.

Abstract: A moisture barrier assembly for the end grain at the lower end of a wood casing such as door jambs, molding for exterior building sidings and window frames is disclosed. The barrier includes a moisture impervious plate such as plastic attached to and covering the entire lower surface of the casing. As an additional protective measure, a layer of a wood end grain sealant such as paraffin or other olefin wax is applied to the lower surface of the casing prior to attachment of the plate to the casing. The plate may also include one or more grooves or flutes across an upper surface portion thereof to permit air circulation between the plate and casing for drying the casing end grain in the event moisture seeps into the end grain through cracks or disruptions in the sealant layer from around the upper edges of the plate.

Abstract: An improved cladding for covering the exterior facing surfaces of an exterior trim member of a building structure is disclosed which includes means for concealing holes in an exterior surface portion of the cladding formed by or for fasteners driven through the surface portion into the trim member to join the trim member to an adjacent structural member. The concealing means includes a tiltable flap hingably attached along one edge portion thereof to an exterior corner of the cladding. The flap is tiltable between an open position wherein fasteners can be driven through a flap underlying surface portion of the cladding and a closed, operative position wherein the flap is held flush against the underlying surface portion of the cladding to conceal the fastener holes therein from view. Different arrangements for securing the flap in the closed, operative position are also disclosed.

Abstract: A moisture barrier assembly for the end grain at the lower end of a wood casing such as door jambs, molding for exterior building sidings and window frames is disclosed. The barrier includes a moisture impervious plate such as plastic attached to and covering the entire lower surface of the casing. As an additional protective measure, a layer of a wood end grain sealant such as paraffin or other olefin wax is applied to the lower surface of the casing prior to attachment of the plate to the casing. The plate may also include one or more grooves or flutes across an upper surface portion thereof to permit air circulation between the plate and casing for drying the casing end grain in the event moisture seeps into the end grain through cracks or disruptions in the sealant layer from around the upper edges of the plate.

Abstract: The invention is a produce bag that permits fumigation of the contained product but effectively prevents product moisture loss. The bag is perforated on one major surface only, the other surface being left imperforate. The perforations on the other surface provide from 0.35-2.0% open area on this surface. Perforations are preferably in the range of 0.12-0.18 inches in diameter and 50 or more are typically needed. When filled with produce, a single layer of filled bags is placed in a corrugated shipping container. The imperforate surface of the bag is placed downward in contact with the shipping container to prevents moisture loss to the container.

Abstract: An apparatus for gathering an uninterrupted mat of boards from an inbound conveyor and for periodically separating and dealing individual ones of the boards to an outbound conveyor is disclosed. A roller accumulator having a first series of transversely spaced apart rows of closely spaced, inline rollers is provided between the inbound and outbound conveyors. A fixed gate having a plurality of transversely spaced apart, trapezoidally shaped plates is mounted next to the downstream end of the accumulator. Upstream facing vertical edges of the plates form a stop against which boards delivered to the accumulator are gathered. Inclined upper edges of the plates contain a second series of rows of closely spaced, in-line rollers extending from an upper end of the stop diagonally downwardly to an inlet end of the outbound conveyor.

Abstract: A self draining door sill assembly for use in the bottom of an exterior door frame of a house or other building is disclosed. The assembly includes an elongated base and a threshold member adjustably attached to the base for cooperating with and engaging a weather strip attached to the underside of a door when the door is closed in the frame to form a primary water seal. The threshold and base define an elongated water chamber therebetween and the threshold defines an upwardly opening storm drain channel formed in and along an upper, interior side surface portion thereof which terminates in a pair of slots located in opposite ends of the threshold, which slots also communicate with the underlying water chamber.

Abstract: A returned tread for use on an open stairway or open portion of a stair way constructed of wood and a return nosing joined on at least one side edge of the tread so as to form an exposed joint on a forward end portion of the assembly. The tread and nosing are fastened or secured together only along a forward end portion which contains at least a portion of the exposed joint. The remainder of the nosing and tread are slidable relative to one another and are joined on a rear end portion by means of an expansion joint. In one embodiment, the expansion joint includes an oval shaped biscuit glued and disposed in a slot formed in a nosing facing edge of the tread which biscuit projects into an elongated slot formed in the nosing for permitting the biscuit to slide along the elongated slot as the tread expands and contracts.

Abstract: Pet pads contain insecticide and have at least one layer comprising a mixture of thermoplastic and other fibers. This latter layer may be thermobonded together and then densified along at least a section of the eventual peripheral edge margin of a pet pad to be formed from the material. By including insecticide in the mixture prior to thermobonding, the insecticide is fixed in the pad during thermobonding. Thermoplastic material-containing cover sheets may also be secured to the core and densified along the periphery of the pad. The entire eventual peripheral edge margin of the pet pad is typically densified. The densified edge acts as a partial liquid barrier and also helps retain the insecticide in the pad, especially if the insecticide is not fixed by thermobonding.