Abstract: A hand-held pneumatic yarn splicing device has a splicing chamber into which a pair of yarn ends to be spliced together may be placed, the chamber having at least one air inlet extending into the chamber for directing air from a high pressure source external of the device into the chamber. The chamber is interchangeable with other chambers and has a pair of projections extending from the wall of the chamber to break up the twist of highly twisted and heat set yarns which are to be spliced together by the action of the high pressure air. The chamber is cylindrical and has a center axial bore and the projections extend radially from the inner wall of the chamber.

Abstract: A multi-cylinder module has a common block within which the cylinders are formed and having a piston disposed within each cylinder and an output rod connected to each piston. Pressurized air acts on the piston against the bias of a corresponding spring to drive the respective rod outwardly from the module. Each rod has a coupling member which is coupled to the gate of a hook of a tufting machine having gated hooks for forming both loop and cut pile. The modules are mounted directly to the hook bar of the tufting machine and require no additional linkages between the coupling and the gate with the inherent lost motion and other inefficiencies associated with such additional linkages.

Abstract: A tufting needle construction in which the mounting shank is offset from the axis of the blade and the yarn guide groove which extends to the eye and point portion of the needle. The yarn guide groove extends from a yarn entry mouth spaced from the shank so that yarn entering the groove from the mouth lies entirely within the groove and does not feed into the groove at an angle. Accordingly, when the needle pierces a backing material during the tufting process, the yarn is not crushed between the blade and the backing material. In one embodiment the shank is perpendicular to the blade. In another embodiment the shank has a first portion perpendicular to the blade and another portion parallel to the blade.

Abstract: A gas fueled direct vent fireplace has a firebox within an outer casing, the firebox having a mounting plate above the floor of the casing for mounting burner support brackets, a pilot light assembly, a gas valve and control assembly, and other conventional elements for controlling the burner. The mounting plate includes an explosion blow-out valve plate and a vacuum release plate which are spring biased to close respective ports. The valve plate opens when the gas pressure within the firebox is excessive, and the vacuum release plate opens if the release of pressure from the firebox causes the firebox to become subatmospheric. The firebox has a frontal opening which is closed by a glass access door having an extrusion at upper and lower edges and side edge protectors. The extrusions have portions which face the interior of the firebox to be grasped by latches mounted on the firebox to tightly secure the glass access door to the firebox.

Abstract: A water treatment tank for use with water purification apparatus including an ultra-violet lamp within a bulb onto which incoming water is directed to provide a 360 degree thin laminar flow about the bulb so that all of the incoming water receives the ultra-violet rays even when water is dispensed in a fast refill fashion. The tank may have two compartments, one above the other, formed by a separating baffle. The lower compartment has cooling coils about the walls for cooling the water therein relative to the water in the upper compartment. The ultra-violet lamp and a bulb extends through both compartments and the baffle to purify the water. Each compartment communicates through a conduit to a respective dispensing faucet of the water purification apparatus. The conduit from the upper compartment is a transparent tube formed from polytetrafluorethylene so that the ultra-violet rays act on water within the tube.

Abstract: A tufting machine has a head, including a plurality of push rods reciprocably driven through push rod seals having a housing connected to the head of the tufting machine. The push rod seals include a driver connected to and moveable relative to the housing, a stack of oil seals is located between the driver and a ledge within the housing. A pressure bearing is located between the oil seals and the housing and the driver respectively. The push rod seal system allows for reciprocatory movement of the push rods therethrough while preventing oil leakage past a reciprocating push rod.

Abstract: A pallet constructed from paperboard has longitudinally extending runners formed by three spaced apart runner sections, each section being formed from paperboard cylindrical cores, the sections of each runner being connected together by a connecting member positioned on the upper surface of the runner sections and formed from elongated arcuate segments of a hollow cylindrical paperboard core. Deck members also formed from elongated arcuate segments of a hollow cylindrical paperboard core have arcuate slots extending transverse to the direction of elongation and are of a configuration conforming to the contour of the paperboard cores. Each deck member is positioned on the connecting members with the connecting members received within the slots and secured thereto. The spacing between the central member and the other two members permits the tines of a pallet jack to enter the space for lifting the pallet by engagement with the connecting members.

Abstract: An individually controlled needle tufting machine has a reciprocable latch bar for latching and unlatching selective needle holders, each needle holder being guided between a pair of guide plates and carrying a respective needle so that each needle selectively may be driven by the latch bar. The guide plates each include a plurality of curvilinear ridges and the edges of the needle holder are curvilinear and are received within a respective spaced apart pair of ridges within which they are guided as the needle holder reciprocates. The plates include vertically spaced apart inserts within which the ridges are formed. The needle holder has a yarn clamp mounted internally adjacent the bottom and a leaf spring has a leg mounted externally of the holder and has a leg entering internally to act upon and urge the yarn clamp.

Abstract: A yarn feed system (10) for a tufting machine comprises multiple pairs of feed rollers (11, 12) disposed one pair above the other. One of each pair of rollers (12) comprises multiple independent side-by-side axially aligned feed roller elements (13), each roller element (13) being mounted on a tufting machine in a releasable mounting (17, 18). In use the feed roller elements (13) can be released from the mounting (17, 18) if it is required to change the pattern to be produced in a tufted fabric or a thread breaks and the yarn feed system of the invention minimises the amount of rethreading necessary in these circumstances.

Abstract: One or more dye fixation combs are mounted within a high temperature dye fixation steamer housing downstream from the yarn dyeing device and a post steamer and upstream of a coiler which places the yarn in coil form onto a conveyor for subsequent operations in a dye line. The yarn is fed in warp form through the high temperature steamer. Each comb has a series of spaced apart fingers extending from the body of the comb. The body of the comb is hollow and defines a conduit. Between each pair of fingers at the location of the comb body is a root having an orifice communicating with the conduit. A strand of yarn is directed through each root guided by a pair of support rods, one of which is upstream of the comb and the other of which is downstream of the comb. The yarn is under tension and is directed against the outlet of the orifice. A source of superheated steam is supplied to the conduit so that each yarn strand as it moves in warp form through the steamer is impinged upon by steam above 212.degree. F.

Abstract: An atmospheric, low emission gas burner within the combustion chamber of a hot water heater in which the combustion chamber is sealed against entry of air except for the air/gas mixture entering through the burner. The burner comprises a venturi through which gas and air enter and a diffuser disposed about the venturi, the diffuser and venturi constructed to take advantage of the high thermal buoyancy within the water heater. The burner operates at low manifold pressure and creates low emissions of NOx and CO. The burner diffuser has a multiplicity of small slots disposed on the upper surface which is covered by a course mesh fabric material having relatively large openings designed to keep the flame front above and off the diffuser while maintaining a stable flame that does not flashback.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for laminating a polyester film having a heat activated adhesive on one surface onto a porous polystyrene base to form the core of a spa cover or the like. The apparatus includes a table onto which a base is placed and a clamping structure for holding the film, the table communicating with a source of sub-atmospheric pressure. The clamping structure includes a pair of frames, one of which is pivotable relative to the other to open and receive the film therebetween to close upon and clamp the film. A lifting mechanism may lift both frames with the film clamp between the frames. The table is moveable into an oven having heating elements positioned at a location above the table and the clamping frames are lifted to bring the film in close proximity to the heating elements.

Abstract: A gas burning direct vent fireplace having an outer casing within which a firebox is mounted. The sides of the firebox are secured to the sides of the casing so that the bottom of the firebox is spaced above the floor of the casing without the need for supporting legs for the fireplace. An access door having a glass plate is fastened to the firebox at the front and a front panel is removably carried by the casing in front of and spaced from the glass plate access door, the front panel having an opening permitting viewing of the interior of the firebox through the glass plate. The mounting of the front panel permits a variety of selective front panels having varying aesthetics to be used with a fireplace.

Abstract: A tree chair which may be secured to a tree for supporting a user at elevated dispositions includes a rigid base having a pair of spaced apart rails and a flexible band pivotally connected to each rail. The base includes a rigid V-shape tree engaging member and the bands are connectable to each other or a third band so as to encircle the tree. A seat hangs from and is adjustable relative to the base and a back support brace is pivotally mounted on the rails of the base. Sleeve forming clips are pivotally connected to opposite sides of the brace to provide guides for the banding, one band slidably passing through each sleeve prior to the bands being connected about the tree. A spring member resiliently pulls the back support brace toward the rigid gripping member so that in the operative position the brace is pulled tightly against the tree and when disassociated from the tree pulled toward the stowed condition of the tree chair.

Abstract: A prosthetic or artificial joint for replacing the natural metatarsal-phalangeal-sesamoid joint of the human toe has a phalangeal component that provides an articulating base platform for a metatarsal component to glide upon. The metatarsal component articulates against a gliding articular insert recessed in the base of the phalangeal component. The base of the phalangeal component has an elongated groove which divides the base into two portions which simulate the function of the sesamoids and offers mechanical advantage to the metatarsal component as it articulates. The groove also allows the flexor halucis brevis tendon to pass beneath the joint between the two artificial sesamoids.

Abstract: A wing assembly has a wing and at least one slender delta shaped flap with sharp leading edges pointing into the flow direction and deployable above the upper wing surface close to the quarter line of the wing for providing significantly enhanced lift and maneuverability to an aircraft. In normal flight the delta flaps are retracted into the wing such that the upper surface of the delta flaps become part of the upper surface of the wing. If higher lift is required or the wing has stalled, the delta flaps are deployed at an angle of attack into the high energy flow region outside the boundary layer of the upper wing surface, at a position relative to the wing that depends on the angle of attack of the wing. There the flaps generate strong and stable vortices at the sharp leading edges and a high pressure area between the lower surface of the delta flap and the upper wing surface resulting in a down draft and flow acceleration downstream of the flap.

Abstract: A motorcycle seat has a shape forming base on which a selectively deformable cushion is positioned and covered by an exterior covering, the cushion having a foam material encased within an airtight bladder. A valve member located externally of the covering has a conduit which extends through the bladder in sealed fashion and terminates within the foam material. The valve may be selectively opened, and when open while a compression force is applied on the foam, air is expelled from the foam, and if the valve is then closed the foam is formed into the shape of the force applicator. With the valve closed, movement upon the cushion redistributes the air within the foam accordingly. When the compression force is relieved and the valve is opened, the cushion takes on its original shape.