Abstract: A method of forming a tiled floor without adhesive beneath the tiles comprises laying the tiles, applying filler between adjacent tiles after laying, and holding the tiles in relative position. A flexible sheet with apertures can be laid on a substrate and the apertures filled with grouting material and the tiles laid on the sheet, the spaces between the tiles receiving filler material. The tiles may have a groove in peripheral sides to provide a keying effect for the filler material. The filler material may be settable after application and hold the tiles in position.

Abstract: A latch dog assembly for latching and unlatching a storage bin door includes a latch dog member having a base portion, an end wall portion, and a cylindrical wear block member which extends outwardly from an opening on the inner wall of the end wall member so as to allow a latching cam to properly secure the bin door while avoiding undesired metal to metal contact. In one embodiment of the invention, a projection extends outwardly from the latch dog member base portion upper surface so as to assist in retaining the wear block member within the opening in the inner face of the end wall portion.

Abstract: A winch bar is adapted at each end for use with ratcheting winches on truck trailer beds to respectively wind and tighten tie straps for securing cargo on the truck bed. The winch bar is provided with a hooked end member and a handle portion at one end to assist in the rapid winding of a strap secured to the ratcheting winch member. At the other end, the winch bar is provided with an angled end member which may be tapered so as to securely engage the winch member for tightening the strap. The handle portion may be used to provide leverage when tightening the strap.

Abstract: A breathing bag for inclusion in an open-circuit respirating system in which anaesthetic gases are supplied from an inlet duct (10) to a mask connected at (11). The bag (13) is connected at one end to a flexible exhalation duct (12), and has an open tail (14) as an escape passageway at the other end. An internal rod (21) connects the bag (13) pivotally to a ball and socket joint (22, 23) mounted on a rigid sleeve (25) adapted for connection to a scavenging system. A flexible bellows (27) adjustably surrounds the tail (14) thus to enable ready connection and disconnection of the rod (21) and sleeve (25) while being extendible to minimise or prevent the escape (at 17) of anaesthetic gases to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A valve guard for the protection of a bottom discharge valve on a portable tank is formed of a single elongated piece of metal and has a central stabilizing ridge which extends outwardly from the front wall of the valve guard and which runs nearly the full length of the valve guard. The valve guard has a deflector arm at each end which extends out from the valve guard body at an angle and which cooperates with the tank legs to deflect any misguided forklifts or other machinery away from the valve on the underside of the tank. The central ridge is rounded and can have a width from approximately one-fourth to approximately one-third the width of the front wall of the valve guard. The valve guard is lightweight, durable, and can be formed quickly and economically through a rapid sequence of metal stamping operations.

Abstract: A flexible ocular insert device adapted for the controlled sustained release of an ophthalmic drug into the eye. In one embodiment, the device includes an elongated body of a polymeric material in the form of a rod or tube containing a pharmaceutically active ingredient and with at least two anchoring protrusions extending radially outwardly from the body. The device has a length of at least 8 mm and the diameter of its body portion including the protrusions does not exceed 1.9 mm. The sustained release mechanism may, for example, be by diffusion or by osmosis or bioerosion. The insert device is advantageously inserted into the upper or lower fornix of the eye so as to be independent of movement of the eye by virtue of the fornix anatomy. The protrusions may be of various shapes such as, for example, ribs, screw threads, dimples or bumps, truncated cone-shaped segments or winding braid segments.

Abstract: A thermally responsive frangible bulb containing a liquid which when heated expands to burst the bulb. In use the bulb may be positioned between a support and a sprinkler outlet cap such that when the bulb bursts the sprinkler outlet is opened. The bulb is at least partially filled with at least one halogen derivative of an aromatic hydrocarbon containing two or more halogen substituents such as 1,3-dichlorobenzene, or an aliphatic amide such a formamide. Use of these liquids enables a wide range of operating temperatures and a quick response operating time to be achieved.

Abstract: A material collider system for reducing the size of solid particulate material fed into the system is disclosed. The collider system includes a pair of interconnected cylindrical chambers each having a rotatable rotor assembly which includes a plurality of disc sets and rigidly mounted thrust guides. The rotor assemblies are aligned in parallel relation and operate in a counter rotating manner. The thrust guides are mounted to the disc sets so as to extend radially outwardly of the disc sets and each thrust guide is maintained in a substantially rigid position by a shear pin. In one embodiment, the thrust guides of the two rotors are arranged in an alternating, interdigitating pattern. The disc sets may be offset along the length of the rotor assemblies such that the thrust guides form a 360 degree spiral pattern. The rotor assemblies are operated by motors secured outside of the chambers.

Abstract: A device for cleaning and drying golf club heads and for cleaning, drying, and carrying golf balls can be secured to the user during play. The device includes a generally pliant, hollow sleeve member having a large opening at its upper end and a smaller opening at its lower end. The upper and lower openings of the sleeve member are appropriately sized to allow golf club heads of any size to be cleaned within the sleeve upper interior portion while golf balls may be cleaned within the sleeve lower interior portion. Additionally, the appropriately sized lower opening permits golf balls to be retained within the lower interior portion of the sleeve member and squeezed out as needed. The device accomplishes all of the cleaning of the golf equipment internally and therefore prevents any cleaned off material from contacting the user or the user's clothing.

Abstract: A packingless gate valve is disclosed which includes a housing having opposed similar housing halves with primary resilient sleeve units which compressibly engage each other in the valve open condition and engage opposite sides of the gate in the valve closed condition. A secondary resilient seal unit is positioned above the primary sleeve units within the housing and is secured between the housing halves. The secondary seal unit engages the gate during the opening and closing cycles and prevents any discharge seeping between the primary sleeves from leaking to the atmosphere around the gate or on the actuator end of the valve. An enlarged clean out area cast into the housing extends circumferentially around the primary sleeve units in one embodiment so as to provide containment for any discharge during an actuating cycle. The housing is further provided with flush ports in fluid communication with the clean out area to allow controlled draining or flushing of the contained slurry.

Abstract: An improved tank configuration includes a die employed to stamp a formed member. The formed member may be used as the bottom head for a portable liquid container, and is constructed so that all welding is eliminated in the corner portions of the container. A trim machine is employed to remove uneven edges from the formed part. The invention is particularly useful in constructing sloped bottom tanks of increased depth. By the present invention, a stamped configuration is provided in which a draw formed tank bottom is formed so as to allow complete and full drainage of the tank bottom. The bottom head is finish trimmed to exact dimensions so as to facilitate assembly to the shell of the tank.

Abstract: A heat transfer system in which a continuous web of material (13, 14) is carried past a hot plate surface (12) with one face of the web in contact therewith, and a series of fluid-filled vessels (15) above the web to apply a load on the upper surface thereof to maintain uniform contact between the web and the hot plate surface irrespective of any undulation thereof. A transport section to convey the web past the hot plate surface comprises upper and lower traction belts (16, 17) disposed entirely beyond the end of the hot plate surface (12) with a fixed plate (18) beneath the lower belt (17) and a series of fluid-filled vessels (19) above the upper belt (16) which serve to maintain adequate drive contact between the belts (16, 17) and the web (13, 14).

Abstract: A method for providing a fixture mount can be used to provide a flush surface adjacent the ridge of a cathedral ceiling at the position where a ceiling fan or light fixture is to be supported. The method can be used to fit any common cathedral ceiling pitch and allows the user to mount a ceiling fan or fixture in a location such as the center of a room in an aesthetically pleasing manner. The method can employ a monolithic member or, alternatively, a base mount member and one or more pitch mount members stacked sequentially, with each successive pitch mount varying the pitch of the fixture mount employed.

Abstract: A liquids dispensing valve comprising a cylindrical body (10) having a tapered outlet passage leading to an outlet orifice (12) at one end and an inlet orifice (30) at the other. Multiple pistons (18, 19, 20 and 21) depressed by springs (23, 24 and 25) progressively close the orifice (12). An air cylinder (14) with piston (16) progressively retracts the pistons (18, 19, 21) to open the valve and subsequently causes the valve to close progressively. Liquid flows downwardly through the ducts (28) in the valve in a generally axial or longitudinal direction and the subtended angle between the longitudinal axis of the body (10) and the wall of the tapered outlet passage is not more than 50.degree..

Abstract: A pipe repair or jointing collar, comprising a pair or arcuate segments (10) with clamping means (at 11) for drawing the segments together along an axis (XX) to form a collar around a pipe or a plurality of pipe ends, each segment (10) having an associated sealing member comprising a pair of longitudinally-spaced arcuate sealing strips (21) between the respective ends of which extend a pair of longitudinal sealing strips (20) with wedge-like members (18) embedded therein adapted to progress generally inwardly each towards the axis (XX) with respect to the segments (10) as the latter are drawn together in order to force the sealing members (20, 21) radially inwards locally of the wedge-like members (18). The integral formation of the sealing members and wedge-like members provide a minimum number of parts to aid assembly of the collar in hazardous conditions.