Abstract: An improved wind shelter with an arm mechanism which urges arm segments interconnecting adjacent posts into a horizontal, aligned and opposing position when the wind shelter is in use and which urges such arm segments towards a position in which they are contiguous along their lengths when the wind shelter is collapsed for transportation, the fabric of the wind shelter having parallel pockets for receiving posts and an upper flap portion for removably attaching the fabric to the posts.

Abstract: Cooling apparatus for a gas transmission system which includes radiator fans each driven in a desired direction from its respective drive-motor by way of a drive-belt with an associated belt tensioner, such belt tensioner including a one-way sprag-clutch coupled through a shaft and sheave to a respective drive-belt and having a direction of free rotation which corresponds to the direction of motion of said drive-belt necessary to produce motion of its respective radiator fan in the desired direction.

Abstract: An automatic broken-drill-pipe-intercoupling tool having, a body portion with, at one end, a female threaded adapted to cooperate with the threaded male end of the retrievable portion of a broken drill pipe and at the other end a tapered, multi-interwined-spiral bit portion, integral with the body portion, the body portion having flats thereon to permit tightening of the tool on the retrievable portion of the broken drill pipe.

Abstract: An emergency evacuation system for a high-rise building includes a cable carried on a spool positioned on the top of the building, such cable having at its end remote from the spool a weighted coupler dimensioned to be received by a powered spool carried within an escape cabin, such escape cabin having an entry-exit side and crawler means supported on that entry-exit side for engaging the building to permit smooth raising and lowering of the cabin.

Abstract: A motor-driven cylinder for lifting apparatus has screw means including intermeshed internally and externally threaded screw means by which a load can be moved upwardly and downwardly by the torque of a motor, the motor-driven cylinder including torque transmission means movable in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto for transmitting the torque of the motor to the screw means. During operation, the torque transmission means is moved in the first direction by the applied torque of the motor causing compression of a spring. When no torque is produced from the motor due to its malfunctioning or due to a lack of electrical power applied to the motor the torque transmission means is moved in the second direction under the restoring force of the compressed spring into a mechanically braked condition. Thus, a compact, integral, low-cost safety device is provided for preventing the lifting apparatus from falling, accidentally, under the force of gravity.

Abstract: An improved leg shear for use in slaughterhouses includes a movable blade supported in opposed tracks throughout its travel, such movable blade having flat "stop" portions at opposite ends of its cutting edge which, at the end of the travel of the movable blade in its cutting direction, engages an adjustably fixed spacer plate carried in the frame to provide a positive stop for the movable blade, the shear including, in addition, a fixed blade supported by the frame of the shear and sloped with respect to the movable blade to provide a scissorlike shearing of the object to be cut.

Abstract: An element removal tool for use with transmission lines for fluids (such as natural gas) under pressure which permits replacement of the element, in a specific case the axle box which is coupled between a metering chamber and the indexing mechanism in a gas meter, in a fluid transmission system, without shutting off downstream-customer service, the problem of properly seating the axle box in the undergear which drives it, despite slow rotation of the driving mechanism in the metering chamber, being overcome by dual concentric shafts relatively rotatable and slidable with respect to each other, the inner shaft carrying a socket which engages, firmly, the rotatable indexing shaft of the axle box, the outer shaft carrying a socket which is adapted to firmly engage the flange of the axle box for removal and replacement of the axle box, each shaft having at its end remote from its respective socket, a knob for rotating that shaft, the outer shaft passing through and hermetically engaging a stuffing box, connected

Abstract: The present invention first provides a high-density accommodations module which is vertically convertible from parallel bedding to staggered-seating configurations. The respective configurations are more specifically established by at least one set of vertically-paired, reconfigurable accommodations compartments, each having in each of its associated configurations an upper-torso section and a lower-torso section. In the bedding configuration, prone postures are accommodated by a mutually-horizontal disposition of associated upper and lower-torso sections. In the seating configuration, upright postures are accommodated by a mutually-vertical disposition of the associated sections. For the conversion from bedding to seating, the module is arranged such that the lower-torso section of the upper compartment's bedding configuration becomes an upper-torso section for the lower compartment's seating configuration.

Abstract: A circuit breaker comprising a main contact portion and an actuator portion spaced therefrom and intercoupled therewith by a toggle mechanism, the main contact portion including a fixed-contact member and a movable-contact assembly being actuated into and out of closed relationship with the fixed-contact member by the toggle mechanism upon operation of a hand crank to which is attached an actuator shaft which carries a cam, rotation of the cam by the actuator shaft resulting in movement of the toggle mechanism from a folded condition to an extended condition, closing energy being stored simultaneously in a closing spring assembly through the action of a transmission link carried on the actuator shaft and coupled to the closing spring, such transmission link being coupled to a cam follower which carries a drive plate thereon, such drive plate being coupled to the toggle mechanism, such cam follower being limited in its rotation by a locking action, following which rotation of the actuator shaft stores energy i

Abstract: One or more mesh-topped, extendable trays removably coupled to a motor-driven fan for causing forced air, normally at ambient temperature, to pass thru the mesh top or tops and thru one or more knitted or crocheted garments lying thereon, the flow of air into each tray being adjustable and an air diverter preferably being provided to assure equal distribution of forced air within each tray, the combination producing drying of the garment rapidly but without shrinking or other distortion.

Abstract: A tool for the alignment of plastic pipes to be joined by fusion, particularly pipes which have a memory of being curved, comprises a base carrying a fixed clamp at or near one end thereof, such clamp being circular and having a center point, the base having a longitudinal slot therein aligned with the center point, such slot being provided to receive a pair of movable clamps of the same general design as the fixed clamp but which are positionable along the slot with their center points co-linear with the center point of the fixed clamp, the movable and fixed clamps having a gripping diameter such that they snugly engage the pipes to be fused when such pipes are in the clamps and the clamps are in their closed positions; but the movable clamps being longitudinally adjustable, as indicated, to produce alignment and contiguity of the ends of two plastic pipes to be joined by fusion.

Abstract: A container for fragile articles, such as musical instruments, includes an outer cover of scuff-resistant fabric which is compartmentalized to receive cooperating and similarly sized and shaped, shock-absorbing, inflatable, insert having finger-like elements, pneumatically interconnected to each other thru a header and also connected with an inflatable end-cover portion the latter cooperating with an end cover portion of the outer container cover to envelope the fragile article and protect it from shock and possible destruction in transit; the inflatable insert being easily removed for repair or replacement in the event of a puncture.

Abstract: By articulating the neutral-pole switching element in a multi-pole circuit breaker, providing spring biasing to urge the two elements into a pre-determined position approximating alignment, advancing the neutral pole switching element with respect to the other switching elements and providing fixed contact elements which frictionally engage opposite sides of the neutral-pole switching contact in the closed position, the closing of the neutral circuit precedes the closing of the live circuits and the opening of the neutral circuit lags the opening of the live circuits, thus preventing arcing and transient damage to loads on the circuit.

Abstract: To assist in locating an underground or otherwise hidden non-electrically-conducting plastic pipe carrying a fluid such as heating gas a tool is provided which comprises a reel of relatively stiff but flexible locator wire, a hermetically-sealing first bushing through which the locator wire passes and a coupler for engaging a pipe exposed to view but coupled to and communicating for fluid flow with the pipe to be located, such coupler being adapted to receive, in snug fashion, said first bushing and including a packing membrane through which said locator wire passes to further assure no loss of fluid from the pipe being located, said locator terminating at its extremity remote from the reel in a guide member having a shape which may be described as suggestive of an oblate spheroid; i.e.

Abstract: An automatically actuated cover for the exit from a currency counter responds to activation of a counting cycle to cover the exit and responds to completion or termination of a counting cycle to open or uncover the exit.

Abstract: A coin sorter and counter comprising a sloped combination of a pick-up plate and a selecting plate rotating in unison and forming a sandwich with a separator, such separator having a window therein for permitting coins to pass, one-at-a-time, from the pick-up plate, through the separator, into one of a series of coin entrances along the periphery of the selecting plate, each such coin entrance leading into a boomerang-shaped, angulated coin selecting slot or guide which is tapered downwardly in size from its entrance to its terminus, the selecting plate passing over a selecting base in which there is a series of openings spaced angularly about the axis of rotation of the selecting plate, such openings being graduated in size to correspond to the diameter of coins to be sorted, the smaller the opening, the shorter the radial distance of that opening from the axis of rotation of the selecting plate, the direction of angulation of the coin-selecting slots being in the direction of rotation of the selecting plate

Abstract: A tool is provided which permits the removal and replacement of a defective axle box in a flow meter or volume-pressure corrector ("system member") without disturbing downstream consumers of the fluid (e.g.