Abstract: A case closed at one end by a cap and carrying on said cap, inside said case a hub having a stem threaded internally to receive an exhaust pipe from the exhaust port of a gas pressure regulator having an internal relief valve coupled to said exhaust port, the stem of the hub also having, proximate to its supporting cap, an exhaust orifice extending over a sector of the stem; the case having a venting orifice in the wall thereof, such venting orifice being azimuthally aligned with the exhaust orifice in the stem, results in an umbrella vent which permits, in combination with a slotted reading lid in a vault containing the operating umbrella vent according to this invention, the safe dissipation of excess gas pressure in a heating gas distribution system.

Abstract: A control circuit for controlling the fan or circulating pump in a solar-thermal heating system to prevent unnecessary pump or fan switching when short-term interruptions occur in the insolation of the solar panels includes a temperature-sensitive time-delay element tailored to have thermal response characteristics corresponding to those of the solar panels in the system.

Abstract: A multi-purpose golf tool which provides, on a single, collapsible, compact carrier, most of the functions required by a golfer in the course of a round of golf, the carrier, itself, being constructed to perform certain of the functions in addition to acting as the carrier for the other elements of the tool.

Abstract: By reducing the number of basic elements to three, the sole, a first thong forming a loop which engages the space between the big toe and the adjacent toe of the wearer, and a second thong which is continuous and is coupled to the loop formed by the first thong and forms, in sequence, a forward-foot engaging portion engaging the foot bi-laterally just below the bases of the toes, and first and second instep-engaging portions engaging a common central and respective opposite portions of the instep of the wearer, such instep-engaging portions terminating in the heel-supporting region of the sole of the sandal, a sandal is provided which is easy to apply to the foot, comfortable to wear and inexpensive to manufacture.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided which permits highly accurate remote measurement of methane gas concentrations even in daylight through the use of an extremely narrow spectral filter centered on the Q-branch of the methane absorption band at 3.3 microns and through the use of cooperating comparison channels with digital processing for real time correction of data to compensate for surface temperature, atmospheric temperature and atmospheric water absorption factors.

Abstract: A solar-heating system incorporating a photosensitive sensor locatable remotely from the collector panels but similarly oriented with respect to the solar-energy source, such photosensitive sensor being biased by one or more biasing resistors of predetermined magnitudes and temperature coefficients so that the combination, in its performance with respect to ambient temperature and (optionally) with respect to ambient wind velocity, matches the thermal characteristics of the solar energy collection system so that the solar-energy collection fluid is pumped only when it can contribute heat energy to the already stored solar-heated fluid.

Abstract: By providing in a carcass saw an easily accessible switch and associated blade-reversing means, serious jamming of the saw-blade and related jumping of the blade out of its guides in the saw are avoided and a return to normal saw operation in minimal time and with minimal damage is assured.

Abstract: A tool is provided which incorporates a ring gauge into which the external tapered threads of a pipe are screwed by hand until tight, at which time a mechanical impulse of predetermined, consistent amplitude and duration is applied to the pipe-gauge combination from a hammer portion of the tool propelled, by rapidly-released spring energy against an anvil portion of the tool, the impulse being immediately coupled to the joint between the pipe threads being checked and the ring gauge, for overcoming any dirt or nicks in the thread which are restricting the engagement of the thread by the ring gauge.

Abstract: By providing planar, auxiliary rail segments, each of which, in the stand-by state, protrudes into the commodity passageway with an upwardly-inclined posture and is pivotable to a downwardly-inclined posture upon impact from an article to be stored, the kinetic energy of the article as it proceeds down the rack is dissipated in changing the position of the auxiliary rail segment and damage to the article to be stored and any already-stored articles which is may encounter is prevented. The auxiliary rail segment may be spring biased and/or loaded to produce the desired amount of energy dissipation at each rail segment.

Abstract: A liquid-sealable container having a cover portion from which a barbecue-grille to be cleaned is suspended by means of depending compression springs, a body portion including a centrally disposed brush supported from and interlocked with a drivable spindle, the spindle passing through a liquid-sealed rotary joint in the lower surface of the body portion and having a driven element secured to the spindle at the lower extremity thereof and a driving mechanism selectively coupleable to the drive mechanism for causing relative rotation between the grille and the brush, the depending compression springs causing forceful engagement between the brush and the grille to effect cleaning of the grille upon the relative rotation between the grille and the brush.

Abstract: By providing direct activation of the ball element by the cam lobe of a cam member in a ball valve, instead of utilizing additional links between the cam lobe and the ball member, positive valve action is achieved, the cost and complexity of the valve is decreased and the problems which arise from corrosion and sediment accumulation in linking elements are avoided.

Abstract: By displaceably, rather than fixedly, supporting selected track segments in the gravity-fed storage chamber of an automatic vending machine, the kinetic energy developed in the stored goods as they fall in the storage chamber is dissipated by the displaceable track segments in a damping fashion and the goods are not subject to shock and damage.

Abstract: A connector for in-line electrical wires of the same or differing gauges in which an insulating casing envelopes a continuous, wire thread which tapers from each end of the casing towards the middle of the casing and the direction of the thread is right-handed from one end of the casing to the center of the casing and left-handed from the remaining end of the casing towards the center of the casing thus providing an easily applied, low cost connector and one which has minimum insertion resistance and maximum reliability.

Abstract: By providing in a carcass saw an enclosure including at least one exhaustible receptacle for bone dust and other waste generated in the course of sectioning a carcass in a slaughter house, contamination of succeeding carcasses by such waste is eliminated.

Abstract: A stunning gun having a relatively massive cylindrical piston with annular recesses, such piston forming a slip fit with its containing cylinder and riding on an air bearing, is provided with a springless valving system which relies on differential air pressures to keep the valves closed and permits a massive air influx into the containing cylinder when one of the sources of air pressure acting on one of the valves is cut off by the manual opening of another valve in the system.

Abstract: By increasing the mass and reducing the surface friction of the piston driving a penetrating bolt in an animal stunning gun and providing that bolt with a conically-shaped recess at its tip, maximum penetrating force with minimum gun complexity is achieved. The control valve releases the piston driving fluid, e.g. compressed air, very rapidly for the maximum surge effect on the piston driving the bolt. Further simplification of the gun without the sacrifice of any performance is achieved by utilizing magnetic or mechanical retention means for the bolt prior to the firing of the gun.

Abstract: An automatic system for inspecting products having an edge or edges which, for an acceptable product, are straight (within predetermined tolerances) without accurate orientation of such products which includes a raster-scanned television camera (or its equivalent) for generating a composite video signal corresponding to the product being inspected. The number of horizontal sweep intervals in each edge to determine its length and comparing such length information with pre-stored reference length to determine if the two correspond, rejecting the capsule if it is shorter than the reference length but, if it is longer than the acceptable length, determining if the greater length is a result of the product's being tilted or torn.

Abstract: An improved counter for documents, currency, paper money, sheets or the like achieves low weight, low power consumption, low cost and high counting accuracy by a feeding mechanism in which a first roller or set of rollers successively feeds a sheet from the bottom of a stack thereof to a second roller or set of rollers for further feeding, on a sheet-by-sheet basis, to a pair of pulling rollers which pulls each sheet at high speed and dispenses it. The first and second rollers or sets of rollers have about their respective peripheries portions having a large coefficient of friction and portions having a small coefficient of friction. Such intermittent feed rollers are synchronized to rotate with related space phases, i.e. with the low friction coefficient portion of each roller in contact with its associated sheet at the same time, thus assuring that the pulling rollers require minimal torque to pull each sheet away from the second of the intermittent rollers.