Abstract: A machine having two packer heads operable to simultaneously make two concrete pipes. A pair of jackets mounted on a turntable are located in vertical alignment with two packer heads. A gear box mounted on a cross head is connected to downwardly directed shafts operable to rotate the packer heads. The cross head is movably mounted on an upright frame to lower the packer heads into the bottom area of the jackets. Separately controlled conveyors discharge concrete into the jackets above the packer heads. Separately rotatable funnels and stationary wiper blades are used to control the movement of concrete into the jackets. The packer heads are simultaneously rotated and elevated in the jackets to build up the cylindrical walls of the pipes. A dual bell packer is moved into engagement with the pallets at the lower end of the jackets to rotate and vibrate the pallets to form the bell sections of the concrete pipes. A pallet positioner is used to locate the pallets on the turntable.

Abstract: A row crop planter supports at least two vertical guide making blocks to form superficial trenches about four or five inches deep precisely midway between adjacent rows as they are planted. Tires with trench-riding central ridges on front wheels of a tractor powering a subsequent row crop processing implement along these rows serve to guide the tractor down the rows. Vertical guide following blocks on such a subsequent processing implement such as a cultivator, for example, find and follow exactly the previously formed trenches and so serve to guide cultivator blades to follow every minor deviation of the rows, even on hillsides causing the implement to be tilted transversely of the direction of movement of the implement down the rows. The depth of the guide trenches and the depth of penetration of the guide following blocks is determined by implement support wheels near those blocks.

Abstract: A panel and hinge assembly that can be installed in the rigid roof of a vehicle such as an automobile or a van to permit entry of air and light from the top of the vehicle. A window unit of the assembly can be opened for ventilation and can be closed in weathertight relationship relative to a frame. The window unit is opened by pivotal movement with respect to the hinge assembly about a remote axis to permit clearing relationship of the window unit and a window seal. The hinge assembly permits easy removal of the window unit to provide an unobstructed opening on the roof of the vehicle.

Abstract: A liquid manure spreading apparatus having a tank and a pump selectively operable to evacuate air from within the tank or supply air to the tank. A safety shut off valve located in the tank having a ball and an elongated float confined in a cage is operable to block the evacuation of air from the tank when the tank is full of liquid manure. A control valve mounted on the pump has a single spool selectively moveable with a handle to an air evacuating position and an air supplying position. A single air line is connected to the valve and tank.

Abstract: A power operated step assembly providing an auxiliary step adjacent the doorway of a vehicle. A box frame is secured to vehicle support structure below a doorway open to the interior of the vehicle. A step unit is movably connected to the box frame with two pair of parallel links. A transverse rod mounted on the frame is secured to one link of each pair of links so that the links are rotated in response to rotation of the rod. A power unit comprising a reversible electric motor and a lead screw carrying a nut is attached to the frame and crank arms connected to the rod. A step unit having a transverse platform pivoted to the lower ends of the links is selectively moved to an out step position and an in upper storage position in response to operation of the reversible electric motor.

Abstract: A machine for dispensing a beverage into a container formed from a mixture of a dry granular base food product and water. The machine has a product metering unit carrying a food product storage container. The metering unit has a rotatable auger driven by a drive mechanism including an electric motor to dispense food product into a mixing bowl. A solenoid control valve operates to control the flow of water to the mixing bowl when the electric motor for the dispensing unit is actuated. An adjustable means restricts the size of the water carrying hose from the valve to the bowl to regulate the flow rate of water to the mixing bowl.

Abstract: A coil spring toy having a continuous helical flexible band made of rigid plastic material. The band has generally rectangular transverse cross section having a width substantially greater than its thickness. First outer and second inner edge surfaces of the band are opposed to one another and generally parallel in the direction of the band thickness. The band is wound about a central axis to form a helical coil having a plurality of circular turns substantially equal in size and aligned with one another. In one form, the band has first and second side-by-side portions of contrasting colors. Each portion spans the length and width of the band. In a second form, a figure in outline form is selectively applied to the first outer edge surface to form a normal configuration on the outer cylindrical surface of the toy. Selective bending of the band selectively distorts the figure with respect to its normal configuration.

Abstract: A particle monitoring apparatus having a particle sensing unit which receives mechanical signals caused by impaction of particles on a sensor and transforms the mechanical signals to an electrical signal related to the amount of particles moving with a fluid, as air. The output signal is used to produce readable information related to the movement of particles in the fluid.

Abstract: A hinge joint assembly for flexibly connecting rigid structural components in the construction of modular buildings. More specifically, the joint permits the fastening of struts (rods, tubes, or the like) and/or panel studs with three possible degrees of rotational freedom for each strut or stud connected. Each joint assembly includes a plurality of interacting fastening units having a connecting member to which a longitudinally extending strut or stud is rotatably connected about its longitudinal axis, the connecting member in turn being rotatable about either of two axes which are perpendicular to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the strut or stud. Several forms of joint assembly are shown and described.

Abstract: An animal trap having a pair of arcuate rod-like jaws that are biased to a closed position with a torsion coil spring. One jaw is integral with a first rod attached to a base. The other jaw is attached to a second rod pivotally mounted on the first rod with a sleeve. The coil torsion spring is concentrically located about the sleeve and rod and has a first end engageable with the base and a second end engageable with the second jaw so as to bias the jaws to their closed position. A trigger mechanism having a trip plate cooperating with a pivotal arm is used to releasably hold the jaws in their open position. A member connected to the jaws engages the arm so that the biasing force of the spring will hold the trip plate in its set position. When the trip plate is moved from its set position, the arm is released so that the spring will close the jaws. In one form of the invention, the trap has two pairs of jaws that are concurrently biased to their closed positions with pairs of coil torsion springs.

Abstract: A steering mechanism particularly suited for vehicles of the type having a variable width track. The steering mechanism is flexible enabling it to automatically extend and retract laterally along with the track of the wheels of the vehicle. The mechanism acts on steering arms of the steerable wheels of a vehicle to simulate a conventional tie rod type of steering geometry. During turning, the inner wheel turns more than the outer wheel to minimize tire slippage or scrub. A flexible steering linkage assembly is connected between the steering arm ends of the pair of steerable wheels to maintain controlled spatial relationship between them which results in a simulation of tie rod steering geometry.

Abstract: A heating device for installation on the roof of a structure to permit water to flow off the structure from behind a blockage of ice. An elongate, hollow tubular member defines a chamber in which is situated a point heat source. A jacket of insulative material surrounds the tubular member to retard heat loss. One side of the jacket faces the roof and has a channel open to the tubular member such that heat transfer from the tubular member occurs primarily through the channel. When the device is installed on a roof, heat radiated through the channel forms heated passageways through the ice blockage for escape of water.

Abstract: A liquid manure spreading apparatus having a tank and a pump selectively operable to evacuate air from within the tank or supply air to the tank. A safety shut off valve located in the tank having a ball and an elongated float confined in a cage is operable to block the evacuation of air from the tank when the tank is full of liquid manure. A control valve mounted on the pump has a single spool selectively moveable with a handle to an air evacuating position and an air supplying position. A single air line is connected to the valve and tank.

Abstract: A crawler tractor is connected to a cable, pipe and line laying machine with a hitch assembly. The hitch assembly has a transverse drawbar secured to forwardly directed side members. The side members being pivotally mounted to the side frames of the tractor are raised and lowered with a pair of double acting hydraulic cylinders. The machine has a frame attached to the drawbar. An annular resilient and flexible member pivotally mounts a body on the frame. An attitude control cylinder connected to the frame and body adjusts the angular position of the body and a plow standard connected to the body. Plow standard is connected to the body with link and connecting members. On forward movement of the tractor, the plow standard is moved through the soil to form a slit trench for the cable, pipe or line. The connecting members are mounted on a crank shaft rotated by a hydraulic motor to provide the standard with an orbital movement.

Abstract: A load indicator is connected between a load line and a load handling member such as a hook. The indicator includes a hollow cylindrical housing, a plunger assembly including a transverse head slidably mounted in the housing, a pilot rod integral with the head and extending to a location outside the housing, means connecting a first end of the housing opposite the plunger rod and means connecting the plunger rod to the load line and to the load handling member, and a compression spring in the housing urging the plunger head toward the first end of the housing. The wall of the housing has several sight openings therethrough. A sight band of contrasting color is fixed to move with the plunger assembly inside the housing and to be visible through the sight openings.

Abstract: An implement having an elongated tool extendable into the subsoil to break up the hardpan and open the subsoil for moisture and tap roots of plants. The tool has orbital motion generated with power driven eccentric structures coupled to the tool. Power is applied to the eccentric structure with a gear box driven with a hydraulic motor. Flywheels are connected to the eccentric structures and the gear box drive shafts. Links connected to the tool and a frame carry a rolling coulter disc operable to cut a slit in the soil ahead of the tool. A hinge assembly having elastic members mounts the frame on a carriage. In one form, the carriage is pivotally mounted on a draft beam of a moldboard plow and biased to an earthworking position by a hydraulic cylinder. In a second form, the carriage is a plate which forms a part of a hitch assembly for connecting the implement to a three-point hitch of a draft tractor.

Abstract: A venting device providing an air vent passage between the soffit space and attic space of a structure and a baffle for retaining insulation material in the attic. The venting device has a generally V-shaped body forming with the roof an air vent passage leading from the soffit space to the attic space. The V-shaped body is located between adjacent roof rafters with an air vent passage leading from the soffit space to the attic space. The V-shaped body is located between adjacent roof rafters with flanges on opposite sides of the body that engage the roof boards and the adjacent roof rafters. The forward end of the body has foldable baffles that close the space between the sill plate and the roof boards leaving the passage formed by the V-shaped body open so that the insulation material in the attic does not block the soffit and passage between soffit space and attic space.

Abstract: An auxiliary fuel heating device for attachment to internal combustion engines for the purpose of reducing the amount of fuel consumed and reducing the objectionable polluting constituents of the exhaust gases therefrom through more efficient combustion of the fuel. The fuel is preheated for presentation to the carburetor or fuel injector in warm liquid form for admixture with air prior to introduction to the combustion chambers. The device comprises a separable housing having separate channel passages for circulation of liquid fuel and radiator liquid in heat exchanging relationship. The device is intended for use under low ambient temperature conditions such as encountered during winter months in the northern states of the United States and similar cold areas.

Abstract: A wrench having an elongated handle attached to a head. A spool and rotatable member are rotatably mounted in the head. A one-way clutch drivably connects the spool with rotatable member. A cable wound around the spool extends longitudinally through the passage in the handle. When the cable is pulled out of the handle the spool is rotated. The one-way clutch drives the rotatable member which rotates without swinging the handle. A spring acting on the spool rotates the spool to wind the cable on the spool. A releasable lock interposed between the handle and the spool permits rotation of the spool in resonse to angular movement of the handle.

Abstract: A sheathing panel is adapted for mounting to the outside of a structure wall framework. Each panel has an inside surface including top and bottom portions positionable against horizontal frame members of the framework, and two side portions positionable against framework vertical frame members. Grooves in the inside surface extend downwardly from the panel top edge below the top edge portion to allow passage of air between said portion and its associated horizontal frame member. A horizontal channel in the inside surface allows passage of air between the surface and any abutting vertical frame member. A horizontal manifold at the panel bottom edge substantially spans the panel width. A plurality of slots in the inside surface extend downwardly from above the bottom edge portion toward the manifold, stopping short thereof to form a partition between each groove and manifold. The side edges of the panels are shiplapped to facilitate mounting of a plurality of panels in a horizontal row.