Abstract: A control arrangement for a multi-function cooking appliance which has a plurality of cooking stations. The control arrangement includes a control panel having a group of keys for entering control information for the stations and functions of the cooking appliance and a prompting display for messages which assist in entering the control information through the keys. At least some of the keys are of a two-mode variety wherein, in one mode, the depression of a typical key enters a number, which appears on a digital display, such as in the selection of a cooking time or temperature. In its other mode the typical two-mode key enters other control information such as a particular function of the cooking appliance to be activated.

Abstract: A rotary lawnmower of the type having an inverted pan-shaped housing generally surrounding a horizontal rotary blade affixed to a vertical shaft extending downwardly from a rotary power source mounted on the top of the housing. A pair of tubular longitudinal frame members extend bridgingly in horizontal position over and secured to the housing on opposite sides of the rotary power source with downward extensions secured to front and rear wheels. The downward extensions are also affixed to front and rear aprons extending horizontally from the lower edge of the side wall of the housing to provide mutual bracing. The lawnmower has a handle that is attached to the rear downward extensions of the longitudinal frame members so that forces developed in the handle incident to guiding the mower are transferred directly to the frame members and then directly to the wheels so that the housing is not stressed upon manipulation of the handle.

Abstract: A walk from behind soil tilling machine including ground wheels upon which the machine may be moved and two rows of ground penetrating and pulverizing tines located to the rear of the ground wheels transversely to the line of machine movement. The tines of the rear row have a larger cutting diameter than the tines of the forward row, and the rows of tines are driven in counter-rotating directions such that upon forward movement of the machine the tines of the forward row break the surface of the ground and penetrate the earth to a determined relatively shallow depth and the tines of the rear row thereupon penetrate the earth to a further determined depth, with the forward and rear rows of tines cooperating to completely pulverize both depths of penetrated soil, thereby permitting thorough tilling of the soil to normal garden depth with a single passage of the machine.

Abstract: A walk-behind garden tiller having power driven ground wheels and a single shaft of tines which are driven at relatively high speed in a direction counter to that of the drive wheels such that during tilling the tines cut upwardly through the untilled soil at the working face, resulting in improved power efficiency and easier control of the tiller when operating in adverse soil conditions. For cutting and breaking long vegetation that is carried upwardly by the counter-rotating tines and for guiding such vegetation under the tine shaft so that it does not become entangled about the tine shaft or otherwise clog or impede operation of the tiller, a sloughing device is mounted transversally to and forwardly of the tine shaft. In one embodiment, the sloughing device is a plate disposed in a vertical plane on the longitudinal axis of the machine, and in another embodiment the sloughing device is a rotary disc.

Abstract: A walk-behind garden tiller having power driven ground wheels and a single row of tines which are driven at relatively high speed in a direction counter to that of the drive wheels, whereby the tines cut upwardly through the untilled soil at the working face with less power and in the event of contacting an obstruction tend to move the machine in a rearward direction be reason of reactive forces acting upon the machine through the tines. A drag shield is pivotably mounted rearwardly of the machine for dragging along and smoothing the soil after it is tilled and for providing a protective barrier between the operator and a rear exposure to the power driven tines.

Abstract: A walk-behind garden implement including a wheel-supported frame carrying a horizontal base member. A handle extends upwardly and rearwardly from the base member for manual guidance. A yoke of U-shaped cross section is interposed between the handle and base member. The lower end of the handle is pivoted between the side walls of the yoke for adjustment of angular elevation. The bottom wall of the yoke has a vertically extending pivot connection for side-to-side, or azimuthal, adjustment of the handle. The handle carries an arcuately arranged set of spaced recesses at its lower end and the base member is also formed with a set of recesses. A first latching member pivoted in the yoke has an upwardly projecting tooth for holding the handle rigidly at a selected elevation. A second latching member pivoted in the yoke has a downwardly projecting tooth for engaging one of the recesses in the base member so that the handle is held rigidly at a selected azimuth.

Abstract: For use in a suspended ceiling system a pair of beams joinable end to end in aligned relation, each of the beams having a vertical web and lower flange at right angles thereto. The beams have identically formed end portions each terminating in a horizontal tongue integral with the web. Each web has formed therein a window having an inwardly spaced "locking" edge and having a vertical dimension just slightly greater than the height of the tongue. Each of the tongues is notched and bent along its upper and lower edges to form a pair of integral hooks. The tongues are sufficiently straight with respect to the plane of the web so that when a tongue is received in the window of the companion beam it bears with resilient lateral force against the far edge of the window, insuring that the hooks "catch" behind the locking edge to a desired depth.

Abstract: A rotary mower having a drive assembly which provides automatic de-clutching and prompt braking of the mower blade to a stop when the device is left unattended, while the engine keeps running. A blade carrier is mounted on an anti-friction bearing at the lower end of the drive shaft. A driving hub is secured to the drive shaft at a level above the anti-friction bearing. A shiftable shell of upwardly facing bowl shape surrounds the drive hub and defines a clutch space. Mounted on the hub in the clutch space is a stack of clutch discs made up of a set of driving discs keyed to the hub and an interposed set of driven discs keyed to the interior of the shell. The blade holder is keyed to the lower surface of the shell. A set of springs on the blade holder urges the shell upwardly in a direction to apply clutching pressure to the discs for driving of the blade. The shell has an annular lip or flange around its upper edge having a friction surface thereon.

Abstract: A solenoid for an electric starting motor housed in a generally cylindrical plastic cup. A pair of diametrically arranged fixed contacts penetrate the end wall, forming binding posts for a load circuit. A magnetic sub-assembly is provided consisting of an armature and wound bobbin surrounded by a hollow magnetic annulus having axial clearance openings. A movable contact sub-assembly includes a conductive disc mounted on an axial plunger which is seated against the armature. The disc has, on its opposite side, a return spring. When control current is applied the armature is sucked into the annulus overcoming the force of the return spring and shifting the conductor disc into seated engagement with the fixed contacts thereby completing the load circuit. The disc and fixed contacts both have substantial axial and radial thickness providing high heat capacity as well as high conductivity for prompt dissipation of heat.

Abstract: A rectangular metal cabinet of the panel type intended for sale and transport in a knocked-down condition for assembly with self-tapping screws penetrating the mated edges of the panels. The rear panel has flanges along its lateral edges and the side panels have flanges along their front edges, the flanges being of the box type to impart torsional rigidity at the four upright corners of the cabinet and to receive as well as shield and conceal the tips of the self-tapping screws. The cabinet has one or more rectangular shelves dimensioned to extend to the walls thereof, with the upright flanges being notched out at shelf level by an amount equal to the thickness dimension of the shelf to enable engagement between the edges of the shelf and the walls of the cabinet as well as support for the shelf in the vertical direction. The rear panel consists of left and right-hand sections which are symmetrical and of identical width having box type flanges at their central edges joined in abutting relation.

Abstract: A deck construction for a rotary mower which includes a shallow cylindrical blade housing with horizontal aprons extending fore and aft therefrom. Integral wheel supporting plates extend vertically along the respective lateral edges of the aprons and at right angles thereto. Each wheel supporting plate has a cantilevered tip portion which extends to the sidewall of the blade housing and which is welded to the sidewall at a region which is spaced substantially upwardly from the lower edge of the housing. The tip portion of each blade supporting plate is of flaring shape defining a generally triangular relief space thereunder and so that the plate forms a downwardly angled brace between housing and apron. The wheel supporting plates and apron are mutually reinforced by a narrow flange extending continuously around the edges thereof between the welded tip portions.

Abstract: A chain saw having a housing in the form of a plastic shell of structural foam fully open on one of its lateral sides to expose a central chamber. The chain saw includes an integral motion assembly formed of an engine, a blade mounting bracket, forwardly projecting blade and driven cutter chain. A mounting plate is secured to the underside of the engine, the plate being formed of a thin plate of metal having substantially parallel front and rear edges received in front and rear grooves within the shell, the central chamber being sized to receive the engine so that the engine and mounting plate may be slid into seated but floating position in the chamber in the manner of a drawer. Resilient connectors interposed between the engine mounting plate and the shell and interposed between the blade mounting bracket and the shell hold the motion assembly in seated position.

Abstract: A suspended ceiling system including a main beam formed with a vertically extending rectangular window and a pair of cross beams intended to abut the main beam in alignment with one another at the window. The cross beams, which are identical, have at each end a pair of longitudinally extending vertically spaced tongues integral with the web thereof, the tongues being spaced and laterally offset in opposite directions from the plane of the associated web to such degree that the diagonally measured distance between the upper edge of the upper tongue and the lower edge of the lower tongue is equal to the diagonal dimension of the window so that, when the tongues of the mated cross beams are inserted into the window from opposite sides to seated positions, the tongues of the cross beams mutually overlap one another for snug occupation of all four corners of the window opening.

Abstract: A rotary mower having an inverted housing with a discharge opening formed in the rear surface thereof, the opening having a cover plate which is hinged at the rear edge of the housing and biased into a normally closing position. The plate has a pair of integral arms projecting beyond the hinge at its lateral edges. A pair of parallel guide plates are secured to the housing in positions closely alongside the respective arms, the guide plates having angled but parallel slots extending forwardly and downwardly therein. A grass catcher is provided having a mouth dimensioned to receive the cover plate and including a support bar spaced horizontally above the mouth, the support bar, upon insertion into the slots, serving to engage the arms for progressively swinging of the cover plate into a horizontally extending position within the catcher.

Abstract: A power lawn mower having a transversely arranged tubular grip for manual control rockable forwardly from a reference position to adjust a power control member. The grip is of oval cross section dimensioned to fit the grasp of the operator's hands. When the grip is in reference position the long dimension of the oval is angled rearwardly and downwardly so as to be substantially parallel to the operator's palms in a natural grasping position, so that the operator can sense by the orientation of his hands the neutral, or starting, position of the power control member and, upon forward rocking, the degree of departure from neutral position. A safety latch is provided for securely latching the grip in its reference position. A latch-releasing trigger on the grip is positioned to be manually engageable by at least one hand of the operator incident to grasping the grip for releasing the latch and thereby releasing the grip for forward rocking movement.