Abstract: The invention provides a collapsible bicycle stand for supporting a bicycle in an inverted position. The stand includes two generally similar assemblies which can be collapsed and are sufficiently light to permit carrying with the bicycle for emergency use. The stand assemblies have first and second stand members, one of which has a seat to receive a portion of the bicycle handlebar therein. One stand member has a clearance to receive a portion of the remaining stand member therein so that the stand members cooperate to support each other.

Abstract: A transmission means for transmitting power between input and output drives in which a rack and pinion gear assembly and a cam adjacent the pinion cooperate with the drives to provide a variable gear ratio therebetween. The gear assembly includes inner and outer gear rack pairs, in which such gear rack pair has oppositely facing toothed rack portions which are spaced apart sufficiently to receive the pinion gear and cam therebetween, with an outer surface of the cam adjacent at least one of the oppositely facing toothed rack portions. Resilient connectors interconnect the end portions of each pair of toothed rack portions to as to permit limited resilient movement between the rack portions of each pair. A rotor engages the rack pairs to transmit that power therebetween.

Abstract: A control lever apparatus for actuating two sheathed control cables, such as push/pull cables, for connecting together two or more control stations, particularly in marine applications. A manual lever and sprocket are journalled for concurrent rotation relative to a body having a longitudinal body axis. A sheath anchoring structure cooperates with the body and has a sheath clamp adapted for securing the sheaths of the control cables laterally spaced apart and disposed parallel to the body axis. A length of chain passes over the sprocket and has two opposite end portions which extend generally axially of the body. A core connector is secured to each end of the chain and is adapted to be secured to the cores of the control cable assemblies. The apparatus provides a positive and simple mechanical connection between two or more control heads which can be simply installed, and for usual lengths of cable runs does not incur excessive frictional losses.

Abstract: An all terrain vehicle has two vehicle units and an articulating link which interconnects the vehicle units in tandem. Each vehicle unit has a body and a pair of spaced crawler tracks which are powered for moving the respective vehicle unit. The articulating link has two longitudinally spaced apart pitch hinge assemblies, each of which cooperates with a respective vehicle unit to permit relative rotation therebetween about a horizontal pitch axis without interference between the vehicle units. Pitch swivelling means associated with one particular pitch hinge assembly can force relative rotation about the particular pitch axis between a particular vehicle unit and the link, so that one vehicle unit can be rotated forcibly relative to the other vehicle unit to negotiate marginal terrain. The remaining pitch hinge assembly can be either freely hinged to permit rotation about the remaining pitch axis or alternatively can have a similar pitch swivelling means.

Abstract: A self-compacting refuse container has a receptacle for refuse, having a top opening. There is a lid adjacent the opening sized to slidably fit within the opening. A hinge connects the lid to the receptacle and permits hinged movement of the lid into the opening or out of the opening. There is a power source for forcibly moving the lid about the hinge into the top opening to compact refuse within the receptacle. Preferably, the container has a release mechanism for releasing the power source to permit hinged movement of the lid away from the opening for emptying refuse from the receptacle.

Abstract: A tile formed from a relatively thin sheet is adapted to cooperate with similar tiles to form a tiled surface. When the tile is installed, the central axis thereof coincides with a line defining free water flow down the tile between upper and lower tile portions. The tile has first and second raised ribs extending symmetrically as mirror images of each other on each side of central axis. Each rib has upper and lower rib portions which are interconnected so as to extend continuously between the upper and lower tile portions to increase stiffness of the tile. The upper rib portions are generally complementary to the lower rib portions so that the lower rib portions of an upper tile can fit over upper rib portions of a lower tile. Thus rib axes of upper and lower rib portions are also mirror images of each other about a lateral axis disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. The tiles are effectively secured in four places to increase resistance to movement.

Abstract: A step ladder for stairs has a rear support member for providing a climbing structure, a front support member for retaining the rear support member in a substantially erect position, the front support member being hinged connected to the rear support member and including an upper portion with a bottom end and a lower portion, and a hinge assembly for hinged connecting the upper and lower portions together. The hinge assembly permits folding of the front support member so that the bottom end of the upper portion can rest on a first surface which is raised above a second surface whereupon the rear support member rests. The hinge assembly may have a first locking assembly to secure the upper and lower portions in an unfolded position and a second locking assembly to secure the upper and lower portions in a folded position.

Abstract: The invention provides accessories for use with a rotary lawn mower in which the conventional bar having oppositely facing cutting edges is replaced with an accessory bar to which a variety of grass grooming accessories can be easily attached. The accessory bar can accommodate replaceable grass cutting elements, grass mulching elements and lawn power raking elements. The elements can be replaced without removing the accessory bar from the mower and are balanced to reduce vibration. Two of the accessories have cutting edges which are factory sharpened on relatively low cost elements, and thus can be discarded when blunt and replaced with new, low cost factory sharpened elements, thus maintaining balance. The rake accessory has a variation which permits a fine adjustment of vertical height of the rake above the lawn, to accommodate lawn mowers having coarse or no height adjustment.

Abstract: The invention is an anchoring device for releasably anchoring within a crack in a rock face, the crack having a pair of opposed crack walls. The device has a cam member, a load cable, and expansion and retraction structure. The cam member has convexly curved cam surfaces which contact respective walls of the crack. An inner end portion of the load cable cooperates with the cam member, and an outer end portion of the cable has a loop to cooperate with a separate link or rope. An intermediate portion of the cable cooperates with shoulders of the cam member in such a manner as to rotate the cam member in first direction when the cable is pulled. This increases force acting on the crack walls and augments retention of the device within the crack. The expansion structure automatically rotates the cam member in the first direction, thus tending to initiate retention of the device within the crack.

Abstract: A method for electro convulsive therapy comprises placing electrodes on the head of the subject and applying a plurality of short pulses of a unidirectional electric current having a constant peak current. The pulses have a duration of 20-100 microseconds and are delivered at a rate of 100-300 pulses per second.

Abstract: A load sharing apparatus and method for coupled master and slave engines having respective throttle actuators to receive initial throttle signals, and load transmitters for transmitting load signals reflecting load on the particular engine. Apparatus has a load comparison structure which receives load signals from the load transmitters of the engines and produces a differential signal reflecting comparison of the engine loads. The apparatus also includes a servo structure which receives the differential signal and produces an output signal which is a servo signal. The servo signal is transferred to the throttle actuator of the slave engine, to change the initial throttle signal to the slave engine by an amount dependent on the servo signal thus sharing loads equally between the master and slave engines.

Abstract: Pressure swing adsorption gas separations are conducted inside an open loop Stirling cycle apparatus which may operate as an engine, refrigerator or heat pump. Adsorbent surfaces are associated with the thermal regenerators of the Stirling cycle apparatus, so that a preferentially adsorbed gas fraction is concentrated by parametric pumping into a colder end of an engine or into a warmer end of a refrigerator or heat pump, while a less readily adsorbed gas fraction is concentrated into warmer end of an engine or into colder end of a refrigerator or heat pump. Flow control means are provided to introduce the feed gas into the working space of the apparatus and to remove separated product fractions. Feed gases may be chemically reactive within a portion of the working space, with reactant and product species of the reaction separated by the apparatus to drive the reaction off equilibrium.

Abstract: The apparatus relates to a jet pump or apparatus which displaces a main fluid by a pressurized driving liquid. The apparatus has a duct to receive the main fluid, and a driving liquid manifold cooperating with the duct to receive the pressurized driving liquid. First and second sets of inwardly facing jet nozzles are disposed adjacent a transverse plane of the duct and penetrate the duct side walll to pass the driving liquid into the duct at a mixing portion of the duct having a constant cross-sectional area. The first and second sets of jet nozzles are inclined at angles to the duct axis so that the first nozzles are inclined at a greater angle than the second nozzles. Efficiency of the pump is improved by admitting pressurized gas into the duct and providing the pump with a diverging outlet portion to act as diffuser.

Abstract: An apparatus for conducting hot gases from an exhaust pipe has an elongated, flexible conduit with an inlet end and an outlet end. An inlet fitting on the inlet end of the conduit is shaped to tightly engage the exhaust pipe. An outlet fitting on the outlet end of the conduit is shaped to direct the hot gases to an object to be heated. The conduit may have a portion comprising a flexible, spirally wound conduit which is flexible when twisted in one direction and locks in a desired position when twisted in a direction opposite the one direction. The inlet fitting may have a seal for fitting exhaust pipes of different sizes. The seal comprises a resilient annular member having a central aperture for receiving the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: The present tile is adapted to cooperate with similar tiles to form a tiled surface, and is formed from a relatively thin sheet having a periphery disposed symmetrically about a central axis. When the tile is installed the central axis coincides with a line defining free water flow down the tile between upper and lower tile portions. The tile has first and second raised ribs extending symmetrically as mirror images of each other on each side of the central axis. Each rib has upper and lower rib portions which are interconnected so as to extend continuously between the upper and lower tile portions to increase stiffness of the tile. The stiffened tile is better able to resist weight of a person walking on the roof, and also resists a tendency for the lower portion of the tile to lift when wind blows onto the roof. The upper rib portions are smaller than, and complementary to, the lower rib portions so that the lower rib portions of an upper tile can fit over upper rib portions of a lower tile.

Abstract: The invention provides a disconnectable band saw joint assembly for connecting together in axial alignment end portions of a bandsaw. The joint assembly does not require welding, and as such can be easily separated to permit threading of the bandsaw through a hole drilled in a plate to permit sawing of a closed ended cut or loop within the plate. This eliminates the normal practice of breaking and rewelding a band saw for cutting a closed loop within a plate. Furthermore, because the joint is cold, it does not affect temper of the saw portions adjacent the joint. The assembly has male and female connections, the female connections having a neck recess and a head recess, and the male connection having a head portion and a neck portion which fit within the neck recess and the head recess respectively. The recess has at least one main recess edge, and the head portion has at least one main head edge, both edges being disposed normally to longitudinal axis of the saw.

Abstract: Apparatus is for controlling load on an engine, particularly a marine engine powering a controllable pitch propeller which serves as an engine loading device. Apparatus cooperates with a circuit having a supply fluid at a constant supply pressure, and a control fluid at a variable control pressure reflecting engine load. The apparatus has a signal receiver to receive a load demand signal from an operator, and a positioner apparatus with a positioner output which cooperates with the loading device of the engine. The positioner apparatus receives the supply and control fluids and has a partition separating the fluids to permit interaction therebetween to control the positioner output. The apparatus has a hydraulic fluid valve to control flow of hydraulic fluid relative to the positioner apparatus, the fluid valve being connected to the positioner output and an output of the signal receiver so as to be responsive to relative positions of both outputs.