Abstract: A one-piece carrier for supporting a plurality of bottles by their necks in closely spaced, side-by-side relationship has a framework which carries an array of uniformly spaced, neck-receiving formations configured to receive and releasably retain bottle necks to support a plurality of bottles in side-by-side relationship. The neck-receiving formations take the form of an endless band, each having at least one W-shaped portion configured to expand and contract in accordian-like manner to permit other band parts to move relatively toward and away from each other to accommodate insertion of a capped bottle neck through the endless band, and to grip bottle neck portions inserted therethrough. Each of the W-shaped portions is arranged such that its two inner legs engage an inserted bottle neck to assist other parts of the band in gripping the inserted bottle neck. Tapered surfaces carried on lower parts of each of the bands serve to facilitate insertion of bottle necks into the bands.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a simple and inexpensive, clamp-type microphone mount for base fiddles and the like. The mount includes at least a pair of members arranged to clampingly engage such portions of a musical instrument as defined opposite sides of an aperture formed through the housing of the instrument.

Abstract: A glove is provided with band-type connectors for releasably connecting with a weight at any of a plurality of selected locations about the outer surface of the glove to facilitate resistance exercising of muscles of the forearm, wrist, hand and/or fingers. The weight is preferably carried on a strap. Each of the band-type connectors or bands extends through a separate set of openings formed in the glove and preferably serves to encircle an adjacent portion of the wearer's hand. Each of the bands preferably loops alternatively out of and into the glove to provide at least one external loop portion which can be connected to the strap-carried weight. By this arrangement the glove may be used in a variety of palm-up, palm-down and palm-sideways attitudes with the strap-carried weight attached at any of the selected locations.

Abstract: An improved method of lubrication in a deep drawing process utilizes a plurality of distinct plastic sheets, loosely overlying one another, laid across at least one major surface of a flat blank to be drawn. In preferred practice, a pair of such distinct plastic sheets are laid across each of the opposed major surfaces of a flat blank in preparation for a drawing operation. The plastic sheets are maintained in position while interfitting drawing tools, namely a punch and a die, close together to effect drawing of the blank. The plastic sheets serve as a lubricant during the drawing process. Selected surfaces of the sheets or the material from which the sheets are formed may be provided with an additional conventional lubricating substance to enhance lubricity of the sheets, or conventional lubricant may be utilized between the sheets of each pair.

Abstract: A closure cap particularly suited for use with containers such as milk bottles includes multiple sealing areas as well as frangible locking means. The locking means is located near the lower rim of a skirt portion of the closure cap. If the locking means has not been tampered with, an interlocking engagement between the locking means and a complementary portion of the container retains the cap on the container. If the locking means has been tampered with, the cap can be removed from the container. A visual inspection of the closure cap readily indicates whether the locking means is in tampered or untampered condition. In one embodiment, the cap can be repeatedly snapped into place on the container, and in other alternative embodiments, the cap can be repeatedly threaded onto the container. The multiple sealing areas not only seal the contents of the container, but one of the areas also prevents dust, dirt, or other contaminants from having access to the other sealing areas.

Abstract: A door lock has a flush-mountable body. A forwardly facing recess is defined by the body. A paddle-type handle is pivotally carried by the body and is movable between a nested position within the body recess and an operating position. A spring-projected slide bolt is carried on the back of the body and is movable between projected and retracted positions. A key-controlled disconnect linkage is provided for selectively connecting and disconnecting the handle and the bolt. The disconnect linkage includes a disconnect member which extends longitudinally along one side of the bolt and which has an end region that is shifted from side to side between connecting and disconnecting positions by a key-operated locking member. When the disconnect linkage drivingly connects the handle and the bolt, movement of the handle from its nested position to an operating position will cause corresponding retracting movement of the bolt.

Abstract: A flush-mountable, key-controlled, handle-operated door lock is provided with an automatic self-locking linkage for permitting the handle to move once, but only once, out of a nested position after a key control has been operated to "cock" the linkage. Once the linkage has been cocked, the handle can be moved one time out of and returned to its nested position, whereafter the linkage operates to retain the handle in its nested position until the key control is again operated to cock the linkage. The automatic latching linkage includes a housing assembly, a pair of cams, and a pair of springs. A feature of the automatic latching linkage is that its several components can be assembled easily on an existing, in-service lock to provide the existing lock with a one-trip automatic locking capability. The latching linkage components are assembled by installing the components one at a time in an essentially stacked arrangement, one atop the other.

Abstract: A method of overcoming the problem of water seeping into the basement of a dwelling or other structure includes procedures for treating a hollow basement wall and for treating the footer drainage tile system which extends perimetrically around the basement wall footer. Wall treatment is effected by pumping a hardenable filler material, in fluid form, into the hollow wall to fill and seal the hollow wall portions as the filler material hardens. The filler material also operates to fill and seal cracks formed in the outer surface of the wall.

Abstract: A door lock, particularly well suited for releasably retaining a pivotally mounted truck door in a closed position, includes a shaft and its operating means mounted on the door, and a pair of keeper members mounted on the door frame. A pair of cam members are secured to opposite end regions of the shaft. The shaft has a central portion which projects through openings formed in opposite sides of a pan-shaped housing. A handle is secured to the central portion for rotating the shaft to bring the cam members into and out of latching engagement with the keeper members. The handle is moveable between a nested position wherein the handle is nested within a recess defined by the pan-shaped housing, and a projecting position wherein the handle projects forwardly from the recess. A latch mechanism is carried by the housing and includes a latch member mounted for pivotal movement between latched and unlatched positions.

Abstract: An electro-chemical sensor for the measurement of concentrations of gas or vapor in accordance with the limiting current principle and comprising an electrolytic cell having a sensing electrode, a counter electrode and an intervening body of electrolyte and also a restriction to the rate of access of gas or vapor to the sensing electrode. The improvement comprises said restriction being in the form of a gas-phase diffusion barrier including at least one narrow passage for the diffusion of gas. The gas-phase diffusion barrier may be in the form of a porous body, of which the permeability of the body may be more than twenty times greater than the diffusibility, but is preferably less than ten times the diffusibility and more preferably not more than 10% greater than the diffusibility. Alternatively the gas-phase diffusion barrier may be defined by a capillary. The capillary may be of plastics material and may be enclosed within an outer metal sheath of lesser co-efficient of expansion.

Abstract: A steering gear for a vehicle chassis provides first and second steerable wheels journaled on first and second spindle members. The chassis is provided with first and second yoke structures, each of which has an upper arm and a lower arm. The arms of each yoke encompass portions of a separate one of the spindle members. The arms of the first yoke define upper and lower king pin mounting locations which lie along a common first axis. The arms of the second yoke define upper and lower king pin mounting locations which lie along a common second axis. A first pair of king pins are positioned in the mounting locations defined by the arms of the first yoke, and pivotally mount the first spindle member on the first yoke. A second pair of king pins are positioned in the mounting locations defined by the arms of the second yoke, and pivotally mount the second spindle member on the second yoke.

Abstract: A door fastening apparatus, particularly well suited for fastening in closed positions the rear and side doors of truck bodies, includes an elongate tubular shaft rotatable to position a plurality of latch members in door locking engagement with a plurality of keeper members. A first latch member is rigidly permanently secured to the shaft near one end of the shaft. A second latch member is secured to the shaft near its opposite end by a bolted connection. The bolted connection permits the truck body manufacturer to cut the shaft to length depending on the height of the truck, whereafter the second latch member may be fastened in place without any need for welding. The second latch member is mounted on the outside of the shaft. A plug member is inserted into the sawed-off, open end of the tubular shaft. The second latch member and the plug member captivate the shaft wall.

Abstract: A fitting for securing to the end of a flat strop comprises a body formed with a through bore which is tapered for at least a greater part of its length, a correspondingly tapered plug accommodated within the bore, a screw-threaded retaining member engaging corresponding threads on the body so as to be screwed into position to engage the larger end of the plug to retain it in position in the body and an attachment portion forming part of the plug or the retaining member. The retaining member is preferably formed with an internally threaded, longitudinally-extending skirt which screws on to corresponding threads on the outer surface of the body and a bolt is inserted from the smaller end of the plug to engage a threaded bore in the retaining member.

Abstract: A detent system is provided for releasably retaining a pair of relatively movable members of a lock assembly or other mechanism in one or more predetermined positions. The members are movable relative to each other to successively present a series of contiguous surface portions on one of the members in spaced, side-by-side relationship with a selected part of the other member. A hole is formed through the part, and a detent element is movably carried in the hole. The detent element has a rounded tip which is projectable from the hole for engaging the contiguous surface portions as the members move relative to each other. A detent receiving formation is provided at a location along the contiguous surface portions and is adapted to receive the rounded tip of the detent element when the members are in a predetermined relative position.

Abstract: A plastic cap has a closure wall positionable across a container neck opening, and an integrally formed skirt wall adapted to extend around the container neck. Projections are formed on the inner surface of the skirt wall and extend laterally of the skirt toward the neck. Elongated lug-like formations depend from the closure wall into the neck opening and bias portions of the container neck toward the skirt-carried projections to clamp neck portions against the projections, whereby the cap is securely releasably retained on the container neck. In preferred practice, the skirt-carried projections cooperate with neck-carried protrusions to provide snap-on, snap-off actions as the cap is pressed onto and removed from the container neck.

Abstract: A tight-fitting corner construction is provided for use between adjacent, integrally connected parts of a common panel. A specially configured, three-sided miter groove is formed between the panel parts, and the panel is folded to close the groove and to form a corner between the panel parts. An overhanging lip is provided on one of the panel parts along one side of the groove. When the panel is folded to form a corner, the lip is brought into overlying engagement with inner surface portions of the other panel part to effect a thorough, tight-fitting closure of the groove. The panel preferably comprises a hollow, elongated plastic member which is used to form the sides and back of a drawer frame. Snap-acting locking devices are carried in hollow portions of the panel adjacent the corner locations to lock the panel in its folded configuration. A drawer front carries connectors which project into hollow portions of the drawer sides.

Abstract: A transparent cutting board formed from plastics material has an embossed cutting surface on which mat boards and the like may be supported for trimming. A design is printed on a smooth back surface of the cutting board and includes intersecting guidelines and indicia which are viewable through the cutting surface to facilitate the trimming of mat boards and the like. The embossed cutting surface is defined by a multiplicity of spaced, upstanding, integrally formed projections. The projections resist marring while providing a relieved cutting surface across which cutting tools can be moved swiftly and easily.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the hardness of a succession of adjacent portions of a test surface, utilizes a pair of members which are supported for independent movement in close, side-by-side relationship in engagement with a test surface. One of the members is a "penetration member" which is selectively loaded with a controlled weight for penetrating the test surface. The other of the members is a "sensor member" which is held relatively gently against the test surface. A motion sensing transducer is interposed between the two members to sense the depth of penetration of the penetration member into the test surface. The members are pivotally mounted on an adjustable positioning mechanism in such a manner that the controlled loading applied to the penetration member is not transmitted to and does not distort sensor data provided by the sensor member. Loading is transmitted to the penetration member through a hardened steel ball to eliminate transverse force components and bending moments.

Abstract: A fluid-operated vise includes an elongate base structure having a generally rectangular top surface. An elongate undercut groove is formed in the base structure and opens through the top surface. A pair of jaw structures are supported on the top surface and are movably positionable therealong. One of the jaw structures includes a fluid-operated movable component for gripping workpieces between it and the other jaw structure. Downwardly facing elongate grooves are formed in bottom portions of the jaw structures and communicate along their lengths with the undercut groove. Elongate key members are positioned in the communicating grooves to maintain proper alignment of the base and jaw structures. The key members also form parts of clamping systems which are operable to releasably retain the jaw structures in place at selected positions along the length of the top surface.