Abstract: Aerosol spray cans are positioned one at a time at a workstation by inserting the bottom wall of each can through an appropriately sized centering ring to center the bottom wall relative to an annular seal that engages peripheral portions of the bottom wall to support the can at the workstation. The bottom wall is clamped into sealing engagement with the annular seal by using a lever operated clamping mechanism that is adjustable to accommodate all known standard sizes of aerosol spray cans. The bottom wall is punctured by using a lever operated, rack and pinion driven piercing mechanism that extends a piercing pin through the center opening of the annular seal. Contents that discharge from a pierced can are ducted into a receiving container, a lower portion of which is used to collect liquid contents for environmentally safe disposal.

Abstract: An energy efficient closure system is provided for minimizing heat loss through an elongate, horizontally extending furnace opening that is utilized to admit elongate charges of material, to the interior of a furnace. The system utilizes a plurality of depending, individually mounted, independently pivoted, inwardly curved, insulated door components that are arranged in a side-by-side array and that are biased by gravity so as to normally close the furnace opening. In preferred practice, the system also utilizes a curtain of insulation that depends from a water-cooled support pipe that extends horizontally through the upper part of the door opening, with the curtain being formed by a plurality of depending bats of insulation arranged in a substantially contiguous, side-by-side array.

Abstract: Proper access for enabling fire hoses to be readily coupled to the hose connections of a fire hydrant is provided without needlessly sacrificing valuable adjacent parking space for motor vehicles by utilizing upwardly oriented fire hydrant hose connections and/or by utilizing open-walled, cage-like protective enclosure components to maintain good and sufficient hydrant clearance and hose connection access space in regions that extend about the hydrant's hose connections. In one preferred form, rounded elbow pipe segments are threaded onto the hose connections of an existing fire hydrant and are rigidly secured in place thereon to provide upwardly oriented fire hydrant hose connections, and/or protective enclosure components are attached to the existing fire hydrant to provide an open-walled cage-like structure that maintains proper obstruction-free access space in regions that extend about the hydrant's hose connections so that fire hoses easily can be coupled to the hydrant.

Abstract: An upwardly opening, generally rectangular tray for receiving and stacking therein at least one set of generally rectangular disc holders that define formations for receiving and releasably supporting compact discs. Cooperatively interactive guide formations are defined by the tray and by the disc holders 1) for permitting the disc holders to be moved relative to each other so that compact discs can be positioned in and selectively removed from the disc receiving formations of the holders, and 2 for facilitating the orderly stacking of the disc holders so that, when stacked, the disc holders extend juxtaposed one atop another with each disc holder extending substantially parallel to a bottom wall of the tray. An optional cover may be positioned atop an individual tray, or atop the uppermost of a set of stacked trays. Alternatively, a cover that is hinge-connected to the tray may be provided. Label mounting surfaces preferably are provided on the trays, on the disc holders and on the optional cover.

Abstract: A handle operated flow control valve has a body that defines first and second spaced inlet passages that extend from spaced first and second inlets and join in the vicinity of a first flow control valve for ducting pressurized flows of fluid from one or both of the inlets into an outlet passage for discharge through a nozzle. The first flow control valve has a first valve stem that moves in response to operation of a trigger handle. When the trigger handle is operated relatively gently within an initial range of movement, only the valve stem of the first flow control valve is moved out of its closed position, whereby a controlled flow of a first fluid such as pressurized water is ducted from the first inlet passage into the outlet passage for discharge.

Abstract: A reusable "training" or "practice" round has a reusable hollow casing and a reusable hollow projectile that "snap together" and are releasably retained in assembled relationship by utilizing a resilient connecting member such as a groove-carried O-ring that is interposed between juxtaposed surfaces of concentrically interfitting portions of the casing and the projectile. The assembled practice round is inserted into the chamber end region of the barrel of a firearm and, when the round is fired, the casing is retained in the chamber as the projectile is caused to move along the barrel of the firearm and to discharge along a trajectory that closely simulates the path of flight of a "live" round. Propellant is provided by a reloadable or disposable blank-type cartridge.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing, mixing and applying coating constituents to traffic surfaces has a wheeled transport carriage that supports a reservoir for coating constituents that are to be dispensed. A dispensing system regulates the dispensing of coating constituents from the reservoir onto traffic surface portions that extend centrally beneath the carriage. A power drive system moves the carriage across selected portions of traffic surfaces, rotates a set of mixing and applicator tools that extend in a radial array beneath the carriage, and rotates a set of blending blades within the reservoir to maintain coating constituent homogeneity, with these functions characteristically being carried out concurrently during the dispensing of coating constituents from the reservoir.

Abstract: Substitutable plug assemblies are removably retained at an operating position within a forwardly opening chamber of the barrel of a lock assembly. A plug assembly that has been inserted to the operating position is releasably retained within the enshrouding barrel by a retainer that is moved by spring bias to a plug-retaining position wherein the retainer bridges complementary formations that are defined by the barrel and by the inserted plug assembly. A retained plug assembly that has been inserted to the operating position can be rotated about the central axis relative to the barrel between at least a pair of angularly spaced positions. One of the plug assemblies carries tumblers that are engageable with interior portions of the barrel for locking the one plug assembly in at least one of the angularly spaced positions unless the one plug assembly is unlocked by a suitably configured key. The other of the substitutable plug assemblies preferably includes a manually operable formation such as a knob.

Abstract: A door lock assembly includes a housing-carried set of interactive operating components for mounting on a closure for releasingly engaging a keeper that is carried by structure located adjacent to an opening through which access is controlled by positioning the closure selectively in "open" and "closed" positions. The lock assembly is "slam-capable" in that its operating components include a pair of oppositely pivoted, spring-biased latch members that are movable into latching engagement with the keeper as the closure is "closed". The lock assembly has a two-part housing formed from first and second members that extend in congruent overlying relationship to define a first passage for receiving portions of the keeper as the closure is "closed." Second and third passages open through opposed side walls of the first passage to permit the opposed latch members to move into gripping engagement with portions of the keeper that are received within the first passage.

Abstract: A door lock assembly includes a housing-carried set of interactive operating components for mounting on a closure for releasingly engaging a keeper that is carried by structure located adjacent to an opening through which access is controlled by positioning the closure selectively in open and closed positions. The lock assembly is "slam-capable" in that its operating components include a pair of oppositely pivoted, spring-biased jaws that are movable into latching engagement with the keeper as the closure is closed. The lock housing includes a pair of interfitting, cast metal housing members that cooperate to define a housing assembly that has a keeper-receiving formation along a curved end region thereof. Channel-like central formations are defined on the hollow interior of the housing assembly for mounting operating components that include a pair of opposed jaw members that function to latchingly interengage portions of the keeper when the closure is in its closed position.

Abstract: A system for applying a coating to a traffic surface utilizes a power driven unit that dispenses coating constituents onto the traffic surface as the unit moves forwardly across the traffic surface along a path of travel. The unit includes a wheel supported transport carriage beneath which is provided at least one set of applicator tools that rotates relative to the carriage about a substantially vertically extending center axis. A hollow, tubular stub shaft and bearings connect the set of tools to the carriage for rotation about the center axis.

Abstract: A vehicle door lock system includes a rotary latch having an elongate housing with an end formation that is "inclined" or "tapered" so as to be wedgingly engaged, when "latched," by a correspondingly inclined or tapered wedge block component of an L-shaped striker assembly. As the rotary latch releasably engages the striker to effect "latching," the inclined or tapered end region of the latch housing cooperatively engages the wedge block of the striker to guide the latch into properly aligned engagement with the striker, and to maintain proper alignment of the rotary latch with the striker while "latched." By this arrangement, a strong, racking-resistant type of latched connection is provided that will assist in preventing undesired relative movements of a door and a door frame on which the latch and striker are mounted, respectively. Handle assemblies are connected to the rotary latch to operate the latch to effect "unlatching" of the latch and the striker.

Abstract: A connection system is provided for mounting apertured components such as gears, pulleys, rollers and the like on shafts. In preferred form, the system of the invention provides connections that are releasable so that shaft-mounted components can be repositioned, removed, serviced and/or replaced. A component that is to be mounted on a shaft is provided with a mounting hole that has an inner diameter that loosely receives the outer diameter of a shaft onto which the component is to be mounted. A ring of elastomeric material is inserted into an annular space that is defined at a location between the inner diameter of the mounting hole and the outer diameter of the shaft; and, the elastomeric material is tightly clamped between a pair of relatively axially movable clamping members that extend into opposed end regions of the annular space.