Abstract: An annealing furnace inner cover cooperates with a furnace base to define a treatment chamber within which a charge of metal such as steel is housed for annealing, wherein the inner cover carries at least one interior cooling conduit through which cooling water from an exterior source is circulated to expedite the cooling of gas that is circulated within the treatment chamber during cooling portions of an annealing cycle. The water cooled inner cover is especially well suited for expediting the cooling of stacked coils of steel sheet from an annealing temperature, and preferably utilizes a helix of cooling coils that surround mid-height portions of the stack, wherein the cooling coils are protectively housed within an inwardly facing recess defined by an enlarged diameter mid-height portion of the inner cover both to prevent cooling coil damage due to impact during cover movement, and to ensure that gas circulation within the inner cover is not adversely restricted by the presence of the cooling coils.

Abstract: A dual cushion body support system includes a relatively thin, elongate, substantially flat, top cushion and a relatively shorter base cushion that is configured to underlie and elevate a central part of the top cushion to provide upwardly arched support to a person lying in a prone, face down position to comfortably elevate the upper back and shoulders of the person for gently stretching, positioning and exposing muscles of the neck and back for treatment such as massage. The top cushion serves as flexible pad and as a protective cover that drapes the underlying base cushion and relies on the base cushion to provide a properly arched body support contour. An end portion of the top cushion that drapes beyond the length of the base cushion is provided with an upstanding forehead support formation to assist in comfortably supporting the person's head; and, the top cushion is sufficiently flexible to permit its being rolled up for ease of transport and for compact storage.

Abstract: A slam-capable rotary latch employs a single rotary jaw that is releasably retained in its latched position by a rotary pawl, with the latch having a pair of spaced housing side plates that sandwich the rotary jaw and the rotary pawl, with the side plates defining aligned first and second U-shaped notches that cooperate with a third U-shaped notch formed in the rotary jaw for concurrently receiving and latchingly retaining within the confines of the first, second and third U-shaped notches a suitably configured strike formation, with housing side plate portions that define a selected one of the first and second U-shaped notches being rigidified and strengthened by the close proximity presence of a flange 1) that is formed integrally with side plate portions that define the selected notch and 2) that extends transversely to bridge between the housing side plates at a location near the first and second U-shaped notches.

Abstract: A vacuum nozzle has an elongate, tubular handle with an open end for connection to a vacuum cleaner hose, and has a hollow, generally rectangular head connected to the handle's opposite end. The head defines a transversely extending blade passage of generally rectangular cross-section through which portions of a ceiling fan blade can be inserted for cleaning. Extending perimetrically about the blade passage are head portions that include parallel top and bottom bars that have overlying left and right ends connected by left and right end structures, all of which are hollow and communicate to define a generally rectangular vacuum chamber that communicates with the hollow interior of the tubular handle. The top and bottom bars and the left and right end structures respectively carry top, bottom, left and right bristles that project into the blade passage at spaced locations near opposite ends of the blade passage.

Abstract: A rigid ceramic refractory base for a plural-stack annealing furnace--such as an eight-stack furnace that has two "four-stack rows" or "halves" arranged side by side--is assembled atop a base support structure utilizing a novel set of cast refractory segments, including spaced sets of inner segments, with each set of inner segments being surrounded by a sub-set of outer segments. Defined between each set of inner segments and its surrounding sub-set of outer segments is a circular inner seal positioning trough that opens upwardly, and that has a tapered cross section that narrows with depth. A resilient but reinforced inner seal of novel form is installed in each of the troughs, with each of these seals utilizing upper and lower blankets of refactory fiber material that sandwich a plurality of elongate refractory fiber modules arranged end-to-end to circumferentially fill the trough.

Abstract: A portable appliance for heating towels and for dispensing heated fluid such as body oil has a suitcase-like housing with hinge-connected base and lid components that define a plurality of compartments for heating towels and liquid when the housing is "open" and the appliance is "set up" for operation, and for receiving components and accessories of the appliance so that the appliance can be conveniently stored and transported when the housing is "closed." A relatively large main compartment is defined by the housing for receiving and suitably heating towels therein for use in concert with the administration of a massage. "Wet" or "dry" towel heating can be carried out within the main heating compartment. A "wringer" for extracting unwanted moisture from towels is defined by a housing portion that drains into the main compartment, and by a towel compressor member that is pivotally connected to the housing.

Abstract: A racking resistant door control mechanism for securing a pivoted door employs an elongate lock rod that extends the height of the door, is journaled for pivotal movement about a lock rod axis by door mounted bearing assemblies, and has cam type latch members welded to its opposite ends for engaging keeper members carried by upper and lower parts of a door frame. The cam and keeper members feature novel, compact arrangements of interengageable formations that are located on opposite sides of, but relatively near to, the lock rod axis of the locked door--formations that cooperate in bringing the door to its fully closed position, in securely retaining the door closed, in preventing racking movements of the closed door and its adjacent door frame, and in breaking the door open when ice formations, cold seals or the like resist initial opening movement of the door.

Abstract: A racking resistant door control mechanism for securing a pivoted door employs an elongate lock rod that extends the height of the door and is journaled for pivotal movement by bearing assemblies having steel covers that enclose plastic bearing liners. The lock rod has upper and lower cam-type latch members welded to its opposite ends for engaging keeper members carried by upper and lower parts of a door frame for holding the door closed. The lock rod extends through and is welded to a steel sleeve at a location spaced a short distance upwardly from the lower latch member. If the lock rod is formed from two elongate elements instead of one, the sleeve is welded to both to aid in forming a connection therebetween. Racking resistance is provided by locating the sleeve and the bearing assemblies such that the steel covers of the bearing assemblies are held in engagement with the latch members and with opposite ends of the sleeve.

Abstract: A gas-powered pistol has a frame with a forwardly opening barrel passage that extends through much of the length of a barrel portion of the frame wherein a reciprocally movable barrel is housed. Side-by-side magazine and gas supply passages extend from the barrel passage through a grip portion of the frame for receiving therein a reloadable magazine and a replaceable pressurized gas cylinder. The frame is formed from metal that is die-cast about a pre-machined metal insert located at the juncture of the barrel and gas supply passages. The insert provides an inlet into which a seal piercing assembly is threaded for receiving pressurized gas from the gas cylinder, and an outlet into which a valve assembly is threaded that slidably supports the breech end of the barrel. The barrel carries a hammer mass that is engaged by a trigger-mounted sear for moving the barrel forwardly in opposition to the action of a firing spring when the trigger is pulled.

Abstract: Abnormal flow of liquid in a non-pressurized conduit such as a drain line of a building is detected by a liquid level sensor unit connected at a conduit location not anticipated to fill with liquid during normal flow, so that liquid backing up at such location will enter a sensor chamber of the unit to cause a liquid level sensor to signal an indicator. A monitoring system uses at least one such sensor to signal at least one local or remote indicator that indicates which sensor has detected abnormal flow. The system can monitor for short times particular drain lines suspected of experiencing abnormal flow, or can serve on a long-term basis to provide an early warning of clogging and blockage in lines selected for monitoring.

Abstract: A push button lock for mounting at an opening formed through a door panel near an edge of the door includes a flush mountable exterior housing having a thin mounting flange that encircles central housing portions that are configured to extend into the door panel opening, and a surface mountable interior housing that defines a bolt passage that carries a spring-projected slide bolt having an end formation configured to latchingly engage a suitably configured striker. The interior housing and the mounting flange of the exterior housing overlap and are clamped toward engagement with interior and exterior door panel portions that extend about the opening.

Abstract: A rigid ceramic refractory base for a single-stack annealing furnace is assembled atop a base support structure utilizing a novel set of cast refractory segments, including a pair of C-shaped inner segments and four arcuate outer segments. Defined between the assembled inner and outer segments is a circular inner seal positioning trough that opens upwardly, and that has a tapered cross section that narrows with depth. A resilient but reinforced inner seal of novel form is installed in the trough utilizing upper and lower blankets of refractory fiber material that sandwich a plurality of elongate refractory fiber modules arranged end-to-end to circumferentially fill the trough.