Abstract: There is provided an improved cassette particularly adapted for sowing seeds utilizing a plurality of adjacent stacked plates having a plurality of perforations therein. The perforations are adapted to receive seeds. The seeds in the perforations of each plate are held in place by portions of a lower adjacent plate. Adjacent plates are adapted to be moved relative to one another for a short distance for aligning the perforations thus permitting the seeds from an upper plate to pass through the perforations in the plates below it for planting.

Abstract: There is provided an improved trailer and tailgate therefore. The means for attaching the tailgate to the remainder of the trailer is independent of the inside surfaces of the sidewalls of the trailer. Thus the sidewalls are free from obstructions permitting a free flow of material out of a trailer when it is being dumped. A pair of cane shaped rods are received through the top and bottom of the tailgate and are connected to the floor and to the tops of the sidewalls of the trailer.

Abstract: There is provided an optical viewing system, which is preferably a compass which eliminates the parallax and sighting problems of prior art optical systems. The compass includes a beam splitter which displays a sighted image both on a reference screen and a free-floating magnetized sphere or other moving surface. The sighted image on the reference screen and on the sphere are superimposed upon each other when viewed through one facet of the beam splitter. In this manner parallax is eliminated, thus the direction and elevation of the image may be readily and accurately determined.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for lifting and positioning construction material such as building logs. The apparatus includes a frame having a pair of interconnected parallel beams. A pair of large fixed axis wheels are attached to one end of the frame while a pair of smaller swivelable wheels are connected to the other end of the frame. A winch is connected to a beam which extents over the frame at various elevations. A grasping mechanism is attached to the winch for holding the construction material.

Abstract: There is provided a magnetohydrodynamics system which utilizes liquid metal or alloy moving in a channel through a magnetic field to generate electricity. Energy is put into the system by pumping the liquid metal to an elevated collection zone. A portion of the liquid metal is collected in a cooling zone where a solid metal outer skin is formed in the shape of a piston. Pressure is applied to the bottom of the piston to move the piston and a portion of the remaining liquid metal to the collection zone where the metal is heated thus remelting the piston and cycle is repeated.

Abstract: There is provided an improved energy storage system which includes a tank for holding water or eutectic material and housing a plurality of coils. The coils are connected to a condensing unit and to an evaporating unit which is positioned in the space to be temperature conditioned. The condensing unit supplies refrigerant to the coils for solidifying the material in the container during a first time period, thus storing energy. During a second time period, the coils in the tank supply refrigerant to the evaporating unit while the condensing unit is not in use. The condensing unit may also supply refrigerant directly to the evaporating unit without substantially reducing the energy already stored in the container during a third time period.

Abstract: There is provided a dryer which is particularly adapted to dry a plurality of fireman's gas masks. The dryer includes a first enclosure having a plurality of air inlet holes through its top, with a second enclosure covering the air inlet holes and being connected to a forced air fan. A plurality of air outlet holes is provided in the bottom of the first enclosure. Tubes from the gas masks are connected to certain of the air inlet holes whereby the forced air passes onto the inside surfaces of the mask. The other air inlet holes provide forced air for drying the outside surfaces of the masks.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for enabling the placement of a severed tendon to a position in its associated sheath to be repaired or passing a tendon end through any small enclosed space. The apparatus includes an elongated, flexible hollow tube with openings at both ends, and is received in the sheath. The tube has two sections with one section being somewhat rigid, although flexible, while the other section is thin, collapsible, and flares out. The flared section receives an end portion of the severed tendon. The opening in the end of the more rigid section is connected to a source of suction. The suction holds the tendon in place within the tube and causes the flared section to collapse tightly about the end portion of the tendon. The tube and the tendon are pulled through the sheath to the place where it was severed for repair.

Abstract: There is provided an improved cabinet for housing a plurality of dispensing machines which are situated in rows and columns within the cabinet. The bottom row of dispensing machines are received on a slidable support mechanism so that the bottom row may be moved from underneath the top row thus exposing the lids of the machines on the bottom row enabling convenient access for servicing. Vertical supports are provided to stabilize the cabinet while the bottom row of machines are being serviced. The cabinet includes an openable top so that the top row of machines also may be readily serviced.

Abstract: There is provided a padded rail which is particularly adapted to be received over a support beam for a water bed. An elongated U-shaped channel is provided having a pair of detends extending inside of the channel for holding the rail to the beam. A pair of extensions project away from the side of the channel and a pair of wooden blocks are received on the extensions and are adjacent to the sides of the channel. Padding covers the top and sides of the channel. The entire structure, except for the opening in the channel, is surrounded by a protective cover and the structure is held together by a plurality of staples, which pass through the cover, the extensions, and are retained by the blocks.

Abstract: A new and useful indigo-dyeable polyester is disclosed, and process for making same, for which a suitable polyester has had applied to its surface an amount of a suitable indigo dye retaining compound effective to provide said polyester with indigo fastness properties similar to cotton. The new indigo dyeable polyester may be employed in the manufacture of a staple material blended with cotton in predetermined amounts depending on the end use desired, e.g., 50:50 by weight for cotton denims (e.g., jeans). Preferable indigo dye retaining compounds comprise monomers dioleylamine and dicocoamine. Other suitable indigo dye retaining monomers are disclosed, inter alia, having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is alkyl or alkenyl of about 10-18 carbons; R.sub.2 is alkyl, alkylaryl, or alkenyl of about 8-18 carbons, R--CH.sub.2 --NO.sub.2, R--CH.dbd.NH, where R is alkyl or alkenyl from one to eighteen carbons; and R.sub.3 is hydrogen or alkyl from one to about twelve carbons.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for detecting the position of an embroidery machine after power failure. A position encoder is connected to each frame drive actuator on each axis of the embroidery machine. The computer which controls the actuators is equipped with a non-volatile memory. The encoders indicate to the computer the current position of the actuators and thus the frame. When power returns, the current position value from each encoder is compared with the required position value in the computer memory. If the values are not equal, machine start-up is inhibited and the computer commands the actuators to cause the frame to be moved to its proper position.

Abstract: There is provided a surgical support apparatus which may be used as a prep block or surgical assist block. The apparatus is particularly useful for supporting human extremities whereby the extremity is prevented from touching any non-sterile surface while being prepped for surgery or during a surgical procedure. The block includes a stand and a curved surface adapted to swivel at various angles with respect to the stand so that the block may be utilized for various sizes of patients and various extremities, such as arms and legs.

Abstract: There is provided a fiber batt made from a plurality of entangled synthetic fibers arranged in a random fashion, forming a nonwoven structure. Each fiber contains a plurality of substantially spherically shaped void spaces. The batts may be made by an extrusion/blowing technique. It has been found that the batts are particularly useful as thermal insulators, as oil and water separators, and in controlled release applications.

Abstract: A system is provided for improving frame adjustments of automatic embroidery machines. Groupings of holes are punched in an elongated tape corresponding to binary numbers. The tape is read by an electro-optical reader which converts the information on the tape to electrical pulses which, in turn, control a drive system for causing the embroidery frame to move predetermined discrete distances.

Abstract: There is provided an improved heating device which utilizes a standard forced air solid fuel burning stove enclosd in a metal box and surrounded by a layer of thermal insulation. A metal shield surrounds at least the upper portion of the stove with air spaces provided between the stove and the shield as well as between the shield and the insulation on the walls of the box. The outer surfaces of the walls of the heating device are adapted to come into direct contact with combustible building materials, thus solving the clearance problem associated with most solid fuel burning stoves.

Abstract: A pipe and sleeve telescoped joint with the pipe and sleeve in sealing engagement and keys embedded in both pipe and sleeve at their interface. The size and number of the keys are calculated from the size and strength of the pipe. The sleeve is sized and its strength selected from the strength of the pipe, and the sleeve ends are shaped to hold the joint circular when it is made. The apparatus includes means for holding the midportion of the sleeve circular when creating the joint, and for cooperating with the sleeve ends to keep them circular. The sealing engagement is created by firing a propellant into a substantially incompressible medium, like water, held by the apparatus in a cavity about the sleeve, and a piston separates the explosive propellant from the pressure medium.