Abstract: A training device useful with a putter having a head and a shaft extending from the head has a sight line, which may be delineated by a taut string, and two rails for guiding the shaft as the putter is swung through a limited range defined by the rails. The limited range includes an intermediate position, in which the head of the putter is positioned in a lowermost position, a subrange of back-swing positions, in which the head of the putter is raised from the lowermost position, and a subrange of follow-through positions, in which the head is raised from the lowermost position. Each rail has a guiding surface.

Abstract: A chime alarm apparatus having a housing having an axis and adapted to be suspended from rigid support. A first elongate annular member having upper and lower ends is suspended at its upper end from the housing and is substantially coaxial therewith, whereby the member may swing laterally relative to the housing. A disc-shaped contact member is supported by the first elongate member intermediate the ends thereof and the lower end of the first elongate member includes a pendant whereby the first elongate member may be caused to move laterally by an external force contacting the pendant. A plurality of second elongate members are suspended from the housing peripherally outwardly of and spaced a selected distance from the first elongate member and the contact member. Each second member has an area of contact between its ends, the pendant being normally below the lower ends of the second members.

Abstract: In a machine for dispensing stackable roofing washers individually and for driving fasteners through such washers, a shuttle is actuatable to displace a lowermost washer of one from a stack, either a small, circular or large, square washer. A gate is biased toward a lowermost position wherein it provides sufficient clearance for the lowermost washer but not any overlying washer to pass beneath it. A pawl mounted pivotally to the gate is biased to a lowermost position wherein the pawl engages a small washer displaced by the shuttle so as to restrain it against backward movement. A stop is adjustable so as to limit movement of a washer of whichever size is being displaced. A measuring bar is mounted via the stop. A screw gun, which provides a primary handle, and a secondary handle are mounted to an upright element so as to be independently adjustable.

Abstract: A filter bed for removing impurities from a liquid stream is described. The filter bed comprises a mat of pliant fibers and relatively stiff fibers. The filter bed may additionally include adsorbent particles. The filter bed can provide desirable filtration efficiencies while exhibiting relatively low operating differentials. A method for separating impurities from a liquid which employs the filter bed is also described.

Abstract: A structure is disclosed, which has fiberglass components and which is useful for mounting an antenna at a communications site. The integrated structure comprises an upper, tubular pole, a lower, tubular pole, and a hollow cabinet having at least one door. The upper pole extends upwardly from the cabinet. The lower pole extends downwardly from the cabinet. Preferably, an integrated wall defines and encloses the upper and lower poles and the cabinet, except where the cabinet has at least one door. Alternatively, the upper pole is telescoped over a tubular flange extending upwardly from the cabinet and an integrated wall defines and encloses the lower pole and the cabinet, except where the cabinet has at least one door. In either instance, both poles communicate with the cabinet, and the cabinet has a rigid frame within such wall and a rigid floor within the frame.

Abstract: A closure is provided for an opening to a container interior. The closure has a base for attachment to the container at the opening and defines a discharge aperture communicating with the opening. A lid is hingedly connected to the base for movement between a closed position occluding the aperture and an open position away from the aperture. A manually releasable latch is defined cooperatively by the base and lid to hold the lid closed. The lid has an outwardly projecting engaging member whereby the user can release the latch and apply a force to the member to lift the lid via the member.

Abstract: A long life, surface mountable ambient condition detector includes a non-replaceable battery for the purpose of providing power to the detector. The detector includes an activation switch mechanism having a one-time, or single use turn-on characteristic. The activation switch mechanism switches the battery once from a non-conducting state to a state of electrical conduction with a control unit of the detector. The switch mechanism may include a frangible member for switching the battery from the non-conducting state to the electrical conducting state. Until the detector has been energized, the frangible member blocks mounting of the detector on the surface.

Abstract: Various mechanisms are provided for use in a surgical instrument. A shaft and an engaged lost motion operating knob are provided for rotation relative to a handle portion. A latch system prevents rotation of the shaft unless the shaft is rotated by the knob. A cartridge is provided for rotation at the distal end of the shaft. Engaging structures are provided for preventing rotation of the cartridge relative to the shaft when axial forces are applied to the cartridge. A loading tool is provided for engaging the cartridge to install the cartridge on the instrument. The cartridge includes a washer for engaging a carrier on which the cartridge is mounted so as to prevent rotation of the washer. The washer is adapted to engage a fastener advancing member in a first angular orientation and is disengaged when the cartridge is rotated to establish a second relative angular orientation.

Abstract: A unique system and process for controlling the stroke positions of tools on a multi-station metal working machine are disclosed. The system and process are suitable for use with a metal working machine which carries the tools on an arm pivoted by an actuator. In the preferred embodiment, the control system includes a control circuit which continuously senses the position of the arm by use of a pulse generator rotary encoder. The control system stores settable initial and final stroke positions for each of the tools. The actuator is controlled to move the arm and the tools carried thereon.

Abstract: This invention provides an exceptionally expandable sheet elastic complex which consists of an elastic body sheet and a sheet backing material which is mounted on either one or both sides of it, these two members being bonded together along multiple, oblong, mutually parallel bonding sections, and in which multiple, mutually parallel channels are formed between the two members because the width of the sheet backing material between mutually adjacent bonding sections is greater than that of the elastic body sheet. The sheet backing material does not accept more than the minimum constraint of the elastic body sheet, and its waveform surface has excellent properties as a material for use in sanitary products. The invention also provides a process for manufacturing this sheet elastic complex.

Abstract: A switching power supply with a high power-conversion-efficiency is obtained by further reducing a loss occurring in a transistor rectifying element. A driving transistor Q3 is arranged between a base of a transistor Q2 as the rectifying element and the ground. A driving signal is inputted from a connection point of the transistor Q2 and a choke coil L1 generating a flyback voltage to the base of the driving transistor Q3, and an ON ad OFF operation of the transistor Q2 is caused to synchronize with an ON ad OFF operation of the switching transistor Q1, thereby preventing a leakage of the current in direction of the base from the collector of the transistor Q2 when it turns off, reducing the loss of the transistor rectifying element and then, improving the power conversion efficiency of the switching power supply.

Abstract: A microstrip patch antenna array incorporating a plurality of spaced-apart patch radiating elements electromagnetically coupled to a microstrip line conductively coupled to a source of signals. Both the spaced-apart patch radiating elements and the microstrip line are located on the same side of an adjacent conductive substrate. The microstrip patch radiating elements are arranged in a linear co-planar array electromagnetically excited by the field created by the air substrated microstrip line passing adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A drive circuit for use with an ambient condition detector limits heat dissipation and associated temperature rises in the presence of varying RMS values of an applied AC signal. The drive circuit includes a voltage doubler with a current regulator located between first and second storage elements. In the presence of a sensed ambient condition, which exceeds a predetermined threshold the regulator is enabled permitting one of the storage elements to be charged to a voltage on the order of twice the peak value of the applied AC voltage. A digital timer is used to trigger a flashable visual indicator from the stored DC voltage. The regulator provides a substantially constant DC voltage to the visual indicator in the presence of a varying AC line voltage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initially taking an individual bar from a supply of bars and placing it on an entry conveyor while preventing movement of the remaining bars. Other mechanisms are provided for adjusting the entry conveyor to accommodate the diameter of the bars to be ground. The individual bars to be ground are initially moved into position between a regulating wheel and a grinding wheel. The regulating wheel maintains the bar against the grinding wheel and the movement of the regulating wheel toward the grinding wheel during the grinding action is sensed by an encoder device. The encoder device in turn signals to a servomotor to move the grinding wheel an amount equal to but in the opposite direction to the regulating wheel to compensate for the wearing of the grinding wheel. The regulating wheel is set at a slight angle relative to the bar to impose a vector force that moves the bar through the grinding station to the exit conveyor from where the bar is subsequently moved to a holding area.

Abstract: Concrete modules stacked in courses are used in making a retaining wall. Each module has unitary front, lateral, and bottom walls. The front wall may extend above the lateral walls. Each lateral wall has front ribs extending outwardly and inwardly and adjoining the front wall. Each lateral wall has back ribs extending outwardly and inwardly. In each intermediate course, the front and back ribs of each module partly support modules of the next course above and are partly supported by the front and back ribs of modules of the next course below. For post-tensioning of the retaining wall, plural elongate tensioning members are employed, each extending through an aperture of the bottom wall of one module of a lower course, between two modules of every other one of the intermediate courses, through an aperture of the wall of one module of an upper course.

Abstract: A tamper-indicating plastic closure includes an annular pilfer band which is partially detachably connected to the skirt portion of the closure, whereby the pilfer band remains connected to the closure after closure removal from an associate container. The pilfer band includes a fracturable region which fractures during closure removal, whereby the pilfer band splits and separates. The fracturable region is defined by a pair of circumferentially and vertically spaced, staggered scores which are configured to facilitate high-speed manufacture, and consistent tamper-indication. In one embodiment, one of the scores extends through one of a plurality of container-engaging projections of the pilfer band.

Abstract: Various mechanisms are provided for use in a surgical instrument. A shaft and an engaged lost motion operating knob are provided for rotation relative to a handle portion. A latch system prevents rotation of the shaft unless the shaft is rotated by the knob. A cartridge is provided for rotation at the distal end of the shaft. Engaging structures are provided for preventing rotation of the cartridge relative to the shaft when axial forces are applied to the cartridge. A loading tool is provided for engaging the cartridge to install the cartridge on the instrument. The cartridge includes a washer for engaging a carrier on which the cartridge is mounted so as to prevent rotation of the washer. The washer is adapted to engage a fastener advancing member in a first angular orientation and is disengaged when the cartridge is rotated to establish a second relative angular orientation.

Abstract: An attaching ring or fixing ring is provided for attaching or fixing a dispenser member to a neck of a receptacle containing a substance to be dispensed. The ring is annular and has a bottom portion and a top portion. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom portion includes snap-fastening tabs for fixing the ring to the neck. The top portion includes an opening for the dispenser and a surrounding structure for securing the dispenser member to the neck. The top portion further includes at least one guide wall element extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the dispenser member and around the periphery of the fixing ring substantially in line with the snap-fastening tabs. A hoop can be provided for preventing the tabs from splaying apart. The hoop can include an internal projection, such as a vertical rib or a thread.

Abstract: The invention comprises a synthetic pack, in the filler container (11) of which there is integrated a compression spring element (16), against whose resistance a dispensing head (12) can be moved downwards with its carrier (18) of the filler container (11) and the filler can be pressurized. A ventilation valve (50) is herewith closed prior to the opening of a dispensing valve (22), which is circuit-connected into a product duct formed by a lifting tube (15) and product ducts (27, 40, 14). The dispensing head (12) is sealtight on the carrier (18) of the filler container (11), but is twistable between a closed position and an open position, the product duct (14, 40) of the dispensing head (12), in the open position, being aligned with the product duct (27) in a lifting tube nipple (20) and the ventilation valve (50) of the dispensing head (12) being aligned with a ventilation opening (29) in a headplate (19) of the carrier (18).