Abstract: A furniture construction comprised of a unitary base, supports, attached at their lower ends to the base, rising upwardly and outwardly from the base, and individual work surfaces attached to the upper ends of the supports. A peripheral area of free space is defined outside and beneath the supports and individual work surfaces which allows chairs to be positioned beneath the work surfaces without contacting the inclined supports.

Abstract: A weather-protected, self-loading car-top carrier adapted to transport bulky loads and described in an embodiment suited for the transport of small motorized vehicles such as used by handicapped persons comprises a fixed rail assembly and a weather-protected carrier which, in response to operator control, moves along the rail assembly to provide access to a weather-protected storage space encompassed by the carriage assembly and includes provision for the automatic loading, under operator control, of bulky, heavy, awkward loads which would be difficult to handle by most persons and essentially impossible by one having limited or no use of their lower limbs.

Abstract: In forming holes in the earth, a circular frame of columns supported by structural members is placed in the earth to provide lateral support for the side walls of the hole while the hole is being excavated and after the hole is excavated. The structural members are generally concentric with the circle formed by the columns and, in reaction to the compressive forces of the earth acting on the columns, compressed between at least two columns. The method is specially adapted for use in forming holes in loose soils.

Abstract: A self-loading, weather protected carrier for raising or lowering an object to and from the top of a motor vehicle and for transporting the object on a motor vehicle. The carrier comprises a horizontally disposed base adapted to be mounted on the roof of a motor vehicle and having a transverse guide affixed thereto, a carriage extendably carried by transverse guide and movable at a vehicle top level between a load/unload position and a travel position, a generally L-shaped tilt frame, pivotally mounted on carriage and rotatable between a generally upright position for loading and unloading the object and a generally horizontal position for storing the object on motor vehicle, a linkage mechanism attached to tilt frame and responsive to the carriage being extended into the load/unload position to rotate tilt frame to upright loading position, and a hoist mounted on the tilt frame for raising and lowering the object.

Abstract: Apparatus for assisting or hindering a person performing exercises. The apparatus consists of a frame and at least one elongate elastic member attached at either end thereof to the frame. The yielding resistance and position of the elastic member in the frame are adjustable. The elastic member functions to assist generally upward bodily movement during an exercise when downwardly deflected by body weight before the exercise is commenced. The elastic member resists muscular exertion when deflected by such exertion during an exercise. The frame is maintained in position during performance of exercises.

Abstract: The bridge has a pair of elongate feet forming the contact between the bridge and the table of the instrument. The feet extend at right angles to the bridge in direction substantially parallel to the grain of the wood from which the table is formed.Methods utilizing an improved bridge for a stringed musical instrument for improving and/or altering the tonal qualities of stringed instruments.

Abstract: An arcuate razor head is shaped to conform to convex and concave body surfaces. Cutting edges are emplaced in inclined arcuate surfaces, one above the other. The inclined surfaces guide the cutting edges at an efficient cutting angle as the razor head is drawn over the surface of the body being shaved. The inclined surfaces intersect in a line removed from the location of the cutting edges. Both convex and concave arcuate cutting edges are immediately available to the user.

Abstract: A golf cart of the manual pull type having a main vertical frame member to which a golf bag is attached. A pair of wheel assemblies are clamped to the main frame member at opposite sides of the frame. Each wheel assembly includes a transverse shaft attached to the frame and an axle mounted wheel. The wheel axle is offset from the shaft through a detent mechanism. In the stored position, the wheel assemblies are removable and the shaft can be folded to a position alongside the wheel. In another embodiment, the wheel is clamped to the main axle and in a stored position, the wheels are detachable and the main shaft can be pivoted to a position parallel to the main frame member.

Abstract: A process for removal of particulate material and sulfur dioxide from a gas stream by washing the gas stream in a treatment zone in a wet scrubber by injection of a reactant such as high calcium or magnesium lime to control pH in the range of 6.0 to 8.5. A resultant slurry containing calcium sulfate, calcium sulfite and solids is formed in the scrubber and a controlled quantity of the solids containing slurry is recycled to the scrubber washing zone as part of the washing fluid to aid in co-precipitation by providing nucleation sites for the calcium sulfate and sulfite crystals maintaining an unsaturated calcium sulfate level in the slurry.

Abstract: A surgical blade dispenser includes a box for storing blades in such position that a scalpel handle can be inserted through an aperture in one wall of the box to lockingly engage one blade and remove it from the box through the aperture. The blades are individually positioned and supported within the box such that apertures in the shank portion of the blade are engagable with a mating boss on the forward end of the scalpel handle as the handle is inserted through an aperture in the wall of the box. Further insertion of the handle causes the boss to fully engage the aperture in the scalpel blade and, once complete engagement has been attained, the blade is withdrawn from the box by withdrawal of the handle through the aperture.A blade disposal section is preferably included in the box. The handle aperture of the blade disposal section is provided with a metal edge.

Abstract: A removable deck platform is attached to the stern transom of a boat for extending the effective deck space of the boat rearwardly. Hinges are used to removably attach the deck platform to the transom. Triangular support braces attached to the bottom of the deck platform extend downwardly from the platform and rest against the transom when the platform is in place. A railing extends upwardly around the outer periphery of the platform, and the effective useful length of the boat is enhanced by attaching two rearwardly facing swivel chairs to the upper edge of the stern of the boat.

Abstract: A fluid-blending system supplies a constant preestablished ratio of two or more fluids through a common output conduit over a wide range of variations of the flow rate established through the output conduit by a pump controlling such flow rate. This constant ratio also is maintained in spite of variations in the different head pressures of the fluids supplied to the blender. Separate fluid supply chambers are used for each of the fluids to be blended and are connected in common to the output conduit. The inlet orifices for each of the fluid supply chambers are normally closed by diaphragm-controlled valves mounted in the chambers. The amount of valve opening is controlled by pressure-sensing diaphragms in response to a partial vacuum created by the demand for fluid in the output conduit.

Abstract: An automatic fuel-dispensing system for dispensing fuel at unattended fueling sites includes a number of fuel pumps capable of dispensing different types of fuel. A common control console is used to control the operation of the fuel pumps and to record the data relative to the customer identification, site location and quantity of fuel used. The control console includes a card reader, and a customer inserts a card which uniquely identifies him into the reader, enters an odometer reading, and selects a pushbutton for the fuel pump from which he desires to obtain fuel. If a validity check of the card against preset validity check data fails, a red invalid panel indicator illuminates on the control console; and no product can be withdrawn from the selected dispenser. If the inserted card passes the validity checks, the odometer reading and customer identification data is stored in a RAM memory uniquely associated with the selected dispenser.

Abstract: A closure for sliding arcadia doors utilizes a pair of telescoping tubes biased to their telescoped or closed position by an internal interconnecting tension spring and employs a pneumatic system and a bleeder valve to control the rate of closing or telescoping of the tubes once they have been opened against the bias of the tension spring. A locking mechanism uses a locking bar and a pair of brackets, one connected to the corner of the door frame and the other mounted on the door for movement with it, (1) to lock the door closed, (2) permit the door to be opened using the door closer so that it is automatically closed by the closer, or (3) to permit the door to be used in its normal manner as if the door closer was not present.

Abstract: An electromagnetically controlled clutch is used to engage and disengage the cooling fan of a water cooled motor vehicle engine. The clutch and fan assembly in the form of an adapter kit may be attached to the existing fan mountings normally located on the water pump pulley assembly. The adapter kit includes an extender cylinder which bolts to the existing fan mountings. Bearings are provided inside this cylinder for rotationally free mounting a fan mounting hub supported on a shaft, which is free to rotate within the extender hub. An annular armature is spaced from the pulley assembly and supported around the hub by leaf springs, attached at one end to the hub and at the other end through rigid extender arms to the armature.

Abstract: An arrow quiver particularly suited for use by hunters and worn on the back comprises an open, elongated frame with an abutment at its upper end against which the arrow heads are pressed. The arrows are aligned and spaced from one another by a pair of bridges, the lowermost one of which has a number of spaced slots across it, each slot accomodating the shaft of an arrow. The slots are tapered so that they are narrower on the side facing the upper portion of the quiver and are made of resilient material which overlaps the shaft of an arrow pressed into the slot. The shape of the slots facilitates loading of the arrows into the quiver and sliding them upwardly to permit the heads to rest against the abutment. The taper of the slots, however, impedes movement of arrows through the slots downwardly away from the abutment to hold them firmly in place until removal is desired by pivoting the arrows outwardly out of the slots.

Abstract: A television receiver protection system providing X-ray protection to the viewer responds to rectified horizontal flyback pulses supplied to the gate electrode of a silicon controlled rectifier through a zener diode to trigger the silicon controlled rectifier into conduction when the high voltage level from the flyback transformer of the receiver becomes abnormally high. The silicon controlled rectifier is connected across the power supply for the horizontal oscillator, so that the horizontal oscillator is rendered inoperative when the silicon controlled rectifier becomes conductive.

Abstract: An automobile trunk loading apparatus for loading wheelchairs, outboard motors and the like into the trunk of an automobile comprises a carrier frame on which the object to be located may be removably attached. The frame is connected at the end which is to extend into the interior of the trunk to a pair of chain-like track elements which are constructed of interconnected oppositely facing U-shaped channel links having engaging surfaces to limit the radius of curvature attainable by the chain in the direction extending upwardly from the trunk floor to a minimum radius and to limit the radius of curvature on the opposite side thereof to approximately a straight line. When an object is located in the trunk in a loaded position, the chain-like track elements lie flat on the floor of the trunk. To remove an object, the frame nearest the edge of the trunk is lifted up sufficiently to clear the trunk and then pulled horizontally out of the trunk.

Abstract: A tone pattern generating system for use with an electronic musical instrument, such as an electronic organ, responds to depression of a pedalboard key and a preselected rhythm and chordal pattern in an ROM memory to produce a "walking bass" automatically in response to continued depression of the selected pedal key. The ROM memory may be programmed to produce different tonal and rhythm effects in accordance with the wishes of the musician. In addition, provision is made for starting each rhythm and tonal pattern controlled by the ROM memory at the beginning of the pattern each time a new pedal key is played or released and replaying of the same pedal key is effected by the musician. The system also operates to immediately play the note selected by depression of the pedal key and prevents the production of tones under control of the ROM memory for a predetermined time interval following initial depression or operation of a pedal key.

Abstract: An MOS RAM read/write memory system has thirty-two 1 .times. 512 bit RAM memory chips arranged in a matrix. The system pretests all data bit locations for each address prior to the entry of any data into that address, and automatically skips an address having a faulty data bit location in it. In addition, the system functions, upon reading out of data information from the memory chips, to uniquely identify any faulty MOS RAM memory chip; so that it may be removed and replaced if desired.