Abstract: An air conditioning system has a compressor for compressing a liquid refrigerant to form a high pressure vapor which is fed to a condenser for cooling the vapor so that it returns to liquid state and fed to an evaporator. In the evaporator, the liquid is transformed back to a vapor which absorbs heat from the surroundings and provides cooled air. A receiver stores extra refrigerant which is used at low ambient temperatures to flood the condenser to facilitate operation at ambient temperatures which are low compared to the ambient temperatures at which the capacity of the system is rated. A shutoff valve is employed to isolate the high and low pressure elements of the system from each other to enable servicing or pumping down of the system.

Abstract: A condiment grinder has a main container with a top rotatable drive portion having Drive arms are rotatably mounted in the bottom portion of the container in a compartment formed between a flat top plate and a flat bottom plate having cutting blades formed therein. The top plate is resiliently urged towards the flat bottom plate by a spring mounted in the container between the drive portion and the top plate. Condiment to be ground is placed in the compartment. The top drive portion is connected to the drive arms such that when the top drive portion is rotated, the drive arms drive the condiment against the cutting blades to effect the grinding action, the ground condiment being passed out from the container.

Abstract: A condiment grinder, which includes a grinder element, which can be adjusted for either coarse or fine grinding. A top piece in the form of a receptacle is connected to the grinder shaft and is employed to rotate the grinder element. The top piece is mounted on the top of the condiment container, which is fabricated of a transparent material such as glass or plastic. The top piece has openings in its bottom, which run into the condiment container. A cover for the top piece has a circular extension along its edge, which can be removably snapped into the top edge of the top piece. The container is refilled with condiment by removing the cover and pouring the condiment into the top piece from where it drops into the container.

Abstract: A cosmetic kit has a backing portion on which there are receptacles for containing cosmetics. Each receptacle contains a cosmetic suitable for use on a different portion of the human face. The receptacles themselves or a mask which overlies the receptacles are in shapes which pictorially represent the portion of the face on which each cosmetic is to be used. Thus the user need merely use the cosmetic in the receptacle pictorially representing the portion of the face on which the cosmetic is to be applied; assuring that the proper cosmetic is used for each portion of the face. The kit may be contained in a carrying case which includes a mirror and a receptacle for cosmetic applicators.

Abstract: A system for the hookup of either a manned or unmanned vehicle with a second vehicle which may be refueling. These vehicles may be both airborne, one airborne and the other on the ground or both on the ground. A probe extending from a first vehicle which may be refueled is joined to a paradrogue or “flycatcher” at the end of a boom on a second vehicle which may be a refueling vehicle. In bringing the probe into the paradrogue an optical sensor on one of the vehicles is employed in conjunction with optical beacons on the other vehicle with the sensor measuring the relative motion between the probe and the paradrogue and generating a control signal for controlling motion of the probe relative to the paradrogue. The positioning of the probe relative to the paradrogue is accurately controlled during the fueling operation by a reeled cable mechanism utilizing a reel which is driven to wind one end of the cable there around to retain the cable in a tensioned state.

Abstract: A drill bit is connected to a drill in a simple and rapid manner and used to drill a hole in a backing which may be of wood, plastic or other material in which threads can readily be formed. A threaded insert which has a slightly greater diameter than the hole is then connected to the drill bit in the same manner as the drill and driven by the drill into the hole. The insert forms matching threads in the walls of the hole so that the insert is threadably attached to the backing. A retainer from which a hook is suspended is formed in the insert to permit the hanging of fixtures on the insert.

Abstract: A device for removably supporting a motorcycle on a vehicle for transportation is formed by a strap assembly which is attached to a pair of risers which support the handlebars on the front wheel of the motorcycle. The strap assembly has a first strap in a bowtie configuration with a pair of closed loops which are joined together at their closed portions. The assembly further has a second strap attached at its center to the closed portions of the loops. Each portion of the linear strap adjacent to a loop is wrapped around one of the risers and then passed through the adjacent loop. The free ends of the strap are firmly attached to the floor of the vehicle to hold the motorcycle in place.

Abstract: A central piece of a drill guide is formed by a pair of opposing boards having elongated slots formed therein. A second pair of boards similar to the first set also has elongated angulated slots formed therein. The slots of the two boards are fitted into each other to form a rectangular angulated channel there between. This channel provides a guide for angulated drilling of a work piece. A board forming a foot piece is removably fitted onto the boards to form a foot rest for holding the guide in position while drilling.

Abstract: A beam for supporting a removable second deck for carrying cargo in a vehicle such as a truck trailer is supported between a pair of opposing tracks on opposite sides of the vehicle. The track has slots formed therein to which the beam is attached. The beam has an end foot on each end. Each foot has a keeper pivotally mounted thereon, the keeper being used to removably attach the foot to the slot. The foot has a notch formed in its bottom surface which engages the bottom edge of the slot. The keeper is spring urged against the foot portion to bring the top portions of the keeper and foot into abutment against each other so that the top of the keeper is in abutment against the top edge of the slot, thereby retaining the foot and keeper in the slot. The foot portion and keeper can be withdrawn from the slot by manually moving the keeper away from the foot against the spring tension.

Abstract: A document and card holder has a semi-rigid backing element. Flexible transparent sheets are mounted on the front and back sides of the backing element. Side and bottom edges of the transparent sheets are attached to the side and bottom edges of the backing element to form pouches for retaining documents and cards. Some of the pouches are formed by transparent sheets mounted over or directly on pouches which are mounted directly on the backing element. The pouches are made of different sizes to accommodate different size documents and cards. Bias cuts are formed in the tops of pouches to facilitate the installation and removal of documents and cards. Two backing elements having pouches installed thereon are hinged together so they can be folded over each other.

Abstract: Sunlight is localized at a solar cell by means of a lens in conjunction with a solar energy trap with very low losses. The lens is a standard magnifying lens which concentrates the sunlight to a spot which is a small percentage of the total area of the lens. The lens is fixed at a tilt angle which is in accordance with the latitude of the site of the solar collection. The daily arc of the sun across the face of the lens produces a smooth arc path of the spot in three dimensional spaces. At or near the smooth arc in space, a guide which may be a secondary mirror surface or an opening guides the light into a solar trap. The solar trap is a fully mirrored enclosed space which permits light to enter but not leave the trap. The light in the trap is guided to a solar cell within the trap with reflected and scattered light being absorbed by the solar cell.

Abstract: A liquid having certain undesired elements therein is distilled in a distillation column to form a vapor stream. This vapor stream is fed by means of an inert gas drive to a first container having an array of semi-permeable screens which are rotated at a speed of 3,000-10,000 rpm to generate vertical spiral vortexes which act on the vapor to separate out heavier impurities. An inert gas is employed to drive the vapor stream from the first container to the bottom of a second container having a narrower diameter array of semi-permeable screens, these screens being driven at a velocity of 6000-100,000 rpm. In the second container, the molecular species is separated from the main vapor stream by virtue of the exposure of the vapor to large centrifugal gravity forces generated by the horizontal velocity vectors of the rotating screens.

Abstract: An exercise machine has seat and back rest portions which are hinged to each other and independently pivotally supported on a support frame. The seat and the back rest portions are initially in a horizontal position to enable the user to exercise in a lying down position. The seat has an adjuster by means of which it can be angularly lowered to any one of a number of positions with the rear portion lowered more than the front portion. The front portion of the back rest which is hinged to the rear of the seat is lowered along with the seat to bring the back rest to the selected upwardly angulated position. A pair of lever arms are connected together at their inner ends and extend angularly outwardly from each other. Weights are connected to the inner ends and handles are connected to the outer ends for grasping by the user. Height adjusters are provided on the handles and arms to enable adjustment for persons of different sizes.

Abstract: A device for grinding spices such as salt, pepper, cinnamon, etc. has a grinder rotor which has a removable keeper member which facilitates the ready removal of the rotor for cleaning or replacement. The grinder elements are made of ceramic material such as alumina silicate which eliminates the possibility of corrosion or rusting as with metal parts. The mill provides dual grinding action by utilizing separate grinding elements to provide either coarse grinding or fine grinding, as may be desired. For coarse grinding, the condiment only passes through the coarse grinding element while for fine grinding, the condiment first passes through the coarse grinding element and then passes through the fine grinding element.

Abstract: A mounting device has a base portion which is fixedly attached to a cargo load to be supported on a track having spaced apart cutout portions which are connected to each other by lip portions. The mounting device has spaced apart tension lugs which fit within the spaced cutout portions of the track. The mounting device further has a post and arms which fit within track cutout and lip portions. Attached to the tension lugs is a connector member for slidably connecting the tension lugs to the base portion. A pin member is installed in the base portion, this pin member preventing the tension lugs from being withdrawn from the base portion. A screw is installed in the base member, which retains the tension lugs in a fixed position when tightened down into a notch formed in the connector member.

Abstract: A plurality of rail assemblies are used for supporting cargo on the floor of a vehicle. Each rail assembly has two main parts, a cross track and a compression bar which are connected together. One free end of the compression bar has shear lugs which are fitted into a track having cutout portions separated from each other by lip portions which is attached to the vehicle floor. The other end of the cross track is attached to one end of the compression bar. The other end of the compression bar abuts against a tube member attached to the vehicle floor. Each rail assembly is attached at points between is ends to a pair of cross rails. Rollers along which the pallet on which the cargo is loaded and can be moved are attached to the cross tracks. The pallet is retained in position on the rail assemblies by mean of manually operable latch devices installed one each of the cross tracks of the rail assemblies which have tongues which fit into cavities in the pallet in response to manual actuation.