Abstract: A unique coulter has a flat band adjacent the peripheral cutting edge to form a slot. Inwardly of this flat band, and on one side of the coulter blade is an inclined compacting surface. The outer, cutting edge of the coulter enters the soil first and as the machine moves forward the compacting surface of the coulter is brought into engagement with one wall of the partially formed slot to firm the soil adjacent the top of the wall. At the rear of the coulter, behind the compacting surface, there is a delivery chute or tube for depositing the fertilizer into the slot formed by the coulter.

Abstract: A pipe coupling stiffener is adapted for insertion in each open end of first and second pipes being connected in a sealed manner in a water or sewer line for reinforcing the pipe connection without affecting flow characteristics of a medium carried by the connected pipes. The pipe coupling stiffener includes a generally cylindrical member open at both ends and having a slot extending the length thereof, where the slot is defined by first and second spaced inner edges with the first edge extending transversely relative to opposed ends of the cylindrical member, while the second edge is oriented at a non-transverse angle to form a single-tapered slot. The pipe coupling stiffener further includes a single-tapered wedge adapted for tight-fitting insertion in the cylindrical member's lengthwise slot. The wedge includes curvilinear outer and inner plates having the same curvature as the cylindrical member and an intermediate plate disposed between and attached to the outer and inner plates.

Abstract: A bearing puller for removing from a shaft a bearing having a tapered eccentric flange on its inner race includes a cylindrical tube disposed within an outer cylindrical housing. The puller tube is capable of sliding displacement within and along a portion of the length of the outer housing and includes a first end having outer threads for engaging and maintaining a puller nut on a first end of the housing. The puller nut includes a threaded aperture on an end thereof for receiving a draw bolt which is inserted in the housing and extends to a second opposed end thereof. A second end of the sliding puller tube includes a peripheral flange for engaging first and second paired split jaw members each having a respective inner tapered flange on a distal end thereof for engaging the tapered flange on the bearing's inner race.

Abstract: A sole and heel structure is provided. The structure includes an outsole having interior and ground contacting surfaces, a pocket-forming midsole overlying the outsole having an outsole-facing surface and an interior surface, first and second bulges projecting from the interior surface of the midsole away from the ground contacting surface and defining first and second cavities opening at the outsole-facing surface. The first and second bulges respectively cooperate with substantially flat portions of the outsole to respectively define first and second pockets. The structure also includes a cushioning midsole having first and second holes and an outsole-facing surface and a foot-facing surface. The first and second bulges respectively project into the first and second holes.

Abstract: A table particularly adapted for use by as many as four students in a science laboratory includes an elongated, curvilinear, flat countertop mounted to a movable support member on a fixed base. The curvilinear shape of the countertop affords flexibility in student seating and permits the table to be employed equally as well for laboratory experiments and for lectures. The support member can be raised and lowered by either a manual crank assembly or an electric motor for adjusting the height of the countertop. Disposed on the countertop is a turret assembly including a rotating base extending through a circular aperture in the countertop for housing a computer, which can be rotated 240.degree. for viewing from all locations on the countertop. A semi-circular shaped sink is mounted to the fixed base in a cantilevered manner and includes a dual-radius service ledge having water and gas fixtures mounted thereto.

Abstract: A replaceable, flexible and resilient grip is slidably fitted over a generally cylindrical handle portion of a power hand tool housing. In one embodiment, for use with a pistol grip housing with a separable end cap, the grip has a flange which is clamped between the end cap and the barrel of the housing and has lugs which fit in recesses in the barrel and end cap. The grip also has a strap portion which fits between the trigger and the barrel and a flange which fits in a groove adjacent to the barrel. In another embodiment, the tool has an air exhaust port adjacent to the handle portion and the grip defines an exhaust air passage alongside the handle portion, the grip being held in place by a retaining plate.

Abstract: A hitch anchoring assembly for use in securing and anchoring a vehicle to a flatbed is described. The anchoring assembly includes a mounting assembly portion secured to the flatbed of the vehicle. The mounting assembly is adapted to fixedly mount a vertical support member. A vertically adjustable jaw portion is provided which is engageable with the vertical support member. The jaw portion includes upper and lower jaw plate members which define a gap between the members and each plate member includes complementary elongated aligned openings. A pin member is inserted through the elongated aligned openings to fixedly secure the vehicle's hitch plate to the anchoring assembly.

Abstract: A 213 nm laser beam is capable of single photon ablative photodecomposition for the removal of a polymer or biological material substrate. Breaking the molecular bonds and displacing the molecules away from the substrate in a very short time period results in most of the laser photon energy being carried away by the displaced molecules, thus minimizing thermal damage to the substrate. The incident laser beam may be unfocussed and is preferably produced by quintupling the 1064 nm radiation from a Nd:YAG solid state laser, i.e., at 213 nm. In one application, the 213 nm laser beam is expanded in cross section and directed through a plurality of small beta barium borate (BBO) crystals for increasing the energy per photon of the laser radiation directed onto the substrate. The BBO crystals are arranged in a crystal matrix array to provide a large laser beam transmission area capable of accommodating high energy laser radiation without damaging the BBO crystals.

Abstract: A rotating cylinder is used with a complementary fixed concave in a combine to separate grain from the leafy portion of the plant. The elongated cylinder is comprised of a plurality of aligned star-shaped hubs disposed in a spaced manner along its length. An elongated, linear raspbar is attached to each "point" of the aligned star-shaped hubs and extends the length of the cylinder for engaging and urging the plant against the concave and separating the grain from the plant's leafy portion. A flat elongated filler plate is disposed between each pair of adjacent raspbars for preventing the grain and crop residue from entering the hollow cylinder and for displacing the grain and crop residue rearwardly along the concave where it is discharged onto another combine grain processing and separation stage. The flat profile of the filler's plate prevents the grain and crop residue from remaining on the surface of the rotating cylinder for improved grain threshing.

Abstract: In a shadow mask employed as a color selection electrode in a multi-electron beam color cathode ray tube (CRT), the surface area of the mask is reduced by increasing the length of the individual elongated beam passing apertures, or slots, while reducing the ratio of the width of the bridge portion of the mask between adjacent apertures to the length of the aperture. Increasing the length of the apertures while reducing the ratio of bridge width to aperture length reduces the surface area of the mask upon which energetic electrons are incident resulting in a corresponding reduction in thermal deformation, or doming, of the shadow mask. Reduction in shadow mask doming results in reduced landing shift of the electron beams incident on phosphor elements disposed on the inner surface of the CRT's display screen for improved video image brightness and color purity. More specifically, in a shadow mask having a thickness in the range of 0.12-0.

Abstract: A compact fluorescent lamp and an electronic ballast therefor are mounted on a three-terminal base which can be fitted into a three-way-switched standard AC lamp socket, so as to be responsive to the three powered switch positions of the socket for generating three light output levels. The ballast includes an AC-to-DC conversion circuit which supplies a lamp driver including a DC-to-AC conversion circuit, an oscillatory circuit and a resonant circuit. In one embodiment the AC-to-DC conversion circuit includes a full bridge rectifier and a voltage doubler producing two operating voltage levels for the lamp driver and two frequency control voltage levels for the oscillator, the ballast generating three light output levels by using two operating voltages and two operating frequencies.

Abstract: A knock-down cart for pressurized gas cylinders has a castered base defining a platform with an aperture formed centrally therethrough. An elongated mast is formed by vertical posts spaced by cross bars and having an upper end receivable through the platform aperture from the bottom thereof, and coupling structure fixed to the lower end of the mast and dimensioned to prevent passage through the aperture and bolted to the base. A retaining frame includes two H-frames respectively U-bolted to the mast posts above the base and having their ends interconnected by end rails secured by bolts to nuts fixed to the cross members. A manifold support is U-bolted to one of the mast posts above the retaining frame, and a cover has a central aperture receiving the mast therethrough and is U-bolted to the mast posts above the manifold support.

Abstract: A hand tool has an elongated shank with a handle at one end and a bit holder at the other end, the bit holder including a cylindrical body having a distal end surface and an axis, the body having an axial bore formed in the end surface of non-circular transverse cross section and terminating at an inner end surface. A neodymium permanent magnet is freely received in the bore and retained against the inner end surface by a thin circular retainer, formed of metal or plastic, which is interference-fitted in the bore. Both flat, disk-like and concave, bowl-shaped retainers are disclosed. A shock-absorbing cushion may be disposed between the magnet and the inner end surface of the bore. A bit formed of magnetizable material is mateably received in a socket portion of the bore and retained in place by the magnet. The portion of the bore receiving the magnet may have a different cross section from the socket portion. The magnet may be disposed in an encapsulation which interference fits in the bore.