Abstract: Track rail joint assemblies with nut and bolt fasteners are disclosed in which a nut restraining plate is interposed on the bolt between the nut and the joint bar. The plate is provided with one or more bendable tabs adjacent the bolt of hole which are bent away from the joint bar against the nut after the nut has been tightened down to effectively lock the nut into position and prevent loosening rotation tended to be caused by vibrational forces of railroad equipment passing over the joint. The plate is formed with the tabs slightly bent to permit bending tools to be slipped over the tabs when the plate is in position under the tightened down nut.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for spraying water-borne emulsion topcoat finish materials with gloss and clarity equivalent to solvent-based topcoat materials irrespective of ambient conditions. One or more secondary water atomizing sprays are positioned laterally of the primary emulsion spray nozzle to lay down a mist layer underneath or on top or, preferably, both underneath and on top of the emulsion topcoat layer to retard premature coalescence of the emulsion particles thus permitting release of air bubbles entrained in the emulsion film during the spraying process. The water mist spray is preferably not intermingled with the emulsion spray in the space between the spray nozzles and finish surface but kept close enough to the emulsion spray to avoid significant coalescence of the emulsion film before the entrained air bubbles are released.

Abstract: A monitor for a vapor compression refrigerant system that accumulates contaminant gases generated in an operating system and provides a readout indicative of the presence of significant amounts of contaminant gases which readout serves to provide an indication of an incipient malfunction of the refrigerant system. Embodiments are disclosed which provide selective accumulation and/or analysis of contaminant gases to provide an indication of both the existence and general nature of the incipient malfunction.

Abstract: A security guard for mounting to a frame of a window opening in a building includes an elongated channel bar having a plurality of mounting pins secured to one end thereof and a key actuated lock visible and operable only from the interior of the building mounted within the confined flanged area of the bar at the opposite end thereof, the mounting pins and the retractable dead bolt of the lock cooperative with adjacent window frame structure to securely but releasably retain the channel bar in position next to the window on the interior side thereof. The spaced pins prohibit the bar from being rotated and an additional lock cover member mounted to the bar substantially coextensive of the lock protects the lock from external tampering. Suitable grill work or the like may be mounted to and supported by the channel bar.

Abstract: A device for transporting objects vertically and in a helical pattern into and out of a pool of water or similar liquid including carrier means, hydraulic cylinder means adapted to receive the carrier means and be activated by a selected fluid at a selected pressure, guide means carried by the cylinder and adapted to follow a helical elongated cam means as the cylinder is moved vertically along the cam means into and out of the pool of liquid, frame means connecting the hydraulic cylinder and cam means to the structure of the pool. Pressurized fluid supply means are provided to selectively supply fluid at a selected pressure to the hydraulic means whereby the carrier can be lowered into or raised out of the pool while being rotated through an arc during a portion of the upward and downward travel of the hydraulic cylinder.

Abstract: A carpenter's door clamp device with two clamping segments hinged together so as to pivot apart for insertion and removal of the door. Fulcrum spacers are mounted on the bottom of one or both clamp segments to enable the clamp to operate by the weight of the door and also to permit quick opening and closing of the clamp by simply applying and removing foot pressure at the outer end of the clamp segment.

Abstract: A reinforcement for increasing the resistance of the bottom front portion of refrigerator cabinet liners subject to impact damage, including a reinforcing strip secured to the vulnerable liner surface area by means of an adhesive foam strip, securing the strip to the liner surface and acting as a shock-absorbing cushion. The reinforcement is added either to undamaged liners to increase resistance to impact damage or as a field repair method to repair liners which have been damaged.

Abstract: A microwave oven circuit includes a magnetron power transformer and a duty cycle controlled switching element connected to periodically energize the power transformer from an AC power source. Due to the effects of power source loading, the available AC voltage drops during those intervals when the power transformer is energized. This undesirably causes cyclical variation in the operation of certain constantly energized load devices such as the oven lamp and the motor for the blower which provides cooling air for the magnetron. To minimize the undesirable voltage variation, a low voltage secondary winding on the magnetron power transformer is connected in series with the constantly energized load device and properly phased to provide a voltage boost upon energization of the power transformer. Preferably, the low voltage secondary winding is an otherwise unused winding originally intended to be a magnetron filament winding. As a result, very little additional cost is involved.

Abstract: A roasting oven having a broiling element near the top of the oven liner and a rotisserie spit adapted to be supported in an elevated position from a wire frame in a broil pan seated on an oven rack. The spit is provided with a food-supporting wire basket that is attached to the spit adjacent one side edge of the basket. The basket is positioned horizontally in the oven, closely adjacent the underside of the broiling element. One end of the spit is fitted into a chuck positioned through the back wall of the oven. The chuck is driven by an oscillatory motor-drive mechanism mounted behind the oven liner, there being a long dwell period after each short oscillating movement. Hence, the food basket is capable of being inverted by the action of a downward swinging oscillating movement through an angle of 180.degree. so as to broil both sides of the food in the basket at a distance closely adjacent the broiling element.

Abstract: A single sheet of metal is stamped to provide portions which form the top, side and bottom outer walls of the refrigerator cabinet and portions which form the top, side and bottom inner walls of the cabinet. This single sheet of metal is stamped in the same operation to include a plurality of perforations in an elongated section thereof extending lengthwise of the sheet between the portions which form the outer wall and the portions which form the inner wall. This same elongated section is further shaped to provide a groove of arcuate cross-section extending substantially the length thereof. The single sheet of metal is then bent to form in one operation the top, side and bottom outer walls of the refrigerator and the top, side and bottom inner walls of the refrigerator, the elongated perforated section framing the door opening of the refrigerator, the perforations retarding heat transfer from the outer walls.

Abstract: A combined microwave and self-cleaning oven has a choke surrounding the oven liner with the opening of the choke cavity adjacent the lip of the liner. The choke cavity has a rib at each of several groundpoints to trap air within the cavity. This trapped air thermally insulates the oven liner lip region so that pyrolytic self-cleaning of the oven can be accomplished without the aid of a mullion heater. For best electrical effectiveness, the choke groundpoints are preferably spaced a distance of between one-half and one wavelength.

Abstract: A variable speed drive system for a clothes dryer having a driven rotatable drum wherein the drum may be rotated at high speed, low speed, or no speed during operation of the machine. There is provided an improved mechanism for transmitting torque between a driving rotatable member and the driven rotatable drum through an endless drive belt. The driving rotatable member has a first diameter area and a second diameter area, the first area having a greater diameter than the second. There are two pulley assemblies each being pivotable about each of the first and second diameter areas and each having a drive belt. A shift mechanism for controlling the three modes of drum operation is provided which includes capability to rotate selectively each of the pulley assemblies about the driving member which causes one or both of the drive belts to slip to accomplish the desired mode of drum operation.

Abstract: An improved additive dispensing system for sequentially dispensing a plurality of treating agents into the wash tub of an automatic fabric washing machine at predetermined times during the washing cycle. A plurality of compartments are provided for retaining the various laundry additives to be dispensed into the wash tub. A liquid flow diversion arrangement having a diverter for selectively diverting liquid into pre-selected dispenser compartments is provided and includes a pivotal body with a liquid inlet at one end connected to a water inlet and a nozzle at the other end in liquid flow communication with the dispenser.

Abstract: A disconnect switch or hot wire relay for use with a ground fault circuit interrupter in a power circuit to a load, such as an electric range, to provide ground fault protection for any circuit of the range. The switch has normally closed switch contacts, a biased actuator plunger for opening the contacts, a latching member for disabling the plunger, and an adjustable hot wire for releasing the latch and hence the plunger when the circuit is overloaded. The plunger of the switch is manually resettable from a remote position. The reset mechanism has an anti-tease or trip-free feature which prevents the operator from holding the disconnect contacts closed while a fault is present in the circuit.

Abstract: A refrigerator structural support is provided by permitting polyurethane foam reactant material to impregnate a body of fibrous material and to subsequently harden. The result is a third material having desirable stiffening and support characteristics. Various means are disclosed for controlling and advantageously using the result of the impregnation of fibrous material by foam reactant material.

Abstract: A substantially constant voltage is maintained across a negative temperature coefficient thermistor having an exponential resistance-temperature characteristic. The resultant current through the thermistor is an exponential function of sensed temperature. In response to this current through the thermistor, current is supplied to a forwardly biased decoder diode having a corresponding exponential current-voltage characteristic so that the resultant voltage across the decoder diode is a substantially linear function of sensed temperature.

Abstract: In an air conditioning system for selectably heating and cooling an enclosed space under control of a room thermostat, dew point temperature of ambient air in the space is maintained below a preselected maximum value by modified use of the heating and cooling apparatus without separate humidity control. For this purpose the cooling apparatus is controlled by a sensor responsive to absolute moisture content in parallel with the normal thermostat control. Energy is further conserved by night set-back of the thermostat with cooling apparatus normally disabled in night set-back.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-contained air conditioning unit including a reversible refrigeration system and more particularly to a control system having a plurality of sensing means that are effective in maintaining operation of the unit in a heat pump mode when the ambient and the surface temperature of selected refrigeration components are above a preselected frosting temperature.

Abstract: A motor mounting arrangement including a ring motor support member secured to the motor. The motor support member has formed integral therewith a plurality of heat dissipating fins for conducting heat away from the motor. Also formed integral with the motor support member are a plurality of arm support elements that are adapted to receive one end portion of cooperating support arms. The other end of the support arms being conveniently secured to a housing wall portion.

Abstract: A rear support structure for a cabinet is disclosed. The support structure includes provision for automatically adjusting the level of the rear of a cabinet to compensate for a supporting surface which slopes from side to side. The support structure comprises mounting means affixed to the rear, underside of the cabinet and extending transversely of the cabinet. In a preferred embodiment, a cylindrical roller having an axial bore therein encircles an axle and is rotatable on the axle to facilitate movement of the cabinet. Either the axle or the bore of the roller or both are arcuate in shape lengthwise of the roller to permit tilting of the roller relative to the axle which in turn permits tilting of the rear of the cabinet with respect to the supporting surface while insuring that the full length of the roller contacts the supporting surface.In another embodiment, the rear support structure comprises an ellipsoidal member mounted to a channel member affixed to the rear of the cabinet.