Abstract: Method and apparatus for leveling or adjusting a power-boat's average angle of bank or list about its roll axis RA regardless of side wind or off-center loading to improve passenger comfort, increase fuel efficiency, and smooth hull passage through waves with reduced pounding. Improved operating characteristics are accomplished by adjusting steering force angle-of-attack of a small fin-rudder mounted under a forward portion of the boat's keel. The boat's heading is maintained by applying an opposite steering force by altering thrust direction of the driving and steering mechanism. Altering thrust direction occurs either by a pilot steering the helm or automatically by adjusting thrust direction independently of pilot steering. In an optional automatic mode, an electronic gravity inclinometer adjusts a fin-rudder servo. An electronic filter processes the inclinometer signal to control the boat's average attitude around its roll axis RA.

Abstract: Permanent-magnetic hydrodynamic methods and apparatus stabilize a moving, flexible, thin-gauge, heat-conducting, magnetically soft ferromagnetic casting belt against thermal distortion while moving along a mold cavity being heated at its front surface by heat coming from molten metal being cast while being cooled at its reverse surface by flowing pumped liquid coolant. Hydro-magnetic devices are arranged in an array wherein flows of pumped coolant pass through fixedly throttling passageways feeding pressure pockets facing the belt's reverse surface. These pockets are shown rimmed by magnetic pole faces. Coolant issues from the pressure pockets as fast-moving films radiating therefrom and travelling in gaps between the belt's reverse surface and the pole faces.

Abstract: Edge-dam blocks assembled with their upstream faces in keyed mating interengagement with downstream faces of adjacent blocks form an endless edge dam revolvable in a preselected path for defining a boundary of a moving-mold casting region. The edge dam keeps molten metal in the casting region. Upstream and downstream faces of adjacent blocks have mutually complementary shapes for minimizing intrusion of molten metal between abutting blocks. Keying engagement between abutting blocks prevents relative translational slippage of blocks toward or away from molten metal. An abuttable face on each block has at least one protrusion such as an integral elongated key extending perpendicularly to a casting belt associated with the casting region, or the protrusion includes two round pins having projecting tapered ends. Another abuttable face has a recess such as a keyway for snugly receiving a key on an adjacent block or has two tapered recesses for snugly receiving two tapered projections of an adjacent block.

Abstract: A radial-flow, wide-pouring molten-metal distributor comprising a curved or arcuate overflow weir which is normally horizontal on its top and which is concave on its upstream side as viewed from above. Over this arc-shaped overflow weir flows molten metal to be continuously cast in an open pool. An impetus is thereby imparted to the molten metal along diverging radial lines. The flow so impelled continues radially onto a horizontal apron. The flow spreads fanwise to the desired width which may be as much as six times the width of the weir. Thence, the metal cascades or flows uniformly into the casting apparatus. The overflow weir is preferably supplemented by a skimmer mounted above it in substantially uniform spaced aligned relationship, thereby completing a slot beneath the skimmer through which the molten metal flows. When employed for the casting of wide, thin product, the invention results in a far more uniform and gentle distribution of metal than heretofore available.

Abstract: Banding apparatus in various embodiments include accelerator members for accelerating plastic bands downstream along a floating mandrel for propelling them at high speed with significant kinetic energy in being ejected off from an end of the mandrel toward and around articles to be banded. In one apparatus belts accelerate elongated label bands to more than 1,000 feet per minute. The peripheries of tear-off rollers turn continuously at a first speed for tearing successive bands off from perforated plastic tubing which may be pre-perforated label tubing. Alternatively, plastic tubing may be perforated during operation by continuously feeding flattened tubing between perforator and anvil rollers positioned upstream from the mandrel. Accelerator members shown as rollers or as revolving belts have repetitive first and second peripheral speeds alternating with each other in cycles.

Abstract: Elongated finned backup rollers have multiple magnetized fins for rolling contact with a moving endless, flexible, thin-gauge, heat-conducting, magnetically soft ferromagnetic casting belt for guiding and stabilizing the belt against thermal distortion while it moves along the mold cavity being heated at its front surface by heat from molten metal while being cooled at its reverse surface by flowing liquid coolant. Each finned backup roller includes an elongated, non-magnetic shaft rotatable around its axis and having multiple annular fins of magnetically soft ferromagnetic material fitted onto the shaft spaced along the shaft. The fins have circular perimeter rims for rolling contact with the reverse surface of a belt. Intervening collar shaped reach-out permanent magnets are mounted on the shaft between successive fins. The fins and reach-out collar magnets alternate in sequence along the length of the roller. The reach-out collar magnets are magnetized in a direction parallel with the axis of the roller.

Abstract: A face shield for a helmet comprises a body with an opening, an inner lens mounted in the body opening and a weather lens releasably mountable over the inner lens. The weather lens has a gasket around its perimeter which spaces the weather lens from the inner lens to form an insulating air gap between the inner lens and the weather lens. The weather lens is made of translucent material to selectively filter the light passing through the lens. The inner lens is recessed in the body so that the weather lens is generally flush with the outer surface of the body. Each side edge of the weather lens is provided with one of a hook and loop fastener and the inner lens has the complimentary fastener portion for mounting the weather lens to the inner lens.

Abstract: A trouble-shooting shut-off valve includes an inlet-tail-tube mountable directly into a compression-fitting outlet socket of a defective shut-off valve, thus positioning the trouble-shooting valve immediately downstream from the defective valve in line in series with the defective valve. An inlet-tail-tube fitting is mounted onto an upstream end of the valve housing as a component of the valve. This fitting has an axial bore forming an upstream extension of an inlet passage in the valve housing. The inlet-tail-tube projects axially from this fitting adapted for insertion directly into such a socket in the defective valve. The inlet-tail-tube has a diameter equal to the outside diameter of flexible plumbing tubing, referred to as flex tube, and is formed of material suitable for making a compression connection thereto. An inlet end termination of the inlet-tail-tube is flat for seating down squarely into the outlet socket of the defective valve.