Abstract: A fishing line reel refill tool includes a collapsible frame adapted to be secured upon a fishing pole and a shaft for holding a fishing line refill spool. The shaft has an enlarged end and a threaded end, and the frame has aligned openings, one of which is threaded for securing the shaft thereto while also frictionally restraining the refill spool against rotation. The frame provides an internal recess for storing the shaft within the frame when the tool is not in use.
Abstract: A versatile head gear system includes a hat having a vertical wall in which an opening has been made, and a seam formed about the periphery of the opening; one part of a two-part hook-and-pile type fastening means filling the opening and sewed to the seam; a number of cloth panels each of substantially the same size as the opening and bearing a name, logo, character, or other message on one side thereof; and each of the cloth panels having the other part of the two-part fastening means secured on its other side so that it may be attached to the hat when its particular name, logo, or other message has been selected for display with the hat.
Abstract: A powered hand-held rotary tool adapted for preventing an externally manifested reaction torque upon the hand of an operator consists of a housing, a rotor adapted to be driven for rotation relative to the housing, and a planetary differential mechanism having a sun gear coaxial with and driven from the rotor, planetary gears, and a ring gear. The ring gear is rotatable relative to the housing. A first output gear is coaxial with the sun gear and rotatably driven by the planetary gears. An additional output gearing is rotatably supported from the housing on an axis that is laterally offset from the axis of the rotor, and is drivingly engaged by the ring gear. Rotation of the additional gearing in one direction relative to the housing is inhibited.
Abstract: A self-cleaning air filter is formed by placing a flexible filter bag in an upside-down position with its open end firmly supported. Air to be cleaned is pulled upwardly through the bag. When the air stream is shut off, the bag collapses, discharging accumulated particulate material into the space beneath it.
Abstract: A swim-in-place pool has horizontal inner and outer circulating waterways arranged in such manner that a portion of the inner waterway coincides with a portion of the outer waterway. The non-coincident portion of the inner waterway then provides a swimming space. A plurality of impeller blades are suspended in a spaced series within the coinciding portion of the two waterways, each of the blades in its operative condition extending transversely of that waterway and occupying substantially all of its cross-sectional area. A power drive advances the blades in unison along the coinciding portion of the two waterways so that a rather fixed body of water is captured between each two adjacent blades and advanced therewith. A diversion structure adjacent the entry of the non-coincident portion of the inner waterway diverts a continuous flow of water in a relatively non-turbulent state into and through the swimming space.
Abstract: An improved blade member is shown for the type of rotary lawn mower that includes a shroud supported on wheels for horizontally traversing the surface of a lawn, a rotatably driven shaft extending downwardly at the horizontal center of the shroud for rotatably driving a blade assembly, and an opening in the upper part of the shroud for the exit of cuttings from the lawn. The blade member has a central section of circular configuration whose periphery is concentric to a center balance point, means for securing the driving shaft to the member at the center balance point, and three blade arms which are symmetrically circumferentially spaced about the central section and extend radially outwardly therefrom. Each blade arm has its forward side sharpened to form a cutting edge and has a portion of its width adjacent its rearward side inclined upwardly to create an air lift for lifting cuttings toward the exit port.
Abstract: A member having a protruding irregular surface area, a thin and malleable metallic foil member covering a substantial surface portion of the member and secured thereto by an adhesive material, and means securing the otherwise protruding edges of the foil against being pulled loose.
Abstract: An ice box is shown for storing and cooling a spherical container for carbonated drinks, of the type often referred to as a "party ball", which is characterized by a radial protrusion extending from a normally upper surface and having a pair of openings for attachment of a pump thereto. An ice box for storing and transporting a party ball includes a housing for completely surrounding both the party ball and a quantity of ice in which it is packed, a first removable cover forming an opening in the housing for insertion of a pump, and spacers on the interior of the housing maintained in position by the removable cover for ensuring that the pump-attachment protrusion is aligned with the opening. A second removable cover may also be used to provide access to the interior of the housing for adding ice without disturbing the alignment of the pump-attachment protrusion.
Abstract: An apparatus and method for estimating and evaluating acceptability of process variations in a blended meat processing facility. The apparatus implementing the method includes a keyboard, a data storage device, a program storage device, a calculating system and a display device. Information relating to moisture, fat, protein and Added Water are provided to the data storage by an keyboard operator. The calculator in accordance with present functions computes various factors relating to the input data and conducts tests upon the statistical validity of such computations. Providing statistical validity has been maintained, the display device then displays the outputs indicative of the variability of moisture in the blend and in one embodiment is used to control inputs and/or processing steps in the blended meat product to meet preset regulatory requirements.
Abstract: An air flow system for removing airborne particulate material includes a bank of filters through which air is moved in one direction, thus depositing particulate material on an air input side of the filters. A vacuum head associated with a secondary vacuum system is intermittently applied in a reciprocating movement to selected portions of the air input side of the filters for cleaning them, while the remaining portions of the filters continue to operate in the normal manner without interruption. Both the filters and the vacuum head are provided with integrally formed interengaging guide means which facilitate this operation.
Abstract: An indicator circuit for indicating whether the supply voltages of a personal computer are or have been out of tolerance includes window comparators, control circuitry providing each window comparator with a sensed fraction of a particular power supply voltage, and a pair of light emitting diodes of significantly different colors connected in parallel but in opposite polarities. One of the light emitting diodes is normally energized to indicate a normal operating condition, and the other light emitting diode is normally not energized. A latch circuit is provided to switch power from the one LED to the other, to indicate an alarm condition. Output signals from all the window comparators are fed to an OR circuit which in turn controls the latch.
Abstract: When the dollar amount of the transaction is first keyed into a machine, a number intended to indicate the dollar amount is printed onto the document both in an optically readable non-magnetic code and in ordinary numerals. By optically reading the non-magnetic code from the document a set of electronic signals is created which represents the number indicative of the dollar amount, and in direct response to that set of electronic signals the number is then printed onto the document in magnetic ink.
Abstract: A two-part jack system includes a mechanical jack stand with a ratchet mechanism and a ratchet release, and a power unit that may be selectively aligned with and attached to the jack stand for raising or lowering it. A unitary control mechanism carried by the power unit selectively locks the power unit in an aligned position relative to the jack stand, and also selectively releases the ratchet release of the jack stand. A locking mechanism is carried in part by the jack stand and in part by the power unit. The unitary control mechanism has three different operating positions. In one operating position the locking mechanism is kept locked while the ratchet release is left in an unreleased state; in a second operating position the locking mechanism is kept locked while the ratchet release is released; and in the third operating position the locking mechanism is held in an unlocked condition while the ratchet release is left in an unreleased state.
Abstract: Contaminated air is drawn from a relatively enclosed dirty air space and filtered to remove both contaminants and other particulate materials. A main mechanical filter is positioned between the dirty air space and a surrounding environment which is to be protected from contamination. An exhaust fan is positioned on the output side of the main filter, to create a partial vacuum within the dirty air space. An irradiation device is positioned on the output side of the main filter. A secondary vacuum system is utilized to create a secondary vacuum that is substantially stronger than the partial vacuum applied to the main filter, and the secondary vacuum is applied to successive selected portions of the air input side of the main filter for creating a reverse air flow to clean contaminants and other particulate materials which are being continuously deposited there.
Abstract: Apparatus responsive to the operation of a nearby telephone for selectively muting the sound output of a television set, including a ring detection circuit and an off-hook detection circuit coupled in parallel and responsive to either a ringing signal or an off-hook condition of the telephone for delivering an activating signal to a common output, remote-control circuitry selectively operable for muting the sound output of a television set, a controller circuit coupled between the common output and an input of the remote-control circuitry, and manually operated selection switches for providing four different modes of operation.
Abstract: An applicator is utilized in applying a thermoplastic composite filament to a mandrel so as to form a structure. The filament and the surface of the mandrel are caused to move simultaneously and in a common direction relative to the applicator so that the filament is continuously fed from the applicator into engagement with the surface of the mandrel. At least one stream of heated fluid is applied to the filament so that it impinges thereon not only at location preceding the location of the applicator, but also along the length of the filament to and beyond the applicator and up to and including the region where the filament first comes into contact with the mandrel. At the same time a stream of heated fluid is applied directly to the surface of the mandrel within that region so that the mandrel is heated prior to being contacted by the filament.
Abstract: An applicator is utilized in applying a thermoplastic composite filament to a mandrel so as to form a structure. The filament and the surface of the mandrel are caused to move simultaneously and in a common direction relative to the applicator so that the filament is continuously fed from the applicator into engagement with the surface of the mandrel. At least one stream of heated fluid is applied to the filament so that it impinges thereon not only at a location preceding the location of the applicator, but also along the length of the filament to and beyond the applicator and up to and including the region where the filament first comes into contact with the mandrel. At the same time a stream of heated fluid is applied directly to the surface of the mandrel within that region so that the mandrel is heated prior to being contacted by the filament.
Abstract: An extendible jacking apparatus including first, second and third normally vertical frames arranged in telescoping relationship, and containing a locking mechanism for automatically locking the first and second frames together while the third frame is being raised, locking the second and third frames together when the third frame is fully raised, and unlocking the first and second frames to allow extension of the second frame. Conversely, the locking mechanism is automatically reversible as the jack is lowered, unlocking the second and third frames and relocking the first and second frames upon the second frame being fully retracted into the first, allowing the third frame to allow be fully retracted into the first and second frames.