Abstract: A bucket for digging a ditch by moving the bucket longitudinally of the proposed ditch, rather than in the usual transverse direction, includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall and a pair of side walls diverging forwardly from the rear wall to an open front end of the bucket, one of the side walls being planar and defining a sharp corner with the bottom wall, the other side wall having a curved bottom end whereby a round bottom ditch can be formed by dragging the sharp corner through the soil longitudinally of the proposed ditch in a first pass, and then making a second pass through the soil using the curved end of the bucket.

Abstract: The majority of currently available, submersible swimming pool cleaners operate in a random manner, i.e. follow no set path of travel along the bottom of a swimming pool. The result is that a lengthy period of time and large power consumption are required to clean an entire swimming pool. This problem is solved by a swimming pool cleaner of the submersible type including a casing which tapers from one end to the other thereof, a pair of wheels at the wide end of the casing, a single wheel at the narrow end of the casing, a drive system for driving each of the wheels, a cable for connecting the cleaner to a fixed point on one side of the pool, a cable tensioning device in the casing for changing the length and tension on the cable whereby the cleaner is caused to follow a predetermined path of travel over the entire inside area of the swimming pool.

Abstract: The control of weed trees in reforestation areas is expensive chemical herbicides and falling into disfavour and ultimately may be banned completely. Moreover, the application of herbicides is labor intensive. A simple, effective solution to the problem is to use a biological method of controlling weed trees in which a wooden charge containing a fungus capable of killing the trees is injected into the trees. Preferably the fungus is indigenous to the area of the trees being treated. Red Alder can be effectively controlled using the fungus Nectria ditissima.

Abstract: In general, it is difficult to mold properly sized automotive boots without flash to be removed from the top end thereof. In accordance with the present invention, such molding is achieved placing a tubular parison between a pair of mold halves, moving a blow pin assembly downwardly partly into the top end of the parison, closing the mold by moving the mold halves together, using fingers to stretch the open bottom end of the parison, moving a sizing mandrel into the bottom end of the parison, closing inserts on the bottom of the mold around the bottom end of the parison to size the latter, blowing the parison using air under pressure discharged from the blow pin, moving the blow pin assembly farther down into the parison to size and cut the top end of the parison, opening the inserts and removing the lower sizing mandrel, opening the mold, closing the stretching fingers, and removing the blow pin assembly from the boot, which is stripped from the mold.

Abstract: In general, sound resonators or mufflers are bulky self-contained metal bodies, which are expensive to produce and to install in an engine intake or exhaust system. A relatively simple substitute, which can be tailor made to attenuate sound at various frequencies include two arcuate casing sections which are interconnected along one side edge by a hinge, so that the sections can be wrapped around an engine air intake tube, a latch on the other side edges of the sections for securing the sections together to form a sleeve around and coaxial with the tube, an inlet nozzle on the interior of each section for extending into the tube, and partitions extending between the inner and outer surfaces of each section for defining elongated, tortuous, sound attenuating passages.

Abstract: In the production of foamed plastic articles using a screw extruder, it is known to introduce a gaseous foaming agent into the plastic while the latter is passing through the extruder. It has been found that a foamed thermoplastic with pores or cells of uniform size and distribution can be produced by passing a gaseous foaming agent, e.g. nitrogen gas through a central passage extending substantially the entire length of the extruder screw, discharging the agent into the thermoplastic proximate the discharge end of the extruder, and mixing the foaming agent with the plastic immediately prior to discharge of the mixture into a mold.

Abstract: In general, used thermoplastic liquid containers such as oil and solvent bottles are discarded. When recycling oil bottles, the usual practice is to wash the bottles with a solvent to remove oil therefrom. Washing of the bottles results in large quantities of used, oil-containing solvent, which present a disposal problem. A simple solution to the problem of recycling liquid containers with no preliminary washing or cleaning operation includes the steps of tumbling the bottles to promote liquid separation, shredding the bottles into small pieces and draining the liquid therefrom, grinding the pieces of plastic to yield a particulate thermoplastic, and mixing the particulate thermoplastic and any liquid remaining therein with an additive, e.g. an oil absorbent and a filler such as calcium carbonate, glass, mica or talc, and when the liquid is an oil, an absorbent to produce an extrudable mixture which can be used to form new containers.

Abstract: A relatively simple, collapsible garbage bag holder of the type for use outdoors includes an annular frame with a outer peripheral groove therein for receiving a split ring, which is used to releasably retain the top end of a garbage bag on the frame, legs releasably connected to the frame for holding the latter above the ground, a pair of handles on the free ends of the split ring for rotating the ring around a hinge on the opposite side of the frame between an open bag receiving position and a closed position, and a triangular latching lever rotatably mounted on one handle with a arcuate slot therein for slidably receiving the other handle, whereby when the lever is rotated the handles are drawn together to tighten the ring against the bag and into the groove.

Abstract: In general, syringes for needleless injectors must be resonably accurately dimensioned, and the barrel of the injector must be formed of metal in order to prevent expansion of the syringe under pressure. A simple alternative is a syringe including an elongated tubular body with one open end and a closed end containing an injection orifice, and a plug slidable in the body with a prong at one end of the plug extending towards the orifice end of the body, the prong carrying an O-ring and an annular seal which prevents squeezing of the O-ring between the body of the syringe and the plug under injection pressures. An alternative form of syringe includes a pair of valves, one of which normally closes the injection orifice, and the other of which is mounted on the plug.

Abstract: A rotary harrow blade assembly for a cultivator of the type including a drawbar for attachment to a towing vehicle, a pair of swing booms pivotally connected to the outer ends of the drawbar, and a plurality of skeletal frames extending rearwardly from the drawbar and booms for carrying packers, the assembly including tracks mounted on the packer frames, an elongated wheel frame suspended from the tracks and being movable therealong for changing the angle of inclination of the wheel frame with respect to the longitudinal axes of the drawbar and booms, and a plurality of toothed wheels mounted in the frame.

Abstract: In general, paper shredders cut paper into narrow strips, and for such purpose, include narrow, somewhat delicate blades. A paper spreader for receiving shredded paper from a shredder, and compacting and cutting the paper into smaller pieces before distributing the paper pieces to a pile includes an outlet chute for receiving shredded paper from a shredder, an auger inclined upwardly and outwardly from the chute for compacting and conveying shredded paper away from the shredder, a deflector plate at the outer top end of the auger for deflecting paper carried by the auger, and a blade on the deflector plate extending tangentially of the auger shaft for cooperating with a sharpened, upwardly tapering auger flight to shear the paper carried by the auger.

Abstract: A structurally simple combination wine bottle carrier and rack includes three wire frames interconnected to define a skeletal, rectangular body with an open top end and partitions for receiving wine bottles, and a pair of U-shaped handles pivotally connected to the ends of the body for rotation of at least one of the handles through an arc in excess of 270.degree. between an abutting carrier position above the center of the body and a rack position in which the handles extend outwardly from the top ends of the body for supporting the latter in a position in which the open top end thereof defines an acute angle with the horizontal for supporting bottles in an inclined position.

Abstract: Pipe cleaning pigs have a relatively short life expectancy and are ill adapted for cleaning any deposits harder than candle wax. A relatively simple solution to these problems involves a pipe cleaning pig including an elongated, one-piece, flexible, cylindrical body with hemispherical ends annular ribs integral with and extending outwardly from the body, longitudinal ribs extending between the annular ribs for strengthening the annular ribs and defining recesses with such annular ribs, and teeth in the recesses for engaging the interior of a pipe when the pig is moved through the pipe under fluid pressure.

Abstract: In general, latch devices for sliding patio doors are complicated and/or intended to lock a door fully closed. A simple device for latching a sliding door or window partly or fully open or fully closed includes a track for mounting on a frame opposite the side edge of a movable door or window panel; a slide for slidable mounting on the track; a bracket for mounting on the edge of the panel at the bottom thereof; a rod pivotally connected to the slide and to the bracket; a bolt slidable in a recess in the slide body which contains a spring for biasing the bolt outwardly against teeth on the track, the teeth normally permitting movement of the slide in one direction on the track so that the door can be closed but not opened; and a pin for insertion through the slide into the bolt to hold the bolt retracted in the slide, so that the door can move freely between the open and closed positions.

Abstract: Removing the draft key from a so-called E-type railway car coupler can be a difficult job. A relatively simple tool for removing a key of the type including a flanged head includes a pair of parallel hydraulic cylinders, a yoke interconnecting one end of the cylinders, piston rods extending out of the other end of the cylinders, a sleeve in the yoke parallel to the cylinders, an elongated shaft for removable mounting in the sleeve, a latch for retaining the shaft in the sleeve, and a socket in the outer free end of the shaft for receiving the head of the key, whereby with the shaft in the sleeve and connected to a key, extension of the piston rods against the coupler pocket pushes the cylinders, and consequently the sleeve and shaft outwardly to pull the key from the coupler.