Abstract: A vehicle having a boom assembly for applying herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers in fluid form, i.e. as liquid, powders or granules, over tracts of land, has opposite end-portions of the boom projecting away from respective opposite sides of the vehicle. Each end-portion is connected by a universal joint to a central frame which is fixed to the vehicle, and its weight is supported by guys which are tensioned by a spring and interconnect the two boom end-portions. A spring leaf skid is provided under each boom end-portion and bears on the ground only if the vehicle rocks. The guying is so arranged that rocking of the vehicle in one direction causes the slack from the boom end-portion whose skid bears on the ground to be fed to the other boom end-portion so that the spacing from the ground of the two boom end-portions remains acceptably constant despite rocking of the vehicle.

Abstract: Granular cattle feed is normally dispensed manually using pails, sacks or open trucks, or from hoppers. Such methods are usually labor intensive, time consuming and wasteful of feed. A solution to the problem involves a large cylindrical drum having a diameter similar to a round bale, with a plurality of cleats extending across the cylindrical end of the drum between the circular sides thereof for causing the drum to rotate when in contact with the ground, and a large dispensing opening between an adjacent pair of cleats for dispensing elongated piles of feed at spaced apart locations along the path of travel of the drum. The device can be pivotally mounted on the rear end of a truck for movement between an elevated, transport position and a ground engaging, use position.

Abstract: The conventional earpiece for a telephone handset includes a raised outer periphery surrounding a depression, the bottom of which is perforated for facilitating the transmission of sound from a receiver to the ear of the user. During normal usage, the raised periphery of the earpiece presses against the earlobe of a user. If the user is wearing an earring, use of the handset even for a short period of time can be uncomfortable. A simple solution to this problem is to provide a radially extending notch in the raised periphery of the earpiece for accommodating the earlobe and the earring of the user. Preferably the position of the notch can be changed to suit the particular user via a construction in which the notched outer portion is readily rotatable relative to an inner portion attachable to the handset, with the two portions being formed with a cooperating flange and groove arrangement permitting the relative rotation without affecting the attachment of the inner portion to the handset.

Abstract: A golf ball dispenser and tee apparatus includes a cylindrical hopper for carrying a plurality of golf balls, a rotatable disc mounted in the hopper above the floor thereof with a plurality of holes, a cover for covering one of the holes when the hole is aligned with an opening in the floor of the hopper, so that the golf balls are discharged one at a time into an inclined tube, a motor for rotating the disc in the hopper, a coin operated switch for initiating operation of the motor, a gripper mounted on a slide at the end of the inclined tube for gripping a golf ball when actuated by a switch which is operated by the head of a club, and a second motor for moving the slide with the gripper outwardly to a position where the ball is deposited on a tee, and returning the slide and gripper to the rest position for gripping another ball. The gripper is operated by a solenoid and operation of the slide motor is achieved by microswitches.

Abstract: A harvester for plants and weeds, particularly aquatic plants, pulls the plants by winding them onto a rotating, endless cable. Tension in the cable is controlled, and an operative portion of the cable is positionable for varying its height and angle to the horizontal. The harvester is mountable on a boat having an adjustable freeboard and multiple, individually driven, retractable paddle wheels provide maximum maneuverability during use and compactness during transport.

Abstract: An explosion-proof electrical generator includes a generally toroidal casing with one open end and a central circular end wall or plate or cylindrical fan-containing cup extending across and closing the center of the torus; a circular cover closing the open end of the casing; a stator defined by laminated plates and windings located in the annular recess of the casing; and a rotor mounted in the cover and including a shaft, and a bowl-shaped cup carrying a ring of permanent magnets in its side wall, which extends into the casing recess between the stator and the outer side wall of the casing. Cooling fins are provided on the casing and cover for dissipating heat produced in the generator. The generator has a circuitous or small interior flame path for reducing flame temperature and thus the likelihood of fire or explosion outside of the generator.

Abstract: Basement flooding due inter alia, to drain overflow or sump pump failure is a common problem. An apparatus for solving the problem includes a cover for closing a basement floor drain, a tubular casing extending through the cover into the drain, a pair of spaced apart conductors in the casing for completing an electrical circuit when water rises through the open bottom end of the casing to a predetermined level, and a control circuit connected to the conductors and to a solenoid valve in the building water supply pipe for closing the latter, so that no additional water enters the drain to exacerbate an already bad condition. A second pair of spaced apart conductors on the floor of the basement is coupled to the control circuit to give the same response in the presence of floor moisture. An audible alarm is sounded as part of the response to detected water.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing residual water from heavy crude oil comprising a casing, an inlet for admitting liquid crude oil into the casing so as to establish a liquid surface in the casing, an outlet passage for discharging dehydrated liquid crude oil from the casing, a heater in the casing for maintaining the liquid oil at a distillation temperature for evaporating water and light hydrocarbons, a vapor outlet for discharging a mixture of water vapor and light hydrocarbons evaporated from the crude oil, a spray device above the surface of the liquid in the casing for spraying incoming crude oil onto and in heat exchange contact with the surface of the heated oil in the casing, whereby water and light hydrocarbon vapors are distilled from incoming crude oil upon contact with the surface of the heated liquid crude oil.

Abstract: A simple combination handset and headset device includes an elongated, preferably flexible body with a mouthpiece at one end thereof and an earpiece at the other end thereof, and a tubular arm pivotally connected to the mouthpiece for rotation between handset and headset positions, whereby, when the arm lies against the body, the combination can be used in the same manner as a conventional handset, and when the body is extended and the arm rotated, the combination can be used as a headset.

Abstract: A relatively simple, easy to play oil exploration game includes a rectangular parallelepipedic casing with a bottom drawer in one end thereof for carrying the game pieces. A horizontal bottom wall extends between the sides and ends of the casing defining a cover for the drawer. A plurality of partitions or panels are removably mounted in the open top of the casing. The top surface of the uppermost panel defines a playing surface. Each panel has a plurality of spaced apart, vertically aligned, circular openings defining oil wells. Irregularly shaped obstacles defining wet drilling locations or oil-containing wells are slidably mounted on the bottom wall and on the partitions beneath the uppermost panel. Simulated derricks of varying lengths are insertable into the top wall openings to simulate the drilling of wells and indicator pegs are subsequently insertable into drilled wells to indicate the presence or absence of oil.

Abstract: A bracket for supporting an additional vane or vanes on the end of a vertical blind track to hide the blind controls or the side of the window opening containing the blind includes an extensible body defined by slidably interconnected front and rear clips for mounting the bracket on the blind track, and at least one inverted L-shaped arm connected to the body, and extending outwardly and downwardly over the end of the track for carrying the extra vane or vanes.

Abstract: A portable pipe cutter primarily intended for concrete lined pipe includes a pair of annular tracks, which are mounted in fixed, parallel relationship to each other on a pipe, a pair of rectangular plates carrying rollers for movably mounting the plates on the tracks on opposite sides of a pipe to be cut, springs resiliently interconnecting the ends of the plates, a counterweight on one plate, a rotary cutter on the other plate with a blade outside of the plate, and a tension device for adjusting the tension on the blade so that actuation of the cutter causes the device to travel around the pipe while making a cut dependent on tension on the cutter.

Abstract: A multi-function bale handling apparatus for use on small trucks or other farm vehicles is defined by a metal frame, which is mounted on the vehicle, a loading device defined by a prong pivotally mounted on the end of an arm, which is also pivotally mounted on the frame for moving a bale from the ground through an arc in excess of 90.degree. to a transversely extending conveyor belt on the frame, a manually operated gate on one side of the frame so that the bale can be discharged in its entirety for storage or feed, and toothed shredder rollers on the other side of the frame for shredding the bale for discharge in particulate form from the apparatus. The loading device is operated by a pair of hydraulic cylinders for rotating the arm and prong. The conveyor and discharge rollers are driven by a common drive including a hydraulic motor, chains and toothed wheels.

Abstract: In a reusable diaper, it is known to sew layered absorbent material together and apply a variable width fastening system to make an absorbent diaper which does not require folding or pinning. A structurally simple, multi-layered diaper includes a generally rectangular absorbent panel with one flaring end and a pair of laterally extending arms at the other end thereof, a pair of parallel, laterally extending fastener strips on the outer surface of the flared end of the panel to facilitate adjustment in width and length, fastener tabs on the inner surfaces of the arms for coupling with one of the fastener strips to secure the diaper in the use position; and an auxiliary pad, one or both ends of which are connected to the inner surface of the panel, whereby air can circulate around the pad to facilitate faster drying of the laundered diaper.

Abstract: The leaves and stalks of plants have previously been topped using pick-up fingers for raising the leaves and stalks to an elevated more or less vertical position, and blades for cutting the thus elevated plant tops. The plant tops can be elevated more effectively by blowing air against the leaves and stalks simultaneously from opposite sides thereof. A cutter is provided at the trailing end of the streams of air.