Abstract: An improved crankshaft connecting rod mechanism provides altered reciprocating motion of a piston attached to the connecting rods. The basic mechanism includes two, geared-together, counter-rotating crankshafts which are transversely aligned along parallel axes of rotation and symmetrically spaced apart. Two connecting rods are similarly aligned and have both ends on one side of the axis of linear reciprocation of a connected piston. The shafts of the two connecting rods are preferably displaced ("bent" in the lateral profile) toward the centerline. This bend in the connecting rod shafts may be of such a magnitude that they overlap during a portion of their motion by nesting together, utilizing male/female profiles on their inner side surfaces. The big ends of the two connecting rods may also be constructed so that they overlap. The connecting rods may have an arced profile that may be designed to flex during tension and compression during the reciprocating cycle of the piston.

Abstract: An apparatus provides automatic lacing of hairpin tubes through the holes of a heat exchanger fin stack. This apparatus includes a plurality of identical extendable guide rods, each positioned in approximate alignment to engage an open end of a respective heat exchanger tube which is positioned adjacent to a respective fin stack hole. The plurality of guide rods are extended in unison through the holes of the heat exchanger fin stack to positions within the open ends of the hairpin tubes. Lead guides are located toward the end of each guide rod. The lead guides have forward and backward tapered surfaces extending from a central portion of maximum diameter. The lead guides ensure that the holes in the individual fins are moved into coaxial alignment with the guide rods as they travel through the fin stack. Once the guide rod ends are within the open ends of the hairpin tubes, self-aligning engagement fingers on each guide rod lead end expand to engage the internal diameter of a respective hairpin tube.

Abstract: A veneer for primary teeth in children, composed of composite resin, provides an aesthetically pleasing restoration which displays good fit, durability, and is inexpensive. A composite resin veneer is adhered to a properly fitted stainless steel crown which has been sandblasted and primed. The veneer of the present invention is then selected from a kit of different sized veneers which corresponds to the crown size that has been used. A composite resin cement is used to cement the facing to the fitted stainless steel crown. The veneer crown is then cemented to the patient's tooth.

Abstract: An archival photoprint laminate process employs a dye-bleach developed transparent print laminated on both sides using a polyurethane bonding material which includes UV inhibitors, and then fusing those three layers between opposing sheets of glass in a standard type heat-laminating process. An aliphatic polyether urethane extruded sheet is employed as the bonding material. The print is developed on ILFORD CC.F7 transparent display film by the Ilford CIBACHROME II process.

Abstract: A handbell table cover pad comprises inflatable cushions for providing a cushioned support for handbells resting on the top surface of the pad. The pads include valleys along their top surfaces which cradle the bells while placed on top of the cushions for locating and supporting the individual handbells. A plurality of internal ribs are joined between the inside surfaces of top and bottom panels to create the valleys. The material of the cushions is preferably a heavy-gauge PVC, cut into panels which are joined along airtight seams by ultrasonic welding. The inflatable pads may be spray coated with a self-adhering flock fiber which provides the look and feel of a soft fabric surface.

Abstract: An inside-out heating method provides efficient and economical heating of wet cement during the curing phase in building structures. Hollow building blocks and their cement joints may be heated by applying forced hot air injected at the base of the wall. The hot air rises up through the wall and out of the open end of the top course of block by the chimney effect of the hot air rising through the ducting created by the aligned vertical passageways in the hollow blocks. The hot air is distributed through the wall by a manifold and injection tubes which provide air ducting from a heat source, such as a forced air propane heater. Temporary holes are broken through a low level course of block to receive the hot air injection tubes. After the cement has fully dried, the injection tubes are removed and the temporary holes are filled in with cement.

Abstract: A tinsel-type garland has outwardly-directed reflecting surface areas created by permanently creasing the free ends of the tinsel needles to form tabs bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees from the shank of the needle. The formation of these tabs orients their surface approximately tangent to the radial array of needles and, thus, faces a plurality of reflective surfaces directly toward the viewer. Only a small additional amount of material is needed to form the tabs which aid in obscuring the center core of the garland. Hence, less compacting of the web may be needed, thus offering an additional cost saving by reducing the amount of material needed to visually fill out the garland. This construction provides a distinctive appearance, especially when mirror-like, highly-reflective metallic web material is used to form the needles.

Abstract: A hand-held, chuck-type part holder provides holding means for a machine part. The hand-held part holder may be secondary holding means for a part which itself is then inserted into a primary machine clamp. The chuck uses standard replaceable collets which may be easily interchanged for different size parts. The collet is actuated by a rod which is moved in turn by an air cylinder which is supported by a handle. The part-gripping collet may be actuated by a tilt switch which provides the automatic clamping action of the collet as the operator turns the holder to the vertical position before inserting or removing a part from the end of the collet. Additionally, a fixture mounted to the bed of the processing machine may be used which guides the part holder into alignment with the primary clamp as it is inserted. The fixture includes pivot and slide means which both support and direct the movement of the part holder.

Abstract: A golf putter includes a rigid mid-section and two parallel, opposing tone-generating tines on either side. The tone generators are each held at the toe of the club head, being formed as an integral extension of a central member by cuts through the club head. Thus, a volume and quality of sound can be produced from a relatively thick striking face plate which has minimum flexure to produce accurate golf putting. Because the structure is symmetrical, it is reversible for use by both left and right-handed golfers. The sound-producing tines may alternately both be placed on the rear side of the club head away from the striking surface. In this case, the sound-producing tines may be of different lengths so each tine produces different tonal frequencies that are preferably mutual tonal harmonics.

Abstract: A drinking vessel, preferably a beer mug, includes a sound-generating circuit in the base of the mug which produces a "burping" sound effect. An actuation switch is located in the base which is responsive to the proximity between the bottom of the mug and a support surface upon which it rests. The sound-generating circuit is housed in a bottom portion of the mug which is releasably affixed to the fluid-containing top portion by interlocking lugs and slots. The "burping" sound effect is played only when the vessel is put down on a support surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automatic lacing (drawing) of hairpin tubes through the holes of a heat exchanger fin stack is provided. This apparatus includes a plurality of identical extendable guide rods, each positioned in approximate alignment to engage an open end of a respective heat exchanger tube which is positioned adjacent to a respective fin stack hole. The plurality of guide rods are extended in unison through the holes of the heat exchanger fin stack to positions within the open ends of the hairpin tubes. A self aligning knurl structure on each guide rod lead end is expanded to engage the respective I.D. of a respective hairpin tube. The guide rods are then retracted in unison pulling the tubes through the fin stack holes. A self regulating pressure mechanism assures that the pressure exerted by an expanding knurl end is within a predetermined range. Once the tubes have been laced, the knurl structures are collapsed and the guide rods withdraw from the tubes.

Abstract: A stator coil pre-form assembly is comprised of coils held in compression between inner and outer sleeves. The sleeves are made of non-conductive, non-magnetic material which remain a permanent part of the completed structure after winding. Assembling the sleeves around the coils is accomplished by a winding core tool which is inserted through the center of the inner sleeve. The winding core tool has a dome-shaped head with coil-locating tabs at one end and a series of axially-extending pins around the circumference of the opposite end. Coil wires are wound around pairs of axially-opposing tabs and pins. The outer sleeve is then axially force-fitted over the coils. The tooling and preform permit the use of conventional, automated fly-winding equipment.

Abstract: A process creates molded pans by reaction injection molding (RIM) of inorganics. Two or more slips are mixed as they are being fed into a mold and the slips react rapidly with each other to form a mechanically strong part. The slips contain ceramics/metals which chemically react to form a binding phase, or which destabilize, floe, or gel to form the part. The formed part is then removed from the mold and used as is, or heat-treated prior to use. With this forming process, setting times are independent of part size, unlike slip casting or injection molding, and there is no requirement to add or remove heat from the mold to form the part.

Abstract: A tinsel-type garland has outwardly-directed reflecting surface areas created by permanently creasing the free ends of the tinsel needles to form tabs bent at an angle of approximately 90-degrees from the shank of the needle. The formation of these tabs orients their surface approximately tangent to the radial array of needles and, thus, faces a plurality of reflective surfaces directly toward the viewer. Only a small additional amount of material is needed to form the tabs which aid in obscuring the center core of the garland. Hence, less compacting of the web may be needed, thus offering an additional cost saving by reducing the amount of material needed to visually fill out the garland. This construction provides a distinctive appearance, especially when mirror-like, highly-reflective metallic web material is used to form the needles.

Abstract: A bar-coding system employs a unique bar code pattern which includes a code represented by a series of dark and light stripes that may be easily decoded by a very inexpensive reader with greater reliability. The bar-coding system generates binary data from the pattern which may be described in parts as follows: long light fields at each left and right end; a start bar at each end; right and left data fields; and a three-bit asymmetric pattern (light, dark, light) in the center that indicates the direction in which the pattern is moving past the read head. The coding sequence of the data fields is arranged from either end toward the middle of the pattern where the coding method reverses; therefore, a coupon or card passed through the reader in either direction will yield the same output. Only two widths of the light and dark stripes are used, and the stripes are read as pairs in succession.

Abstract: A digital keypad for a controller of an electrical device includes keys which are circularly arranged in a clock face pattern. The keys are marked with numeric indicia in sequential numeric order from 1 to 12, each switch being radially spaced 30-degrees apart. Some of the numbered keys may be replaced with other symbols as desired. Tactile key-finding ridges emanate from the center of the circular key pattern, extending in the direction of each key. The keypad may be releaseably affixed to a trigger grip stand, comprising a planar base and a vertical handle having a trigger switch which when depressed transmits preselected signals to the electrical device.

Abstract: A carrier attachment for a handtruck is comprised of a simple, foldable, detachable panel system to laterally support and tightly secure carried articles. A back plate and two side plates, interconnected by hinges, may be secured against a carried load by straps that extend across the front of the two side plates. The hinges are restricted to 90-degrees of movement. The back plate includes hang brackets on its rear side which are fitted over horizontal cross braces of the truck frame to attach the carrier. The carrier may be easily collapsed into a folded position so that the unit is very compact and easily stored.

Abstract: A method of using an apparatus for the automatic lacing (drawing) of hairpin tubes through the holes of a heat exchanger fin stack includes using a plurality of identical extendable guide rods, each positioned in approximate alignment to engage an open end of a respective heat exchanger tube which is positioned adjacent to a respective fin stack hole. The plurality of guide rods are extended in unison through the holes of the heat exchanger fin stack to positions within the open ends of the hairpin tubes. A self aligning knurl structure on each guide rod lead end is expanded to engage the respective I.D. of a respective hairpin tube. The guide rods are then retracted in unison pulling the tubes through the fin stack holes. A self regulating pressure mechanism assures that the pressure exerted by an expanding knurl end is within a predetermined range. Once the tubes have been laced, the knurl structures are collapsed and the guide rods withdraw from the tubes.