Abstract: A magnetic code operated lock cylinder is releasably coupled to a shaft extending into a door. When the lock is unlocked a pinion gear is rotationally coupled to the shaft which shaft on rotation retracts a door latch. The gear is coupled by a toothed rack to a gear connected to a handle. The handle and rack are surface mounted on the door.
Abstract: An expresso coffee maker includes a steam outlet valve for supplying steam to froth milk for making cappuccino coffee. A valve member automatically closes off a tube when a water level in a water compartment falls below a low level. This closing off completes each expresso making cycle and ensures that sufficient water is retained, and sealed off, inside the compartment to sustain a supply of steam for frothing the milk.
Abstract: An improved golf club head wherein 70%-97% of the total head weight is within 3/4"-1" of the heel and toe ends of the head. The golf club head is provided with an echo chamber for improving audible feedback to the golfer. Upper and lower overhangs extending from the echo chamber enhance the feedback. The golf club head is further provided with a variation of offset hosels and improved alignment indices. The structural arrangement of the dense metal end blocks allows for the adjustment of the club swing weight without disassembly and reassembly of the club head.
Abstract: A composite ink fountain blade for a printing press wherein the blade has a multiplicity of blade segments fixed between an upper cleaning plate and a lower support bar. Each of the segments is provided with smooth, ground or polished, machine finished, straight and parallel sides for sliding abutment against each other during the adjustment of an extending portion of the blade segments. Adjustment of the blade segments controls the flow of ink from the ink reservoir through the ink fountain blade first pickup roller nip.
Abstract: A torch which has re-chargeable batteries is provided with a plug 14 that fits a conventional domestic wall socket for automatic charging of the batteries. The plug 14 is retractable by relative rotation into a body 10 of the torch when not required. An electro luminescent sheet (not shown) is mounted behind an aperture in the body 10 so that a "glow" is provided whenever the plug is inserted in a live mains socket. The glow enables the torch to be conveniently used as a night light.
Abstract: Various fasteners for connecting an eyeshield to the underside of a cap visor. In general, the fasteners contain one or more bases attached to the underside of the visor. A connector engages the base in such a way as to remain in a fixed position unless adjusted by the wearer. The eyeshield is pivotally coupled to the connector to enable its movement from an inoperative position parallel to the visor to an operative position perpendicular to the visor. The eyeshield may be fixed at any location between these two positions. The eyeshield may also be moved in a longitudinal direction nearer to or further from the wearer's face.
Abstract: An improved apparatus for sorting, counting and dispensing tokens such as coins used in games in which its driven member is composed of a driving block and a turntable set on a spindle of an electric motor so that a simple assembly can be achieved. The turntable is operated within the limitation of a ledge of a hopper so that threading connections can be omitted and the turntable will not separate from the hopper during operation. Furthermore, the improved apparatus has a stop lever mounted on the holder for preventing the tokens from falling from the delivery passages back to the turntable. The turntable is designed with a plurality of flanges extending integrally and upwardly from the surface thereof. The flanges are spaced and arranged to form a plurality of channels therebetween so that fingers of a block of the holder can extend into the channels to smoothly deliver the tokens.
Abstract: An adjustable, portable tool tray assembly for external mounting on a motor vehicle. The tool tray assembly has an open tray compartment, a means for removable engagement with the motor vehicle which extends from the tray and a slidably adjustable, hinged brace for positioning the tool tray assembly on numerous locations on the motor vehicle. The tray may be composed of two tray components which may be adjusted with respect to each other to vary the size of the open tray compartment.
Abstract: A toy beetle which travels down a vertical surface under the influence of gravity has four movable limbs which are arranged in pairs at opposite ends of an axle that is rotatable about a transverse axis of the beetle. Sticky materials at the ends of the limb adhere temporarily to the vertical surface in use. According to the orientation of the beetle with respect to the vertical the beetle will either, in somewhat random fashion, walk or tumble down the surface.
Abstract: A volumetrically variable measuring dispenser cap comprising three primary components; an adaptor section attachable to a container having an inlet port, a volume selection ring rotatably mounted on the adaptor and having a closure plate of a size sufficient to cover the inlet port on the adaptor when appropriately rotated, and having a movable wall extending upward from the closure plate and finally, a rotatable chamber captively mounted to the volume selection ring having an inner cavity and a cover cap to close off the inner cavity. The device operates by movement of the selection ring so as to rotate the movable wall to a position within the inner cavity. The container to which the dispenser is attached is then inverted such that the material within the container falls through the inlet port in the adaptor, through the selection ring, and into the defined volumetric inner cavity.
Abstract: A tri-axial fluxgate magnetometer and housing therefor that includes elements which facilitate a small sized, relatively low cost magnetometer assembly without sacrificing accuracy and reliability. The assembly includes a unitary sensor substrate capable of orthogonally positioning each of the three fluxgate axes and their respective coils and sensors. The assembly positions the unitary substrate on a circuit board that contains the appropriate harmonic amplifiers, phase detectors, and integrators for signals from each of the three fluxgate axes. A second circuit board positioned parallel to, but apart from, the first, incorporates an appropriate frequency oscillator, frequency divider, and, if necessary, an appropriate voltage regulator. The circuit boards, positioned in parallel as described, are mounted to an end plate that incorporates a signal/control connector and which positions and holds the components of the magnetometer assembly in a generally rectangular configuration.
Abstract: A pressure transducer suitable for use in measuring the pressures created by the combustive events that occur in internal combustion engines. The transducer utilizes the magnetostrictive effect to measure stress waves present in magnetized metallic components associated with sparkplug devices typically placed in apertures into internal combustion engine cylinders. The present invention includes a replacement sparkplug device that incorporates a pickup coil for measuring magnetostrictive events within the magnetized metal components of the sparkplug device and alternatively a sparkplug boot cover that separately incorporates a removable pickup coil for measuring the stress waves. In either embodiment, the present invention utilizes the magnetostrictive sensor signals measured as a basis for identifying internal combustion cylinder pressures and for identifying the characteristics of the ignition events within the cylinder.
Abstract: A collapsible bucket having a flexible, rectangular body for containing horse feed, grain or the like and having a pair of support straps with skirts engaging the side walls of the body and further having an adjustable carrying strap attached to the support strap.
Abstract: An electronic device for recording the fuel usage of a vehicle capable of operating on multiple fuel types. The invention tracks time, distance, and fuel mixture information in association with the type of fuel used by a multi-fuel vehicle. The device generally consists of a power supply; an electronic system clock; a data storage component; one or more connections to the vehicle which determine when the motor is running, which fuel type has been selected, which fuel type is being burned, the relative fuel content, and fuel performance information; a signal interface for converting analog vehicle signals to digital signals; an analog-to-digital convertor; a microcomputer to interpret the digital signals; a system logic control circuit for coordinating the writing of information to the data storage component; an external data interface for direct or indirect access to the contents of the data stored in memory; and a visual display.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 8, 1996
Date of Patent:
September 16, 1997
Assignee:
Alternative Fuel Technology Systems, Ltd. Co.
Inventors:
Michael K. Parkman, John W. Whittaker, Curtis J. Donaldson
Abstract: A punch includes a base portion on which at least two punching units are disposed. The punching units are connected by a shaft extending therethrough. Each one of the punching units has an actuating device securely disposed to the shaft. The actuating device has at least one toothed element, a box portion disposed to each one of the punching unites and a block disposed in the box portion. The block provides a passage defined longitudinally therethrough and a punching rod disposed to an underside thereof and received in the passage. The block has at least on rack disposed thereto so as to engage to the toothed element such that when the shaft connected to a handle is pivoted, the block is moved downwardly, and each one of the punching devices slidably moves along the shaft so as to adjust a distance between two punching units.