Abstract: An improved steerable axle suspension system for vehicles, providing improved mechanisms whereby the caster angle of a wheeled axle may be adjusted to allow for steerability in either the forward or reverse direction of travel.

Abstract: A radio-controlled walking toy horse (10) is disclosed as including a body portion (14) containing an electric motor (28), four legs (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) engaged with the body portion (14), in which the legs (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) are movable by the motor (28) to move relative to the body portion (14) in a walking-like manner, and a position sensing and feedback device for stopping the motor (28) only when the legs (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) rest on a common plane, whereby the toy horse (10) can support itself on a floor surface (52).

Abstract: A process for making laminate articles, which includes fabricating a prototype article having an article interface surface, forming a female mould from the prototype article, and forming a male mould from the female mould. An inner shell is then made from the female mould and an outer shell from the male mould. The inner and outer shells are bonded together to form a laminate article.

Abstract: A tuner for stringed musical instruments which have a pickup for converting sound vibrations of the strings to electrical signals and a body being either hollow or solid with a front and back surface and a side surface extending between the front and back surface. The tuner has a tuner circuit attachable to an interior of the sound box with an input couplable to an output of the pickup and a digital display which displays a reference note closest to the note being played, a graphically intuitive indication of whether the note being played is above, equal to or below the reference note and a qualitative measure of the amount of deviation from the reference note. The tuner circuit automatically determines a closest note to the note being played and displays alphabetically the closest note.

Abstract: A converted wood article for use in combination with other converted wood articles to form composite wood products for use in general construction such as in the construction of posts, flooring, walls and support beams.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ring binder (100) including a ring binder mechanism (106) secured to a cover, wherein the ring binder mechanism (106) includes a pair of pivoting plates to which half-rings (112) are mounted, and the pivoting plates are movable between a first configuration in which the half-rings (112) are open, and a second configuration in which the half-rings (112) are closed, and the ring binder (100) includes a holder (114, 202) for releasably engaging with a compact disk (210).

Abstract: An assembly for connecting a measuring tool to a measuring head moved by a measuring robot and having an output member rotating at least about one axis; the assembly having three supports located peripherally with respect to the axis and defining an isostatic constraint between the output member and a connecting portion for connecting the tool to the head; the assembly having releasable locking means interposed between the connecting portion of the tool and the output member; and the releasable locking means having engaging means located substantially along the axis, and a pneumatic actuating member cooperating with and for controlling release of the engaging means.

Abstract: A small punch test apparatus is used to determine true stress and true strain in a ductile polymeric material as it undergoes deformation by the punch head. The information gathered can be used comparatively to assess the acceptability of a body implant subjected to sterilization against similar information obtained on another implant of the same polymer already known to be acceptable.

Abstract: An extended shaft for connecting a standard, transmission mounted power take-off device to an auxiliary device, which permits non-interference mounting configurations of the auxiliary device on a transmission. The extended shaft further provides mounting bracketry to prevent stresses when thermal expansion or contraction of relevant parts occurs during the operation of the motor vehicle or power take-off device.

Abstract: A loose-fill insulation product is provided which includes a dry mixture of loose-fill fiberglass and an inorganic (being composed of matter other than plant or animal) adhesive in the form of a redispersible powder. During application, the dry loose-fill mixture is coated with a liquid (e.g. water) so as to activate the adhesive. Thereafter, the loose-fill mixture with activated adhesive is blown or sprayed into a cavity (open or closed) so as to insulate same. According to certain embodiments, this mixture may be blown into open attic areas so as to insulate same and reduce the movement of loose-fill insulation. It has been found that the redispersible powder (RP) dry adhesive mixes more uniformly within the dry mixture and clings better to the glass fibers when the mixture is substantially free of anti-static material. In certain embodiments, a color dye is provided in the mixture, and is activated upon installation.

Abstract: The disclosure describes methods for producing bulk, particulate material that includes solid, generally ellipsoidal particles. Irregularly shaped feed particles with average particle sizes of up to 25 microns on a volume basis are dispersed in at least a portion of a combustible gas mixture by application of force and/or fluidizing agents. The combustible mixture with particles in suspension is then delivered, while controlling agglomeration or re-agglomeration of the particles, to at least one flame front. There, the mixture and suspended particles are uniformly distributed across the surface(s) of and passed through the flame front(s) with a high concentration of particles in the mixture. This flame front and the resultant flame(s) with suspended particles are located in at least one “wall free” zone. In such zone(s) the flame(s) may expand while the particles are maintained in dispersion and heated, with controlled and highly efficient application of heating energy.

Abstract: An applicator for applying streams of a sealant onto a glass block and a method for applying streams of a sealant onto a glass block. The applicator is guided manually along the edges of the vertical surfaces of the glass block, while the sealant is being dispensed onto it, thereby accurately positioning the correct amount of the sealant at the intended location along the edges onto the vertical surfaces. The applicator can be easily used on-site and is appropriate for sealing glass blocks to obtain oddly shaped or oddly sized glass walls.

Abstract: A method of treating a fossil fuel for combustion, which includes heating the fossil fuel and an additive in a combustion zone. The additive contains a lime flux that lowers the melting point of lime sufficiently so that lime in the combustion zone melts wholly or partially. The additive reacts with the fossil fuel char and its sulphur plus ash components, in the combustion zone to achieve the following results alone or in combination: accelerated combustion, desulphurization, nitrogen oxides emission reduction, pozzolanic or cementitious product production or combustor anti-fouling.

Abstract: A device for installing roof fabric on the roof of a metal frame building having a plurality of parallel purlins on the top thereof. The device retains a spool of fabric therein and includes a frame having a guide that movably slides on the top of the purlin and a tensioning device that engages a lower surface of the purlin, whereby movement of the device allows the fabric to unroll over the roof.

Abstract: A securing device for securing an arm member with a fan blade is disclosed, in which the arm member includes screws receivable within apertures of the fan blade, in which the screws include a narrower portion which, when the screws are received within the apertures of the fan blade, extend beyond the apertures of the fan blade, in which when the screws of the arm member are received within the apertures of the fan blade, the securing device is movable relative to the arm member in a first direction to engage with the narrower portion of the respective screws, and in which the arm member includes a barrier for preventing the securing device from moving in a direction opposite to the first direction upon engagement of the securing device with the screws, and thereby to secure the arm member with the fan blade by the securing device.

Abstract: Grinders, motors, engines and pumps require sealing, lubrication, and other forms of protection for shafts, bearings and packing. Fluid distribution rings and purge systems are useful aids. This disclosure illustrates a distribution ring in an enclosure surrounding a shaft. A ring surface and a confronting, radially spaced shaft surface define a clearance between them. A fluid supply passage extends from outside the enclosure to this clearance. A first centering member of the ring includes a first centering surface inclined to either side of a reference plane perpendicular to the shaft axis. Connected with a wall of the enclosure is a second centering member with a second centering surface inclined to the reference plane. Contact between the first and second centering surfaces holds the ring in predetermined radial position relative to the shaft, improves fluid distribution throughout the clearance circumference and can help exclude foreign matter from bearings and seals.

Abstract: Apparatus for the hydrodemolition of concrete layer including a movable vehicle, a bed having a guideway extending transversely to a direction of movement of the vehicle, a nozzle assembly having a guide slidably engaging the guideway and a plurality of nozzles spaced apart in a direction transverse to the guideway, separate fluid flow controllers coupled between a pressurized source of fluid and respective nozzles, the nozzles being oriented to spray a fluid jet onto the concrete surface and on actuator for moving the nozzle assembly back and forth along the guideway.

Abstract: An apparatus for isolating the abdominal muscles and effectively loading them during exercise is disclosed. The device supports the user's body in a position which allows for trunk flexion; however, it forces the user's knee flexor and hip extensor muscles to contract, relaxing the hip flexor muscle, and isolating the abdominal muscles. Consequently, the only muscles exercised during the trunk flexion are the abdominal muscles.

Abstract: A method of locating an optical code of the maxicode type wherein a central target element comprises three concentric black rings separated by two white annular spaces and a white circular central space defining the center of the target element. The method includes the steps of: acquiring and binary-coding an image of the optical code; examining rows and columns of the binary-coded image, each row or column having black elements, each defined by at least one elementary representation unit of a first binary value, and white elements, each defined by at least one elementary representation unit of a second binary value; performing a sequence control step to locate, in each examined row or column of the image, at least one predetermined sequence of white and black elements; and performing an assigning step in which the rows or columns in the image containing a sequence of white and black elements corresponding to the predetermined sequence are recognized as intersecting the center of the target element.