Abstract: Apertures in the cast concrete walls of a swimming pool are lined with tubular inserts entirely received in the apertures in sealing, conforming engagement with the concrete. The length of each insert in the direction of wall thickness is equal to or shorter than the corresponding length of the receiving aperture. The insert essentially consists of a solid mixture of a particulate, rigid, inorganic material, such as quartz sand, and a smaller amount of a more resilient, synthetic organic resin binder. A fastening flange is provided in the bore of the insert for fastening the insert in a form while the wall is being built by pouring fluid concrete mixture into the form. The flange provides a fastening base for later installed fittings, pumps, etc. During construction of the swimming pool, a form bounding a cavity is erected.

Abstract: In a hub for the rear wheel of a bicycle, pawl-and-ratchet clutches connect the planet carrier and the ring gear of a planetary gear transmission with ratchet teeth on the hub shell. The pawls on the faster turning ring gear may be retracted by an annular cam face on a control ring whose position relative to the pawls is shifted by back-pedaling. The configuration of the cam face is such as to prevent interference of a coaster brake, also actuated by back-pedaling, with the speed shifting action and vice versa.

Abstract: A sensing rod and two parallel guide rods project from the housing of a thread tension gage dimensioned to be carried in one hand and operated by pressure of one finger on a push-button which causes the threat-engaging end portions of the guide rods to advance into a common plane with the corresponding portion of the sensing rod. Further push-button movement causes the guide rods to wrap the tested thread over a portion of the sensing rod circumference, and the force of the tensioned thread deflects the sensing rod which is mounted on a torsion spring. The deflection of the sensing rod can be read from a scale calibrated in units of the thread tension.

Abstract: A purification unit includes an electrolytic cell adapted to hold a body of water to be purified and provided with two electrically insulated electrodes, a pump supplying the water to be purified to the cell through a filter and driving purified water out of the unit, a power supply for supplying electrolyzing current to the electrodes, a control circuit which generates a sensible signal indicative of the operating conditions of the pump, the power supply, and the filter, and a housing which encloses the cell, the pump, the power supply, and the control circuit. The housing is partly received in a container for the raw water. The portion of the housing projecting from the container carries a discharge spout for purified water, a connector for an external source of current, and the signal display elements of the control circuit.

Abstract: A piece of furniture adapted to support a person in a reclining position includes a base and a mattress support that may be tilted on the base about an axis near the head end of the support. The position of the foot end and the resulting inclination of the supporting surface may be varied by means of a spacer arrangement which includes two hangers pivotally suspended from the mattress support near the foot end. One or two spacer members are secured to the free, lower end portions of the hangers for angular movement about a horizontally extending axis. Stops keep the center of gravity of the spacer or spacers above the last-mentioned axis and limit its angular movement. A friction brake prevents gravity from affecting the angular position of the spacer on the hanger or hangers.

Abstract: A cable drum arrangement including a brake drum on a stationary support and a brake shoe on a carrier for the cable drum includes a flyweight and a compression spring radially interposed between flyweight and brake shoe which biases the brake shoe toward the brake drum by centrifugal force generated by the fly-weight while a cable unwinds from the drum. Unwinding of the last layer of cable from the cable drum releases a coupling connecting the drum to the carrier, and the resulting, limited, angular displacement of carrier and cable drum causes a cam to stress the spring and thereby to arrest the carrier. During unwinding, the spring reduces braking stress in the cable by damping radial movement of the flyweight during sudden increases in rotary speed.

Abstract: A pneumatic spring conductively connecting a heater on the window pane in the tail gate of a station wagon to a battery is mounted between ball-and-socket joints whose plastic socket parts are equipped with barbs permitting insertion of the ball part without tools, but preventing accidental release.

Abstract: Operating stations of an automatic analysis apparatus are arranged along a path in which a specimen to be analyzed is moved in a container on a carrier. The specimen is transferred from the carrier to a container supporting platform of each station where it is to be processed, thereby permitting another specimen to by-pass the same station. Different sequences of operations may be performed simultaneously on several specimens without interfering with each other.

Abstract: A mixture of .gamma.-alumina and its precursors containing 1 to 30% water volatile at 1000.degree. C converts normally colorless dye materials such as crystal violet lactone, malachite green lactone, benzoyl leuco methylene blue and N-phenylleukauramine to the corresponding colored dyes upon contact, and improves the results achieved with recording material consisting essentially of a fibrous web and a pigment composition secured to the fibers of the web if the mixture amounts to at least 10% of the weight of the pigment composition. Particularly strong and stable colors are produced if the fibrous web is coated with a pigment composition prepared from an aqueous dispersion of the mixture and other pigments on which a basic compound is deposited from a water-soluble zinc salt by means of hydroxyl ions.

Abstract: A ballast conditioning machine which removes ballast from railroad tracks by means of a digging chain conveyor driven transversely through the ballast below the normal rail level travels on the rails on wheels and alternatively travels on caterpillar tracks over track sections from which switches or crossings were removed to give the conveyor full access to the ballast.

Abstract: An immobilized glucose isomerase is obtained by mixing microbial cells of the microorganism having glucose isomerase activity with an aqueous solution of a natural water insoluble gel-forming substance. Glucose is isomerized to fructose by contacting an aqueous solution of glucose with said immobilized glucose isomerase more favorably than the usual isomerization method.

Abstract: An apparatus for spraying plastic foam includes two containers respectively adapted to hold a solution of a urea-formaldehyde precondensate in a first aqueous medium and a second aqueous medium including a catalyst which causes rapid hardening of the precondensate when the two aqueous media are mixed. A foaming chamber communicates with a source of compressed air and with one of the containers for dispersing the gas in the corresponding medium and for thereby forming a foam. A first conduit connects the foaming chamber to a mixing chamber, and a second conduit connects the other container to the mixing chamber. A third conduit leads outward of the mixing chamber and terminates in a nozzle orifice normally open to the atmosphere. The compressed air is used for conveying the foam and the medium in the other container to the mixing chamber for continuously mixing the contents of the mixing chamber and for conveying the resulting mixture outward through the nozzle orifice when the latter is open.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a newly found thermostable cellulase of Sporotrichum cellulophilum and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: An aqueous solution of urea-formaldehyde prepolymer has improved storage life, and cellular urea-formaldehyde foam prepared by discharging the solution, a curing catalyst, and compressed air into the atmosphere develops fewer shrinkage cracks and is stronger when the solution contains at least 5% glucose, fructose, and/or sucrose.

Abstract: The screw of a marine propulsion unit is mounted in a passage of an elongated casing in an axially central position. The two axially terminal portions of the passage contain protective devices for preventing accidental insertion of a limb of a human adult or child to a depth sufficient to reach the rotating screw without preventing flow of water through the terminal passage portions.

Abstract: A hydraulic system suitable for supplying fluid under pressure to the brakes and other elements of an automotive vehicle includes a valve casing formed with a first port, normally connected to a pump, a second port normally connected to a fluid storage vessel and the vehicle element to be supplied, and a third port leading to a sump. A valve slide moves in the casing and defines therewith a conduit. The conduit connects the first and third ports in a first slide position and is closed in a second slide position. A spring-loaded check valve connects the first and second ports only when the fluid pressure in the first port is higher than in the second port. A spring permanently biases the valve slide toward the second position while the fluid pressure in the second port tends to move the slide toward the first position. The biasing force of the spring decreases during movement of the valve slide from the second toward the first position.

Abstract: Plastic webs, including webs of rigid and plasticized PVC, can be printed at high speed on conventional rotogravure presses with an ink whose vehicle consists of polyalkyl acrylate and polyalkyl methacrylate binder dispersed in a homogeneous, aqueous solvent in a weight ratio of 100:3 and 100:25. The imprints adhere well and resist abrasion.

Abstract: A disposable container for a two-part composition whose plastic shell defines a cavity. A frangible partition of coated aluminum foil divides the cavity into two sealed compartments. A piercing member mounted on a resilient portion of the shell in one compartment has a free end portion transversely directed toward the partition. It pierces the partition when the resilient shell portion is pushed manually inward of the cavity, and the contents in the one compartment may then be pumped into the other compartment by alternatingly pressing and relaxing the resilient shell portion.