Abstract: Apparatus for suspending a mass and using the weight of said mass to slowly rotate it. The apparatus includes a housing and a shaft within the housing coupled to said housing by means of a spiral cam so that longitudinal movement of the shaft causes the shaft to rotate. The shaft is also coupled to the housing by damping means which limits the rotational speed of the shaft to some preselected rate.

Abstract: A solar heat collector comprising primarily an inflatable envelope transparent to solar radiation filled with a gas, lighter than air, and tethered to the earth's surface by a pair of fluid conduits for conducting a working fluid to and from the envelope. One conduit which conducts working fluid to the envelope terminates within the envelope in a nozzle for spraying the working fluid against the inner surface of the envelope at its upper end. The fluid then flows by means of gravity along the inner surface of the envelope collecting solar heat energy and flowing by the force of gravity down the second conduit for utilization at the earth's surface.

Abstract: A two-stroke cycle engine is provided with valveless exhaust and inlet ports in a cylinder wall. A piston is mounted for reciprocal movement in the cylinder. A precombustion chamber is formed in the piston, which communicates with the combustion chamber above the piston by a relatively large aperture adapted to receive the end of a spark plug. When the piston is at the bottom of its stroke, pressurized fresh air is supplied through the inlet ports for purposes of scavenging the combustion chamber and filling it with fresh air. There is also provided means for forcing a charge of rich fuel-air mixture into the precombustion chamber. The aperture providing communication between the precombustion chamber and the combustion chamber is sufficiently large that a desired amount of fuel can be ejected into the combustion chamber. During the compression stroke of the piston, the fuel-air mixtures in the precombustion chamber and in the combustion chamber are compressed.

Abstract: A surgical device is disclosed which enables selective ventilation of the lungs of a patient. The device is inserted into the patient's respiratory passages and is employed in conjunction with a conventional breathing circuit which allows ventilation of either lung alone or both lungs simultaneously by pumping life supporting gases, typically including anesthetic agents, through the tube during surgery. The device comprises an elongated flexible tube split at its proximal end into left and right tubular extensions and having a curved distal end adapted to be inserted via the patient's mouth through the trachea into the left main stem bronchus. Inflatable cuffs surrounding the tube permit the lungs to be isolated from each other and from the atmosphere.

Abstract: A boiler tube crimping tool and method of use for breaking the seal between a boiler tube and tube sheet to facilitate the pulling of the boiler tube from the tube sheet. The preferred method includes cutting the boiler tube, then crimping the remaining tube stub, followed by pushing the tube stub from the tube sheet.

Abstract: A method for processing grain, e.g. corn, to provide a flour or grit product suitable for human consumption and by-products suitable for use as animal feed and industrial products which includes forming a slurry of the grain with water and passing the slurry through a plurality of pump stages having turbine pumps equipped with turbine pump impellers to remove the husks from the grain kernels without cracking a substantial portion of the kernels. The slurry is then passed through a centrifuge to remove excess water, surface dried and passed through an aspirator to separate the husks from the grain kernels. The dehusked kernels are sent through a centrifugal impact cracker to break up the kernel and separate th germ and oil from the endosperm. The broken kernel pieces are then milled to produce flour.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for transporting a sectional tower to a selected location and for erecting the tower at the selected location is disclosed. The apparatus includes a mobile trailer bed on which the erection apparatus and the tower sections are transported. A frame is carried on the trailer bed which has racks on which a number of tower sections are stowed. A folding guide member is pivotally attached to the trailer frame and is rotatable to a stowed position during transportation and is rotatable to an upright position for guiding the tower during erection. A hoist is carried on the folding guide member for raising the tower sections through the guide member. A plurality of sheaves are attached to the support frame and upon a number of anchors symmetrically disposed at radially spaced locations relative to the support frame. Guy wires are attached to the uppermost tower section and are reeved with the sheaves associated with each anchor and are coupled to a winch.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for digging deep vertical walled trenches in solid rock such as limestone. The apparatus comprises a base supported by four crawler type traction means. A turntable is translatably carried by the base and in turn supports a prime mover and a pivoted extendable boom including means for rotating the boom about its longitudinal axis. A dual cutter is supported on the end of the thus articulated boom and is assembled so that the outermost cutter teeth are wider than any other part of the boom assembly. The trenching method includes cutting a pair of narrow slots by means of the rock saws and then removing material between the slots.

Abstract: A process for preparing a coal or lignite fuel that contains sulfur for combustion wherein reduced amounts of sulfur containing air contaminants are emitted from the combustion is disclosed. In the disclosed process, the coal or lignite that contains sulfur is first pulverized and is then mixed with a finely divided inorganic material. The inorganic material can be at least one of the oxides, hydroxides or carbonates of sodium, potassium, calcium or barium or it can be dolomite. By forming the mixture of coal or lignite and the inorganic material into briquettes or pellets, the mixture can be conveniently shipped, stored and used in conventional combustion equipment.

Abstract: An electrical testing device comprising two circuit legs connected in parallel to a pair of test probes. The first circuit leg is primarily for indicating continuity and includes a battery in series with a current limiting resister, a diode, and a sounding device across which is connected a zener diode for protection purposes. A second circuit leg includes a resistive voltage divider in series with a zener diode with, in a preferred form, a neon indicator light connected in parallel to all but one of the resisters in the divider network. The functioning of the circuitry as a voltage indicator or a continuity indicator is dependant solely on the nature of the circuit to which the probes are connected.

Abstract: A dynamic loudspeaker which operates over a wide band of audio frequencies is disclosed. The speaker includes a speaker cone and voice coil structure of very low mass. A configuration of ribs on the cone and dust cap is important to both high and low frequency performance. The rear suspension for the speaker is a bearing on the voice coil structure. The bearing encircles and slides on the magnetic center pole of the speaker. A method of fabricating the low mass coil structure is disclosed, including forming the bearing surface by heat shrinkage of a low friction tape.

Abstract: A dynamic loudspeaker which operates over a wide band of audio frequencies is disclosed. The speaker includes a speaker cone and voice coil structure of very low mass. A configuration of ribs on the cone and dust cap is important to both high and low frequency performance. The rear suspension for the speaker is a bearing on the voice coil structure. The bearing encircles and slides on the magnetic center pole of the speaker. A method of fabricating the low mass coil structure is disclosed, including forming the bearing surface by heat shrinkage of a low friction tape.

Abstract: A hydraulically operated vibratory soil compactor adapted for use with a loading boom such as a backhoe. Improved construction includes a rectangular structural steel tube welded to a vibrating base plate for providing: structural reinforcement; a sealed housing for an eccentric weight vibrator; and, a supporting surface for shear type springs or shock mounts. A hydraulic drive motor is also mounted on the outside of the central tube member. Improved construction further includes an I-beam section welded between a pair of inverted U-shaped plates to form a tunnel type mounting frame having four arms for connection to the shock mounts supported on the tube member.

Abstract: Apparatus for fastening building construction insulating panels to a supporting wall structure comprising a slotted channel member and an anchoring clip. The channel has flanges by which it is secured to a supporting wall structure and a slotted mounting surface spaced from the supporting wall a preselected distance to provide improved insulation. The anchoring clip has opposed flanges on one end for engaging the edges of adjacent insulating wall panels and an anchor on the opposite end for engaging the slot in the channel and thereby holding the insulated panel to the supporting wall with the preselected spacing.

Abstract: A visor for protecting a user's face from exposure to hairdressing preparations, such as shampoo, during hairdressing operations. The visor includes a fluid-tight extending across the person's forehead from one ear to the other, a trough attached to the fluid sealing means, and a brim extending out over the user's face from the trough. A pair of ear pieces are attached to the ends of the trough for holding the visor to the user's forehead. In a preferred form, the earpieces include full ear covers which extend the fluid-tight seal along the top and back of the user's ears and extend over the user's ears to completely protect the ears.

Abstract: Apparatus for freezing a slug of liquid to form an ice plug in a section of a pipeline for hydrostatic testing purposes. The ice plug is formed by transferring thermal energy from the slug of liquid through the walls of the pipeline to a cryogenic cooling fluid such as liquid nitrogen. A section of the pipeline is filled with liquid and is enclosed by an insulated housing which defines a cooling chamber. The chamber is filled with liquid nitrogen to form a pool around the pipeline. The liquid nitrogen is agitated by discharging a stream of liquid nitrogen or nitrogen vapor through the pool. Heat exchange occurs as a result of sensible heat transfer directly from the surface of the pipeline to the pool of liquid nitrogen. In a preferred embodiment, the liquid nitrogen is discharged uniformly over the surface of the pipeline as the chamber is filled by means of an insulated header which forms a part of the chamber housing.

Abstract: A seismic telemetry system employing frequency division multiplexing techniques is disclosed. Analog seismic data are received by remote data acquisition units (RDAU's) converted to digital form and stored in the RDAU's. The data are transmitted via a transmission line to a central station for recording. The RDAU's are connected at randomly selectable locations along the transmission line. Either an RF command or digital strobe signal is used to interrogate the RDAU's from the central station. Each RDAU responds on a separate RF carrier frequency, modulated by the previously stored digital data. The data from each RDAU, therefore, need not be separated along the transmission line from the data received from other RDAU's. At a central station, the data signals are demultiplexed and recorded. Use of high-impedance transmitters and receivers permits the transmission line to operate in flat-line mode.

Abstract: A seismic communications system including a central control and recording station and a plurality of remote data acquisition stations, the stations being approximately in line and connected to each other by one or two transmission lines. One line is all that is necessary if the central station is at one end of the line of stations; however, if the central station has some acquisition stations upstream and some downstream therefrom, two lines are required. Coded central strobe bursts put on a transmission line at the central station successively cause insertion of digital seismic data from successively more remote acquisition stations, the data being time slotted after each central station strobe burst so that reverse transmissions do not interfere with subsequent signal propagations emanating from the central station. Twin lead is preferably used for the transmission lines. Power shut down, except for a pilot receiver, is accomplished at each acquisition station between recording cycles.

Abstract: Apparatus for recovering silver from spent photographic processing solutions is disclosed. The silver recovery apparatus includes a cylindrical container in which a plurality of fluid permeable layers of a chemical reduction agent are disposed in interleaved relation with a plurality of fluid permeable layers of a non-reactive filter material. The interleaved combination of the layers defines a fluid permeable flow path through the container. The chemical reduction agent in each reduction layer comprises a metal which is electropositive with respect to silver. In a preferred embodiment, the chemical reduction agent disposed in an adjacent pair of reduction layers comprises first and second metals occupying relatively different positions in the electromotive series, respectively, thereby producing a galvanic effect which enhances the precipitation of silver.

Abstract: A connector clip for attaching drapery to a cylindrical support member such as, for example, a horizontal pipe, comprising a face portion having a fastener on a front surface thereof and upper and lower legs extending from the upper and lower edges of the face portion. The upper leg extends transversely from the face portion and terminates in a curved jaw conforming to the pipe surface. The lower leg comprises a curvilinear member extending tangentially from the face portion to a point near the back of the face where it terminates in a second jaw, having a curved surface for engaging the supporting pipe in opposition to the jaw of the upper leg. In a preferred form, the upper leg is joined to the face portion by a half cylinder spring section extending transversely from the front of the face portion and joining the upper leg tangentially.