Abstract: An apparatus for assorting articles, such as fruits, according to size, the apparatus having a conveyor which includes a pair of belts disposed in transversely upwardly divergent, V-shaped relation for transporting articles rested on the belts through a plurality of assorting stations having individual rotationally driven rollers disposed axially parallel to the direction of travel of the articles and mounted adjacent to the belts for adjustable movement toward and from the belts with the rollers of each station being spaced progressively closer to the belt in the direction of travel to engage articles of correspondingly smaller size and displace them transversely from the belts, the relative speeds of the belts in the direction of travel being independently controllable so that non-spherical articles being transported along the belts are rotatable to select the attitude in which such articles are presented to the rollers.

Abstract: A surgical stitching instrument of forceps-like construction having a pair of arms pivotally interconnected for movement about an axis and respectively terminating in a suture holder which has a needle receiving slot and notches on opposite sides of the slot adapted to receive a suture disposed across the slot and in a needle which has a point, an inner edge, an outer edge divergent from the inner edge away from the point, and a hook spaced from the point of the needle, the needle being movable through a tissue to be stitched from a position retracted from the slot into a position in the slot while camming the suture out of the notches to a position disposed for snagged engagement by the hook so as to be dragged through the tissue as the needle is subsequently returned to the retracted position, the invention being characterized by the hook having an outer slot providing an inner end and being disposed substantially radially of the axis and an inner slot continuous with the inner end of the outer slot extende

Abstract: A poultry cutting machine having a pair of downwardly convergent, horizontally elongated dorsal guides and a pair of elongated, upwardly covergent ventral guides parallel to the dorsal guides and defining therewith a path of travel along the guides for a poultry carcass positioned with the breast upwardly disposed and the backbone extended along the path, a pair of saws extending upwardly into the path between the dorsal guides in oppositely adjacent relation to the backbone, a single saw extending downwardly into the path between the ventral guides, and a stop disposed in the path, the saws and stop being spaced along the path so that a carcass manually moved therealong into engagement with the stop has the breast split longitudinally by the single saw while the pair of saws simultaneously sever the backbone from the rib cage, the thighs remaining attached to the backbone.

Abstract: A brush clearing apparatus for a bulldozer blade having a rake pivotally mounted on the blade for movement about an axis along the upper edge of the blade between an operational position in which the rake engages the bulldozing face of the blade and a retracted position above the blade, a clamp pivotally mounted on the blade for movement about the axis between a lowered position engaging the rake oppositely of the blade when the rake is in the operational position, teeth individual to the rake and to the clamp and extended in intermeshing relation adjacent to the lower edge of the blade when the clamp is in the lowered position; and a hydraulic ram mounted on the blade for moving the rake between its positions, the apparatus including an element for connecting the rake and the clamp so that raising the clamp to its upper position carries the rake into its retracted position and the blade is usable as if the apparatus were not mounted.

Abstract: An apparatus for stacking containers on a pallet, the apparatus having a conveyor for transporting a horizontal pallet to a loading station, a horizontal plate moving horizontally to and from the loading station in superimposed relation to a pallet in the station, a conveyor which has an elevatable section and transports containers to a stacking station adjacent to the loading station, elements for assembling a row of containers on the section and elevating it together with the row, a clamp adjacent to the station to clamp and support an elevated row while a further row is assembled beneath the elevated row to be raised to the elevated row to form a stack of containers, a pusher for moving successive stacks of containers from the stacking station onto a pack rested on the plate while the plate is at the loading station, and elements for sliding the plate from beneath the pack so that it descends onto the pallet.

Abstract: A wire tying fixture for use with a pair of wires having individual loops adapted to intertie when overlapped and subsequently tensioned, the fixture having an open-ended, downwardly slotted longitudinal channel adapted to receive the wires thrust loop-first from its opposite ends, a notched false bottom disposed beneath a tying station in the channel and pivotally mounted for movement between a closed position, into which the bottom is resiliently urged to support the wires in the channel with the notch holding one of the loops to facilitate thrusting of the other loop into overlapping relation, and a retracted position to release the intertied wires and having a leaf spring mounted at the tying station presenting resilient camming surface which engages the loops and urges them toward one side of the channel into intertying engagement over the false bottom.

Abstract: A combined dice and card game apparatus having a board with an upwardly disposed planar surface and a recess in the surface provided with a plurality of dice fixed in spaced relation within the recess, the dice having individual upwardly disposed sides substantially coplanar with the surface so that conventional playing cards are supportable in bridging relation individually between each side and the surface for comparison of indicia of each die with indicia of the corresponding card to determine scoring in a game played with the apparatus.

Abstract: An acoustic ear mold for intensifying sound pressure for an acoustic signal derived from an electronic hearing aid worn by a patient, characterized by an ear canal component having defined therein a segmented, air-filled resonating cavity including four coaxially aligned, contiguous cavity segments arranged in communicating relation for intensifying sound pressure in the range of 250 hz to 6,000 hz, the diameter of the segments being mutually unique, the lengths of the end-most cavity segments being equal while the axial lengths of the segments interposed between the end-most segments are mutually unique with respect to all other segments of the cavity, a tubular conduit is connected with the cavity for conveying acoustic signals from the hearing aid while an acoustic output chamber extends from the segmented cavity to the terminous of the component for delivering to the tympanic membrane of the wearer, pressure-intensified acoustic signals.

Abstract: A sprinkler has an orifice through an orifice plate. The periphery of the orifice is preferably not circular; it has at least one corner formed by the intersection of adjacent portions of the periphery. The nozzle plate is preferably domed and mounted concave with respect to the source of the fluid. The orifice may be a number of different shapes including various polygons, tear-shaped or generally circular with notches mounted in the periphery. The orifice may be eccentrically mounted through the dome of the plate.

Abstract: An emitter of very small size connects to a water supply tube by a hollow shank which conducts water to an interior chamber in the emitter housing. Between the chamber and an outlet in the housing the water flow is throttled through an elongated channel having both a wide shallow profile and a narrow steep profile. A free floating (within limits) resilient wafer covers the channel. At initial, very low water pressure at start-up, the wafer does not flex into the channel, thereby affording maximum flow to purge the emitter of unwanted dirt particles and the like. At relatively low operating pressure the wafer flexes into the wide shallow portion of the channel, reducing the flow to a predetermined amount, such as one gallon per hour. At relatively high pressure the wafer flexes further, intruding into the narrow steep slot, thereby compensating for the increased pressure and maintaining fluid flow at said predetermined rate.

Abstract: An apparatus having a frame adapted for earth traversing movement in a direction of travel and having a portion laterally positionable with respect to the direction of travel, a work assembly pivotally mounted on the laterally positionable portion of the frame for movement therewith, and an arm interconnecting the work assembly and the frame to pivot the work assembly through a plurality of positions relative to the direction of travel as the portion of the frame is laterally positioned.

Abstract: A tank for a fluid system which is pressurized in an operative mode and depressurized in an inoperative mode, the tank having a pressure vessel enclosing a chamber and a substantially annular port in the vessel communicating with the chamber; a mount for securing the vessel in fluid transferring communication with the fluid system through the port with the port disposed in substantially upwardly facing relation; and a substantially spherical flow control element captured in the chamber of the vessel and dimensioned gravitationally to seat in the annular port to allow passage of fluid through the port when the fluid system is in the operative mode, to vent pressure from the chamber upon depressurization of the fluid system and to seal the port when the fluid system is in the inoperative mode.

Abstract: A toolholder for use in shaping the blade of a screwdriver with a grinder having a grinding wheel and a guiding surface parallel to the axis of the wheel, the toolholder including a pair of blocks adapted to clamp the shank of the screwdriver between them, each block providing a guiding surface angularly related to the shank and disposed oppositely of the other block; clamps spaced along the axis to draw the block onto the shank and selectively adjustable to bring the guided surfaces into normal relation with a plane normal to the axis; and a pair of projections on the blocks bearing indicia indicating the relative spacing of their ends when the guided surfaces are in such normal relation, the toolholder being guided by engagement of one of the guided surfaces with the guiding surface to shape one side of the blade and being invertible with the screwdriver for guidance of the toolholder by engagement of the other of the guided surfaces by the guiding surface to shape the other side of the blade.

Abstract: A grape vine which bears fruit resembling that of the Thompson Seedless grape vine (unpatented), which it most nearly resembles, but distinguished by bearing berries of large size in shatter-resistant bunches without girdling the vines or the application of gibberellin, by superior storing and shipping characteristics, and by maturing about 30 days later than fruit of the Thompson Seedless variety.

Abstract: A grape vine generally similar to the Black Rose grape vine (unpatented), but distinguished therefrom by being of more vigorous growth and by bearing grapes which mature about 30 days later, which have superior shipping characteristics, and which ripen more evenly so that each grape of the new variety is more uniformly and darkly colored than grapes of the Black Rose variety.

Abstract: A peach tree with yellow flesh of very smooth and tight texture ripening very evenly throughout approximately six days after the unpatented Springcrest Peach Tree.

Abstract: A grapevine generally resembling the Thompson Seedless Grapevine (unpatented), but distinguished by bearing, without girdling or application of a growth regulator, grapes of a size borne by the Thompson Seedless variety only when so treated and distinguished by bearing bunches of grapes which are substantially free from shatter in cold storage and when subsequently displayed for sale.