Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the blowing of compressed air from an aerodynamic structure such as an aircraft wing or helicopter rotor blade and thus controlling the aerodynamic properties of the wing comprises a narrow slot (13) in the upper surface (15) of the structure near its trailing edge (14). Inside the wing (12) is a chamber (23) that is connected to the narrow slot (13) in the wing surface (15). The chamber (23) houses a compressed air conduit (16) for supplying and holding compressed air. A passageway (25) connects the conduit (16) to the slot (13) in the upper surface (15) of the wing (12). The lower wall (27) of the passage (25) has a slit (32) allowing a shutter (31) to move selectively into the passage (25) and obstruct the flow of compressed air through the passageway (25). The shutter (31) is attached to a smart material actuator comprising a piezoelectrical bender (29). When a control voltage is applied to the bender (29), the bender (29) will bend.

Abstract: A paperboard carrier device for holding a plurality of article containers, each article container having an annular rim formed along an upper peripheral edge extending perpendicularly with respect to an article container sidewall, is disclosed. The carrier device includes a top panel (11) having a plurality of spaced article engaging apertures (12) defined therein and extending therethrough. Each aperture is dimensioned to be less than the rim diameter of the article containers, and has a continuous marginal portion (31) sized and shaped to elastically deform as it is passed over the annular rim of one of the article containers and is received on the sidewall of the article container and engaged in a snap fit beneath the annular rim thereof.

Abstract: A railroad signaling device for conveying information to a train engineer comprises a pylon adapted to be secured to a cross tie of the railroad track at a location to be passed over by a train as the train moves down the track. The pylon has front and rear faces that bear indicia fabricated of a retroflective material to reflect the train's headlight back in the direction of the engineer. The pylon is located along the railroad track to be easily detectable by an engineer, especially in fog or inclement weather when the engineer's attention is focused down the track ahead.

Abstract: A carton feed opening wheel assembly for opening carton blanks into preformed cartons on a packaging machine is disclosed. The carton feed opening wheel assembly has a pair of spaced and generally parallel endless vacuum conveyor belts moving along a path of travel from a carton magazine assembly to a carton transport conveyor, and a carton opening wheel positioned on the packaging machine with respect to the vacuum conveyor belts for engaging the top portion of an unopened carton blank being moved on the vacuum conveyor belts toward the carton transport conveyor. The carton opening wheel has at least one suction cup supported thereon for engaging the top portion of the carton blank at a speed and direction substantially the same as the speed and direction of the unopened carton blank moving on the vacuum conveyor belts.

Abstract: A nozzle for a sootblower is used to project a cleaning agent against the internal surfaces of a boiler for removing fireside deposit. The nozzle of the present invention incorporates a passageway having a convergent segment between its entrance end most narrow point, the throat. Extending from the throat to the nozzle's exit is an expansion chamber in which the cleaning fluid passing therein expands and drops in pressure to substantially ambient pressure. The flow streams of the jet of the cleaning agent discharged from the nozzle is essentially parallel to the center axis of the nozzle. Additionally, the nozzles can be mounted diametrically opposed or spaced along the longitudinal axis of the lance tube. Moreover, the nozzles mounted in a lance tube can be mounted flush with the outside surface of the lance tube, contoured to its shape.

Abstract: A flexible hose take-up assembly for automatically retracting a flexible fluid dispensing hose is disclosed. A cabinet having an interior chamber at least partially filled with a damping liquid houses a pulley assembly and a pair of counterweights used to control flexible hose pay out and retraction. A flexible hose of the type used in automotive service centers is attached to the ends of the cable of the pulley assembly such that the hose is stored adjacent the exterior of the cabinet when in the stored position.

Abstract: A handle carries a dry cell battery which supplies current to a microprocessor which receives signals from a sensor on the end of a bill carried by a staff which projects from the handle. The signal to the microprocessor is converted to a display on the handle. The display has alarms to indicate when the retractor applies too much force to a spinal cord or when the force has been applied for too long a time.

Abstract: A unique aerator wheel assembly has a hub and four equally spaced, outwardly projecting, curved tines. The tines are uniquely shaped and configured so that as one tine begins to pierce the ground, the previous tine, which is fully submerged in the ground, is lifted vertically up and out of the ground through the action of the entering tine. This unique configuration provides an aerator wheel assembly that is small and lightweight enough to be pulled behind a common lawn mower.

Abstract: An infeed conveyor feeds seed cotton modules successively to a feeder head having disperser drums which reduce the modules to clumps of cotton. Incorporated into the conveyor are fluted rollers and beater rollers which cooperate to agitate the bottom portion of the modules and work the fibers on the bottom of each module so as to stretch and relax these fibers, thereby causing the sand, dirt, mud, trash and other debris accumulated along the bottom of the modules to be released. A conveyor feeds this debris to a hopper. Further, after the cotton modules have been dispersed into clumps of cotton by disperser drums in a feeder head and the clumps deposited in a clump chamber, a trough having a sieve means receives the clumps of cotton. In the trough, a conveyor disposed in the trough urges the clumps of cotton in a lateral direction toward an air separator box adjacent the feeder head.

Abstract: A drainage system for a conventional deck assembly made of flexible material and mounted beneath the surface decking between adjacent deck joists. The drainage system is designed to collect water leaking through the spaces between adjacent deck cross pieces and channel it to a gutter and downspout, keeping the area beneath the deck dry. The deck drainage system consists of a plurality of water channeling members respectively formed from substantially flexible web material mounted side-by-side in succession and mounted in an overlapping relationship, straddling adjacent deck joists thereby removing the deck joists from view.

Abstract: A cookie tray loading machine (5) constructed and arranged to divert a single file lane of cookies (12) moved along an infeed conveyor belt (9) into a plurality of separate and generally parallel lanes (34) of cookies, which are formed as rows (44) of cookies on a plurality of alignment belt assemblies (36) and spaced apart from each preceding row of cookies, each row of cookies being placed onto a tray loading conveyor belt (46) and moved toward a tray loading station (60) for placement directly into a packaging tray (62), is disclosed. The loading machine includes a sweep arm diverter assembly (20) having a sweep arm diverter (21) directly driven by a sweep arm servomotor (23), a first lane alignment arm assembly (26) and a second and opposed lane alignment arm assembly (30) for aligning the cookies into the separate lanes of cookies, and an alignment belt assembly (36) for each lane of cookies.

Abstract: An antimicrobial filter cartridge having a perforated core member wrapped with a microporous membrane, which is overwrapped with a spiral wrapping of an antimicrobial agent impregnated yarn. The spiral wrapping is covered with a criss-cross wrapping of yarn. The filter cartridge is sized so as to fit tightly into a cartridge housing of a fluid filtration system. Fluid passing through the cartridge housing will be filtered by the filter cartridge to remove microorganisms from the water and which prevents the growth of microorganisms on the filter media.

Abstract: A unique method and container for displaying a clear liquid windshield treatment comprises a clear bottle with a front and back label. The front label depicts a view from the inside of a car through the front windshield, which is cut-out to reveal the back label through the clear liquid product. The image of an oncoming car is printed on the inside of the back label so that the view from the front of the bottle simulates the view of an oncoming car through a windshield. When the bottle is shaken, tiny bubbles form in the liquid and migrate up interior surfaces of the bottle, thus simulating the dynamic water beading and sheeting action of the product when actually in use on a car's windshield.

Abstract: A paperboard separating sheet (10) for separating two stacked layers of cans (11, 12) is disclosed. The sheet has a plurality of can receiving locations (13), each location having an inner opening (23) and an outer opening (24), respectively, each one of the openings being defined by a series of cuts (23, 24), respectively, in the paperboard sheet. The cuts define first, second, and third covering portions (20, 21, 22), respectively, which are joined together by a plurality of tabs (25, 26), respectively, which allow the respective covering portions to move into different planes relative to one another when the separating sheet is sandwiched between two stacked cans. In use, the third portion of the separating sheets rests on a top rim of a lower can (11), the second portion of the paperboard sheet sits between the top rim of the can and a recessed panel in which a can opening device is formed, and the first portion of the paperboard sheet covers the can opening device.

Abstract: A fire ant bait station having a body portion including a reservoir defined by an enclosed wall and a floor, with an open-ended internally directed collar defined in the floor. A probe is received within the collar in locked, frictional engagement therewith, and is adapted to be inserted into a fire ant mound. The probe includes a tubular shaft with multiple perforations and an internal longitudinal channel formed therein and a pointed tip. The perforations provide access to the reservoir and thus to the bait therewith by the ants.

Abstract: A three-way call detection and response system comprising, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, a three-way call detector coupled non-intrusively, by a bridge repeater, to a communication path carrying digital signals between originator and recipient end office telecommunication switches. The three-way call detector includes an interface and a digital signal processor electrically connected to the bridge repeater for receipt of digital signals from the communication path. The three-way call detector also includes a local controller which interacts with the interface, a digital signal processor, and a remote controller. The remote controller executes a plurality of software programs which control operation of the system. In accordance with a preferred method, the three-way call detection and response system monitors the communication path for indicia representative of a three-way call signature and, hence, an attempted three-way call placement.

Abstract: A looped elastic waistband (14) is positioned along a circular sewing path (12) with the waist edge (21) of a pair of pants (12) in straddling relationship thereover. The garment parts are advanced past a folding assembly (61), which folds the waist edge (21) of the pants (16) over the waistband (14), and past sewing needles (13) that form lines of stitching along the aligned edges of the pants (16) and waistband (14) and through the folded portion (22) of the pants waist (19). In the meantime, the position of the waist edge (21) of the pants (16) over the waistband (14) is adjusted in response to position the waist edges (21) as detected by body edge sensor (13) which controls the reciprocation of a pair of drive wheels (87 and 88) of an edge guide assembly (86) which engage and urge the waist edge (21) of the pants (16) across from the sewing path (12).

Abstract: A yarn feed mechanism for use with a tufting machine is disclosed. The tufting machine has a needle bar with an aligned series of spaced tufting needles disposed thereon, each of which is supplied with yarn from a yarn supply for penetrating a backing material to sew tufts of yarn therein. The yarn feed mechanism includes a support framework mounted on the tufting machine adjacent a yarn feed path extending from the yarn supply to the needles of the tufting machine, with at least one yarn feed roll assembly mounted for rotation on the support framework. The yarn feed roll assembly further includes an elongate yarn feed roll having an exterior yarn driving periphery extending along a longitudinal axis parallel to the needle bar of the tufting machine, the yarn feed roll being rotated in timed relationship with the reciprocation of the needle bar.

Abstract: Provided is a process/integrated furnace system that (i) receives and heat treats a casting, (ii) removes sand core materials from the casting, and (iii) actively reclaims sand from the sand core materials. The furnace system includes a heating chamber that receives and heat treats metal castings. During the heat treating process, sand core materials are dislodged and fall from the castings into a sand reclaiming region. A hot fluidized bed functions to reclaim sand from the fallen sand core materials within the heating chamber. The fallen sand core materials are not evenly distributed across the zones within the heating chamber. To compensate for the uneven distribution, sand discharge weirs and leveling bars divide the hot fluidized bed in to different bed zones having different dwell times.