Abstract: A can counting machine having an inclined housing into which a collection of beverage cans may be dumped. A rotor in the housing defines elongate openings spaced about its periphery for the singular reception and transport of cans upwardly to a discharge outlet in a backing plate rearward of the rotor. The rotor includes a rim projecting from the rotor for rotation therewith to facilitate lateral can movement into a disk opening. Ejector plates on the backing plate dislodge improperly, endwise inserted cans from the opening to prevent the simultaneous discharge of two cans past a can counting component. A motor circuit is responsive to motor loads resulting from a jammed can to automatically reverse motor and rotor direction. A receptacle support assembly receives a plastic bag and includes a frame member spring biased to maintain the bag in open configuration. A liquid barrier directs residual liquid from the cans to a receptacle. A display unit on the housing indicates a can total.

Abstract: An enclosure for installation about the load carrying area of a truck with the enclosure includes removable corner posts for inserted engagement with truck structure. Enclosure side and end rails extend between the corner posts and are adapted for removable, rested engagement with the corner posts to permit convenient installation and removal of the rails. Multiple rows of sockets on each corner post receive pins carried at and offset from the ends of each rail member. The pins are horizontally adjustable relative to the rail member to facilitate socket engagement. A modified form of the enclosure includes corner post fittings of right angular shape each apertured for purposes of corner post attachment. Sockets on the post fittings receive the pins of rail carried fittings to enable part installation on the corner post in a detachable manner.

Abstract: A post for ground insertion having a plate which swings outwardly from the post upon upward movement of the post to prevent post extraction. An inclined surface of the plate is acted upon by earthen material for plate deployment. A limit stop positions the plate substantially perpendicular to the post. The plate may consist of overlapped plate members to provide a rigid or non-bendable portion. A bendable portion of the plate bends during upward movement of the post during setting of the post. Such bending occurs about perpendicularly oriented axes.

Abstract: A pot for nursery plants having opposed walls joined along their edges with margins of the walls having a series of openings to promote air-pruning of the plant roots. The wall edges may be joined to one another by various means including fusing, adhesives, taping or the pot may be a molded structure. A rack is disclosed having receptacles of appropriate shape to receive a multitude of pots of similar external shape for pot support in a snug manner. A modified form of the pot includes three wall members each having a series of edge located openings. The walls are joined along their edges with each wall member having legs to provide a free-standing pot.

Abstract: A closure for a tubular shipping or storage container and having a disc component for abutment with the end of the container with bendable tabs for engagement with the exterior of the container for securement as by stapling, adhesives, etc. An insert is centrally disposed on the disc for seated engagement with the inner wall of the container. The insert may be of yieldable construction such as corrugated paper board or a foam material to protect a container housed article against impact loads. A fold line along a tab permits the closure to serve as a hingedly attached lid for the tubular container. A door in the disc and an aligned insert opening permit finger insertion for purposes of closure removal.

Abstract: A sawmill carriage is provided with crosswise disposed guideways along which knee members travel for advancement of a log toward a saw plane. Linear actuators for each knee member are embodied in parallel hydraulic cylinders above and below a slide also on the guideway to reduce overall carriage width. A first linear actuator serves to position the slide while the remaining linear actuator is carried by the slide and has a piston rod end coupled to the knee member. The linear actuators function both in singular and in simultaneous modes to provide desired knee member movement and speed. The linear actuators are of the type providing a feedback signal which is processed by a controller for programmed operation of the actuators. Rail components of the guideways support the knee member and the slide on separate portions of the rails.

Abstract: The two-way and three-way plug valves disclosed include plug members having O-rings in place in continuous grooves defined by inner and outer side walls and a bottom wall extending therebetween. Recesses are formed at spaced apart points along the O-ring groove inner wall to provide an area into which segments of the O-ring may be displaced during existence of a pressure differential across the O-ring. The O-ring groove inner wall recesses are in fluid communication with one another by means of passages, bores and channels defined by the plug member. Edges along the recesses frictionally engage O-ring segments to restrain same against displacement from the O-ring groove.

Abstract: A golf bag stand including legs swingably outward from a bag mounted bracket. An actuator for the legs is of U-shape having arm upper ends adjustably attached to leg carried plates. The plates define upper and lower sockets enabling positioning of the actuator to an inactive, raised position where the lower end of the actuator is above the leg lower end and out of ground contact. Positioning of the actuator arm ends downwardly in the leg mounted plates positions the actuator lower end for contact with the ground for automatic leg deployment. upon lifting of the bag out of ground contact, the spring arms of the actuator close the legs toward one another to cause the stand legs to converge to a retracted position.

Abstract: A sound absorptive structure for installation on room wall structure to reduce low frequency wave energy and enhance room acoustics. A fibrous, sound absorptive member is of curved section and terminates in tapered side edges for inserted engagement with wall mounted strips. The structure may be segmented with partitions between the segments. Alternatively T-shaped divider strips may interconnect adjacent segments. A further modification utilizes a flat base for wall attachment with end portions of the base folded perpendicularly to the base to provide closures for the ends of a sound member. Intersections between segments of a sound absorptive structure may be accomplished by corner mounted box structures or may be mitered for endwise abutment with one another. Openings in the room wall structure increase the volume of the present wall mounted structure.

Abstract: A malleable plate is provided with a cover of resilient cushioning material for insertion between the user's upper and lower teeth. The plate may be of a perforate nature with an extension for securement to a base adapted for attachment to a hand held vibrator. The plate is deformed by the user's bite to effect positive securement to the teeth.

Abstract: A cart having a load receiving box supported by a rectangular frame inset within the box lower perimeter. End members of the frame swingably carry front and rear axle frames while side members of the frame swingably carry struts which engage the axle ends to retain some in a deployed position. The axle frame and struts are upwardly repositionable adjacent the box ends and sides, subsequent to wheel removal, to collapse the cart for storage or for carrying in a vehicle. A U-shaped handle has lower ends detachably mounted to a box end wall by a pair of sleeve structures.

Abstract: A tool having a pivoted handle which intermittently retracts a sleeve to close jaws within the sleeve into wire engagement for wire retraction. The wire so tensioned is incrementally advanced axially into a wire retainer assembly and past retainer jaws which admit the wire and hold same against high tension loads. A manual control permits disengagement of the tool retainer jaws from the wire, after wire securement to a support, to enable axial disengagement of the tool from a length of tensioned wire. Methods are disclosed for tensioning and joining two lengths of wire using the present tool. Wire coiling tools are disclosed facilitating the practice of the methods.

Abstract: An apparatus including a pair of swingable arms with each having a leg engaging member. The arms are powered toward an open or aligned relationship to cause the leg engaging members to spread the user's legs to increase leg flexibility and the range of leg movement during the practice of martial arts. A threaded shaft journalled on a base of the device receives a wrench and moves a traveler sleeve and a pair of links acting on said arms. The leg engaging members are positionable along the arms for different sized users with the members having pads oppositely spaced from a knee joint to engage the upper leg and the lower leg. The leg engaging member are asymmetrically mounted on sleeves to permit varying the vertical distance of the leg engaging members above a floor surface to accommodate a wide range of adult and child users.

Abstract: A valve including spools each responsive to fluid pressure and each spring biased to an open position. Multiple sources of pressure, such as tanks, serve the valve. Tank pressure is directed in sequence through a spool in the open position to an end chamber of the remaining spool to shift the latter spool for uninterrupted passage of fluid pressure into an outlet of the end chamber and past a flow separator spool to a pressure regulator. Switching to a second tank occurs automatically upon a drop in end chamber pressure permitting shifting of a spool to an open position to direct fluid pressure to the end chamber of the remaining spool.

Abstract: An easel having a pair of segmented front legs and a segmented rear leg member with the legs and segments slidably joined by dovetails and dovetail grooves for varying easel height. The front leg segments, in addition to being extensible, are pivotally joined to the main members of the legs to permit angular positioning of the front leg segments to the vertical to serve as the front legs of the drafting table configuration. In this configuration, the upper ends of the main members are positioned downwardly along the rear leg member to provide a sloping, workpiece supporting surface in the nature of a drafting board. A detachable cross member serves to brace the vertical front leg segments against swaying while a brace assembly braces the connection between the main leg members and the rear leg member.

Abstract: A hydrofoil adapted for attachment to a boat propulsion unit. The hydrofoil defines a recessed area on its underside in which a trolling plate may be positioned. A pivot shaft couples the plate to the hydrofoil permitting upright deployment of the plate for slowing of the watercraft. A locking bar on the hydrofoil serves to engage stops on the plate to lock same in retracted and deployed positions. A control permits remote operation of the locking bar.

Abstract: A pole member is supported by a ground engaging wheel with a load receiving, compartmented container located on the pole member adjacent the wheel. An upper end segment of the pole member is adjustably mounted for varying pole member length to suit the user. An article of outdoor gear may be carried by the pole upper end segment and enclosed by a cover. Forward motion is imparted to the device by the user's upper torso and arm with steering of the device by the user's hand. A ski may be substituted for the wheel.

Abstract: A leash having elastic and nonelastic segments wherein forces imparted to the user and the pet are in a cushioned manner. The nonelastic member may be of woven material in tubular form to house at least a portion of the elastic member which may be a bungee cord. A modified form of the leash includes a buckle for coupling nonelastic leash components to provide the option of the leash being of a fixed length.