Abstract: A pair of levers are pivotally attached to the rigid frame of a backpack apparatus and extend forwardly over the shoulders of a person wearing the backpack and downwardly so that its distal or lower free end is positioned a spaced distance in front of the person's waist at a location conveniently within reach of his arms. A rotatable shoulder pad is provided on each lever near the point of pivotal attachment to the backpack frame to distribute the weight of the backpack over a larger area of the person's shoulders and to reduce the sharpness of the levers bearing on the person's shoulders. Each pad has a curved upper surface and is attached to the lever by a resilient strap such that the pad can rotate or rock to a limited extent independently of the lever.

Abstract: An adjustable buttonhole sewing guide includes a template preferably in the form of a thin, flexible fabric having rectangular holes therethrough for guiding a seamstress in sewing buttonholes in garments. The holes are in predetermined sizes, orientation, and spacing. Portions of the guide also have appropriately shaped corresponding guide edges which can be separated from the template and used as overlays on the template to adjust the size of the holes for sewing buttonholes of desired size. The template and overlay can be temporarily attached together to maintain the desired size of the holes in the guide and placed upon the fabric onto which the buttonholes are to be sewn.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a structural panel of prestressed and reinforced cementitious material includes a hinged box form or, alternatively, a reusable adjustable metal form having telescopic, slidably adjustable brace members, said forms also having stackable modules to provide selectively variable heights of the form walls, a resilient mold, side form members dividing the adjustable forms into a plurality of individual panel forms, a header for dividing each individual panel form into a shallow and a deep portion and which serves as a nailing strip in the finished panel, and steam curing apparatus.

Abstract: A dental appliance stand is provided with an equipment tray and remote-controlled positioning means for simultaneously rotating and vertically advancing the tray between an out-of-the-way position to one side of the patient chair and a use position directly over the patient chair. The positioning means includes a rotatable worm screw with a worm follower for imparting vertical movement to the tray and a guide cylinder with an elongated guide slot, a section of which has a helical pattern, for engagement with a guide pin extending radially from the worm follower to impart rotational movement to the tray.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a synthetic fireplace log with a hollow core, said log being composed of shredded paper and wax. The logs are produced by continuously compacting shredded paper into one end of a compaction chamber, injecting hot molten wax into the compacted paper in the compaction chamber, cooling and hardening the wax, and continuously extruding finished logs from the opposite end of the compaction chamber with means for cutting the continuously extruded log into convenient lengths.

Abstract: A composite molding structure combines a plurality of laminated body members with matingly engageable channels and extensions sized and shaped to at least partially interfittingly retain said body members from movement relative to one another, and filling and finishing members are so constructed and arranged as to conceal said channels and extensions whereby to impart a finished, contoured appearance and feel. The body members also include a variety of distinctive architectural configurations on their lateral sides which serve both as functional gripping surfaces as well as to impart an ornamental appearance to the finished molding. The various shapes and configurations with corresponding engagement means are conducive to the exercise of one's individual creativity in laminating various members together in a variety of combinations to produce finished moldings, handrails, balustrades and the like of desired size and appearance.

Abstract: Fence sections of the type having a series of interconnected vertical and horizontal strands are characterized by being formed with different preselected gauges and spacing between the horizontal strands. Thus the horizontal strands located at the extreme ends of the vertical strands are of a heavier gauge than the vertical strands with the intermediate horizontal strands being equal to or lighter in gauge than the vertical strands, the gauges and density or spacing of these strands being selected so as to allow coiling of the fence without having a retained memory factor while at the same time providing vertical strength against collapsing forces. Preferably, the spacing between the horizontal strands successively increases from the bottom of one such vertical row to the top of the vertical row, with each successively higher opening or spacing being greater than or equal to the vertical length of its next lower adjacent space or opening.

Abstract: An adjustable needle valve provided with an orifice and a needle valve stem is characterized by a finely calibrated adjustment means connected to the valve stem for controlling variations in the flow of fluid in a system, the needle valve stem being biased so as to be normally urged toward an orifice to restrict the flow of fluid, but which can be manually retracted from the orifice to a position allowing a full stream of fluid to flow through the orifice to flush out foreign particles which may have lodged between the orifice and the needle valve stem. When the needle valve stem is released, it returns to its previously adjusted position within the orifice without having to be reset by the adjustment means.

Abstract: A frame composed of side members and interconnecting cross bars is attached to a generally flat surface by arrangements which hold the rack or frame in spaced relation to the surface. Releasable clamping devices are arrayed on the cross bars for temporary cargo storage. One form of clamping device is particularly well suited for retaining elongated flat objects such as skis in a position which is perpendicular to the rack on the side opposite the attachment to the surface. By employing three cross bars for the rack, ski lengths of various dimensions can be accommodated and, when used in conjunction with a vertical van type vehicle door, the rack can concurrently provide a ladder function. A trough and clamping bar arrangement between the flat surface to which the rack is mounted and the members of the rack can accommodate other elongated objects such as ski poles.

Abstract: A stereo speaker system with two spaced-apart speaker housings is adapted for mounting on the backrest of a chair by attachment thereto with a universal, adjustable mounting bracket. Each speaker housing is adjustably supported on opposite sides of the space occupied by a person's head while sitting in the chair by a support arm adjustably connected to the speaker housing on one end and adjustably connected to the mounting bracket on the opposite end. The mounting bracket has downwardly extending members for gripping the front and rear surfaces of the chair backrest, the space between the front gripping members and the rear gripping members being adustable for removable mounting on the chair and for mounting on a variety of chairs with varying sizes of backrests.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a wheel-mounted portable jack which is capable of lifting large objects from a minimum ground clearance to a considerable height without resetting. The structure of the jack includes an upper member and a lower frame member pivotally attached together and movable between a normally contracted position and an expanded position under the control of lift means extending between a base and the upper frame. The lift means is operative to actuate the frame members simultaneously to advance from a collapsed or closed position in which the frame members are in parallel, horizontal relation to each other to an extended or open position in which the frame members approach a vertical, straight line relation to each other resembling the opening of a set of jaws. The jack includes a self-contained power source, drive means, and control apparatus as well as an apparatus for lifting the rear end of the jack for alignment purposes, a handle, and wheels for convenience in transporting the jack.

Abstract: A serial impact printer of the type utilizing a dot matrix print head is specifically adaptable for use as a calculator or adding machine and is characterized by utilizing a common drive source to advance the print head across the paper, advance the paper between printing operations, and selectively advance the print ribbon between the ribbon supply spool and takeup spool. An improved paper-advancing means has been devised which operates in close correlation with the print head drive member to provide a relatively high speed, simplified and inexpensive printer unit; and the ribbon supply spools are so constructed and arranged as to be interchangeable and to permit direct drive through a spool-engaging member on the print head whereby to advance the ribbon in direct response to print head travel.