Abstract: A device and method for framing articles such as photographs, certificates and the like is comprised of a sheet-like frame having a viewing side and a reverse side. Single-sided tape adheres to the reverse side of the frame and a layer of static-cling film having first and second surfaces is positioned so that the first surface is in contact with the tape. An article having a display face adheres to the second surface of the film. The device with article affixed and framed is capable of being mounted by using static-cling film, double-sided tape, or a tack, depending upon the type of surface to which the device is to be mounted. Several versions of the device and method are disclosed. Such device and method facilitate quick, inexpensive framing of photos or the like, particular when such articles are planned to be displayed more or less temporarily.

Abstract: Disclosed is a piston for a water pump, e.g., a pressure washer pump. The piston includes a piston body and a piston head and in the improvement, the piston body is solid, homogeneous ceramic. That is, the piston body has a generally cylindrical surface and the body is circumscribed by the surface and is homogeneous ceramic. A method for making a piston for a water pump includes the steps of providing a piston body made of a ceramic material, and making a piston head of steel and having a pocket formed therein. The head is heated, the pocket and the body are engaged in overlapping relationship and the head is allowed to cool and "shrink-fit" to the piston body. The piston head is formed to have a relief groove circumscribing the pocket for reducing compression forces resulting from such cooling.

Abstract: A disposable device for controlling the rate of suction to and from a bodily organ, such as the stomach, during a lavage procedure that involves the use of a movable controller that slides back and forth over an opening in the main body of the device. The interior opening of the device which is placed in a flowline that extends from the stomach upstream to a downstream collection vessel has a tapered flow path that allows for the uninterrupted flow of pill fragments or stomach contents through the flowline. A lateral flow path that extends from an opening in the exterior of the main body to the main flow path enables an operator to vary the suction pressure to or from the patient by varying the size of the exterior opening through the use of the movable controller.

Abstract: A vehicular accelerator pedal apparatus for electronic control of vehicle engine speed. The apparatus has a pedal position sensor with a rotatable stem, an accelerator pedal and an actuator bar extending from the pedal toward the sensor mounting bracket. In the improvement, the actuator bar is connected to a drive shaft which is pivot-mounted on the bracket. An actuator linkage is coupled to and pivoted by the drive shaft and extends between such the drive shaft and the sensor stem. The linkage includes first and second links imparting rotary motion to the stem when the linkage is pivoted by movement of the pedal. The second link is available in several different lengths and the apparatus thereby accommodates each of several different sensors by using a second link having the length appropriate for a particular sensor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling the above-ground "raise height" of a seed-planting row unit on an agricultural planter having a row marker, a marker switch and a positioning assembly such as a solenoid valve and hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the row unit. The method includes enabling the positioning assembly to raise the row unit and changing the marker switch from its first to its second position when the row unit reaches a predetermined height. The positioning assembly is thereby disabled. Such assembly is re-enabled after a brief time delay. The method is carried out using a unique implement control circuit connected to the marker switch and the positioning assembly.

Abstract: An in-ground lighting apparatus has an enclosure for placement below the surface of the earth and a lamp is mounted for adjustable positioning in the housing. In the improvement, the lamp base and lamp are supported by two pivot-mounted brackets. The brackets are spaced from the lamp rim and provide lamp-grasping clearance between them for easy re-lamping. And the brackets permit the lamp to be adjusted to direct light anywhere within a cone-shaped 360.degree. envelope. The lamp is supported solely by its base. In a particular embodiment configured for use with HID lamps, the lamp and ballast assembly are constructed as an "integrated" unit which is easily lifted from the enclosure for service.

Abstract: A new method for labeling an elongate tool comprising the steps of providing a tool having (a) a pair of first and second placard retention edges, and (b) at least one support surface extending along the length of the tool. A display card has first and second placard edges opposite one another. A pair of retention fold lines are formed on the card and a pair of support surface boundary fold lines are formed between the retention fold lines. The card is folded along the boundary fold lines, thereby forming a spine panel. The spine panel is placed against the tool support surface and each placard edge is engaged with a separate first placard retention edge. The retention fold lines are then pressed into engagement with respective second placard retention edges, thereby affixing the card to the tool. A new display placard for labeling tools and the like is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for counting, by ranges of size, particles flowing through a particle sensor including the steps of flowing a particle through the sensor, thereby producing a voltage pulse which is sampled over a period of time. Sampling yields a plurality of voltage values which includes a latest value and a former value. The latest value is compared with the former value and when less than the former value, the method finds, in a table of threshold voltages, the size range for the particle. A counting bin corresponding to the size range for the particle is then incremented. The former value may be the value immediately preceding the latest value or it may be several "counts" prior to such latest value. The new particle sensor has an inlet, sensing volume, exhaust port, light collection system and an electronic system coupled to the light collection system. The electronic system is programmed to count particles, by size, in any of several unique ways.

Abstract: An improvement to a customizable scuba-diving mouthpiece having a passageway-forming front member extending from a proximal in-mouth end to a distal outside end, and a U-shaped thermoformable back member having a forward middle portion, flanges and bite portions configured to provide moldability at substantially all points of contact between mouthpiece and teeth. The improvement includes the forming of a concave inner and outer surface on the leg portion in order to reduce jaw fatigue, the rearward termination of the inner upstanding flange substantially lateral to the diver's first molar and the tapering of the rear portions of the leg members so as to provide a more comfortable fit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a clevis of the type used with a digging bucket. The clevis is of the type having a pivot pin and a pin locking assembly. In the improvement, the pivot pin is cylindrical, has first and second opposing ends and at least one hole traversing the pin diameter. A first boss is affixed on the clevis around the first end and such boss has a plurality of key slots formed therein. A retaining ring is seated in each of the key slots and a first retaining pin extends through the hole and the retaining rings. Most preferably, the clevis has another boss at the pivot pin second end and another retaining pin extends through the pivot pin second end. A new method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A "hot start" method for arc welding includes selecting a first weld current, setting a time interval, striking an arc, flowing a second, higher weld current through the welding rod and then, after a brief time interval, reducing the current through the rod to the value of the first weld current. Also disclosed is a new arc welder stator having two groups of slots around a core. The group of larger slots contains the weld current windings and slots in the group of smaller slots contain windings for timing, gate voltage, battery charging, auxiliary power and the like. A new cooling apparatus for an arc welder has an air duct and a "double-bladed" fan for flowing air along several paths and cooling both the welder control section and the generating section. A new method for electronically controlling engine speed in an engine-driven arc welder is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wall air conditioning apparatus for a control panel, with a fan and a lamellar heat exchanger, featuring a box-like housing with an upper inlet opening and a lower outlet opening in the wall that faces the control panel, whereby the fan is arranged behind the inlet opening and the lamellar heat exchanger is arranged under the fan and over the outlet opening at an acute angle to this wall. For improved ventilation and drainage of condensation water, it is provided that the lamellae of the lamellar heat exchanger are at an acute angle to the floor of the housing and drop off toward the wall that faces away from the control cabinet, and that the floor of the housing is provided with a drain for condensate.

Abstract: The cytogenetic chamber includes a chamber enclosure, a drying cavity in the enclosure, a door and a hand-insertion port through the door. A slide-supported, fixative-treated cell (prepared outside the chamber or in situ in the chamber) is in the drying area and air flows through the entirety of the drying area at a substantially uniform (and relatively low) flow rate. The fixative dries at substantially the same drying rate, irrespective of the location of the slide in the drying area. A related method is also disclosed. The invention is particularly useful for chromosome spreading and results in a significantly-increased percentage of metaphases having metaphase areas in the optimal range of 2,500 to 4,500 squared microns.

Abstract: A four pivot point track suspension apparatus for a vehicle. The track suspension apparatus includes a frame, a drive wheel, an undercarriage, and a continuous flexible track. The continuous flexible track is engaged by and driven by the drive wheel which is rotatably attached to the vehicle and operably attached to the frame. The undercarriage includes a leading equalizer pivotally mounted to the frame and having leading and trailing idler rollers rotatably attached thereto and a trailing equalizer pivotally mounted to the frame having an intermediate idler roller assembly and trailing idler rollers rotatably attached thereto. The leading equalizer is spring biased against the frame to maintain constant tension on the track and to ensure that all the idler rollers are in constant engagement with the track.

Abstract: The new method is particularly useful for inventorying frozen laboratory specimens such as found in a hospital or research center. The method includes placing a specimen at a primary location in a freezer, selecting an "identifier" unique to that specimen and displaying a symbol representing the primary location. More typically, both the storage system and the number of specimens are quite large and progressively-more-specific secondary, tertiary and even sub-tertiary locations will also be displayed. Removing the specimen from the compartment involves manipulating the freezer interface device, e.g., keypad and screen, to display at least the primary location. The user may manipulate by "scrolling" the screen or by entering certain specimen-identifying parameters such as a specimen description, the date of initial storage and others. An optional security arrangement can be incorporated and requires that persons attempting to place or remove a specimen must enter a personal identification number (PIN).

Abstract: An electrical circuit for a model railroad includes a DC variable-voltage power source having a pair of output terminals connected to respective rails of a model railroad track. A capacitor and a normally-closed switch are connected in series across the output terminals. The improvement comprises an accessory circuit having first and second input lines, each connected to a separate one of the respective rails. The accessory circuit includes an AC-pass filter at the input lines and a rectifier section coupled to the AC-pass filter. A relay circuit is coupled to the rectifier section and includes an electrical contact switched between a first state, e.g., open, and a second state, e.g., closed. An electrically-powered accessory such as a whistle or horn is coupled to the contact and is energized when the contact switches from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: The new tilt steering mechanism includes a housing having a tower and a pair of C-shaped clamps comprising a locking apparatus fixed with respect to the tower. Each clamp has a locking quadrant formed by alternating ridges and grooves. A swivel bar extends along a swivel axis and is trunnion-mounted for pivoting movement with respect to the tower and the clamps. An annular, ring-like locking device is mounted on the swivel bar for movement therealong and is spring biased toward the clamps. Such locking device includes a pair of wedge-shaped locking members for selectively engaging grooves in respective quadrants on the clamps. Other features for excluding dirt from the mechanism and, in the case of a mechanism used to drive a pump and steer a boat, for driving the pump and checking oil level are also disclosed.

Abstract: A photo/photo cartridge delivery/storage packet is particularly suited for the products of Advanced Photo Systems (APS) processing. Such packet has first and second sheet-like cover members disposed in spaced, substantially parallel planes. Each member has a spine-adjacent edge and a sheet-like spine interconnecting the cover members along such edges. A plurality of sheet-like photos is between the cover members and is removably/replaceably secured to the spine by adhesive. There is a structural element against the second cover member for securing the photo cartridge associated with the photos. The packet has a fold-over flap which aids cartridge retention.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a potato into a helical shape, the apparatus having a hollow, generally cylindrical body, a cutting plate having a top side and a bottom side located in the body for cutting a potato into a helical shape when a potato is inserted into the body, forced against the cutting plate and rotated around the longitudinal axis of the body, the cutting plate having a plurality of vertical blades for cutting a potato extending perpendicularly upward from the cutting plate and a horizontal blade located above the cutting plate for cutting a potato, and a feeding apparatus for forcing a potato onto the cutting plate and for rotating the potato about the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body to cut the potato into a helical shape, and an apparatus for cutting an onion into a helical shape, the apparatus having a hollow, generally cylindrical body, a cutting plate having a top side and a bottom side located in the body for cutting an onion into a helical shape when an onion is inserted into the b