Abstract: An electrical connection device, particularly but not exclusively for printed circuit boards, consists of a rigid insulating support for receiving a board, resilient contact members each having one end fixed relative to the support and adapted to engage resiliently, through an active region of the contact member, a respective one of a number of conductive connection tracks on the board, and a control mechanism operable alternately to open and close the contact members to allow insertion and extraction of the board. The control mechanism comprises at least one slide movable in the rigid support and each contact member comprises, between a portion forming a hinge and a movable end held or joined in fixed position in the slide, two substantially rectilinear portions which are inclined to one another and to the direction of translation of the slide and which are guided transversely by the slide, the junction of the two portions forming the active region of the contact member.

Abstract: A tag axle is mounted to the frame at the rear of a vehicle on an articulated linkage which extends downwardly and rearwardly. Springs bias the tag axle and its bearing-supported wheels in an upward direction. The tag axle is actuated downwardly by two air bags, one at each end of the tag axle. The tag axle provides vertical support at the rear of the vehicle through the air bag actuators. The tag axle is guided vertically by means of two upright arms, one at each side of the frame, and including anti-friction roller bearings and associated tracks which permit free vertical movement of the tag axle but prohibit lateral and torsional, and limit differentially vertical, movement of the wheels. A greater vertical movement of the tag axle is permitted because of the location and disposition of the tag axle and associated components, thereby preventing ground-bottoming or ploughing by any component at the rear portion of the vehicle. The total package is lighter and more compact to reduce weight and cost.

Abstract: A recreational device consisting of two annular members and a plurality of circumferentially spaced cross members secured one at each end to the annular members to form a floatation wheel having sufficient buoyancy so that an individual can stand uprightly between the annular members and step from one cross member to the next along land surfaces, marshlands, or a body of water. The device has sufficient buoyancy to support the individual who can transport himself over land, water and other surfaces, such as swamp, muck, salt marshes and the like.

Abstract: A transit concrete mixer includes a drum which is mounted for discharge either forwardly or reversely of the vehicle and has two sets of flights for two-stage concrete loading and discharging. One set of flights is particularly useful for carrying the aggregate from the base of the drum upwardly along the major axis of the drum and a second set of flights is adapted for receiving the aggregate and transporting it through the remaining length of the drum to the discharge opening of the drum. Thus, for relatively stiff, low slump aggregates which are useful in paving and for formless type useage, the concrete mixer unit is fully adaptable for such low slump values. Conversely, the same set of flights is adapted for charging and discharging relatively high slump values which are utilized for form type applications.

Abstract: A plastic, electrically nonconductive threaded stem having a central passage integrally related with a flared series of projections also threaded at their outer surface and including a central opening coincident with the passage in the stem.A ring nut is threadedly mounted over the projections and is advanced toward the free end of the projections to cause the projections to be compressed together and thereby bringing radially inner clamping surfaces of the projections against confronting surfaces of an electrical conductor which is passed through the central passageway in the stem and the flared projections, and thus clamping the two parts together. The threaded stem, in turn, is passed through a companion opening in the junction box and another nut is received over the stem to the junction box between a shoulder of the stem and the nut and thereby holding firmly the conductor relative to the box.

Abstract: In an articulated boom having a platform and comprised of upper and lower booms respectively, there are hydraulic actuators controlling the movements of the upper and lower booms. Control means are necessary in association with the lower boom to control its rate of movement, slowing such rate of movement as the lower boom approaches its retracted, or full rest, position. A position responsive valve permits unimpeded fluid pressure access to the actuator for lowering the lower boom at its regular rate until the lower boom reaches a critical angle as it approaches horizontal position, at which time the valve prevents further fluid access to its associated hydraulic actuator. Thereafter, a position responsive valve and a pressure reducing valve reduce the rate of descent of the lower boom until the lower boom is fully retracted to its rest position.

Abstract: The frame of a load-bearing vehicle has two beams extending one on each side of the frame and pivotally mounted to the frame. Between each beam and the frame is an air bladder, or other cushion. At the end of each beam is a linkage carrying a tag axle, wheel and tire. A power actuator rotates the linkage to bring the wheel and tire into ground engaging position at the end of the beam, and a second power actuator pivots the beams upwardly to raise the wheel-and-tire set; or pivots the beam downwardly to lower the wheel-and-tire set into ground engagement. Fluid motor actuators for the linkages and the beams respectively, are remotely operable so that the extra flotation wheels and tag axle can be brought into ground engagement when additional ground support is desired for the weight borne by the vehicle frame; or, the extra flotation wheels and tires can be raised to an elevated transport position, also by remote operation of the fluid motor actuators associated with the beam and linkage respectively.

Abstract: A numerical selection apparatus is combined with a ball point pen and is constructed to make numerical combinations from a predetermined number of figures, such combinations being arbitrary and randomly occurrent so as to be useable in such games as "LOTTO" and the like, where chance is a factor in the outcome and play of the game.

Abstract: In a container for viscous fluids, an insert is fitted within the open end of the bottle and provides a dripless pouring lip after the cover at the open end of the container is removed and the container is up-ended for pouring.

Abstract: A slicing band consists of a base and an integral reduced cross section shank which is formed continuously throughout the length of the band. At the end of the shank is a scalloped cutting edge with inclined faces which intersect at the cutting edge of the scallops. The blade is constructed from an apparatus which utilizes two rotatable grinding wheels each with a flat annular grinding surface adapted to contact first one side of the blade and then the opposite side of the blade while the blade is yieldably retained against lateral movement and to effect material reduction to form the reduced cross section shank. The grinding wheel consists of cubic boron nitride, capable of performing material removal without burning or compromising the strength or other material requirements of the blade.

Abstract: A drapery pleat holder consists of a removable, U-shaped, relatively stiff member which is located at the bottom edge of a drapery. Confronting surfaces of the drapery are releasably attached with the fold-producing member, there being a plurality of regularly spaced members at the bottom edge of the drapery. The fold imparted to the drapery at the bottom edge produces a vertical pleat extending from the upper edge to the lower edge. The releasable connection can be in the form of a snap fastener, a fiber connection, or a pressure-sensitive adhesive connection.

Abstract: A connector for printed circuit boards, having a plurality of resiliently deformable contact members movable between open and closed positions by a control member rotatably mounted in the connector case. The contact members each have a fixed end retained in the bottom of the case and a movable end attached to the control member. An active region situated between the movable and fixed ends serves in the closed position resiliently to contact a conducting connection track on a printed circuit board inserted in the connector. The portion of each contact member between its movable end and active region is less flexible than the portion between its active region and fixed end, the resulting deformation of the members on movement from their open to their closed positions facilitating self-cleaning of the conducting tracks of the board and the active region of the contact members.

Abstract: A pair of substantially flat rectangular fusible links is constructed from progressive dies by partially cutting them from sheet metal stock as blanks, flanging edges on the parts and including the forming of triangular camming surfaces on such flanges, and then shearing the parts from the stock. Thereafter, the links are fluxed and soldered together and are held in interested complementary relation. It is characteristic of the links that there are no voids or discontinuities in the joined surfaces and into which flux will not flow; the interfacing triangular cam surfaces insure a clean breaking apart of the links once the eutectic temperature is reached because any longitudinal sliding movement of the links biases them laterally apart under the camming action to insure a complete break-away of the confronting soldered surfaces.

Abstract: A pool table and method of making same in which the playing surface, covered by felt, consists of tempered glass in sheet form, having semicircular notches formed at the corners and midsides at the pockets of the pool table. The notches can be formed either prior to tempering the glass or by laser beam cutting operation after the tempering operation.

Abstract: A hydraulic valve system uses spool type pilot valves with the valve openings notched to provide non-linear response to movement of pilot valves. A servo type valve with a four-way spring centered spool is operated either manually or hydraulically by the spool pilot valve. A limit stop is located at each end of the servo spool valve. The notching geometry in the spools of both the pilot valve and servo valve provide a non-linear response such that controllability and safety are improved, without hysteresis.The system has a manual override on both ends of the servo valve which is operated independently of the pilot spool valve.The system is proposed for use on articulated aerial towers which consist of a mobile platform, a rotatable mounting for a lower boom, an upper boom having an articulated mounting on the lower boom, and personnel or tool carrying basket at the outer end of the upper boom.

Abstract: In a rotary engine of the "Wankel" type, an additional valve is provided for the controlled ingress of atmospheric air into the combustion chamber, permitting the engine to run at full design compression at all speeds and throttle openings, particularly idling speed, providing additional fuel economy by the addition of air, and contributing to lengthened engine life and lower air pollution by providing additional cooling of the combustion chamber and rotor.

Abstract: In connection with a pair of articulated booms there is a leveling system consisting of a sprocket wheel at the base of the lower boom and a co-acting sprocket wheel at the free end of the upper boom with chains and rods interconnecting the two sprockets and constituting part of the leveling system maintaining the basket connected to the free end of the upper boom in a level condition.The angular position of the sprocket wheel on the upper boom is calibrated so as to be in a direct relationship to the perpendicularity of the upper boom relative to the horizon, which in turn is related to chain movement at the upper boom.A control valve associated with the upper boom is actuated by a cam on the chain so the valve is operated at whatever preselected critical angle of perpendicularity of the upper boom is desired.

Abstract: Simulated citizens band radio has an instrument panel simulating the working controls of a citizens band radio. A microphone fits in a cradle formed by a lever which determines a voice-transmitting-connection and deactuates the speaker mechanism until the microphone is lifted from the cradle. Thereafter, simulated CB talk can be generated by pulling a string and operating a recording which produces simulated voice transmission after the microphone is lifted from its cradle. When the microphone is replaced the voice transmission is terminated.

Abstract: A series of mold cavities are made up of side plates which are pivoted on vertical offset hinges and each is movable one toward the other to define the mold cavities into which concrete is poured to form the slab. Certain of the vertical side walls have integrally related lateral wall elements which separate the side walls and complete the enclosure for the mold cavity. After the slabs have hardened, the side walls are forced apart by prying them at their upper corners causing each in turn to pivot on its respective axis and thereby opening the individual mold cavity and allowing withdrawal of the hardened slab therein.

Abstract: Transportable booms having lift platforms are now well established in the art. In the lift platform where the lift controls are located, there are means to operate an actuator and four bar linkage system in such manner that the lifting torque is substantially constant, and the arcuate or angular movement of the upper boom about its articulate connection on the lower boom is substantially constant, being at all times proportioned to the linear travel of the fluid motor actuator. In this way, the central purpose of the invention is achieved which is to obtain a controllable actuating system.The four bar linkage system achieves optimum results when the driving link a is related to the follower link b driven link c and base link d in the proportion a; b; c; d = 1.52; 1.28; 1.00; 0.76 and the fixed pivot of the driving link is offset 0.27 units from the fixed pivot for the driven link.