Abstract: The water turbine of the present invention includes a housing defining a generally cylindrical chamber therein defining a laterally extending opening. Rotatably positioned within the chamber is a rotor including a plurality of folding wings or vanes extending outwardly therefrom. Each vane includes a first blade section which is immovably fixed with respect to the rotor hub and a second blade section which is pivotally secured with respect to the first blade section. This pivotal movement of the second blade toward the nonpropelling side of the vane is restricted by a stop whereas pivotal movement of the second blade section toward the propelling side of the vane is made possible. A biasing device is included to urge the second blade section into contact with the stop which is the propulsion of the vane. To protect the joined connection between the first and second blade sections a covering means preferably including an expandable and contractable baffle section may be included.

Abstract: A slat assembly is mounted upon the leading edge of an aircraft wing, and responds automatically to changes in air speed or in the angle of attack of the wing, to increase lift at lower air speeds, and to reduce the stalling speed of the wing. A capability is induced in the aircraft for landing and taking off in short distances. For an aircraft of given size and power, also, there is offered an added safety factor in that the aircraft is permitted to land at slower landing speeds than have heretofore been possible. For the purpose of accomplishing these results, the automatic leading edge slat utilizes a base plate projecting from the leading edge of the aircraft wing, and supporting a slat having airfoil characteristics forwardly of the leading edge of the wing.

Abstract: A self-contained desk-top retrieval device for randomly filed cards or other records, accepts a capsule containing a quantity of the cards, and ejects from the capsule the specific card or cards desired. Each capsule has a series of card support bars differing from those of any other capsule, so that each capsule accepts only cards that are edge-coded to receive the bars. Within each capsule, the accepted cards are further edge-coded, whereby a coded input to a selector slide mechanism underlying the capsule, operates the slides to render accessible only those cards within the capsule that respond to the selected code. Through use of a keyboard incorporated in the equipment, or by operation of a remotely located keyboard of a computer terminal or the like, assurance is provided that no capsule will be accepted by the equipment that does not contain the card or cards desired, and it is further assured that within the proper capsule, no cards will be ejected that do not respond to the selected code.

Abstract: A cart washing device is disclosed including a housing defining a washing chamber therein having fluid piping extending therearound with a plurality of nozzles preferably of the rotary type to spray washing and rinsing fluid throughout the washing chamber. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing and includes arms fixedly secured with respect thereto which include constructions at the lower end thereof for grasping, holding and lifting of carts to be washed. Rotation of the drive shaft will cause movement of the arms upwardly and lifting of the cart upwardly into the washing chamber such that washing and rinsing by fluids coming from the nozzles will be facilitated. The manner of grasping of the carts by the arms will include a cart bracket preferably being fixedly secured to each cart and a bracket head of enlarged dimension.

Abstract: Several organic acid reactive comminuted minerals, which are generally used as fillers for plastics, rubber, etc., are treated with unsaturated organic acids, alone or in admixture with saturated acids, antioxidants and, alternatively, liquid agents. The surfied (surface modified) fillers thus obtained have excellent wetting and dispersion in both polar and non-polar media as exemplified by their superior packing fractions. Unsaturated acids, alone or in admixture with saturated acids, do not yield fillers stable to the effects of oxidation, both in preparation and use. It has been discovered that very low concentrations of antioxidants stabilize the surfied filler against oxidation and resulting instability. Liquid agents also have been discovered to add a new dimension to the art by cooperating with the acid surfiers (surface modifiers) to modify the interface between the filler and matrix to a greater extent than by previously available techniques.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for turning a conveyor at a relatively sharp angle within a very narrow longitudinal path. The apparatus includes an egg delivery conveyor positioned above an egg receiving conveyor with apertures in the bottom of the delivery conveyor adapted to allow eggs to pass downward therethrough to be received and maintained in rows on the receiving conveyor. Each aperture may include a ramp member therebelow to guide movement of the egg onto the receiving conveyor. The preferred configuration of the delivery conveyor includes a plurality of primary springs arranged usually in groups of six about a rod which extends laterally across the delivery conveyor. The rod is driven and thereby provides the source of drive for the delivery conveyor. Each primary spring includes a secondary spring secured with respect to the rod for pivotal movement with respect thereto. The bracket connecting the primary and secondary springs includes a cam thereon which follows a track in the delivery conveyor.

Abstract: An article washing device is disclosed which includes movable spray heads for both washing and rinsing while the article is stationary or moving. The housing is defined with the washing compartment therein having a frame means suspended from the upper portion thereof. The frame means is powered to move to and fro within the washing compartment. A supply line for washing solution and a supply line for rinsing solution are secured to the frame means and are oriented peripherally about the washing compartment. Spray heads are located in each of the washing and rinsing solutions such that the washing or rinsing solution can be released from the respective conduit while the frame means and the conduits themselves are moving back and forth longitudinally within the washing station. In this manner complete washing and rinsing of an article having many difficult areas to clean such as a rack is achievable.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for removing mold from the exterior of meat products, such as the casings of salami and pepperoni, is disclosed which includes a conveyor extending longitudinally through a plurality of stations for cleaning and drying the products. The meat product is placed upon the conveyor at an entry location and is then passed through a cleaning station which sprays refrigerated water at high pressure over the products. The nozzles for spraying the refrigerated water are placed above and below and to the sides of the conveyor carrying the salami or pepperoni. The conveyor then carries the meat roll to an air station which is adapted to blow ambient air across the conveyor carrying the meat to blow excessive water therefrom. The ambient air basically urges the water to be removed from the meat casing by the inertia of the air itself. The conveyor then carries the casings to a drying or heating station where heated air is blown over the salami or pepperoni to complete the drying operations.

Abstract: A safety harness of the type worn by boatmen to facilitate their being tethered to an adjacent support during rough seas, includes a clip formed from a single length of stiff wire material bent to a U-shape. The U-shaped body of the clip essentially comprises a pair of U-shaped clip members having legs the distal ends of which are jointed to maintain the members in spaced, parallel planes. The clip is usable to particular advantage with a buckle element such as a D-ring. When the cross bar of the D-ring extends across the U-shaped body within the space defined between the planes of the clip members, the clip serves to connect to each other a shoulder strap and a chestband to one of which the D-ring is connected. The clip connects the straps at right angles to each other, with the interengaged straps being confined substantially entirely to the space between the planes of the clip members.

Abstract: A refrigerated display case, of the type in which air flows through a duct and is circulated about a product display space, has a service opening at the rear of the case. Disclosed is an accordion-pleated, hollow wall structure which is both an air duct and a door. The structure in its closed position communicates at top and bottom with adjacent portions of the conduit through which air is circulated during refrigeration or, in some instances, during defrost cycles of the case. In its open position, the hollow structure defines a service opening at the rear of the case through which dairy product support carts can be rolled into or out of the case. The hollow structure is sectionally formed in a manner to define the service opening at any selected cart location.

Abstract: A damper system, for a reach-in refrigerated display case of the air-defrosted type utilizes a single gear-reduction, reversible motor to operate between open and closed positions a multiplicity of dampers, all of which must be operated simultaneously. A radial arm on the motor shaft has a pin-and-slot connection to one damper connected to a series of other dampers pivoted about a common axis for joint opening and closing thereof. Each of the connected dampers includes cam means acting upon tongues of a second series of dampers pivoted about a common axis parallel to the axis of the first damper series. When the dampers of the first series are actuated to open position, the cams individual to the dampers of that series act to cause corresponding dampers of the second series to open simultaneously therewith. In a similar fashion, all the dampers are closed simultaneously by reason of their interconnection and cam action.

Abstract: A heat circulation device is provided which is portable to be usable placed upon conventional space heaters and particularly upon kerosene fueled heaters which includes a plenum housing adapted to be placed upon the heater which defines a plenum chamber therein for gathering heated air. The upper surface of the plenum chamber defines a generally convex heated surface and the sidewalls of the plenum chamber include apertures therein. A main housing is located immediately above the plenum housing which is adapted to provide a flow of cool air via a blower assembly wherein this cool air is guided to travel across the convection surface to be warmed thereby and then to travel past the hot air apertures to create a suction thereagainst similar to the Venturi principle and hence draw warm air outward therefrom. In this manner the heated air being supplied into the plenum chamber from the kerosene or other heater will be re-circulated in an outwardly directed manner 360.degree.

Abstract: A quickly assembled rack for supporting oxygen tanks and other cylindrical objects is disclosed, requiring no special tools and comprising relatively few components, adapted to be assembled in any of a wide variety of rack configurations. The assembly basically constitutes a plurality of rack sections each of which supports a single tank. Each section is comprised, essentially, of a three-sided box portion, a tank-supporting cradle adapted to be mounted therein, and a cover plate for the box section. By selective positioning of the box sections, any of various rack assemblies, extending in tiers for any selected horizontal or vertical distance, can be quickly erected, and knocked down with equal facility for storage or shipment. When a tiered assembly is desired, the bottom of one box section becomes the cover for the section below the same.

Abstract: A sanitary cushioning device for sink bowl edges is disclosed including a platform having a first and a second leg extending downwardly approximately perpendicular with respect thereto to define a slot therebelow. The slot is adapted to receive a sink bowl edge such as often found in a beauty parlor or haircutting salon. The device cushions the edge of the sink such that when a customer places his head in the sink bowl for washing the back of his neck will be cushioned for comfort. The device is usable with a great variety of different types of sink configurations due to the thick, soft resilient nature of the material. A water repellent covering is detachably securable onto the device to prevent water from contacting the foam rubber material. The device is held in place and the water resistant covering is held in place on the sink edge by the inwardly directed bias of the resilient foam rubber downwardly extending legs.

Abstract: An egg orientation device is disclosed which is adapted to receive eggs previously arranged along the longitudinal axes thereof and to arrange those eggs with the pointed ends thereof directed as desired. The device includes a conveyor formed by a plurality of egg supports defining egg receiving recesses therebetween each having an open bottom area through which protrudes at selected locations an egg inverter device. The inverter device comprises an abutment member which includes a friction surface thereon wherein the abutment member extends upwardly into the egg receiving recess through the open bottom area thereof to contact the bottom of the shell of an egg located therein to exert a primarily tangentially force upon the shell of the egg for inversion thereof. The egg receiving recesses being preferably approximately one and one half times the length of an average egg.

Abstract: A refrigerated display case, of the reach-in type having a door normally closing a customer access opening, utilizes ambient air for defrost purposes by channeling it through an inlet conduit at the bottom of the case. The air is introduced into the normal air circulation pattern that obtains during the refrigerating cycle of the case, at the intake sides of the otherwise conventional primary circulating fan and its adjacent evaporator coil. The arrangement avoids reversal of the normal air circulation pattern and maintains a small but noticeable air flow, during a defrost cycle, through the product display area and along the inside of the glass door surface. The inflow of ambient defrost air is directed into the case through a defrost air inlet conduit having at its outlet end a continuously open air supply port, which opens into the primary air duct to provide for said introduction of defrost air into the normal air pattern.

Abstract: An inflatable life preserver of the encapsulated type encircling the neck of a wearer includes an inflatable cell or cells confined within a protective cover when in collapsed condition. The cover, formed of a strong fabric or other flexible material, comprises a pair of panels between which the cell is confined. The panels are premanently secured along the edge of a neck-encircling, center opening of the cover. The outer edges of the panels are separably connected, to confine the collapsed cells. Inflation of the cells causes separation of the panels. A protective flap is substantially coextensive in area and configuration with the panels, and lies between the panels so that the cover is in effect composed of three layers. The cells are confined between the flap and one of the panels, the flap being secured along its outer edge to said one panel while having its inner edge left free.