Abstract: A door hold and release mechanism is provided including a housing mounted onto the pneumatic cylinder of a door check or closer having a piston rod extending from one end of the cylinder. The piston rod passes through an oversized hole in a drop stop which restricts movement of the piston rod when the drop stop is tilted. A cap button is mounted on top of the housing and is connected to one end of an elongated shaft disposed in the housing. A spring exerts a bias pressure on the shaft which opposes the external force applied to the shaft when the cap button is depressed. A draw bar extends outwardly through the housing and is connected at one end to the drop stop. A cam action linkage connects the other end of the draw bar to the opposite end of the shaft. The linkage includes an elongated cam slot formed within the end of the shaft and a pin which extends through the slot and the rearward end of the draw bar.

Abstract: An improved apparatus is provided for curing powdered coatings on the face of porous wood products, such as medium density fiberboard (MDF), wherein a pair of inclined infrared catalytic heaters are used to apply heat directly onto the side edges of the board. In addition, catalytic heaters that are normally used to heat and cure the face surface of the board are moved father back to reduce their effectiveness and to limit out-gassing of entrapped air from the inner low density core of the board. This arrangement also allows the coating to cure at the side edges of the board at approximately the same rate as the face of the board, promoting a more uniform curing of the powder coating.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of preheating a catalyst in a catalytic heater comprising the steps of preparing a gaseous mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen in a volume ratio of between about 95% hydrogen to about 5% nitrogen and about 5% hydrogen to about 95% nitrogen and dispersing the gaseous mixture into contact with the catalyst for a period of time sufficient to raise the temperature of the catalyst to a level that will promote the flameless oxidation of a fuel gas in the presence of the catalyst.

Abstract: An improved roll-up truck cover assembly is provided for use on trucks having a rectangular open truck body carrying gravel, loose dirt and the like. The roll-up truck cover assembly comprises a rectangular flexible top cover attached at one end to the front wall of the truck body and at the other end to a take-up roll including a biasing member tending to rotate the roll in a take-up operation. A pair of elongated swinging arms are provided one on each opposite side wall of the truck body. The swinging arms may comprise, for example, a first or upper elongated tube or rod rotatably connected at one end to the take-up roll. The first or upper elongated tube or rod is telescopically and retractably mounted at its other end within a second or lower larger diameter tube pivotally mounted to a lower end portion of one of the side walls of the truck body. A roller and an elongated roller guide track are provided for each swinging arm on each opposite side wall of the truck body.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electric current producing electrochemical cell is provided comprising an anode and a cathode, an ionically permeable separator interposed between the anode and the cathode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, the electrolyte comprising an ionically conducting salt in a non-aqueous medium, the ionically conducting salt corresponding to the formula: M+(Z*(J*)j(X*)x)?, wherein: M is a lithium atom, Z* is an anion group containing two or more Lewis basic sites and comprising less than 50 atoms not including hydrogen atoms, J* independently each occurance is a Lewis acid coordinated to at least one Lewis basic site of Z*, and optionally two or more such J* groups may be joined together in a moiety having multiple Lewis acidic functionality, X* independently each occurrence is selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C4 alkyl, alkoxide, halide and mixtures thereof, j is an integer from 2 to 12, and x is an integer from 0 to 4.

Abstract: A negative electrode material is provided for a rechargeable lithium-ion electrochemical cell comprising an intimate mixture of finely-divided elemental nickel and tin particles characterized in that the total oxygen content of said material is less than about 6 percent by weight of the mixture. Preferably, the negative electrode material comprises from about 5 to 90 percent by weight nickel particles and from about 10 to 95 percent by weight tin particles, the nickel and tin particles being composed of discrete, non-spherical, smooth particles of a size ranging from about 1 to 10 micrometers and having a density which is greater than about 5 grams per milliter and a specific surface area of less than about 1 square meter per gram.

Abstract: A door stop is provided comprising a first vertical plate for mounting to a wall and second horizontal pivot plate affixed to and extending outwardly from the wall-mounting plate. A third elongated member is pivotally mounted at its inner end to the pivot plate and at its outer end extends outwardly to a normal position perpendicular to the wall for making contact with a swinging door. A means is associated with the pivot plate for releaseably locking the third member in its normal position. In use, the door stop remains in its normal position until the elongated tube is struck by an object, such as a vacuum cleaner or mop. The impact releases the third member from its locked position and allows it to swing about its pivot point on the pivot plate to an out of the way position substantially parallel to the wall.

Abstract: An anhydrous inorganic gel-polymer electrolyte is prepared using a non-aqueous sol-gel process. The inorganic gel-polymer is prepared by reacting a metal halide (SiCl4) and an alcohol (tert-butyl alcohol) in a diluent solution containing a lithium salt (lithium bisperfluoroethanesulfonimide) and at least one carbonate. The resulting porous silicon oxide network encapsulates the liquid electrolyte. The gel polymer electrolyte can serve as both a separator and an electrolyte in a Li-ion cell. The material is stable and has demonstrated minimal flammability. Lithium-ion electrochemical cells made with the inorganic gel-polymer electrolyte function similarly to Li-ion cells made with a liquid electrolyte. The cells have low capacity fade, 0.69%, and low irreversible capacity, 7.6%.

Abstract: A multi-function door stop is provided comprising a first vertical plate for mounting to a wall and a second horizontal plate affixed to and extending outwardly from the first plate. A hollow elongated tube extends outwardly in a direction away from the second plate in a normal position substantially perpendicular to the first plate. An extension member is interposed between the second plate and the elongated tube, the extension member being fixedly secured at one end to the second plate. The elongated tube is pivotally connected to the other end of the extension member permitting adjustment of the tube to a ninety degree impact with the door. A means is associated with the extension member for releasably locking the tube in its normal position. In use, the door stop remains in its normal position until the elongated tube is struck by an object, such as a vacuum cleaner or mop.

Abstract: A solid polymer electrolyte for an electrolytic cell is prepared by a sol-gel process in which an active metal ion conducting liquid electrolyte, e.g. a lithium-ion electrolyte, containing a salt which is stable in the presence of water, e.g. lithium bisperfluoroethanesulfonimide, LiN(SO2C2F5)2, is admixed in aqueous solution with an alkoxide, e.g. silica alkoxide, to form a liquid precursor which is added to the electrolytic cell between the anode and cathode thereof and allowed to solidify in situ to form the solid electrolyte.

Abstract: A solid polymer electrolyte for an electrochemical cell is prepared by a sol-gel process in which an active metal ion conducting liquid electrolyte, e.g. a lithium-ion electrolyte, containing a salt which is stable in the presence of water, e.g. lithium bisperfluoroethanesulfonimide, LiN(SO2C2F5)2, is admixed in aqueous solution with an alkoxide, e.g. silica alkoxide, to form a liquid precursor which is added to the electrochemical cell between the anode and cathode thereof and allowed to solidify in situ to form the solid electroyte.

Abstract: A hearing aid system including an electronic hearing aid containing a microphone and having an orifice in one part thereof for transferring sound to the microphone and an acoustically amplifying horn formed with an outwardly flared end defining an inlet opening for sound originating ahead of the horn and an open downstream end attached to the part of the hearing aid containing the orifice such that the orifice is enclosed and sealed off from exposure to sound originating outside of the horn except for that sound entering the inlet opening.

Abstract: A gas catalytic heater having an improved temperature distribution is disclosed which includes a body having an open end in which is disposed a porous catalytically active layer containing a catalyst such as platinum metal. A sealed plenum chamber is disposed below the catalytically active layer and has a gas-permeable wall portion facing toward the active layer and a gas inlet orifice for introducing a fuel gas into the chamber. The gas-permeable wall portion may comprise a perforated metal plate having a plurality of tiny apertures the total open area of which is significantly less than that provided by perforated plates used in catalytic heaters of the prior art.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a tool for removing and replacing the operating nut on a subterranean gate at the bottom of a valve tile. The tool comprises an elongated threaded rod moveably mounted inside of an elongated outer tube and having a threaded nut secured to its upper end. A bifurcated member is affixed to the lower end of the rod. The bifurcated member is configured to fit easily underneath the operating nut for lifting the nut off of the valve stem. A nut retaining member is mounted to the lower end of the tube for holding a new operating nut on top of the bifurcated member during the replacement operation.

Abstract: Substantial improvements to the cycle life of silverzinc cells were obtained by the addition of small amounts of bismuth oxide (Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3) to the negative zinc electrode, in conjunction with cadmium oxide (CdO) and lead oxide (PbO). These improvements, which can be extended to other zinc-based alkaline batteries, especially nickel-zinc and zinc-air, can also be realized in conjunction with other metal oxides and hydroxides, particularly indium hydroxide ?In(OH).sub.3 !, which, like Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, has the additional advantage of being non-toxic.

Abstract: A pavement cutter is provided for attachment to the boom assembly of a conventional backhoe or excavator including an elongated cutting blade having a scoring edge disposed in substantially parallel relation to the surface of the pavement and a cutting edge disposed substantially perpendicular to the scoring edge and wherein a pair of outwardly extending pressure flanges are attached to the blade one on each thereof at a point above the scoring and cutting edges of the blade. The pavement is first scored along a straight line using the scoring edge and then cut along the scored line using the cutting edge of the blade. The pressure flanges on each side of the cutting blade slide along the top surface of the pavement applying a vertical or downward force which prevents the asphalt from lifting and breaking up during the cutting operation.