Abstract: A theft prevention device for fixed-position tree stands employs a horizontal plate with ends bent over to engage a pair of upright supports of the tree stand. The plate has a hole at a central location through which a lag bolt extends, securing the plate to a tree. Barriers to access to the bolt along its length and at the bolt head are provided. A barrier underneath the plate takes the form of side plates connected to edges of both sides of the horizontal plate or a hub surrounding the bolt. An outside barrier protecting the bolt head is provided by a hub and a plug lock engaged with the hub.

Abstract: A refrigerant expansion valve for an air conditioning system is combined with a solenoid-actuated closure device in a common housing. The housing provides for placement of the solenoid valve in a position to shut off fluid flow across the expansion device, with a plunger being placed to come into sealing contact with a piston bore of the expander or with a sealing surface defined in the housing proximate to the piston. Shutting off flow across the expander prevents loss of pressure differential during “off” portions of an operating cycle, thus providing a saving of energy costs.

Abstract: A paint bucket holder that holds a paint bucket firmly and securely is safely, securely, and removably attached to a hollow rung ladder. A paint bucket container, including a base, upright panel, and side braces, provides a seat and perpendicular support for the paint bucket. An elastic cincture encircles the paint bucket and secures it firmly against the upright panel. An arm support sleeve is rigidly attached to the front top edge of the upright panel, slightly above the lip of the paint bucket, restricting upward movement of the paint bucket, and containing and securing a rung attachment arm. The rung attachment arm is inserted into the selected ladder hollow rung recess, supporting the paint bucket holder, containing the paint bucket. The rung attachment arm is selectively positioned to either side of the paint bucket holder by sliding the arm within the arm support sleeve and is secured in place by an arm detent.

Abstract: An idle stop for a certain type of motor boat throttles. The throttles involved have a pedal pivotally mounted on a base, an eccentric carried by the base and actuated by the pedal and a receptor mount connected to a side wall of the base. The idle stop includes a tab extending out from the pedal, the tab having a threaded aperture through which an adjustable bolt extends. A fixed edge on a side of the base provides a surface for the bolt to come into contact with, and thus limit rearward movement of the pedal.

Abstract: An orifice pulse tube refrigerator is provided with a flow separation member in the pulse tube so as to prevent mixing of hot and cold gases from opposite end of the pulse tube, thus reducing losses due to mixing and improving efficiency. The flow separation member may take the form of a cylindrical slug of low-friction material mounted in the pulse tube for sliding movement in response to instantaneous variation in working gas pressure.

Abstract: A portable sign stand has a tripod frame in which one leg carries a self-adjusting bracket that urges a rigid sign upward against a pair of buttons near the top of the frame. The two other legs of the tripod are linked to one another and to an upright extension member that is connected to the leg carrying the bracket. Another pair of buttons connected to a plate of the bracket support a bottom corner or edge of the sign for being moved upward and held in position. The bracket is forced upward into position by an elastic cord. Legs of the tripod are made of square aluminum tubing. The bracket also carries an upright receptacle into which a mast of a roll-up may be placed and supported without use of buttons. Provisions are made for carrying various types of signs in different positions, depending on wind conditions and other factors.

Abstract: A boring bar holder for use with a lathe has a massive metal block with a generally triangular cavity extending transversely across the block. Inside the cavity a pair of diagonally extending surfaces are defined by the inside of upper and lower walls which intersect one another along a centering line. A U-shaped clamp rides in longitudinal grooves on sides of the block providing legs that have contact surfaces on ends of the legs. When the U-shaped member is forced forward, ends of the legs and the upper and lower wall grip the boring bar from three sides, causing the bar to be forced into position parallel to a centering line. A wide size range of boring bars can be held by this device with minimal adjustment, and change-out of bars is readily carried out when needed.

Abstract: A radiation shield for a hand-held cellular telephone is made up of a metal strip placed between the antenna rod of the telephone and the speaker. The strip has a flat body portion and an upper portion that is curved away from the rod. Overall length of the strip is slightly longer than the antenna rod, and its width is 1 to 1 1/2 inches. Radiation fields reaching the head of a user whose ear is placed near the speaker are substantially reduced by the shield.

Abstract: A stabilizer apparatus for fifth wheel trailers uses a pair of assemblies for placement under front corners of the trailer when parked and leveled. The assemblies each include a leveling jack, a diagonal strut-forming leg, and a connecting chain to secure the jack base and foot of the leg together at a desired location. The top end of each leg has a notch to make contact with a pin securely attached to the underside of the trailer near the area where the top of a jack is located. In operation, each leg is located to extend outward from the trailer with its bottom in contact with the ground and its top contacting a pin on the trailer. By lowering the trailer and taking slack out of the connecting chain, the legs are held rigidly in position by the weight of the trailer, and side movement of the trailer is restrained.

Abstract: A trapping plug with unique characteristics provides phase separators for cryogenic storage systems for space applications. The plug has a body of high-thermal conductivity metal such as OFHC copper and a multiplicity of holes of uniform, extremely small diameter and uniformly spaced extending through the body. The hole diameters and their uniformity in size and spacing enable precise design of an operating system using disclosed criteria. Hole diameters at the range of interest for systems for long-term storage of cryogenics such as liquid hydrogen, that is, 0.1 to 5.0 microns, may be provided in the plugs. Multiple plugs or clusters of plugs disposed in a plate may be used as required. A storage system making use of the trapping plugs also includes external vent lines and a flow regulator that controls flow of vapor through the vent lines.

Abstract: Core plugs, which are intended for insertion in the ends of cores on which large rolls of paper are wound, are lifted and maneuvered into position by an apparatus having an elongated horizontal spreader beam that rides on an overhead track. The beam has support arms mounted on each end, the arms being movable horizontally on the beam by a worm gear apparatus. The support arms each carry a hook that reaches downward for grasping of axially extending stubs at the outer ends of core plugs. Each arm has a pneumatically actuated rod with a clamping block on its lower end. The blocks are projectable downward to engage the stubs and secure the core plugs in position on the hooks. Vertical movement of the plugs is provided by a hoist which raises and lowers the beam. With the plugs in place at each end, the paper roll is lifted onto a supporting cradle in position for insertion of spindles of a mill stand. This supports the roll as the paper is being unwound.

Abstract: A mounting device for mounting a flashlight on a handgun has a first bracket for attachment to the grip of the handgun, the bracket being contoured to the surface of the handgun grip and engageable with the grip by friction. The bracket which engages the grip, extends partially around the grip, and is further urged against the grip by means of an elastic band. The first bracket is connected to a second bracket which holds a flashlight in desired alignment for coinciding with the barrel of the gun. The second bracket is located away from the grasping surface except for an upper region that is welded flush to the first bracket so as to not interfere with normal gripping of the gun. This attachment system avoids problems associated with fitting of prior attachments into holsters for handguns and provides a simple, readily attached and removed lighting device.

Abstract: A double-needle chuck assembly for a sewing machine is provided with a knife that is moveable from a position on one side of the needles to a position on the other side. This enables a closed slit, as might be required for a pocket of a garment, to be produced with stitching on both sides and at the ends thereof without reversing the direction of movement of the fabric or using a separate step in a production line. The knife is mounted on a rod which engages a slot extending between the needles, with the rod being securable in either of the two positions by a detent mechanism. Movement of the rod to change positions of the knife may be performed manually or by a pneumatic actuator.

Abstract: An adjustable length leg and foot assembly is incorporated in a lifting/leveling leg for a fifth-wheel trailer. The foot is connected to the lower end of a threaded shaft, which in turn is received at its upper end by a nut welded to a U-shaped bracket on the leg. This enables the foot to be raised and lowered in infinite increments and avoids any need for insertion of boards or shims in making final leveling adjustments.

Abstract: Perforated plates for use as filter media and devices for fluid injection and extrusion have a multiplicity of holes of a uniform size and a selected diameter as small as 0.5 micron. The plates are made by a "wire drawing" process wherein a sacrificial wire material in a plate metal can is repeatedly extruded and restacked, elongating the wire and reducing its diameter. Plates are then cut from the extruded composite, and the wire metal is removed by selective etching. By use of this process, perforated plates with several features unavailable previously are obtained. In particular, the plates have much smaller holes, higher porosity, and uniform size and shape, along with any desired thickness and a high length-to-diameter ratio. Such plates are ideally suited for use as a medium for various types of filters where removal of contaminants sized in the lower micron range is desired. Size and distribution of the holes in the plate are precisely controllable, enabling separations of materials of specific sizes.

Abstract: A sprayable adhesive based on nonionic neoprene latex includes in the adhesive mixture a nonionic surfactant, along with the latex, which is a copolymer of chloroprene and methacrylic acid stabilized with polyvinyl alcohol. The adhesive also includes a tackifier, zinc oxide, and an antioxidant. The tackifier is a petroleum-derived hydrocarbon resin, and the antioxidant is a hindered bis-phenol. In order to obtain a rapid drying adhesive, only the latex and surfactant are mixed as liquids. The remaining ingredients are added in solid form and dispersed by mixing under high shear. The adhesive can be applied by spraying from a canister using dimethyl ether as a propellant.

Abstract: A collapsible artificial Christmas tree has a center pole erectable on a base, a cap that fits over the top of the pole, and a spiral coil of split plastic tubing, which extends upward to form a conical shape when the cap is placed on the pole. The split plastic tubing carries an electrical wire inside the tubing with sockets and bulbs extending outwardly between edges of the tubing at intervals. Stringers in the form of plastic line are connected to the base and cap as well as to the split tubing to cause the spiral coil to assume the proper shape. In addition to serving as a tree stand, the base and its cover provide a storage box in which the spiral coil and other parts of the tree are stored. The use of metal parts in proximity to electrical wires is avoided.