Abstract: A device for illuminating the area surrounding a door lock or other relatively small area includes in a preferred embodiment a housing that is mounted on the door or other surface adjacent the area to be illuminated, the housing having a translucent portion through which an electrically energized lamp emits light. The lamp is energized by a battery connected thereto by an electronic circuit having a time-delay sub-circuit for de-energizing the lamp at the expiration of a prescribed time period. The time-delay sub-circuit further includes a means for varying the period of time that the lamp is energized.

Abstract: Abutting sections of sheet metal ducts are joined at an interface by flanging the ends of each section adjacent the interface and forming a plurality of spaced tabs in the wall surface of the flanges, which tabs protrude outwardly in a direction away from the interface. A generally V-shaped coupling member, having a portion of the free edges thereof folded back under the corresponding side wall, is then assembled over a pair of opposed flanges with the edges of the folded under portions snapping in behind the tabs to lock the flanges together.

Abstract: A circular array of equally spaced, interleaved, reference elecrodes or pole pieces are arranged about the center of the array for producing an electric or magnetic field in which the resultant vector representing the maximum field strength rotates as a polyphase current or voltage source is successively applied to successive ones of the electrodes or pole pieces. In a preferred embodiment, each of the electrodes is uniquely and generally crescent shaped such that along any radius from the center of the array passing through a given electrode, the radial width of the electrode varies in proportion to the sine of A.multidot..theta. where A is an arbitrary constant and .theta. is the azimuthal angle of the radius as measured from the initial end of the electrode. The radial cross-section ratio may be achieved by varying the width alone, varying the elevation alone, or by a combination of the two.

Abstract: A hammermill in which the hammers are carried by suspension rods for free swinging movement between a plurality of spaced discs. Each disc is provided with a peripheral hole pattern which includes a greater number of holes than there are hammers carried between each adjacent pair of discs thereby providing for relocation of the hammers one or more times to extend the life of the discs. Further protective shoes or caps cover the peripheral edge and a portion of the machined side surfaces of each disc which are subjected to extreme wear.

Abstract: A shovel for removing ashes from the ashpit of a wood stove has a scoop portion and a hinged lid thereon. The scoop portion has bottom wall with upturned lip, side and rear walls and an open front. The lid portion has a downwardly depending extension for overlying the open front of the scoop when the lid is in its closed position. A pair of shortened, horizontally spaced handles are attached to the outer surface of the rear wall. Additionally, an auxiliary handle may be provided for use when carrying the shovel from one place to another. The auxiliary handle is flexible and falls clear of the open lid when released and the shovel is inserted into a stove. Lid control means, in a preferred embodiment, is an elongated tab attached to and extending rearwardly from the edge of the lid, at a midpoint between the handles.

Abstract: An antimicrobial agent is incorporated into the binder of a non-woven fabric where it resides in colloidal suspension within the amorphous zones of the polymer. Thus incorporated it migrates to the surface of the binder and onto the fibers of the non-woven fabric to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi.

Abstract: A chemical mixture containing 40% by weight of sugar in water, approximately 0.4% by weight of a shading agent such as strontium nitrate and approximately 0.06% by weight of a stabilizing agent such as potassium chromate is applied to the surface of hard rock maple or print grade maple veneer. When the surface of the wood is subjected to heat in the range of 100.degree. F. to 900.degree. F. and pressure in the range of 5 psi to 2000 psi the color of wood is charged substantially to approach the reddish color of cherry. The degree of color is varied by adjusting the temperature or amount of shading agent. When an embossing step is to be performed on the wood, the chemical coloring mixture is applied to the surface of the wood and the two steps (embossing and staining) are carried out simultaneously.

Abstract: A frusto-conical shaped wire basket is formed of a plurality of upright wire loops welded in substantially perpendicular relationship to a plurality of wire rings. The baskets are formed by first welding wire connecting members to a plurality of arcuately shaped lengths of wire. Each of the arcuate lengths is of a different length and radius, and they are arranged concentrically in order of decreasing radius. The relative lengths of the arcuate segments are determined by the desired size of the finished basket. When the wire connecting members are welded to the arcuate segments in the first stage of basket production, there is formed a basket flat. The flat is then subjected to a conventional pinch roller mechanism which bends the flat into a conical shape. At that point the ends of each arcuate length are in face-to-face relationship and form a circle. The ends are then butt welded to close each circular ring to complete the wire basket.

Abstract: A cylindrical package to be wrapped with stretch film sheet material is supported on a pair of parallel, horizontally spaced, horizontally extending support rollers, one of which is rotatably driven and the other of which is a slave roll which rotates idly. A stretch film supply means is mounted on a movable carriage with the axis of the film supply means parallel to the axis of rotation of the package. The carriage is caused to reciprocate along a path parallel to the axis of rotation of the package and the support rollers. The reciprocation occurs between a first position where the film material extends beyond one end of the package a distance at least as great as the radius of the package and a second position where the film extends beyond the other end of the package a similar distance. The film material is wrapped while tension is applied thereto.

Abstract: Small fabric pieces to be embroidered are secured to the undersurface of an adapter member by tape strips or the like. The adapter member is then received in a female receiving seat in a fixture or frame secured to the conventional machine frame displacing device which presents the fabric pieces to one of the embroidery heads of a multi-head embroidery machine according to a prescribed pattern.

Abstract: A DC voltage source is housed in a reusable casing having bottom and side walls. A pair of coplanar terminal plates are slidably attached in a track along the bottom wall of the casing as to be horizontally movable to adjust the distance between the plates to correlate to the spacing between the terminal posts on the top surface of a conventional automotive battery. In use the auxiliary power source is self-contained, portable, and placed on top of a dead vehicle battery such that the charged terminal plates on the casing are in contact with the corresponding terminal posts of the dead battery and the vehicle is started.