Abstract: This invention is a paving or resurfacing machine and method that places and trowels a layer of a trowelable coating material or overlay, such as a filled resinous material, on a surface to be coated, such as a concrete floor. The machine meters, distributes, strikes off and compacts a resurfacer material on a prepared surface resulting in a closed, smooth, dense, flat surface.

Abstract: A reel spring for a magnetic tape cassette is formed from a thin, elongated strip of stainless steel. The side edges of the strip are folded over by stamping or rolling to form longitudinal stiffeners. The stiffeners effectively increase the thickness of the strip at the edges, allowing the use of less expensive raw material without sacrificing functionality.

Abstract: A water mattress has an outer shell and a wave dampening fiber baffle positioned within the shell. The baffle includes an upper comfort layer formed of a porous mass of bound-together fibers and a lower support layer formed of a porous mass of bound-together fibers. The fiber layers are separated by a wave barrier which is generally coextensive with both the upper and lower layers. The denier characteristic of the fibers in the upper comfort layer is no greater than half the denier characteristic of the fibers in the lower support layer.

Abstract: A door check mechanism for regulating pivotal movement of a vehicle door between a closed position and one or more open positions, which mechanism is sometimes incorporated in a hinge, includes an elongated track member having a track surface with at least one detent receptacle in that track surface; a detent roller engages the track surface in rolling pressure contact at least part of the time whenever the door moves between its open and closed positions. Either the roller or the track has a resilient elastomer core, preferably an elastomer material (e.g., a silicone polymer) that retains its elastic properties over a temperature range that extends much higher than any temperature usually endurable by humans; the core is covered by a hard, relatively non-elastic but flexible sheath. The engaging portions of the roller and track surfaces are preferably dissimilar materials, usually a metal and a resin.

Abstract: A floating grab dredge has first and second pontoons spaced apart sufficiently to define a work space therebetween. The work space is large enough to define a barge slip therein as well as a digging well adjacent to the barge slip. A gantry mounted on the pontoons by supports spans the work space. Material handling apparatus on one of the pontoons includes a grizzly for separating waste from recoverable material. The gantry includes tracks on which a trolley shuttles among positions above the digging well, barge slip and grizzly. When a load of dredged material is brought up from the digging well it is inspected to determine if it contains recoverable material. If it does the trolley is moved above the grizzly and the load is dumped on the grizzly. If no recoverable material is in the load, it is dumped into a barge in the barge slip and digging continues.

Abstract: A decorative frame for a picture utilizing a flat piece of plate glass of generally uniform thickness having a front face and a rear face. A translucent band is etched on the front face of the piece of glass to define a picture viewing area. An ornamental design is etched on the rear face of the piece of glass outwardly of the translucent band. u-shaped plastic channels are adhered to the rear face of the piece of glass directly behind the translucent band so as not to be visible from the front face of the piece of glass. A picture backing board is snuggly received in the channels to hold the picture against the rear surface of the glass with the viewing area defined by the translucent band. A backing board support leg is attached to the rear of the backing board.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber slab (32), in which a fiber/air suspension is blown through a nozzle into a forming space (9). The forming space is defined by two mutually facing belt parts of two endless belts (10, 11). For the purpose of manufacturing the novel fiber slab, there is generated between the nozzle exit orifice (8') and the forming chamber a mist of highly liquid adhesive, and the fibers are imparted kinetic energy of such high value that the fibers pass essentially rectilinearly through the mist and into the forming chamber, where they collect on the slab end surface (36) earlier formed in the forming chamber and facing the nozzle.

Abstract: A seal system is disclosed for sealing a housing and rotatable shaft against leakage of high vapor-pressure liquids such as natural gas. The method of sealing comtemplates phase change of the liquefied hydrocarbon fluid across a first module. The gas so formed is contained by a second seal module which operates as a dry running gas seal. The seal system has plural, axially spaced spiral-groove seal modules mounted between the shaft and housing. Each seal module has a primary ring affixed to the housing and a mating ring affixed for rotation with the shaft and the modules define an intermediate cavity. The rings have opposed, radially extending faces, one of which has a plurality of downstream pumping spiral grooves extending from one circumference. The grooves of the grooved ring of the upstream module have a pattern which upon shaft rotation creates shear heating of the liquefied hydrocarbon fluid.

Abstract: A portable coordinate measuring machine has an adjustment mechanism that allows fine movement of the base into alignment with reference lines or planes. The machine has a heavy base pivotally mounted at one end on a first support and slidably mounted at the other end on a second support. The second support has a pair of arcuate slots that receive a pair of pins connected to the base member. A lead screw is connected to the base member and threadedly engaged with a nut. The nut is pivotally connected to the second support. A user turns a handle or wheel on the lead screw to cause the base to pivot about the pivot point of the first support. This pivoting motion effects fine adjustment of the base's position to align it with reference lines or planes.

Abstract: Electrical heating system for mineral wells, particularly oil wells, in which the reservoir or "pay zone" is heat stimulated or some well components (e.g., the tubing) are heated, or both, by electrical power supplied to a multi-perforate electrode have the operating efficiency enhanced by effectively terminating the heating electrode, at both its top and bottom, at a distance inwardly of the pay zone equal to at least three times the diameter of the well casing. In some systems the electrical power connection to the main heating electrode is made through a section of the production tubing of the well, with an electrical contactor interconnecting the tubing and the electrode in the level of the pay zone; these systems also provide electrical isolation, within critical height limits, for the production tubing and the pump rod. Delivery of electrical power downhole of the well may be accomplished through an electrical cable, which may or may not be appropriately armored.

Abstract: Dry prelubricating composition for steel substrates to be fabricated comprising a polyhydric alcohol-carboxylic acid lubricant derived from a saturated ester, a partially esterified vegetable oil plasticizer, an aromatic polyether surfactant and preferably, in addition, an ethylenic polymeric film strengthener and hindered phenolic antioxidant. The composition is to be transformed to the liquid state by rendering it molten or dissolving it, then applied to the substrate (hot) and subsequently cooled to provide a prelubricating film which is removable by treatment with an alkaline solution.

Abstract: This is concerned with a power operated wire stripper and is more specifically concerned with the power adaptation or conversion of a known type of hand operated wire stripper.

Abstract: An improved high-frequency characteristic is achieved, in an otherwise conventional hearing aid receiver transducer, by connecting each of the acoustic chambers on the two sides of the receiver diaphragm, in the receiver housing, directly through an outlet port and a sound transmission tube coupled into the ear canal of the hearing aid user; phase reversals due to resonances in the receiving acoustic chambers and tubes produce a high pass band in the output of the receiver as applied to the user's ear. An acoustically transparent contamination stop prevents contaminants (e.g. cerumen) from reaching the transducer motor but does not interfere with acoustic performance.

Abstract: A railroad air brake system for use on an articulated railroad car having a plurality of platforms and trucks supporting the platforms, has separate air brake subsystems for the trucks supporting the end platforms and an intermediate platform. The subsystem for the intermediate platform includes a control valve connected to the train air supply; an air actuating means for each truck supporting the intermediate platform; a sensor valve having a load sensing arm for each truck supporting the intermediate platform, which sensor valves are commonly connected in parallel to both air actuating means; a proportional valve having an input connected to the control valve and an output commonly connected to both air actuating means and both sensor valves; and a volume reservoir connected the sensor valves and the proportional valve.

Abstract: A flow line weighing device for weighing material flowing over a plate. The plate has one or more force transducers mounted on the plate so that the plate is directly and solely supported by the transducer or transducers. The output signal, or additive signal, of the transducer or transducers, respectively, is processed to give a readout which is independent of the area of the plate. Thus a direct reading is obtained without the requirement of the mechanical transmission of a force to the sensing units.

Abstract: The stepped borehole and the valve housing are normally provided with cylindrical circumferential sections, which have been subjected to fine finishing and which are in exact axial alignment with the borehole axis, O-rings being provided as sealing elements between these cylindrical circumferential sections. The production is expensive and requires a lot of work. The new connection is to be simpler from the point of view of production technology, easy to repair and easy to assemble. In order to achieve this, each sealing element (30, 30'), which is positioned within the tapped borehole (3, 3', 3", 3"') is a soft metal ring which has been cold-formed between the diametral step (15, 13) and a support surface of the housing under the influence of the thread tightening tension and which, due to its elasticity, compensates tolerances or inaccuracies resulting from the manufacturing process, ensures perfect sealing and contributes to a simplification of the manufacturing process and of the assembly operation.

Abstract: A vented hatch cover for an enclosed vessel having a cover body sized to overlie and cover a hatch opening defined by an upstanding coaming. A pair of air passages are defined by the cover body and a pair of hoods connected thereto. The hoods define air inlet opening and a plenum which communicates with air outlet openings in the interior of the cover body. The air passages permit air flow in sufficient volume to vent the vessel and to empty the vessel by high speed vacuum unloading. A filter is removably retained on the hoods in the air inlet openings. A filter screen on the interior of the cover prevents contamination of the air passages from the inside. A latching arm provides downward pressure on the hatch when in a sealing position and the capability of pivoting the hatch cover together with the latching arm when it is moved. The cover is floatingly engaged in the arm.

Abstract: A floor scrubber which is operated by a person walking behind it has two drive wheels individually powered by two reversible electric motors. The rotational speeds and directions of these motors determine forward or reverse travel, the travel speed and the steering of the scrubber, all of which are controlled by the operator through a straight transverse handlebar attached to the rear of the scrubber frame. The handlebar can be twisted to control travel speed in forward or reverse and tilted to control steering right or left while still allowing manual force to be applied directly to the scrubber frame through the handlebar independently of the speed and steering control movements. Travel speed and sharpness of steering are proportional to the magnitude of handlebar movements. Steering can be accomplished at any travel speed including zero, and can be as sharp as turning about the centerline of the machine.

Abstract: An omnidirectional backflow preventer and vacuum breaker for use with a plumbing fixture in which the discharge may be moved to a position within a body of water includes a body having an inlet and an outlet, a chamber connecting the inlet and outlet and an air vent opening into the chamber. There is a diaphragm positioned within the chamber which normally closes communication between the inlet and outlet. The diaphram prevents water seepage from the outlet from reaching the air vent and has an integral one-way check valve positioned at the inlet which permits air from the vent to pass to the inlet to remove a vacuum condition therein.