Abstract: A heating element for a plastic film laminator has a cylindrical base member. A heating layer of conductive resin such as conductive silicone is molded to the base member. An outer layer of dielectric material may cover the heating layer. Resistive electrical contacts are connected to the heating layer. An electrical power supply is connectable to the contacts. The resistive contacts create a voltage drop within the contact along the axis of current flow. This lowers the current density at the interfaces of the contacts and heating layer to prevent localized overheating of the conductive resin.

Abstract: A two handle faucet and mounting structure has a pair of valve bodies each of which contain a control valve. The valve bodies extend through sink deck openings and are connected by a waterway which is positioned beneath the sink deck. A spout tube is attached to the waterway and extends through a third sink deck opening which is positioned between the other two. A mounting bracket is attached to the waterway and is adapted to be drawn up against the underside of the sink deck by the use of a mounting tool which is inserted into the mounting bracket from above the sink deck. The valve bodies are first positioned through openings in the sink deck and loosely held to the sink deck through the use of mounting members which are positioned in valve body recesses above the sink deck.

Abstract: A self-propelled industrial cleaning machine has a cylindrical horizontally mounted rotatable cleaning brush. There is a torsionally rigid connecting member extending generally parallel to the brush. A rigid arm is attached to each end of the connecting member, with each arm supporting an end of the brush. There is a hand operable latch for releasing one of the arms to permit removal or replacement of the brush, with the hand operable latch being arranged to retain the one arm and attachment to the connecting member, with release thereof permitting removal of the arm from the connecting member and brush.

Abstract: A release sleeve used with quick connect tube connectors includes a plurality of planar surfaces at an outer peripheral surface which bias retainer legs radially outwardly to allow removal of a tube. The use of planar surfaces provides a greater contact area than prior art release sleeves, thus reducing the amount of force necessary to allow tube removal. In a further feature of the present invention, the release sleeve has grooves at an outer peripheral surface which allow passage of indicator legs such that the release sleeve may be used in combination with an indicator used to give an indication that a tube is fully connected.

Abstract: A bicycle handlebar includes a main bar which is conventionally attached at its midpoint to a bicycle stem. There is a pair of auxiliary bars each having a hand-gripping portion thereon. Each auxiliary bar is attached to the main bar to provide for multi-axis movement about the main bar. The attachment for each auxiliary bar includes an adjustment member which can tighten or loosen the connection so that the location and position of each auxiliary bar suits the need of the rider of the bicycle.

Abstract: A primary conveyor belt cleaner includes an elongated support extending across but spaced from a conveyor belt of width W and includes a stiff guide extending for approximately the full length of the support; a scraper blade of resilient elastomer resin is mounted on the support and engages the conveyor belt surface. The scraper blade has a short base wall removably mounted on the support by a reinforcement that interfits with the guide; the blade has two longer curved side walls, an inner wall concave toward the belt and an outer wall convex away from the belt. The two side walls come together to form a scraping edge. The belt cleaner includes a torsion bias mechanism that resiliently maintains the belt scraping edge in continuous engagement with the belt. Two or more primary cleaners may be incorporated in one system. Flexure of the blade permits passage of a mechanical splice in the belt without appreciable damage to the blade or the splice.

Abstract: A secondary conveyor belt cleaner includes a metal support of length L1 and a metal guide of continuous or intermittent construction; the support extends across a conveyor belt of width W in spaced relation to the belt. A plurality of belt cleaner blades of total length L2 (W.apprxeq.L1.apprxeq.L2) are mounted on the guide by a plurality of metal cantilever support arms, usually forged aluminum, one per blade; on each arm there is a metal reinforcement that fits snugly in a base wall in its blade. Torsion bias acting on the support rotationally urges the blades against the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A control system for reducing power used by an inductive lighting installation, usually plural fluorescent lamps and a ballast, includes an A.C. power input circuit to the installation with a signal-actuated, normally-closed primary switch in series in the circuit; a signal-actuated normally-open secondary switch is in shunt with the load. The two switches are actuated substantially simultaneously in each half-cycle of the A.C. power input, once for power reduction for a time interval T1-T2 and once for harmonic distortion reduction for a time T3-T4 that encompasses each A.C. power zero-crossing time TX. The control system has N different timing programs for times T1-T2 and T3-T4, each program corresponding to one type of ballast. In each program times T3 and T4 are constant; only the times T1 and T2 are varied for a series of successively greater power reductions; the maximum power reduction may be as much as 30 to 40 percent.

Abstract: An add-on device that modifies the operating characteristics (e.g., amplitude, frequency response, "sustain") of the output signal of an electromagnetic pickup for a stringed musical instrument, such as a guitar with steel strings; the modification device includes one or more transversely magnetized thin, flat permanent magnets. The signal modification device covers most or all of the top surface of an electromagnetic pickup. In one form the signal modification device comprises a thin, flat permanent magnet member formed of resin impregnated with particulate permanent magnet material and magnetized transversely to its thin dimension, either uniformly or in a predetermined pattern; in another form the device includes one or more discrete thin, flat permanent magnets for each instrument string, mounted on a base sheet that may also have permanent magnet characteristics or that may be non-magnetic.

Abstract: A lost motion drive assembly has a base mounting upper and lower levers which connect to the louvers of an air plenum, such as in an automobile's ventilation system. A user turns a knob between a plurality of selections, causing a gear-operated actuator to rotate. A clutch mechanism operable between the actuator and levers engages the lower lever to drive it one way in response to rotation of the knob. Upon continued rotation of the knob, a drive lug on the actuator engages the upper lever to drive it the same way while the clutch disengages from the actuator and holds the lower lever fixed. Reverse motion is obtained when the clutch engages the actuator and upper lever, after which it releases the actuator and a second drive lug engages the lower lever to return it to its starting position.

Abstract: An alignment maintenance device has one or two guide members mounted on the roller of a conveyor system to counteract any tendency of a conveyor belt to move laterally. The guide member has a split sleeve including a cylindrical hub and radial flanges. The flanges are bolted together to clamp the sleeve tightly on the roller adjacent the conveyor belt. A dome-shaped disc is fixed to the inside edge of the sleeve, placing it between the sleeve and conveyor belt. The disc prevents the belt from moving laterally on the roller.

Abstract: A seal system for sealing a housing and rotatable shaft against leakage of a gas under high pressure; hydrogen is an example. The system, using multiple seals in tandem, provides a stepped reduction of high pressure gas at full height pressure to a low pressure across the individual seal modules.The seal system has plural, axially spaced spiral-grooved end face seal modules mounted between the shaft and housing, the axial spaces between the seals defining a chamber. Each seal module has a primary seal ring affixed to the housing and a mating ring affixed for rotation with the shaft, the two rings having opposed, radially extending faces; each mating ring has a plurality of radial spiral grooves extending radially inward from the outer diameter or circumference.

Abstract: A pressure supply unit to supply pressure to a dispensing can, the unit being attached to a gas bulb containing gas under a predetermined pressure. The unit has a chamber pressurized to the desired can pressure, and one wall of the chamber is a diaphragm connected to a needle valve for regulating gas flow from the bulb. A reduction of can pressure causes the diaphragm to move the needle to release gas from the bulb.

Abstract: A bypass orifice and filter for use in the diaphragm of a toilet room flush valve includes an orifice member adapted to be mounted in the flush valve diaphragm, and a filter element attached to the upstream side of the orifice member. The orifice member has a metering restriction to limit the flow of water therethrough and the filter element has a plurality of openings therein in communication with the orifice member metering restriction. The smallest dimension of the openings in the filter element are less than the smallest dimension of the metering restriction so that any particle in the water passing through the filter element will pass through the metering orifice. In some embodiments the orifice member and filter element are an integral unit.

Abstract: An improved flexible wiping blade for the vacuum pickup squeegee of a floor scrubbing machine. A series of small protuberances with spaces between them are provided at the lower edge of the blade on its surface that leads when the machine moves backward. At that time the reverse flexing of the blade moves the protuberances under the blade and they hold it off the floor, thus allowing any standing water on the floor to move under the squeegee. They do not interfere with normal flexing of the blade under normal down pressure, and they permit its wiping action to be free of streaks when the scrubbing machine moves forward.

Abstract: A cable connector for supporting and retaining electrical conductors or cables in an opening of an electrical junction box or the like. The connector is comprised of a hollow tubular body with a saddle-shaped compound concave flange at one end and longitudinally extending folds or corrugations in opposing sides of the tubular body at the other end. The connector is formed of a readily deformable metal so as to allow the hollow tubular body to be compressed around a cable passed axially through it. The two radii dimensions of the compound concave flange are chosen such that upon compression of the corrugated section the flange is deformed into a flat, planar shape which abuts against the inside wall of the electrical box. Compression of the corrugated end also results in the centermost corrugation being forced outward so as to form an opposing abutment to the flange.

Abstract: Pressure hardware for a seal block assembly used to form a modular, annular seal around a conduit passing through a wall, the assembly including elastomer seal blocks joined in an annulus around the conduit, the seal blocks having pressure bolt apertures parallel to the conduit; the seal blocks are axially compressed and radially expanded to form the seal. The assembly includes pressure hardware in sets each including a bolt, a matching nut, and a first molded resin pressure plate that has a recess large enough for the bolt head to seat in freely rotatable relation in it, with peripheral access for a wrench around the bolt head; a washer is rotatably positioned in the bottom of the recess, which is deep enough so that the bolt head does not project substantially out of the recess. The first pressure plate has a bolt-receiving aperture large enough to admit the bolt rod but small enough to block the bolt head.

Abstract: In order to provide a display apparatus which can express projected images of small characters, illustrations or the like in not only the daytime or an illuminated bright place, but also the nighttime in the case where brightness is deficient, besides which can be used in not only the outdoors, but also the inside of a dark room, the present display apparatus comprises a mirror Fresnel lens, an original picture for projection positioned over the surface of the mirror Fresnel lens, and a projection mechanism positioned on the surface side of the mirror Fresnel lens and at the same time, disposed so as to emit light on the surface of the mirror Fresnel lens, further the light emitted from the projection mechanism being reflected by the mirror Fresnel lens to project an image of the original picture for projection on a prescribed plane of projection.

Abstract: A wire connector for simultaneously connecting a plurality of insulated conductors, without stripping or twisting the conductors, and which conductors may be of the same or a different wire gauge. There is a housing which has a plurality of openings for the insertion of insulated conductors. A plurality of wire guides are positioned within the housing and extend transverse to insulated conductors positioned within the housing for connection. Each wire guide has openings in alignment with the housing openings, with the openings in each wire guide being of the same size, but with the openings in successive wire guides decreasing in size with the wire guide with the smallest openings being furthest from the housing openings. The wire guides function as a positive stop, limiting the insertion of the insulated conductors in accordance with the size of the conductors.

Abstract: An impeller pump including a housing defining a seal cavity having a shaft rotatably mounted therein, and an expeller to pump fluid from the seal cavity. A dynamic seal provides a fluid tight seal between the housing and the shaft. The seal comprises an axially movable primary seal ring which rotates with the shaft and a mating stationary seal ring, both rings disposed annularly of the shaft and each defining a generally radial sealing face adapted to seal against the other. A biasing device urges the primary seal ring into sealing engagement with the mating seal ring. The radial face of the mating seal ring defines a plurality of spiral grooves and a sealing dam area which is at the periphery of the ring exposed to high pressure. When the pump is not operating, the seal ring faces contact one another and the dam provides a seal against the opposing face.