Abstract: The joint comprises a pair of parallel tongues of uniform thickness on an edge of one member which are pressed into grooves of uniform width in another member. The grooves are inclined from top to bottom relative to each other, bending the tongues out of parallelism and thereby locking them in the grooves to form a self-locking joint equivalent to a dovetail joint. Such tongues on the top and bottom edges of a vertical member are pressed into longitudinal grooves in elongated top and bottom chord members to form an I-beam or truss section. The tongues may be formed on the edge of a board or they may comprise the opposite face sheets on a plywood panel. Also, the joint members may be metal.

Abstract: Each of two drive wheels on a vehicle is independently driven by a wheel motor having four single acting hydraulic cylinders. Both wheel motors are supplied by a common engine driven pump. Two forward speeds are provided by a valve arrangement which can circulate the hydraulic fluid through all four, or only two, cylinders of each motor. Valves in a pair of valve units are shifted rapidly by camshafts and snap acting mechanisms to control the motor cylinders. Reverse drive is accomplished by a timing adjustment of the camshafts. The conventional gear differential, speed change gears and reversing gears are thereby eliminated.

Abstract: The heart support is formed of flat cloth tapes crossing each other at right angles and stitched together to provide a mesh with square openings. The support is heart shaped in outline with a transverse fixation tape having free ends extending laterally in opposite directions from the apex to secure the support to the heart of the patient. Each tape in the mesh is formed of a folded bias weave cloth capable of stretching to conform the support to the shape of the heart.

Abstract: Piezoresistive deflection-sensitive beam elements are encapsulated in a disc of elastomeric material which forms a fluid pressure responsive diaphragm. The beam elements are oriented within the diaphragm so as to be strained in tension or compression when the diaphragm is deformed by fluid pressure. The beam elements are connected in a bridge circuit to produce an electric signal which provides a fluid pressure indication or measurement, as in a blood pressure monitoring catheter.

Abstract: Concentric driving and driven clutch rings have teeth in a common radial plane on one end of the rings. The clutch rings are normally coupled together by a coupler ring having teeth engaging the teeth of both clutch rings, this engagement being maintained by an axial clamp bolt. In the event of dangerous overspeed the clamp bolt is broken and the coupler ring is disengaged from the clutch rings by an explosive charge acting on an axial piston. The explosive charge is detonated by a firing pin actuated by a steel ball impelled by centrifugal force. The ball is retained by a magnet until centrifugal force exceeds the magnetic force holding the ball.

Abstract: The canting machine comprises a pair of log slabbing rotary chipper heads arranged to slab off opposite sides of a log to make a cant which may be subsequently sawed into lumber. The infeed section comprises an endless chain having pairs of saddles spaced different distances apart on the chain to receive logs of different length. One end of the log rests on one saddle and the opposite end rests on the other saddle of the selected pair. In another arrangement, two side-by-side endless chains may be used, one chain carrying a saddle to support the leading end of each log and the other chain carrying a saddle to support the trailing end. A differential drive mechanism for the chains permits adjustment of the spacing of the two saddles to accomodate short and long logs. The outfeed section in either case comprises a pair of guide plates having feed rollers to grip opposite sides of the cant.

Abstract: This control supplies varying amounts of d-c voltage to a load, such as a motor, to control the speed of the motor, as for example in a battery powered vehicle. A rotating commutator-type switch supplies voltage during portions of each revolution depending upon the position of an adjustable pair of brushes relative to a stationary pair of brushes. An inductance stores energy during the voltage-on intervals and discharges this energy through the motor during the voltage-off intervals in each revolution of the commutator so as to supply a fluctuating voltage to the motor.

Abstract: The system coordinates the speed of a blood pump, in an extracorporeal blood circuit for a patient, with the blood flow from the patient to pass the blood through a treatment device such as an oxygenator and then back to the patient. The blood from the patient flows through a bladder which actuates a transducer to control an integrator and current amplifier. The current amplifier charges a capacitor to the breakdown potential of a DIAC avalanche diode causing the diode to fire and dump the charge of the capacitor into a silicon controlled rectifier which energizes the pump motor. The speed of the motor depends on the charging time of the capacitor in response to a signal voltage from the transducer. The motor is stopped by a comparator and flip flop when the blood flow through the bladder drops to a predetermined low value. The speed of the motor may also be controlled manually by a potentiometer.

Abstract: A truss to be tested is laid on its side on a table having an upstanding flange along one side. A load cell is interposed between one end of the bottom chord of the truss and the table flange and a block is interposed between the opposite end of the bottom chord and the table flange. A flattened flexible tube is disposed on edge along a similar flange on the opposite side of the table. Blocks are inserted between the flexible tube and the top chord of the truss to simulate a uniform snow load when the tube is inflated. One-half the total load is measured directly by the load cell and the deflection of the center of the bottom chord is measured by a scale on the table. If the deflection remains within an allowable amount so as not to close a limit switch within a prescribed loading interval, a timer actuates a rubber stamp to mark the truss as having passed the test.

Abstract: The entire table frame is a tank. The upper portion of the tank provides a working area and the lower portion forms a closed water flow control chamber. Removable gratings in the upper portion underlie support rails which support steel plates to be cut into desired shapes by an automatic profile burning head or a gang of such burning heads. The introduction of compressed air into the lower chamber displaces water into the upper section to submerge the removable grating. The water subdues the noise and smoke of the burning operation, cools the plates being burned, thus reducing distortion and catches the slag produced. Small pieces of metal falling off the plate being cut are cooled by the water and retained on the gratings. Release of air pressure from the lower chamber allows the water in the upper portion to return quickly to the lower chamber for convienent removal of the metal pieces from the gratings.

Abstract: A liquid level transducer actuates a relay to sound an alarm when there is a change in a liquid level in a tank. A bridge circuit is balanced at an existing liquid level to maintain the relay normally deenergized. A change in the liquid level unbalances the bridge circuit causing the relay to be energized. The system may be applied to stationary storage tanks or to vehicle fuel tanks to warn of theft of fuel. In a vehicle application an unauthorized movement of the vehicle would also cause sufficient shifting of the fuel in the tank to sound the horn and give warning.

Abstract: A mandrel of sponge rubber or gel has a tension element for withdrawing the mandrel from a graft tube grown from living tissue. In a first embodiment the tension element comprises a strip of cloth embedded in a sponge rubber mandrel. In a second embodiment the tension element comprises a rubber tube containing the sponge rubber and in a third embodiment the tension element comprises a rubber tube containing a gel. The mandrel assembly includes cloth reinforcing tubes surrounding the mandrel.

Abstract: A loader vehicle has a digging and scooping buchet equipped with a push plate ejector for dumping without tipping the bucket downward. The ejector plate is reciprocated in the bucket by a telescopic cylinder having a piston rod connected to a bracket projecting from the rear side of the bucket. In raising the bucket to dumping position the bracket and cylinder swing down between the wheels in a clear space made available by the absence of the conventional axle and differential. In order to provide this clear space the wheels are driven by individual hydraulic motors.

Abstract: Large objects which are difficult to handle, such as 14 to 26 foot boats, are secured to a base frame for shipment from the manufacturer to the dealer. The dealer attaches jacking wheel units converting the base frame into a dolly which may be readily wheeled into the dealer's show room or into a display area in a boat show. The base frame remains with the boat as a pallet until it is launched, supporting the boat substantially at floor level for most effective display. The wheel units are attached only for movement into or out of a display area or the like and are then removed for use on another base frame and boat.