Abstract: A portable vacuuming device for underwater removal of leaves or the like of a debris field from pool bottoms and other structural surfaces, the device employing a water pump to feed a water jet within a suction cavity wherein the water inlet for the pump is exterior to the cavity and to the housing of the device, and is located well above the debris field.

Abstract: Slide-rule type devices for music study. Requires two printed parts that slide relative to each other; or three parts in the special case of a device for studying violin. Information on one of the parts is viewed through the other part. When employed together, the two parts reveal information most relevant in a particular musical scale or key, and obscure the information not normally used in that key. Multiple embodiments are possible, allowing a device to be constructed specific to a given instrument such as a violin or guitar, but the concept is not limited to stringed instruments, or any instrument. Similar devices could be made to facilitate music study for voice students, songwriters and arrangers. One of the sliding pieces is printed with all the available notes or tones, say, in the range of an instrument like a guitar. In the most likely embodiment, the other piece contains a transparent window printed with a series of geometric shapes of varying colors.

Abstract: A method for achieving movement of a gas burner of a cooking hob relative to a cavity in which said burner rests when not in use and from which it partially emerges for its activation, by which following a command for activating the burner a magnetic force is generated on the heating element which causes it to move and partially emerge from the cavity, said force ceasing when a burner deactivation command is given, with its consequent return to its rest position within the corresponding cavity. The method is implemented by a device comprising fixed conductor means arranged to cooperate magnetically with magnetically sensitive means associated with the movable burner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for carrying out the method for drying crockery in a dishwasher with a rinse container closeable by means of a door. By means of two or three successive different method steps, the drying is improved. The method steps include a drainage phase, a drying phase with blower or condenser and an automatic, partial opening of the door.

Abstract: A device for recovering heat during the drying of a load in a clothes dryer of the once-through external air type, said machine comprising a tub for containing a load to be dried, a conduit for feeding external fresh air into said tub, and a conduit for expelling hot moist air from this latter and for feeding it into the environment in which the machine is located. A container is provided containing a phase change material or PCM in which heat transfer surfaces or channels are present, along or within one of these latter there passing at least part of the hot moist air from the exit of the tub so as to transfer thermal energy to said PCM, which changes its physical state or phase, within another of said channels or along another of said surfaces there passing at least part of the fresh air entering the machine and to which said energy is transferred by the return of said PCM to its original physical state or phase.

Abstract: An automatic countertop toaster and its control that divides the toasting cycle into three thermodynamic phases related to a change in the physical characteristics of the toaster and the item being toasted. The time of each of the three phases is adjusted according to the user inputs and current conditions to obtain the proper toasting time. The invention disclosed uses a microcomputer to interface with the user and control the toaster. The measured or estimated time since the last toasting cycle and the temperature inside the toaster are used by the microcomputer in table lookups to set the times for the three thermodynamic phases of the toasting cycle. Two of the phases are further modified by the toasting mode (normal, frozen, bagel, frozen bagel, reheat) and the toast darkness setting selected by the user. The sum of the three phases after modification is the total toasting time.

Abstract: An insulated door for a refrigerator or other appliance having an external panel of an open box configuration without integrally molded inwardly directed flange portions, a plurality of separately installed trim pieces arranged around an edge perimeter of the external panel, the trim pieces having a socket region for snap engagement with the edge of the external panel, and a flange portion extending therefrom inwardly. An inside liner is applied over the trim pieces and a gasket is applied around the edge of the inside liner captured between the inside liner and the trim pieces. The invention allows for the economical molding of the external panel and the assembly of the inside liner and gasket to the external panel before a foamed-in place operation to apply the inside insulation which will unitize the structure.

Abstract: An oven structure (1) comprises a casing (2) provided with walls (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) defining a cooking chamber (4) open on one side (4A) of said casing (2), and below said casing (2) an element (20) provided with a cavity (19) defined by walls (21, 22, 23, 26) rising from the lower wall (24) of said element (20), said cavity (19) facing the lower wall (8) of said casing (2). At least part (26) of said element (20) is removable to allow connection to a gas heating member (29), said cavity (19) being able at choice either to receive an electrical heating member (60) or become the seat of a hot air stream generated by the gas member (29), the lower wall (8) of said casing (2) being provided with apertures (16) which are preferably closed when the cavity (19) of the lower element (20) contains the electrical heating member (60) and are open when said lower element (20) is connected to the gas heating member (29).

Abstract: A refrigerant metering charge board that accurately meters a refrigerant and an associated synthetic compressor oil into a product, preferably a refrigerator, is provided. Metering is accomplished by way of servo motors coupled to ball screws which are in turn connected to hydraulic cylinders. Calibration of the refrigerant, preferably R134a, is maintained using a temperature sensor, a programmable logic controller (PLC) and a density/temperature equation that has been empirically fit to saturation data. The preferred equation is a modified Benedict-Webb-Ruben (MBWR) equation of state. The refrigerant charge amounts are entered into the PLC using either a fixed bar code scanner or a hand-held bar code scanner that reads a bar code on the refrigerator. An operator interface, preferably a touch-screen display is also provided.

Abstract: An automatic washer having an enclosure surrounding an imperforate tub including an access opening and a perforate wash basket rotatably disposed within the tub about a horizontal axis wherein the tub access opening is provided with a flexible tub door for selectively closing the tub access opening. The flexible tub door is slidably supported by the tub for selectively closing the access opening wherein the tub door is positionable in a closed position and an open position. A spring is interconnected with the tub door for biasing the tub door toward an open position. A door catch is provided for engaging the tub door in a fully closed position against the biasing force of the spring and means are provided for selectively actuating the door catch such that the tub door may be selectively engaged in the closed position or released for movement to a fully open position. During the tub door closing operation, the rotatable wash basket is coupled to the tub door.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for sealing the transitional region between a rotatably mounted spraying arm of a dishwashing machine and its stationary bearing member by means of a sealing element, which is disposed therebetween and is impinged by the rinsing water flowing therethrough. The sealing and sliding friction functions are separated through the inclusion of a slip ring in the transitional region and this achieves significant sealing with a long service life.

Abstract: A method for achieving load balance in washing machines provided with a rotary drum driven by an electric motor under the control of control means, and in which a circuit is provided for measuring a physical quantity associated with information relative to the state (balanced or unbalanced) of the load in the drum, the method comprising, after the wash stage, a stage in which the drum speed is gradually increased during which the physical quantity is continuously monitored to ascertain the state of load distribution within the drum, and a stage of rapid rotational speed increase at the moment in which a state of balanced load distribution within the drum is detected.

Abstract: An improved refrigerator hinge assembly which provides for maintaining the proper adjusted position of a refrigerator door with respect to its associated cabinet. A factory setting of the refrigerator door can be accurately maintained with precision even after the hinges are removed for field installation of the refrigerator such as to pass a refrigerator through narrow doorways. A tap plate is located behind the cabinet cladding and has "wrapper" or hinge screw holes for clamping the position of the external hinge with hinge screws, while allowing for factory adjustment of the door position. After the door is factory adjusted in position, a supplemental mechanism is applied to fix the tap plate in the factory position independent of the hinge screws, such as an epoxy application or a separate and independent drill screw applied through the cabinet and engaging the tap plate.

Abstract: A lint enclosure system for a laundry dryer including an elongated lint basket supported beneath a lid. The lint basket is formed from a filter wall having a first end wall and a second end wall disposed at opposite ends. The filter wall has a generally U-shaped cross-section. An inlet opening is formed into the first end wall and a plurality of outlet openings are formed into the filter wall. The outlet openings are configured to cover successively greater portions of the filter wall at successive linear points between the first wall and the second wall. Lint builds up linearly in the lint basket, accumulating in a linear fashion from the second end wall toward the first end wall. The lid positioned above the lint basket includes a window disposed adjacent the first end wall such that when lint accumulation is visible through the window the basket is substantially full of lint. In this fashion, the window operates as visual signaling means for cleaning the lint from the basket.

Abstract: A refrigerant expansion device for expanding refrigerant flowing within a refrigerant line from a condenser to an evaporator in a refrigeration system. The refrigerant expansion device includes a tubular restrictor having a cylindrical main portion and a tapered nozzle portion wherein the nozzle portion includes an outlet end having an orifice. A solder ring is disposed about the tapered nozzle portion and may be press fit onto the restrictor for secure engagement therewith. During the expansion device fabrication, the tubular restrictor is inserted into the refrigerant line to a predetermined position. The exterior of the refrigerant line is then heated at the predetermined position such that heat is transferred through the refrigerant line and melts the solder ring thereby brazing the restrictor to the refrigerant line at the predetermined position.

Abstract: An arrangement for the stable connection of two home appliances stacked one above the other, particularly a washing machine and a drier comprises two vertically displaceable supporting feet (21) provided with vertical recesses and fixed to the bottom of the upper appliance, and two vertically protruding connection elements, fixed to the worktop of the lower appliance, which are adapted to be introduced into the recesses of supporting feet when the two appliances are stacked one above the other.