Abstract: A bed tray (10) with supporting legs (14) and a flat bottom (12) having an insert panel (24) therein which can be positioned at an angle of inclination to thereby serve as a book stand. The insert panel is normally supported co-planar with the top (13) of the flat bottom but is pivotally mounted thereto and by means of a rack and pawl combination (40, 43) it may be positioned at a selected angle of inclination for reading in bed. A straight edge insert (80) is removeably mounted along one edge of the tray whereby it can be removed therefrom and selectively positioned at a preferred height on the inclined panel insert (24) to serve as an adjustable support for the bottom edge of a book. A battery-powered light source (60) is removably mounted in an opening in one edge of the panel insert and provided with a flexible adjustable arm (58) which may be adjusted to position the light (60) above the insert panel for illumination.

Abstract: A swing-type check valve (10) having a bonnetless two-piece valve body (12, 14) with a valve chamber (22) and inlet and outlet ports (15, 21) defining a flow passage through the valve. A clapper (25) fixed to a clapper shaft (28) is restrained in working location by the two valve body members as mated in assembly and is adapted for pivotal movement between a valve open position and a valve closed position. A planar valve sealing surface (23) is provided on the end of one of the valve body members and positioned in the valve chamber in a location where it is protected from erosion from flow through the valve and adapted to be sealingly engaged by the clapper element (25). Guide ribs (40) are formed in the valve body for guiding the clapper (25) in movement between its valve open and valve closed positions so as to insure a seal by the valve clapper (25) when in its valve closed position irrespective of the orientation of the valve.

Abstract: A tie-down mechanism for securing a pivotally mounted automobile trunk lid 20 when objects 24 in the trunk are too large to allow the fully closing of the lid. The mechanism includes a reel 32 journalled for rotation on a reel housing 34 which is attached to the underside of the trunk lid. A flexible strap 41 wound on the reel spool is provided with a fastener 46 on its free end. A ratchet and pawl mechanism mounted on the reel housing includes a pawl 58 which is normally spring biased to lock the ratchet and reel against rotation in the unwinding direction. The reel is releasable by manual retraction of the pawl from engagement with the ratchet and the pawl held in the disengaged position by cooperation of a holding pin 70 on the pawl and a shoulder on the pawl carrier 56. With reel released, the strap can be withdrawn from the reel and its free end secured to an anchoring element 23 in the trunk.

Abstract: An endoscopic instrument for ligating multiple lesions within a hollow body organ. A flexible endoscope 10 is provided with a pair of tubular members 25, 26 affixed to the insertion end of the endoscope and a plurality of elastic ligating rings 50 are mounted side-by-side on one of the tubular members in uniformly spaced relationship. The endoscope is provided with longitudinally extending tubular passages comprising channels 16, 17 for accommodating means for illumination and viewing, a channel 18 for applying a suction force and a working channel 19.

Abstract: A method of terminating wire ropes by swaging in the field with hand tools. At the factory, one end of termination (9) has been prepared with threads (13) and the opposing end has been drilled forming a hole the diameter of which is too small to fit a wire rope end (11) with a tapered locking plug (10) installed. At the factory the remaining metal is then swaged outward, forming the swaged out sleeve portion (12), to an inside diameter sufficient to allow insertion of wire rope end (11) with plug (10) installed. Out in the field, plug (10) is first inserted into wire rope end (11) over the center strand and under the outer strands. Assembled wire rope end (11) and plug (10) are now inserted into swaged out sleeve portion (12). Swaged out sleeve portion (12), with wire rope end (11) and plug (10) installed, is then swaged inward, with a hand tool, forming the inside walls into a taper that is coextensive with the plug's tapered portion (18).

Abstract: A roof truss and decking system having trusses constructed with multiple truss blocks (8) stacked end to end with crush plates (14) in between. Keystones (16) are placed at the apex of the trusses or the crush plates (14) wedge shaped forming the trusses into arches. Truss blocks (8), keystones (16) and crush plates (14) are compressed together and strengthened with wire ropes (20). Wire ropes (20) run through wire rope receiving channels (30) in the truss blocks (8), through the curved wire rope receiving channels (46) in the keystones (16), and through wire rope slots (34) in the crush plates (14). Tensions of the wire ropes (20) are transmitted to the feet of the trusses at the tie plates (12). Tiebeam wire ropes (21) are added to each truss from the tie plate (12) on one foot to the tie plate (12) on the other foot preventing the truss' feet from spreading. The trusses are spaced apart and the spaced between is covered with spacer plates (10) resting in grooves (26) at the top of the truss blocks (8).

Abstract: A motor-powered mulching mower and edger apparatus (20) with dual rotary mower blades (33,35), a mower deck (21) and a side-mounted edger attachment (75) adapted by a clutch mechanism (110,111) for simultaneous operation therewith. An adjustable mulching control valve (60) mounted at the inlet of a discharge chute (39) from the deck (21) allows variation of the proportions of mulching to clippings bagging in the range of zero to one hundred percent during mower operation. The dual rotary blades (33,35) are mounted in vertically spaced relation and select leading-angle trailing-angle relationship and are cooperable with an internal deck-mounted air stream deflector (68) for deflecting multiple cuttings of grass clippings in an inwardly directed spiral path such that after the initial cutting, each of the clippings is disposed to at least two more cuttings to produce a finer mulch.

Abstract: A buoyant aquatic recliner device (10) comprised of a plurality of body supporting sections (11,12,13) flexibly interconnected and adapted to support a person reclined thereon. One body supporting section (11) supports the torso of the reclined person, a second section (12) supports the thighs and a third section (13) supports the lower legs. Each body supporting section comprises a pair of linear side members (21-26) of substantially equal length interconnected by pliant spacer members (30) which maintain the paired side members substantially parallel and in symmetrical relation about the longitudinal axis of the device. At least one flotation member (60) is affixed to each side member of the body supporting sections and is adjustably positioning thereon along the length of the side member to adjust the relative angles of inclination of adjoining body supporting sections to achieve a preferred body position.

Abstract: Portable brick manufacturing apparatus (20) mounted on a skid pad (21) includes two brick making systems. Each system includes a ring (25, 65) with three open-ended mold boxes (23, 70) mounted to the ring in equiangular spacing thereabout. Drive means (30,32,30',31') and an indexing controls mechanism (51) operate to rotate the ring in steps such that the mold boxes come to rest at a fill station, a compacting station and a brick ejection station, respectively. The two systems share a compacting station and a slide plate (60) provides a bottom for the mold boxes at the fill and compacting stations and in movement therebetween for each systems. In one system, hoppers (52,56) conveyors (54,49) a blender (58) and a spray nozzle (59) deliver soil and additives to a mold box at the fill station. Similar components are included in the second system. The indexing mechanism (51) responds to a sensor signal to control the weight of depost in a mold box.

Abstract: A method of encasing a luminous translucent tubing (12,32) of a non-linear complex geometrical configuration in a transparent outer member (14,34) and forming a passage (25,35) of annular radial cross section therebetween, which method comprises coating the exterior of the tubing (12,32) with a viscous temporary material (17,47) which solidifies to provide a coating with smooth exterior surface, coating the temporary substance (17,47) with a permanent forming material in a viscous liquid state which hardens to form a rigid transparent outer member (14,34) in coextensive surrounding relation to the tubing (12,32) and its coating of temporary material (17,47), applying heat to said coating of temporary material at a temperature above the melting point of the temporary material and below the softening temperature of the outer member, and removing the temporary material from between the translucent tubing (12,32) and the transparent outer member (14,34) while supporting the translucent tubing in fixed relation to

Abstract: A vibratory force transducer comprising a vibratory beam (21) of rectangular transverse cross section having a uniform thickness t, a major span section of length L.sub.1 and width w.sub.1, and at least one end of the major span having an adjoining tab of greater width W.sub.2 and length L.sub.s. The beam is driven by electrical excitation to vibrate at resonant frequency in a given direction. The tab provides the beam with an effective length which is a function of length of the beam sections and their moments of inertia in the given direction and a criterion by which t, w.sub.1, L.sub.1 and L.sub.s are selected such that resonant frequency and higher harmonic modes of the beam in the given direction are different from the resonant frequency and higher harmonics in any other direction. The transducer may comprise dual beams (31,32) as a double-ended tuning fork with moment decoupling number (45) at the joined end. For each beam comprising a major span of length L.sub.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovery of oil from a marine oil slick. The apparatus includes a dredge (10) equipped with a suction pump (11) and a suction pipe (13) having a suction collector box (17,60) mounted on the distal end thereof for pivotal movement with respect to said pipe. The dredge is positioned adjacent the oil slick with the collector box in the current path by means of the anchor lines (32a,33a). Drive controls, which may include an automatic positioning system (75), are provided to maintain the lip (20) of the opening at a selected level of submergence along a plurality of incremental lengths of said lip comprising substantially its entire length to accommodate wave action incident from any direction. A plurality of oil/water separation devices (44) mounted on barges (45) or other convenient platforms connect with the pump outlet to receive the mixture of oil and water suctioned through the collector box and to separate the oil and water for collection.

Abstract: An inflatable aquatic device suitable for supporting a person in reclined position thereon when inflated. The device comprises at least one pair of elongated inflatable tubular members 61, 62 of substantially equal length and configuration which are interconnected by pliant spacer members 63 for maintaining the inflatable tubular members in spaced relationship, substantially symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the device, and for providing, with said inflatable tubular member, a support wherein the person's body is supported with a substantially minimal areal contact with the spacer members. The aquatic device is comprised of sections which are flexible connected at their adjoining ends and adapted to support the lower legs, thighs, and torso of the person reclined thereon.

Abstract: A multi-color liquid display system comprising a liquid conduit 14 and a display apparatus operatively associated therewith. A fluid circulating system is connected to the liquid conduit 14 for sequentially circulating different colored liquids 22,24 of different specific gravities through the liquid conduit to produce the visual display either as a writing sign 10 wherein a transparent liquid conduit 14 is illuminated by luminous tubing 12 or as a fountain wherein the liquid conduit is fitted with a nozzle and mounted in a fountain basin to produce a fountain spray. The fluid circulating system includes a reservoir tank 20, a pump 36, a metering chamber 30 above the reservoir and a dispensing chamber 28 below the metering chamber, a plurality of ducts 40,42 and 48, for fluidly communicating the different strata of liquids in the reservoir 20 with the metering chamber 30, and a siphon line 52 and an air breather line 50 interconnecting the metering chamber and dispensing chamber.

Abstract: A fluid-powered actuator assembly 10 for gate valves 13 having a slab gate 21 with a port 22 adapted to be placed in registry with the flow passage through the valve wherein the valve is moved to open position by application of fluid pressure to the actuator piston 18 and moved to closed position by a piston return spring 33 when the pressure is removed. The assembly includes an auxiliary energy storage device 40 in the form of a coiled spring 41 which is compressed in the initial stages of the actuator stroke to open the valve 13 and is maintained in the compressed energized state by a releasable latch mechanism 52 which latches to the auxiliary spring housing 42. When the actuator 12 operates to close the valve, the auxiliary coiled spring 41 is released near the end of the valve-closing stroke to provide additional axial thrust to the actuator shaft 17 and the valve gate 21 of a magnitude sufficient to shear wire lines 25 or other members which have been inserted through the gate port.

Abstract: A holddown screw assembly 10 which features a shaft 33, an energizer screw 39 and a detachable contact nose 20 adapted to be assembled in coaxial alignment in a radial bore in a wellhead structure. The shaft is provided with a passage 40 extending from its outer end as the holddown screw is normally used in a wellhead installation to a cross passage 41 at the other end of the shaft. Also, at its outer end, a fitting 32 is attached to facilitate connection to a hydraulic supply line 28. An annular bearing flange 35 is provided on the shaft near its outer end. A packing nut 31 and a set of packing rings 34 are sleeved about the shaft 33 with the nut disposed in abutting relation to the bearing flange 35 where it is held fixed but rotatable thereagainst by means 36. The packing nut is threaded into a threaded section of a bore 11 such as may be provided in the flange 12 of a casing spool 13. By turning the packing nut, the packing ring set may be compressed against a shoulder 37 in the bore 11.

Abstract: A holddown screw 10 which features a shank 23 and contact nose 22 of separate construction. The contact nose 22 is provided with a flat bevelled contact surface 32 of predetermined angle to the axis of the screw selected to correspond to the angle of the camming surface 17a with which it is designed to cooperate. The contact nose is carried on the shank 23 and is adapted for relative rotation thereon as the screw is rotated. The back end of the contact nose is provided with an annular surface 22a disposed radially to the longitudinal axis of the screw and adapted to engage an annular shoulder 35 of the shank 23 in flat co-planar relationship therewith. As the screw is rotated and driven inwardly to contact the wellhead component 14 to be actuated, the flat contact surface 32 of the nose of the screw will engage in sliding contact with the cooperating camming surface 17a.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for depositing a corrosion resistant weld clad material upon a cylindrical surface of a workpiece such as the internal cylindrical conduit of a valve body (10). The apparatus includes a turntable (12) having a rotating platform (24) which is adapted for supporting the valve body for rotation about the cylindrical axis of its internal conduit (14). The platform (24) can be tilted from a horizontal position through to a vertical position such that the central axis of the valve body conduit connected thereto can be angled between 30 and 60 degrees. A wire-fed, gas-shielded welding torch (16) is supported adjacent to the cylindrical surface of the conduit (14) to be coated such that as the valve body (10) is rotated by the turntable (12), weld material (82) is deposited circumferentially about the surface of the conduit.

Abstract: A gate valve 10 of slab gate variety with "floating" seats having means for protecting the seat ring seals and seat pockets in severe operating conditions. Each seat ring (40,41) is provided in its rear face (43,44) with an annular groove (49) coaxial with the ring axis and of a diameter to be located closely adjacent the flow passage (16,17) through the valve and accommodating an O-ring seal (49,50) therein. A second annular groove (51) is formed in the outer cylindrical surface (40a, 41a) of the ring near the front face (43,44) of the ring and accommodates an O-ring seal therein. The two O-ring seals (49,52) and (50,51) by their location establish a "trapped" volume chamber (55) behind the seat ring and seat pocket (32,33) which protects and isolates the seat pocket from corrosive ladings and solids deposition.