Abstract: Variable flow of either primary air or of a mixture of primary and secondary air is provided to an enclosure by an air diffuser adapted for installation in an opening in the enclosure. Sleeve means is movably mounted within a housing of the air diffuser for movement between a closed position in which apertures of the housing are closed by the sleeve means and an open position in which they are open. Actuator means is engageable with the sleeve means for selectively moving the sleeve means between the closed and open positions and to positions therebetween so as to discharge a desired proportion of primary air through the apertures into a plenum to bypass the enclosure. Deflecting means is mounted on the housing for deflecting the primary air outwardly as it is discharged into the enclosure. The sleeve means may extend downward toward the deflecting means such that a passage of variable area is formed to further direct the primary air through the apertures.

Abstract: By providing high absorbent end wraps staturated with a disulfide, the action of the reducing agent on the porous ends of the hair is controlled, typical overprocessing of the hair ends is eliminated, and a uniform permanently waved head of hair is obtained. Preferably the disulfide saturated into the end wraps is the disulfide of the mercaptan used in the permanent waving lotion.

Abstract: A folded stationery piece has a three-dimensional pop-up message displayed along an internal fold line, formed by an arrayed sequence of letters with the spaces between them removed. The letters and bridge webs joined to their upper edges are both hinged to the stationery panels, forming a collapsible parallelogram structure. The message display can be formed as a separate insert, to be adhesively mounted along a fold line of any piece of stationery by the user.

Abstract: A low labor, highly efficient process and system for manufacturing chocolate coated ice cream cookie sandwiches is achieved by incorporating a conveyor system for transporting the ice cream cookie sandwich through the various stages of its manufacture along with uniquely constructed ice cream brick slicing machines and a unique chocolate coating machine. In addition, a pass-through freezer is preferably employed prior to the chocolate coating, in order to assure a high quality, tasty product. The ice cream slicing machine of the present invention employed in the process and manufacturing system of this invention is constructed for receiving a plurality of ice cream bricks and cutting each brick into a plurality of slices in an efficient, automatic, integrated operational procedure and presenting each ice cream slice to a holding zone for placement on a cookie moving along the conveyor system.

Abstract: By providing a fully equipped, prefabricated, self-contained building, completely constructed with all exterior and interior walls and roof, but having no floor, floor members or floor-supporting members, a unique, prefabricated, preconstructed, self-contained building is achieved, ready for installation on a floor forming foundation to complete the building construction. In the preferred embodiment, the prefabricated, preconstructed building incorporates an interlocking tenon and mortise construction at each interconnecting corner of intersecting wall members.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive adhesive membrane and its cooperating, protective, underlying coated release paper are provided with adhesive means and the membrane and paper layer are then formed into and maintained as a substantially cylindrical, rolled configuration, creating a unique easily handled, readily employable membrane dispensing assembly. In the preferred embodiment, the adhesive means is applied to the non-release coated surface of the paper layer, thereby assuring maintenance of the rolled configuration while enhancing the deployability and the efficacy of the membrane.

Abstract: An illuminated sign with an opaque sign plaque employs a light source overlying the sign plaque embraced by a concave downward facing reflector, and a flat lower reflector underlying the sign plaque, providing both direct and reflected illumination over the face of the sign plaque. In its preferred form, the concave reflector is compoundly curved over the ends of the sign plaque and the flat lower reflector is tilted toward the sign plaque.

Abstract: By providing an input/output module which incorporates post means formed thereon and slider means connected thereto and movable into and out of locking engagement with the post means of an adjacent module, a unique input/output module is achieved that is rapidly mounted to an adjacent module as well as rapidly disconnected therefrom. Preferably, each input/output module incorporates mating connector means positioned on opposite surfaces thereof, whereby each input/output module electronically directly connects to an adjacent module for communication with a central processor.

Abstract: By providing a slender, elongated shaft having the terminating end portion of the shaft pivotally engaged with the main shaft, a unique, one-piece, pierced earring holding system is achieved. The pierced earring holding system of this invention is usable with any desired pierced earring design, and assures secure and easy attachment to the pierced ears of the user, while also completely eliminating potential loss of the earring.

Abstract: An automatic bundle-tying tool has a compact housing with a pair of curved pincer-shaped jaws, one of which pivots outward to accommodate a bundle of wires or similar elongated objects, and then pivots inward to abut the other, fixed jaw. Plastic tying tape drawn from a storage spool is fed around the tape guide groove formed on the internal surface of each of the mating jaws, encircling the bundle. A pair of thin tapered anvils clamp the overlapped tape against the tip of an ultrasonic welding transducer, and a reverse feed mechanism draws the tape tight around the bundle while slack tape is re-wound on the storage spool by a resilient spring biased spool hub. After ultrasonic welding, automatic spring-driven linkages unclamp and withdraw the anvils, sever the tied bundle from the tape supply and open the movable jaw to release the tied bundle. A preferred embodiment is lightweight, portable and easy to operate.

Abstract: An automatic numerically controlled machine tool or "bed machining center" presents a tool carrying spindle rotating in a vertically movable head sliding on a forwardly and rearwardly movable column, for cutting tool engagement with a workpiece clamped on a laterally movable table. The head, the column and the table are slidingly movable by precision ball screws on mutually perpendicular way members, accurately positioned with pivoting fine adjustment. Sliding ramp gib pack cam block pairs further adjust the sliding members for maximum precision. Replacement spindle and vertical ball screw assemblies are easily substituted for rapid maintenance. High volume coolant circulation flushes chips away from the workpiece. A concealed tool change carriage glides forward from an enclosure, receives the previous tool from the spindle, indexes the next tool, releases it for automatic loading in the spindle collet, and retracts into its enclosure.

Abstract: A system for handling a multitude of particulate solid minor ingredients to be selectively added to individual batches in a batch treatment blending process comprises storage vessels, inventory control methods, recipe correction methods, a batch weighing system and weighing trolley for feed to one of a series of blenders. The system's mechanical components are under fully automated control by a computer, using bar code scanners. Inventory control is accomplished by providing dedicated storage vessels and a weighing system whose output signals are monitored by the computer. The functions of batch weighing and batch delivery for particulate solids employ a number of carriers which serve as dedicated delivery containers. Each carrier is carried on a trolley rail system and the trolley moves the carrier to various nests of solids storage vessels for weigh-in filling of the minor ingredients by screw type feeders, as directed by the computer, and based on the computer-stored recipe information.

Abstract: Fire suppression piping systems for delivering prescribed quantities of chemical powder propelled by compressed gas, such as dry nitrogen to extinguish fires occurring in commercial and industrial equipment, i.e.

Abstract: By providing an open-ended perforate vessel which is rotatable about its central axis and incorporates a removable filter element, a highly efficient easily employable precious metal recovery apparatus is achieved capable of removing precious metal from an aqueous carrier. Preferably, the perforate vessel is supportingly contained within a housing which receives the aqueous carrier after passage through the filter and delivers the aqueous carrier to a disposed area. In addition, the perforate vessel is preferably cylindrically shaped with holes formed throughout and the filter comprises a bag-like or envelope-like construction which is easily mounted about the walls of the vessel as well as easily sealed after filtration with the precious metal contained therein for delivery to a reclamation center.