Abstract: Apparatus for securing a wheelchair to the floor of a vehicle or the like comprises two pairs of clamp posts journaled for up and down movement. Each post has a pair of clamp jaw members positioned to engage the wheelchair underframe. A main piston raises and lowers the posts simultaneously. Each post has a pair of clamp jaw pistons operatively connected to the corresponding clamp jaw members to grip the underframe. A control circuit comprises an electrical-motor-operated pump, a four-way solenoid-operated direction control spool valve, a pair of sequence valves, pilot operated check valves in the pressure lines leading to the clamp jaw pistons, and a three-way electrical toggle switch having "UP", "DOWN" and "OFF" modes. In "UP" mode the main piston lifts the clamp posts to and optionally beyond a position to engage the frame where one of the sequence valves directs pressure fluid to the clamp jaw pistons to lock the clamp jaws onto the frame.

Abstract: A cooking grill having dual heating platens for cooking meats, poultry, fish and like products; the grill having a stationary lower grill platen superposed by a top grill platen selectively moveable to and between four operating positions about one or two pivotal axes; the grill platens being formed with longitudinal lands and grooves to facilitate speed of cooking and moisture release from the cooking products; the lands serving to char spaced areas of the cooked product to emulate charcoal broiling thereof.

Abstract: A toilet seat assembly for the disabled, particularly those who are wheelchair bound with spinal chord injuries. The seat is fitted to a conventional toilet and is fixed or removably mounted in elevated position above the rim of the toilet bowl to provide lateral openings or clearance for the insertion of the user's hand to carry out perineal cleaning functions. The height of the raised seat is such as to promote easy user transfer from a wheelchair. A bracket for attaching the seat to the toilet bowl is supportive of arm supports for assisting the user on and off the seat.

Abstract: An aquarium cleaning system comprises undergravel cleaning apparatus and a fish tank having a bottom wall and side and end walls. The cleaning apparatus in the example illustrated comprises a rectangular frame having side and end walls sized to fit within the bottom portion of the tank. An apertured gravel-supporting floor plate is mounted on the top of the frame and defines a space within the frame beneath the plate. A stationary guide tube extends upwardly from the frame above the floor plate. A movable suction head is located within the space and is connected to a movable siphon tube extending upwardly through the guide tube. An upstanding aeration tube is mounted on the floor plate and has a coaxial air supply tube which supports an apertured wiper disc and an apertured filter cartridge, both having wiper elements engaged with the inside wall of the aeration tube to remove algae and detritus. The floor plate comprises two grid sections with parallel slits.

Abstract: A tool for holding a lawn mower blade in a mower during removal and replacement. The tool comprises a U-shaped bracket having a horizontal web and a pair of upstanding horizontally-spaced flanges. A bolt extends through bolt holes in the flanges at a level above the web. The web, flanges, and bolt encircle the lawn mower blade and define a space for retaining an end portion of the lawn mower blade. Alternate bolt hole arrangements in the flanges enable the bolt to be repositioned at different spacings and angles relative to the web, to accommodate lawn mower blades having different size air vanes with different angular dispositions. An elongated handle is attached to the underside of the web and is offset downwardly to clear the bottom edge of the skirt of a lawn mower housing.

Abstract: A multiple-task end effector attachment for the articulated head of a computer controlled robotic machining center capable of imparting multi-axis linear and rotational movements to the end effector which comprises opposingly aligned master and slave related tool heads that carry multiple tool drivers receptive of selectively changeable tooling. The tool heads are interjoined and rigidly supported in opposing alignment on opposite sides of fixture held stationary work pieces by means of an intervening generally U-shaped yoke or frame of selected configuration dedicated to the particular shape of the parts assembly. The master tool head of the end effector is connected directly to and carried by the mobile head of the robot which powers and controls the positioning and operation of both tool heads of the end effector.

Abstract: An electro-mechanical device for accurately retarding or advancing the timing or rotational phase relationship of machine components, such as a pair of shafts, either while the components are in motion or stationary. The device embodies a motor controlled cycloidal gear reducer operable to generate a rotational differential or relative movement between a pair of rotatable gears. Each shaft is coupled to one of the gears for movement therewith. The stator of the motor rotates with one of the gears and the rotor thereof, when energized, rotates relative to the stator and drives a generator for effecting differential rotation of the two gears and thus the two machine components.

Abstract: A window guard assembly made up of two, slidably coupled, generally U-shaped, members each comprising parallel spaced, elongated, linear legs integrally interjoined at one end to a transverse portion which lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the legs. In assembly the transverse portion of each member extends laterally outwardly and around the legs of the other member. As a consequence, the two members may be assembled slidably with adjacent legs of the two members co-planar and the transverse portions thereof disposed on opposite sides of the assembled members. The outer of free ends of the legs are attachable to window frame members for mounting the guard assembly across a window opening. In a first modified version, each guard member includes three elongated legs attached to a transverse portion and in a second modified version, the transverse portion of each of member is welded to the ends of the legs.

Abstract: An electrical control system for regulating the humidity of an enclosed atmosphere in a dough proof box or the like, comprising a cast metal steamer tray, incorporating an electrical heating element operable to heat the tray between selected upper and lower temperature limits determined by a thermostat responsive to temperatures of the tray casting. A time controlled valve supplies water to the tray for selected time intervals when the thermostat senses the tray's upper temperature. A humidistat controls operation of the thermostat. As a result, the steamer tray is heated between high and low limits and supplied with measured amounts of water to effect rapid generation of limited quantities of steam to satisfy the humidity levels demanded by the humidistat.

Abstract: Frame for a bicycle type apparatus such as a bicycle type exerciser or a bicycle, having a closed, rectangular box beam cross section reach tube oriented with the major axis of the cross section in a vertical plane secured between a handlebar head tube and a seat mast. The reach tube has an angular configuration including a rear horizontal section extending along the chain guard, and an upwardly and forwardly extending diagonal section.

Abstract: A frequency domain spectrofluorometer employing extrinsically modulated DC light sources or intrinsically modulated laser pulse trains, containing multiple, harmonically related, phase-locked frequencies for exciting a fluorescent sample. High frequency light emissions of the excited sample are simultaneously cross-correlated with multiple, harmonically related, phase-locked R-F frequencies to produce workable low frequency electrical detector signals having the same phase and modulation characteristics as the multiple frequency sample light emissions. The detector signals are digitized in a computer and transformed from time to frequency domain by complex fast fourier transforms to extract the phase and modulation data for all frequencies of the sample light emissions. This data is displayed simultaneously on the visual presentation screen of the computer.

Abstract: A delivery assembly for a coin-operated can vending machine constituting a simplified structural arrangement of parts productive of economies of manufacture and assembly comprising a delivery shroud assembly mounted opposite and behind a delivery opening in the front door of the machine cabinet and formed by two identical stamped metal parts which are operationally interchangeable, are fixedly interjoined to form a can delivery passageway and which are supported on frame members carried within the interior of the cabinet door. A deflector is mounted across the shroud assembly passageway to alter the path of can movement therethrough. The outer end of the shroud assembly abuts the inside face of the front door panel adjacent a delivery opening therein and is fastened to a frame member disposed over the exterior of the front door panel. The frame member conceals the edges of the delivery opening and provides a hand opening for customer retrieval of a can delivered to a delivery stage of the shroud assembly.

Abstract: A magazine having multiple columns for storing cylindrical articles, such as canned beverages, in a coin operated vending machine. The magazine is fabricated preferably of sheet metal to include a plurality of vertical planar wall members held in parallel spaced relation by intervening transverse spacers and connector rods forming a plurality of vertical article storage columns therebetween. Opposing faces of each of two adjacent wall members are provided with a pair of laterally spaced non-overlapping serpentine rail assemblies. Opposing pairs of such rail assemblies between adjacent wall members are registeringly aligned to form two non-overlapping serpentine tracks which are designed to support cylindrical articles, such as beverage cans and the like.

Abstract: A high temperature pressure switch assembly for an explosion-proof enclosure used in hazardous atmospheres comprises an electrical control switch for a remote power source supplying electrical power to the enclosure, and a pressure responsive member which actuates the control switch to disconnect the power source in response to a small but abrupt pressure rise within the enclosure which indicates an explosion, severe electrical arcing or insulation pyrolysis therewithin.