Abstract: This invention relates to a trench shoring assembly which includes a pair of spaced-apart side walls for vertical disposition within a trench. Spreader pipes and spreader collars interconnect the side walls and allow limited pivotal movement between the side walls. Each side wall includes outer and inner metal plates connected to a horizontally extending hollow top beam which extends longitudinally along the top of the side wall, two intermediate beams parallel the hollow metal beam and a bottom beam. A hardwood insert is disposed within the top beam to prevent the collapse of the hollow metal beam. A number of hollow beams extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams and ribbed members extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams. The side walls of the assembly have a tapered bottom portion which defines a triangularly shaped pointed lower extremity extending between the ends of the bottom portion.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel assembly for a toy vehicle including a substantially hollow tire portion including two structurally identical mating shells made of a relatively rigid plastic material, such as, polypropylene, polyethylene, or polystyrene, wherein the shells are mated along the centerline of the tire portion, a wheel portion for receiving the tire portion, and a retainer lip extending radially inwardly from each of the mating shells to frictionally engage the wheel portion and retain the shells in mating engagement on the wheel portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cold working metal powder to produce a metal powder highly suited for consolidation wherein the apparatus comprises a cold rolling mill including a pair of driven rolls mounted within a sealed work chamber for receiving and deforming a closely metered amount of powder. The work chamber is continuously purged with an inert atmosphere to protect the powder from gaseous contaminants and circulating and filter means is provided for removing solid contaminants. To facilitate cold rolling the powder is lubricated prior to passage through the rolls and brushes are provided for cleaning any adhering powder from the surface of the rolls. The resulting cold worked powder particles have a coin, or plate-like, shape and demonstrate desirable properties for hot consolidation, such as, a low incidence of hollow particles and nonmetallic inclusions, the capability of achieving a condition of superplasticity, and an increased tap density of the loose powder.

Abstract: A container cover for use with a multi-sided container having flaps attached to the ends of at least some of the sides thereof along a fold line so that each flap is foldable against the side to which it is attached, the cover including a multi-sided planar member having an equal number of sides as the container and an area approximately equal to the transverse cross-sectional area of the container, a first skirt member extending generally laterally away from the planar member, a second skirt member extending from the planar member in the same direction as the first skirt member and being generally parallel to and coextensive with the first skirt member and spaced inwardly therefrom a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the container side and the flap and locking tabs on one of the skirt members extending toward the other of the skirt members whereby, when the cover is telescopically applied to the container, the flaps are folded against their respective sides and snugly received between the skir

Abstract: An add-on device for automatically adjusting the setting of a control mechanism, such as, a thermostat, which includes a separate, independent timer which is mounted adjacent the existing control mechanism and controls the same by means of a mechanically driven member which engages the manual adjuster of the control mechanism; the device further including a suitable coupler for coupling the driven member to the timer for moving the driven member at selected times to change the position of the adjuster.

Abstract: A motion transmitting remote control assembly including an elongated flexible motion transmitting element comprising a multi-stranded wire core and a wire helically coiled about the core. A terminal means of organic polymeric material is molded about the core element to encase the coiled wire and the core in the areas between adjacent convolutions of the coiled wire. In one embodiment, a terminal means is slideably disposed in a slideway of a guide member which also includes a channel to guide the sliding movement of a movable window member and the terminal means has an attachment portion extending through a passageway from the slideway to the channel for attachment to the window.

Abstract: A thermal energy converting assembly including a support housing rotatably supporting a central hub with a plurality of temperature sensitive metal alloy strips extending radially from the hub for coacting with a cam which sinusoidally strains the strips during one phase and allows the unstraining of the strips during a second phase. The strips are made of a material which undergoes a thermoelastic, martensitic phase transformation whereby in a relatively cold condition it takes less energy to strain the strips than is produced from the strips as they become unstrained when subsequently subjected to a hotter condition. In the first embodiment the strips are strained by torsional twisting as a result of a lever arm attached to the ends of the strips and reacting with the cam whereas in the second embodiment the strips are strained by bending as push rods are associated with the distal ends of the strips and have rollers thereon for coacting with the cam.

Abstract: A furniture assembly such as a sofa bed which moves between a sitting configuration and a bed configuration including a metal support frame having end units with interconnecting beam members removably connected to the end units by bolts. A metal plate is secured to each end unit and includes a pair of slots inclined or slanted upwardly and forwardly from the rearward ends with U-shaped metal track members having flanges secured to the metal plates for defining laterally extending track surfaces. Inner and outer frames are pivotally connected together by an intermediate frame and are movable between a folded position and an unfolded position to define the bed configuration. The inner frame has bifurcated brackets secured thereto and shafts are connected to the bifurcated brackets and extend through the slots in the adjacent plates to support rollers which roll along the track members. The shafts have threaded nuts thereon and the shafts are the sole means for supporting the bed frames on the support frame.

Abstract: A quick release assembly for supporting a bicycle wheel hub on a bicycle frame component. The assembly includes an elongated rod having an abutment nut threadedly disposed on one end thereof and a cam clamping assembly disposed on the other end. The clamping assembly includes a cup-shaped clamping head for rotatably supporting a cam member having an eccentric cam disposed within the cup-shaped clamping head. The eccentric cam is rotatably disposed in openings in a cylindrical reaction member. The cylindrical reaction member has a bore extending thereinto from one face to an annular flange adjacent the second face and the end of the rod has an enlarged head disposed in the bore of the reaction member and engaging the annular flange. The reaction member and the rod are separate members and the end of the rod has an arcuate recess concentric with the eccentric cam for engaging the eccentric cam to prevent rotation of the rod.

Abstract: This invention relates to a trench shoring assembly which includes a pair of spaced-apart side walls for vertical disposition within a trench. Spreader pipes and spreader collars interconnect the side walls and allow limited pivotal movement between the side walls. Each side wall includes outer and inner metal plates connected to a horizontally extending hollow top beam which extends longitudinally along the top of the side wall, two intermediate beams parallel the hollow metal beam and a bottom beam. A hardwood insert is disposed within the top beam to prevent the collapse of the hollow metal beam. A number of hollow beams extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams and ribbed members extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams. The side walls of the assembly have a tapered bottom portion which defines a triangularly shaped pointed lower extremity extending between the ends of the bottom portion.

Abstract: A disc brake assembly including a self-contained actuator for urging a brake shoe into frictional engagement with a friction disc; the actuator including an actuated piston movably supported within a cylinder for moving the brake shoe into engagement with the friction disc, an actuating piston movably supported within the cylinder which is separated from the actuated piston by a fluid-filled chamber which defines a fluid link therebetween and a rotatable, threaded shaft member connected to the actuating piston for transmitting rotational motion to axial motion whereby rotation movement of the shaft member causes axial movement of the actuating piston which in turn causes axial movement of the actuated piston through the fluid link. In order to compensate for separation between the actuated and actuating pistons as a result of brake wear, the cylinder includes a fluid reservoir for supplying additional fluid to the fluid-filled chamber upon separation of these two members.

Abstract: A headlamp cleaning assembly of the type for cleaning vehicle headlamps and including first and second nozzles for jetting an air/liquid mixture against a headlight surface. A regulator means is included for mixing air and liquid and for sequentially supplying the resultant air/liquid mixture to the first nozzle for a first period of time and then to the second nozzle for a second period of time to complete one cycle. The regulator includes a piston slidably disposed in a cavity to define an air/liquid mixing chamber which is opposed by a liquid charging chamber. The piston also defines an air actuation chamber which, when supplied air, moves the piston from a start position to a charged position to charge by filling the charging chamber with liquid. A stem is connected to and extends upwardly from the piston and is slidably disposed in a stem chamber for actuating an air valve which, in turn, allows pressurized air to flow into the stem chamber.

Abstract: An assembly for directing a fluid, such as a combination of air and a liquid, toward a vehicle headlamp for cleaning the headlamp surface. A box-like support member is adapted at a first end to be connected to a vehicle body adjacent a headlamp and extends to a distal end to be positioned forwardly of the headlamp. The distal end of the box member includes a front wall with an aperture therein to define retaining flanges. An elbow member having a fluid inlet is disposed within the box member and has support flanges which overlap and engage the retaining flanges of the box-like member. A supply tube is connected to the inlet of the elbow and a coil spring is disposed about the supply tube and engaging the elbow member urging the elbow member forwardly. The elbow member has an outlet which extends upwardly and rearwardly from the inlet and a flailing flexible tube is connected to the outlet and has a loop integral therewith extending about the bottom of the elbow member for retaining the flailing tube thereon.

Abstract: A fluid-level indicating device, such as a dip stick, adapted for insertion into the access tube of a fluid reservoir wherein the device includes a friction reducing member at the leading end of the measuring member for facilitating free passage of the measuring member through an irregularly-shaped access tube.

Abstract: A bed assembly comprising a metal frame of generally rectangular configuration including a pair of opposed side rails and a pair of opposed end rails and a plurality of metal slats extending transversely between the side rails in spaced parallel relationship to one another and to the end rails. Both of the end and side rails have a hollow cross section along their respective lengths. The hollow cross section in each of the rails is defined at least by two metal members welded together. The end rails are defined by a pair of U-shaped members having their legs overlapping with the bases of the U shapes spaced from one another to define the hollow cross section. The side rails are defined by channeled members having a channel extending therealong and a plate-like strip covering the channel to define the hollow cross section. The side rails also include slat support flanges upon which the slats are supported.

Abstract: A dual truck wheel assembly including a wheel having a hub rotatably supported on an axle. A pair of tire rims are removably supported on the wheel in axially spaced relationship to one another. Lugs and lug bolts secured to the wheel engage the outer rim for forcing the outer rim axially toward the inward rim for applying a retaining force to prevent rotation of the rims relative to the wheel. A rim lock assembly is disposed between the rims for continually re-establishing the retaining force in response to relative rotation between the rims in the event the lug bolts loosen. The rim lock assembly includes a plurality of elliptical cam plates engaging the adjacent rims. The cam plates have serrated peripheries whereby when the rims rotate relative to one another the frictional engagement between the cam plates and the rims causes the cam plates to rotate about a central axis urging the rims apart so that the outer rim is moved in a direction to place the lug bolts in tension.

Abstract: This invention relates to a trench shoring assembly which includes a pair of spaced-apart side walls for vertical disposition within a trench. Spreader pipes and spreader collars interconnect the side walls and allow limited pivotal movement between the side walls. Each side wall includes outer and inner metal plates connected to a horizontally extending hollow top beam which extends longitudinally along the top of the side wall, two intermediate beams parallel the hollow metal beam and a bottom beam. A hardwood insert is disposed within the top beam to prevent the collapse of the hollow metal beam. A number of hollow beams extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams and ribbed members extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams. The side walls of the assembly have a tapered bottom portion which defines a triangularly shaped pointed lower extremity extending between the ends of the bottom portion.

Abstract: This invention relates to a trench shoring assembly which includes a pair of spaced-apart side walls for vertical disposition within a trench. Spreader pipes and spreader collars interconnect the side walls and allow limited pivotal movement between the side walls. Each side wall includes outer and inner metal plates connected to a horizontally extending hollow top beam which extends longitudinally along the top of the side wall, two intermediate beams parallel the hollow metal beam and a bottom beam. A hardwood insert is disposed within the top beam to prevent the collapse of the hollow metal beam. A number of hollow beams extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams and ribbed members extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams. The side walls of the assembly have a tapered bottom portion which defines a triangularly shaped pointed lower extremity extending between the ends of the bottom portion.

Abstract: An automatic nozzle assembly for the dispensing of gasoline and similar liquids and of simple, efficient and low cost construction. A stem extends into a housing and is actuated by a handle. The stem extends through a check valve which closes a downstream opening in a valve seat secured in the housing. A poppet valve is disposed about the valve stem and closes the upstream side of the opening in the valve seat to prevent fluid flow therethrough. A yoke is disposed about the upper end of the poppet valve and balls are disposed in openings in the poppet valve and are forced into engagement with the top of the stem whereby the poppet valve moves upwardly with the stem and whereby the yoke may be moved to allow the balls out of engagement with the stem whereby the poppet valve may close independently of movement of the stem.

Abstract: An archery arrow comprising a shaft having a circular cross section with a forward end and a rearward end. The improvement comprises a vane system adjacent the rearward end of the shaft for stabilizing the flight of the arrow. The vane system comprises first and second vanes disposed diametrically opposite one another on the vane shaft. Each vane is defined by an integral member having an aerodynamic fin extending tangentially from one side of the shaft and supporting the vane so that the vane is spaced from the shaft, the spacing between the vane and the shaft decreasing from the forward end of the vane to the rearward end thereof so as to define a pocket between the vane and the shaft of decreasing volume from front to rear to create pressures upon the vane and the aerodynamic fin to cause the arrow to rotate.A hunting arrowhead is also disclosed. The head includes two identical halves.