Abstract: A method of molding at article capable of enduring temperatures of at least 1250.degree. F. without deformation or deterioration. High temperature resistant fibers cut to a length of one eighth of an inch are mixed with water to create a pool of slurry. A flexible mold having an article-forming cavity affixed to a suction chamber having means for injecting slurry into the cavity and means for the flow of liquid out of the cavity when the flexible mold and the suction chamber are under vacuum to create within the mold cavity an article of compacted high temperature resistant fibers. The mold is flexed causing the molded article to be released from the cavity within the mold.

Abstract: An air-cooled-engine screen (1) is sized and shaped to cover airflow entrances (2) to engines of engine-powered equipment and tools such as chain saws (4). Strands of the screen are designedly strong, fine and spaced apart to allow passage of sufficient air between them to cool the engines while preventing passage of fine particles and/or fibers that are gooey, gummy, resinous or sappy wet and would solidify or gum onto cooling fins and nearby engine parts such as spark-plug connections and cooling-air outlets when being used. Cleaning is facilitated by minimizing screen-surface obstruction. Select attachment means (8, 9, 10, 11 12) are provided for original equipment, for after-market add-on and for various long-term or temporary use conditions.

Abstract: A low-floor-vehicle ramp has a slideway (13) attached to a bottom side of a vehicle floor (2) proximate a door sill, a boarding-ramp assembly (1) hinged to a ramp-control plate (14) that slides on parallel slideways (22, 23, 59, 60, 68) as actuated horizontally by motorized bidirectional actuation of a ramp-slide actuator (16, 56) that is affixed to the vehicle (3) and has a horizontally actuating member (17, 58) attached to the ramp-control plate. A floor-access plate (9) forms an access bridge between the boarding-ramp assembly and the vehicle floor. Foldable side barriers (7, 8) on outside edges of the boarding-ramp assembly spring to an upright mode automatically in extended mode. A ramp switch (10) is operated by a driver of the vehicle. Tool-operative backup gearing (19) is provided for operation with various types of hand-operative or motor-operative tools (20, 21) in event of failure of the ramp-slide actuator.

Abstract: A foot-operated beer-keg pressurizer has a floor-based foot pump (1) with which air is pumped through a pressure tube (17) from a variably remote beer keg (2) to a keg faucet (9) that is attachable to conventional beer-keg connectors (6). A beer tube (8) extended from the keg faucet in the variably remote beer keg has a beer tap (7) that is preferably a squeeze or push-button type. Foot operation of the floor-based foot pump by a user or by a separate person frees both hands of a user for filling beer-drinking containers.

Abstract: A solar heat collecting panel having three stacked compartments enclosed within a frame. A pair of similar spaced apart parallel clear plastic sheets form the top and bottom of the uppermost compartment. The middle compartment is formed by the bottom sheet of the uppermost compartment and a similar parallel spaced apart sheet. A metallic heat absorption sheet lies parallel to the bottom sheet of the uppermost compartment and is spaced between the top and bottom sheets of the middle compartment. The upper side of the metallic sheet is covered with a black coating. The lowermost compartment is formed by the bottom sheet of the middle compartment and a similar parallel spaced apart sheet lying beneath the bottom sheet of the middle compartment. The five sheets of the solar heat collecting panel may be either flat or contour-profiled.

Abstract: A fabric cover for a lounge chair to be fitted onto an adjustable folding metal frame, the frame being constructed principally of tubular metal including U-shaped foot and head portions. The cover includes a pocket fitted over the U-shaped foot portion of the frame and a second pocket fitted over the U-shaped head portion of the frame. The second pocket includes a padded inner lining and contains a hole fitted to the face of a person lying on the lounge chair on his or her stomach. The cover also includes two similar rectangular side panels attached to the opposite sides of the center portion of the cover, each having along its edge opposite to the edge attached to the center portion of the cover attachments for joining two side panel edges together, in order to secure the cover onto the metal frame.

Abstract: An improved shutter panel designed to fit over window openings in the advent of high winds or driving rains and thereby protect against glass breakage and water damage. The shutter panel is bounded by a rectangular frame made of U-shaped metal channels, which houses a centrally located steel sheet having a series of spaced apart parallel V-shaped grooves and a pair of sheets of extruded polystyrene designed to lie against the opposite sides of the steel sheet. A sheet of woven plastic netting is spread over the outermost surfaces of the two sheets of polystyrene and then a layer of stucco is troweled over each sheet of netting and allowed to air dry, creating a strong light weight shutter panel.

Abstract: A structure for attachment to an infant crib for supporting objects to be viewed by an infant in the crib. The structure includes a rectangular crystal-clear flexible sheet sized to fit over a portion of the infant crib. The four edges of the sheet are each folded over and sewn to the sheet to form an elongated tube. A dowel rod somewhat longer than the tube is inserted through each of the four tubular edges of the sheet. Each of the adjacent ends of two dowel rods are inserted into a cubical block. Each of the four cubical blocks supports a length of cord for securing the structure to the infant crib.

Abstract: A hand-held, self-contained support plate for carrying or serving foods and beverages and for carrying accessories such as utensils, toothpicks, and napkins is disclosed. The plate includes a planar support surface into which are recessed a main compartment and side compartment for receiving foods, a sauce compartment for receiving sauces, condiments, and the like, and a beverage compartment having a raised peripheral edge for increasing support for the beverage container. The plate includes an aperture through which the user inserts a thumb to grip the plate, the aperture being placed so as to enable the user to avoid harmful contact with hot or cold materials supported by the plate and to allow a knuckle of the index finger of the hand to support the beverage container compartment and promote stability of the plate.

Abstract: An improved rack for forming fifteen pool balls into a compact triangular formation with the ball serving as the apex of the triangle lying over the white spot on the pool table. The rack includes a conventional oversized rack, a strip of resilient material such as rubber attached to the inside surface of the apex of the rack, an elongated pusher panel normally positioned against the inner surface of the rear wall of the rack, means including a pair of helical springs under tension for biasing the pusher panel against the inner surface of the rear wall of the rack, and a rear panel connected to the pusher panel and designed to apply pressure causing the pusher panel to move forward to push the fifteen pools balls into a compact triangular formation.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for AC power regulation primarily intended for inductive loads (e.g., fluorescent lights, motors, etc.) which provides substantial reduction in power consumption while also providing a leading power factor, reduced harmonic distortion, reduced crest factor and reduced noise. The system is self-adjusting for a wide range of loads and can reduce power consumption by 25% in lighting loads while producing minimal reduction in light output. The system utilizes a triac and parallel capacitor bank in series with the load. The triac is turned-on in response to a near-zero differential voltage measured across the Triac and is turned-off near the peak of each AC half cycle by shunting current around the Triac. The capacitor absorbs the inductive turn-off voltage spike caused by the collapsing magnetic field in the ballast at the instant of triac turn-off. This energy in turn provides longer on period for the lamp, thereby permitting more light and increased operating efficiency.

Abstract: A splatter-proof blender skirt has a splatter-protective skirt (1) that fits expansively around and over food-preparation containers (5) while being suspended from an electric blender (3) with attachment straps (6, 26) which are attached to a top portion (2) of the skirt and put under a handle (8) or at a hand-holding position (7) on top of the electric blender.

Abstract: An equalizing tilting pad thrust bearing assembly with inner and outer concentric retaining rings supporting an array of upper and lower equalizing links which support a circular array of tilting bearing pads. Each tilting pad has a flat bottom surface supported by a raised radial cylindrical surface on the upper side of an upper equalizing link. The pads tilt circumferentially to develop a hydrodynamic lubricating wedge by rolling on the radius of the raised cylindrical surface of an upper equalizing link. Each bearing pad and its supporting upper equalizing link tilt together radially by rolling on the radius of two slightly crowned radial cylinders on the bottom surface of the upper link. Each upper link pivots circumferentially about a stub radial pin extending inward from the outer retaining ring which engages an axial slot in the upper link. Each lower equalizing link is supported by and pivots circumferentially about a radial pin whose opposite ends are fixed in the inner and outer retaining rings.

Abstract: A clarification system for water having entrained in solution or as an emulsion, broad spectrum contaminants. The system comprises a collision chamber having an entry aperture and an ion collider disposed in a central region therein. The ion collider treats the water and the contaminants with a plurality of free electrons. A separation chamber is disposed rearwardly of the collision chamber and is in flow communication with a first overflow weir for receiving the treated water and treated contaminants. An upstanding member in the separation chamber has a plurality of apertures sized to urge passage of the bulk of the treated contaminants through the apertures. A clarifying chamber is disposed rearwardly of the separation chamber and has a plurality of baffle plates obliquely oriented that urge upward flow of the treated water therethrough across the baffle plates. A water collection reservoir is disposed rearwardly of the clarifying chamber and is in flow communication with the clarifying chamber.