Abstract: A toy vehicle-projecting gun assembly in which the vehicle is normally latched on an inclined ramp with its rear wheels raised and free to turn, the ramp extending from the front end of the power chamber of the gun. Joined to the rear end of the chamber is a gun stock provided at its underside with a power trigger operated by the trigger finger of the player and on its topside with a firing button operated by the player's thumb. When the trigger is actuated, it acts through a gear train disposed in the power chamber to turn a drive gear mounted on the rear wheel axle, the drive gear being coupled to an energy-storing flywheel functioning as the vehicle motor. After the motor is revved up by repeated trigger actions, the player presses the firing button which operates an unlatching mechanism to release the vehicle which then shoots down the ramp.

Abstract: An automatic paste-producing apparatus which includes a vertical assembly constituted by a tubular chamber whose upper end communicates with a metering tube of enlarged diameter to which flour or other powder is supplied. Coaxially mounted within the assembly is a rotating shaft having a main screw section of uniform diameter operating within the chamber and a conical screw section operating within the metering tube. Slidable within the metering tube is a ring which surrounds the conical screw section to define an annular valve orifice, the ring being axially shiftable to set the size of the orifice. The flour admitted into the chamber by the metering tube is hurled by the main screw section against the inner wall of the chamber to create a thin powder film thereon which is then intermixed with a liquid to form a paste, air being drawn from the chamber through the main screw section to control the entrainment of air within the paste.

Abstract: A low-profile fishing boat having a forward cabin in the bow covered by a foredeck whose level is about the same as the hull sheer line, the foredeck terminating at the bulkhead of the cabin. A bow rail is secured to the boundary of the foredeck and a center control console is mounted on the foredeck at a position thereon displaced from the bow rail to create a walk-around passage. The cabin bulkhead has a center door flanked on either side by steps leading from the walk-around passage on the foredeck to the sole of a rear cockpit, whereby a pilot stationed before the center console has good visibility in all directions and has ready access to both the cockpit and the bow for carrying out docking and anchoring stations. The complete walk-around capability of this boat is advantageous in fishing to both pilot and passengers.

Abstract: A system for producing gluten continuously at a rapid rate, the system including a vertical tube having an inlet at its upper end to receive a flour paste, the lower end of the tube being perforated to define a separation zone surrounded by a water jacket. A rotating shaft coaxially disposed in the tube acts to drive a conveyor screw within the separation zone, the screw having nozzles therein to eject water toward the inner wall of the tube.

Abstract: A system for processing an organ such as a kidney so as to render it suitable for storage, shipment and eventual transplantation. After its removal from a donor, the organ is cradled in a net suspended within a basin. A preservative fluid initially at normal blood temperatures progressively cooled to avoid thermal shock, the fluid being pumped through the organ to flush out its natural fluids. The pumping action is such as to simulate that of the heart and its associated circulatory system. The exterior of the organ is chilled by simultaneously introducing the preservative fluid into the basin. After this chilling procedure is completed, the cradle carrying the cooled organ is transferred to a basin disposed in a thermally-insulated shipping box which is then filled with chilled preservative fluid and maintained at a desired low temperature level by an associated refrigeration unit.

Abstract: A multi-channel transparent jacket to accommodate microfilm strips having a given thickness. The jacket is constituted by top and bottom rectangular panels of flexible synthetic plastic material and plastic ribs formed in situ along parallel lines between the panels and integrally bonded thereto to maintain the panels in spaced relation and to define open-ended channels whose width is substantially equal to the width of the strips. The thickness of the ribs is substantially equal to that of the strips whereby the strips are snugly held within the channels.

Abstract: A liquid soap dispenser whose container is formed of flexible plastic material and is provided with a flat rear wall and an externally-threaded nipple projecting from the front wall adjacent the base. The nipple has a cap screwed thereon which incorporates a pivoted spigot that when folded in seals the nipple and when folded out creates an outlet from which liquid soap is discharged when the front wall is pressed. Secured to the rear wall is a pad whose outer surface has a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon. Also provided is a base sheet whose area is greater than that of the pad, the sheet having a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating on its underface, making it possible to adhere and conform the sheet to a selected wall site, after which the container pad is pressed against the central zone of the sheet to securely anchor the dispenser on the wall.

Abstract: An ultrasonic echo-ranging system adopted to measure the level of liquid in an open channel or other liquid container. The system includes an ultrasonic transducer disposed at a fixed position directly above the liquid surface, the nature of the gaseous environment therebetween determining the velocity of ultrasonic energy propagated therethrough. The transducer is excited to emit periodic pulses which are directed along a center path toward the liquid surface and reflected to produce liquid echo pulses which return to the transducer and are detected thereby. A reference reflector at a predetermined position relative to the transducer intercepts energy from a side path in the radiation pattern of the transducer to return it to the transducer to produce reference echo pulses. Means are provided to determine the transit time of pulses along the center path, and also to determine the transit time along the side path.

Abstract: An ultrasonic flowmeter for accurately measuring the flow rate of clean or dirty industrial process fluids passing through a pipe provided with upstream and downstream transducers. A transmission signal produced by a high-frequency generator acts to energize the transducers which are alternately excited at a relatively low switching rate whereby a beam emitted by the excited transducer is propagated through the fluid at an angle to the flow axis of the pipe and is intercepted by the other transducer to yield a received signal that is displaced in phase from the transmission signal to an extent depending on the transit time of the beam which reverses direction during each switching cycle. The received signals from the transducers are converted into a square wave that is compared to a wave derived from the transmission signal to produce a comparison output which is fed through a low-pass filter to exclude the high frequency content thereof.

Abstract: An automatic work transfer system for conveying a basket carrying work through a row of processing stages at a work station in any desired sequence. The basket is lowered into a tank at each stage and oriented therein for processing for a predetermined dwell period, at the conclusion of which the basket is hoisted out of the tank and transferred to the next stage where the procedure is repeated. The system includes a supporting rail laterally displaced from the row of stages and parallel thereto. Riding on the rail is a robot provided with a pair of vertical shafts supported on an elevator. Cantilevered from the shafts are a pair of arms which extend over the stages, the ends of the arms being pivotally connected to a cross piece. Depending from the center of the cross piece is a rod terminating in a hand adapted to engage the handle of the basket.

Abstract: A toy vehicle whose body is a replica of a high performance vehicle such as a "Corvette," the body resting on a standardized sub-assembly composed of a rectangular chassis carrying front and rear wheel sets, the chassis fitting into the underside of the body regardless of its design. The chassis is provided adjacent either end with slotted side bearings which accommodate the axles of the front and rear wheel sets. These axles are locked into place by a flexible latching strip having a constricted neck dividing the strip into a short head section terminating in a raised step from which projects an upwardly inclined prow and a long tail section terminating in a raised step.

Abstract: A reader-filler machine adapted to insert a discrete strip of microfilm having a series of image frames into a selected channel of a microfiche jacket. The jacket is provided with parallel channels each having an entry slot adjacent the front end. The machine includes a film drive mechanism which cooperates with an optical viewer. The film strip is advanced by the mechanism along the track of a track block which terminates adjacent the front end of a pivoted table which is spring-loaded. The block includes a pair of pressure fingers projecting from either side of the track exit and a pair of flat locating guides flanking the fingers. In operation, the user first tilts the table downwardly with respect to the track exit and places the jacket thereon to cause the guides to enter the channels on opposite sides of the channel to be loaded, thereby orienting the selected channel with respect to the track exit.

Abstract: A solar energy air-heating system readily installable on the exterior wall of a residence or other building, the system including a module constituted by a slab of rigid foam plastic thermal insulation material whose upper face is covered by a fibrous mat having a blackened surface to absorb solar energy. Each edge of the slab is secured to a molding also adapted to receive the corresponding edge of a flexible transparent panel whose width is greater than that of the slab, so that when the panel is bridged between the edge moldings, it forms an arched dome over the slab. By attaching a series of such modules in end-to-end relation vertically along the wall of the building, an air duct is created whose lower end is then coupled by an inlet fixture to a lower zone in the interior of the building and whose upper end is coupled by an outlet fixture to an upper zone in the interior, a flow loop being thereby formed between the duct and the interior.

Abstract: A liquid flow distributor for dispersing wastewater or other liquid carrying stringy solids throughout a particulate media such as in a fluidized bed reactor. The distributor is adapted to allow unimpeded forward flow of the liquid into the media and it also functions to minimize backflow of the media into the distributor should forward flow be arrested. The distributor includes an array of like nozzles, each having an inlet port leading into a conical flow expansion section whose cone angle is such that the nozzle capable of flowing full without significance turbulence, the mouth of the flow expansion section merging with a cylindrical outlet section whose dimensions are such that any backflow which takes place when forward flow is arrested will normally be insufficient to lift the bed particles into the nozzle.

Abstract: A toy vehicle which when propelled by a player from a starting point along a flat surface in the forward direction, acts to store energy, the vehicle at the end of its forward run being caused by the stored energy to reverse its orientation as it runs back toward the starting point. The vehicle includes a chassis having a front cowl section projecting therefrom below which is a front wheel carriage coupled to the cowl by a pivot pin, whereby the carriage orientation is reversible relative to the cowl. The carriage has a spring motor therein operatively coupled to the front wheel axle which when rotated during the forward run of the vehicle acts to wind the motor. The rear wheel axle is supported in bearings below the rear section of the chassis, one of which is slotted to permit angular displacement of the axle.

Abstract: An exercise machine which entails simultaneous peddling and rowing actions to afford a total body workout. The machine includes a stationary bicycle frame having front and rear sections and a beam bridging these sections. A bicycle saddle is supported on an upright post anchored at an intermediate position on the beam, at which position a sprocket wheel is mounted whose axle is coupled to foot pedals engageable by the feet of the seated individual. A front wheel is supported for rotation above ground on the front section, this wheel being linked by an endless chain to the sprocket wheel. The front wheel is engaged by a spring-biased pressure roller imposing an adjustable load thereon to resist the peddling action. Pivotally supported on the front section on either side of the front wheel is a pair of poles terminating in handle bars to be grasped by the seated individual, the poles being joined by a connector so that they swing together.

Abstract: A heat therapy technique by which heat is applied to a limited skin area of a patient to penetrate the tissue and produce hyperthermia in an internal region underlying this area without, however, causing undue discomfort to the patient or damaging surface tissue. Periodically sweeping across the skin area and normal thereto is a broad beam of heated air in a pulsatory air wave pattern whose relatively brief pulses flow at high velocity and are at a high temperature well above body temperature and whose static intervals between pulses are at a medium temperature somewhat above body temperature. As a consequence, the transfer of heat from the surface tissue toward the internal region which takes place during these intervals acts to reduce the temperature of the surface tissue and to prevent it from reaching an unacceptable level despite the high temperature of the high-velocity pulses applied thereto.

Abstract: A driver for the excitation coil in the electromagnet of an electromagnetic flowmeter, wherein the fluid to be metered is conducted through a flow tube to intersect the transverse magnetic flux field created by the electromagnet. The driver includes an a-c line rectifier whose output is coupled to the coil by a pair of switching transistors, the control electrodes of which are connected to the output of a comparator having first and second input terminals. Applied to the first terminal of the comparator is an alternating square wave voltage, each cycle of which has a positive and a negative gating pulse such that the transistors are alternately actuated, the arrangement being such that the rectified output is applied by the transistors to the coil with a polarity which is alternately reversed.