Abstract: A package includes a plurality of cylindrical beverage cans (10) arranged into at least two tiers with a carton disposed around the cans. A paperboard divider panel (30) is disposed between and in contact with the cans of adjacent tiers. The divider panel includes a plurality of apertures (32), each of the apertures having a generally circular edge concentric with the cylindrical axis of upper and lower cans and having a diameter (D4) smaller than the base of the upper can. The divider panel further includes a substantially circular embossment (38) concentric with each of the apertures, the embossment having an outer diameter generally equal to the diameter of the top flange of the lower can.

Abstract: A collapsible basket-type article carrier has end walls joined at the ends of opposing side walls. A portion of the side wall is cut-away to form bands for engaging articles. Riser panels extend inwardly of the end walls. A handle structure extends between the end walls and riser panels. A center cell partition extends from each respective side wall to the handle structure. The corner formed at each intersection of the carton's side and end walls is bevelled. In like manner, the corner formed at each intersection of a band of the center cell and the side wall portion thereof is bevelled. Support tabs join either the riser panels or end walls to the bottom wall of the carrier. The bottom wall of the carrier is bifurcated. Bottles are loadable upwardly through the open bottom of the carrier. In collapsed condition the carrier has a shearable nick members strategically located upon cut lines between the side wall and center cell at the bevelled corner tabs.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading containers into basket-style bottom-loading carriers has a container infeed conveyor; a divider for segregating the containers into columns; a container meterer for metering each of the columns of containers into groupings of a predetermined number of containers; a container conveyor for engaging the last container in each grouping of containers; container gripper conveyors having container grippers for maintaining the container groupings; a carrier infeed supplier; a carrier feeder for removing carriers from the carrier infeed supplier; a carrier timer-transport assembly for receiving carriers from the carrier feeder and initiating transport of the carriers in synchronous parallel motion above the containers; a gripper assembly for opening the carriers by grasping and pulling outwardly with respect to a centerline of the carriers the bottom panels; a declination belt assembly having a downwardly-declining pair of opposing elongated endless belt pairs in face contacting relationship f

Abstract: A partially open wrap-around type carrier is combinable with a tray portion to form a composite carrier. The wrap-around carrier has a central panel flanked by opposing end panels and opposing side panels. One end panel is an end handle panel having hand-hole apertures for forming a handle. Connecting web/gussets respectively connect the end and side panels. One of the connecting webs/gussets includes a web/gusset handle panel wherein the web/gusset handle panel may be folded over into face contacting relationship with the end handle panel to form a multi-ply handle. The hand holes in the end handle panel and in the web/gusset handle panel may be configured to provide handles of different configurations.

Abstract: Guide blocks (20) having guide ribs (22) are moved by an endless chain (30) above and in synchronization with conveyor systems (11, 13) carrying groups (1) of containers. The guide blocks (20) and guide ribs (22) form channels for engaging the tops of containers in rows of an uncovered array (3) of respective groups (1) of containers as each group (1) of containers is pushed laterally across the conveyors (11, 13) into cartons (9) which are transported by a third conveyor system (15) which is also synchronized with the other conveyor systems (11, 13).

Abstract: A keel structure in a wraparound type article carrier (10) has at least one trapezoidal-shaped keel element (40) formed from a pair of opposing upstanding panels (32, 42) which are spaced apart and interconnected at uneven heights by a platform (44) which has curved edges (47, 43) extending toward one another. At least one stabilizing tab (48) is interconnected with at least one of the upstanding panels (32, 42) and disposed in face contacting relationship with a base (20) of the article carrier (10).

Abstract: A composite carrier (10) has a handle structure (20) with a hand-gripping portion (22, 23) in upright relation to an attached article-engaging panel structure (24, 25). In one embodiment of the handle structure (20) the panel structure is a pair of panels (22, 23) formed from flexible sheet material. Each sheet (22, 24) has at least one deformable aperture (31) for engaging the neck of an article (31). In an alternate embodiment of the handle structure (40) the panel structure is a panel (44) attached in generally perpendicular relation to the hand-gripping portion. The generally horizontal panel has at least one neck-receiving aperture (46). Each neck-receiving aperture (46) has at least one foldably attached tab (48) extending inwardly into the aperture for engaging the flanged neck of an article such as the crown of a bottle. The second part of the composite carrier (10) is a tubular, wrap-around type carton (30) having top, side and bottom walls.

Abstract: A tray-like, shallow carton (9) has angled corners and struts (34, 40) that reinforce the load bearing capacity of the carton. End closure flaps (20, 22, 24/25, 26/27) which become end walls of the carton have a pair of closure tabs (42) and sealing tabs (44) that cover and seal the angled corners of the carton (9). The carton (9) may be formed from a rectilinear blank (8) that contains all of the elements of the carton within the rectilinear perimeter of the blank (8). In another embodiment, a blank (208) and carton (209) have a corner structure which includes a tucking tab (248) lying between closure (242) and sealing (244) tabs. In the erected carton (209) the tucking tab (248) and closure tab (242) are pushed into the recess of each respective corner.

Abstract: A clip-type carrier (10) has a top wall which includes an inner (20) and an outer (40) panel that overlap at respective lap portions (22, 42). The inner panel (20) has an inner article-receiving aperture (24) for each flanged article (1) to be received. The inner article-receiving aperture (24) has radial cuts (26) that form gripping tabs (28) whose unattached inner edges define an inner aperture circumference and associated inner aperture diameter (D.sub.11). Each gripping tab (28) terminates at the inner panel to form a second circumference (C.sub.12) and associated second diameter (D.sub.12). The second circumference (C.sub.12) and diameter (D.sub.12) are greater than the inner circumference and diameter (D.sub.11). The lap portion (42) of the outer panel (40) has an outer article-receiving aperture (44) corresponding to and in concentric alignment with each inner article-receiving aperture (24). The outer article-receiving aperture (44) has a circumference and associated diameter (D.sub.

Abstract: A collapsible basket-type article carrier has end walls joined at the ends of opposing side walls. A portion of the side wall is cut-away to form bands for engaging articles. Riser panels extend inwardly of the end walls. A handle structure extends between the end walls and riser panels. A center cell partition extends from each respective side wall to the handle structure. The corner formed at each intersection of the carton's side and end walls is bevelled. In like manner, the corner formed at each intersection of a band of the center cell and the side wall portion thereof is bevelled. Support tabs join either the riser panels or end walls to the bottom wall of the carrier. The bottom wall of the carrier is bifurcated. Bottles are loadable upwardly through the open bottom of the carrier. In collapsed condition the carrier has a shearable nick members strategically located upon cut lines between the side wall and center cell at the bevelled corner tabs.

Abstract: A divider panel (20) has a major panel (22) with attached anchor flaps (24, 26) for securing the panel (20) in a multiple-tier article package. The anchor flaps (24, 26) are attached to the major panel (22) along perforated lines (23) that permit the anchor flaps (24, 26) and major panel (22) to be separated from one another. The divider panel (20) is scored with lines (28, 30, 32, 34, 36) that encourage bending of the divider panel (20) about axes defined by the scored lines (28, 30, 32, 34, 36). One or more apertures (37) in the major panel (22) enable a finger or fingers to be inserted to facilitate removal of the major panel (22) or the entire divider panel (20) from the carton. A carton which contains the divider panel (20) has a tear-away flap (171) which is integrally formed with an end closure of the carton and which is attached to an anchor flap of the divider panel (152).

Abstract: A handle (30) is integrally formed with a carton (20) by apertures (20) adjacent the handle (30). Each aperture (20) is covered by a combination of tabs (22, 24) which are foldable out of the plane of the aperture (20) to define the sides of the handle (30). In a tripartite arrangement of tabs (22, 24) a center tab (22) lies between opposing end tabs (24). The center tab (22) and end tabs (24) are foldably joined to opposite sides of the aperture (20). The center tab (22) is contoured and etched with fold lines (38, 42) which encourage bending of the center tab (22) about cans (1) or similarly shaped articles encased by the carton (10).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for modifying a speech waveform using sinusoidal speech model parameters, includes finding a net masked threshold for each sinusoid for a normal-hearing subject, and adding the effects of impairment and obtaining an impaired masked threshold. The method also includes finding gain needed for each sinusoid so that its distance above the impaired masked threshold is equal to the distance above normal masked threshold, and multiplying sinusoid amplitudes by the gain. The sinusoidal model is used to address the problem of spread of masking within internal speech components by determining the amount of masking that occurs between surrounding sinusoids. The masked threshold for each sinusoid is determined based on the additive effects of masking by other sinusoids in each frame.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for making a binder self-supporting has a right-angular shaped side wall (20) of a height approximately equal to the width of the spine (34) of a binder (30). The right-angular shaped side wall is perpendicularly connected to a right-angular shaped bottom wall (22). The right-angular shaped bottom wall (22) is affixed to the inside surface (38) of either the front or back cover (36) of the binder (30). Once the apparatus (10) is affixed to the binder (30), the open edge of the binder (30), which is opposite the spine (34), presents a box-like configuration. The edge (24) of the right-angular shaped bottom wall (22) is bevelled so that sheets filed in the binder (30) more easily pass over that edge (24).

Abstract: A threaded rod (40) extends through two blocks (20, 22). Each block (20, 22) has a bore. The bore of the first of the two blocks (20) is not threaded and is prevented from moving when the threaded rod is turned. The bore of the second of the two blocks (22) is threaded and engages the threads of the threaded rod (40). As the rod (40) is turned clockwise or counter clockwise, the second block (22) responds by moving toward or away from the first block (20). One side of each block (20, 22) is connected to a plate (24, 26) which is contoured to fit the inner wall of a tube (11) or pipe. The blocks (20, 22) and plates (24, 26) are pivotally connected by bars (30). A cold welding compound is applied to the plates and the device is inserted into a tube (11) to be repaired. When the plates (24, 26) are aligned over the portion of the tube (11 ) to be repaired, the threaded rod (40) is rotated so that the second block (22) moves toward the first block (20) causing the plates (24, 26) to move outward.

Abstract: A planer assembly is mounted upon a main frame. The planer assembly has a set of blades installed upon a rotable drum. The blades have tips containing deposits of material which abrades hardened pavement. The planer assembly is mounted upon the main frame in a manner that allows the weight of the frame and other components to bear down upon the blade assembly. As the drum rotates, the blades grind paving material from the paved surface. The depth of grinding, or planing, is controlled by the distance between the blade assembly and the surface to be planed. The distance between the blade assembly and the surface to be planed is determined by the distance that is maintained between the frame and the surface to be planed. The distance between the frame and the surface to be planed is adjusted by turning a stationary threaded rod which engages a threaded block mounted upon the axle frame of wheels of the main frame. The axle frame is pivotally mounted to the main frame.

Abstract: A stethoscope head is combined with a watch having a sweeping second hand. A watch support member 30 extends from the stethoscope housing 20. The watch 32 rests upon the watch support member 30. A watch housing 38 encases the watch 32 and is secured to the watch support member 30. The watch support member 30 may be made of sound-absorbing material. Sound-absorbing material may be interposed between the stethoscope housing 20 and watch support member 30. The watch support member 30 and watch housing 38 may have cooperating threads so that the watch housing 38 may be screwed onto the watch support member 38. The sweeping second hand 34 of the watch may be easily viewed while the stethoscope is used.

Abstract: A telescopic tailgate ramp (10) has a base tray (20) and a series of telescopically-connected trays (40, 60, 80) that are slidable with respect to one another and are stackable to replace a tailgate of a vehicle. Each tray (20, 40, 60, 80) is a plate with end pieces on each side that engage the end pieces of a preceding or succeeding tray. The end pieces have a channel and a tenon-like portion that engage a corresponding tenon or channel portion of a preceding or succeeding tray. Each plate has a corrugated surface (102) for enhancing traction. The trays (20, 40, 60, 80) are prevented from being fully withdrawn from one another due to the placement of pins in corresponding channels and tenons that engage each other. The trays (40, 60, 80) succeeding the base tray are prevented from sliding past the rear portion of a preceding tray or the rear portion of the base tray (20) securing an obstruction over the rear portion of each channel.