Abstract: A warning system for vehicles detects actual road surface temperature and advises the driver of surface temperatures which indicate the vehicle may be approaching possible ice formation on roadways. The warning system comprises an infrared detector mounted externally on the vehicle and aimed at the road surface, the detector arranged to read only the infrared temperature wavelength emissions associated with concrete and asphalt to eliminate confusing and erroneous readings inadvertently received through infrared emission from other objects in the vicinity. The detector is connected to a processing unit which translates the electric signals from the detector into a temperature readout display for the driver and the processing unit may include an alarm which is activated to attract the driver's attention when road temperatures are detected that are below a set minimum temperature that is selected by the driver's manual adjustment of a temperature select control knob on the unit.

Abstract: An automatic dustpan apparatus for central vacuum cleaning systems has a hollow body member that is configured for built-in mounting under cabinetry or in walls adjacent a floor surface, and connection to a conventional central vacuum cleaning system whereby debris on a floor surface may simply be swept to the vicinity of the automatic dustpan and hence into the central vacuum cleaning system where it is discarded. A valve within the dustpan body automatically closes when the dustpan is not in use to permit the other receptacles in the central vacuum cleaning system to function and provision is made to assure against the energizing of the central vacuum cleaning motor when the automatic dustpan is to be used until after the valve of the dustpan has been opened, in order to prevent harmful overloading and other undue damaging strains on the motor during its initial startup and operation.

Abstract: This invention is an apparatus for detecting and pinpointing the sources of sparking electromagnetic RF radiation emanating from high and extra high voltage power lines in the presence of high level corona (RF) radiations which are often present on such lines. It uses a unique metal and plastic rod antenna which will not emit corona when brought up close to a high voltage conductor, and which acts as an attenuator and sensitivity indicator when pushed in steps into a special metal attenuator collar and into its metallic housing. Within the housing, the antenna rod is connected to receiving circuitry which provides sound output of the source noise-signal detected. The housing with its adapter may be removably attached to the tool holder of a standard power line hot stick to permit safe use of the apparatus as a proximity detector in pinpointing sources on power lines. The apparatus receives at a nominal UHF frequency of 430 MHz to permit detection of sparking without detecting corona.

Abstract: A bag opening and resealing device is formed of a longitudinally elongated body member having a longitudinally extending bag-receiving slot that extends from one end of the body, where the slot is flared to facilitate entry of a bag to be cut, and terminates inwardly of the opposite end of the body. Perpendicular to the slot, the body is provided with a guide slot which terminates inwardly of the opposite ends of the body and extends transversely through the body, and a knife holder is received slidably in the guide slot and mounts a knife blade in position to intercept the bag-receiving slot, wherein, with a bag contained in the bag-receiving slot, movement of the knife holder along its guide slot effects cutting of the bag.

Abstract: A flexible bag is formed with a peripheral sleeve provided about its open end, and a stiff, resilient locking strap is contained within the peripheral sleeve, the terminal ends of the strap exiting the sleeve on the outside of the bag for connection to each other through a locking-type fastener member, whereby the resiliency of the strap member retains the bag normally in fully open condition and by cinching the strap fully the bag is closed into sealed, substantially water-tight condition against re-opening. An encircling apron member may be provided about the open end of the bag to provide a convenient hand grasp for holding the bag during use and for stabilizing the open end of the bag against tipping when the bag is disposed on an underlying surface during use.

Abstract: A portable cable splicing stand comprises a longitudinally elongated base frame arranged to be supported above a ground surface as by removable leg members. A pair of adjustably spaced apart upright members extend vertically from the base frame, and each supports a chain vise arranged to receive and clamp between them a desired length of cable to be spliced. One of the chain vises is mounted on the frame for rotation about the axis of the cable so that with a cable clamped by the vises, rotation of the one vise in the direction opposite the windings of the cable untwists the cable between the vises and opens spaces between the individual strands so that the terminal ends of individual cable strands may be woven therethrough easily and without significant effort. A ratchet assembly engages the rotatable vise mount to releasably lock the assembly against reverse rotation of the vise when the cable is in tensioned condition.

Abstract: A rotary disk valve has a valve body provided with an annular valve seat section defining a central opening to be removably closed by a valve disk. The valve disk is supported by a drive assembly which includes a drive shaft mounted on the valve body and supporting a drive link for rotation with the shaft. The link mounts a valve disk support shaft which extends slidably through a slot in a bracket secured to the valve disk. The bracket mounts a guide cam follower pin arranged to engage a guide cam secured to the valve body. The arrangement of drive shaft, valve disk support shaft, bracket slot and guide cam and follower is such that rotation of the drive shaft through 180.degree.

Abstract: Meat portioning apparatus supports meat products on an endless conveyor to move through a light stripe at which upstream and downstream cameras view the light stripe and convert spaced apart points of light to electric signals representing various magnitudes of light brightness, the magnitude of brightness above a predetermined minimum representing areas of peripheral fat on the meat product. The electric signals of magnitude above the predetermined minimum are utilized by a computer to control one or more line-type cutters to cut the meat product along lines which remove the areas of fat from the meat product.

Abstract: Particleboard is produced by coating the particles of wood furnish with an adhesive comprising a foamed mixture of 96-98 percent by weight urea formaldehyde and 2-4 percent by weight dried animal blood, the mixture being foamed to about 5-15 times the volume of the liquid resin to provide a urea formaldehyde resin solids content of 45-70 percent by weight. The foamed adhesive mixture is coated onto the wood particles of the furnish, as by means of a blender, to provide the finished particleboard with a resin solids content of 5-10 percent by weight.

Abstract: A three-dimensional strategy game is formed of four circular discs supported in vertically spaced apart relationship by peripherally spaced vertical posts. Each disc is provided with four concentric bands, and a plurality of station detents are located in each band on radial lines disposed 90.degree. apart. The detents are configured to seat game piece balls, and the posts are formed of hollow tubes configured to receive the balls for storage. A side opening at the bottom of each tube allows removal of the bottommost ball for play. The method of play is to place game piece balls in detents on one or more of the four discs to form a sequence of straight lines, circles or spirals, with the player producing or discovering a sequence being the winner of the game.

Abstract: A hand-operated or vehicle-supported magnetic sweeper has a longitudinally elongated, hollow magnet-containing body member preferably formed in one piece of non-magnetic material which may include wheels mounted on its ends and a handle socket disposed centrally between the ends of the body member for reception of a handle member for hand operation of the sweeper over a floor surface. A rigid top cover plate is secured to the body member to cover and enclose the magnets contained in the hollow body and to provide rigidity to the sweeper construction. A catcher member formed of non-magnetic material is removably mounted on the body member so that metallic objects attracted to the magnet-containing body member are captured against the surface of the overlying catcher member and retained thereagainst until the catcher member is manually removed, whereupon the metal objects will simply fall away for discard.

Abstract: A reciprocating conveyor includes a plurality of elongated, load-supporting reciprocative slats mounted on a plurality of elongated, slat-mounting base members secured side-by-side across the supporting frame. Each reciprocative slat mounts a pair of elongated bearing members for reciprocative movement therewith, the bearing members configured to engage the base members to secure the reciprocating slat for reciprocative movement relative thereto, and are further configured to provide a seal thereagainst to restrict the passage of particulate material to the base members to a minimum, and also are configured to engage any such material that should escape the seal and enter the space beneath the reciprocating slat to continuously push said material toward and out of one end of the reciprocating conveyor with each successive movement of the reciprocating slat in that direction during operation of the conveyor.

Abstract: A reciprocating conveyor includes a plurality of groups of reciprocating slats supported on a main frame, each group of slats being connected to a separate drive beam by releasable clamp bolts extending through laterally elongated openings in the drive beam for accommodating alignment of the slats with adjacent slats. The drive beams are connected detachably to the piston rods of hydraulic piston-cylinder drive units through quickly attachable and detachable clamps, and the drive units are formed as a drive module that is readily attached to and detached from the main support frame.

Abstract: A cargo hook having fore and aft trunnions mounted in fore and aft bearings supported on frame members of a helicopter or the like, is provided with strain gauges secured in a bore in the aft trunnion for measuring shear strain on the trunnion by a load supported by the cargo hook. Additional strain gauges are secured in the aft trunnion bore for measuring axial and Poisson forces on the trunnion as the axis through the fore and aft trunnions varies from horizontal. The strain gauges are included in an electric circuit of a Wheatstone bridge and an indicator which converts the electric signals from the strain gauges to a readout of units of load weight. The strain gauges which measure axial and Poisson forces are connected in the electric circuit to compensate for the deviation from horizontal of the axis through the fore and aft trunnions, to provide an accurate readout of load weight applied to the cargo hook.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing diced food product includes a endless wire mesh conveyor belt for supporting food product to be diced. In one embodiment, a plurality of high pressure water jet nozzles are spaced apart on a water manifold that extends in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt and is reciprocative across the conveyor belt. The jets of water pass through the product, the belt and a slotted grid matching the spacing of the water jets. In one specific arrangement, the nozzles extend over a length at least equal to twice the length of transverse movement of the manifold less the distance between adjacent nozzles, and the speed of movement of the manifold and conveyor belt are equal, whereby to produce diced food product of square configuration. In another arrangement, the speed of movement of the manifold or belt is made faster or slower than the other, whereby to produce diced product of diamond configuration.

Abstract: A marine drive unit impact avoidance system for boats having both outboard type drives and inboard/outboard type stern drives provides a structure by which the lower, propeller-mounting drive unit on a boat is mounted for vertical movement relative to the supporting transom of a boat, and an impact/activating arm assembly is pivotally mounted at one of its ends to the lowermost forward portion of the lower unit for upwardly angled, forward extension therefrom to a pivotal mount at its other end to the boat, whereby any underwater obstruction encountered during forward movement of the boat will contact only the impact arm which operates under the impact to effect a cam action to lift the drive unit vertically to clear the obstruction without any contact of the drive unit and the underwater obstruction.

Abstract: A condenser for removing vapor from freeze dryers and other vessels includes a three-stage cyclonic or turbine-like vapor distributor mounted for rotation about the axis of an elongated horizontal delivery tube extending through the axial center of the condenser chamber. The delivery tube mounts end and radial spray nozzles for selectively spraying cleansing fluid and sterilizing steam onto the interior surfaces of all components within the condenser chamber, including a plurality of condenser members arranged in radially offset configuration about the delivery tube in an optically dense configuration which requires vapors to impact the cold surfaces of the condenser members before contacting the inner surface of the enclosing condenser chamber. Optical density is achieved by providing the condenser member as sheets of metal formed with a serpentine passageway between them for the circulation of a coolant.