Abstract: A portable inflatable heating, ventilating and air conditioning duct apparatus includes a bladder made of resilient material for expansion and contraction. The bladder has a small opening for the movement of air in and out of the bladder. An elongate flexible hose is connected at one end with the small opening on the bladder. An air pump is positioned at the opposing end of the elongate flexible hose for supplying air under low positive pressure to the bladder for expansion of the bladder. A manually operated valve is positioned between the air pump and the bladder for preventing the escape of air from the bladder, unless same is desired. The apparatus further includes direction stabilizing apparatus for allowing the flexible hose to push the bladder through a segment of the HVAC duct in which the apparatus is positioned.

Abstract: An insulative caliper type pivotal mounting pivotally secures two elongate arms that at their free ends mount a pair of electrically conductive pointed contacts. Electrical conductors connected to the contacts extend through each of the insulative elongate arms and through the elastic pivotal mounting from which they exit as a coaxial cable. On the distal end of the coaxial cable is positioned a quick connect-disconnect jack adapted for mounting onto a complementary jack in an electronic test instrument. The separation between the pointed ends of the contacts is infinitely adjustable by means of a thumb screw having reversed threaded studs extending from the opposed sides of the center thereof into threaded pivotal mountings on each of the elongate arms. The dual point test probe may be infinitely adjusted, maintained in the predetermined separation and may be manually manipulatable by the single hand of a user when testing current, voltage drop, capacitance, inductance or the like between the contact points.

Abstract: A hand operated manual tool for removing roofing materials from the roof of a building is disclosed. The tool includes a central member or spine having a handle on one end and a cross brace positioned transversely on an opposing end thereof A plurality of elongate tines are selectably releasably secured in spaced relation along the length of the cross member. A pair of wheels are depended from the cross member to allow a user to roll the tool across the roof of a building. A deflecting shield is mounted on the cross member adjacent the removable tines to aid in deflecting the roofing materials away from the hands of a user. The device allows a roofer to manually remove a greater quantity of roofing materials than heretofore possible using manual tools.

Abstract: The present invention is a compact door coordinator which includes a relatively narrow housing having mounted therein and extending therefrom a lead control lever and a longer trailing control lever. Both control levers are spring biased to extend from the housing when the doors are open. A relatively simple linkage extends from the lead control lever to the trailing control lever for retaining the ladder in its extended position until the lead door contacts the lead control lever. At that point, the lead control lever is pushed into the housing and rotated against the force of a torsion spring, causing the linkage to move and thereby rotating a cam which then releases the trailing control lever allowing the trailing door to push the trailing control lever into the housing to complete the closing process.

Abstract: An improved modulating expansion valve includes a housing having a high pressure side, a low pressure side and a piston reciprocally mounted in a portion positioned centrally therebetween. A manifold is sealingly mounted above the piston, and a high pressure control passageway extends from the valve inlets, through the manifold, to a chamber on top of the piston. A low pressure passageway extends from the chamber through the manifold to the valve outlet. A pair of electrically operated solenoids open and close the high and low pressure passageways to operate the valve. Substantially infinite control of the solenoids provide for modulating control of the valve in a semi-hermetically sealed expansion valve.

Abstract: A push/pull door latch is disclosed with pivotal handles, both having a foot portion for operating respective eccentric portions of a crank-shaped actuator to retract a latch bolt, the handles also having stop portions for contacting portions of a base member to define a range of motion of the handles.

Abstract: An improved hot gas filter candle is disclosed including an increase density flange portion adjacent the top of the filter for improving candle service life when the candle is mounted on a tube sheet. The area of flange densification is extended to a position beyond the bottom of the tube sheet. During vibration or swaying of the candle only the denser portion of the candle may impinge on the edge of the tube sheet aperture on which the candle is mounted Further, the denser portion of the candle is not so porous as to draw dirty particles into the clearance between the candle and the tube sheet aperture creating an area of increased stress in the candle adjacent the bottom of the tube sheet aperture.

Abstract: A portable filament dispenser made of clear polycarbonate includes two hollow clam shell-like halves that are complementarily mated together. A spool of fine wire filament is rotatably positioned on a spindle in the hollow interior of the dispenser. The filament passes through a wiper near the front of the dispenser and exits through an orifice at the distal end of a hollow cone. The filament spool is sandwiched between two felt pads and positioned below a freely depressible button mounted through an aperture in the top clam shell half. As the filament is wound out through the orifice in the cone, the pressure of a single digit, i.e., a thumb, will maintain the filament at a desired tension while winding same between posts or around posts in a grid.

Abstract: An activated carbon filter is regenerated while it remains positioned in a filter vessel by first draining both unfiltered and filtered water out of the vessel and then applying an electric current through the activated carbon body of the filter to drive off contaminants. An inert gas is directed through the filter in a direction opposite to that of the liquid flow and then contaminants are moved from the filter vessel to a multi-stage catalytic converter where they are completely oxidized.

Abstract: A skimmer filter assembly includes a hollow skimmer box including therein an accordion pleat weir-type water inlet, substantially vertically positioned filter mats and a submersible or external water pump positioned at the rear of the skimmer box. A filter mat holder and dirty sump retain the filter mats in a stable, slightly off vertical position and provide for removal of the dirty sump without repositioning the weir or water pump. The water pump is positioned in a portion of the skimmer box which is not vertically restricted, thus allowing multiple size water pumps to be utilized in their standard upright position without removing the mats to make room for large pumps and providing for servicing or removal of the pumps without disturbing the filter mats the filter mat holder, the dirty sump or the water inlet weir.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing the horizontal drive stage of a cathode ray tube display where the horizontal drive stage has a drive output which is directed to the base of a horizontal output transistor. In the method and apparatus, the output from the horizontal drive circuit is disconnected from the base of the horizontal output transistor and is connected to the apparatus of the present invention. The apparatus includes a load which simulates the load normally provided by the base of the horizontal output transistor. A meter differential amplifier is connected across the load and readings therefrom are projected on a display. The horizontal drive stage is then energized and readings from the display are compared to known operating requirements of the base of the horizontal output transistor.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for creating graphic compositions such as murals by transferring selected portions of the mural from tracing sheets using a wand or stylus to trace the outlines of the individual objects and certain shaded areas of the objects onto a surface such as a wall to create a three-dimensional effect. An alignment scale is provided to align each of the transfer sheets so that the sheet may be removed after selected objects have been transferred to the surface and thereafter reapplied to transfer additional objects to the surface in registry with the first set of objects. Guide numbers or printed symbols are provided to direct the user to apply the appropriate colors and shades of colors to each of the areas on the transferred graphic or mural. The transfer wand includes both a pinwheel and a stylus on a single instrument for creating thick, thin or dashed lines, or solidly-shaded areas together with an eraser to be used to correct or redo transfer lines.

Abstract: A kit for aiding in the drying and curling of hair has a plurality of brushes which may be twisted into the hair and allowed to remain for a period of time to set a curl. Each of the brushes has a connector to which a handle can be removably attached such that a single handle can be used with all of the brushes in the kit.

Abstract: A dilitation catheter is disclosed including an elongate tubular body and a control rod extending therethrough from a proximal control end to a distal operating end. Adjacent the distal operating end is a pair of rigid or semi-rigid jaws which when closed substantially extend to a point. The jaws are hinged together at there rear by one of a pair of pivotal hinges or a resilient tubular section which allows the jaws to move between a closed position and an open position axial movement of the control rod. In one aspect of the invention, a resilient connection between the jaws and the elongate tubular body is foraminous to allow flow of bodily fluids through the operating jaws end of the catheter while the jaws are expanding luminal walls in a patient's body. Also, a guide wire may be utilized through the elongate tubular body and the operating jaws to provide for more exact placement of the operating end of the catheter.

Abstract: An automated indoor pistol range target carrier has an overhead power rail along which a target-supporting, -lighting and -rotating carriage travels toward and away from the firing line. The carriage supports, rotates, repositions and lights the target and is controlled by and feeds back information as to the target's position to a central controller. Portions of the power rail are electrically insulated one from the other and function as bus bars to carry d.c. current used to operate motors and circuits in the trolley without using electrical cables. Electrical pickups in the form of wheeled trolleys wipe the bus bars to supply power to motors and lights to operate the various target carrier systems. All system components are located within the carriage which may easily be removed from the rail for service without requiring the disconnection of any power cords or cables.

Abstract: A probe for a tonometer has a tubular shaft at the forward end of which is a tubular portion for receiving a membrane. The membrane has a tubular portion and a transverse portion across one end thereof such that the open end of the tubular portion can fit around the forward end of the shaft.