Abstract: A multipurpose flat bottom boat for harvesting crawfish. The boat includes a deck on each end with an open-spaced hull between the decks. The boat is propelled by rotatable wheels engaging the bottom of a body of water which may have a propelling units on their ends and are mounted on telescopically extensible members. The units may be mounted on one or both ends of the boat. The boat is equipped with supports on each side for supporting a seine on each side thereof. Oppositely disposed trays are fitted above the open spaced hull and crawfish receiving containers are placed in the open-spaced hull. The crawfish are caught by dropping the seines into the body of water on each side of the boat. The seines moved along the bottom for a distance and then are lifted from the water and the crawfish are dumped into the trays which have been moved to a position with half of the tray disposed over the water. The crawfish are washed, then sorted according to size and dropped into the containers.

Abstract: The initial moisture content of textile material to be decatized and fixed is controlled by a feedback-type regulator circuit which is responsive to measured values of the water content of vapor clouds produced as the material emerges from its passage around a steaming cylinder. The moisture content is preferably controlled by regulating the amount of water applied by a moistening device upstream of the steaming cylinder.

Abstract: A microwave oven having a cavity for receiving food items to be cooked, primarily baked goods and frozen foods, a magnetron for delivering microwave power to the cavity, and a forced hot air system, including a fan and an electrical resistance heating element which are both disposed in a compartment separated from the cavity by a dividing panel. The oven has a thermistor for monitoring air temperature drawn from the oven cavity after a predetermined time, between four and eight minutes, from the commencement of cooking. Dependent upon the sensed temperature being below or above a predetermined threshold temperature between 130.degree. C. and 140.degree. C., a microprocessor determines a category for the food item being cooked with a corresponding final cooking temperature to be attained for completion of cooking by referring to an internal program that relates to the particular food item to be cooked.

Abstract: A haymaking machine comprises a sub-assembly provided with two rake members, the sub-assembly being connected to a frame for pivotal movement about a pivotal axis that slopes upwardly to the rear. The center of gravity of the sub-assembly is ahead of such axis and a locking mechanism is provided for retaining the sub-assembly in a required working or transport position with respect to the frame. The disposition of the center of gravity and the pivotal axis is such that, when the locking mechanism is released, lifting machine above the ground causes the sub-assembly to swing automatically about the pivotal axis towards a transport position. If the machine is lifted more, the sub-assembly then swings automatically towards the working position.

Abstract: Distribution members of a spreading device are disposed closely adjacent to each other. The distance between the points of closest approach of the distribution members being about two centimeters with the outside diameter of each distribution member being about thirty-five centimeters. Flow of material to each distribution member of the spreading device is controlled by a delivery member which comprises dosing plates that are independently displaceable relatively to each other and to the bottom of the device's hopper. The dosing plates and the hopper's bottom have openings which cooperate with one another in an adjustable manner which makes it possible to adjust independently the position of the delivery of material to the distribution member both in radial and circumferential directions, and to adjust the size of the openings.

Abstract: A mowing machine has a main frame made up of driving units and intermediate pieces which are mounted alternately on a tie member. The tie member is normally under tension to compress the driving units and the intermediate pieces together to make the main frame substantially rigid. The tie member is positioned substantially centrally of the driving units and the intermediate pieces so as to provide even loading of their mating faces. The driving units preferably having cutting units with flexible hoods. The cutting units are driven by a common drive shaft through bevel gearing and the direction of rotation of each cutting unit can be changed by removing the gear and replacing it the other way round on the driving shaft.

Abstract: A tractor has three pairs of ground wheels: front and rear steerable pairs which cooperate to steer the tractor, and a central pair. The central pair of wheels each are connected to the frame through a hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly which can be controlled to raise those wheels above the ground or to lower the wheels to engage the ground. The central wheels can be the same as the other wheels or traction caged wheels of hollow beams wherein a hub is connected to outer fellies with spokes. Supports interconnect the fellies at the inner or outer sides. All of the wheels can be driven independently by an engine and the central wheels are each detachable from a driven axle. The hub of the central wheels includes an outer cylindrical sleeve to which and end plate and the spokes are affixed. Each wheel is mounted on a hydraulic motor which is mounted on the tractor's frame, the forward and rear motors being turnable with the wheels mounted thereon.

Abstract: Drill bit for drilling bore holes in earth formations, the bit's cutting face provided with cutter preforms composed of polycrystalline diamonds on a tungsten carbide substrate mounted in sets from the center of the bit's face to its periphery. The first set consists of one cutter preform at approximately the center of the cutting face. Each succeeding set has at least two preforms, all of which in a set are disposed at an equal radius from the bit's axis of rotation and are displaced from adjacent preforms in the same set by equal arcs around the axis, the cutting path of a set overlapping with that of the next set. The next to last set of preforms is mounted from a surface coinciding with a truncated cone having a relative angle to the bit's axis of rotation of about 33.degree.; the outermost preform set is disposed in or above the junk slots, with each preform mounted extending 90.degree.

Abstract: A soil cultivating implement comprising soil working members having tines, the members being arranged in a row that extends transverse to the direction of travel. A ground roller is freely rotatable and positioned to the rear of the row of soil working members. In order for the roller to support the implement on the ground and regulate the maximum depth of penetration of the soil working members into the ground, the roller has crowns or assemblies of projections which comprise substantially radial portions and outer end portions which are bent over laterally in opposite directions by significant angles and also rearwardly with respect to the direction of normal roller rotation. In addition, they are widened towards the end in the direction of their rotational movement. Scraping members are positioned between the successive assemblies or crowns of projections and the roller may have a central tubular shaft or carrier of a different diameter.

Abstract: A fluid driving or fluid driven machine includes an outer cylinder housing stationary piston. The piston includes a generally annular flexible band of smaller circumference than the inner circumference of the cylinder, and a rotary body accommodated within the band. The rotary body has three rollers for urging the band against the inner surface of the cylinder at three angularly spaced locations so that the band defines with the cylinder three working chambers. Two separating members mounted on the cylinder are biased into contact with the band.When the rotary body is rotated the band makes nonslip contact with the wall and rotates the working chambers about the axis of the rotary body. Each separating member separates each working chamber as it passes into two discrete enclosures. A port is located on each side of each separating member to allow communication with the two discrete enclosures. The machine can be operated as a compressor when the rotary body is driven or as an engine to drive the rotary body.

Abstract: An electrostatic field is created across a layer of material which has been placed on a surface with an adhesive layer therebetween to force the layer of material toward the surface, compressing the adhesive therebetween. To carry out this process, various forms of apparatus are disclosed which provide a substantially consistent electrostatic field across a film of material and a coating of adhesive to a surface to which the material is to be secured.

Abstract: A tractor has an engine, a torque converter, a lifting device for attachment to an implement such as a plow, the torque converter being controlled automatically whereby if an engine-driven ground wheel starts slipping, the torque converter reduces the tractor's speed. Engine speed and the implement's depth of penetration are also automatically controlled in dependence on the retarding force caused by the implement. In another embodiment, a power take-off shaft is automatically disengaged if the retarding force becomes excessive.

Abstract: An agricultural machine, such as a haymaker, for the displacement of stalks, comprising a movable air-permeable screen and air displacing arrangement for inducing a pressure difference across the screen thereby to cause stalks to adhere to the screen under the effect of suction. In a preferred embodiment, a blocking member is disposed to prevent the application of suction at one region of the screen to allow stalks adhering to the screen to be deposited. The air displacing arrangement may to provide an air cushion under the machine to support the machine above the ground.

Abstract: Removable lifting devices for tractors having horizontal front wheel axles which pivot relative to the contour of the ground, one device having tubes pivotably connected on each side of the tractor frame which rotatably and pivotably receive further tubes connected by a hinged structure to the tractor's forward axle and which tend forwardly thereof to be interconnected across the front of the tractor. The connecting hinged structure permits pivotable movement of the tube relative to the axle about substantially horizontal axes parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tractor. The front structure connecting the tube portions extending forwardly from the axle includes a hydraulically operated three-point lifting device wherein hydraulic cylinders are disposed within a quadrangular arrangement of pivotable arms including the lower of the three-point lifting device's links.

Abstract: A haymaking machine has two side-by-side rake wheels that are driven to rotate about upwardly extending axes and move crop between the wheels. Converging guide walls of horizontal rods are positioned in front of the rake wheels and some of the rods extend rearwardly to intersect the working paths of the wheels. Preferably the walls are located above the wheels. Each wheel has arms pivoted to a central portion and groups of tines are pivoted to the outer ends of the arms to turn about horizontal axes. Each group of tines is mounted on a carrier by coils that surround a tube so that the coils can be turned relative to the tube about a vertical axis and set in swath or tedding positions. Swath guides can be positioned at the rear of the rake wheels.

Abstract: A cultivating implement has a row of soil working members that are driven to rotate about upwardly extending axes and work overlapping paths. The working members each have freely rotatable tools which turn about further upwardly extending axes responsive to ground contact. The tools' axes of rotation can be angled to that of the corresponding working member. Also, one or more tines can be fixed in place to a support of the working member. A distribution member can be secured to the frame at the rear of each region of overlap of the soil working members to displace soil laterally. Also, an elongated supporting roller has portions with bent rods located to the rear of the distribution members. The rods engage the soil worked by the rotation working members and initially displaced by the distribution members. The bends of the rods can be positioned in line with the distribution members to further urge soil laterally of the direction of implement travel.