Abstract: An apparatus (10) for cooling and tempering bacon slabs supported upon wheeled trucks (24) which can be rolled on the floor (14) inside a cooler (12) includes an evaporator (26) having multiple fans (34) for moving air through refrigerated coils (32) and in the cooler (12). Moisture collecting on the refrigerated coils (32) drops into a drain pan (30) and is drained through pipes (38) outside the cooler (12). The fans (34) are alternately rotated in opposite directions for equal time segments and baffles (40) are provided inside of the cooler (12) to assure uniform air chilling. A controller (46) operates the evaporator (26) so that the air inside of the cooler (12) is cooled to a temperature less than the internal product temperature which is greater than freezing and specifically in the preferred form at a desired temperature differential of 20.degree. F. (11.degree. C.) until an intermediate internal product temperature is reached.

Abstract: A lighting fixture control device has a base casing, an upper cover covering the base casing, an arc-shaped lens disposed on the base casing, an electric circuit board disposed on a bottom of the upper cover, and a control integrated circuit chip disposed on a bottom of the electric circuit board. The arc-shaped lens collects and focuses light. The electric circuit board has a photo-field-effect transistor to detect an approaching article. The arc-shaped lens reflects light to the photo-field-effect transistor to actuate the electric circuit board.

Abstract: A package (10) is disclosed including stacked, lower and upper trays (12, 14) each including end walls (22, 122) extending on opposite sides of a base panel (16, 116). The handgrips (26) of the end walls (22) of the lower tray (12) are aligned with the handgrips (126) of the end walls (122) of the upper tray (14) when it is stacked on the lower tray (12). The openings (38) in the ends of a shrunk film wrapper (36) are at least partially coincident with the upper peripheries of the handgrips (26, 126) for providing extra strength. Side walls (18, 118) are integrally connected to the base panels (16, 116) about fold lines (20, 120) and are secured to the end walls (22, 122) by tabs (28, 34, 128, 134). The trays (12, 14) are formed of paperboard and/or corrugated from one or more blanks.

Abstract: A microchip tray handling apparatus has microchip loading and receiving units for supplying microchips to a microchip tester and receiving tested microchips. The units have tables to support stacks of trays containing microchips. Each unit has a tray holding assembly for raising a stack of trays to allow a bottom tray to be moved along the table. Pick, invert and place probes remove micro chips from the trays and place tested microchips back into the trays.

Abstract: The seeder apparatus includes a first hopper for dispensing seeds onto a conveyor mechanism to be moved thereby to an entry nip between a rotary brush and the conveyor mechanism for propelling the seed downwardly at the discharge end of the frame on which the hopper is mounted. A shield assembly is mounted to the frame discharge end portion to minimize the effects of wind on the trajectory of seed or other material being propelled to the ground by a brush and conveyor mechanism. In one embodiment, a metering gate extends vertically in its closed position relative to the conveyor mechanism, the metering gate controlling the rate of dispensation of seed being moved to the entry nip.

Abstract: A systematic iron golf club hanger device includes a tilted base plate, and clamps are provided under the two ends and the middle of the base plate for clamping on the top of a golf bag. The base plate is tilted in a certain angle relative to a horizontal plane and is provided with many elastic clips to form many clamping portions. The elastic clips are formed by extensions of the base plate. The extensions forming the elastic clips are folded back downwards to form their respective pending portions which keep a short distance from the surface of the base plate. The angles formed between the extensions and the pending portions are determined by the clubs to be clamped. The whole device can firmly clamp every club to prevent damage by collision among the club heads and suits various sizes of golf bags.

Abstract: A sod cutting machine in combination with turf cutting mechanism for cutting a longitudinally elongated trench in turf that has a trench bottom transversely inclined relative to the slope of the soil transverse to the direction of the trench elongation. The sod cutting machine has mounting arms mounted to the machine frame to extend vertically downwardly in a turf cutting position the same distance. The turf cutting mechanism includes first and second vertical knives that each has a rear shank portion joined to the lower end of the respective arm, a generally horizontal bottom edge portion and a front inclined sharpened edge that intersects with the bottom edge portion. A transverse bottom cutting knife extends between and is joined to the first and second vertical knives with one end portion vertically more remote from one of the arms than the other cutting knife end portion from the other one of the arms.

Abstract: A dried crisp cheese piece is disclosed in a first preferred form including a nonmelting cheese dried to its final moisture content by microwave energy. The nonmelting cheese generally includes a pH of greater than about 5.7. The final moisture content of the dried cheese piece is preferably between 2 and 8% by weight. The final dried cheese piece is unpuffed and requires no refrigeration. A process for making the dried cheese piece is also disclosed. The process essentially includes subjecting the nonmelting cheese having particular thickness dimensions to microwave energy to reduce the cheese piece from an initial moisture content to a final moisture content ranging from about 2% to 8%. The drying step can be practiced using forming pans to obtain finished products having various three dimensional shapes and configurations.

Abstract: A key-chain with a perpetual calendar constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a body having a central recess, a plate securely mated with the body within the central recess and having at least two substantially "L" shaped openings, a first numbered area provided between the two opposing openings, a second area with numbers of months, a third area with a number of a specific year, and a frame slidably received within the openings with a pair of legs provided on respective sides corresponding to the openings. Furthermore, a specific picture may be inserted into the space between the body and the plate, before the plate is put into the central recess of the body.

Abstract: An extensible handle device has a pair of outer pipes, a pair of inner pipes disposed in the corresponding outer pipes respectively, a pair of cylinder blocks disposed in the corresponding inner pipes respectively, and a pair of push blocks disposed in the corresponding cylinder blocks respectively. A handle bar has a crossbar and a press bar inserted in the crossbar. The crossbar has two through holes to receive two inner pipes and at least two hollow posts disposed in the crossbar. Each of the push blocks has a slide groove to receive a slide block and a helical spring. Two cushions are inserted in two upper ends of the inner pipes. Each cushion receives a compression spring and a connecting rod. Each post receives a coiled spring and a respective protruded rod. Each outer pipe has a plurality of oblong holes.