Abstract: The snow discharge spout pipe from a snowblower is conventionally extended by spout extensions commanded by control rod linkages. The present ball and socket joints are used to interconnect each pair of successive link arms to one another, and some link arms to the snowblower casing. These joints are of the universal joint type, including a ball rotatable into a spherical socket. Each end of a link arm has such a joint. Each socket is composed of two ring members in mutual contact at their flat inner radial faces. These faces are precisely machined to obtain the desired clearance between the spherical surfaces of the ball and ring members. Each ball includes an axial bore, rotatably receiving a shoulder bolt. The bolt and ball have lubricating passages opening at the relatively movable bearing surfaces of the bolt, ball and ring members.

Abstract: A self-standing hanger for supporting the water-dripping gear of firefighters and the like. The hanger can further be used in alternative fashion as a boundary mark post, e.g. in its extended condition, for establishing a security control area in firefighting conditions. The hanger may further be retracted, when not in use, or even when supporting a dried up firefighter's outfit in a storage room, so as to take the least volume for storage. Rot of the suit is therefore prevented. The self-standing hanger may support any other type of coat.

Abstract: The transformer heating unit can be transformed into six different modes, namely:a stove, a cooking oven, a roaster, a barbecue grill unit, a foodstuff smoking unit, and an indoor space heating furnace.The whole transformer unit is enclosed into a compact, box-like casing, which can be deployed into either of the six modes. In its furnace mode, its combustion gas outlet port is coupled to an exhaust flue pipe, for controlled escape of combustion gases outwardly of the room where the occupants are located, whereby smoke intoxication is prevented.

Abstract: The bale handling farm trailer comprises an elongated chassis, a front bed frame overlying and coextensive with the chassis and having a flooring secured to and extending across the front section of the front bed frame. The rear end of the latter is pivoted to the rear end of the chassis for pivoting movement to an upwardly tilted bale unloading position. This front bed frame defines a cavity rearwardly of the front bed flooring. A rear bed fits within the cavity and is pivoted to the rear of the front bed frame for movement between a rest position fitting within the cavity and resting on the front bed frame with both bed floorings in alignment and forming a continuous surface to an upright bale unloading position relative to the front bed frame. Hydraulic cylinder and piston units pivot the rear bed with respect to the front bed and the front bed with respect to the chassis. A bale pusher assembly serves to successively move the loaded bales from the back to the rear of the two bed frames.

Abstract: A safety helmet is of the streamlined, aerodynamically contoured type, to provide enhanced performance at high speeds. The aft lower end portion of the helmet external shell includes a cavity, this cavity receiving a light-emitting device with self-enclosed power pack. The light device is releasably anchored into the shell cavity by hook and loop fasteners. The light device is sized to substantially fully fill and complementarily fit inside the cavity, in such a way that the exterior face of the light device becomes generally coextensive to the exterior face of the helmet contoured external shell, whereby the aerodynamic features of the helmet are not compromised. Access to the shell cavity from the shell interior face is enabled by two finger-engageable through-bores. The light device can be released from the shell cavity by pushing same with the cyclist's fingers through said through-bores.

Abstract: The buck frame is in a one-piece construction and is designed to be embedded in a poured concrete wall. The exterior of the buck frame is provided with reinforcing ribs, while its interior surfaces form a centrally-located boss, the side faces of which are provided with lips and grooves to releasably retain a window frame, made of four separate interfitting parts. A resilient polyurethane board is fitted between the lintel part of the window frame and the registering boss of the buck frame to provide for installation and removal of the horizontally-slidable window panes and also of the window frame parts.

Abstract: The spring has an intermediate helical portion with a U-shaped open hook at each end. The helical portion is disposed in the region of the pivot of the wiper support arm to the base part which holds the support arm. One hook wraps around the wiper support arm, passing over and hooking underneath the same and the other hook wraps around the base part, passing underneath and hooking on the top of said base part. The spring greatly increases the wiper pressure on the windshield. The spring remains properly hooked even when the support arm is pivoted away from the windshield.

Abstract: A propeller is mounted within a shroud to produce an upwardly moving air flow to levitate human beings. The user wears an air inflatable suit and a harness. A couch is disposed just outside the shroud to support the user in prone position. A jib crane is positioned near the couch and shroud and carries a self-winding reel to which a strap is attached at one end, the other end of the strap carrying a hook which is attached to the harness at the back of the user. The jib crane lifts the user off the support through the strap and translates the same above the shroud within the air flow being suspended by the strap in prone position. When the user is levitated by the air flow, the reel automatically reels in the strap.

Abstract: This engine includes an engine block rotatably mounted on a support and including a central chamber communicating with outwardly protruding radial piston chambers closed by cylinder heads. A crank shaft is rotatably mounted in the engine block parallel to the rotation axis of the latter and radially offset therefrom. A drive train couples the engine block with the crank shaft for causing rotation of the two in the same direction and at equal rotational speed. A piston is reciprocable in each piston chamber and all the pistons are linked by connecting rods to the crank shaft at connecting points which are angularly advanced in the direction of rotation of the engine block relative to the longitudinal axes of the piston chambers. It follows that the combustion stroke is effected while the connecting rods exert a maximal torque on the crank shaft.

Abstract: A flexible heat pad for heat transfer to a person's limb. The pad consists of a fabric (preferably cotton) envelope enclosing a load of cereal grains, preferably oats. Preferably, the water content of the oat is precisely monitored to remain within the 9 to 14% range by weight of the oat total weight. The quantity of oat grains inside the cotton envelope must be such as to provide even oat distribution within the cotton envelope enclosure, after deformation, whereby localized grainless pockets within the pad enclosure are substantially prevented. The pad is pre-heated for about two minutes inside a micro-wave oven, at full power setting, before use. Thermal inertia of the oat thereafter allows continuous heat diffusion to the limb for about half an hour. The pad may alternately be put into the freezer from at least four to six hours, to thereafter diffuse cold to the swollen limb part of a mammal.

Abstract: A device for step-feeding golf balls one at a time over a tee located beneath a ground play surface, and for reciprocating the tee (and associated golf ball) vertically through an aperture made in the ground play surface. The striking height of the tee is adjustable with a control lever. At the selected upper limit position of the tee, the ball can be struck by a golf club, whereby the resilient tee will swing laterally under the impact blow before returning to its initial upright position. The ground surface edge surrounding the tee passage aperture carries a downturned arcuate lip, defining a generally funnel shape configuration. Hence, during lateral sway of the resilient tee after club impact, the tee body will smoothly conform to the arcuate shape of the lip, without contacting the platform bore edge, before returning to its original upright orientation. This in effect substantially reduces the occurrence of shearing damage about the rubber tee.

Abstract: The curtain consists of a single, translucent, yet untransparent fabric sheet, hung to sliders carried by a track, the latter track anchored in horizontal position against a vertical wall above a window frame. A cord at the end of the track operates the sliders to both slide the curtain sheet lengthwisely of the track, to fold/unfold in accordeon like the curtain sheet for extending/retracting same, as well as tilt the sliders about their vertical axes, as with a vertical blind actuating mechanism. The drape has a wavy configuration, whereby as the sliders are pivoted by the control cord, the amount of light traversing the drapes will adjustably vary in a progressive fashion. Each slider includes a cardboard plate, lodged into a pocket made at the top edge portion of the drapes, and releasably engaged by a slider hook.

Abstract: The ground anchored post is made exclusively from the steel-belted treads and metallic wire rings of reclaimed, used, pneumatic tires. Each used tire is cut with a shearing tool to remove therefrom the rubber side walls thereof. A selected number of treads are then compressed flatly against one another, while a plurality of wire rings engage by their hollow the compressed pack of treads. The total number of treads selected is a function of the thickness of each tread and of the diameter of the tires, whereby the number of treads is high enough to provide taut, friction-fit engagement of the wire rings around the pack of treads. The taut engagement of wire rings around the pack of treads positively prevents the treads from engaging in sliding displacement relative to one another.

Abstract: The pick-up truck box supports a topper made of superimposed upper and lower half portions. The topper half portions are interconnected in edgewise fashion by a connector assembly. This connector assembly is also used as an anchor point for cupboards supported within the enclosure of the topper. The topper side walls are releasably anchored to the truck box side walls by a pivotal handle bar assembly. The latter includes a removable pivotable handle, projecting inside the topper enclosure, and a fulcrum end with an elastomeric pad to frictionally anchor the topper to the truck box. Release of the handle bar lock is possible only from within the topper enclosure.

Abstract: The portable apparatus comprises an elongated body adapted to be mounted on a toilet seat and including a stem terminated by an upwardly-directed nozzle adapted to be located in the center of a toilet bowl and below the rim thereof. A clamp is releasably secured to the toilet seat. A spring-biased pin connects the body to the clamp while allowing pivotal and longitudinal movement of the body with respect to the clamp. A handle carried by the body enables the user, while seated on the toilet seat, with the apparatus between the user's legs, to pull the body upwardly and adjust its longitudinal and pivotal positions with respect to the clamp and, consequently, the nozzle can be adjusted both in orientation and in back-and-forth position with respect to the seated user. A blocking device maintains the body in adjusted position upon release of the handle. The apparatus further includes a bottle for containing a liquid refresher or a medicament to be mixed with the water.

Abstract: The tool of the invention includes an integral body having a flat scraper part, a collar part, and a comb part. The tool body is made from a resilient, yet substantially rigid material. The scraper part is to be used as a trowel by a painter. The collar part is used in axially engaging a cylindrical paint roller soaked with paint, to frictionally remove paint from the paint roller as the collar part is displaced from one end to the opposite end of that paint roller. The comb part is used to clean the bristles of a paint brush, by transversely engaging same and lengthwisely sliding or "combing" the bristles to remove paint after the paint job is completed.

Abstract: The window guard is mounted within the window frame, interiorly of the window panes. The window guard includes one pair of studs, anchored to opposite legs of the window frame, and a number of bars, interconnecting the studs through the window aperture to prevent unauthorized passage therethrough. The first stud includes transverse bores, for axial engagement by one end of the bars, while the second stud includes transverse notches, for transverse engagement by the other end of the bars. A latch bar is movably mounted inside the second stud, for releasably hooking the rods to the second stud. The latch bar is controlled by a pivotal lever, actuated by a key-operated lock barrel. The lock barrel is accessible only from the inside of the room.

Abstract: The foodstuff-displaying refrigerator unit comprises a box-like container, having an enclosure upwardly opening through a top mouth. A door aperture is defined about a side wall of the container. A vegetable-supporting platform is freely mounted into the enclosure for vertical movement therethrough. A pallet is supported by a first conveyor, itself resting on the container flooring. Inflatable balloons are provided between the pallet and the platform, for power lifting the platform. An air compressor feeds air into the balloons, and furthermore cools the air within the container enclosure beneath the platform. The top layer of foodstuff supported by the platform can thus be adjusted by the inflatable balloons, to remain substantially about the plane of the top mouth of refrigerator enclosure, to facilitate inspection of and access to the foodstuff independently of the level of progressive attrition of foodstuff from successive foodstuff withdrawal by customers.