Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for reducing the combined runout of an uninflated automobile tire and wheel assembly. Runout is reduced by aligning a tire mark located on the tire with a wheel mark located on the wheel, where the tire mark is indicative of the high point of radial runout of the tire and the wheel mark is indicative of the low point of radial runout of the wheel. The location of the wheel mark is tracked using a video camera while the wheel is rotated relative to the tire and rotation is halted once the linear distance between the marks is minimized. The locations within the video image of the tire and wheel marks are determined relative to a Cartesian coordinate system having its origin at the center of the video image.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser assembly (10) for personal hygiene liquids includes a container (14) and a dispenser valve (16). Each valve includes a valve plunger (60) with a head (62) having a flexible peripheral skirt (64) that provides increased bypass of liquid upon harder pressing and faster motion of the plunger. The valve (16) has an annular seat (85) that has a tapered seat surface (88) that presses the flexible skirt (64) against the valve inner cylindrical wall (54) of the valve bore (52) at the end of the return stroke.

Abstract: An improved light stable polyether/polyol based aliphatic urethane thermoplastic elastomer prepared from reacting inter alia a polyol having low terminal end unsaturation and an organic diisocyanate. The elastomer is characterized by ultraviolet stabilizer being present in a range of 0.25% to 2.0% at a total concentration of 1.0% to 2.0%, an antioxidant being present at a total concentration of 0.10% to 1.0%, and colorants/pigment being present in a total concentration in a range from 1.0% to 2.05% to produce an elastomer capable of withstanding Xenon arc artificial weathering with DE.ltoreq.3.00 after 2450 kilojoules of exposure.

Abstract: Described is a material handling apparatus for processing heated formed ferrous metal products and/or glass products comprising a face centered cubic crystal intermetallic alloy of a metal aluminide having the property of withstanding repeated thermal cycling from ambient temperature to about 1600.degree. F. wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of a group VIII metal of the Periodic Table. Also described is an aluminide roll that also is characterized as retaining its ultimate tensile strength at 1600.degree. F. of at least 75% of the tensile strength the roll had at ambient room temperature.

Abstract: A vehicle passenger compartment floor console includes a module receptacle and a plurality of interchangeable storage and appliance modules designed to fit within the module receptacle. The floor console may also include a drum-type carrousel supported for rotation about a generally horizontal axis within the console outer shell. The carrousel holds three storage modules and is positioned to sequentially rotate each module past an access opening cut or formed through the console outer shell. A passenger compartment occupant may use the console to selectively present any one of a number of interchangeable modules for occupant access while traveling.

Abstract: A method for providing on a landscape a series of terraces with augmented availability of usable level surface comprising: providing an upper substantially level surface on at least one portion of said landscape; providing one or more gallery support members on the said upper level surface, each said gallery support member comprising a downwardly open upper load bearing shell defining an internal gallery volume and enclosing a first portion of said upper level surface, and further comprising at least one gallery opening in communication with a second portion of said level upper surface; depositing a quantity of landfill material over said at least one gallery support member and over at least a portion of said upper level surface, not including said first and second portions thereof, to a predetermined depth and substantially leveling at least a portion of said landfill material to provide an uppermost terrace comprising an upper level surface; optionally providing a new uppermost terrace on said uppermost ter

Abstract: A mortise lock assembly is provided for mounting in a door opposite a strike plate on a door jamb. The assembly includes an automatic deadbolt feature with a bolt retractor arm that directly contacts and applies inward retraction pressure to a latch bolt and a deadbolt in response to bolt retractor hub rotation to retract the latch bolt and the deadbolt. Two deadbolt stops engage two housing stops when the deadbolt reaches the deadbolt extended position and restrain the deadbolt against further outward movement. Coil extension springs continuously bias the deadbolt and the latch bolt against retraction. A dead lock blocker releasably holds the deadbolt in the deadbolt extended position. The bolt retractor arm is additionally engageable with the blocker to release the blocker in response to bolt retractor hub rotation. A trigger releasably engages and retains the deadbolt in the deadbolt retracted position.

Abstract: A load bearing, thermally insulating panel for use to cover an ice surface is made up of a plurality of modular, polymeric floor members having a structural dense body structure and a flat upper wall over which a vehicle can travel. Each floor member has an undersurface with integral, downwardly projecting, load distributing, support pillars within a floor member-surrounding, downwardly projecting marginal wall. A polymeric foam insulative layer of substantially lesser density than said floor member and substantially lesser thermal conductivity is molded within the floor member surface surrounding the pillars to fill the space around the pillars and the space between the pillars and marginal wall.

Abstract: A wood chipper knife holder assembly for a power driven rotor head has at least one opening in its wood confronting surface for the knife holder assembly which includes a mount block. A counter-knife receiving surface opposite the wood confronting surface of the rotor head is provided on the mount block for a counter-knife and a reversible knife blade with cutting surfaces along opposite transverse edges is received on the counter-knife. A clamp plate secures to clamp the knife in a projecting cutting position. The counter-knife has at least one pair of spaced apart pin openings and the knife blade has at least one pair of complemental pin openings, and pins are received in the knife blade openings and counter-knife pin openings to permit 180.degree. relocation of the knife.

Abstract: The invention relates to the cooling of red-hot molten blast furnace slag. In this case in order that a substantial proportion of the heat content of the red-hot molten blast furnace slag can be recovered this is introduced together with coal or fuel containing substantially coal into a reactor in which the blast furnace slag is cooled by utilising the heat content of this slag and with the aid of supplied steam to gasify the coal to form a fuel gas, particularly water gas or blue gas containing CO and H.sub.2, which is drawn off separately from the cooled quantity of solids.

Abstract: A gable-top carton has at least half, if not all, of its spout-forming, folded-in, top sealing panels (33) projecting above an adjacent non-folded-in top sealing panel (32) to permit a user to grasp that projection and pull it forward to open the spout. To provide a flattened gable-top carton, the other non-folded-in top sealing panel (34) may be extended to be tacked down onto an opposite top obturating panel (22) and be formed with a tear strip to facilitate detachment of the turned-down sealing fin (32-35) from the tacked-down part of that other non-folded-in top sealing panel (34) and to cover a pouring edge zone of the adjacent half of the spout-forming, top sealing panel (33). The carton can be made from an appropriately shaped and scored blank.

Abstract: An arm rest (18, 20, 22) is mounted for vertical adjustment relative to the door panel (14) or center console (16). The arm rest is operably connected to an air spring bladder (32, 46, 54) or an adjustable mechanical mechanism (72). The bladder is controlled by a pump (40) and switch (41). The mechanism (72) is controlled by an electric motor (70).

Abstract: An interior trim panel for a motor vehicle has an opening for deployment of an air bag and a discrete air bag door that is attached to the interior trim panel for closing the opening and for being opened by an air bag when it is deployed. The door includes a retainer that hinges the door to the trim panel and a covering that includes a frangible flap at an end of the retainer that holds down an end of the door and breaks away when the air bag is deployed. An alternate interior trim panel has another discrete air bag door that includes a bracket attached to the retainer for establishing the location of the hinge line. Another alternate interior trim panel arrangement has an integrated or invisible air bag door that includes a bracket attached to the retainer for establishing the location of the hinge line in an invisible door arrangement.

Abstract: A mixing valve (10) has a control stem (42) for adjusting the movable ball valve (24) for controlling the flow rate and temperature mix of the mixed water. The ball valve (24) has a pair of slots (60) and a pin (64) extending through the slots (60) of ball valve (24). The stem (42) has a brace (80) extending into the ball valve and abuts against the pin (64). The pin (64) is journaled in a cartridge (56) such that the ball is vertically affixed to the cartridge (56) and is prevented from falling out the bottom open end (92) of the cartridge.

Abstract: A continuous lamina (3) is indexed through a forming station so as to be arranged around a tubular element (14); edges of the lamina (3) are welded together to form an unexpanded envelope (2a) which is then inflated when the envelope (2a) is closed in a die (11) through opposite sides of which said tubular element (14) passes; a container (2) formed by expanding said envelope (2a) is then filled and closed while a following envelope (2a) is being expanded.

Abstract: Reinforced concrete slab and girder building structures incorporate shearing connectors with lengthwise support parts to which lengthwisely spaced, transversely extending, rigid load transfer plates affix. A girder structure having one or more lengthwisely extending girders is provided and the shear connectors are fixed to the girders near their support walls below a deck for supporting the slab, the shearing connectors being positioned so that portions of the load transfer plates and support parts project above the girder structure and deck to receive compression forces in the slab which are transferred by the connectors to the girders. The lengthwisely extending connector support parts have connections for carrying a series of lengthwisely spaced rebar rods which embed in the slab when it is poured and transfer compressive load forces to the transfer plates.

Abstract: A pressure responsive dispensing pump has a hollow housing having walls forming a chamber coupled via an inlet to a supply of dispensable material. An inlet valve controls the flow of the material through the inlet into the chamber. The housing also has an outlet through which material may be discharged from the chamber under the control of a self-sealing outlet valve. At least one wall of the housing is displaceable inwardly of the chamber to reduce the volume thereof and force material out of the chamber via the outlet. The displaceable wall is connected to a flexible hinge which also moves inwardly of the chamber in response to the inward movement of the displaceable wall and thereby assists in discharging the contents of the chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus for crushing scrap vehicle wheels includes a frame constructed from three radially disposed rectangular tube beams each mounting a hydraulic cylinder and crushing head which converge and operate radially to deform a scrap wheel supported at the center of the frame in order to separate the steel rim of the wheel from the surrounding tire casing. Each crushing head is supported against upward deflection by an interlocking slide connection including a slide carriage fixed to each head and slideable along the beam and stationary hold down brackets mounted on the opposite side of each beam and vertically adjustable for controlling the hold down pressure exerted on the carriages.

Abstract: A single handle ball valve faucet (10) having a ball valve element (24) mounted in the housing (12) such that the handle lever (82) is moved to a rearward and up position to place the ball valve in an off position and to an easily accessible forward and down position to place the ball valve element (24) to an on position. A control plate (50) has a control opening (70) with a rearward facing apex 72 for receiving the control stem (80) of the ball valve when in the off condition and a wide forward edge (74) for allowing lateral motion of the stem (20) therealong for adjusting temperature mix of the water when the ball valve element (24) in the full flow on condition.

Abstract: A device for the controlled dispensation and unattended evaporation of volatile liquids includes a housing that accommodates a reservoir charged with a volatile liquid. The reservoir has an outlet for releasing the volatile liquid from a lower end of the reservoir. A valve mounted on the reservoir controls the flow of the volatile liquid through the reservoir outlet. The valve allows a controlled quantity of the volatile liquid, in the form of discrete droplets, to be gravitationally delivered, on demand, to an absorbent matrix. A matrix housing supports the matrix below the reservoir outlet. The absorbent matrix absorbs volatile liquid that the outlet delivers and dispenses the volatile liquid as a vapor to an external environment. The absorbent matrix dispenses the vapor via a ventilator that may be either releasably or integrally mounted to either the matrix housing or the housing that accommodates the reservoir.