Abstract: A golf ball holder comprising a rigid cylindrical housing having an upper retaining chamber and a lower dispensing chamber. At the lower end of the housing, adjacent the dispensing chamber, there is a lateral opening moderately larger than the size of the golf balls to be retained. A resilient retaining finger extends upwardly a moderate distance into the dispensing chamber to prevent golf balls in the container from dropping fully in the dispensing chamber. Golf balls can be moved laterally into and from the dispensing chamber by depressing the retaining finger either by hand contact or with the golf ball as it is moved either into or from the dispensing chamber portion. A pair of vertically spaced closure members at the top of the housing have circumferentially spaced mounting holes in which golf tees can be conveniently located.

Abstract: A wood pulp and paper drying machine comprising a plurality of drying drums around which a sheet of pulp or paper material travels in a circuitous path in heat exchange relationship with the drums. Pressurized steam is directed into the interior of each of the drums, with a syphon removing condensate from the interior of each drum. To reduce the effect of the water condensate in the drum inhibiting heat transfer through the cylindrical wall of the drum to the pulp or paper material, the interior surface of each drum is made as a polished metal surface (such as stainless steel) having a roughness index no greater than about 125 and desirably in the order of 4 - 32 on General Electric Surface Roughness Scale Cat. No. 342 .times. 60.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite structure having precision surface openings, such as an air foil through which air can be drawn in for boundary layer control. A metallic face sheet is bonded to a base member that is formed with elongate channels which are to serve as air plenums. A protective metal strip is inserted into each channel, and a high velocity water jet is directed against the face sheet at the area of each channel to form a through slot opening. The protective strip protects the base material from the inpact of the water after it passes through the slot being formed.

Abstract: An oil recovery device having a downwardly and rearwardly traveling oil absorbing belt, to pick up oil on a body of water. The belt travels around an upwardly and forwardly positioned drum to be engaged by a porous squeeze belt to remove the oil from the oil absorbing belt. Rearwardly of the belt is an oil collecting enclosure to collect oil not recovered by the oil absorbing belt. The device has a downwardly and rearwardly inclined bow ramp over which an oil/water liquid passes into a through passage in the device, and water having oil separated therefrom passes out longitudinally spaced bottom openings, with the flow through these openings being controlled by closure doors.

Abstract: A game having a game board representing a cross-country motorcycle race path. Each player has three markers, each representing a motorcycle and rider, each of which is a "team member" belonging to that player; also there are three breakdown counters, one for each team member. By throwing dice, each player moves his team members along the race path, always maintaining the members in a predetermined order of progress, with the numbers on the dice determining the distance moved. Along the path are various obstacles and diversions. Each player is able to selectively move his several team members in a strategic manner to maximize progress of his team members and impede progress of the motorcycle team members of an opposing player.

Abstract: A device, being one of a multiple of identical units adapted to be strung on a lane-separating cable for swimming pools, and being formed with deflecting and turbulence-inhibiting baffles or vanes, enclosed within an annular band or shell.

Abstract: A practice tennis racket having a handle and peripheral frame corresponding to a conventional tennis racket. Extending across the frame is a flexible barrier net and a gridwork of yielding retaining strings. When a tennis ball is struck with the racket, the retaining strings permit the ball to pass therethrough to be caught in the net, with the strings retaining the ball in the net.

Abstract: A pressure intensifying apparatus to deliver a very high pressure stream of water through a nozzle. There is a single working piston having two pressure surfaces of a relatively large area, the working piston being connected to two high pressure pistons each having a pressure surface of a relatively small area. A control valve delivers a high pressure working fluid alternately to opposite sides of the working piston to cause it to reciprocate so that the pressure pistons alternately deliver water at high pressure to the nozzle.

Abstract: A self-inflating air mattress comprising an airtight flexible jacket enclosing a core of a resilient, open cell, lightweight foam material, substantially the entire upper and lower portions of which are bonded to the envelope. The process of making this mattress comprises first laying down two sheets of an air impermeable plastic coated fabric, with the core positioned between the two sheets. Heated platens are applied to this layup, followed by applying a vacuum to the interior, cooling the assembly, and then moderately pressurizing the then bonded assembly.

Abstract: A valve assembly especially adapted for use with very high pressure reciprocating pumps. The main components are coaxially aligned. A main high pressure passage extends through the center of the assembly and has check valves at opposite ends thereof. One of the check valves has an annular valve element comprising inner and outer sleeves which fit against one another with an interference fit. This annular valve element seats against a matching annular inlet passage.

Abstract: A relatively large sized baler for hay, the baler being mounted upon wheels so that it can be pulled by a tractor across a field for picking up hay, the baler consisting of a box-like frame open at its front end so that the hay can be admitted thereinto, a forwardly and rearwardly movable plunger being provided with a row of teeth for compressing it against a vertically upstanding ramp after which the hay is tied up in its compressed condition and the ramp is then rearwardly downwardly pivoted so that the bale of hay can then be dropped out of the baler.

Abstract: A method of making a composite diffusion bonded structure, comprising a honeycomb panel portion made up of a honeycomb core sandwiched between two face sheets, and a load carrying structural member bonded thereto. The honeycomb core, face sheets and structural member are preassembled in a vacuum furnace so as to permit exposure of the surfaces which are to be diffusion bonded. A vacuum is drawn and the assembly is heated to near diffusion bonding temperature with the bonding surfaces still exposed to the vacuum environment. Thereafter, the bonding surfaces are brought into contact with very moderate pressure, and are maintained at a temperature and pressure sufficient for diffusion bonding. The assembly is then cooled, with the result being a substantially unitary diffusion bonded structure.

Abstract: A multi-faceted process for preparing uric acid of varying degrees of purity includes a first phase wherein uric acid of approximately 80-90% purity is prepared by dissolving fecal matter containing uric acid in a dilute alkali solution and then separating any undissolved solid residue therefrom. An ammonium salt is added to the solution to precipitate ammonium urate, which is readily convertible by conventional means to uric acid of 80-90% purity. Uric acid of even greater purity is prepared in the second phase by dissolving a relatively impure uric acid product, such as the above ammonium urate, in a second dilute alkali solution. Urate salt is then precipitated by gradually adjusting the pH of the second alkali solution with a dilute mineral acid to a pH of about 10.5. The urate salt is subsequently separated and converted to uric acid by suspending it in hot dilute mineral acid, the resultant uric acid having a purity of approximately 99%.

Abstract: A litter removal or evacuation apparatus for installation in a vehicle such as an automobile, truck, pleasure water craft, etc. There is a main litter removal system for larger articles such as bottles, napkins, etc; and an ash tray removal system to evacuate cigarette butts, cigar butts, etc., from the vehicle ash tray. In each of these two systems, there is a litter receptacle to receive the litter, a removal tube leading from the vehicle passenger compartment to the receptacle, and a suction tube leading from its related receptacle to the intake housing of the conventional heating and ventilating system of the vehicle. A suction adequate to draw litter through the removal tubes into the litter receptacles is created through the blower system of the vehicle heating and ventilating system, by simultaneously closing off the intake vent through which ambient air is normally drawn into the heating and ventilating system, and also operating the blower.

Abstract: A high velocity, constant flow, liquid jet cutting apparatus comprising a source of high pressure fluid, a jet nozzle, and a high pressure conduit to carry the fluid from the source to the jet nozzle. Immediately upstream of the jet nozzle is a liquid collimating device comprising a housing interconnected between the conduit and the nozzle and defining a flow collimating chamber directly upstream of the nozzle, through which the high pressure liquid is delivered to the nozzle. The cross sectional area of the flow collimating chamber is at least greater than 100 times the cross sectional area of the nozzle opening, and desirably in the order of four hundred times as great or more. The resulting liquid jet has relatively little dispersion of the liquid and is capable of effectively cutting a relatively narrow kerf with a high quality finish and little, if any, wetting.

Abstract: A freight handling system particularly adapted to transfer palletized loads from one side of a freight dock to another. There is an endless closed loop conveyor comprising an endless chain defining a closed loop path, along which are unidirectional rollers. At spaced locations along the conveying path, there are a number of transfer stations each having a plurality of multidirectional rollers, in the form of casters, which permit pallet loads to be moved onto and from the conveying path. A plurality of pushing devices, particularly adapted for use in the present invention, are mounted to the chain at regularly spaced locations. Each pushing device comprises a push arm which in its operative position has an upwardly and rearwardly moderately sloped push surface which engages a palletized load at a transfer station to move it along the conveying path over the rollers.

Abstract: This method is particularly adapted for making tanks of different diameters. A plurality of arcuate forming sections are provided by forming a flexible sheet of a panel section against rigid arcuate forming segments having a degree of curvature corresponding to that of the inner surface of the tank to be formed. Turnbuckles are used to form the flexible sheets against the segments. These forming sections are then accurately located on a base circumference location and rigidly interconnected to make a rigid cylindrical forming structure, against which the fiber reinforced resin is layed up to make the tank structure. The panel sections each comprise a sheet having a pair of vertical edge bracing and connecting flanges by which the panel sections are joined, and a plurality of locating brackets which engage the forming segments to locate the forming sections with respect to one another.