Abstract: A tape-form packaging system for conveyance or dispensing of articles and apparatus for assembly and disassembly of the packaging system is disclosed. The packaging system includes elongated carrier and cover tapes disposed in superposed relationship with article retaining pockets formed in the carrier tape in spaced relationship along its longitudinal axis. Cooperative interconnecting components are formed in the two tapes intermediate adjacent pairs of pockets. The component in the carrier tape is a rectangular aperture having opposed ends extending longitudinally of the tape and the component formed with the cover tape is a projection of the same length as the aperture through which it is extended. A tab extends from a side of the projection into underlying, contacting relationship to the carrier tape thereby mechanically interlocking the tapes together in releasable engagement.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method of its use is disclosed for transfer of blood/body fluid from a fluids obtaining device which is placed in communication with a patient's body cavity containing the fluid desired to be obtained for analysis and depositing it in a collection container for storage and/or transport. The fluids obtaining device has a fluids retention component adapted to be alternatively coupled with either a sharp ended needle for penetrating a patient's body or a blunt ended cannula. A fluids displacing mechanism is positioned in the retention component and is reciprocated to either draw fluid from the patient into the retention component or to expel fluid therefrom. After drawing fluid from the patient, the needle is removed and replaced with the cannula. A closure member secured to an open end of the container includes a plug formed from an elastomeric material exhibiting the characteristics of being penetrable by the cannula and self resealable after withdrawal of the cannula.

Abstract: This specification discloses an apparatus for assisting in mooring of a boat. The apparatus includes a strut support assembly designed to secure the apparatus to a dock post, and elongated strut secured at it's one end to the support assembly and a hook attached to it's opposite end. A clamping mechanism is incorporated in the support assembly to removably secure it to a vertically oriented dock post at a desired elevation. The strut comprises an elongated, rigid tube and a tension spring disposed interiorally of the tube in axially extending relationship with it's one end secured to the support assembly. When unextended, the opposite end of the spring terminates at the outter end of the tube. An elongated strut connector extends between the support assembly and the struts tube and functions to maintain the strut in a horizontal plane. The hook is pivotally connected to the outermost end of the spring to swing in a plane aligned with the struts longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A process is provided for drying raw material that comprises solids and a substantial amount of moisture. The process in its basic form involves the steps of forming the raw material into pellets by extrusion under pressure through a forming die into pellets with the solids compacted into a cohesively secured mass and then drying the pellets thus formed to reduce the moisture to a desired percentage. Raw material that has an excessive amount of moisture such that they cannot be extruded are first mixed with a dry material to reduce the moisture content to the point where they can be extruded.

Abstract: A gated-pocket, tape-form packaging system is provided having an elongated carrier tape which is formed with a series of longitudinally spaced apart pockets for containing of respective articles. The system includes a series of retaining fingers that cooperate in one embodiment with the pockets to directly mechanically engage with and effect retention of articles, but which, through mechanical manipulation of the tape, can be displaced to a position where they do not obstruct passage of an article either into or out of a pocket. An alternative construction includes a cover tape working in combination with the retaining fingers to perform the gating function. The cover tape is mechanically secured to the carrier tape by the retaining fingers which permit relative longitudinal displacement of the carrier and cover tapes to accommodate the difference in longitudinal length that occur as a consequence of the combination of two tapes being wound up onto a reel for storage or transport.

Abstract: A particulate material feeder is provided having a material dispensing hopper cooperating with a continuous conveyor revolving in a vertical plane having a plurality of spaced flights operating over a horizontal bedplate for controlled feeding of material over the bedplate in a uniform thickness layer. The dispensing hopper is positioned in longitudinal alignment with the conveyor at one end thereof and has a discharge throat located a distance vertically above the bedplate with a transfer plate extending from the throat to the bedplate with a portion of the transfer plate at its end joining with the bedplate being arcuately curved in conformity to the path of movement of the conveyor flights. The dispensing hopper has a selectively positionable valve plate that is adjusted to and maintained at a position with respect to the throat for control of the depth of material displaced over the bedplate.

Abstract: A manual entry data input terminal is provided having a keyboard including a set of key switches including one-half of a standard keyboard. A selector circuit is interposed between the key switches and an encoder circuit for enabling input of data bits to the encoder circuit in accordance with a first indicia series correlated to the conventional indicia display of the one-half keyboard or a second indicia series correlated to a mirror image indicia display of the opposite one-half of a standard keyboard. A mode selector switch connected with the selector circuit is selectively operable to enable input of data bits alternatively for either the first or the second indicia series to enable operation of the terminal by one hand.

Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus is provided having a refrigeration system including means to enable automatic defrosting of the evaporator that is located in the compartment where food products are maintained at a temperature that is below the freezing point of water. The system includes a defrosting evaporator located exteriorly of the freezer compartment and connected in series flow relationship with the freezer evaporator whereby refrigerant first flows through the defrost evaporator and then through the freezer evaporator. The system includes means for applying heat to the defrost evaporator at periodic intervals of time to elevate the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the freezer evaporator to a level above the freezing point of water. In one embodiment, this heat is obtained from an electrical resistance heating element disposed in heat-transferring relationship to the defrost evaporator.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus is provided for application of a viscous sauce to a pizza shell. The apparatus includes a distribution roller system in combination with a waterfall dispensing device to form a thin sheet of the sauce that is discharged onto the roller which then throws the received sauce in droplet form onto the pizza shell in a uniform thickness layer. The distribution roller system in one embodiment of the apparatus includes a single roller formed with a plurality of conical projections arranged in angularly spaced axially extending rows for receiving the sauce from the waterfall dispensing device and revolved at a speed to throw the sauce in a generally downward direction in a shower of droplets.

Abstract: A particulate material feeder is provided having a material dispensing hopper cooperating with a continuous conveyor revolving in a vertical plane having a plurality of spaced flights operating over a horizontal bedplate for controlled feeding of material over the bedplate in a uniform thickness layer. The dispensing hopper is positioned in longitudinal alignment with the conveyor at one end thereof and has a discharge throat located a distance vertically above the bedplate with a transfer plate extending from the throat to the bedplate with a portion of the transfer plate at its end joining with the bedplate being arcuately curved in conformity to the path of movement of the conveyor flights. The dispensing hopper has a selectively positionable valve plate that is adjusted to and maintained at a position with respect to the throat for control of the depth of material displaced over the bedplate.

Abstract: A tape-form packaging system is provided having an elongated carrier tape on which a plurality of elongated article-receiving loops are mounted on a face of the tape in transversely oriented relationship to the longitudinal axis of the tape with the axial ends of the loops spaced a distance inwardly from the longitudinal edges of the tape. Gating elements are affixed to the carrier tape with a gating element positioned between each axial end of a loop and the adjacent longitudinal edge of the carrier tape and operative to block axial movement of an article into or out of the respective loop. The carrier tape is flexible and upon flexing of the marginal edge portion of the tape, the gating element is displaced out of blocking relationship to the loop permitting axial displacement of an article into or out of a loop.

Abstract: An optical target system is provided for facilitating a vehicle operator's effecting alignment of the respective hitch assembly components of a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle. The system includes first and second targets that are removably positionable in referencing relationship to respective ones of the hitch assembly components and a viewing mirror that is removably positionable on the towed vehicle to provide the vehicle operator positioned in the towing vehicle with a reflected view of the two targets. Each of the two targets includes a longitudinal guidance element that is disposed in alignment with the longitudinal axis of its respective vehicle and a transverse guidance element that is transversely oriented to the respective longitudinal guidance element and located above the hitch assembly component to provide a visual reference to a vertical axis extending through those components.

Abstract: A board game apparatus is provided having a game board on which a pathway is formed and over which playing pieces of respective players are incrementally advanced from a start point to an end point. The pathway includes a plurality of playing spaces serially distributed along the pathway between the start and end points with the playing pieces advanced to a playing space as determined by a random selection of the space to which a player is to advance his playing piece. Each playing space is defined by two discrete indicia that are each selected from respective ones of two indicia series that each include a plurality of diverse indicia with all indicia in each series being distinguishable from all indicia in the other series. The playing spaces are randomly interspersed along the pathway to avoid having same playing spaces disposed adjacent each other.

Abstract: A material treating apparatus having a treating chamber through which material is continuously displaced over an elongated, horizontally disposed bedplate. The bedplate is formed with a large number of small apertures distributed over the plate and permitting a gaseous treating fluid to flow upwardly through the bedplate and the overlying material to effect its treatment. A distribution chamber for the gaseous fluid underlies and extends the length of the bedplate and connects at one longitudinal end with a source of the fluid. This source induces the gaseous fluid to flow into and then longitudinally through the distribution chamber ultimately exiting through the apertures of the bedplate. A flow control plate is positioned in the distribution chamber adjacent the end through which the gaseous fluid enters.

Abstract: A fluidized bed particulate material treating apparatus is provided having a fluidizing bedplate formed with apertures of a frusto-conical configuration. The apertures are formed with walls divergent from an exit end at an angle in the range of 25-45 degrees with a plurality of apertures formed in the bedplate in closely spaced relationship resulting in interaction of the airflow from the apertures to levitate the material as it is transported over the bed by the air flowing through the apertures.

Abstract: A refractory lined duct is provided having sheet metal tube lined with a ceramic fiber matrix bonded with binder material forming a tubular refractory liner of predetermined thickness and thermal characteristics. This duct has the refractory liner held in fixed, retained relationship with the tube solely by frictional forces and adhesive bonding by the binder material. A method for making of this duct is provided and includes the steps of vacuum-forming of an elongated refractory sleeve or tube from a slurry of ceramic fibers and binder materials onto a tubular forming die, inserting the sleeve while in a hydrated state into a sheet metal supporting tube of complemental shape and size such that adjacent surfaces of the tube and sleeve will be in contacting engagement and then drying the assembly to remove the water resulting in forming of a hard, solid structure refractory liner that is fixed in the tube solely through frictional forces and adhesive bonding by the binder materials.