Abstract: A method and a machine for automatically making wooden chair seats. A feed conveyor is provided to sequentially advance a plurality of boards in a series spaced apart manner along a plurality of separate work stations. Board positioning and holding elements are provided at each of the stations to hold the boards thereat at a precise location to effect a work function to the boards. The displacement of the boards are also synchronized together whereby they are displaced from all of the stations simultaneously. A drilling station is provided to drill holes on at least one side face of the boards. A routing station routes a pattern in a surface of the boards. A sanding station sands the routed surface and thereafter the boards are conveyed to a contour cutting station where a predetermined peripheral outline is cut in the boards. An edge sander than smoothes out the cut outline edge of the boards and a transfer device transports the boards after they have been completely machined into seats to an unloading area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of providing thrust and added lift to a vehicle by accelerating fluid heated by solar energy. The present invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out the aforementioned method. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a method of providing initial acceleration and propulsion or enhancing the initial acceleration and propulsion of a vehicle in an environment having at least some fluid, the vehicle being of the type having at least one member, at least a portion of which is treated for absorbing solar radiation for heating fluid adjacent the member for use in propelling the vehicle through the environment. By use of direct and/or focused solar radiation, fluid is heated, accelerated and deflected away from a vehicle by natural or forced convection to provide thrust and lift of the vehicle.

Abstract: A device for obtaining readings of statistical variables in a random manner. The device comprises a base member having a bottom wall, a cylindrical side wall extending vertically above the bottom wall, and a vertical centering post projecting from the bottom wall centrally of the cylindrical side wall. A data carrying circular spool, having a circular bottom wall, is centrally supported for rotation on the post. The cylindrical side wall has reference location for obtaining a reading of information from the spool.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a device for opening a shell fish of the type having two shell halves normally held closed against each other by a muscle. The device of the invention comprises means for supporting the shell fish with one shell half resting substantially flat on the support means, means on the support means for providing an abutment for the shell fish, and link means pivotally connected to the abutment means so as to permit pivotal movement of a free end portion of the link means toward and away from the support means. The device further includes lever means pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof to the free end portion of the link means so as to permit pivotal movement of one end of the lever means toward and away from the abutment means, and wedge means hinged to the other end of the lever means and adapted to contact the shell fish at the edge defined between the shell halves substantially opposite the abutment means.

Abstract: A method and a device for sampling a radiation field emitted from an X-ray machine for determining certain operational characteristics of the machine. A cassette container is disposed at a predetermined position relative to a radiation field of the X-ray machine. The cassette container houses a removable holder containing one or more thermo-luminiscent crystals associated with a respective one or more crystal filters supported in the container. The filters have different densities from one another.

Abstract: In a reservoir for use in treating a solution fed thereto, the improvement comprising: an overflow system, said system including: an overflow stand-pipe in the reservoir for use in skimming solution in the reservoir and removing the same therefrom; and a sensor in the reservoir for use in detecting the solution level in the reservoir and for controlling the introduction of further solution into the reservoir, thereby to control the amount of solution skimmed into the stand-pipe. In a proportioner for use in metering and dispensing specified proportions of additives, for example into a solution, the proportioner including conduit apparatus for receiving and mixing at least two solution feed supplies fed thereto, the improvement comprising: a metering pump connected to a selected one of said solution feed supplies, for metering the flow therefrom.

Abstract: An integral elongated symmetrical roller of overall circular cross-section throughout made up of a pair of spaced apart annular traction rings intervened by inwardly tapering studded base surfaces of lesser diameter each meeting a central annular studded ridge. The ends of the roller may be provided with a bed of studs.

Abstract: A mandril for mounting a cone used for winding thread or the like comprising in combination, a first cone-like member having a substantially conical outer surface, the member adapted to receive a shaft therein for use in mounting the mandril, the conical outer surface having abutment means thereon selectively extendable outwardly therefrom to thereby provide selectively, a protuberance on the conical outer surface and a second member, adapted to enter within the first member, means on the second member adapted to engage means on the first member when the first and second members are assembled together, to ensure locking and driving engagement therebetween, the second member also having means thereon cooperatively engageable with the abutment means and arranged such that, in a first position relative to the first member, the abutment means will not be extended by the means but in a second position relative to the first member, the abutment means will be extended by the means, outwardly of the surface to thereb

Abstract: A method of removing from a valve, a backseat and packing means, without the necessity of first removing the packing means from the body of the valve so as to provide access for removal of the backseat, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a member and with the same cooperatively engaging the backseat for purpose of removing the same from the valve; (b) manipulating the member so as to release the backseat from its secured position within the body of the valve; and (c) further manipulating the member to withdraw the backseat and the packing means from the valve body. There is provided an apparatus for carrying out the aforementioned method.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with an improved underwater swimming mask or goggles having a lens with an inner surface, a frame mounting the lens in spaced relationship to a swimmer's eyes and a water-excluding face-fitting skirt peripherally extending from the frame. The improvement comprises wiper means mounted for sweeping movement across a viewing area of the lens and in wiping contact with the lens inner surface, and weight means connected to and displaceable with the wiper means for moving same in response to tilting movements of the mask or goggles when worn by the swimmer during swimming. The tilting movements resulting from the swimmer rotating his head from side to side cause the weight means to be displaced by gravity and to thereby move the wiper means therewith so as to dissipate mist or droplets of water collected on the lens inner surface and to clear the viewing area of the lens.

Abstract: An edge folding and creasing machine for folding and creasing edges in fabrics and wherein there is provided a moving die displaceable to and away from a stationary support plate. A flat punch head is reciprocable and retractable in a cavity provided in the support plate. The die has a die cavity with a wall surface juxtaposed to an open end of the cavity. Folding plates are provided adjacent the open end of the cavity to fold a protruding marginal portion of a fabric held in the die cavity by the flat punch head. The punch head is retractable on its planar axis out of the folded marginal creased edge of the fabric and back into the stationary support plate. The fabric with the folded circumferential edge is retained in the die cavity and released therefrom after the die cavity has been displaced away from the support plate.

Abstract: A sleeve for use in the treatment of textile threads and yarns including dying having a shell wherein the shell comprises peripherally extending spaced apart rings which are elastically yielding in the axial direction of the shell and spaced-apart webs which are elastically yielding in the axial direction of the shell, connecting the rings, the axially consecutive webs being laterally offset relative to each other whereby when the rings and webs are yielding, the rings become serpentine and the webs become bowed, at least selected ones of the webs being adapted to bow in a selected common direction generally circumferential with respect to the sleeve to ensure substantially uniform displacement of the sleeve members, thus to provide a sleeve having minimum restriction for passage of dye and which sleeve is substantially rigid in yielded or non-yielded state.

Abstract: A self-drilling and self-extruding fastener having a constant cross section stem and a tapering end portion terminating in a sharp point. The stem is provided with a pair of screw threads of like configuration. The tapering portion is provided with a third thread which begins at the pointed forward end in a very steep lead angle which functions as a drilling portion and thereafter the lead angle decreases so that the third thread may function to extrude the metal surrounding a guide opening formed by the drilling portion. Depending upon the screw thread configurations, one or both of the screw threads cooperate with the third thread to further extrude sheetmetal surrounding the guide opening into a cylindrical bore, after which the screw threads self-tap into the wall of the cylindrical bore of the projection and thereby firmly grip the sheetmetal.

Abstract: A compact carton for beer bottles and the like is formed from a unitary blank and incorporates a dividing partition having a carrying handle formed therewith disposed centrally, vertically below the top of the carton; a display opening is defined in the top of the carton permitting a pleasing display of the carton contents and access to the handle. The filled cartons can be readily stacked one on top of the other for storage and transport and the contents can be readily removed by the customer through the display opening without breaking the carton apart. The carton has the additional advantage that it can be end-loaded.

Abstract: A method of purveying food in which a variety of foods are cooked and frozen in disposable containers of ovenable sheet material each having a mouth surrounded by an outstanding lip and preferably a removable cover. At the time of serving, a plurality of the containers of frozen food are selected, to make up a meal, and a serving assembly provided by placing them in inverted position on an ovenable serving plate having a retaining rim, with the lips of adjacent containers overlapping each other or abutting the rim and to form a base that seats on the plate surface. The assembly is then heated to eating temperature and placed before the diner and the containers removed to display the foods as a normal serving. An aspect of the invention is the ovenable assembly of filled containers inverted on a serving plate having a retaining rim.

Abstract: A navigation channel is made in the ice covering the surface of a waterway by propelling a vessel so that its bow breaks the ice to form a channel having a width of the beam of the ship and an auxiliary channel is similarly formed at each side of the ship in rear of its bow to provide leeway for the ship to turn. As the ship is turned, the auxiliary channel is enlarged by breaking the ice on the edge of the auxiliary channel toward the stern of the ship to give it greater leeway to turn. The auxiliary channel may be broken out by fin means projecting from the side of the ship effective to exert forward, upward and outward force against the ice blanket to break pieces from it.

Abstract: A paper forming fabric having two layers of synthetic weft strands with interwoven synthetic warp strands and approximately 100% warp fill. The upper layer of the fabric comprises a regular array of mesh openings in which the distance between consecutive openings measured in the weft direction is never greater than the thickness of a single warp strand and measured in the warp direction is never greater than the thickness of a single weft strand.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for automatically measuring the thickness and the roughness of elongated articles, such as wooden boards. The device comprises a housing having an opening therethrough to receive at least a portion of a board to be measured. At least one contact probe is provided in the housing and is biased against at least one surface of the board to sense irregularities in the flatness of the surface along a measured length thereof. A measuring circuit is connected to the contact probe to provide a measurement signal representative of the sensed irregularities and variations in thickness. A distance measuring device is also provided in the housing to measure the distance of displacement of the board past the contact probe. An output display means indicates selected ones of the measurements obtained. A computing means accumulates measured values of the means, minimum and maximum thickness, for a group of boards and permits the extraction of such statistical information.

Abstract: A warp restoring device for use in a neck of a stringed musical instrument. The device comprises a pair of rods held in parallel relationship. A connecting block is secured at a common end of the rods. A threaded member cooperates with the connecting block to cause limited axial displacement of one of the rods. A rod connection is spaced from a far end of the rods to immovably interconnect both said rods in a connection zone to control the position of a bending zone for the rods when the threaded member is rotated in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: A phonograph including a lower casing having a turntable. A cover is removably positionable over this turntable and has a top wall disposed in fixed parallel relationship to the plane of the turntable. The cover is made of a non-magnetizable material. A magnetizing disc is provided and having a plurality of magnets secured in a spaced apart manner on an upper face thereof. A drive post is provided and has a detachably securable end to connect to the disc and space the disc above the turntable. The post also has an engaging opposed end to engage with a center hole in the turntable to impart axial rotation to the post when the turntable rotates, whereby to impart a rotational drive to the disc to cause free displacement of magnetically attractable elements disposed on an outer surface of the cover when positioned thereover.