Abstract: There is disclosed a control system for receiving multichannel frequency multiplex satellite communication signals with channel identification coding wherein a desired channel can be located and locked-on by its identification code without knowing the channel frequency, including a receiver for satellite signals feeding at least one and preferably three or more voltage tunable demodulators. Each tunable demodualtor has an audio output for voice or data to be utilized locally or retransmitted, and an AFC output monitored by the control system; a respective demodulator is normally tuned to keep the AFC output at approximately 90 percent of its maximum value thereby tracking a received carrier signal. A microprocessor is programmed to detect subaudible frequency or other coding in the audio signal and to produce a tuning voltage bump signal on detection of undesired-channel coding; it also generates a reset signal after tuning voltage has reached maximum value to return tuning voltage to minimum value.

Abstract: There is disclosed a paddlewheel aerator drive mechanism in an electric motor powered float mounted paddlewheel aerator for fish farms or similar applications, including a rugged lightweight frame with foam flotation elements and a rotatable multi-paddle rotor at least about three feet in diameter with the paddle rotation path extending substantially below the water line. One end of its shaft is secured in the wall of a substantially water tight drive box assembly. Extending into the drive box assembly parallel to and generally opposite the paddlewheel rotor shaft is a shaft of an electric motor, also mounted on the frame.

Abstract: There is disclosed a shopping cart placement structure with means for children to ascend the stairway and seat themselves in the child seat of a shopping cart, such structure including a base to rest on the floor, a three sided generally rectangular upright enclosure having one open side for admitting a conventional shopping cart, and a stairway of five steps ascending one side of the enclosure leading to the position of a child's seat in a shopping cart. The stairway has a rail or wall at the outer side and may be entered or exited only from the bottom; a gate at the bottom of the stairway with a spring is self closing; a latch is connected to a cart sensing mechanism so the gate cannot be opened in absence of a shopping cart.

Abstract: There is disclosed a leg transfer machine for unloading backs of chickens from a shackle conveyor and feeding the back of the chicken carcass into a conventional chicken leg processor. The machine is positioned under a shackle conveyor and includes an air cylinder-actuated rod positioned to strike both legs of the bird carcass just below the hocks and lift the hocks out of the shackle loop. A slotted guide receives the legs in respective slots with the hocks above the slots preventing the half of the chicken from dropping in an uncontrolled manner. A rake actuatable both vertically and horizontally is controlled to drop in front of the hocks and rake the legs back in the slots while generally vertical rail members contact the crotch of the chicken to cause the legs to extend horizontally as they descend onto an upwardly convex saddle element covering the end portion of the leg processing machine chain conveyor.

Abstract: There is disclosed an integrated cheese package and grater of cylindrical form having a grating screen secured at the bottom of the cylindrical package and means freely rotatable within the package for engaging and turning a cylindrical block of cheese within the package to cause it to be grated with the granules passing through the grating screen. The package is provided with removable sealing strips on the top and/or bottom for enhanced shelf life. Top and bottom caps are provided for resealing the package after use to maintain freshness. One cheese rotating unit comprises a plastic disc having blades on the bottom surface and finger grippable projections on the top thereof. In a variation of the package, the cheese has a central axial hole and the top cap has a shaft extending downward which cooperates with a disc having spikes to engage the cheese block thereby forming a cheese rotating unit; when the top cap is closed the extending shaft resides in the central hollow of the cheese.

Abstract: There is disclosed an internal combustion (V-8) engine having an improved form of cylinder head and intake manifold for augmented combustion air flow and improved fuel mixing wherein the intake chamber immediately upstream of the intake valve is provided with two inlet ducts rather than the usual one inlet duct. The primary inlet duct may be conventional; the secondary inlet duct branches off in a direction more nearly parallel to the central axis of the cylinder and preferably connects to an inlet pipe which draws air through an independent air filter. The secondary inlet duct is provided with its own butterfly valve which can be independently controlled either automatically or manually and may be provided with a fuel injector. Secondary inlet ducts of the system can be attached on the outside to the inlet stacks (for injected engines), to an air breather base (on carburated engines), or to draw filtered air from the atmosphere directly into the system.

Abstract: There is disclosed a variety of single-use dental floss spindles and the process for their production from an elongated strip of semi-rigid sheet material such as paperboard, plastic or a combination thereof, such spindles being generally rectangular, preferably about two inches long by three-quarters inch wide or less, and having wound lengthwise thereon about two feet of dental floss. The spindles are preferably provided with arcuate or straight sided indentations on the ends thereof to better retain the dental floss. Other indentations or openings along the mid-section of the spindles optionally are provided for ease of use or facility of manufacture. Preferably the beginning and finishing ends of floss are secured near opposite edges of a face of the spindles and are retained by a strip of self-adhesive tape or the like, the ends and tape having been severed along with the spindle sheet as one of the last steps of the process of products carried out by hand or by machine or some combination thereof.

Abstract: Red LEDs having sufficient brightness and efficiency are employed for a bicycle tail lamp. A xenon strobe provides extended visibility over the steady red LED beam, identifiable as a vehicle tail lamp; dispersed high intensity flashes of the strobe may be seen directly or observed as reflections from the surroundings. The flash is powered from the difference between the supply potential and that required by the LEDs so the current through the LEDs is controlled without wasting power or adding unproductive circuitry. These elements are located in a retro-reflector similar to that in common use on bicycles to form a warning device that is small, easy to mount, with an uncomplicated electrical hookup; a simplified parallel connection scheme needs only a single wire in addition to the metal bicycle frame. The system has the rechargeable battery and the generator substantially in parallel; generator power is used when the bicycle is in motion and battery power when stopped.

Abstract: There is disclosed a food tray film wrapping machine having an improved film feeding mechanism particularly adapted to feeding pre-printed film from a continuous roll and assuring proper registration of the printing on the film-wrapped tray, including a receiving position for a large film roll provided with a pair of rollers for cradling the film roll, a film feed motor separate from the main wrapping machine motor, an automatic motor control responsive to optical sensors for sensing an index mark on the film sheet and for sensing the presence of a food tray at the machine wrapping station to stop and start the film feed motor, a perforating knife positioned adjacent the index mark sensor for perforating the film on a line across the film without separating it, and an arrangement of a filmfolding arm with gripping means for the film whereby the film sheet is separated at the perforation line as the folding arm tucks the trailing edge of the film sheet at the wrapping station under the food tray.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved form of ejection and transport mechanism in a tray wrapping machine with an elevator that elevates a tray of meat or other product causing it to be wrapped on top and sides by a sheet of stretchable PVC film from a storage roll after which arms fold the edges of the film underneath the tray; the mechanism includes a pusher bar which pushes the fully wrapped tray off of the side of the tray elevating platform while the tray is constrained by a freely rotating endless hold-down belt serving to restrain and guide the tray; the tray is received from the pusher bar action onto a powered roller conveyor with rolls arranged radially along an arc of 90.degree.; the motion of the finished tray upon exiting the roller conveyor is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tray wrapping machine defined by the direction of travel of the PVC film from the storage roll to the elevator position.

Abstract: A novel way of powering a remote visual display and allowing data interchanges over the same wire pair. Such a station may be used for displaying the time, paging a person or an advertising message. The wire pair that powers a remote visual display also carries the electrically encoded message signal. On the same wire pair there is provision for the master message input station to exchange data with slave message input stations without message collision. Information from an input station key pad is captured by the microprocessor which converts the message to a serial binary signal. This signal drives a power transistor which converts a full wave rectified a.c. power current to a pulse width modulated signal which drives the wire pair connected to a remote visual display. The remote visual display power supply rectifies these signal pulses for power to drive the control circuits and display mechanism (light sources or light reflectors) and decodes the pulse width for display message information.

Abstract: There is disclosed a dental hygiene kit including a sealed flat rectangular package formed of a pair of foil lined synthetic plastic sheets sealed together around all the edges thereof and having an end portion which is tearable to open the package. Within the package is a synthetic felt pad about 3.5 by 7.0 by 0.2 cm. folded once to form a square; within the folded synthetic felt pad is approximately 30 cm. of unwaxed dental floss wound on a plastic or paper spindle about 3 cm. by 1 cm. The pad is impregnated with about two cc of liquid consisting of water, about 15% alcohol, and a dentafrice consisting of one or more of the substances thymol, eucalyptol, menthol or benzoic acid. As an alternative to the spindle for the dental floss, the floss may be contained in a transparent plastic bag about 2.5 by 3.0 cm. or may simply be wound in a flat spiral coil.

Abstract: There is disclosed a fire hydrant setting tool useful in engaging the top of a fire hydrant in a manner to maintain it in a vertical position while being lowered and installed for connection to a water main. The tool includes a collar formed of a pair of flat steel plates pivotally connected together to permit relative rotational movement while maintaining the plates in generally coplanar relation, the plates having arcuate openings with one being slightly larger than the other and positioned so that when the plates are closed together an opening in the form of a circle only slightly larger than the cross section of the body of a conventional fire hydrant and smaller than the enlarged cap of such fire hydrant is formed. A bail in the shape of an inverted V formed of steel rod or the like rigidly attaches to the plate having the larger opening so that the apex of the V is directly above the center of the circular opening with the attachment points of the bail being on an extended diameter of the circle.