Abstract: There is disclosed a system of fixtures for use with standard dimension lumber for constructing pitched roofs for residential or commercial wood frame structures including gabled roofs, hip roofs and more complex roof structures. One form of sheet metal fixture takes the uncut ends of a pair of two inch (nominal) thickness lengths of lumber and is so shaped that the two lengths of lumber are joined with the fixture and common nails at a selected angle corresponding to the desired angle between rafters at the peak of a gabled roof. Other disclosed fixtures are shaped to join a hip rafter with one or more common rafters or jack rafters. Similar fixtures are used to join valley rafters with jack rafters. Further plate fixtures secure the lower ends of rafters to the plate on top of the exterior wall frame without the necessity for an angle cut or bird's mouth cut in the rafter.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for detecting phase unbalance in a 3-phase electric power system and initiating protective shutdown for motors or other loads in the system which includes a 3-phase rectifier, a peak voltage measuring circuit, a comparison circuit for comparing each phase maximum with a predetermined proportion of the peak voltage and generating a pulse whenever a phase maximum exceeds the predetermined proportion of the peak voltage, a missing-pulse detection circuit receiving the pulses, a fault circuit producing a fault signal in response to a signal from the missing-pulse circuit, a delay circuit responsive to the fault circuit and a visual indicator and relay for indicating a persistent phase unbalance fault and initiating protective action.

Abstract: There is shown a dispenser for dated products including an elongated magazine with an access opening at the bottom and two compartments for holding containers so they will be one-by-one fed by gravity to the access opening. A gate in the form of a block or the like blocks one or the other of the compartments from the access opening and the gate is blocked from moving from one position to the other by the presence of containers in one side of the access opening. When the compartment on one side is empty the gate is movable to access to the other compartment. The containers are a snug fit in the magazine compartments so they are not readily removed from the top of the dispenser; in addition the dispenser may be provided with a top cover to discourage access from the top of the dispenser. The dispenser may be arranged in a vertical position or, in another embodiment, generally horizontal with a slight slope so that round containers will feed by gravity to the access opening.

Abstract: There is disclosed a variety of magnetic ball thrust bearings in use in low friction applications such as anemometers, drills or the like wherein a permanent magnet or other source of magnetomotive force produces a magnetic flux in a closed path which passes through each ball of the ball bearing and attracts the balls and races together. In some embodiments the magnetic flux is also relied upon to produce mutual repulsion between the balls of the bearing thus serving as a magnetic ball cage. In addition to multiple ball and double race bearings, there are disclosed single ball and double socket, fixed ball and single socket, sharpened pivot and socket, and multiple roller; wherein magnetic flux is directed from a rotating shaft into the stationary member through the bearing surfaces and a path of return is provided through a magnetic shunt, a collar bearing, or some combination thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a fireplace screen comprising a frame which fits against the fireplace opening and a pair of doors hinged at the side which substantially close the fireplace opening and are fitted with glass panes so that the interior of the fireplace is visible from the adjacent room. The fireplace doors are of substantial thickness and are provided with vertical tubes inside the glass panes which have openings at the top and the bottom of the door to permit the passage of air from the room through the tubes and back into the room again. The tubes are preferably black to make them beat absorbing at least on the side facing the fireplace with the result that the tubes become quite hot and the air passing through the tubes is significantly heated. Heating of the air causes a chimney effect so that the air is drawn in at the bottom of the tube heated and exhausted at the top of the tube.

Abstract: A heating-ventilating system including an air duct adapted to be installed in an exterior wall of a poultry house and having a fan mounted near the interior end of the duct and a fuel burner mounted in the duct upstream from said fan, the fuel burner being adapted to burn fuel efficiently in the high velocity air flow provided by the fan; an igniter including an electric spark generator for igniting the burner in response to an electrical signal, a first stage fuel control valve and a second stage fuel control valve with the main fuel control valve responding to a flame sensor and to a thermostat in the interior of the poultry house and the second stage fuel control valve responding to a second independent thermostat; a control for the fan which operates the fan alone in response to a warmer than desired temperature in the poultry house, which causes the fan to turn off at a desired temperature range in the poultry house, and which causes the fan to operate in conjunction with the fuel burner for lower than d

Abstract: There is disclosed a water distiller, primarily for producing water for human consumption which includes a boiler with an electric heater, a fractional distillation tower extending about two or more feet above the boiler, a gas trap at the top of the tower, and a steam conduit exiting from the tower below the gas trap and leading into a condensation tube with a water-cooled jacket. The boiler and tower are of uniform cross-section to facilitate cleaning by running a swab through this tube. An unprocessed water inlet is located in the bottom of the water jacket, and at the top of the water jacket is an exit orifice for preheated input water. A conduit for preheated input water leads to the bottom-most part of the boiler of the distiller. An overflow conduit is provided which is directly opposite the preheated water inlet; the highest point of the overflow conduit serves to automatically regulate the depth and volume of water in the boiler.

Abstract: There is disclosed a clamping device primarily for clamping workpieces in production forming presses or other production tools which includes a toggle mechanism powered by an air cylinder or other power actuator and cooperating in tandem with a hand toggle mechanism; the hand toggle mechanism provides a short travel at a very high force for the moving one of a pair of clamping jaws. The hand toggle mechanism must be moved through its travel to a locked position to actuate the powered toggle mechanism and preferably a valve or other control for the power actuator is positioned to operate upon locking of the hand toggle mechanism. The hand toggle mechanism is spring biased to unlock and open after the locking force imparted by the power toggle mechanism has been released. The release of the power toggle mechanism is by a hand operated valve or a press operated valve so that manual opening of the clamping jaws is not required on the part of the operator.

Abstract: There is disclosed electronic apparatus for devitalizing a band of cells girdling a tree trunk to cause the death of an unwanted tree or other plant, including a source of radio-frequency energy, and first and second r.f. electrical couplers to the stem or trunk of the plant or tree; preferably such couplers are flexible chains or the like and are caused to encircle the tree by a first actuator which closes jaws of a portable portion of the apparatus around the tree and a second actuator which draws the flexible couplers snug against the trunk of the tree. Death of the plant is believed caused primarily by devitalization of a band of cells girdling the stem of the plant and in particular the cambium cell layers are devitalized by being elevated in temperature by dielectric heating or induction heating effects.

Abstract: A personal security alarm including a loud speaker powered by an audio frequency signal generator to produce a siren effect and a high intensity flashlamp, both of which are activated upon operation of a remote switch and can be deactivated only by a key switch on the alarm. A generally conical transparent plastic extension from the center of the loud speaker horn encloses the flashlamp and also disperses the sound. Preferably the high voltage power for the flashlamp is derived from a transformer supplied with the audio frequency signal provided to the loud speaker.

Abstract: There is disclosed a water distiller, primarily for producing water for human consumption which includes a boiler, a distillation tower extending about two or more feet above the boiler, and a steam conduit exiting from near the top of the tower leading into a helically grooved condensation tube with a water-cooled jacket. The boiler and tower are of uniform cross-section to facilitate cleaning. The water jacket has a water inlet located in the bottom and an exit orifice for preheated input water at the top. A conduit from the orifice leads to an evaporator for volatile impurities on top of the tower, and a conduit for preheated input water leads to the bottommost part of the boiler from the evaporator. An overflow conduit with an intermittent siphon is provided connected to the bottom of the boiler; the highest and lowest points of the siphon serve to automatically regulate the maximum and minimum depths of water in the boiler.

Abstract: There is disclosed a chess set, which in its assembled form includes the customary sixteen pawns and sixteen major pieces, but in which all six forms of the pieces consist of, or are assembled from, just three pieces representing the pawn, the knight and the bishop; the assembly is accomplished by forming interlocking stacks from two or more of the basic pieces which are preferably cruciform in shape with either a central projection or central opening.

Abstract: There is disclosed a waste compacter including a ruggedly constructed cage structure with a heavy lower door and lighter upper doors and a ram mounted for downward movement to compact waste in the bottom of the cage structure. A portion of the floor structure of the cage serves as an ejector; it is hinged near the front, connected at the back to a link which extends up the rear of the compacter cage, and is fitted with a hook that engages a moveable finger on the ram. The finger on the ram is arranged to be restored to an inoperative position upon downward motion of the ram. Channels or grooves are provided in the bottom surface of the ram, the rear of the compacter cage, and the floor of the compacter cage which effectively interconnect so that a fish tool may be pushed through such channels and grooves to permit a wire or cord to be drawn around three sides of the bale and tied at the front of the compacter.

Abstract: There is disclosed a water distiller, primarily for producing water for human consumption which includes a boiler, a distillation tower extending about two or more feet above the boiler, and a steam conduit exiting from near the top of the tower leading into a helically grooved condensation tube with a water-cooled jacket. The boiler and tower are of uniform cross-section to facilitate cleaning. The water jacket has a water inlet located in the bottom and an exit orifice for preheated input water at the top. A conduit from the orifice leads to an evaporator for volatile impurities on top of the tower, and a conduit for preheated input water leads to the bottommost part of the boiler from the evaporator. An overflow conduit with an intermittent siphon is provided connected to the bottom of the boiler; the highest and lowest points of the siphon serve to automatically regulate the maximum and minimum depths of water in the boiler.

Abstract: There is disclosed a monitoring system for monitoring the rate at which a liquid such as fertilizer or insecticide or herbicide is dispensed by spraying from a moving vehicle. The system determines and displays an indication of the application rate in gallons per acre or liters per hectare using straightforward computations from inputs representing the outputs of sensors for vehicle velocity, width of spray pattern, and liquid flow rate. Visual and/or audible indicators are also provided to warn the operator when the actual application rate differs from the desired application rate by more than a predetermined permissable error factor.