Abstract: An auto-pull follower is provided for use in a grease gun of the type having a grease reservoir with a piston mounted for reciprocating movement in the reservoir. The reciprocating piston is provided with a novel auto-pull mechanism comprising a spring biased spool mounted for rotation on the piston, and a flexible cord or chain extending from the spool and out of the reservoir through a hole in a rearward end wall of the reservoir. Pulling the end of the cord outside the reservoir causes the spool to rotate against the bias of the spool spring and causes a length of cord to be unwound from the spool. After unwinding the length of cord from the spool, continued pulling of the cord from the reservoir end wall causes the piston to move against the bias of a piston spring in a direction towards the reservoir end wall. The movement of the piston toward the end wall increases the interior volume of the reservoir and enables the loading of grease into the reservoir interior.

Abstract: A golf equipment support rack generally comprising metal wire elements welded together including a pair of wire elements bent to form golf bag hangers. These golf bag hangers are horizontally spaced and provide removable and upright support for a pair of golf bags by means of their upper carrying-strap rings. This golf equipment support rack also has a continuous wire loop bent to form side walls for preventing the golf bags from pivoting too freely and too far outwardly. This golf equipment support rack also has two wire elements bent to form golf shoe supports for two pair of shoes.

Abstract: A heat exchanger cell for a furnace is constructed of first and second cell divisions, each cell division having a general concave configuration and a rim extending around at least a portion of a circumference of the cell division. The first and second cell divisions are positioned adjacent each other and the rim of one cell division is folded over the rim of the other cell division and overlaps opposite sides of the rim of the other cell division forming a seam joining the first and second rims. A crease is formed in the seam joining the cell division rims and is spaced from a terminal edge of the seam. A plurality of indentations are formed in the seam traversing the crease and spaced from the terminal edge of the seam. The crease and plurality of indentations formed in the seam enable the seam to resist relative movement between the rims of the two cell divisions due to alternating heating and cooling of the cell divisions.

Abstract: A method for preparation of rigid foam disclosed. The method comprises mixing at least two components to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture comprises isocyanate, up to about 20% by weight CHClF.sub.2, up to about 2% by weight of water, and a combination of polyols having an average OH number of from about 300 to about 500 and comprising polyalkoxylated glycerin having an OH number of from about 200 to about 300 and in which the alkoxy groups each have from two to about three carbon atoms. Related methods and compositions are also disclosed.

Abstract: A parallel jaw pliers apparatus is comprised of a first lever member having a handle at one end and a first jaw surface at its opposite end, a second lever member pivotally connected to the first lever member and having a handle at one end and a pair of arms at its opposite end, and a jaw member mounted to the first lever member for translatory movement relative thereto and mounted to the second lever member for pivoting movement relative thereto. The connections between the first and second lever members and the jaw member provide an unobstructed working area between opposed jaw surfaces of the pliers apparatus. The component parts of the pliers apparatus are constructed to center force distributions through the center of each of the component parts when the pliers are in use.

Abstract: A rotary cutting die assembly comprised of a mandrel adapted to be rotatably mounted in a rotary die cutting press, and a cylindrical cutting sleeve and drive gear slip fit over the mandrel, provide a method and apparatus for replacing the cutting edge of a rotary cutting die at a reduced cost for materials, manufacturing and shipping than that associated with conventional rotary cutting die replacement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ball retriever and more particularly, to an attachment for temporarily attaching to an end of an extension member, and the attachment while it is so attached to the extension member being used for retrieving a ball, such as a golf ball on the ground or the like. When not in use, this attachment lies at rest in a substantially flat condition, being conveniently sized to slip into a standard breast pocket or the like.

Abstract: An electrical connector of generally clam-shell construction includes an integral mount at the cable end of only one connector half to thereby provide an integral mount for a flexible strain relief. Additionally, a P.C. board mounted overtemperature sensing circuit is contained within the connector to sense an overtemperature condition inside the connector itself and illuminate an LED to provide a visual indication to an operator that an overtemperature condition has occurred. The LED remains illuminated so long as the connector is connected in circuit with the battery being charged and will remain so even after the battery charger's automatic circuitry reduces or cuts off charger power to the circuit. The circuit automatically resets itself for reuse upon disconnection (and cooling) of the connector from the charging circuit.

Abstract: A multi-cast switching system comprised of a pair of high speed data networks, each of said data networks being either a Benes network, a Clos network, or a Cantor network, and configured to provide point-to-point switching only in the first network and multi-cast switching in the second network, may be non-blocking for adding a multi-cast connection and re-arrangeably non-blocking for augmenting an existing multi-cast connection using the algorithm which essentially consists of identifying the most lightly loaded middle stage switch, connecting the input to the middle stage switch, and connecting the outputs to the middle stage switch. A minimal speed advantage for each type of network is presented and thereby reduces the cost of each network in order to achieve non-blocking operation.

Abstract: A bandwidth management and congestion control scheme for a multi-cast ATM network which includes a buffer reservation mechanism comprised of a state machine for association with each virtual circuit set up through the network, the state machine being adapted to monitor the number of available buffer slots at a data link and reading an encoding scheme for cells comprising a burst of data in order to control its switching from an active to an idle state to thereby control the flow of data through the virtual circuit. A state dependent token pool mechanism is associated with each virtual circuit and generates tokens at varying rates which are "used" by transmitted data in order to monitor and control the average data rate passing through a data link over a virtual circuit. By thus monitoring and controlling the peak data rate and average data rate, the bandwidth for each data link is efficiently managed to maximize data throughput and minimize loss of data cells from data bursts.

Abstract: A transmitter/receiver apparatus includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter includes an intermittent signal generator and an intermittent modulator. The intermittent signal generator generates an intermittent signal. The intermittent modulator outputs an intermittent modulated signal, as a radio signal, which is obtained by intermittently modulating a carrier on the basis of the intermittent signal. The receiver includes a synchronization determining circuit and a synchronization detector. The synchronization determining circuit has a receiving circuit for receiving the radio signal from the transmitter and outputting a demodulated signal and is designed to detect the presence/absence of the demodulated signal and output a determining signal.

Abstract: An improved strut spring compression tool is provided having a load screw that extends between pairs of arms that are engaged with spaced coils of a strut spring to be compressed. The improved load screw is provided with a stop block formed unitarily thereon. The stop block serves as a limit stop that prevents further adjustment of the arms of the spring compression tool toward each other that could potentially result in damage to the component parts of the strut spring compression tool.

Abstract: A ribbed trash container suitable for supporting a collapsible trash liner comprising a hollow body having an open top, a closed bottom, and an interior surface portion provided with a plurality of laterally spaced apart, generally vertical ribs. The ribs define between themselves a plurality of narrow channels that extend longitudinally between the open top and closed bottom. In another embodiment, the ribs and channels are formed in an adaptor piece for assembling with and upgrading a standard trash container. The channels of either embodiment have such narrow laterally dimensioned openings that projections of the liner are generally unable to enter the channels to a degree which would significantly obstruct the passage of air therethrough.

Abstract: A razor shaving apparatus is provided having a telescopically extendable and retractable body with a manual handle at one end and a pivoting razor shaving assembly at its opposite end, and having a soap or lotion applicator detachably secured to the razor shaving assembly.

Abstract: A vibration isolating mount for use with a vibratory pile driver and extractor is comprised of a pair of identical plates that are spaced from each and are interconnected by a polyether-based urethane center member. Each of the plates are provided with pluralities of attachment holes for attaching the vibration isolating mount between an exciter and a suspension housing of a vibratory pile driver and extractor. Each of the plates is also provided with pluralities of lug holes that are filled with the polyether-based urethane of the center member and provide a mechanical connection between the plates and the center member in addition to a chemical bond adhering the plates to the center member.