Abstract: A method of disposing of wet radioactive waste materials such as those generated in the water used to cool atomic reactors, comprising combining the waste material with a hydrophilic resin in proportions sufficient to provide a solid mass of the resin with the radioactive waste component distributed within. In its preferred form, the waste material is concentrated by separating water from the radioactive portions thereof by methods such as evaporation, taking up the waste components with an ion exchange resin and separating the resin from the bulk of the water, or by the addition of flocculating agents or the like and filtering. The preferred hydrophilic resinous material is a conventional urea-formaldehyde dispersion, which is partially polymerized and capable of taking up water and fully polymerizing upon the addition of an acidic curing agent.

Abstract: A device for facilitating knitting of cable stitch patterns having an elongated, bluntly pointed straight shank and a continuation of the shank formed in a loop of more than 360.degree., with a portion of the loop curving back into closely spaced proximity to the shank, the spacing being less than the thickness of the yarn being used. An end portion of the loop has a curvature exceeding the curvature of the adjacent portion of the loop so as to diverge from the latter.

Abstract: The disclosed wind turbine has zero mean camber airfoil blades vertically pivoted at the outer ends of pairs of radius arms. The inner ends of the radius arms are fixed to a rotating mast. Each blade is provided with a steering vane. The deflection of each vane with respect to its associated blade is controlled by a cam toggle mechanism. The disclosed cam toggle mechanism includes a double-faced face cam, having a closed cam track on its upper face and another closed cam track on its lower face. Each cam track consists of two circular dwell portions.

Abstract: A flush water conserver adapted for easy retrofitting to existing standard toilet flush tanks is disclosed. The standard trip lever fixed to the pivot shaft of the toilet operating handle is replaced with a trip lever mounted on a pivot which is located between the operating handle pivot shaft and the adjacent sidewall of the flush tank. A rocker is affixed to the operating handle pivot shaft. This rocker is located below the new trip lever and the new trip lever rests on it. Thus, the new trip lever is raised when the operating handle is rocked in either direction. A control float is provided, and a stop is affixed to the flush ball stem. The stop is so constructed and located that when, during a flushing operation, the water in the flush tank has only partially receded, the weight of the control float is brought to bear on the stop, and thus the flush ball is pressed toward its seat while the control float continues to drop with the receding water.

Abstract: A tool for removing injectors from diesel engines having a working head proportioned to fit closely within the outer end of the central passage of a diesel injector and provided with a shoulder for limiting penetration thereinto. A transverse passage in the working head contains a spring-loaded pin having a stop to limit the distance by which the outer end of the pin projects beyond the cylindrical surface of the working head when the tool is not in use. In use, the spring-loaded pin is depressed to permit the outer end of the working head to be inserted into the central passage of the diesel injector until the shoulder bears against the diesel injector. The working head is replaceably carried on an elongated shaft, and a massive cylindrical driving member is slideable on the same shaft between a stop at the outer end of the shaft and the working head.

Abstract: A shipping container overpack for safe transportation of radioactive and other hazardous materials provides a leakproof receptacle for containing and protecting the material to be shipped against accidental release and dispersal into the surrounding environment. The receptacle is of conventional size and shape for shipping containers and has spaced inner and outer shells with a layer of foamed polyurethane occupying the space therebetween to provide sealing, insulation and reinforcement. The polyurethane foam is rigidly compressible and adheres to and reinforces the spaced inner and outer shells to provide a stress skin structure. Gusset plates are secured to the inner surface of the outer shell in covering relation to the corners and edges, defining a reinforcing framework of triangular cross-section tubular elements. Relatively rigid polyurethane foam is containd within the tubular elements to add further reinforcement and redundant sealing capacity.

Abstract: A convertible electrical plug is disclosed in which one of the prongs is a retractable grounding prong movable between a forwardly projecting active position and a rearwardly projecting inactive position, the grounding prong being releasably locked in the active position for insertion into a three-prong receptacle and movable to the inactive position for insertion of the plug into a two-prong receptacle. In one form of the invention, the grounding prong is axially reciprocable in a metal tube connected to the ground wire of the electrical cord, and a manually engageable latch releasably locks the grounding prong in its active position. A spring is provided for automatically urging the grounding prong to its latched, active position. In another form of the invention, the grounding prong has an end pivotally mounted in a channel in the plug body, with the prong being swingable about the pivot between its active position and inactive position.

Abstract: A photoelectric data card system is disclosed in which the cards are transmissivity-coded, so that light of a particular wave length and intensity is transmitted in varying degrees of different code digit representing areas of the cards, and thus the intensity of the light emerging from each of these code digit representing areas can be photoelectrically interpreted as the value of the digit represented by that area. A laminated card for use in this system is disclosed in which the transmissivity levels of the digit representing areas are provided by halftone printing on an inner lamination of dark-pigmented plastic card stock, and the inner lamination is sealed between two white-pigmented laminations of plastic card stock, the white-pigmented laminations being pigmented to such an extent that neither the location of the digit representing areas nor the values of the digits represented can be determined by casual inspection of the card.

Abstract: A system for disposing of radioactive waste material from nuclear reactors by solidifying the liquid components to produce an encapsulated mass adapted for disposal by burial. The method contemplates mixing of radioactive waste materials, with or without contained solids, with a setting agent capable of solidifying the waste liquids into a free standing hardened mass, placing the resulting liquid mixture in a container with a proportionate amount of a curing agent to effect solidification under controlled conditions, and thereafter burying the container and contained solidified mixture. The setting agent is a water-extendable polymer consisting of a suspension of partially polymerized particles of urea formaldehyde in water, and the curing agent is sodium bisulfate.

Abstract: A hand operated puppet which is operable from overhead puppet strings with the generally articulated figure of a bird. A plurality of styrofoam and fabric balls are strung together to form the legs and body with strips of fake fur attached to the body balls, and feathers on the head. One of the eyes is open and one closed to give the appearance that the bird is blinking.

Abstract: A rotary engine for two cycle operation having arcuate combustion chambers formed in a rotor and correspondingly arcuate pistons mounted for swinging reciprocation in the combustion chambers on connecting rods pivoted to the rotor. The housing contains the rotor and provides an oblong inner periphery forming a raceway for cam followers mounted on the pistons so that, when ignition of the fuel mixture occurs at the beginning of a power stroke, the pistons are forced outwardly against the relative incline of the raceway in such a manner as to cause the pistons to impart rotary motion to the rotor. At about the end of the power stroke, the movement of the rotor causes recesses formed in the rotor at the inner end of the combustion chamber to communicate with exhaust and intake ports formed in the housing on opposite sides of the rotor for venting the spent gases through one of the recesses and receiving a fresh charge of fuel mixture under pressure through the other recess in a scavenging fashion.

Abstract: A method for extraction of oil from oil shale in which the shale is first crushed and then classified by a rotating trammel screen into four separate portions of differing longest particle dimension, namely less than 1/4 inch, less than 1/2 inch, less than 3/4 inch and greater than 3/4 inch, with the first three portions being treated while passing through the trammel screen and each portion then separately centrifuged under conditions of centrifuge speed, time and added heat optimal for shale particles of that size. The fourth portion is recrushed. The applied heat may be dry heat, dry steam or wet steam, and the temperature range lies between 200 degrees Farenheit and the flash point of the oil to be reextracted from the shale. Pressures ranging from atmospheric to slightly above atmospheric may be applied.

Abstract: Apparatus for receiving video output from a patient scanning device and photographing a plurality of video displays sequentially in multiple images onto a sheet of x-ray film. A video monitor adapted for connection to a scanning device, such as a gamma ray or ultrasonic imaging system, and having a display tube mounted in a housing in spaced relation to a wide angle lens formed to project the image of the face of the display tube onto a sheet of film supported in a film holder mounted on the housing. The positioning of the image on the film is determined by the vertical and lateral positioning of the lens relative to perpendicular X and Y axes corresponding to the length and width of the film. The lens is provided with a shutter for controlling the passage of light therethrough, and a pair of reversing electric motors are provided for selectively positioning the lens along the X and Y axes.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a transducer carrying frame having a spine and arms extending from the spine. A transducer is mounted at the foot of the spine and two sled bearings are mounted at the outer ends of the arms, to form a sled assembly which can slide over the recording surface of a magnetic recording disc with the contact face of the transducer and the bearing faces of the sled bearings contacting the recording surface. The sled assembly is attached to the outer, non-supported end of a cantilever leaf spring. When this cantilever leaf spring is undeflected it holds the sled assembly near the recording surface of the recording disc but out of contact with it. A presser foot is provided to press upon the sled assembly and thus deflect the first cantilever leaf spring and bring the sled assembly into recording and reproducing contact with the recording surface of the recording disc. The presser foot is mounted on a second cantilever leaf spring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing the weld strength of through-the-wall battery connections of the type having upstanding flat plate-like projections on opposite sides of the battery partition the testing being accomplished by application of shear forces to such connections parallel to the partition so that the structural integrity of weldments successfully resisting the test forces is not compromised. The apparatus includes anvil and pressure members which bear against opposite edges of the projections and a pneumatic cylinder formed to urge the anvil and pressure members toward each other parallel to the partition, thus applying a shearing force of desired magnitude controlled by the air pressure supplied to the cylinder.

Abstract: A method of disposing of wet radioactive waste materials such as those generated in the water used to cool atomic reactors, comprising combining the waste material with a hydrophilic resin in proportions sufficient to provide a solid mass of the resin with the radioactive waste component distributed within. In its preferred form, the waste material is concentrated by separating water from the radioactive portions thereof by methods such as evaporation, taking up the waste components with an ion exchange resin and separating the resin from the bulk of the water, or by the addition of flocculating agents or the like and filtering. The preferred hydrophilic resinous material is a conventional urea-formaldehyde dispersion, which is partially polymerized and capable of taking up water and fully polymerizing upon the addition of an acidic curing agent.

Abstract: An engine synchronizer for synchronizing the speed of a slave engine with the speed of a master engine is disclosed. The disclosed synchronizer includes a comparison and control circuit deriving input signals from the distributors of two engines, e.g., the two engines of a power boat, one engine being arbitrarily designated the master engine and the other being arbitrarily designated the slave engine. The throttle of each engine is coupled to its associated hand throttle lever by means of a Bowden cable. One end of the sheath of the slave engine throttle control cable is attached to a slidable bracket. The slidable bracket is positioned within its limits of sliding movement by a positioning motor operating through a rack and pinion. Power to energize the positioning motor is supplied by the comparison and control circuit.

Abstract: Methods are discussed for treating liquid and particulate radioactive waste materials for transportation and storage. The disclosed methods include the reading of an ohmmeter connected across a pair of separate and mutually insulated liquid level sensing electrical contacts arranged to contact the surface of a mixture of radioactive waste materials and a setting agent when a container is filled to a predetermined level with that mixture and determining from variations in the resistance between the sensing contacts the time when the mixture is solidified. The disclosed methods also include the flowing of a coating material such as the setting agent unmixed with the radioactive material over the surface of the solidified mixture after the resistance between the sensing contacts reaches a maximum and then causing the coating material to harden and produce a surface free of waste water.

Abstract: A whirlpool bath device having a valve assembly including a concentric ring and cap for manual control of the water inlet pressure and the flow of air entrained in the water, the cap being spring loaded to afford pressure relief and prevent breakage. The water and entrained air emerge into the tub through a discharge outlet having an adjustable and wear-compensating nozzle provided with a dished flange engageable by the foot of the user for controlling the direction of the output flow through the nozzle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for treating plate panels or plates for electric storage batteries, the apparatus providing special movable racks for transporting a plurality of plate panels through the entire process of formation, preserving, washing, treating and drying. The racks provide spaced vertical slots for accommodating the battery plates in such manner that the weight of the plates rests on a pair of spaced contact bars extending longitudinally along the bottom of the rack in position to support the battery plates and provide electric contact during the charging operation. The contact bars are formed either with inerted V-shaped ridges or inclined surfaces to permit the weight of the plates to make a firm connection between the plate lugs and the contact bars. In one form of the invention, the contact bars are mounted in the formation tank, while in another form of the invention the contact bars are incorporated into the rack.