Abstract: A land irrigation system is illustrated in which an elongated sprinkler line continuously travels in a direction transverse to its length along the length dimension of a stationary water main and is continuously supplied with water from upstanding hydrants spaced along the length of the water main. Driven tractor means moves along the water main at substantially the same rate as the sprinkler line and supports one end of each of a pair of elongated water carrying pipe connector devices which extend outwardly from the tractor in generally opposite directions for automatic connection to and disconnection from successive hydrants along the main, the tractor supported ends being mounted for movement relative to one another on the tractor support to permit continuous movement of the tractor along the water main and intermittent, independent movement of the respective water carrying connecting pipes. Separate drive means are provided for the respective water carrying connecting pipes.

Abstract: A steel floor construction for freight hauling vehicles includes a plurality of elongated floor planking members arranged in side-by-side relation to provide a load bearing floor with a nailing groove between adjacent planking members. Each plank includes a downwardly open channel member having a relatively wide central web supported along its edges by integrally formed downwardly extending flanges, with the web being reinforced along its length by an upwardly directed generally U-shaped member welded to its bottom surface and having a pattern of anti-skid projections die-formed on and project upwardly from its top surface. The channels are progressively roll formed from a continuous length of strip steel by passing the strip through a series of forming roll pairs.

Abstract: Sterilizing apparatus and control arrangement providing for selective operation of a plurality of differing types of sterilizing units including sterilizers capable of carrying out a plurality of differing steam and/or gas sterilizing cycles are disclosed. An electronic microcomputer controller is provided on a plurality of circuit boards, at least one of which is an integrated complete controller for at least one type of sterilizer; expander circuit boards extend control to remaining differing types of sterilizers. Also, provision is made for automatically identifying each differing type of sterilizer upon interconnecting an integrated control system with a selected sterilizer.

Abstract: A composite expanded sheet reinforcing material especially useful as a stiffening, vibration and sound dampening, reinforcing laminate, and methods of manufacturing such sheet reinforcing material and of reinforcing articles therewith are disclosed. Formable sheet material having a layer of a foamable adhesive laminated thereon is passed through an expanding apparatus which forms rows of spaced, longitudinally staggered slits through the laminated sheet to form a series of elongated strands integrally joined at their ends by a series of joints or bonds. The slit material is expanded in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the slits, causing the adhesive-coated surfaces of the strands and joints to be inclined at an acute angle to the principal plane of the formed reinforcing sheet.

Abstract: A sheet metal container provided with easy-open, retained-tab, pour-feature opening structure is disclosed. An elongated tab opener is positioned with its longitudinal axis in substantially right-angled relationship to the longitudinal axis of an elongated scored tab to be moved out of the plane of the container wall panel. The tab opener is secured to the scored tab portion by a unitary rivet. Class 1 lever action, with high mechanical advantage due to location of the rivet near the working end of the tab opener which overlays the starting portion of the scoreline, provides ease of opening sheet metal containers including flat rolled steel containers. Either a lanced tab opener or a vent scoreline in the scored movable tab can be used to eliminate back tension in the sheet metal which ordinarily would oppose lifting of the handle end of the tab opener as Class 1 lever action is initiated.

Abstract: A helicopter shelter in the form of an elongated generally rectangular building having a floor defining a landing pad and a superstructure including side and end walls extending upwardly from the side and end edges, respectively, of the floor and a roof cooperating with the floor and walls to define a secure, substantially weathertight enclosure. The superstructure is divided substantially along its longitudinal vertical center plane into two complementary half-sections each supported for pivotal movement about longitudinal axis extending adjacent the side edges of the floor between a closed upright position and an open position folded downward and outward. The end wall portions of the respective half-sections of the superstructure fold inward along a diagonal line extending from their lower outside corners to their upper inside corners when the half-sections are pivoted to the open position to facilitate flying onto and off of the landing pad.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for continuous-line manufacture of composition board from furnish which is moved in a continuous-flow manner through a processing line and distributed for deposition at a uniform rate over a preselected area to continuously form a mat for compaction.Commercially economical production flow rates are achieved with a lightweight refined wood furnish to form fiberboard having directional properties without relying on pneumatic impulsion while uniformly distributed furnish is delivered substantially free of air turbulence effects enabling fiber orientation by means of an electrical field.Control of movement and accurate metering of furnish are facilitated by continuously over-feeding furnish into the processing line and returning excess furnish as part of an initial distribution of furnish over one dimension of the mat to be formed.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed which is operable to either set or serve balls on various trajectories to facilitate a player's practice of the game of volleyball. A guide trough supplies balls to the striking position, and a motor drives the apparatus to strike successive balls, at predetermined intervals, to provide maximum utilization of a player's time during practice. The apparatus may be adjusted to vary the force delivered to the balls and to vary the trajectory as desired.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for enhanced purification of caustic soda solutions. In place of conventional mechanical separators, flotation separation methods are taught utilizing sequential multi-temperature sparging gas treatments. A first stage treatment, at about 70.degree. F.-90.degree. F., provides separation of sodium chloride and a subsequent stage, higher temperature (about 90.degree. F.-100.degree. F.) treatment provides enhanced removal of suspended sodium sulfate. Sensible heat is added to sparging gas to offset the cooling effect of gas expansion in a treatment tank and avoid crystallization of dissolved impurities from saturated solutions on sparging gas nozzles.

Abstract: A method for producing fully processed, non-silicon containing, low-carbon electrical steel without post-anneal deformation by continuously annealing a steel strip having a carbon content less than 0.02% at a temperature within the range of 1350.degree. F. to 1550.degree. F.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for accurately controlling the temperature of a moving metal strip in a continuous heat treating operation. A plurality of temperature sensors are located at fixed intervals along the path of the metal strip through the heat treating apparatus, e.g., the cooling tunnel following an annealing oven, employed to control the application or extraction of heat and thereby the rate of temperature change of the strip. Errors in sensor readings are compensated by secondary averaging of adjacent temperature differential measurements to provide a more accurate temperature control.

Abstract: Biocidal gas sterilization methods and apparatus are disclosed in which goods are heated and moisturized prior to addition of the sterilizing gas utilizing repressurization after initial evacuation to provide drive power for the conditioning vapor and improve conditioning efficiency. After initial evacuation to a selected subatmospheric pressure level, the chamber is repressurized with a conditioning vapor comprising steam to a subatmospheric pressure level corresponding approximately to desired sterilizing temperature, then the chamber is held with evacuating and vapor injecting interrupted for a predetermined interval; this sequence of steps is repeated a selected number of times; and, conditioning to various sterilizing temperatures is available. Initial evacuation can be accompanied by intermittent injection of conditioning vapor. No chamber measurement of temperature or relative humidity is required for conditioning control and conditioning vapor injection is free of flow rate control requirements.

Abstract: Conditioning of goods for subsequent sterilization with a biocidal agent in a sealable chamber includes removal of air, and moistening and heating the goods to the desired temperature levels. Controlled evacuation of the chamber and coordinated admission of conditioning vapor into the chamber provides cyclic variations in chamber pressure between preselected subatmospheric pressures to subject goods in the chamber to a plurality of cyclic subatmospheric pressure pulses. The time required for the cyclic pressure variations is responsive to load characteristics, including heat and moisture absorption characteristics of the goods being conditioned, and is independent of prescribed times or direct measurement of load temperature. The subatmospheric pressure levels are selected based on the temperature-pressure relationship of the conditioning vapor so that chamber temperature during cyclic pulsing does not exceed the desired sterilization temperature.

Abstract: A rolling mill stand has upper and lower work rolls supported in chocks which include liner plates on their side faces for bearing against the side faces of the mill stand housing, with the side faces of the chocks being shaped so that the liner plates on both the upper and lower work roll chocks extend both above and below the pass line defined by the work rolls. Projections on one chock and its liner plates extend into corresponding recesses on the other chock and its liner plates so that portions of liner plates on the two chocks extend in generally side-by-side relation in a region extending across the pass line.

Abstract: A nozzle and associated apparatus for controlling the thickness of liquid coating on continuous webs which produces a thin jet of fluid for impingement across the width of moving web having a liquid coating thereon, the fluid in the portions of the jet on either side of the center of the nozzle having components of motion toward the edges of the web. One form of nozzle structure for achieving such lateral movement of the fluid issuing from the nozzle involves baffle means in the path of the fluid flowing through the nozzle which changes the direction of flow of the fluid so as to give the fluid on either side of the central portion of the nozzle a component of motion toward each end portion of the nozzle. Still another form of nozzle structure combines the foregoing features with the so-called curved orifice nozzle where operating conditions indicate the desirability of some build-up of coating on the central portion of the web.

Abstract: A lead cathode which is immune to plating zinc on its surface when used in an electrolytic galvanizing solution.

Abstract: A movable emissions control hood is mounted for insertion between a fixed emissions processing hood and the open mouth of a converter vessel of a metallurgical furnace to capture emissions from the converter vessel and convey them into the existing emissions processing hood when the converter vessel is rotated to the charging position. The movable hood cooperates with the converter vessel structure to effectively limit the admission of air and gases except from an area above the open mouth of the converter vessel.

Abstract: An improved aircraft illumination apparatus and improved circuitry for operating the illumination apparatus. Light sources are mounted on the interior of the aircraft landing gear doors for providing illumination ahead of the central portion of the aircraft. A reliable electrical circuit is provided for automatically turning the light sources on when the landing gear doors open and for automatically turning them off when the doors close. The circuit includes a power circuit for carrying the relatively heavy load current and a control circuit for carrying a smaller control signal for controlling the load current. The landing gear door switch means is connected in the control circuit, and controls application and interruption of the load current.

Abstract: A safety shoe instep guard of compound curvature conforming generally to the shape of the human instep is constructed as an integral part of the shoe or secured to the shoe adjacent at least the lower end of the guard and extends upwardly from the region of the toes. The guard includes a plurality of elongated generally arched-shaped rigid strips extending transversely of the instep and are articulated together in overlapping relation to provide an armored protector assembly having sufficient flexibility to permit normal use and movement of the shoe. The articulated rigid strips are provided with an upwardly directed, generally arcuate arch extending transversely of the individual strips, with the arcuate arches of adjacent rigid strips overlapping and cooperating to form a continuous upwardly directed reinforcing ridge extending substantially the full length of the articulated armor assembly.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus providing for decontamination washing and/or biocidal treatment of articles, including washing and sterilizing of surgical instruments in a single chamber, are disclosed. Air is delivered under pressure for injection at the bottom of the chamber through a plurality of inlets positioned to provide interaction of their horizontally oriented discharges including formation of turbulent vortices. Upward movement of air creates vertically oriented cleaning turbulence. Spray means are provided to remove loose soil before washing and to remove soil separated by washing. Drainage removal of soil from the chamber is verified by a drain probe. Steam sterilization at pressures above atmospheric provides for sterilization at temperatures of 250.degree. F. and higher.