Abstract: A sootblower includes a supply tube for delivering fluid to a concentrically mounted lance tube. The lance tube reciprocates into and out of a boiler delivering fluid to clean the inside surface. Deformable packing between the inside surface of the lance tube and the outside surface of the supply tube prevents the escape of the cleaning fluid from the system. A follower gland is biased into engagement with the packing to maintain its seal when the packing wears. The bias is provided by a plurality of coil springs trapped between a pair of plates, flanges or washers suitably connected to the gland. A plurality of covered apertures in one of the flanges allows the insertion or removal of some of the springs to provide the desired degree of compression to the packing.

Abstract: A support block is attached to the lower end of a presser foot lifter shaft of a sewing maching to support two separately mounted sole plates of 9 presser foot. One of the sole plates is mechanically retractable by a pneumatic piston and cylinder combination at the option of the operator and this is accomplished by an extension of the piston rod which is mechanically connected to one of the sole plates.

Abstract: The organic chemical waste content of contaminated materials such as soils and debris is immobilized by mixing such wastes with an agent consisting of a mixture of particulate rubber and biogenic amorphous silica. Where the semi-volatile content of the waste is known to predominate a greater portion of particulate rubber is advantageous and where such waste is known to be entirely semi-volatile organic material such agent advantageously consists essentially or comprises particulate rubber. Conversely, where the organic content of such wastes is predominately volatile organic material a greater portion of biogenic amorphous silica should be employed and where such organic waste is known to be entirely volatile organic such additive is advantageously biogenic amorphous silica.

Abstract: A medical device which is manually operable to draw a vacuum using a piston and cylinder combination may be used for creating a vacuum in the cup of a birth extraction device or to withdraw fluids from a body cavity or perform biopsies with a hollow needle. The structure includes a closed loop at the remote end of the cylinder which allows the device to be manipulated by one hand and it may include check valves to prevent any fluid withdrawn from the body from being reinjected into the body cavity or vessel by location of check valves in a withdrawal duct and a drainage port. The same device may be used for injecting fluids into a body cavity and may include structure between the loop and cylinder to apply force to the piston to discharge fluids through a needle attached to the remote end of the cylinder.

Abstract: A headliner for mounting in the passenger compartment of a vehicle is formed from a plurality of layers of materials including foamed polyurethane, fiber glass and scrim. The layers are bonded together under heat which cures an incorporated thermosetting resin. The thermosetting resin freezes the assembled laminate conforming to the configuration of the lowermost mold. After setting of the resin the flexible laminate is trimmed to the desired shape at its periphery.

Abstract: A shield for mounting on a vehicle intermediate the passenger compartment and the exhaust system is formed as a sandwich of a fibrous layer between two heat reflecting layers. During the manufacturing process a hardenable resin impregnates the periphery of the fibrous layer and hardens in place to serve as an adhesive for bonding the layers together and providing a hard rigid mounting bracket. The fibrous layer intermediate its peripheral edges is relatively loosely held in place to serve as a sound absorbing barrier.

Abstract: Seat covers are sewn inside-out and then inverted to fit over a frame. Inversion is accomplished by threading the sewn seat cover over a pair of generally parallel arms. The sewn seat cover is generally in the form of a pocket. The closed end of the pocket is engaged by the blunt edge of a plate. The plate pushes the closed end between the arms forcing the structure of the pocket to ride up and over the top of the arms and downward between the two arms thereby inverting the seat cover to a right side out condition.

Abstract: Ink-jet printing technology is applied to the creation of multi unit chemical compound libraries. Ink-jet type nozzles are used to inject multiple droplets onto the surface an appropriate support, such droplets consisting of solutions containing units of the chemical compound that will attach to the support surface. Droplets are then injected, by such nozzles, onto the support attached unit droplets that contain units that will attach to such support attached units. The second step is repeated to create multiple varying unit chemical compounds. Ink-jet printing technology allows the deposition of small droplets that do not overlap or splatter. The system is particularly useful in the creation of libraries of multiple peptide compounds where the units are amino acids.

Abstract: A bristle strip for rotary brushes comprising a supporting channel in which the closed ends of U-shaped bristles are clamped. The channel is provided with laterally-extending guide members mounted directly thereon that project laterally outwardly beyond its side flanges to guide the strip when it is inserted in a guide track on a rotary drum and to retain it therein.

Abstract: Buried fluid containing conduits, such as natural gas lines, are located by providing variable frequency sinusoidal excitation acoustic signals over a broad frequency range to the fluid content of the conduit so that the conduit will vibrate and cause elastic vibration in the media in which such conduit is buried. A plurality of measurements of said vibrations are taken on the surface of the media or ground in which such conduit is buried. The measurements are taken laterally of the estimated position of the conduit. The position of the conduit is determined by changes in the characteristics of the vibrations caused by the differences in distances between the pipe and the measurements.

Abstract: A layered combination of porous material mounted over the edge of a drum to siphon water from the top of the drum over the edge thereof.

Abstract: A thermoplastic sidewall forms one surface of a concrete form. The sidewall incorporates a drainage tile as an integral unit. Two of the sidewalls combined can provide a form for a concrete footer to be poured and remain as a permanent part of the structure.

Abstract: A medical device which is manually operable to draw a vacuum using a piston and cylinder combination may be used for creating a vacuum in the cup of a birth extraction device or to withdraw fluids from a body cavity or perform biopsies. The structure includes a closed loop at the remote end of the cylinder which allows the device to be manipulated by one hand and it may include check valves to prevent any fluid withdrawn from the body from being reinjected into the body cavity or vessel by location of check valves in a withdrawal duct and a drainage port. The same device may be used for injecting fluids into a body cavity and may include structure between the loop and cylinder to apply force to the piston to discharge fluids through a needle attached to the remote end of the cylinder.

Abstract: Locking the headset of a steering post of a bicycle is accomplished by this invention where the steering post or threaded body projects coaxially through a cylindrical journal mounted at the front end of the bicycle frame. Bearing cups are secured in each end of the journal to accommodate thrust bearings. Each thrust bearing in turn is engaged by a cone. The lower cone is mounted stationary on the fork-steering post of the bicycle while the upper cone is threaded engaged to the mounting post body and is drawn hand tight against the upper thrust bearing. The upper cone is locked against rotational movement by a lock nut threaded on the post body above the upper cone and spaced from the upper cone. The locking configuration is achieved by one or more screws extending through an opening in the lock nut and engaging the upper cone to jam the threaded connections between the lock nut, upper cone and steering post body.

Abstract: A layered combination of porous material mounted over the edge of a drum to siphon water from the top of the drum over the edge thereof. The porous material is in two spaced layers with a groove between. A nonporous cover makes the groove into a siphon tube to enhance the speed of drainage.