Abstract: A radial cam driven internal combustion engine has connecting rod guide pins that slide into ends of the connecting rods, allowing the connecting rods to slide freely linearly while applying side loads on the connecting rods to the crankcase. The stationary guide pins protrude out from a center ring that floats over the central drive shaft. These pins are grooved to allow the pressure inside the connecting rod to escape. Each piston dwells at top dead center long enough to create a fixed volume environment and for all the fuel in the cylinder to be consumed.

Abstract: A panel pet door is an insert into a sliding glass door and has a panel door frame and a movable door flap assembly mounted on the panel door frame. The door flap assembly can slide vertically on the panel door frame along tracks in the vertical stiles of the panel door frame. A plurality of riser spacer panels are also mounted on the panel door frame and are also vertically slidable on the frame via the vertical tracks. The door flap assembly and spacers are selectively removable and replaceable to effect a change in the rise of the door flap assembly and the height of the door flap assembly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the performance of a pump uses a pump performance disk kit comprising an impeller disk having a plurality of impeller disk blades extending at angles from a planar surface of the impeller disk such that when the impeller disk is attached on top of an impeller of a pump the total number of blades for use by the pump, and thus the performance, is increased. Interior edges of the impeller disk blades are located such as to prevent rotation of the impeller disk and lock the impeller disk blades in a location approximately halfway between blades of the impeller of the pump. An anticavitation disk is also attached on top of the impeller disk to eliminate the cavitation caused by coolant spilling out the open face of the pump impeller by blocking off the open spaces between the blades.

Abstract: Apparatus for blending particulate solids or liquids includes a blending vessel having a racetrack-shaped cross section at each elevation above its lower end. The racetrack-shaped cross section consists of two spaced opposed semicircles having ends that are joined by two spaced parallel line segments. Several embodiments of the apparatus are described; they all employ the racetrack-shaped blending vessel, which is highly effective in promoting mixing. In one embodiment the racetrack-shaped blending vessel is rotated about a horizontal axis so that the material passes through the vessel on each revolution. In another embodiment, a number of racetrack-shaped blending vessels are connected in a vertical sequence so that the material must pass through the blending vessels in succession.

Abstract: A hand tool that greatly expedites the installation of the valve locks that secure a valve spring retainer to the free end of a valve stem. The valve locks include an inwardly extending ridge that engages a circumferential groove that extends around an end portion of the valve stem. The valve lock is retained in this position by a tapered central bore of the valve spring retainer that produces an inward clamping force on the valve lock. The tool includes a plunger having a diameter equal to the diameter of the valve stem. The user positions the valve locks on the protruding cylindrical surface of the plunger, where they are held by magnetic attraction. The user pushes the end of the tool against the valve spring retainer, thereby compressing the valve spring so that the valve stem pushes the plunger into a close-fitting loader end cap until the valve locks are transferred to the valve stem and into engagement with the circumferential groove.