Abstract: This invention relates to an insert device adapted to be positioned in structural openings, as, for example in holes or openings formed in cellular raceways for connection of cables such as power and telephone lines, from a source and into the insert device for connection with fixtures, phones and other devices. The insert device is adapted to be manufactured in preset form to be positioned relative to raceway structures such as cellular raceways, the cement or other floor forming materials being poured thereover; a cap seals the insert device and is adapted to be removed when it is desired to use the insert device.

Abstract: A method of preheating the wall of a furnace channel, which channel extends through a wall of the hearth of the furnace at one location therein, through an inductor mounted on the wall of the hearth, and through the wall of the hearth at another location therein and which opens at the opposite ends thereof into the hearth such that a circulatory passage is defined from and to the hearth through the channel, comprising heating the air in the hearth so as to heat the walls thereof, including directing a lowered-temperature flame from a high turn-down burner into the hearth, generating circulation of heated air from the hearth through the channel to heat the wall thereof, and further heating the air in the hearth and channel to further heat the walls thereof, including raising the temperature of the flame from the high turn-down burner and circulating the further heated air through the hearth and channel, so that the temperature of the walls of the furnace and channel is rapidly elevated to furnace and channel o

Abstract: A seal assembly is adapted to provide a seal between a body member and an object, having a cylindrical outer surface, arranged to penetrate an opening provided through the body member. The seal assembly includes a lead ferrule having a frusto-conical first surface adapted to engage a body member circular shoulder edge, and having a frusto-conical second surface; an intermediate follower having one circular edge adapted to engage the lead ferrule second surface; a rear ferrule having a frusto-conical third surface adapted to engage another circular edge of the intermediate follower; and a compression cap adapted to exert a longitudinal force on the rear ferrule. When the compression cap is tightened, the seal assembly sequentially provides three longitudinally-spaced seal zones, and a seal between the body member and the object.

Abstract: A dust collector has a dirty air chamber arranged to receive a flow of dirty air containing suspended solid particulate material, a clean air chamber communicating with exhaust, and a plurality of filter bags arranged to have their interior surfaces communicate with the dirty air chamber and operative to separate solid particulate material from cleaned gas passing therethrough. The improvement includes an elongated venturi-like member arranged to service a number of such filter bags, and a conduit arranged to deliver high energy pulses of reverse air through the venturi-like member countercurrent to the normal flow of dirty gas therethrough. Such pulses of reverse air momentarily create a reduced pressure within the serviced filter bags, and induce cleaned gas to flow back through the serviced filter bags to dislodge and remove accumulated solid particulate material from the interior surfaces of such bags.

Abstract: A connecting device is adapted to maintain an object, such as a scaffold assembly, at a selected spaced distance from a wall. The device includes a first tubular member having one end connected to the wall, and a second tubular member having one end connected to the object. The other ends of the first and second members are telescopically received in a third tubular member. The position of the first member may be longitudinally adjusted relative to the third member to provide a coarse adjustment of length. The second member is rotatably joined to the third member. A threaded engagement is provided between the first member and a stationary member mounted on the wall. A fine adjustment of length may be obtained by rotating the third member relative to the second member.

Abstract: This invention relates to an insert device for cables adapted to be positioned in structural openings, such as, for example in holes drilled into or formed in floors and other planar surfaces of structures such as buildings, to facilitate connection of power lines, cables and wires from a source into a cable receiving junction box at the underside of the floor and through the insert device and thence to a service head at the upper face of the floor, for connection of various accessory devices thereto, fire retarding means being provided to seal the device in said floor opening and to seal said cables therein, said fire retarding means automatically foaming to effectuate the sealing action described, on occurrence of fire or excessive temperatures, to effectively so seal the assembly.

Abstract: A connecting device is adapted to releasably hold a portion of a first object, such as a pilot's oxygen mask, to a portion of a second object, such as a pilot's helmet. The connecting device broadly includes an anchor member mounted on the mask, a housing member mounted on the helmet and having a female passageway, a male member adapted to be inserted into the female passageway, and a cable member having one marginal end portion secured to the anchor member and another marginal end portion secured to the male member. The housing member has a toothed pawl section biased to move into the female passageway. The male member has a ratchet rack adapted to engage the pawl section to prevent unintended separation of the male member from the female passageway. The male member includes a release member movably mounted relative to the rack, and having an operative surface adapted to extend beyond the rack teeth.

Abstract: An improved upstanding cylindrical tank is provided, in one aspect of the invention, with a ring-like stiffening member at its open upper end to resist flexure and deformation of the side wall structure under wind loading. The stiffening member has a cylindrical inner flange portion formed integrally with the tank wall, an annular web portion extending radially outward from an upper part of the upper flange portion, and a cylindrical outer flange portion depending from an outer part of the web portion and arranged concentrically with the inner flange portion. The stiffening member has a minimum vertical moment of inertia and is configured to have its vertical neutral axis located approximately midway between the furthermost fibers of the inner and outer flange portions.

Abstract: A hairpiece apparatus which comprises a pad which may be positioned in and secured to the wearer's hair, and another pad which includes mounted thereon hair or hair-like fibers which may be formed into a hairstyle. Binding agents which substantially cover the interfaces of the pads enable secure interconnection and convenient separation of the pads with minimum disruption of the hairstyle resulting therefrom. The pad which may be positioned in and secured to the wearer's hair further includes a plurality of depending members which receive a small number of pad-securing means inserted therein to securely position the pad in the wearer's hair in a comfortable and convenient manner. The pad which includes hair or hair-like fibers mounted thereon further includes an extending portion which enables convenient separation of the pads.

Abstract: An insert is adapted to be arranged within the marginal end portion of a heat-radiating tube. The insert has an outer surface comprising an alternating series of peaks and valleys. The insert serves to insulate the tube marginal portion from the direct heat of a flame directed into and confined within the insert. The outer surface of the insert defines with the tube inner surface, a plurality of passageways. In use, air drawn into the tube through these passageways is preheated, and subsequently directed to oxidize the flame tip.

Abstract: An upwardly-acting door structure is adapted to close an access opening of a body member, such as an automobile-carrying railroad car. The door structure includes a stationary track on either side of the opening, movable tracks mounted for upward and downward movement along the stationary tracks, an upper panel mounted on the movable tracks, a lower panel mounted to move upwardly and downwardly along the movable tracks at twice the speed, flexible chains arranged to interconnect the lower panel with the movable tracks, torsional springs arranged to counterbalance and support the aggregate weight of the raised movable tracks, and handles operatively arranged to raise and lower the movable tracks. The upper and lower panels may be raised to uncover the access opening, or lowered to cover the access opening.

Abstract: This invention relates to compact slitting mechanism units structured so to enable a plurality of such units to be positioned in abutting, close, parallel relation, for narrow width cutting, slitting or other operations, said units including pressure chambers and knife holding and aligning mechanisms with structural features enabling knife elements and actuator cylinder mechanisms of the units to be mounted in essentially unitary axially aligned relation, and having novel means for mounting and actuating the knives and for enabling removal and replacement of any knife of any unit without disassembly of parts, in a safe convenient and simple manner, the pressure chamber-knife-holding mechanism assemblies being structured of equal widths, to facilitate side-by-side positioning of plural assemblies thereof, enabling narrow width contacting operations to be performed on surfaces to be slitted or otherwise multiply so contacted thereby.

Abstract: An electrical insert housing device provided with novel means for controlled movement of an electrical receptacle member thereof with respect to a floor or other surface, enabling elevation of the electrical receptacle to upright position for exposure thereof and access thereto for connection of accessory cables therewith and retraction of the receptacle to closed position inwardly of the insert housing, protected from extraneous exposure and contact.

Abstract: A novel method of and apparatus for automatically heat treating ferrous work rapidly from austenite stage temperature through the martensite stage and automaticaally slowly cooling the same thereafter to impart uniform hardness and other desired characteristics thereto, eliminating risk of warpage, cracking, distortion and variations therein. The invention includes a work holder within which the work is positioned during the automatic heat treating procedures, the work holder being provided with an upstanding vertical perforated wall such that, on positioning the work holder and work, after being preheated in a furnace, into the quenching medium, the work will be automatically quenched and cooled through the rapidly cooling initial and subsequent slow cooling time and temperature stages, achieving uniform transformation and hardness of work having varying forms and thicknesses to the martensitic transformation stage.

Abstract: An atmospheric effects still includes a fluid holding tank provided with a supply opening, a top cover of transparent material supported above the tank, and a vertically-disposed tapered hollow tower member having its base resting on the floor of the tank and having an intermediate portion penetrating the top cover. At its base, the tower member has openings in its side walls to permit fluid entry into the tower member beneath the top cover. The tower member has a plurality of vertically-spaced sections of decreasing cross-sectional area, each section including a plurality of short, open tube members extending through two spaced plates. Solar energy heats fluid in the tank and causes a flow of moisture-laden air to rise upwardly through the tower member where clean water is condensed from such vapor.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotatably mounting a sail on racing yachts, sailboats and sailsleds, which includes a step adapted to be mounted on the hull of the craft, a boom, rigging connecting the sail to the boom, adapted to enable setting of the sail-to-boom orientation, and means for connecting the boom to the step so that the boom, sail and rigging are substantially freely rotatable about the step, and so that the orientation of the sail is maintained at a substantially constant angle with respect to the direction of the shifting apparent wind, to enable the sail to respond directly to shifting winds without requiring manual supervision, in order to provide maximum thrust with minimum drag for substantially increased racing yacht speed capabilities. A keel is connected to the bottom of the hull to rotate about a vertical axis through the abaft portion of the keel, in order to minimize racing yacht heeling and hydrodynamic drag.

Abstract: A crusher includes a housing having an internal conduit for directing the advance of material therethrough. A plurality of cooperative pairs of rotatable crush rollers are disposed within the conduit. An endless flexible chain is operatively arranged to rotate each crush roller in a direction to cause material to be advanced through the crusher. Material to be crushed enters the conduit through an inlet and is progressively crushed between the rollers of each successively encountered pair. Crushed material is separated by size and discharged from the crusher via an outlet chute. The spacing between the bottom cooperative pair of crush rollers may be adjusted by selective rotation of a cam member.

Abstract: The indicator of this invention comprises a product "empty" signal means actuated responsive to the product container achieving an empty condition, automatically actuating the empty signal means, to provide a visual empty signal, so that the user will be automatically signalled as to the need for replenishment when that occurs. The invention comprises a container movably received in a casing and normally urged to one (full) position responsive to balancing thereof on pressure means, and signal empty means positioned in the area of the container and interconnected with an intermediate mechanism activated on movement of the container, when empty, responsive to said pressure means. Prior to the container empty condition the pressure means will be inadequate to move the container to the point required to actuate the empty signal means.

Abstract: A rotary power drive is provided for delivering a substantially constant horsepower over a wide speed range in one direction of rotation comprising two or more constant displacement hydraulic motive means operatively associated with a shaft to be driven thereby, an overrunning clutch operatively interposed between at least one of such motive means and said shaft, and means for supplying hydraulic drive fluid to such motive means in different combinations over different shaft speed ranges to provide a multiple displacement hydraulic motor drive apparatus.

Abstract: An electromagneto-mechanical actuator comprising a brushless D.C. torque motor capable of producing a torque proportional to the current fed to coil windings which are arranged as a stator, a permanent magnet being the rotor, these windings being severally arranged opposite the pole end faces of the magnet and being reversely wound so that the magnetomotive forces generated by these windings cancel out each other and thereby eliminate magnetic hysteresis. The pivotal movement of the rotor is converted to translational or rectilinear movement of an output drive element through a substantially frictionless band drive having no backlash. The actuator is preferably arranged in a closed servo loop so that the proportionality of its response can be utilized.