Abstract: A circuit tester indicates the presence of power at an outlet and the continuity of a resistive load connected to the outlet. The tester is particularly useful as an automotive block heater circuit tester. The tester has a housing with a male end equipped with the prongs conventionally found on a male electrical plug and a female end with a socket of the same configuration as a conventional female electrical outlet. One of the sockets is divided into inner and outer terminals that are sequentially engaged by the mating prong of a male plug as it is inserted into the female end of the tester. A lamp and a resistive circuit are connected into this structure in such a way that when the tester is plugged into a live outlet, the lamp is illuminated brightly. When a male plug is inserted into the female end of the tester, the lamp initially dims to confirm continuity of the load and then brightens as the male plug is fully seated in the socket.

Abstract: A platform is mounted on a frame for vertical movement on the frame. The platform is raised and lowered using a pair of drums mounted for both rotational and translational movement on the frame. Cables on the drums and connected to the platform tend to rotate and translate the drums. The translation is resisted by brake bands wrapped around the drums, which in turn prevent rotation of the drums. For raising and lowering purposes, the drums are equipped with chain sprockets and drive chains that may be driven to rotate the drums about their axes and also to translate the drums in a direction opposite the translation caused by the weight of the platform. This unloads the band brakes and allows the platform to move.

Abstract: An active harrow comprises a rotatable cylindrical body on the outer surface of which is mounted a plurality of tines which project outwardly for engaging the ground. The rotatable body is carried in a yoke and supported from a tool bar in a manner which allows the axis of the rotatable body to be adjusted relative to the tool bar. The tines are inclined so that they lie in axial planes but inclined relative to the radial plane of an angle in order of 20.degree. to 30.degree.. Each tine includes a main body portion and an end portion which is cranked. This orientation of the tines provides an effective harrowing action but prevents accumulation of trash.

Abstract: A field sprayer is self propelled and includes a frame with an engine mounted on the frame, four wheels hydraulically driven, a tank and a boom supported by the frame and extending outwardly to the sides. The frame includes a longitudinally beam, a front transverse channel and a rear transverse channel. Each of the channels supports a pair of axle members separately pivotal about axis adjacent the center line of the frame. Each axle member includes a horizontal portion which can be extended on-the-go and a vertical portion which is attached to the wheel. A gas spring is connected between the channel and the upper surface of the axle member. Articulated steering is provided by a vertical pin connecting the front portion of the frame relative to the rear portion of the frame with the pin being arranged just rearward of the front axle. The boom is adjustable in height to accommodate both fully grown crops and ground spraying conditions.

Abstract: A float attachment for hydraulic systems, such as those used in controlling dozer blades, front end loaders, snow plow blades and the like where the blade, bucket or the like is controlled with a double acting cylinder. The float apparatus includes a float cylinder that is connected in parallel with the double acting cylinder. The float cylinder contains a free floating piston and may have, at the end connected to the lowering end of the hydraulic cylinder, a check valve preventing flow into the float cylinder and a pressure relief valve by-passing the check valve. The relief valve controls the pressure of the blade on the ground and allows the blade to float if that pressure is exceeded.

Abstract: A watering device for animals includes a cylindrical container with an open top and surrounding lip around the open top. A closure member for the open top includes a disc which is flat with a surrounding skirt extending along the sides of the container. The skirt has holes to allow the escape of air trapped under the closure member. The closure member carries a downwardly extending guide member on the under surface which carries a float and which is guided for movement in a vertical direction. The float is located under the water surface so that depression of the closure member and the float do not significantly alter the water depth. The float keeps the closure member up against the lip thus fully closing the container. The animal depresses the closure to a level under the water surface to access the water for drinking. If the water level falls, the downward pressure for the animal to access the water engages a valve to refill the container.

Abstract: A bookend for use on a metal shelf is formed by bending from a single sheet of metal to form an upstanding plate and flat tongue so that the tongue can lie on the metal shelf with the plate upstanding. The tongue includes an extension portion extending to the opposed side of the plate relative to the main part of the tongue with an upstanding handle on the end of the extension portion. The underside of the tongue carries a layer of resilient felt surrounding an elongate central magnetic strip which extends substantially along the full length of the tongue. The magnetic is sufficient to provide additional friction between the bookend and the shelf to prevent toppling under the weight of the book.

Abstract: An attachment for a livestock squeeze chute comprises an elongate beam which can be mounted on suitable mounting brackets on the upper side rails of the squeeze chute so that the beam extends above the squeeze chute and forwardly of the front end of the squeeze chute to a position approximately four feet forward and eighteen inches upwardly from the front end. A pulley is mounted on the forward most end of the beam and a winch assembly is mounted on a support arm extending out from the beam downwardly and to one side so that the winch is available to the operator of the squeeze chute. A cable from the winch to the pulley has a free end which can be attached to a halter applied around the head of the animal so that operation of the winch pulls the head of the animal upwardly and forwardly while the animals body is maintained in the squeeze chute to assist in subduing the animal.

Abstract: A ground thawing apparatus has a housing containing a fire tube for generating high heat conditions within the housing. The housing is thermally insulated to prevent excessive heat loss. In one embodiment, the roof of the housing is peaked and carries a steam vent along the underside of its ridges. The steam vent is a V-shaped baffle with inlet slots along the side edges, where it meets the roof, and outlet or drain openings in opposite ends of the housing, at the base of the V. In another embodiment, a steam vent is a tube leading from the interior of the housing to the interior of the flue for the fire tube. The steam vent allows the escape of excessive amounts of moisture vapor from the housing without undue heat loss.

Abstract: An automatic derailleur shifter system for example for a bicycle includes a hub to which is attached a chain wheel set and a derailleur system for moving the chain associated therewith from chain wheel to chain wheel for a gear changing system. Within the hub associated with the chain wheels is provided an automatic changing system including a member coupled to the chain wheel set which carries a helical screw cooperating with a sleeve slidable axially within the hub and cooperating with the screw so that rotation of the screw relative to the sleeve causes the sleeve to move axially. Axial movement of the sleeve is inhibited by a spring and rotational movement of the sleeve is prevented by engagement with the hub. Thus variations in the torque applied from the chain set to the hub through the screw in the sleeve cause axial movement of the sleeve which actuates change of the gears by moving to the derailleur set. The spring can be internal to the hub or can be provided outside of the hub.

Abstract: Bearings of the pillow block type are protected by a cover which extends over the pillow block and is shaped to substantially follow the contour of the pillow block and includes a slit from a lower edge of the device to an opening for allowing the shaft to pass into the cover to the opening. The cover is formed from polypropylene which is highly flexible and resistant to impact damage. Grease can be inserted into a recess or clearance between the end face of the bearing and the inside surface of the cover. In an alternative arrangement, the cover can be formed in two parts to be clamped on respective sides of plates supporting the bearing. Again there is provided a slit and a central opening to be inserted over the shaft.

Abstract: A portable shelter especially for leafcutter bee nest, consists of six identical molded plastic panels and a molded roof cap. The panels are fastened together using molded in place tabs and pins to form a circular wall that is domed at the top and capped at the center with the roof cap, also fastened in place with integral pins and holes in a peripheral flange.

Abstract: An air seeder boot includes a rigid pipe connected to the seed tube of the seeder and mounted to the back side of the cultivator shank by a bracket fixed to the front of the pipe. The pipe has an obtuse bend bringing the seed outlet to a position at approximately the same level as the top edges of the seep and between the sweep wings. The pipe usually has a crease along the back, up to the outlet, to divert seed into two rows in the most soil under the sweep wings. The open pipe of the boot provides reliable seed delivery without blockages.

Abstract: A system for displaying educational material relating to environmental matters comprises a computer, a laserdisc player for extracting video and audio signals and a globe which comprises a representation of the earth with an array of constantly spaced light emitting elements arranged on the surface of the globe so they can illuminate various patterns across the earth. The computer can control the patterns in stationary or moving format to illustrate various effects for example holes in the ozone layer, movement of pollution across the earth, the depletion or tropical rain forest. The array of illuminated lights in one preferred arrangement is formed by a plurality of optical fibers which are buried in an outer surface of the globe and which are connected together at an input end receiving light from a monitor screen on which the patterns are formed. A number of different monitors are provided each for generating illumination of a portion of the globe.

Abstract: A trolley for loading heavy and bulky loads such as a dead animal is of the two wheel type with an upper portion of the frame extending upwardly from the wheels and a forward portion of the frame projecting downwardly toward the ground and forwardly to engage the load. A separate frame portion carries a hand winch and a pulley so that a cable passes over the pulley and can extend downwardly over a covering sheet on the upper portion of the frame. The separate frame carrying the winch can be moved from a lower position on the rear of the upper frame portion to a raised position above the handles of the upper frame portion. The trolley can simply lift a very bulky load such as a dead animal onto the upper frame portion so that it can be wheeled away through relatively narrow alleyways.

Abstract: The invention is designed primarily for use with resilient tine components which include a pair of resilient spring coils having an attaching U extending between adjacent ends and a resilient tine extending from the outer end of each of the resilient coils substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof. These often wear and the most expensive replacement cost is the resilient spring coils. The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by provided a sleeve which engages over the worn ends of the tines and is secured thereto and which has a replacement tine portion secured within the other end of the tubes and extending axially therefrom thus returning the tines to their original length. The sleeves can be secured to the worn ends of the tines either by welding, set screws or other means.

Abstract: A rack is provided for mounting in a fire hall for drying of hoses after use in a manner which avoids the necessity for a tower of sufficient height to receive the full length of the hoses. The rack comprises a plurality of shelves mounted upon a central support at a midpoint along the length of the shelves and mounting upon rollers at the outer ends. The central support can be raised vertically upwardly along the wall of the fire wall so that the ends move inwardly to a position at approximately a 45.degree. angle thus bending the hoses at a central position into two inclined portions from which the water can be drained.

Abstract: An improved field marker is provided which can be used on an agricultural implement of the type which includes wing folding. The field marker has an arm with a disk mounted on an outer end of the arm and a mounting system at the inner end of the arm for supporting the arm on the implement. The arm includes two portions which fold in a knee type action while the inner portion is folded through 90.degree. so that both portions lie along the side of the implement. The mounting assembly includes a fixed portion attached to the implement and a pivotal portion which moves about a horizontal axis. A spring biases the arm towards a raised position. In the extended position of the arm the spring force is overcome and the disk rests on the ground. As the arm retracts to the folded position and the effective weight decreases the spring forces lift the arm.

Abstract: A coin holder/dispenser is manufactured as an integral molded body defining a plurality of side by side bores extending from the upper surface through to the lower surface of the body. Each bore is plugged at the lower end by a removable plug. A spring biases coins upwardly along the bore toward the upper surface. The upper surface is contoured to define shoulders which engage the upper surface of the uppermost coin to hold it against axial movement. A channel extending forwardly from the rearmost edge across a rear shoulder along the side shoulders guides the finger of the user to sweep a coin from its entrapped position forwardly through a slot in the front surface. The molded device is inexpensively manufactured from a limited number of parts and provides an attractive appearance and close control over the dispensing of the coins.

Abstract: Pyrohy makers usually comprise ordinary stamp out plastic molds or multiple molds, both of which often present difficulties in sealing the pyrohies and/or releasing same from the molds. Alternatively they include two or more moveable pieces which are expensive to produce and often difficult or awkward to operate. The present device is a circular cut out device with a depending outer rim which both cuts out and seals in one operation. It is designed to use on a sheet of dough upon which the filling is placed and the edge of the dough is then flipped over the filling whereupon part of the mold is engaged over the flipped portion to cut and seal the pyrohy in a substantially semi-circular configuration.