Abstract: A hand pallet truck of the type comprising a head frame and a pair of forks projecting forwardly therefrom is modified by providing a hinge portion of the forks which can fold upwardly from the operating position to a storage position latched to the frame. The folded truck can thus be readily be transported and stored so that it can be made available for use at different locations, for example by storage within the cab of a truck. The hinged forks include a stub fork portion at the frame projecting slightly outwardly from the frame for receiving a portion of the pallet. The link bar which operates the wheels of the fork is also hinged but can only pivot in the lowered position of the forks and frame. A locking arrangement locks the hinged forks in the operating position.

Abstract: Displacement of an object from a sensor is detected using a fiber optic a discharge end of which is arranged adjacent to the space from the object. Light passing along the fiber optic is reflected at the discharge end and is also reflected by the object at a position spaced from the discharge end. These two reflected parts of the light interfere causing an interference pattern. The light path from the discharge end to the object is cyclically varied using a sinusoidal dither obtained either by physical movement or by electro-optical means. This allows the output from the photo diode detecting the return reflected light to be analyzed as an alternating signal varying over time rather than as a simple comparison of absolute values as is used in the conventional techniques.

Abstract: A launching ramp for boats, float planes and the like has several ramp segments that are in normal use of the ramp, generally aligned and sloping downwardly into a body of water. To enable the easy removal of the ramp from the body of water, the ramp segments are hinged and equipped with stops so that when a cable is connected to the outermost end of the ramp, pulling in on the cable will pivot the outermost end segment upwardly until the stops limit this pivotal movement with respect to the next segment, whereupon the second segment will pivot upwardly to its stop position and so on. As the cable is drawn in, the ramp is rolled up towards the shore. The installation of the ramp is a reverse process of unrolling the ramp into the water. With appropriate modification the ramp may be used as a roll-up dock.

Abstract: A pool cover is formed by a plurality of hexagonal pads which float separately on the pool surface and orient themselves to cover the majority of the pool service in edge to edge floating relationship. The pads can be removed from the pool and stacked together on top of each other up to for example 5 or 6 high with the top cover panel being shaped to define a seat or a table top surface. The seat is supplemented by a seat back structure which is snap fastened into place on top of the seating surface. Each side edge of the hexagonal panel has a hand hold arrangement with downwardly projecting underside ribs to assist stacking. A central lock bar or key extends through vertically aligned holes in the panels to lock them in the stack. The cover panels thus can be connected together to form pool furniture around the pool to provide a useful function rather than merely requiring storage space.

Abstract: A holding tray for spools of yarn suitable for embroidery machines comprises a molded body forming a flat horizontal base and a plurality of upstanding vertical pegs each of which is generally frustoconical in shape. At the top of each peg is formed a slit diametrically of the top surface and extending a small distance down the side surface of the peg at each side. An end of the yarn from the spool can then be engaged into the slit and the spool engaged over the peg as a loose fit. The pegs thus store twelve spools in two rows of six so that the spools can be carried from a storage area to, for example, a twelve head embroidery machine.

Abstract: A masonry connector for a veneer wall has an outer coupling end for connection to a wall tie secured to the veneer. An inner anchoring end of the connector is secured to the back-up wall. Where the back-up wall is masonry wall, the anchoring portion includes a vertical plate, apertured to be keyed into the mortar between two side-by-side, adjacent blocks of the back-up wall, and a laterally projecting, corrugated flange to be keyed into the mortar between two vertically adjacent blocks. A rearwardly facing edge immediately in front of the anchoring end abuts against the outer face of the masonry wall to ensure the positioning of the connector at the proper depth. A low conductivity section of the connector between the coupling end and the anchoring end has a series of holes through it to minimize the thermal transfer along the connector.

Abstract: An exercise apparatus is used for leg exercises, and particularly for exercising the muscles used in ice skating. The apparatus has a frame with two four bar linkages arranged side by side. Each linkage carries a foot pad. A resistance unit is attached to each linkage to resist movement of the linkage in both directions. The resistance unit is preferably a double acting hydraulic cylinder connected to variable flow control valves to vary the resistance to linkage movement.

Abstract: A security rail attachment for a bed comprises a post with an adjustable foot at the lower end, a rail portion mounted within the post and rotatable about the vertical axis of the post and an attachment rail which extends across the end of the bed and includes clamping elements for clamping to angle irons along the sides of the bed. The rotatable rail portion can be latched at four 90.degree. spaced positions by notches in the base of a vertical post of the rail portion which cooperate with a transverse pin in the post. The rail portion can therefore project outwardly from the bed at right angles thereto for assisting the occupant in standing or can lie along the side of the bed to assist the occupant by preventing falling from that side of the bed.

Abstract: Connector connects two annular objects face-to-face. It may be used as a hose end coupling that connects two flanged hose ends end-to-end. It includes two components of the same configuration that connect directly to one another. Each a hose end flange preferably has a tapered back face and an O-ring seal fitted in a groove in the end face to engage an O-ring seal on the end face on the mating component. To hold the two end flanges together, two connector components of the same configuration are mounted on the respective end flanges. Each includes two part annular retainers that engage over the hose end flanges and urge them together. The web joining the two retainers has an offset section with teeth that engage similar teeth on the other connector component. The coupling is intended for use in breathing gas supply systems such as are used in medical applications.

Abstract: A packaging system for packaging individual objects, for example confectioneries such as chocolates includes an outer container for shipping various combinations of inner containers, themselves containing the objects in a number proportional to their external volumes. The dimensions and external volumes of the., inner containers are so related that the outer canon can be filled with almost any combination of the inner containers housing the total number of objects to be shipped in the outer container. This eliminates inventory problems with slow moving package sizes.

Abstract: In a fencing system for animals the conventional rigid fence panels are interconnected by flexible members which allow the fence panel to move each relative to the next to accommodate impacts by a fractured animal. Different embodiments are shown including an elastic block between the posts, a flexible metal spring between the posts, a simple strap wrapped around the posts in a FIG. 8 arrangement and a modified elastic strap arrangement which includes two free ends engaged over a pin passing through an end post of the panel and an intermediate leg portion for engaging between the end post and the end post of a next adjacent panel.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator of the type comprising a bowl having a base and a peripheral wall surrounding a vertical axis about which the bowl rotates and a jacket having a base plate under the base of the bowl and a sleeve surrounding the peripheral wall includes a central bottom discharge for the concentrate. The bowl is mounted on the shaft with a hub connecting the shaft to the base plate of the jacket. Water is supplied through the shaft and into the area of the base of the bowl. Tubular discharge ducts extend from holes in the base plate across the space under the bowl to the base plate of the jacket. These remain open during processing of feed materials supplied to the bowl through a vertical tube feeding onto a base plate carried by the bowl above the tubular ducts, and allow the concentrate washed down from the wall of the bowl to discharge when the feed and the centrifugal action of the bowl are halted.

Abstract: A reel dedicated to the layout of a baseball diamond includes a tape with an inner end reeled onto a reel body and an outer end attached to the reel body to form a loop of the tape. The loop has a length 2x+.sqroot.2x and has a first base marking at a distance x from the outer end, a second base marking at a distance 2x from the outer end, a third base marking at a distance x+.sqroot.2x from the outer end and a pitcher's plate marking at a distance of y from the inner end. x is equal to the required distance between bases. y is equal to the distance of the pitcher's plate from home base. The loop is pulled out into a first triangle from first base to second base and back to home plate and then in a second triangle from home plate to first base and to third base to accurately lay out the positions of pegs.

Abstract: A method of separately extracting mercury and gold from mine tailings includes a centrifugal separator comprising a centrifuge bowl having a plurality of annular rings on the peripheral surface. An outer bowl or sleeve member provides a jacket from which water is injected through holes in the inner bowl into recesses between the annular rings. Feed materials containing gold and mercury are separated so that the gold and mercury is collected with the heavies in the recesses. The liquid mercury escapes through the holes in the inner bowl onto the inner surface of the outer bowl which is provided with an annular receptacle and is shaped to collect the mercury at the receptacle axially spaced from the open mouth of the bowl. A plurality of outlets in the annular receptacle allow the escape of the mercury into a secondary launder inside the outer launder for the main discharge materials from the open mouth.

Abstract: A lifting device for polyethylene barrels comprises a pair of arms each having a sleeve for engaging over the fork of a fork lift truck. A cross bar interconnects the arms and is adjustable in length in conjunction with the adjustment of the spacing between the forks of the forklift truck. On the forward end of each end is mounted an arcuate gripper pivotal about a vertical pin on the respective arm. The gripper comprises a horizontal band having a sharpened upper edge with the band curved around a center of the barrel. Each gripper is rotated by a spring in a direction to open forward ends of the gripper to an increased spacing so that the forward ends can be moved forwardly to engage around the barrel and then each gripper pivots about the vertical pin to face the center of the barrel and to engage the barrel under the bead at the upper end of the barrel.

Abstract: A three-dimensional photographic technique comprises scanning the outside surface of the three-dimensional surface such as a human subject using a color digitizer which generates spatial and color data relating to the outside surface. The spatial data is used to generate a mold having a concave surface corresponding to the outside surface of the subject. A thin hollow shell of transparent plastics material is molded in the mold to define an outer surface of the shell which corresponds to the outer surface of the subject. The photographic material is applied on the inside surface of the hollow shell and is exposed using an image manipulation system and fiber optic transportation system which extracts the light from a screen and transmit it to a position adjacent the outside surface of the hollow shell to provide the required colored image on the photographic material for display through the transparent material of the hollow shell.

Abstract: Plants during an initial growth period are protected by a plurality of plastics drinks bottles arranged in a pattern surrounding an area in which the plant is growing. The drinks bottles are engaged by a locating device in the form of a flat sheet with a plurality of openings therein with each bottle being inserted into an opening to engage the locating device to hold the bottles in the pattern surrounding the area. The locating device is a central opening through which the plant can grow and a generally circular outer peripheral edge.