Abstract: The invention relates to the control of burners, e.g., for boilers or furnaces and has for its objective to provide means whereby the combustion conditions existing at a burner are initially governed by pre-determined conditions which conditions can be automatically maintained or improved during the operation of the burner.

Abstract: A portable radio frequency/channel display control system for use in a portable radio device or the like which is powered by a battery and of the type which includes a display for indicating the frequency/channel to which the radio is tuned. The system senses when a radio control is operated (such as the on/off switch, channel selector, etc.) and develops a control signal having a predetermined duration. The control signal causes the display to be energized for the predetermined duration and then the display is automatically de-energized.

Abstract: A rail length and rail joint is described which avoids the use of bolts, the rail length comprising basically a fastening element secured at each rail end to be joined, the element being provided with a through bore extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the associated rail length and a projection located in a position in which it intersects the bore and being radially displaceable to a location in which it lies clear of the bore. The rail length may be provided at each end with such a fastening element, one constituting a male element and the other a female element, the rail joint incorporating abutting male and female elements and a necked connecting pin.

Abstract: A manually operated log splitter is provided. The log splitter comprises a bi-ended main beam, a splitter wedge fixed at one end of the main beam, and manually operated hydraulic power means fixed to the other end of the beam. In accordance with the invention, this hydraulic power means includes a ram reciprocably moveable toward and away from the splitter wedge. A manually operated low pressure, high volume pump and a manually operated high pressure, low volume pump urge the ram toward the wedge. Automatically operable release valve means relieves pressure from the high pressure, low volume pump to the reservoir when necessary.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotatably connecting an operating rod to a rotary operating member, which apparatus comprises a main connection member made of a synthetic resin and integrally provided with a head portion incorporating retention means for retaining the operating rod and an engaging leg portion extended perpendicularly from the lower side of the head portion, provided on the peripheral surface thereof with an engaging stepped portion and containing a hollow portion therein; and an insertion member made of a metallic material and provided with a female screw hole adapted for helical union with a male screw formed on the peripheral surface of the operating rod; the main connection member having an opening formed in the head portion thereof to a depth enough for communication with the hollow portion of the engaging leg portion.

Abstract: A scraper chain conveyor with conveyor pans defining a bend round which flight bars are guided in the general plane of the conveyor is provided at the outside of the bend with an auxiliary conveying unit comprising two spaced apart sprockets rotatable about upstanding axes, a line joining the axes being parallel to a tangent to the bend at least when the auxiliary conveying unit is in use, at least one endless auxiliary chain trained round the sprockets, and means for driving the auxiliary chain in a direction such that its chain run adjacent the scraper chain conveyor moves in the direction of feed of the scraper chain conveyor.

Abstract: A control system for a vending machine which accepts coins or bills of different denominations assigns a given amount of credit to each such monetary unit (i.e., a coin or a bill) accepted. The novel structure of the invention allows operation with monetary units in different monetary systems and alterations of the amount of credit assigned to each monetary unit accepted to be effected easily and simply. The control system responds in the same fashion to either a request for refund or change or a selection of an article to be vended: by comparing the accumulated credit from monetary units accepted with the price of each selected article and the request for a refund or change and allowing or inhibiting the dispensing of an article and/or dispensing of a refund or change accordingly. The pricing of articles may also be readily altered to accommodate different articles or changed prices.

Abstract: A bass bridge for a piano is provided wherein a runner is fixed to the soundboard, an apron is fixed to the runner and is cantilevered therefrom along one edge, and a bridge cap is fixed to the other edge. The runner and apron have a plurality of slots extending therethrough substantially perpendicular with the bridge cap.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus for simultaneously monitoring a plurality of functions of a machine, such as a multi-row seed planting machine, includes a programmed microprocessor. A plurality of sensors detect the machine functions to be monitored, and the microprocessor receives and stores data corresponding to the monitored functions from all of the sensors simultaneously. A user accessible control and display panel cooperates with the microprocessor to produce observable indications of the machine functions being monitored in accordance with the stored data as such functions are selected for display by the user. The microprocessor is also programmed to receive and utilize data inputs from the control panel, corresponding to machine parameters of the particular machine with which the monitoring apparatus is being utilized, and data corresponding to the desired maximum and minimum values of the functions to be monitored.

Abstract: A motor control circuit controls the speed of a single-phase split capacitor or shaded pole electric motor, and permits operation of the motor over a wide range of speeds without stalling. A first gated bilateral switch such as a triac is connected in series with the motor, and is fired by an integrating circuit through a second bilateral switch such as a diac. The integrating circuit charges through the start winding of the motor and a potentiometer which adjusts the rate of charging of the integrating circuit for the minimum speed setting desired. The motor control circuit also includes a temperature sensing bridge which becomes unbalanced as a function of increasing temperature. A light emitting diode connected to the bridge emits light as a function of the unbalance of the bridge.

Abstract: There is disclosed a structural joint comprising a workpiece in the form of a section of sheet material and a fastener assembly, wherein the components of said joint are constructed to retain the fastener assembly in mounted relation with respect to the sheet material and confine the fastener against rotation upon the attachment of an additional fastener component thereto. The section of sheet material includes an aperture having a multi-lobular periphery. The fastener assembly includes a head portion and a shank portion extending axially therefrom. The head portion has an end cap section which is of a greater dimension than the sheet material aperture, and an intermediate section extending axially from the cap section and having a multi-lobular peripheral dimension to be received in the multi-lobular aperture formed in the section of sheet material.

Abstract: An aircraft proximity monitoring method according to the invention comprises the steps of: continuously and repeatedly developing and transmitting signals corresponding to the positions relative to a first location of aircraft within a predetermined range of said first location receiving said transmitted signals at a given aircraft and transposing the signals corresponding to the positions of the others of said aircraft to said second signals corresponding to the positions of said other aircraft relative to the location of said given aircraft and producing an observable indication of the positions of said other aircraft relative to said location of said given aircraft. Apparatus according to the invention includes apparatus for performing each of the foregoing steps.

Abstract: The present invention provides a machine and method wherein envelopes are removed from a supply hopper, one by one; transmitted to a cutting station wherein one edge of the envelope optionally may be severed; the envelope then being transmitted to a processing station at which the envelope is opened and held open by suction cups, for removal or insertion of contents by an operator. The envelope is thereafter transmitted to a detector station and then to a recovery station and then to a point of discharge. The dwell time of the envelope at the processing station may be adjusted as desired by the operator.

Abstract: A clamp for providing a stable fluid flow rate through a flexible tubing has a channel having a bottom wall including an anvil for supporting the tubing and an opening along its entire length for readily receiving and supporting the tubing against the bottom wall and the anvil. The channel also includes a pair of slots adapted for receiving and retaining a tube-constricting means. The constricting means comprises a rotatable cam having a groove of varying depth along its surface which coacts with the anvil to define a reduced-flow passageway in the tubing. As the cam is rotated from an opened position, corresponding to a maximum fluid flow rate through the tubing, to a closed position, the groove presents to the tubing a plurality of similar triangles progressively reduced in size to reduce the flow passageway in the tubing.

Abstract: There is disclosed a new and improved envelope processing machine. The machine includes a supply hopper for retaining a quantity of envelopes to be processed, an envelope processing station, means for removing envelopes from the supply hopper and for transmitting the removed envelopes to the envelope processing station, and envelope opening means at the processing station including a pair of reciprocating envelope gripping means arranged to grip and separate opposite panels of an envelope to facilitate the removal of the contents therefrom. The envelope gripping means include bending means for bending the envelope panels inwardly as the envelope panels are separated for displacing the envelope contents from the envelope panels towards the center of the opened envelope. As a result, the envelope contents are disposed within the opened envelopes in a position which enables convenient grasping of the contents by an operator.

Abstract: An unsheathed grease-filled cable stub has the grease removed from around the insulated wires by subjecting the cable stub to radiant heat over the length of the stub and over a major portion of its circumference while the stub is supported on a flexible open mesh of material that overlies a trough. The heated grease melts and flows downwardly for collection into the trough, the grease also flowing through the supporting mesh. The heating temperature of the cable stub is kept low enough to prevent damage to the insulation of the wires.

Abstract: An accompaniment system for an electronic musical instrument is selectively actuatable for producing accompaniment effects such as arpeggio in accordance with selectable notes or chords and with selectable rhythm patterns. The electronic musical instrument includes one or more conventional keyboards, a set of chord switches for selecting one of a plurality of predetermined chords and a set of rhythm switches for selecting one of a plurality of predetermined rhythm patterns, respectively. The accompaniment system includes a ROM containing note position signals arranged in a plurality of groups, each group corresponding to one of the selectable rhythm patterns. An electronic circuit selects one of the groups in response to activation of one of the rhythm pattern selector switches and sequentially combines each note position signal in the group with a chord displacement signal developed in response to actuation of one of the keyboard notes or chord selection switches.

Abstract: A line protector has an arrester through which overvoltages on the line of short duration are grounded. The arrester may be of the type having an arc gap sealed within a gas tube. For an overvoltage of longer duration, a pellet is melted causing a spring to close a circuit bypassing the gas tube and provide a direct metallic path from the line to ground. A secondary arc gap between opposed conductors separated by an insulating sleeve has an arc-over voltage that is greater than the normal arc-over voltage of the first-mentioned arc gap and provides a path to ground for short duration overvoltage conditions in the event of failure of the arrester. Excessive current across the secondary arc gap may melt the insulator sleeve and engage the opposed conductors for grounding purposes.