Abstract: A binocular viewing device including means for resiliently mounting a prism seat to the binocular body within an enclosed chamber consisting of at least three elongated fasteners spaced about the periphery of the prism seat, with means associated with each fastener for resiliently engaging a first surface of the prism seat to urge the prism seat into fixed contact with the body, and at least one adjusting member extending through the body into the chamber from the outside, the inner end of the adjusting member adapted upon rotation for axial movement relative to the body for engagement upon a second surface of the prism seat in a manner to displace the prism seat from contact with the body, thereby to change the relationship of the plane of the prism seat to the line of viewing from ocular lens to objective lens for changing alignment of the optical system.

Abstract: In a composition for application to a porous substrate, e.g. timber, to protect it e.g. from attack by insects or fungi, there is a protective substance, e.g. a boron-rich compound (containing at least 25% by weight B.sub.2 O.sub.3) in a liquid carrier which according to the invention is a hygroscopic liquid, preferably ethylene glycol. When applied to wood the composition with the glycol carrier penetrates the outer layers of the wood more rapidly than a comparable composition with water as carrier.

Abstract: The drilling machine comprises a pair of cross slides formed of two parallelepiped blocks of granite connected as a T above a horizontally stationary board carrying table. The transverse block carries two operating heads and, by means of pneumostatic bearings, guides their movement along the X-axis. The other block is guided by the machine frame by means of other pneumostatic bearings. Each head carries a spindle operable to lock and unlock the tool to permit automatic tool replacement from a corresponding tool magazine with provision for checking the integrity of the engaged tool. One of the heads can be disengaged from the X-axis servomotor and connected to the other one at a predetermined distance. Two series of equal printed circuit supports can be drilled simultaneously by using a single package of boards to be cut after the drilling or the etching. Tool changing and tool integrity checking operations can be effected simultaneously for the two operating heads.

Abstract: To reduce dead times and waste of dummy boards necessary for preparing individual packages of stacked boards to be drilled, the latter are loaded on the table in a single stack and are drilled from the top in groups formed of a predetermined limited number of boards, drilling only partially into the next board to be drilled. The drilled boards are carried out of the stack which is reapproached to the drilling head. The drilling restarts by following the impression left by the tool in the preceding cycle on the partially drilled board. The numerically controlled drilling machine includes a table vertically movable to bring the stack against a fixed stop. A slide transversely movable after each drilling cycle engages the already drilled boards and carries them to an unloading support external to the table.

Abstract: The invention relates to new adhesive thermoplastic compositions.The adhesive thermoplastic compositions according to the invention comprise at least one rubbery constituent and at least one resinous constituent and, if appropriate, other constituents, such as a plasticizer, filler and/or stabilizer, which are commonly incorporated into known adhesive thermoplastic compositions, generally called hot melts, but they also contain at least one special resin including regions of high cohesion incompatible with the rubbery constituent on the molecular scale, but miscible on the macroscopic scale.The compositions according to the invention are particularly useful for sealing double glazing units.

Abstract: Rig for ice fishing comprising a tripod-mounted ring supporting a windlass having a shaft which spans a diameter of the ring and which carires a reel for rotation therewith. The legs can be folded against the bottom of the ring for storage and transportation. An anti-freeze tube through which the line may be unreeled extends beneath the ring. A spring-steel flag-staff is mounted in such a way on the ring that it can be partially wrapped around the ring for storage and can be swung upwardly and arcuately flexed across the top of the ring for use. The free end of the staff can be hooked to a bend in an end of the shaft so as to be released and signal the fisherman if a fish takes the line and thereby revolves the shaft.

Abstract: Ice fishing rig comprising an elongated, hollow, waterproof tube which carries a reel at one end, a resilient bar pivoted thereto and movable between a folded position parallel to the tube and an unfolded position transverse thereto. The bar when unfolded rests on the ice on either side of a fishing hole and suspends the rig with the reel submerged. When folded its lies parallel to the tube and engages portions of the reel. The upper end of the tube is transparent and encloses a fluorescent signal visible through 360.degree. and covered by a removable shield. A rod is pivotally mounted within the tube and the upper end engages the shield. The lower end is pivoted by rotation of the reel to release the shield thereby exposing the signal to view from a distance.

Abstract: A portable tree stand for use by hunters, nature observers and the like has a seat of weight-supporting mesh extending between a pair of rigid structural elements at the sides, and ropes at the corners for suspending the seat from branches of a tree extend along the inside of the structural elements for attachment of the seat. The tree stand is lightweight and rolls into a compact package for ease of transportation. In one embodiment, for safety of the user, the ropes and cords of the seat are of a color easily observable by a person on the ground.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for heat sealing a selected segment of a web of at least two layers of biaxially oriented plastic film. The web layers are pressed together and a selected segment of the pressed web is heated above the bonding temperature of the plastic while adjacent web segments are maintained below that temperature. The surfaces pressing thus the heated web segment has a relatively lower surface friction than the surfaces pressing the adjacent web segment, whereby the layers of the heated segment of the web are physically unrestrained against shrinking during heating and are allowed to shrink back to their pre-oriented molecular configuration while the adjacent segment is restrained against movement. A hermetic bead seal is thus formed between the web layers. A product heat sealed according to the novel method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A laced athletic shoe includes an external, cup-form counter having eyelets defined in its forwardly extending surfaces adapted to receive the ends of shoelaces extending from the laced portion of the shoe. The cup-form counter extends about the heel portion of the shoe upper along the rear and sides of the upper and also below the wearer's heel above the sole. When the laces are drawn tightly, the counter cupping the wearer's heel through the upper is drawn toward the laced portion to snug the shoe about the wearer's foot to restrict undesired movement of the foot within the shoe. The external cup-form counter with side eyelets is also claimed separately.

Abstract: A display device 10 consisting of five cells of seven segments each, is used in a photocopying machine in order to indicate normal operation and certain abnormal situations. The latter are indicated by means of messages in plain language, represented by cyclically moving characters. The messages are stored permanently in an EPROM 50, from which they are extracted as required under the command of a CPU 80 in relation to the corresponding type of abnormality, as detected by a set of sensors 82, 84, 86. A suitable subroutine causes the letters of message to slide along the cells of the display device 10 from right to left.

Abstract: A float element for hawser lines, such as used on a single point mooring. The element has a fixed, finite length and is adapted for attachment to the hawser line in a manner to permit elongation of the line under load with the float element in place. The float element has a male end portion and an opposed female end portion, the element being adapted to be attached with the male end portion of a first element adjacent the female end portion of a second element. The male end portion of the first element installed about the line has an outside diameter significantly less than the inside diameter of female end portion of second element. For substantial loads applied to the hawser line, the female end portion of one element is adapted to enclose the male end portion of the adjacent element, whereby the hawser line is continuously enclosed by adjacent elements substantially over their combined length. A flotation system for a hawser line comprising a multiplicity of float elements is also disclosed.

Abstract: Mechanism for locating preformed, open-mouthed cans for the trimming of their flanges, featuring spring-hinged grooved, flange-holding jaws releasably locating cans for the advancing punch and serving to strip the trim from the punch on its return stroke.

Abstract: Method of improving the operation and efficiency of a steam generating furnace fired with high moisture content fuel, comprises providing a drying shaft parallel and offset from the combustion chamber of the furnace; wet fuel is introduced into the upper portion of the shaft while a portion of the hot products of combustion gases from the upper portion of the combustion chamber are also permitted to flow into the upper portion of the shaft. The hot gases evaporate moisture from the fuel and are simultaneously cooled thereby so as to increase in density and fall by gravity within the shaft co-currently with the fuel for recirculation into the lower portion of the combustion chamber while the at least partially dried fuel is deflected from the bottom of the shaft into the lower portion of the combustion chamber along with the recirculated gases.

Abstract: A modular space-heating solar system has integral air-handling controls which automatically select a heating mode, a venting mode, or a variable combination of the two, according to room temperature. This eliminates the potential capability of the solar system of over-heating the room, and maintains full air flow through the solar absorber so as to prevent damage and increase useful life of the system.Incorporation of the controls into the collector enclosure allows simple installation of this integrated solar system as a single unit complete with collecting, sensing, actuating and air-handling functions.

Abstract: A first carriage carries a lamp for illuminating the original and a first mirror. A second carriage carries two mirrors and moves at half the speed of the carriage so that a constant optical path length is maintained from the original, via the three mirrors and a focusing lens to a rotating image receptor drum. The carriages are driven by individual motors via pulleys and belts and, during scanning, the speeds of the two motors are controlled in sympathy to move the carriage at a speed corresponding to the selected reduction/enlargement factor and to move the carriage at half this speed. Before scanning, only the second motor is energized to position the second carriage in accordance with the said factor. In a modified embodiment, a clutch couples the two carriages for movement at the correct relative speeds during scanning which is effected solely by means of the first motor. The initial positioning of the carriage by the second motor is effected with the clutch disengaged.

Abstract: The photocopier uses a development process employing a magnetic brush formed on a rotating sleeve (102) of non-magnetic material in which a system of permanent magnets (108) rotates. The outer surface of the sleeve is subjected to a sandblasting process after grinding in order to create a very uniform finely roughened surface in order to make the thickness of the toner layer forming the magnetic brush constant. The photocopier also employs a toner fixing system operating cold and under pressure by means of a pair of rollers (56, 58) of different diameter rotating at the same angular speed in order to create slippage of the upper roller relative to the lower roller for the purpose of obtaining perfectly flat copies. The copier also contains a single circuit board (80) for the low voltage and high voltage supply.

Abstract: A steam generating furnace which burns high moisture content fuel has a panel of heat absorbing tubes dividing it into two vertical interconnecting passageways: (a) a combustion chamber for burning the predried fuel and (b) a drying shaft for extracting moisture from the fuel. Wet fuel is introduced near the top of the drying shaft. As it falls it is dried by some of the hot gases diverted from the top of the combustion chamber into the top of the drying shaft. The cooling of the hot combustion gases due to evaporation of moisture from the wet fuel causes a difference in density between the gases in the two passageways, creates a natural, unidirectional circulation of part of the combustion gases from the top of the combustion chamber to the drying shaft. Predrying the wet fuel causes the fuel to burn faster and hotter thereby producing a stable and efficient combustion of the wet fuel at higher specific combustion rates.

Abstract: A solar hot water heating system has a primary tank heated by solar energy utilizing a heat transfer medium circulated between a solar collector and a heat exchanger located in the primary tank. Usually a back-up tank is provided to supplement the solar system. The primary tank receives cold water from a pressurized source. Its hot water outlet is connected to a heating and storage back-up tank the outlet of which supplies hot water to a domestic water supply, or the like. A pressure-actuated valve responds to a condition of the medium. When a predetermined temperature is reached the valve opens to release water from the system thereby permitting surplus hot water from the primary tank to replace the released water and thus reduce back-up energy requirement.

Abstract: An original document feeder for copying machines, for automatically positioning originals of any substance on the exposure surface, so avoiding opening and closing the original pressing cover at each change of original, and with a considerable reduction in idle times. The feeder comprises a set of friction rollers of flexible material mounted on a single shaft, these facing each other in a transverse slot so as to compel each original sheet to bend in such a manner as to exert a force against the rollers which is greater the higher the substance or rigidity of the sheets. The feeder is also provided for a device for automatically aligning the originals, and a timer system for coordinating the conveying stages of the originals with the copying machine cycle.