Abstract: A staple or nail gun assembly includes a staple or nail gun, a cap feeding device and a cap having a peripheral rim disposed on its underside, a marginal edge on its upper side adjacent a central portion having the shape of a truncated cone. The staple or nail gun and the cap feeding device are generally disposed at opposite ends of the handle of the staple or nail gun. The cap feeding device includes a base, a cap container and a shuttle, and feeds caps sequentially as they are affixed by the gun. The caps are coaxially stacked by means of a coaxial plastic cord or wire with retaining means at the respective ends or in a tubular container with a flanged end. The caps may also be stacked on a rod or held together by melting.

Abstract: A springless valve having a valve body, a valve stem insert, and an O-ring gasket for sealing the insert to a valve seat of the valve body. As the valve stem insert rotates about its axis, fingers on vanes of the insert move within threads of the valve body, and the insert moves between valve-opened and valve-closed positions. A coupling engages with the valve body during inflation/deflation and, as the coupling rotates with respect to the valve body, it engages the insert for mutual rotation to move the insert between the valve-opened and valve-closed positions.

Abstract: A protector for use with an anesthesia machine and anesthesia instruments. The protector includes a container member having a cavity for holding an anesthesia instrument and having an open mouth for allowing ingress and egress into the cavity; and securing structure for securing the container member to the anesthesia machine.

Abstract: A mounting system and method for an antenna and access point of a wireless local area network communication system. The antenna and access point are mounted on top of a board member, and a protective cover is mounted on board member over the antenna. The board member can then be placed on a support surface such as the top of a suspended ceiling and the access point connected to the input cabling of the local area network communication system. The board member can then freely moved around to fine-tune the area of coverage of the access point.

Abstract: A cardiopulmonary resuscitation device and method that combines artificial, emergency ventilation of a patient's lungs with chest compressions on the patient's sternum area. The device includes a self-inflating bag having a top side, a bottom side, and an outlet port through which the content of the bag is forced when the top side of the bag is pushed toward the bottom side of the bag; target indicia on the self-inflating bag to indicate the proper position of the self-inflating bag on the patient's sternum area and to indicate the proper location on the self-inflating bag for applying force to the top side of the self-inflating bag; a face mask for placement over the patient's mouth and nose; and a tube extending from the outlet port of the self-inflating bag to the face mask.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of installing a pile in unstable soil before a building foundation is installed on that unstable soil. The apparatus includes a tractor; an arm pivotally attached to tractors; a mechanism for moving the arm between raised and lowered positions; a driving platform attached to the arm; and auxiliary weight attached to the front member of the arm. The method includes the steps of placing the first end of a starter pile on the unstable soil; positioning the driving platform of the tractor on the second end of the starter pile; and activating the mechanism for moving the arm between raised and lowered positions to move the arm to the lowered position and cause the driving platform to drive the starter pile into the unstable soil.

Abstract: A multi-component liquid explosive composition and method of mixing thereof. The steps include (a) providing a powder consisting of aluminum preferably having an average particle size of 5 to 50 microns and a surface area of 0.5 to 2 square meters per cubic centimeter containing 0.1 to 5% stearic acid by weight; (b) providing a liquid consisting of nitromethane; and (c) mixing said aluminum powder with the nitromethane to form a liquid explosive formulation detonable at a wide range of temperatures and diameters with a standard commercial number 8 blasting cap.

Abstract: A hitch assembly including a frame for being attached to a tow vehicle; a cradle assembly pivotally attached to the frame for pivotal fore and aft movement; a hitch receiver mounted to the cradle assembly for being attached to a trailer; a leaf spring mounted to the cradle assembly and the fore end of the frame for controlling fore and aft movement of the cradle assembly; and shock absorbers mounted to the cradle assembly and the aft end of the frame for dampening fore and aft movement of the cradle assembly.

Abstract: A furniture leg lifter in kit form for lifting a furniture leg of a large piece of furniture, one lifter per leg. The kit includes a base having an upwardly-opening recess; containment blocks, each with a central vertical opening, that are stacked atop the base and extend the recess upward; supporting blocks that are received within the recess for supporting the furniture leg; and a plurality of shim blocks of differing sizes. Selected parts from the kit are combined with the base to provide a selected lift distance for the furniture leg. The kit further includes a plurality of shim blocks of varying widths and lengths that are adapted to be closely packed around the furniture leg within the recess to restrain the furniture leg. Eye screws hold the containment blocks to the base. A non-skid bottom surface on the base prevents movement while supporting furniture.

Abstract: A valve with a calibrated flow orifice insert for use in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (“HVAC”) applications so as to provide metered flow through the valve. The insert is used as a flow control device and is inserted into a conventional threaded ball valve. The insert has a cylindrical axial bore that is sized to provide a maximum valve flow coefficient. Peripheral threads on the insert mate with interior threads on the inlet of the valve body. A pair of bores on the face of the insert permit threaded insertion into the valve. The axial orifice bore through the insert is sized using experimentally-determined formulas related to the Reynolds numbers for the orifice and for the piping upstream of the insert.

Abstract: A resaw apparatus and method of sawing a succession of boards from a cant of a succession of cants. A band saw is vertically positioned to cut the succession of boards from the cant as the cant is reciprocated through the saw. A pivoted raker gate downstream of the band saw's blade engages the cut board and prevents it from passing through the saw in the reverse direction. A vertically movable live hold-down roller upstream of the saw blade presses down on the cant during sawing. A measuring device measures the cant's height prior to sawing the first board from the cant. When the raker gate moves into its vertical position after the cut board passes, the saw blade is raised slightly to avoid contact with cant splinters on the reverse pass. Each cant is processed to completion before sawing the next cant.

Abstract: A piggy back shipping/storage package, a bracket for use in building the package, and method for building the package. The bracket has an article attachment lug for being attached to the top of a lower article mounted on a lower pallet, and a pallet supporting platform for supporting the bottom of an upper pallet on which an upper article is supported.