Abstract: A portable barbecue cooker for use without solvent ignition means or impregnated charcoal briquets. A turbo air blower communicates with ignited briquets through a distributive port plenum chamber and brings ignited briquets to operating temperature rapidly. A vertically and rotationally movable elevator brings the briquets, at operating temperature, to the char grill, and by conveying rotary movement to the char grill, distributes the briquets evenly thereupon. The elevator engages the char grill for vertical movement and for variable spacing with respect to the cook grill. The char grill is equipped with a support cage and plough blades which rotate with the char grill to move ashes from the cooker bowl bottom for transport to an ash collector. Either paper kindling or piezoelectric means provide initial ignition for the briquets in an ignition chamber.

Abstract: A container for shipping and displaying an individually packaged food comestible. It includes retainers which permanently retain the package when the container is closed. The container is created from a unitary sheet blank produced by the single strike of a die. The blank includes bottom, top and side panels demarcated by longitudinal and transverse fold lines. Two parallel transverse fold lines define matched side flaps on each side panel and retainer tabs on the bottom panel. Oblique fold lines, at angles of less than 90.degree. with respect to the transverse fold lines, form four side sections disposed between each side flap and its corresponding retainer tab. In manufacturing the container, from the blank, each pair of side flaps and retainer tab are folded, along respective transverse fold lines, into contact with the corresponding side panels and bottom panel. Each side flap is securely held, relative to its respective side panel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for removing basecups from plastic bottles in which basecups are bonded or adhered to the bottom thereof. The machine includes conveyor means adapted to pass bottles towards a cutting station. The machine further includes laterally spaced apart stripping rails positioned below and spaced apart from the conveyor means, the arrangement being such that necks of bottles are gripped by and between the conveyor means, while the stripping rails engage over or above the basecups, passage of the bottles towards the cutting station by the conveyor means, causing the stripping rails to force the basecups downwardly and away from the bottles, thereby breaking any bond or adhesion therebetween and separating the basecups from the bottles. The cutting station includes means which thereafter remove a lower portion of the bottle as contaminated with bonding agent or adhesive, as a result of the bond between the bottles and the basecups.

Abstract: Apparatus for limiting torque to a drive line upon rotation in one direction. A rotor is connected to a rotational device within a housing selectively connected to a control for a source of rotational force for operation and cessation thereof. The rotor has a pivoted pawl which mates with an elongated groove in the housing. The pivoted pawl freely pivots in one of two directions but is prevented, by a pin, from rotating in the other direction. A small compression spring on each side of the pawl causes the pawl to re-center in the groove and permits the housing dimensions to be halved as compared to those accomodating a single, high force spring. The rotor has a pair of cam surfaces which contact a plurality of spring loaded push rods in the housing. In operation, the rotor and the housing rotate together about a common axis in either direction. However, when torque loading is imposed during rotation in a first direction, the pawl pivots and moves out of engagement with the housing groove.

Abstract: An apparatus for semiautomatically teeing up golf balls utilizing very low air pressure as an operating medium. Balls are loaded onto a contoured dish at the upper end of an open ended upright cylinder and pass from the dish into a flexible tube wrapped helically around the outside of the cylinder. The lower end of the tube is blocked by a ball dispenser. When a user trips a lever on the ball dispenser, one ball is permitted to roll to a stop above a hole in the hitting mat directly above the air operated teeing device. The teeing device includes a teeing tube attached vertically above an expandable chamber and extending just to the top surface of the hitting mat. A very low pressure stream of air constantly flows through the chamber and escapes via the teeing tube. When a golf ball comes to rest above the teeing tube, the escape of air is terminated, causing the expandable chamber to fill, thereby raising the teeing tube and the ball to the teed height.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing a thick foam from a spray of liquid and air. An interrupter is located in the path of a controlled portion of the outer periphery of a continuous stream of liquid. By precisely controlling the amount of peripheral flow impinged upon by the interrupter in the stream periphery, turbulence is created with consequent pressure drop and ingress of counter flowing ambient air which mixes with and causes foaming of the liquid constituent. The apparatus produces relatively large liquid particulate in air suspension. Such particulate is not readily inhaled or sensed by olfactory faculties. The dense, low velocity foaming spray which is produced adheres to target surfaces and remains in suspension eliminating dripping or running liquid.

Abstract: A vehicle for travel over ice and snow. The vehicle has steerable runner or ski means and a driving or traction wheel for producing traction. The traction wheel is selectively retractable from the surface over which the vehicle is travelling. The drive means for retracting the traction wheel are the same means which transmit power to the traction wheel. The vehicle is also equipped with multiple-point braking means.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for selectively removing a plastic layer laminated to a metal substrate. A high intensity laser beam is precisely directed to open areas of a thin metallic mask overlying the plastic layer. During removal of the plastic layer from the metal substrate, the system also removes the adhesive resin which attaches the layers. A movable table transfers the sample to be skived across the laser beam and the beam is caused to sweep the sample in a rotating pattern by means of a rotating wobble-plate mirror system. The plastic layer and the adhesive resin which attaches it to the metal substrate are removed by a sequential combination of vaporization and explosion processes.

Abstract: An instructional and recreational device with means for producing a drawing, means for simultaneously developing ability in spatial relations and numerical or alphabetical usage. The device is a self-contained system including writing implements, game components, and writing surfaces. A plurality of variously shaped game boards are provided with variously shaped apertures therein for receiving complementarily-shaped element blocks having numbers, letters, or the like thereon. By placing a block in an appropriate aperture, a user may develop his spatial relations skills while increasing recognition of language symbols. The device also has means for drawing or writing, including a blackboard and a continuous, rolled supply of drawing paper.

Abstract: A system for the combustion of waste products for the extraction of heat energy in a clean pollutant-free medium. The system includes a swirling air-cyclonic type incinerator having means for controllably consuming fuel in the form of waste products of various grades and heating values. Incinerator outlet means are provided for transmitting gaseous combustion products to a heat exchanger, a filtering device, and ultimately to a point of beneficial utilization. Through a plurality of ducts, control valves, and pumping means, a selectably variable volume of oxygen necessary to support combustion is taken from the ambient. The remaining gas flow to the incinerator for such purposes as creation of a swirling flow and cooling is pumped from the outlet side of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically and selectively separating the components of an admixture of shredded materials in a scrap metal reclamation process according to the individual weights of such components. The apparatus includes conveying means for transmitting a shredded admixture of metals of various densities, lint, rubber, etc., to the periphery of a rotating drum. The periphery of the rotating drum is substantially completely perforate and is exposed from the interior thereof to a source of subatmospheric pressure. The rotating drum and a relatively fixed low pressure source interior thereof are so arranged that the differential between ambient pressure and the pressure at the drum perforations decreases as the drum rotates from a first point of material acquisition to a second point of deposition.

Abstract: A cover for a bicycle seat which flexes with movements of the bicycle rider's legs to reduce or eliminate relative movement between the cover and the leg. The cover includes recess means adapted to accept a plurality of different padding inserts to produce a composite seat of any desired firmness and flexibility. The cover has a plurality of substantially longitudinally disposed grooves and raised portions which serve the dual functions of increasing air circulation between the seat cover and body of the rider and of providing an accordian-like movement with the up and down movements of the rider's legs to substantially reduce or eliminate relative movement between the seat cover and the legs of the rider.

Abstract: A system for the combustion and utilization of waste products for the production of heat energy in a clean pollutant-free medium. The system includes forced air swirling-type incinerator having means for controllably admitting fuel in the form of waste products and having exhaust stack means for removal of combustion medium in the form of heated gases therefrom. The system further includes a particle removal and retention arrangement for treating the heated combustion medium from the incinerator and for removing both gross and miniscule particulate therefrom before transmitting said medium to a point of beneficial utilization. The particle retention arrangement includes revolving screen means and washing means therefor as well as filter means disposed to intercept the heated medium passing through the revolving screen means.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically opening and closing the flaps of a plurality of mailing envelopes. The apparatus includes means for forcing open flaps which have become stuck to the associated envelope body and has means for closing the flaps of such envelopes. Storage means are provided for handling envelopes in large volume and automatic feeder means are provided for feeding said envelopes into a flap processing section of the apparatus. Material flattening and ejection means automatically draw the processed envelopes through the feeder means and flap processing sections and eject said envelopes from the device by way of a conveying section after the flaps thereon have been processed.

Abstract: A dual function thermal recovery system for reducing pollutant emissions to the ambient and for utilizing normally wasted heat energy for beneficial purposes. A simple and efficiently operative assemblage of components for directly transmitting outlet stack gasses from an incinerator to a point of utilization such as a wood drying kiln, heat exchanger, or the like. A conduit connected directly to the outlet gas stack of the incinerator directs such outlet gas to the inlet of a constant volume centrifugal gas pump. Proximate the inlet of the gas pump, a branch conduit intersects the hot gas conveying conduit. An automatically thermostatically controlled valve is located within the branch conduit in selectively blocking relationship to relatively cool ambient air. An exhaust conduit is connected directly to the outlet of the gas pump for directing the output of such pump to a point of direct utilization, such as a drying kiln.