Abstract: A faucet manifold according to the invention is adapted to be mounted on a countertop over openings through which access can be had to water-conveying conduits. The manifold includes a cover in the form of a plate overlying the openings. The plate is spaced from the surface of the countertop by a skirt extending downwardly from the periphery of the plate. Valve members, water-conveying conduits, and a spout assembly are connected to, and carried by, the plate. All of the components of the manifold can be manufactured inexpensively, many of them in stamping operations. The invention eliminates the need to form parts in casting operations, thereby significantly reducing manufacturing costs.

Abstract: A faucet manifold according to the invention is adapted to be mounted on a countertop over openings through which access can be had to water-conveying conduits. The manifold includes a cover in the form of a plate overlying the openings. The plate is spaced from the surface of the countertop by a skirt extending downwardly from the periphery of the plate. Valve members, water-conveying conduits, and a spout assembly are connected to, and carried by, the plate. All of the components of the manifold can be manufactured inexpensively, many of them in stamping operations. The invention eliminates the need to form parts in casting operations, thereby significantly reducing manufacturing costs.

Abstract: A method of melting metal particles includes the steps of swirling molten metal in a vortex within a crucible, adding metal particles onto the surface of the metal, and submerging the metal particles substantially immediately after the particles have been added onto the surface. Apparatus for carrying out the method includes a mixer having a vertically oriented sleeve secured to the bottom of the crucible, the sleeve supporting a plurality of blades on its outer surface and having a plurality of openings adjacent its bottom. The blades force the metal particles beneath the surface of the metal and create turbulence which ensures rapid melting of the particles. The blades as well as the openings adjacent the bottom of the sleeve break up any agglomerated metal particles. Discharge piping is connected to the bottom of the crucible. A vortex breaker is disposed in the piping to control the vortex in the crucible.

Abstract: A heater/cooler unit specially adapted for motels, hotels, hospitals and like structures enables adjacent rooms to be cooled or heated by using certain commonly shared components. An evaporator is disposed in each of two adjacent rooms. The evaporators are connected to a common compressor and condenser disposed outside the rooms. Appropriate control mechanisms are provided to enable the evaporators to operate independently. The components are disposed in a housing which forms a portion of the exterior wall of the structure and a portion of the common wall of the rooms. Certain of the components can be placed atop a cart which can be wheeled into and out of the housing so as to facilitate installation and servicing of the unit. Electrical strip heaters can be added to the evaporators to provide a heating capability. An alternative embodiment employs interior and exterior heat exchangers operated as heat pumps.

Abstract: A method for selecting a particular shade of lipstick that will brighten the appearance of one's teeth includes providing a plurality of tooth color samples in predetermined colors, selecting a plurality of lipstick shades, determining which of the lipstick shades best increases the apparent whiteness of selected tooth colors, and correlating a given tooth color sample with appropriate lipstick shades. Apparatus for carrying out the method includes a plurality of tooth color samples and a correlation chart for identifying the best lipstick shades that can be used with each tooth color.

Abstract: A mixing valve particularly suited for use as a water faucet includes separate levers for selectively delivering an unmixed flow of cold water, an unmixed flow of hot water, and one or more mixed flows of intermediate temperature water. An intermediate temperature flow is obtained by combining separate flow of cold and hot water in a mixing chamber. Temperature selection elements are provided to control the relative proportion of the flow of cold and hot water delivered to the mixing chamber so that any desired intermediate temperature can be selected for the mixed flow delivered from the mixing chamber. Constant temperature of a mixed flow is maintained throughout the available range of flow rates by coordinating the admittance of cold and hot flows to the mixing chamber with respect to the discharge of mixed fluid from the mixing chamber.

Abstract: A blast cleaning machine for impacting workpieces with high speed abrasive particles includes a conveyor in the form of a generally horizontally oriented cylindrical cage. The cage has a hollow center within which workpieces are disposed and a wall in the form of a helix. The inner diameter of the cage and the pitch of the helix are such that the cage supports, rotates, and translates the workpieces. A rod can be secured to the inner surface of the wall in order to assist in rotating the workpieces as they move through the cage. In the preferred embodiment, the ratio of the inner diameter of the cage to the pitch of the helix is approximately 2.2:1.

Abstract: A mobile holding furnace having a metering pump is adapted to hold a relatively small quantity of molten metal in a contamination-free condition for dispensing to individual molds. The furnace is provided with insulation and electric heating elements for maintaining the molten metal in a liquid state. The furnace is sealed such that an atmosphere of inert gas can be maintained above the level of molten metal. The furnace is mounted upon wheels for easy transportation from place to place. The furnace is used in conjunction with tracks disposed adjacent individual molds, the tracks permitting the furnace to be locked in place while molten metal is dispensed into the molds.

Abstract: An oil dispenser for internal combustion engines having a crankcase includes an oil-containing, airtight reservoir disposed at a vertical location above the crankcase. A conduit connects the reservoir and the crankcase in order to establish fluid communication between the reservoir and the crankcase. The conduit has a lower end disposed in the crankcase at a level at which oil is desired to be maintained in the crankcase. A solenoid-activated valve is disposed at the lower end of the conduit to selectively permit or prevent the flow of oil through the conduit. The solenoid-activated valve includes a cup-like member which surrounds and is fitted against the lower end of the conduit upon valve closure. A control means is connected to the solenoid-activated valve for opening the solenoid-activated valve only after the engine has ceased operation and after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

Abstract: A heater/cooler unit specially adapted for motels, hotels, hospitals and like structures enables adjacent rooms to be cooled or heated by using certain commonly shared components. An evaporator is disposed in each of two adjacent rooms. The evaporators are connected to a common compressor and condenser disposed outside the rooms. Appropriate control mechanisms are provided to enable the evaporators to operate independently. The components are disposed in a housing which forms a portion of the exterior wall of the structure and a portion of the common wall of the rooms. Electrical strip heaters can be added to the evaporators to provide a heating capability. An alternative embodiment employs interior and exterior heat exchangers operated as heat pumps.

Abstract: A political campaign game is disclosed herein which is particularly adapted to simulate the conditions of an actual presidential campaign and includes a game board having playing zones which include a first group of popular vote obtaining zones and a second group of political occurrence zones. Each zone of the first group has the name of various voting areas selected from the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Some of the zones within the first group contain the name of a voting area that is also contained in other zones within the first group. The second group of zones instruct the player to draw either a political deal, speech or event card. A player score means having a score registering means is also included to accurately record the total number of popular votes received in each state.

Abstract: A smoke detector-activated door seal includes an extensible member in the form of an inflatable bladder disposed about the periphery of the door. A source of compressed air is connected to the bladder such that, upon a door-carried smoke detector sensing the presence of smoke, the source of compressed air inflates the bladder so as to provide a substantially airtight seal between the door and the door frame. A manually actuated release valve is provided to enable the seal to be released whenever desired.

Abstract: Apparatus for retaining vanes in an abrasive blasting machine includes a rotatable runnerhead having a radially extending channel opening through one face of the runnerhead. A slot is included as part of the channel adjacent the radially outer end of the channel. A vane includes a base adapted to be disposed within the channel and retained there by a retaining pin fitted into the slot. A magnet is disposed in the slot in order to retain the pin in the slot at all times. The base includes a plurality of intersecting planar surfaces overlying the slot that cooperate to (1) enable the pin to be inserted and removed without displacing other machine components and (2) hold the pin securely in place during operation of the machine. The planar surfaces are configured such that the vane can be manufactured in a casting operation without using cores, thereby effecting significant cost savings.

Abstract: An energy management system for controlling a plurality of electrical loads having assigned priorities of use employs electronic relays to sense the flow of current in the loads. Signals from the electronic relays are used by power relays or by a combination of control relays and power relays to disable selected electrical loads. An additional control relay can be employed to prevent disabling of a selected load. A repeat cycle time delay relay can be employed to alternate disabling of selected loads.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus is provided for imparting a simple contour to an aircraft skin. A treatment chamber having a conveyor with a workpiece attached thereto and a shot peening blast unit positioned therein is provided. The workpiece is conveyed past the blast unit for peening treatment. A control system is provided for orienting the workpiece and blast unit so that the peening is done only in narrow spanwise strips and only on common chord percentage lines of the workpiece. This method and apparatus thereby creates chordwise simple curvature to the workpiece while minimizing compound curvature effects.