Abstract: The invention provides didactic apparatus for use by young children in ascertaining the volume of solid structures built from unit cubes or blocks, and broadly comprises a square base plate and two rectangular walls connected at right angles and mounted on said base plate so as to be in planes parallel with but spaced from two adjacent sides of said base plate. Said base plate and walls are each marked with grid lines each square of which is of unit dimensions and the grid lines of the base plate externally of said walls are consecutively numbered from the juncture of the walls. The walls, at least, are transparent and horizontal grid lines thereon are numbered consecutively from the bottom.

Abstract: An automatic weaving shuttle is provided with a recess for receiving a bobbin having cylindrical bobbin heads. To retain the bobbin head an insert is held in force engagement within said recess, said insert being formed in a substantially U-shaped configuration with two legs conjoined by a cross-piece. Within the legs are formed pairs of sliding guides disposed respectively on each side of the longitudinal central plane of the bobbin. Spring loaded dogs are slidable within said guides and engage the cylindrical surface of the bobbin head. The bobbin is centralized by a spigot engaging within a correspondingly shaped recess in the end of the bobbin head.

Abstract: In classifying apparatus of the type wherein upward whirling flow of fluid is used to separate coarse and fine particles of the particulate material, rotary vanes are mounted on the upper portion of a housing for separating and discharging fine particles, and a rotary disc carrying a plurality of nozzles is provided for projecting jet streams of the fluid against the inner wall of the housing. Vertical and inclined guide plates are provided near the inlet port of the fluid for smoothly guiding coarse particles falling down along the inner side of the housing without being disturbed by the whirling flow of the fluid admitted through the inlet port.

Abstract: In this device for raising the net of an aircraft arresting gear, a post is pivotally mounted on each side of the strip in a frame structure disposed obliquely to the center line of the strip, this post being pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the piston-rod of a pneumatic cylinder, the net suspension rope passing through the top of each post before being anchored to the ground.

Abstract: A system for securing under an aircraft a jettisonable load having either a known suspension ring or a known suspension bridge with laterally spaced recesses. The carrier structure on the aircraft includes a withdrawable pivot pin for supporting a hook which can be removed and turned through 180.degree. for presenting optionally a single projection to engage with a suspension ring, or a pair of abutments to engage in the recesses of a suspension bridge. The hook is releasably angularly coupled to an actuating shank pivotable about the pin.

Abstract: A direct current proximity detector having a first terminal directly connected, to a terminal of a supply source and second and third terminals connected to the other terminal of the supply source through a load, an oscillator associated with a detector of its state of oscillation, a voltage stabilizer and a static switching device. The switching device comprises first and second transistors, the conducting state of the respective transistors depending upon the state of a corresponding output of an inverter unit which is controlled by the detector. The two transistors are connected to the first terminal through a Zener diode, second and third terminals being interconnected by means of two serially connected diodes of opposed polarities the common point of which supplies the voltage stabilizer.

Abstract: A control apparatus for manufacturing or treatment processes in which articles or batches of articles are conveyed through a process station on endless conveyor means. The apparatus comprises electrical signal producing means for producing at its output an article or batch digital signal dependent upon the length of the conveyor means associated with one article or batch of articles. Electrical reference means capable of being set with a digital value representing the effective length of the conveyor means are provided together with electrical comparator means for receiving the signals at the outputs of said signal producing means and said reference means and for determining whether the effective length of the conveyor is an exact multiple of the length associated with the article or batch.

Abstract: A thread cutting mechanism is adapted to be attached by a bracket to a portion of the body of a sewing machine. The mechanism includes a cylindrical hollow tube on the peripheral wall of which the bracket is fixed, along the length of which a guide slot or groove of a given length is formed, and within which a compression spring is inserted. The tube is slidably engaged along its inner wall with an elongated operation rod having both ends projecting outwardly from the corresponding ends of the tube so as to enter into the center of the compression spring and having a pin slidably engaged in the guide slot or groove of the tube and normally pressed against the rear end of the guide slot or groove through the action of the compression spring. The front end of the operation rod is fitted with a cutter for severing a sewing machine thread.

Abstract: The invention relates to aqueous solutions for bright and semi-bright nickel electroplating. The bath contains known ingredients such as nickel salts, boric acid ions together with three acetylenic compounds viz acetylenic alcohol, separated mono and/or di-alkoxylated derivative of acetylenic alcohol produced by reaction of acetylenic alcohol with ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or butylene oxide and N-di-substituted amino-propyne or its hydrochloride.

Abstract: Graduated pipette formed by a stem having an inner diameter of suitable size, while said stem is closed at the top and its lower end presents a beveled edge. The stem is equipped at a suitable height, with a lateral branch formed by a capillary tube with a rubber cap or bulb fixed thereto having a suitable configuration and size such as to delimit a bigger volume than the volume of the stem. The cap presents an inner volume sufficient to move an air mass which, with drawn liquid is enough to fill all of the stem portion below the branch.

Abstract: A device for parking two vehicles one above the other has a support structure to house the vehicles, guide rail means in said support structure and movable vertically therein for shifting of a vehicle into an upper position in the support structure, and a vehicle-holding device to receive the vehicle to be moved to the upper position, the vehicle-holding device being carried by and movable along the guide rail means.

Abstract: The process for the production of a refractory body comprises comminuting plasma dissociated zircon sand, mixing the comminuted sand with a functional additive for the purpose of reducing the subsequent firing temperature, moulding the resulting mixture to form a body, and finally firing the moulded body until sintering occurs.

Abstract: Apparatus for extracting mineral resources lying on the bottom of sea into a working ship floating on an ocean utilizing circulating current based on the difference of water levels. A hollow box shaped tank has its bottom opened and sunk liftably into the sea bottom through a rope from the working ship. The tank is equipped with a rotatory driving mechanism and trawled along the sea bottom while stirring it when the ship travels on the ocean. An elongated flexible coaxial pipe comprises an inner pipe and a coaxial outer pipe, each having at its lower end a fanwise shaped hopper mouth disposed within the tank through the upper wall thereof. The coaxial pipe passes through an internal seawater cistern in the bottom wall portion of the working ship and has its upper portion within an external seawater cistern mounted on the upper portion of the working ship. A suction pump is joined to the upper end of the coaxial inner pipe.

Abstract: For securing together elastomeric substrates in surface-to-surface contact an adhesive for interposing between the substrates includes elastomer, a prepolymer or a polymerizable monomer, and a graft initiator. Molecular grafting occurs between the elastomer of the adhesive and the elastomer of both of the substrates, and after curing the layer of adhesive forms an integral assembly with the substrates, to result in a bonding strength which is much higher than is obtainable with known surface adhesives. The adhesive is of particular utility in bonding new tread bands to tire casings in the re-capping of used automobile tires.

Abstract: A wind driven power plant has a vertical axis rotor which is rigidly connected to a center body in turn connected to a rotating base. The base is supported on a fixed pylon by means of a mechanical, or preferably fluidic bearing.The rotor blades are strongly bowed, soft in torsion and provided, near their tip region, with automatic pitch piloting means.

Abstract: A known ski scooter, for use as sport and training equipment, has a foot board, on which the user's foot is secured by a binding, and sets of wheels adjacent the ends of the boards, one set being braked by a brake element linked to a brake lever formed for engagement of a ski stick in it. The invention has the brake lever as a hinged element operable by pulling it with a ski stick fitted with an engaging device, for example a rubber end member for the ski stick or a basket or a bearing ring with diametrically opposed extensions on it.

Abstract: When a negative resistance is connected in parallel to a parallel resonance circuit composed of coil and condenser for detecting flaws and other defects of a travelling metal material, the detecting system is capable of improving sensitivity for detecting said flaws and lowering the required degree of amplification of the following amplifier, consequently reducing influence depending upon unbalance of a bridge circuit. At the same time, the simplifying of the power source of said system may be easily realized.

Abstract: A tool with a variable force transmission ratio between the handles, which receive the driving force, and the working jaws adapted to perform the desired work, comprising a first stationary working jaw and a second movable working jaw journalled in a first pivot point to the first jaw, having an elongated cam profile arranged beyond said first pivot point and with the exception of eventual adjustments fixedly connected with and extending essentially in the same direction as the first jaw, the second jaw being prolonged beyond said first pivot point by an extension to which an operative means for receiving the driving force is journalled in a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, which operative means is rigidly connected to contact means arranged in such a manner that when the operative means are actuated by a driving force the contact means is pressed against the cam profile and made to follow it.

Abstract: A heat treating apparatus including a crucible to contain molten metal, at least one plasma ejecting nozzle which is constructed so as to generate a plasma jet and is secured with respect to the crucible around the central axis of it and a magnetic field generating means to generate a magnetic field interacting with the plasma jet and deflecting it.