Abstract: A reinforced cardboard box for storage and shipping of elongated items and rolled documents is described. The box is formed from a single piece of cardboard and may be rapidly assembled without the use of tools. The box comprises an elongated rectangular bottom panel, first and second joined side panels, and first and second abutting top panels foldably joined to the side panels and constructed to form a center top closure for the box. The second top panel includes a series of tab openings. The center closure permits the finished box to be sealed by an automated tape machine. A reinforcing rib panel, having a series of bendable tab elements extending from an elongated edge, is foldably joined to the second top panel. The bottom panel has a pair of abutting end panels foldably joined to either end. The second side panel has a pair of outer side end panels foldably joined to either end and a pair of inner side end panels foldably joined to the outer side end panels.

Abstract: A magnetic picture display device is described. The invention includes a horizontal ground surface, a planar item to be displayed, a first support element and at least one front surface-contacting member. The display item has a front surface, a rear surface and at least one edge. The first support element has at least one ground surface contacting portion and at least one rear surface contacting portion. The rear surface-contacting portion includes ferromagnetic material. The front surface-contacting member includes a high-strength magnet. To use the invention the ground surface contacting is located on the ground surface and the rear surface of the item is located on the rear surface contacting portion of the first support element. The front surface contacting member is located on the front surface of the item at a point closest to the rear surface contacting portion of the first support element.

Abstract: A height-adjustable coffee or tea brewer is described. The invention includes a base element that may include a selectively operable warming plate. A vertical stand includes two slidably engagable components that may be vertically displaced with respect to one another. The first of these components is attached to the base element and the second is attached to a head element. The head element may be provided with a device to accept a funnel or other mechanism to hold coffee or tea. The head element may also contain a device for heating water or may simply be plumbed to a hot water source. The height-adjustable feature permits the coffee or tea brewer to fill thermally insulated and other containers of varying height.

Abstract: A container having a number of walls of cardboard, fiberboard, plastic or other relatively stiff sheet material, joined along corner edges is made collapsible by providing one or more accordion folds transverse to the corner edges. Each accordion fold includes parallel crease lines on a common side of the walls, an intermediate crease line on an opposite side of the walls, and diagonally opposed areas of locally weakened stiffness in the wall material adjacent each intersection of the intermediate crease with the corner edges, such that portions of each accordion fold tend to overlap at the corner edges to facilitate bellowing action of the accordion fold.

Abstract: In a stirling cycle machine a shell means enclosing the machine body for maintaining a substantially sealed atmosphere about the machine body. A diffuser arranged between the machine body and the outer shell for diffusing a shock wave traveling towards the outer shell as the result of an explosive failure of the machine body.

Abstract: A furnace or furnace-and-pot heating system comprises an inner shell, an outer shell surrounding the inner shell to form a duct between the two shells for preheating combustion air flowing down the duct to enter a combustion chamber within the inner shell. A container or pot for heating material such as water or foodstuffs may be supported inside the inner shell and above a combustion zone, such pot to be of diameter to form with the inner shell an annular flue for escape of combustion products. Draft control means are provided to regulate the amount of combustion air entering the combustion chamber.