Abstract: An electrolytic oxidant generator including an anode and cathode within different chambers separated by an ion permeable membrane, and a mixer for circulating saline solution within the anode chamber to enhance dispersal of salt in the solution and maintain the saline solution at high density throughout that chamber. The generator preferably includes an outer shell and a tubular member extending generally vertically within the shell and separating the anode and cathode chambers, with the side wall having a curving portion containing at least one aperture curving with the wall, and with the membrane being secured to and curving with the wall and bridging across the aperture. The inner chamber may take the form of a unit which is removable upwardly from the shell and interfits with the shell in locating relation upon downward movement thereinto.

Abstract: A recoil pad for a shoulder gun such as a rifle or shotgun, including a body of elastomeric cushioning material to be received between the buttstock of the gun and a user'shoulder, and an insert member formed of a material harder than the elastomeric material and embedded within a recess in the back of the elastomeric body near its upper end. The pad may also include an attachment plate secured to the front of the elastomeric body. The insert member has a rear surface which engages the user's clothing at a location above an aligned rear surface of the elastomeric body, to reduce the friction at the location of the insert and facilitate sliding of the recoil pad upwardly adjacent the clothing to firing position. The elastomeric body has a portion extending upwardly in front of the harder insert to be received between that insert and the buttstock of the gun and cushion the transmission of recoil forces from the gun to the insert.

Abstract: A carburetor including a throttle valve for regulating the flow of air through the body of the carburetor and to an engine, with fuel being introduced into the air flow for intermixture therewith, and with the device including an air actuated element which is preferably located downstream of the throttle valve and is adapted to be displaced automatically by the air to different positions varying in correspondence with the rate of air flow through the device, and which forms a restriction varying in size with the rate of air flow and acting to enhance dispersal of the fuel within the air and assure intimate intermixture of the air and fuel for optimum functioning of the engine. The fuel may be premixed with a secondary flow of air before delivery of the fuel and secondary air as a combined stream into the primary flow of air, and the combined stream may be drawn by vacuum into the primary flow of air at the location of the restriction formed by the flow actuated member.

Abstract: A gauge and gauging method for measuring a thread of varying pitch by screwing a threaded gauge element into engagement with the thread of varying pitch and to a point at which the threads have a light binding relationship resisting further advancement of the threads together. The device is constructed to then indicate the extent to which the gauge element has advanced when the binding condition is attained, and utilize that reading as a measurement of the functional accuracy of the thread of varying pitch. The device preferably includes a second element which, when the threads are in their lightly binding condition, is adjustable axially relative to the threaded gauge element and to a position of contact with the part containing the thread of varying pitch. Markings indicating the relative positioning of the two elements then provide a precise measurement of the functional accuracy of the thread of varying pitch.

Abstract: A shock actuated valve including a first structure mounted to swing about a first axis and which is releasably retained by a first latch in a first position, with the latch being automatically releasable when the device is subjected to earthquake forces or other shock forces, and a second structure including a valve and which is mounted to swing about a second axis and is releasably retained in an open valve position by a second latch controlled by the first swinging structure. When shock forces cause release of said first structure for swinging movement from its reset position, such swinging movement automatically releases the second structure and its valve for spring urged swinging movement in a direction closing the valve.

Abstract: A shock responsive device for automatically actuating a valve or other controlled unit in response to earthquake forces, including a weight which is displaceable from a pedestal or other support by shock forces, an element at a first side of the support actuable by the weight to operate the controlled unit, and a guide structure onto which the weight can fall at a second side of the support and which is constructed to direct the weight from that side to the first side for actuation of the element and controlled unit. The guide structure preferably extends circularly about the support and is inclined to direct the weight by gravity to the first side of the support from any other location thereabout. The guide structure may be vertically movable relative to the support to return the weight to the normal position on the support for resetting of the mechanism.

Abstract: A holster having a body molded of an elastomeric material, with that body being doubled back along a fold region essentially midway between two opposite edges of the molded body, and with those edges then being secured together by rivets or the like to define a gun receiving recess between front and rear panels of the holster. The rear panel contains a passage through which a belt extends for supporting the device from the belt. The two connected edges of the elastomeric body preferably have flanges projecting toward one another and connectable together, and which interfit to locate the flanges relative to one another. A gun may be retained in the holster by two flaps projecting upwardly from the front and rear panels and connectable together. The rear flap is preferably thicker and stiffer than the front flap, and desirably each of the flaps is slightly thicker and stiffer than the panel from which it projects upwardly.

Abstract: A pistol grip formed of two complementary grip sections to be received at opposite sides of a handle projection of a gun, and be retained on the handle projection by a fastener extending between the sections. The sections have tubular internal portions extending toward one another and through which the fastener extends, and which are engageable at their inner ends with one another to prevent damage to the sections by over-tightening of the fastener. Each section has two wedging surfaces within its interior adapted to engage two coacting surfaces of the handle projection of the gun, with the wedging surfaces of each grip section being disposed at a slight angle with respect to one another for engagement with the handle projection in a manner rigidly retaining the grip sections in fixed positions relative to the handle projection.

Abstract: A gauge for measuring an internal thread formed within a passage in a nut or other member, and including two gauge elements having similar external threads adapted to project into the threaded passage along the axis of the internal thread and from opposite ends of the passage to engage opposite ends of the internal thread, and two indicators carried by the gauge elements at locations axially outwardly beyond the opposite ends of the passage and having portions extending externally of the passage to positions at which the rotary setting of one indicator can be read against the rotary setting of the other. At least one of the rotary elements (preferably both) is rotatably adjustable relative to the corresponding gauge element, and releasably lockable in any of different set positions relative thereto as an initial setting of the tool.

Abstract: A threaded connection in which the axial load between a screw and nut in a tightened condition of the connection is distributed more uniformly between different turns of the engaged threads than in a standard threaded connection by forming one of the threaded elements, preferably the nut, to have a pitch which increases progressively as the thread advances helically in a predetermined axial direction, while the other thread desirably has a pitch which is uniform along its length. The pitch of the first thread may increase at a rate predetermined to compensate for differences in the tensile force which is applied to the screw and the compressive force applied to the nut at different points along their length when the screw and nut are tightened together to a prestressed condition.

Abstract: An abrading tool including a body to be held by a user and carrying a motor which moves a unit relative to the body to abrade a work surface by the action of a sheet of sandpaper or other work abrading element carried by the unit, with the unit containing a passage or passages through which a flow of air and entrained particles abraded from the work surface are drawn by suction, and with the unit carrying a flow control valve which is movable with the unit relative to the body of the tool by the motor and is operable to variably restrict the flow of air and particles by suction through the passage or passages in the unit. The movable unit may include a resiliently deformable cushion through which abrading force is applied to the sandpaper or other abrading element and a backing plate structure more rigid than the cushion and containing a chamber into which air and particles flow from passages in the cushion, with the flow control valve being carried by an upper wall of the backing plate structure.

Abstract: A cord lock including a body containing a passage through which two cords extend, and a slide received at least partially within the passage and movable relative to the body between a locking position retaining the cords against longitudinal movement and a released position permitting such movement, with the body having a wall defining a side of the passage laterally adjacent one of the cords and containing a slot through which that cord is movable laterally or transversely of its length out of the passage and to the exterior of the body to enable complete detachment of one of the cords from the body when desired.

Abstract: A fatigue resistant threaded connection includes a nut having two threads which are aligned axially but turned relative to one another about their common axis through an angle great enough to cause development of large axial forces between the screw and nut threads when they are connected together, resulting in improved distribution of load forces between the two threads of the nut and improved resistance of the screw and nut to fatigue and tensile failures.

Abstract: An automatic safety mechanism including an actuator for operating a valve or other controlled unit and which is operable by compressed air or other pressurized fluid, a valve structure for controlling the delivery of pressurized fluid from a source to the actuator, a shock responsive mechanism operable by shock forces to actuate the valve structure to a condition operating the actuator by fluid from the source, and a device operable automatically in response to a decrease in the pressure of fluid from the source to admit pressure fluid to the actuator for operating it. An assembly for resetting the shock responsive mechanism to a cocked position includes a shaft operable by rotation about an axis to set the mechanism, a sleeve disposed about the shaft, and a retaining element movable to a position in the path of axial removal of the sleeve from the device to retain both the sleeve and shaft against withdrawal.

Abstract: A wall or other integrated structure is formed from a series of blocks or other building units utilizing double ended fasteners having two ends facing in opposite directions which are driven into opposed faces of adjacent blocks to retain them against relative displacement. The fasteners may also furnction to attach connector straps or members to the blocks, with those straps or members extending between different blocks to secure them in place. The individual fasteners may have two pointed nail type ends projecting in opposite directions, or may have one threaded end and one unthreaded end. In some instances, one of the ends of the fastener may be detachable from the other, to be connectible thereto after that other end has been screwed or otherwise driven into one of the blocks.

Abstract: An extension for a truck or other vehicle having a tailgate, with the extension including two side panels to be attached to the main tailgate of the vehicle in positions parallel to one another and for swinging movement with the main tailgate between its open and closed positions, an auxiliary tailgate which projects upwardly from a rear edge of the main tailgate in the open position of the main tailgate, and hinge structure mounting the auxiliary tailgate for swinging movement relative to the main tailgate and relative to the side panels, while the side panels remain generally parallel to one another, and from an active position of the auxiliary tailgate essentially perpendicular to the main tailgate to a retracted position essentially parallel to and essentially adjacent the main tailgate.

Abstract: A power conversion device which can efficiently convert between fluid pressure and rotary motion. The device includes a piston plate, which is surrounded by an array of pressure chambers and engageable with a shaft and its accompanying gear assembly. Manifold networks act as valves to control the sequential pressurization and depressurization of the pressure chambers so as to produce orbital movement of the piston plate about the shaft, as though it were floating on a cushion of air.

Abstract: A well pipe handling machine including a vertically extending column structure which carries means for engaging and holding a pipe in vertical condition and is movable with the pipe holding means between a first position in which a carried pipe can be connected to and disconnected from the upper end of a drill string and a laterally offset second position for storing pipe in a rack at a side of the well. The pipe holding means may include a parallelogram mechanism having two arms carrying two vertically spaced pipe holding units and adapted to swing in unison to move the units toward and away from the column structure. The column desirably also carries pipe rotating means including a torque wrench and a spinner for making and breaking a threaded connection between a section of pipe and the string.

Abstract: A roofing structure including tiles preferably molded of a lightweight fire resistant cement product and having grooves at their underside adapted to receive upwardly projecting flanges of coacting elements attached to a roof support structure, to locate the tiles, and with those elements desirably being shaped to extend between two adjacent tiles at a location to intercept rain falling between the tiles and direct that rain downwardly toward lower ends of the tiles. The molded bodies of the tiles contain short tubes embedded in those bodies and defining passages within the tube through which nails can be driven to secure the tiles in place.