Abstract: A rotary engine with complemental cylindrical rotors facing each other and rotatable about a common shaft. Each rotor has an annular recess with a pair of diametrically opposed pistons mounted therein, the pistons having their outer ends projecting beyond the recess and being oscillatably receivable in the annular recess of the adjacent rotor.

Abstract: A self-contained dry wall taper has a hollow elongated body for holding mastic and supports a roll of tape with tape feeding means to deliver the tape to tape applying wheels that in turn apply it to cover a joint between two wall board sections.A piston is slidably mounted in the hollow body and is automatically moved by a mechanism actuated by the rotating wheels, as they are moved over the wall board surface, to force a layer of mastic onto the tape just prior to it being applied to the surface. Novel tape feeding and tape cutting means are actuated by a single sleeve which is moved forwardly on the hollow body to initially feed the tape into engagement with the tape applying wheels and is moved rearwardly to actuate the tape-cutting mechanism for cutting the tape.

Abstract: An electric plug that has a retractable ground terminal in addition to the customary two terminals. This ground terminal is connected to the ground wire in the plug cable and when the ground terminal cannot be used, it is swung into a retracted or inoperative position and concealed from view. A ground outlet wire is used when the ground terminal is in inoperative position and this ground wire is wound around a spool when the ground terminal is used. This ground wire is connected by novel means to the ground terminal only when the latter is swung into inoperative position whereby the ground wire may be unwound from its inoperative position on the spool, and electrically connected to the outlet box and thus establish a ground connection from the outlet box to the ground terminal and thence to the ground wire in the outlet cable for the plug.

Abstract: A dishwasher having a tank containing wash water disposed below a dishwashing compartment and means for removing water from the tank and forcing it through upper and lower revolving spray arms for washing the dishes, the wash water being returned to the tank by gravity. A hood overlies the top of the wash and rinse compartment and a door for closing the compartment is movable downwardly into the tank for opening the compartment, the weight of the door being yieldingly held in closed or open position by spring biased toggle joints that are positioned in the tank. A U-shaped member is removably secured to the hood that overlies the dishwashing compartment and this member acts as a door stop when the door is in its raised and closed position. A removal of the member from the hood permits the door to be removed from the dishwasher.

Abstract: A bread slicer that can be used by a person with normal sight but especially designed to be readily used by a blind person. Adjustable means is provided for advancing the loaf of bread, or other object to be sliced, the same measured distance toward a cutting knife each time a slice is cut so that the slices will be of uniform thickness. Equally spaced apart notches are associated with the loaf advancing means so that a blind person can feel these notches and can move the loaf one notch at a time to obtain slices of the same thickness. The sides of the loaf are gripped during the cutting operation. A pair of guides for the cutting knife are magnetized for supporting the knife when not used.

Abstract: An automatic carousel-type meat cutting machine in which slabs of meat are placed between pairs of rotating jaws that move around a center vertical axis. One jaw in each pair of jaws is spring-biased for gripping the meat, but the weight of the meat will cause it to move downwardly by gravity and rest on a meat-supporting horizontal and stationary platform. A section of the platform is made vertically adjustable with respect to the stationary part and may be adjusted to determine the thickness of the slices of meat cut from the slabs of meat. The stationary and adjustable sections form a complete circle and they support the slabs of meat which are moved by the pairs of meat guiding pairs of jaws. A horizontal portion of an endless band saw lies flush with the plane of the horizontal fixed platform section and the adjustable platform section is positioned therebelow to determine the thickness of the slice.

Abstract: A toe clamp for a milling machine which comprises a T-nut slidable along an inverted T-shaped groove in the table top. A clamping screw is received in an inclined threaded bore in the T-nut for securing the nut in the groove. A work engaging member has a bore for receiving a shoulder bolt and the T-nut has a second threaded bore inclined at the same angle as the first threaded bore and receiving the threaded portion of the shoulder bolt. The work engaging member has a grooved edge for engaging with the edge of the work piece and the inclined shoulder bolt when tightened will force this grooved edge against the workpiece edge in an inwardly and downwardly direction for gripping it. The inclined clamping screw is received in a slot in the work engaging member to prevent it from rotating about the shoulder bolt.

Abstract: A starter for a rope pull outboard motor that may be quickly and readily attached to the top of the motor housing. The device includes an outboard motor rope pulling member that can be spring-loaded by a manually operable means after which the handle of the outboard motor rope may be connected to the rope pulling member. Novel guiding means is used for the rapid movement of the rope pulling member to quickly pull the rope to start the motor when the spring biased rope pulling member is freed. A shock absorber brings the rope pulling member to a resilient stop at the end of the movement of the member.

Abstract: A flashlight mounted on a swingable bracket that can be adjustably mounted on a writing instrument such as a pencil, fountain pen or ballpoint pen. The flashlight can be positioned with respect to the writing instrument so as to direct the light rays to illuminate the surface directly contacted by the writing instrument. The area of the lighted field can be varied in size by adjusting the bracket to move the flashlight toward or away from the writing end of the instrument on which the swingable bracket is adjustably mounted. The bracket has two instrument gripping clips that engage the instrument for holding the flashlight and bracket in a substantially linear position paralleling the axis of the writing instrument when the device is in an inoperative position.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for estimating, measuring and rendering calculable the unused portion of product remaining in a partly filled bottle, jar or container that is transparent or translucent, by utilizing an elastic stretchable scale. Said device is provided with a means to stretch said scale to predetermined lengths, each length referenced to a point on said device; each bottle jar or container to be estimated or measured referenced to said points. A means provided whereby a container of any size or shape can be measured by one or more of four distinct types of elastic stretchable scales.

Abstract: A safety match packet in which the front and back covers that enclose the comb of safety matches are formed from a single sheet of material. In addition, the sheet of material has a double folded end that receives the base of the safety match comb and the double fold forms a transversely extending pocket that is open at both ends and has at least one of its inner surfaces lined with a safety match igniting material. A safety match may be removed from the comb of matches and, after the front cover is closed, the match head may be inserted into the pocket from either end and then with a sufficient compressive pressure applied by the thumb and fingers of one hand on the outer walls of the pocket and a quick outward pull on the end of the match with the other hand, the safety match will be ignited without any chance of the person burning the fingers or face.

Abstract: A portable hair braider which makes use of a plurality of sets of hair parters that are arranged in a row which extends transversely to the path of movement of the device over the top of the head. These hair parters will divide the hair over a predetermined width of the scalp into three separate portions, extending across this width, and then feed these three portions of hair into hair grippers which will clamp and rotate these strands for weaving them together to form a braid. In this manner the hair covering a predetermined width of the scalp is divided into three parts and formed into a single braided strand. The grippers will release the braided hair and immediately repeat the process as the device is moved over the scalp to form a plurality of braides covering the head.

Abstract: A water reservoir for a refrigerator that has an automatic ice maker and novel means for delivering water from the reservoir to the ice maker as needed thereby doing away with the necessity of connecting the refrigerator to the city water supply. No alterations are necessary to be made in a standard refrigerator that is already equipped with the automatic ice maker. The novel means for delivering water from the reservoir to the ice maker includes an electric motor driven pump that is automatically connected to a source of electric currents as soon as a sequential cam in the ice maker closes a switch. The novel means also includes a manually controlled switch that will cause the motor and pump to refill the reservoir from a water source when needed.

Abstract: An underwater turbine operated by prevailing ocean currents in which the generator casing has a large enough interior to house the generator and still provide space for an operator to enter the casing interior to inspect the generator and the electrical connections. The casing is swingably mounted on a base that rests on the ocean floor and a propeller for rotating the generator at a proper and constant speed is rotatably mounted at the forward end of the casing while a tail or fins extend from the rear of the casing for the purpose of keeping the propeller facing in the direction of the incoming water current regardless of the slight variations in the current flow. The casing is hermetically sealed and has an entrance hatch which, when opened, permits the operator to enter the casing interior.

Abstract: An adjustable device for feeding work pieces of different thicknesses past a rip saw for cutting purposes in which a guide rail is attached to the adjustable fence on the rip saw table. A work engaging and moving member is slidable along the guide rail for moving the work into cutting engagement with the rip saw. The work engaging and moving member can be adjusted to move work pieces of various thicknesses past the rip saw for cutting. The fence and guide rail may be adjusted with respect to the rip saw to cut pieces of a desired width. A work-holding and feeding member is adjustably carried by the device and cooperates with the work engaging and moving member.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating a multiple panel screen is disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,919, issued May 20, 1969. The patent shows a plurality of identical panels for regulating the visibility and the amount of light and air to be admitted. Each panel has a plurality of vertical columns of apertures separated by spaced apart horizontal strips. The panels are hung from a roller-shaped head piece and they are spaced apart from each other. When the screen is in normal position the apertures in successive panels are in alignment to permit the greatest amount of visibility and light. Novel means is used for rocking the head piece about its axis for vertically shifting the panels and their apertures with respect to each other for altering the visibility and light controlled by the screen. Additional novel means is used for rotating the head piece for rolling up the panels thereon for raising the screen or for unrolling the panels when lowering the screen.

Abstract: A tab puller and slide fastener protector which has two arms pivotally connected together at their ends in spaced relation and adapted to be swung with respect to each other in substantial parallel planes. The upper arm is provided with a housing designed to receive the tab of the slide fastener when the lower arm is swung away from the upper one. The lower arm, when swung back into juxtaposition with respect to the upper arm, cooperates therewith to form a receiving area for the slide fastener. The lower arm performs the additional function of preventing the slide fastener from becoming entangled with any undergarment of the wearer. The slide fastener tab, when received within the housing, prevents the accidental freeing of the slide fastener from the pulling device. The pivotal connection between the two arms has an opening therein for receiving a pull cord by means of which the slide fastener is moved. The generic term, slide fastener, is used for what is frequently called by the trademark, zipper.

Abstract: A commercial dishwasher comprising two or more modulars connected together through which dish-carrying baskets are moved for washing and rinsing the dishes, one or more of the modulars being arcuate-shaped so as to alter a straight line movement of the baskets into one where they are swung through a 90.degree. angle. By connecting two of the arcuate-shaped modulars together, it is possible to swing the dish-carrying baskets through an arc of 180.degree.. Therefore the dishwasher can be positioned in the corner of a room and thus make use of space that would otherwise not be used.

Abstract: An extensible and collapsible portable derrick in which the various parts are made from a light weight metal and in which the parts can be disassembled and arranged in compact units, light enough in weight and small enough in size to be readily transportable by a person. The device is primarily designed to be used by operators who use tar paper and gravel for covering flat roofs of buildings whether or not the roofs are provided with parapets.