Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering a contaminant solvent from a gas such as air or the like. Contaminated air or gas to be treated is initially directed through a first absorber containing an oil which absorbs the solvent to cleanse the gas. The air or gas may then be returned to the environment. The oil is transferred to a stripper, where inert gas passing therethrough absorbs the solvent to cleanse the oil. Condenser means adapted to receive inert gas outputted from the stripper facilitates recovery of the solvent. The inert gas is further cleansed in an auxiliary oil absorber and from thence passes to an activated charcoal filter which removes remaining traces of solvent from the inert gas through the process of adsorption. Cleansed inert gas is then recycled by returning it to the stripper for repetition of the process. Absorbent oil is also recycled by continuously pumping it between the stripper and the absorbers.

Abstract: An insulator mountable on a fence post and capable of supporting and retaining an electrically conductive fence wire comprises an insulator body formed of insulative material and having a face adjacent the forward end and fence post retaining means at the rear end for mounting the insulator on a fence post. The insulator body includes a fence wire retaining hook fixed to and extending forwardly from the face and having a generally spiral configuration as it extends forwardly from, downwardly and rearwardly toward the face so as to define a hook in which a fence wire may be retained. The insulator body includes a reinforcing member fixed to and extending outwardly from the face and being closely spaced from and confronting the wire retaining hook.

Abstract: An improved and simplified combination sheath and rigid handle for small, elongate tools such as knife blades, saws, small chisels and the like is disclosed herein. The structure of the invention is combined with a tool such as a knife blade having a butt end which is provided with a pair of side-by-side hinge elements having axes which are disposed transversely of the longitudinal center line of the knife blade or other tool. Swingably connected to such hinge elements are a pair of cooperating sheaths and handle members such as elongate bars or plates of somewhat greater length than the knife blade or tool, and of width greater than the width of the tool for protecting the same in one of the operative positions of the device.

Abstract: A tote box having a rigid reinforcing rim extending around its top periphery is provided with a removable lid which is secured in place by a rigid locking tongue biased into locking engagement with an exposed locking segment of the reinforcing rim. The lid is also preferably strengthened by a rigid rim to which the locking tongue is affixed. Downwardly depending side panels on the lid are folded to define pockets within which the lid rim is contained, and corner retention bar members on the lid rim are engaged under exposed corner segments of the box reinforcing rim to cooperate with the locking tongue in holding the lid securely locked in place.

Abstract: An apparatus for the orderly storage and protection of phototypesetting equipment such as fonts and width cards, comprises a cabinet with a closable storage chamber and having one or more generally upright panels within the chamber which are mounted for movement relative to the cabinet between retracted positions wherein the panels are contained wholly within the cabinet and extended positions wherein the panels extend at least partially out of the cabinet. The obverse and reverse sides of each panel are provided with a plurality of pairs of elongated strips, each pair adapted to retain a font therebetween.

Abstract: A method and apparatus adapted for processing tags, cards, or the like are disclosed herein. The apparatus preferably comprises a magazine for storing a predetermined quantity of tags and an associated slotted gate, feed dispensing system for automatically moving tags out of the magazine. In one form of the invention a swinging arm for moving tags outputted from the feed gate to a desired external station is provided. The feed gate preferably comprises a slidable push plate which reciprocally, slidably moves within an elongated channel provided adjacent the magazine. Each time the push plate goes through a cycle a single tag (or group of tags) is outputted from the magazine through the feed gate dispensing apparatus to a position external of the tag feeder. In one form of the invention a printing device is associated with the feed gate for printing information on tags before delivery to the desired external station.

Abstract: A low profile auger and hopper assembly for use in conveying and distributing a granular product such as animal feeds or the like is disclosed herein. The apparatus preferably comprises a hopper for receiving the product such as feed or the like and an associated auger assembly for distributing the hopper contents. The hopper preferably comprises a rigid, planar surface which is oriented substantially parallel with the ground or other surface for supporting the apparatus and a plurality of sidewalls which extend integrally upwardly from the planar surface and are rigid therewith. The auger assembly includes a tubular housing member having a rotatable auger disposed therewithin, and it is received by the hopper and oriented substantially obliquely with respect to the planar hopper surface. The lower end of the auger includes a tapered flighting portion positioned substantially adjacent to the planar surface of the hopper so that mechanical contact between the planar surface and the auger is obviated.

Abstract: A bale feeder device for a mixer grinder vehicle includes an elongate conveyor and table structure which is mounted on the mixer grinder vehicle chassis. The conveyor and table structure may be positioned to discharge slabs of hay into the hammer mill of the mixer grinder vehicle to permit the hay to be chopped or ground into small pieces. A feed chute positions the hay bale on the conveyor and table structure to permit conveyor chains having teeth thereon to rip away portions of the bale. A slab feeder roll cooperates with the conveyor chains to convey the slabs of hay along the table where the hay is directed to the hammer mill by feed rolls.

Abstract: A land-surveying apparatus for use with a laser beam source to obtain grade and range distances has a grade pole with a laser beam detection unit slidably mounted thereon, electrical measuring means being connected between the grade pole and the detection unit to generate an electrical grade signal representative of the grade distance between a detector using an array of phototransistors and the base of the grade pole. A digital display unit receives the grade signal, processes it, and digitally, visibly displays the information contained in the signal. Electrical grade calculating circuitry is provided to process first and second grade signals containing the elevation of the upper and lower edges of the laser beam relative to the base of the pole and arithmetically process the signals to obtain the elevation of the laser beam center which is then displayed as the grade distance.

Abstract: A container of generally rectangular shape is formed with a self-locking bottom wall from a single blank of cut and scored fiberboard material. A pair of bottom panels fold inwardly and upwardly from the bottom edges of one pair of side walls to form the bottom of the container; and a pair of reinforcing panels simultaneously fold inwardly to upright, strengthening positions against the inside faces of the other pair of side walls. The interconnected bottom and reinforcing panels are locked in place by hold down flaps folded downwardly from the reinforced side walls over the reinforcing panels.

Abstract: Apparatus for harvesting row crops utilizing forwardly inclined gripping wheels mounted on the receiving end of a harvesting machine to lift crop stalks out of the ground and hold them for severing by a cutting blade. A low level drive shaft below the gripping wheels drives them through power transmitting means positioned completely below the wheels.Baffle members behind and under each pair of gripping wheels prevent harvesting crop materials being conveyed laterally on a harvesting machine receiving platform from being caught by the revolving pickup wheels and thrown back on the ground. Flexible, brush skirts depending from the stalk gripping wheels assist in moving crop materials rearwardly of the wheels onto a receiving platform.

Abstract: Thin shell bodies which in use are detachably interconnected to form full volumetric simulation of the appropriate game birds. The thin shell sections, when disconnected, are positionable for extremely compact nesting of a multiplicity of the shell sections. Forms of the invention have been provided for buoyant floating use on water as well as for field use. All forms include concavo-convex body portions of thin, preferably elastomer or plastic material having cooperating and interlocking neck and head portions, which when disconnected are readily positionable for extremely compact nesting of a great multiplicity of the essential decoy parts.

Abstract: A material spreader usable at the rear of dump trucks for distributing sand, salt, gravel, asphalt and the like, utilizes a dispensing means to drop material downwardly from the rear of the truck bin. A conveyor is positioned below the dispensing means and has a hopper to receive dropping material. The conveyor moves the material laterally to the right or left side of the truck. One or more flat, generally rectangular shields are swingably mounted to the hopper to swing between an operating position, wherein the shield overlies the hopper, intercepts falling material, and serves as a ramp in guiding it rearwardly and downwardly over the hopper to drop it behind the truck, and a storage position, wherein the shield is clear of the hopper so that material from the dispensing means moves freely into the hopper so as to be conveyed laterally by the conveyor. Latches are provided to retain the shields in storage and blocking positions.

Abstract: A process for truing bonded, diamond and boron nitride grinding wheels utilizing a special tool made of molybdenum, or closely related metals including tantalum and columbium as the truing or dressing tool. Such a special tool is held in frictional contact with the peripheral work surface of the diamond or boron nitride grinding wheel as it rotates on a spindle, with the tool either being stationary, or movable through a predetermined path to form a work surface of particular shape on the periphery of the diamond grinding wheel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simulating Loran signals are disclosed herein. The apparatus preferably comprises a portable, solid state testing unit which provides a simulated Loran signal for actuating conventional Loran receivers. The apparatus comprises an oscillator, a divider circuit responsive to the oscillator output for generating first and second trigger signals, and a pulse generator circuit for producing a simulated Loran master signal in response to the first trigger signal and a simulated Loran slave signal in response to the second trigger signal. Means are provided for mixing the simulated Loran pulse and slave signals to provide a composite Loran output signal. The method involved herein comprises the steps of generating simulated Loran master and slave signals and applying them directly to the R.F. front end of the Loran receiver under test, whereby resultant ringing of the receiver tank circuit enables the pulses to be passed through to interiorly located pulse detection and display systems.

Abstract: An elongate hollow tapered rod formed of fiberglass reinforced plastic includes an elongate handle, an elongate intermediate section and an end section detachably connected together. An elongate flex-resistant element formed of graphite threads is positioned interiorly of and secured to the end portion of the fishing rod. The graphite flex-resistant element is more rigid but of substantially lighter weight than the fiberglass reinforced plastic to thereby impart stiffness to the end section without noticeably increasing the weight thereof.

Abstract: A bearing puller includes a pair of slotted semi-cylindrical sleeve elements which may be clamped over a bearing race mounted on a shaft. The sleeve elements are provided with inwardly projecting radial flanges at opposite ends, which are engageable in the annular groove of the bearing race. A cylindrical sleeve retains the sleeve elements in clamped relation with respect to the bearing race, and a pulling tool engages in the slots of the sleeve elements to permit the bearing race to be forceably pulled from the shaft.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus for filling a plurality of drinking containers positioned in predetermined locations on a tray dispenses ice, water, or both. The apparatus has a storage hopper for containing a supply of ice, the hopper having a discharge opening at the bottom which communicates with a gate for controlling the flow of ice from the discharge opening. A plurality of generally upright chutes is positioned below the gate and extends from the gate to a receiving chamber near the base of the apparatus. The tray and drinking containers are positioned in the chamber and receive ice from the chutes, the outlet of each chute being positioned over one of the drinking containers. Ice flow from the hopper to the chutes is selectively arrested by the gate which includes a plurality of rigid, elongated members, all of which are disposed in side-by-side relationship with their longitudinal axes being parallel.

Abstract: In carrying out the method of sampling gas with our novel apparatus, a user will blow air into an elastic fluid impervious diaphragm which extends into the mouth of a rigid container. As the elastic diaphragm expands inwardly it forces air or gas outwardly of the container through a valve-controlled port, the diaphragm will eventually engage and adhere to substantially the entire inner surface of the container and the valve-controlled port will then be closed. The container will then be placed in a sampling zone and the valve-controlled port will again be opened to communicate with the sampling zone to thereby permit gas to enter and fill the container. The valve-controlled port will then be closed.