Abstract: An umbrella handle assembled from an inner sleeve fixed to the umbrella's centerpost, and a handle shell seated on that inner sleeve. The sleeve and shell each have a respective latch bores that are aligned to allow a latch button accessible from the exterior surface of the shell to operate an umbrella latch mechanism carried interiorly of the centerpost.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly (11) of an adhesive dispensing valve (10) includes a first valve (32) adjacent a discharge orifice (34). The first valve (32) opens to permit the flow of adhesive therethrough and closes to terminate the flow of adhesive in response to respective first and second states of the valve operating module (14). The adhesive dispensing valve (10) has a separable nozzle plate (102) that includes the first valve seat (100) and the discharge orifice (34) and is coupled to a nozzle body (72) with a mounting cap (104). A secondary valve (146) is located upstream of the first valve (32) and permits adhesive to flow therethrough in response to both of the first and second states of the valve operating module. However, as the mounting cap (104) and nozzle plate (102) are removed, the secondary valve (146) automatically engages its valve seat (94), thereby terminating the flow of adhesive while the nozzle plate (102) is removed from the valve body (16).

Abstract: A hinge clamp for attaching a wire grid to an edge portion of a sheet metal light fixture comprising a base plate, a short leg plate and a long leg plate. The leg plates extend orthogonally from opposite side edges of the base plate and are disposed in parallel spaced relation to each other. Each of the base plates has an aperture therein adapted to receive a screw to secure the edge portion of the light fixture to the hinge clamp. The long leg plate of the hinge clamp has a planar inner portion and a curved outer portion. The planar inner portion comprises a near section and a middle finger extending outwardly from the near section. The outer curved portion comprises two identically configured outer fingers located on opposite sides of the middle finger. Each outer finger has an arcuate detent formed therein which is adapted to receive an edge wire of a wire grid in a snap-fit connection. An edge wire of the wire grid is entrapped on one side by the detent and on the other side by the middle finger.

Abstract: An extensible arm is located in the bed of a truck or a trailer and is selectively operable to assist in the stacking or unstacking and unloading of a stacked palletized load from the elevated bed to the ground level using a load lift on the truck or trailer and a pallet jack. The stacked load is moved from the bed onto the load lift with a pallet jack or other load transporter, and the load lift is lowered to a position where the extensible arm can be extended below the pallet of an upper load portion of the stacked load. After the arm is extended, the load lift is lowered to the ground leaving the upper load portion on the extended arm and moving the lower load portion of the stacked load to the ground, thereby unstacking the load. Thereafter, the lift is raised to engage the upper load portion, the arm is retracted, and the lift is lowered to lower the upper load portion to the ground.

Abstract: A microscope slide having on a first side an opaque, scratchable coating located at a marking region of the slide, and on a second opposing side located generally behind the scratchable coating at the marking region, a contrastingly-colored coating. Upon scribing an identification mark into the scratchable coating and thus removing the scratchable coating where scribed, the contrastingly-colored coating on the second side of the slide becomes visible from the first side of the slide in the area scribed.

Abstract: A close for allowing the emptying of the contents of a container comprises: a hollow closure member (1) for a container, the closure member having an outlet (2) for the contents; a rotatable plug (3) mounted within the closure member, the plug having a first through-passage (4) for the contents with an inlet (32) and an outlet (34), the plug being rotatable between a first closed position in which the inlet (32) of the through-passage is out of register with the closure member outlet (2) and a second position in which the inlet is in register with the closure member outlet to permit the contents to pass into the passageway; a connector (5) for transfer of the contents out of the container, the connector having means (7) to engage the exposed portion of the plug, and the connector (5) when engaged with the plug (3) can be turned to rotate the plug to the open position, or to the closed position.

Abstract: A portable laser guided alignment apparatus includes a laser line beam source and a laser fan beam source, with the line beam being in the same plane as the fan beam. The apparatus further includes mechanisms for adjusting the angle of the fan beam relative to a vertical reference plane and for adjusting the angle of the line beam within the plane of the fan beam. Additionally, measurement devices are included to measure the angle of the fan beam relative to the vertical reference plane, and to measure the angle of the line beam relative to a vertical reference line within the fan beam plane. The apparatus provides precise alignment for biopsy tools and other instruments used in standard biopsies, discolysis, stereotaxis, and other medical procedures wherein highly accurate positioning and insertion of instruments into a patient are required.

Abstract: A collapsible partition assembly comprising a set of parallel longitudinal dividers and a set of parallel transverse dividers intersecting at a plurality of intersections. Each of the longitudinal dividers has a series of evenly spaced slots which extend downwardly from a top edge of the longitudinal divider to approximately the middle of the longitudinal divider. Each transverse divider has a series of evenly spaced slots, each slot extending upwardly from a bottom edge of the transverse divider to approximately the middle of the transverse divider. The slots of the longitudinal and transverse dividers engage with one another at the intersections. Dividers are secured to each other at each intersection by a securement bead which extends from a point proximate the top edge of the intersection to proximate the bottom edge of the intersection. The intersecting dividers create four angles. The securement bead runs along one angle and permits the partition assembly to be collapsed and recycled.

Abstract: A wafer heating chuck includes a backplane for mounting the wafer thereon. A rear surface of the backplane includes an outer annular recess with an outer angled wall. An outer annular heater is located within the recess and has an outer surface complementarily angled with respect to the wall. An inner annular heater resides inside the outer heater, adjacent the rear surface. A clamping member secured to the backplane includes inner and outer retainers which separately clamp the inner and outer heaters, respectively, to the backplane to assure solid to solid contact for optimum heat transfer therebetween. Each inner retainer is held by a radially cantilevered segment so that tightening of one inner retainer does not affect clamping force applied by adjacent inner retainers. Similarly, the outer retainers operate on cantilevered segments to yield independent clamping forces. Sensors sense backplane temperature at the inner and outer regions.

Abstract: An improved icemaker having a number of features, including: a dual-activated feeler bar switch which combines the motion of two cams to operate a single switch; an adjustable-duration water fill switch which is closed by rotating a connector between two contacts; switches mounted to make wiping contact so as to clean the contact area; a combination deflector which not only deflects ice removed by the ejector from the ice mold, but also supports and lifts a feeler bar to determine whether the ice storage bin is full; a clutch mounted between the motor and ejector bar to permit slip therebetween so as to avoid stalling the motor as the ejector bar presses upon ice in the mold; a manual start button for starting the motor, simplifying installation; and an anti-back mechanism in the icemaker drive train to prevent an installer from damaging the icemaker by rotating it backwards.

Abstract: A cartoner for loading products into cartons and for sealing the ends of product cartons as the cartons move along a carton path therein comprises a tuck module located at a position on the cartoner along the carton path for engaging an end flap of the product carton and tucking a portion of the end flap into the carton to seal the carton end and a glue module, selectively interchangeable with the tuck module at the position along the carton path, for engaging an end flap of a product carton and gluing the end flap to a portion of the carton such that a single cartoner may be used to seal cartons by selectively tucking or gluing the end flaps.

Abstract: A monorail transportation system has an elongated, overhead monorail (12) with a vehicle (14) having a coupler (16) that movably travels along the upper surface of monorail (12) and a drive wheel (20) that engages the lower surface or underside of monorail (12) to propel vehicle (14) therealong. The coupler (16) and drive wheel (20) are recessed in the top of the vehicle (14) during road travel and extended for travel along the monorail (12). The vehicle includes a movable sled (130) that carries the vehicles batteries (56) to balance the vehicle (14) about its longitudinal centerline during travel along the monorail (12).

Abstract: Titanium films are nitrided at temperatures less than 650.degree. C., and preferably between 400.degree. C. and 500.degree. C., by treating the titanium film with a plasma formed from a nitriding gas at elevated temperatures. The plasma is created by subjecting the nitriding gas to RF energy, preferably an electrode having a frequency of 13.56 MHz or less. The reaction temperature can be reduced by lowering the plasma frequency to less than 500 KHz. This provides for nitridization at temperatures of 480.degree. C. and lower.

Abstract: A hush kit for jet aircraft engine includes a respaced inlet guide vane to provide an increased space between the fixed guide vanes of the inlet and the rotating fan blades of the fan connected to the core engine, a mixer for mixing hot exhaust gas from the core engine with colder bypass fan air, and an acoustic barrel to reduce the noise generated by the mixed air flowing through the thrust reverser downstream of the core engine. The acoustic barrel includes an outer imperforate layer, an inner perforate layer and a multi-cellular core sandwiched therebetween. The ratio of the thickness of the multi-cellular core to the open area defined by the holes in the inner perforate skin of the acoustic barrel is designed to reduce noise of a particular frequency range generated by the aircraft engine. In combination, each of the components of the hush kit described herein reduce noise generated by the jet engine for compliance with Federal Aviation Administration noise reduction requirements.

Abstract: Clothing garments and other articles include an elastic laminated sheet having the properties of stretchability and recoverability. The elastic laminated sheet is formed from a nonwoven fibrous web and an elastomeric film laminated to at least one entire web surface. The laminate is incrementally stretched along lines substantially uniformly across its length and width and throughout its depth to form a stretchable and recoverable composite. The elastic laminated sheet is uniquely suited for use in athletic and active wear garments. The composite is also useful for single use or throw away clothing articles such as medical or surgical garments, throw away bathing suits, underpants, undershirts, and garments used in the handling of hazardous or waste materials.

Abstract: A process for the enzymatic oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes in a continuous reaction series is disclosed utilizing crude cellular methanol oxidase and catalase produced by an acceptable organism. The process maintains a steady-state aldehyde concentration whereby enzyme activity is promoted and side reactions are eliminated.In particular, the process has two reactors operating in series continuously producing a fermenter effluent containing growing, intact Candida boidinii cells at a cell concentration of about 0.5 to about 3% by weight of the effluent by continuous culture of the cells on a methanol carbon source, continuously introducing the effluent from the first reactor to the second reactor, adding an alcohol feed at about 0.2-10% w/w and oxygen to the second reactor, maintaining a steady-state aldehyde and alcohol concentration in the reaction mixture, the concentration of residual alcohol being about 0.1-9% w/w by controlling the rates of introduction of effluent and alcohol feed.

Abstract: A system is provided for controlling the moisture content of a planted surface. The system includes a plurality of drain conduits located beneath the planted surface for collecting liquid from the planted surface. The system also includes a sealed collection tank coupled to the plurality of drain conduits. The collection tank is located beneath the planted surface to collect liquid passing through the plurality of drain conduits. The system also includes a vacuum pump coupled to the collection tank for removing air from the collection tank to provide a suction force in the collection tank and in the plurality of drain conduits to draw liquid from the planted surface through the plurality of drain conduits and into the collection tank. An elevated air tank is coupled between the vacuum pump and the collection tank. The elevated air tank is located at a remote location spaced apart from the collection tank.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronically controlled vehicle braking system with a brake booster comprising an electromagnetically operable control valve arrangement, an electronic control device supplying the control valve arrangement with control signals for initiating or cancelling an automatic braking sequence, and a load sensor connected with the electronic control device for sensing the pedal actuation force acting upon a brake pedal coupled with the brake booster, characterized in that the electronic control device is adapted to effect a brake pressure relief depending upon a reduction of the pedal actuation force acting on the brake pedal after the initiation of an automatic braking sequence.

Abstract: An oil supply for popcorn poppers including a reservoir (26) for storing oil (28), a control housing (30) disposed above the reservoir (26), the control housing (30) having an inclined top surface (84) for supporting and heating a container (32) of congealed oil (34), a pump (72) for pumping liquified oil (28) in the reservoir (26) to a popping kettle (16), a heater (74) in the reservoir (26) for quickly heating congealed oil (28) therein, a conduit (76) for delivering oil to a popping kettle (16), and a conduit (92) for delivering liquified oil from the container (32) to the reservoir (26). The pump (72) is driven by a motor (70) contained inside the control housing (30) to deliver a measured amount of oil (28) to the kettle (16), made up by oil (34) from the container (32). A bleed hole (82) in the oil delivery conduit (76) allows pumped but not delivered oil to flow back into the heated reservoir (26) after each pump cycle so no oil remains in the delivery line (80) to congeal. Controls are disclosed.

Abstract: An orally administrable therapeutic protein is provided by combining the therapeutic protein with a stabilizing agent in an aqueous solution. The solution is coated onto nonpareils and microencapsulated with a water emulsifiable enteric coating composition. The microcapsules are orally administered. The coating protects the protein as it passes through the stomach. Upon reaching the small intestines, the basic pH of the intestinal juices will dissolve the coating, allowing the protein to be released and induce antigen specific immune response which has the specificity of the native molecule. The stabilizing agent protects the therapeutic protein from denaturation during the encapsulation process. In addition to being immunogenic, when administered orally, encapsulated allergen has a therapeutic effect in the treatment of human allergies.