Abstract: A threadless connector includes a connector body having a central bore therethrough and a retainer ring disposed in an end of the connector body, the retainer ring comprising a plurality of teeth segments, wherein the plurality of teeth segments are configured to be inwardly angled to contact an end of a conduit inserted into the connector body.

Abstract: A support assembly supporting a spray boom assembly from a liquid supply assembly. Spaced support arms have opposite ends pivotably mounted on frames of the liquid supply assembly and the boom assembly to afford movement of the spray boom assembly between raised and lowered positions by a changeable length assembly such as a hydraulic piston, and shocks or bouncing action transmitted from the liquid supply assembly are damped by an assembly comprising an elongate shaft, an elongate tube around the shaft, resiliently elastic shock absorbing strips disposed between the shaft and the tube that with surfaces of the shaft and tube are shaped to restrict rotation of the tube around the shaft without resilient compression of the shock absorbing strips. Either the shaft or tube is fixed to the frame or the support arms, the other has an activating arm fixed to and projecting from it, which activating arm is pivotably attached to one end of the changeable length means.

Abstract: A tank with spin molded unitary polymeric walls. An upper portion of the walls have graduations indicating the amount of liquid required to fill the tank to each of the graduations, and the walls are sufficiently light transmissive to afford visual observation of the level of the liquid in the upper portion of the tank. The tank has a generally funnel shaped portion adjacent its lower end decreasing in area from its upper portion to its lower end, a liquid passage opening at its lower end, a transverse wall at said upper end, and an air passage opening adjacent its upper end. A frame is provided for supporting the tank on a horizontal surface with its upper end uppermost.

Abstract: Water-reducible coating formulations suitable for use in thermal reflow coating protocols are described. The water-based coating formulations comprise an aqueous dispersion of a resin solids composition. The resin solids comprise about 70 to about 99% by weight of an acrylic resin having a glass transition temperature less than 150.degree. F. and an effective amount of a reflow modifier selected from a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature greater than 150.degree. F. or less than 80% of the stoichiometric amount of a cross-linking agent for the acrylic resin. The improved water-based formulations in accordance with the invention provide high gloss, thermally reflowable coatings without the high organic volatiles content of art-recognized thermal reflow coating systems.

Abstract: A liquid chemical measuring system including an elongate translucent or transparent polymeric tank having an upper portion with graduations indicating the amount of liquid required to fill the tank to each of the graduations when said tank is vertically disposed, and a generally funnel shaped portion adjacent its lower end. The tank has a liquid passage opening through its lower end, and an air passage through a transverse wall at its upper end. A frame supports the tank with its upper end uppermost, a liquid valve is attached to the tank across its liquid passage opening, and an air pump is coupled to the air passage opening of the tank by a valve operated by a single lever so that it can alternatively cause vacuum or pressure in the tank, thereby allowing liquid to be drawn into the tank to measure it using the graduations and then to be forced out of the tank.

Abstract: A polymeric spray shield assembly adapted to be connected to a support frame moved over plants growing in spaced rows from the earth and to be moved along the earth between the rows of plants while liquids such as herbicides not intended for contact with the plants in the rows are sprayed onto weeds between the rows of plants. The spray shield assembly comprises a polymeric spray shield having an inner surface defining a channel opening through an open side and front and rear ends of the spray shield, a top wall portion being adapted to have means attached thereto for suspending the spray shield from the support frame and through openings adapted to receive connector assemblies through which liquids are sprayed into the spray shield, and dependent opposite side wall portions. Stiff polymeric slotted end closure sheets are attached across the open front and rear ends of said channel to help retain the spray.

Abstract: An assembly adapted for use to spray liquids toward the ground while the assembly limits the drift of such sprayed liquids. The assembly has a frame including a supported portion adapted to be mounted on a mobile unit adapted to transport the frame along the ground, and a hood support portion including a first elongate hood support member. A plurality of separate hoods each having spaced diverging opposite front and rear side walls projecting from opposite sides of a top wall are attached along the elongate hood support member with their side walls generally parallel to said elongate hood support member and depending downwardly from said top walls of said hoods. A liquid distribution system including spray nozzles within the hoods can direct liquid spray toward the ground, whereupon the top and side walls will limit the drift of such liquid spray.

Abstract: A polymeric spray shield assembly adapted to be connected to a support frame moved over plants growing in spaced rows from the earth and to be moved along the earth between the rows of plants while liquids such as herbicides not intended for contact with the plants in the rows are sprayed onto weeds between the rows of plants. The spray shield assembly comprises a polymeric spray shield having an inner surface defining a channel opening through an open side and front and rear ends of the spray shield, a top wall portion being adapted to have means attached thereto for suspending the spray shield from the support frame and through openings adapted to receive connector assemblies through which liquids are sprayed into the spray shield, and dependent opposite side wall portions. Stiff polymeric slotted end closure sheets are attached across the open front and rear ends of said channel to help retain the spray.

Abstract: An assembly including a tray-like member having a multiplicity of parallel adjacent elongate troughs. Each of the troughs has a major portion adjacent a first edge, and a minor portion adjacent a second edge; and the assembly includes a transparent polymeric sheet sealed over the minor portions of the troughs to define receptacles for liquid. After the major portions of the troughs are positioned beneath the spray zone at a specific distance from the nozzles with the troughs extending transverse of the elongate spray zone and after liquid is sprayed through the spray nozzles upon its upper surface, the assembly can be tipped so that the liquid collected in the troughs will run into the receptacles and the comparative resultant levels of liquid the receptacles will provide a visual indication of the uniformity of the amount of liquid being delivered by the nozzles along the spray zone at the specific distance.

Abstract: A liquid flow rate detector adapted for detecting whether a rate of flow for liquid flowing through a conduit is above or below a generally predetermined liquid flow rate, and for developing different control signals in response to detecting flow rates above and below that generally predetermined liquid flow rate.

Abstract: A system adapted for use to transfer desired volumes of liquid chemicals from supplies of the liquid chemicals to a container. The system includes a reversible D.C. motor driven pump for moving liquid in either of two opposite directions, a counting system for counting part revolutions of the pump, and a calibrated chamber. The pump is operated for a predetermined number of part revolutions, the volume of liquid delivered by those part revolutions is determined using the calibrated chamber, and entered into a computer which then determines the amount of liquid delivered by each part revolution of the pump. In response to appropriate inputs, the computer then determines the number of pump part revolutions needed to deliver a needed amount of liquid to a container, and activates the pump for that number of part revolutions to deliver the needed amount of liquid to the container.

Abstract: A spray shield assembly adapted to be moved over row crops to temporarily enclose the crops when liquids are sprayed onto them or the ground around them, which assembly includes a liquid distribution system for distributing liquid to outlet nozzles, and a polymeric shield defining a channel opening through one side and front and rear ends of the shield for receiving the crops. The shield has a converging leading portion for directing portions of plants into the channel, and a semi cylindrical portion in which the nozzles are mounted, with two of the nozzles in one of an array of openings in opposite sides of the shield, which arrays of openings allow adjusting the location of the nozzles to accommodate the portion of the plants desired to be sprayed.

Abstract: A fitting for conducting fluid into or out of a pliant bag has inner and outer blocks releasably fastened together in immediate contact with the bag wall between them and with a perforate portion of the bag wall between them. Communicating flow passages in both blocks respectively are open into the bag through the perforate portion and to the fluid pressure or evacuating device.

Abstract: A thimble-shaped button actuator largely formed of insulating material has a cup-like base with an inside step and is symmetrical about an axis. A thimble is reciprocable in the base along the axis. A spring is seated against the closed end of the base and the closed end of the thimble and urges the thimble in a direction away from the base and against a snap ring in the base in the path of a flange on the thimble. An electrically conducting ring on the thimble is moved by axial pressure on the thimble to abut a pair of electrical conductors seated in the base and overlying the step. Electrically conducting binding screws are recessed in and pass into the base to engage threads in the conductors.

Abstract: A continuous process for the manufacture of cellular ceramic product. Ceramic feed material is transported successively through a preheat kiln section, through a foaming section whereat foaming agent mixed with the ceramic feed material is activated, and into a drawing kiln section. An elongate hollow product can be formed by drawing the foamed ceramic while soft around and past a hollow mandrel to form an elongate hollow cylindrical member.