Abstract: A cap assembly for closing the inlet of a fuel tank comprising a closure cap for releasable mounting on the tank inlet, an anchor chain secured at one end to the underside of the closure cap and carrying a spring retaining member at the lower end thereof for positioning in the tank. The closure cap has a two part inter-engaging construction comprising a lower cap portion and an upper cap portion. The lower cap portion is formed with generally T-shaped anchor chain retaining slots which are adapted for receiving and positively retaining the upper end of the anchor chain in assembled position without auxiliary fastening means. The upper cap portion is formed with a pair of depending tangs which are adapted for releasable engagement with the anchor chain retaining slots in the lower cap member for preventing disassembly and removal of the retained anchor chain.

Abstract: A tine assembly for use with a rotary tiller comprising a selectively rotatable tine shaft and a plurality of pivotally mounted tines. The tines each include stop surfaces associated with an innermost end of the tine whereby the tine pivots to one position when the tine shaft is rotated in a clockwise direction and automatically pivots to a second position when the tine shaft is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. The angle of pivot between the two positions is such that the leading edge of the ground engaging portion of the tine sweeps a larger radius than the following portion of the tine when the tine shaft is rotated in either the clockwise or counterclockwise directions.

Abstract: A releasable locking device for mounting in the bore of a shaft or the like for retaining an element thereon. The releasable locking device is in the form of a cotter ring comprising a one piece rod formed of flexible material and having a leading portion, a central portion and a trailing portion. The central portion is wound in the form of a helix so as to form more than one but less that two full helical turns with adjacent turns being separated by a distance insufficient for the rod to be freely trained through the bore of the shaft during mounting. The leading portion extends tangentially from the central portion so as to define a lead that is freely insertable into the bore, and the trailing portion is helically shaped in axially flared relation to the central portion in a manner that progressively increases the axial spacing between the trailing portion and the immediately adjacent turn of the central portion to facilitate removal of the device from a locked position.

Abstract: A handle mounted control for the blade brake clutch mechanism and/or the ground wheel drive of a walk-behind rotary power mower. The control requires two distinct actions for actuation. The first action is movement of a deadman lever in the form of a bail from a disengaged to an engaged position. The second action is movement of the control lever from disengaged position to operating position when the deadman lever is in engaged position. Release of the deadman lever to disengaged position releases the control lever from operating position and permits it to return to disengaged position under the biasing force of a cable connected between the control lever and the controlled mechanism on the mower deck.

Abstract: A control mechanism for opening and closing a window sash or like element pivotally mounted in a frame. The mechanism has a drive member mounted for rotation with an elongated drive shaft and a housing mounted on the drive member for rotation relative to the drive member and the elongated shaft. The housing includes a retaining mechanism which is subtended by a first portion of the drive member. A rod for reciprocating movement in response to rotation of the drive member is located between the retaining mechanism and the first portion of the drive member and held in direct contact with the drive member by the retaining mechanism.

Abstract: A walk-behind garden tiller having a pair of ground wheels and a row of soil penetrating and pulverizing tines both powered from a single engine through a power transmission. The transmission includes a tilling drive mode in which the tines and drive wheels are simultaneously driven, a non-tilling reverse ground wheel drive mode, a non-tilling machine transport drive mode, and a neutral drive mode, all controlled by a single, simple push-pull lever which is adapted to automatically disengage power transmission to the tines when the tiller is operated in either the reverse, transport, or neutral drive modes.

Abstract: A downdraft countertop cooking range having an improved ventilation system for removing smoke and cooking odors from the entire cooking panel area. The range has a modular cooking panel recessed substantially below the countertop for enhanced accessibility from the front of the range. Exhaust louvers spaced between the ends of the cooking panel and the top edge of the range frame, and of substantially equal depth to that of the cooking panel, assure an adequate flow of exhaust air over the cooking panel area.

Abstract: A hold-down strap and electrical terminal protector for a storage battery including an elongated body having a length substantially equal to the length of the battery and a width substantially less than the width of the battery, a connecting portion at each end of the body adapted to receive and cooperate with a hold-down connector secured to means for supporting the battery and means inboard of the connecting portions for substantially enclosing each of the battery terminals, the terminal enclosing means including a selectively openable access cover. Preferably the body has a generally inverted channel shape including a pair of generally vertical longitudinal walls interconnected by at least one cross member, the terminal enclosing means are defined in part by the longitudinal walls and the access cover is disposed over and between the walls and means are provided for latching the cover adjacent the upper portion of the other wall.

Abstract: A walk-behind lawn mower having a deck with adjustably mounted ground-engaging wheels. A side shield is provided in the form of a metal rod extending longitudinally along one side of the deck approximately following the curvature of the deck and lying between ground level and the lower edge of the deck side wall. To permit vertical movement of the side shield upon encountering minor irregularities in the ground, the rearward end of the side shield is pivotally attached to the rear wheel axle. To permit horizontal movement of the side shield to provide for lost motion upon adjustment of the deck height, the mower deck includes a bracket adjacent to and rearward from the front wheel and the foreward end of the side shield terminates in an upwardly extending portion which extends through a longitudinally extending slot in the bracket.

Abstract: An articulated riding mower comprised of a sulky unit pivotally connected to a walk-behind mower. To attach the sulky to the walk-behind mower, the mower deck includes a bridge support overlying the mower deck between the rear corner positions thereof. The bridge support has depending extensions at the corner positions mounted on the axle of the rear wheels. The depending extensions of the bridge support are, in turn, rigidly fastened to the respective corners of the mower deck. A central portion of the bridge support carries a pivotal connection including a bearing for removably attaching the sulky to the walk-behind mower. In a preferred embodiment, the handle of the walk-behind mower is connected, at its lower end, directly to the bridge support.

Abstract: A log splitting apparatus having an elongated frame, a selectively actuatable log moving ram mounted at one end of the frame, and a log splitting wedge assembly mounted at the opposite end of the frame. The wedge assembly includes a plurality of wedge tip sections which are removably mountable in vertically stacked relation and having interlocking lugs and recesses between mating upper and lower sides thereof for maintaining the wedge sections in proper alignment. A base plate is mounted on the frame for receiving and retaining the stack of wedge tip sections in proper orientation on the frame, and an upstanding support is mounted on the frame for vertically supporting the wedge tip sections and serving as a reactionary member for forces exerted on the wedge tip sections during log splitting. The wedge tip sections are further positively secured in mounted position by a vertically disposed clamping bolt threaded engaging the base plate.

Abstract: A venetian blind assembly having rotatably mounted tilt drums which are adapted to permit properly aligned and indexed mounting of respective slat ladders without the necessity for time consuming measurements and without the need for auxiliary fasteners. Each ladder has an uppermost rung disposed about an underside of a respective tilt drum with portions of the ladder side cords adjacent said uppermost rung extending over the drum in crossing relationship and then downwardly along opposite sides of the drum with the slat supporting rungs suspended below the drum.

Abstract: A control arrangement for a multi-function cooking appliance which has a plurality of cooking stations. The control arrangement includes a control panel having a group of keys for entering control information for the stations and functions of the cooking appliance and a prompting display for messages which assist in entering the control information through the keys. At least some of the keys are of a two-mode variety wherein, in one mode, the depression of a typical key enters a number, which appears on a digital display, such as in the selection of a cooking time or temperature. In its other mode the typical two-mode key enters other control information such as a particular function of the cooking appliance to be activated.

Abstract: An induction heating apparatus which includes an induction coil with an associated load and a resonant inverter circuit coupled to a DC power supply for energizing the heating coil. The inverter circuit includes a gate controlled thyristor which is cyclically gated to produce a conductive first period followed by an nonconductive second period in order to energize the heating coil. A diode of opposite polarity to the gate controlled thyristor is coupled in parallel therewith and has an impedance connected in series. The voltage across this series impedance is coupled to the gate of the gate controlled thyristor. The inverter circuit additionally includes an improper load check circuit for disabling the gating of the thyristor in the event of an improper load coupled to the heating coil, and a gate triggered timing generator for adjusting the timing of production of thyristor gate pulses to maintain substantially constant power to proper heating coil loads.

Abstract: A rotary lawnmower of the type having an inverted pan-shaped housing generally surrounding a horizontal rotary blade affixed to a vertical shaft extending downwardly from a rotary power source mounted on the top of the housing. A pair of tubular longitudinal frame members extend bridgingly in horizontal position over and secured to the housing on opposite sides of the rotary power source with downward extensions secured to front and rear wheels. The downward extensions are also affixed to front and rear aprons extending horizontally from the lower edge of the side wall of the housing to provide mutual bracing. The lawnmower has a handle that is attached to the rear downward extensions of the longitudinal frame members so that forces developed in the handle incident to guiding the mower are transferred directly to the frame members and then directly to the wheels so that the housing is not stressed upon manipulation of the handle.

Abstract: A walk-behind garden tiller having power driven ground wheels and a single shaft of tines which are driven at relatively high speed in a direction counter to that of the drive wheels such that during tilling the tines cut upwardly through the untilled soil at the working face, resulting in improved power efficiency and easier control of the tiller when operating in adverse soil conditions. For cutting and breaking long vegetation that is carried upwardly by the counter-rotating tines and for guiding such vegetation under the tine shaft so that it does not become entangled about the tine shaft or otherwise clog or impede operation of the tiller, a sloughing device is mounted transversally to and forwardly of the tine shaft. In one embodiment, the sloughing device is a plate disposed in a vertical plane on the longitudinal axis of the machine, and in another embodiment the sloughing device is a rotary disc.

Abstract: A walk from behind soil tilling machine including ground wheels upon which the machine may be moved and two rows of ground penetrating and pulverizing tines located to the rear of the ground wheels transversely to the line of machine movement. The tines of the rear row have a larger cutting diameter than the tines of the forward row, and the rows of tines are driven in counter-rotating directions such that upon forward movement of the machine the tines of the forward row break the surface of the ground and penetrate the earth to a determined relatively shallow depth and the tines of the rear row thereupon penetrate the earth to a further determined depth, with the forward and rear rows of tines cooperating to completely pulverize both depths of penetrated soil, thereby permitting thorough tilling of the soil to normal garden depth with a single passage of the machine.