Abstract: A heater-equipped man-made beehive incorporates a substantially enclosed hive body having a plurality of joined side walls, a floor, and a top. The hive body defines an entrance sufficient for allowing passage of bees into and from the beehive. A heating element is located inside the hive body adjacent the floor, and is adapted to raise an ambient temperature inside the beehive.

Abstract: A heater-equipped man-made beehive incorporates a substantially enclosed hive body having a plurality of joined side walls, a floor, and a top. The hive body defines an entrance sufficient for allowing passage of bees into and from the beehive. A heating element is located inside the hive body adjacent the floor, and is adapted to raise an ambient temperature inside the beehive.

Abstract: A floor assembly having a plurality of elongated extrusions and a cooperating snap connector that is secured to a rigid underlying support. Each extrusion includes a pair of outer leg members and a pair of inner leg members, each of the outer leg members being connected to an adjacent inner leg member by horizontal support member. Each inner leg member includes a retaining tab extending therefrom. The snap connector includes an elongated base portion and a pair of flanges attached to opposed major sides of the base portion. The retaining tabs cooperate with the bottom section of the flanges to mechanically secure the extrusions to the snap connector. The snap connector is secured to the rigid underlying support.

Abstract: A floor assembly includes at least two elongated extrusions disposed adjacent to each other where each extrusion includes a pair of outer leg members and a pair of inner leg members that are connected by a connector which engages the inner leg member and the outer leg member of one of the extrusions and the outer leg member and the inner leg member of the other extrusion. The connector includes a base and first and second end flanges where the first end flange engages the inner leg member of one of the extrusions and the second end flange engages the inner leg member of the other extrusion. A method of making a floor assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A quenchant management system having a quenchant separation module for separating a heavy phase polymer such as polyalkylene glycol (PAG) from water. The quenchant separation module includes a heating section for elevating the temperature of the fluid to be separated to provide initial thermal separation. The quenchant separation module also includes a coalescer for further separating the heavy phase from the light phase of the input fluid. In order to obtain a predetermined polymer concentration and the heavy phase, the output flow rate of the coalescer is varied in accordance with the concentration and flow rate of the input fluid.

Abstract: A floor assembly having a plurality of elongated extrusions and a cooperating snap connector that is secured to a rigid underlying support. Each extrusion includes a pair of outer leg members and a pair of inner leg members, each of the outer leg members being connected to an adjacent inner leg member by horizontal support member. Each inner leg member includes a retaining tab extending therefrom. The snap connector includes an elongated base portion and a pair of flanges attached to opposed major sides of the base portion. The retaining tabs cooperate with the bottom section of the flanges to mechanically secure the extrusions to the snap connector. The snap connector is secured to the rigid underlying support.

Abstract: A reverse air flow oven for symmetrically heating product inserted within a heating chamber in the oven. The oven includes duct work configured symmetrically about the heating chamber, and a fan provides continuous circulation through the duct work and the heating chamber. The duct work also includes a pair of doors having complimentary configurations so that in one configuration, the air flow is in a first direction, and in the complimentary configuration, the doors cause air flow in the opposite direction. Further, a perforated plate regulates and equalizes air flow across the heating chamber and includes valve plates for controlling a build up of static pressure within the heating chamber.

Abstract: A disk drive test chamber creates an environment for disk drives to be tested with an air circulation system that provides an even flow of air over each drive for equivalence in testing conditions. One method of providing equivalent air circulation is to have turning vanes inside air ducts to divert equal amounts of air over each shelf holding disk drives through identically sized apertures. The second method is to have apertures of varying sizes of 40, 50 and 70 percent opening per square inch in the air ducts to divert equal amounts of air. The temperature is maintained within 1/4.degree. C. of the set point by a controller through a system of heaters, air pumps, air ducts, insulation, vents, a motorized damper and an exhaust fan. The heater generates heat to simulate the actual heat of running conditions of disk drives. The pumps send air up the side air ducts and down the center air duct. The chamber has two safety features to prevent damage to the disk drives from over temperature.

Abstract: A railing assembly for use in association with a deck having a deck surface, the deck including at least one post extending vertically upwardly from the deck surface. The railing assembly includes at least one plastic post cover for covering the post and at least one plastic rail extending from the plastic post cover. The invention further can include a fastener for securing the rail to the post and the post cover. The invention also can include a unique picket assembly, the pickets of the picket assembly being generally vertically oriented and spaced from and secured to the plastic rail. A method of assembling a railing assembly for a deck having a deck surface is also provided.

Abstract: An extrusion for use in a floor assembly that is secured to a rigid underlying support. The extrusion has an exposed surface and a base section underlying the exposed surface. The extrusion is made of a first extruded material, preferably a hard polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and more preferably a co-extrusion of a recycled polyvinyl chloride substrate covered by a weatherable polyvinyl chloride capstock. The base section has at least a portion thereof including a second extruded material which is interposed between the plastic extrusion and the rigid underlying support when the plastic extrusion is secured to the rigid underlying support. The second extruded material resists undesired squeaking sounds from occurring when weight bearing loads move on the floor assembly. A floor assembly adapted to be secured to an underlying rigid support and a complete floor assembly and rigid underlying support are also disclosed.

Abstract: An extrusion for use in a floor assembly that is secured to a rigid underlying support. The extrusion has an exposed surface and a base section underlying the exposed surface. The extrusion is made of a first extruded material, preferably a hard polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and more preferably a co-extrusion of a recycled polyvinyl chloride substrate covered by a weatherable polyvinyl chloride capstock. The base section has at least a portion thereof including a second extruded material which is interposed between the plastic extrusion and the rigid underlying support when the plastic extrusion is secured to the rigid underlying support. The second extruded material resists undesired squeaking sounds from occurring when weight bearing loads move on the floor assembly. A floor assembly adapted to be secured to an underlying rigid support and a complete floor assembly and rigid underlying support are also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved regenerative thermal oxidizer ("RTO") and improved method of operating same in order to provide a substantially steady-state flow of contaminant-laden air into the RTO. The RTO includes an automatically-operated balancing valve structure for minimizing pressure variations experienced at the inlet of the RTO. The balancing valve is connected to and provides a selectively closeable bypass path for air flow between the high pressure and low pressure sides of an exhaust fan. The balancing valve opens the bypass path whenever flush valves of the RTO are all closed. The RTO further includes a hydraulic control system for minimizing variations in the operation of the RTO due to varying ambient or seasonal temperature conditions to which the RTO may be subjected. The RTO additionally includes a gravity-actuated damper valve structure near the top of a vertically arranged exhaust stack.

Abstract: A method for producing an extrusion having a wood grain appearance. A first extruder including a die and a second extruder which includes a housing and a screw is provided, the screw having a portion disposed within the housing and a portion projecting outwardly from the housing. The second extruder is secured to the die of the first extruder by a pipe, the pipe receiving the outwardly projecting portion of the second extruder screw. A first material is extruded through the first extruder die to produce an extrusion and a second material is introduced into the second extruder. The second material is delivered through the second extruder and the pipe means to bond the second material to at least a portion of the surface of the extrusion to provide an extrusion with at least a portion of its surface having a wood grain appearance. An associated second extruder as well as an apparatus for producing an extrusion having a wood grain appearance is also provided.

Abstract: A window assembly having a window latch construction is disclosed. The window assembly comprises a window frame having parting bead mounted therein and a window sash having mounted thereon a parting bead cam rotatable from a first position to a second position. When the parting bead cam is in a first position, the window sash can slide vertically with respect to the window frame. When the parting bead cam is in a second position, the window sash can tilt angularly with respect to the window frame.

Abstract: Wires having an adherent coating of resin are passed through individual, segregated chambers in a convection oven where the resin is cured; if a wire fails to feed, heat to the chamber for that wire is discontinued and its chamber is cooled by a draft of forced air while the remaining wire-treating chambers continue in operation.