Abstract: An adaptable material-spreading vehicle includes in combination a truck body frame, an engine mounted on the frame, a cab mounted in a forwardly positioned cab region, a removable hopper positioned behind the cab region, and a conveyor running from beneath the hopper directly through the cab region to a forwardly mounted material spreader with the hopper and conveyor being removably mounted to the truck frame, such that the material spreader vehicle can be converted to some other use. In one embodiment, the cab is provided with a central channel through the floor to accommodate the section of the conveyor passing through the cab region, with the cab being provided with sealable conveyor ports aligned fore and aft through which the cab-carrier conveyor section is passed.

Abstract: The specification discloses a floor-to-ceiling partition system including telescoping studs wherein resiliently compressible friction members are positioned on each side of the upper portion of said studs near the upper ends thereof for frictional engagement with the inner surfaces of the sidewalls of a ceiling channel mounted on a ceiling.

Abstract: A new method of construction for concrete wall structures. Precast concrete studs with fasteners protruding from one edge are used to build the framework of the walls while oriented in a horizontal plane, rigid sheet insulation is attached to the outside of the concrete studs, and wire mesh is laid upon the sheet insulation. Concrete is then poured onto the insulation, the wire and the protruding fasteners to form a continuous waterproof outer surface. New top and bottom beams which are bonded to the concrete studs are formed at the same time as the outer concrete surface. After setting of the concrete, the wall is one integral concrete structure which may be transported to a construction site for erection.

Abstract: A decorative wall panel includes a fabric covering on a board removably secured to an existing wall. The rear of the board carries a plurality of "VELCRO" fasteners for cooperation with corresponding fasteners on the wall. The panels may be easily secured to the wall, such as a drywall partition, and may be just as easily removed whenever desired.

Abstract: A composite article comprising a metallic substrate having an improved ductile wear and corrosion resistant surface coating thereon and metallurgically bonded thereto in which the coating comprises a nickel-chromium-tungsten base alloy matrix having uniformly dispersed therethrough a plurality of primary wear resistant particles such as tungsten carbide, for example, and secondary chromium and/or tungsten carbide crystals. The invention further encompasses the method of making the composite article by applying a particulated mixture of the metal alloy and primary wear resistant particles preferably by the Plasma Transferred Arc technique on the surface of a metallic substrate.

Abstract: A floor-to-ceiling wall system having telescoping studs that extend between a ceiling bracket and a floor leveler assembly. The floor leveler assembly includes a leveling channel that is adjusted in order to level an entire wall. During assembly, a first telescoping stud is secured between the ceiling channel and floor leveler assembly and vertically aligned. Thereafter, subsequent studs are automatically aligned by the securing of horizontal stringers sequentially between the telescoping studs. Door jams and window frames are secured to the studs, and wall panels are hung from the horizontal stringers. Adapter brackets hung from the vertical studs accommodate wall accessories with various mounting hook patterns in order to adapt the wall system to a wide variety of wall accessories.

Abstract: An alarm clock in the form of a sports ball has an alarm clock assembly with a snooze-type audio alarm which is temporarily silenced when the ball is thrown against a wall. The alarm clock ball has a feasible and resilient core of a foamed plastic, such as styrofoam, and an overlying cover of a plastic material. The clock assembly is mounted within a recess in the styrofoam core and has display and button controls which are visible and accessible through an opening in the plastic cover. The clock assembly has a quiet electrical switch which controls the snooze alarm mechanism and which is operated by a normally closed deceleration switch located in the foam core. The deceleration switch has a spring-biased metal ball in normal contact with two conductive contacts. When the alarm clock is thrown against a wall, the metal ball is displaced due to its inertia on impact thus temporarily breaking contact and silencing the alarm.

Abstract: A disposable support for food articles such as tacos is made from a paper-like material folded and interlocked to form a generally triangular shape with an opening in upright inverted V-shaped faces of the support that forms a cradle for holding the food article. The disposable support is formed from a one-piece foldable sheet folded into three sections and having a first panel, a second panel adjacent the first panel, a first fold separating the first and second panels, a third panel adjacent the second panel, and a second fold separating the second and third panels. An elongated opening extends through the first and second panels across the first fold. An interlocking tab at the free end of the third panel is arranged so that when the sheet is folded across the first and second folds into flat form and the third panel is folded inside the first and second panels, the tab is located adjacent the first fold above slotted openings formed in the first and second panels by the large opening therein.

Abstract: A retaining wall for earth and similar material has its front face formed by a series of prefabricated reinforced-concrete panels. In use, the prefabricated panels are arranged vertically in side-by-side relation and rest on a concrete footing cast in situ. The prefabricated panels are rigidly connected to a concrete anchor bed cast during the course of construction and which extends away from the prefabricated panels towards the earth to be retained. The said concrete anchoring bed is disposed at a level higher than the base of said panels and is spaced from the latter by a distance of between 1/5 and 1/2 of the total height of the said panels.

Abstract: A new method of construction for concrete wall structures. Precast concrete studs with fasteners protruding from one edge are used to build the framework of the walls while oriented in a horizontal plane, rigid sheet insulation is attached to the outside of the concrete studs, and wire mesh is laid upon the sheet insulation. Concrete is then poured onto the insulation, the wire and the protuding fasteners to form a continuous waterproof outer surface. New top and bottom beams which are bonded to the concrete studs are formed at the same time as the outer concrete surface. After setting of the concrete, the wall is one integral concrete structure which may be transported to a construction site for erection.

Abstract: A reversible window is disclosed, which can be reversed by rotation in such a manner that the outer side of the window comes to the inner side thereof, and in which a reverse rotation shaft (17), attached near the central portion of the upper surface of an upper window frame (12) of a window (1), is disposed so as to be slidable, and at the time of the 90-degree opening of the window (1), the window (1) can be moved up to the extreme end of its outer frame.

Abstract: A new method of construction for building basements. Precast concrete studs are used to build the framework of the vertical walls of the basement, rigid sheet insulation is attached to the outside of the concrete studs, and wire mesh is attached to the sheet insulation. Concrete is then sprayed onto the insulation and wire to form a continuous waterproof outer surface.

Abstract: In a spring retracted tape measure in which the tape measure is retracted into a housing (1,2) onto a spring biassed drum (3), the ratchet is constituted by teeth (23) formed on the housing and detents (27) on flexible arms (24) on the drum which bias the detents into contact with the teeth (23). A portion (20) of the housing is resiliently connected to the rest of the housing, and can be depressed inwardly to engage the flexible arms (24) thus disengaging the detents (27) from the teeth (23) to permit the tape to be wound in.

Abstract: A partitioning system for segmenting an open area into smaller compartment-like regions includes a grouping of multifunction, interchangeable standardized component parts which are selectively utilized according to the partitioning panel designs to be assembled and the particular configuration desired. The partitioning system includes structural wall panels of a unitized, laminated gypsum sheet construction, window panels, acoustical screens, and door members. Angled joints between adjacent panels include a corner spacer which has a series of radially spaced slots for receipt of face plate members with resultant included angles of either 90.degree., 135.degree. or 180.degree. and the face plate members are configured for snap-fit with variously styled partitioning panel connectors.

Abstract: An improved locking mechanism is provided with a fixed outer cylinder and at least two side-by-side rows of resiliently urged pins disposed in a staggered relation therein. A face plate contains a nonrotatable key slot in angular disorientation to the pins and a key is provided with a plurality of biased grooves forming inclined planes to depress the pins as the key, imposed in an inner cylinder, are rotated together through the plane of the pins. The inner cylinder is connected to a bolt actuating linkage in a conventional manner. A pin bar having a plurality of reversely biased grooves forming inclined planes in the same profile as the key is disposed in a longitudinally extending channel in the inner cylinder. The face plate is formed of an anti-drill metal secured to an intermediate housing by crimping in a peripheral area which is inaccessible between the intermediate and an outer housing.

Abstract: A faired article comprising a cable having a core surrounded by a braided jacket is provided with at least one row of fairing loops extending lengthwise of the jacket for the purpose of reducing strumming, drag and cable fatigue when the cable is installed underwater. The faired article is manufactured by guiding a length of fairing yarn into proximity with the upstream side of the ring of a braider, entraining the fairing yarn in an air stream directed across the path of movement of the braid yarns inside the braider ring, and causing the fairing yarn entrained therein to pass through the path of movement of the braid yarns as they advance around the braider ring, thereby enabling the braid yarns to form the fairing yarn into loops as the braid yarns form the jacket around the core. Preferred apparatus for practicing the method of the present invention is also disclosed.