Abstract: An envelope feeding and printing assembly providing for the individual, lengthwise feeding of envelopes and enabling printing thereon while said envelopes are in motion, including a plurality of print heads and a platen for imprinting the envelopes, an envelope storage bin for holding a stack of envelopes prior to printing and having a gate with a driven feed roller and a control surface defining an envelope nip leading from the bin to the print head array, transport rollers to carry envelopes from the gates to the platen, timing control means to produce timing signals corresponding to the speed of the transport rollers, envelope position sensors to sense the leading and following edges of envelopes passing through said transport rollers and to produce control signals corresponding to envelope position, and a controller to receive the timing and control signals and to control the feed roller and to control the "start time" and speed of printing of the print heads, so that envelopes may be printed seriatim and

Abstract: A portable spring leveraged device adapted for attachment to the hips in a manner that allows a person engaged in so-called "stoop labor" to bend or flex at the hips with less physical exertion, and with less stress and strain on involved musculature and vertebral joints. The device consists of a U-shaped metal or plastic frame, hinged in each arm of the U and provided with spring resistance at each hinge point. The frame is belt-mounted at the wearer's waist with the hinge points adjacent the hips and with the bottom of the U and arms providing padded contact at the wearer's chest and thighs, respectively. The two arms provide for independent leg movement for walking while the chest contact resiliently supports a major portion of the wearer's upper torso weight during leaning and stooping, thus relieving the stresses and strains normally imparted to the back muscles, ligamentous and bony support, and especially the low back structure, during, for example, use of a short hoe and/or lifting produce boxes.

Abstract: A drilling machine for digging trenches in the ground of the type comprising at least one substantially vertical support plate (3) on which are mounted two drilling drums (2) one one each side of it for rotation about an axis (4) substantially perpendicular to the plate.The downwardly facing edge surfaces of said plate have portions (13) inclined relative to the direction perpendicular to said plate.

Abstract: A method for mechanically stimulating the nipples of a pregnant woman for diagnostic and therapeutic effects. A nipple stimulator device is placed over a woman's nipple, and an intermittent reduced pressure is induced in the interior of the apparatus by a pump. An elastic membrane on the stimulator device is drawn inward by the reduced pressure, and in so doing acts to massage the breast nipple and the adjacent breast. A gentle, soft massage of the nipple is thereby provided to yield the desired stimulation to produce hormones, for example, useful in accelerating labor or conducting contraction stress tests in a pregnant woman.

Abstract: A shoulder-joint bandage having an elastic sleeve and a pair of belts which extend helically around the sleeve in opposite senses from the distal end thereof to then run along opposite lateral edges of a cap of the sleeve overlying the shoulder. The belts cross again behind the back of the patient and one belt passes around the other arm through the armpit and joins the other belt, e.g. at a buckle permitting longitudinal adjustment of the belts.

Abstract: A stump remover for cutting and grinding tree stumps and roots comprising a rectangular-shape housing which serves to support and contain the various elements of the stump remover. At the aft end of the housing is mounted a power source, preferably an internal combustion engine, which provides rotational energy to the cutting assembly at the fore end of the housing. The cutting assembly comprises a drive shaft which is mounted within the housing at an angle of approximately 61 degrees relative to the top of the housing. The end of the shaft is provided with four radially extending and equally spaced carbide teeth. Each of the teeth includes a bent portion which forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees with the axis of the drive shaft. For the transmission of rotational energy from the power source to the cutting assembly, preferably a cog V-belt is provided.

Abstract: An arm splint with a hand receiving portion formed on the forward end thereof includes upper and lower layers which are detachably secured together at the rearward ends and which are integrally secured together at the forward ends through a fold in the material of the device. Conventional retaining bands extend between the layers to hold the arm splint to the forearm of the patient. A separate elongated slot is formed between the two layers adjacent the forward ends to receive the support arm of a selected thumb and finger support element. A pin is provided in an aperture extending through the slot member for detachably holding the support arm of the thumb and finger support element within the slot. Each support arm has one or more apertures for receiving the pin.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for more efficiently backfilling a ditch in the ground. The apparatus is comprised of a rigid compartment adapted to be pendantly supported by the dumping scoop of a front end loader vehicle. The compartment has an inclined floor and a closeable aperture located at the lowermost extremity of the floor. Backfill material dumped from the scoop falls into the compartment and is diverted horizontally a sufficient extent to enter the ditch. By virtue of the apparatus and its manner of association with the dumping scoop, the front end loader can fill the ditch merely by riding a continuous path parallel to the ditch.

Abstract: A roll rotation type massaging apparatus comprises a roll rotating unit including a driving unit installed within a rotating cylinder having a cylindrical body and having supporting caps to support a driving shaft installed at both sides of the opening faces of the cylindrical body, a drum cylinder fixed on the outer face of the rotating cylinder, and a rotating roll having cylindrical bars with ellipsoidal massaging members and cylindrical supporting members loosely installed thereon which are installed at equal distances between the sides of the body of the drum cylinder along the circumference thereof and a reinforcement frame with a reinforcement bar connected between boards which supports the roll rotating unit. This compact apparatus rotates the rotating roll having ellipsoidal massaging members without using a motor belt. The ellipsoidal massaging materials of the apparatus contact the effective part of the user to massage the whole effective part evenly.

Abstract: A process is described in which an oscillating gripper unit is utilized, having a gripper foot for the oscillating gripper member carried angularly fixed by the respective control shaft; during the return stroke of the gripper unit from the rotating cylinder of the printing machine towards the table carrying the sheets, the gripper foot is turned eccentrically with respect to the axis of its control shaft making this latter turn with appropriate means in a directional sense in concordance with that of the rotation of the whole unit in such a way as to produce a raising of it with respect to the gripper member such as to carry it out of the path of this latter while the axis of oscillation of the unit is maintained stationery with respect to that of the cylinder.

Abstract: A ribbon cartridge having a torsion spring having an improved noval contacting end for pressing the takeup spool against the drive roller, wherein the improved end holds the takeup reel against the roller in a substantially vertical position without any tilting of the takeup reel.

Abstract: Massage appliance for the punctual massage of individual regions of the human body, especially of the reflex zones of the soles of the feet, having a massage pin (10) which can be set vibrating (stroke movements) and is simultaneously displaceable along a closed, preferably circular path (rotary movement), the direction of vibration (stroke direction) corresponding substantially to the axial direction of the massage pin (10). The massage pin (10) is connected to a vibratory body (24) which is engaged by a crank (25) drivable by a electric motor (19) via a reduction gear (21, 23). Associated with the vibratory body (24) is a vibration apparatus (stroke apparatus) consisting of a guide lever (26) which is secured beneath the vibratory body (24) to an axially slidable rod (27).

Abstract: There is disclosed a printer having a thermal print head and a cooperable platen roll. The platen roll is driven to advance a web of record medium and an ink ribbon into cooperation with the print head. The printer can use an ink ribbon cartridge. The printer has a compact arrangement for the record medium supply roll, the ink ribbon cartridge, the printing mechanism, the drive mechanism, the keyboard, and the cutting mechanism for cutting tags from the web. The ink ribbon cartridge has shiftable guide rolls cooperating with pins on the printer to assure accurate alignment of the ribbon on the print head.

Abstract: An ink-dot printer comprises a recording paper, at least one needle disposed in one side the recording paper and movable between a rest position remote from the recording paper and a projected position close to the recording paper, a driving mechanism for moving the needle between the rest position and the projected position, a driving control unit electrically connected to the driving mechanism so as to supply a driving control signal for controlling the movement of the needle to the driving mechanism, an ink supply mechanism adapted to supply ink to the distal end portion of the needle on the recording sheet side so that the ink attaches to the distal end portion when the needle is located in the rest position, an electrode disposed in another side of the recording paper and facing the distal end portion of the needle, and voltage control unit for applying between the needle and the electrode an ink flying voltage with respect to the supply of the driving control signal from the driving control unit to the

Abstract: A bubble bath assembly disclosed is designed to be installed in the vicinity of the side wall of a conventional bathtub and includes a pump, a suction pipe, a nozzle and a support housing. The pump has an inlet and an outlet. The suction pipe is connected to the inlet of the pump, and is adapted to be disposed within the bathtub. The nozzle is connected to the outlet of the pump. The support housing holds the nozzle in order to retain the nozzle over the water in the bathtub upon the installment of the assembly. When the pump is operated, water is drawn into the pump from the bathtub through the suction pipe, and is discharged in a jet from the nozzle against the surface of the water in the bathtub. This jet of water introduce oxygen into the bath water, resulting in the formation of a layer of minute bubbles over the surface of the bath water. When these innumerable bubbles break, they generate ultrasonic waves which help in preventing the human body from suffering from skin diseases and muscular pains.

Abstract: A print head drive system of the type wherein there is provided a one-shot generating circuit for generating one-shot pulses in response to an instruction given from a processor and the energization of a head is effected in response to the one-shot pulse supplied from the one-shot generating circuit, characterized in that there is included a mechanical trouble detector for detecting occurrence of trouble, the pulse duration of one-shot pulse generated in the one-shot generating circuit is made shorter than the time interval during which the energization of the head is effected in the normal operating time, and the processor issues during the normal operating time the instruction plural times to the one-shot generating circuit, whereby when abnormal operation is detected by the mechanical trouble detector, generation of one-shot pulse is inhibited, so that the time interval of energization of the head is shortened.

Abstract: An elongated unitary spring armature is disclosed for use in dot matrix printers. The spring armature has an elongated triangular shape with attachment means located adjacent to the base and means for securing the impact tip located adjacent to the apex. A spring portion formed of a high carbon steel is located adjacent to the attachment means and an armature portion formed of a low carbon steel separates the spring portion from the apex. Processes for making the spring armature are also disclosed.

Abstract: The printing machine comprises a device for the supply of sheets. This dee is constituted in the form of a removable unitary module comprising means for taking-up motion. Selection means are provided and comprise motion distributing means associated with said take-up means to direct the motion to means for extraction of sheets.

Abstract: Disclosed is a print head for a printer which performs a printing operation with dots on a printing medium. The print head is provided with an armature and a wire holder fixed to the armature. A print wire is rigidly joined to the free end of the wire holder. The forward end portion of the print wire extends toward the printing medium through a guide slot formed in a guide member. The side surface of the forward end portion of the print wire on the side opposite to the side on which the armature is disposed slides along the wall defining the guide slot at least during the printing operation.

Abstract: A multifunctional cassette (1) for a printer (131), in which the cassette (1) that can be arranged in the printer (131) is provided with first, second and third chambers (31, 35, 37). The second chamber (35) and the first chamber (31) can accommodate a supply reel (59) and a takeup reel (57), respectively, for transport of a color transfer strip (55) past the printing head (143), while the third chamber (37) can comprise a supply of a data strip (41) to be transported along the printing head (143). Pins (103, 105) brake the web when the cassette is not in the printer. Whether using or not using the first and second chambers (31, 35), the multifunctional use of the cassette (1) becomes possible for different types of printers, such as black-and-white printers and color printers.