Abstract: A wide angle hinge is used for articulation of a furniture door on a furniture unit with a base plate mounted on the furniture unit and a housing mounted on the furniture door; mounted on the base plate is a first gear rack on which a gear is rolled in the longitudinal direction of the hinge and meshes with a second gear rack connected with the housing. The second gear rack is mounted directly on the housing and has a circular arc shape that is concentric with the swivel axis of the door.

Abstract: Disclosed is a door control device that automatically repositions the driving shaft of the door closer toward and away from the door pivot, as the door opens and closes, as a means of modifying and improving the force required to open and close the door. Movement is accomplished by a double ended driving shaft having a sprocket gear on one end which drivingly engages a track which in turn repositions the slide mounted door closer to more favorable positions as the door opens and closes.

Abstract: Roller for rolling drawer guides with a wheel journaled on a stud (24) fastened to the running and/or guiding rail of the drawer guide, the wheel having a rim concentric with the longitudinal central axis of the stud (24). The wheel is divided into a hub (16) journaled on the stud (24) and a rim (18) disposed concentrically on the hub, and the rim (18) is mounted on the hub (16) for displacement in the direction of the roller axis of rotation. The rim (18) is held on the hub (16) preferably against rotation in the direction of rotation of the roller.

Abstract: A concealed hinge for switching boxes which is unhingeable, the hinge having a first and second hinge part. The first hinge part having a bearing eye attached to an inside of a door leaf. The second hinge part surrounds the first hinge part in the shape of a U and is connectable to a vertical frame member of the box. The second hinge part has two bearing eyes on ends of a U-shaped member. The hinge parts are connected by a bearing bolt arrangement.

Abstract: Thickness of metal sheet being cast is continuously controlled by passing a light beam through the gap between the casting machine rolls and measuring the amount of light passing through. The width of the gap is controlled in response to the measured light. To prevent interference in the hostile environment of a casting machine, the light is transmitted along an enclosed path and air is blown through the enclosed path into the roll gap. Both the thickness can be controlled in this way, and the profile can be controlled by axially shifting at least one of a pair of non-cylindrical work rolls.

Abstract: Furniture hinge whose cabinet-related part is configured as a supporting arm of channel-shaped cross section astride the corresponding mounting plate, the mounting plate being composed of two separable members which are adjustable relative to one another. The bottom mounting plate member can be fastened to the cabinet and the upper plate is releasably joined to the supporting arm by a catch mechanism. The catch mechanism has projections extending from its opposite lateral surfaces in the door end of the upper mounting plate member while at the inner end of the supporting arm more remote from the door at least one resilient tongue having a catch section is formed, which engages a catch recess on the inner end of the upper mounting plate member. The supporting arm straddles the upper mounting plate member at least at its end pointing into the cabinet interior, and is provided in the straddling area with two tongues which are resiliently flexible parallel to the supporting wall surface.

Abstract: A universal handle for household and other hand-held implements, the handle being adapted to ergonomically render the implement to which it is applied useable by individuals who have diffculty in firmly grasping a conventional handle. The universal handle, which is fabricated of elastomeric material having good thermal insulation and cushioning properties, includes an internal cavity to socket the core shank of the implement. The handle has an elliptical cross section, the opposing sides of the handle adjacent its upper end each having a concave depression, in each of which an array of spaced, flexible fins is anchored to define a depressible grip site. When the fingers of a user's hand are clenched about the handle, the internal region of the resultant fist conforms to the form of the handle to provide a good grip thereon, the thumb and forefinger pressing into the grip sites to enhance the user's grip on the handle.

Abstract: A wheel assembly and a picnic table with the wheel assembly attached thereto includes a bracket which has an arm portion and a mounting flange portion. The mounting flange portion is inclined at an angle of about 65.degree. with respect to the longitudinal extent of the upper edge of the arm portion. The flange portion is attached to inner face of the leg of the article of furniture such that the wheel which is located at the distal end of the arm portion is in close proximity to the underlying support surface. When attached to the leg of the article of furniture, the wheel is aligned with a side edge of the leg so that it does not form an obstruction which would be encountered by the legs of a person seated on the furniture in use.

Abstract: An over-center hinge for cabinet doors with a door-related hinge part in the form of a recess-mounting cup in which one end of each of two links is journaled whose other ends are journaled on a jamb-related hinge part in the form of an elongated supporting arm. On the side of the inner link facing the outer link a cam is articulated with its free end facing the supportring arm and is urged by a spring inserted between the cam and the pivot eye of the inner link against a counter-surface formed by a section of the inner wall of the supporting arm such that its face forces the hinge resiliently into the closed position upon passing a dead point in the closing movement. The section of the wall of the supporting arm that forms the counter-surface is provided at least in the surface area cooperating with the cam with a smooth, wear-resistant and friction-reducing surface.

Abstract: An improved caster wheel assembly for a wheelchair or the like includes adjustable bearing components for variably resisting swivel motion of a caster wheel to prevent undesired wheel flutter. The caster wheel assembly includes a wheel fork unit having a rotatable caster wheel, and a housing sleeve adapted for mounting onto the frame of a wheelchair or other castered device. An upstanding swivel post on the wheel fork unit is supported within the housing sleeve by the bearing components for rotation about an upright swivel axis. The bearing components include an outer bushing mounted on the housing sleeve, and having a conical bearing surface for axially engaging a mating bearing surface of a longitudinally split inner bushing. A nut threaded onto the swivel post urges the inner bushing axially against the outer bushing with a selected adjustable axial load to resist rotation of the swivel post, and thereby resist undesired rotational flutter of the swivel post and the associated caster wheel.

Abstract: A method for the sequential casting of steel strip in steel strip casting equipment wherein under normal operating conditions a steel melt is fed through a pouring tube having discharge ports into the pouring area of a cooled ingot mold at a location below the surface of the melt in the mold and is thereafter removed from the mold in the form of steel strip by the combined operation of mold oscillation means and strip discharge means. After the feed of melt is interrupted, anchoring rods are partially longitudinally immersed into the melt laterally of the pouring area of the mold, and the surface of the melt in the mold is lowered to a level below the pouring area. After a desired interval, the melt feed is continued, and the level of the surface of the melt in the mold is allowed to rise above the discharge ports of the pouring tube. Thereafter, casting flux is applied to the surface of the melt, and the operation of the mold oscillation means and the strip discharge means is resumed.

Abstract: A double-winged door spring is biased for closing with a mechanism for damping of the closure movement and includes a closure sequence control, particularly of a fire-resistant door, in which the damping of the movable door portion is accomplished through a hydraulic damping element with throttled overflow. The hydraulic damping element includes two oppositely controlled pressure chambers defined by a double-acting piston and a valve disposed in the overflow conduit connecting the two pressure chambers, the valve being actuated directly or indirectly through the stationary door portion. By the valve being disposed in the overflow conduit, actuation of the movable door portion can be inhibited until the stationary door portion is closed.

Abstract: The hinge has two leaves with interengaging knuckles. A plastic coated metal hinge pin extends through the knuckles and the knuckles are crimped onto the plastic coated hinge pin. The tighter the knuckles grip the pin the more the plastic is deformed and the greater will be the torque required to operate the hinge. The plastic is extruded onto the pin to bond the plastic to the pin.

Abstract: A vertical blind system installed over a window area has a plurality of carrier and hanger assembly units, each of which has a vertical louver or vane suspended from it. The unit has two major subcomponents. They are a frame having a chamber, and a replaceable, manually insertable cartridge having a pendant member for holding the individual blind. The frame has a top circular bearing and a resilient retaining clip which holds the cartridge in position in the chamber. Whenever the cartridge becomes broken, the service technician can quickly snap out the broken cartridge and reinsert a new one. This can be done without the inconvenience and time consuming task of dismantling the entire vertical blind system to repair a single carrier and hanger assembly unit.

Abstract: A cushioned grip having a unitary tubular-shaped body portion with an asymmetrical off-center cross-sectional shape. The asymmetrical off-center shape provides increased cushioning on portions thereof while retaining a moderate sized circumference. The asymmetrical cross-sectional shape provides a first portion having a first thickness of cushioning material, a second portion having a second lower thickness of cushioning material and a third portion of further reduced thickness of cushioning material. The third portion of cushioning is provided with a flat surface to provide a positive and solid feel to the fingers while grabbing the grip. The center's curvature defined by the outside of the cross-sectional shape of the grip is displaced from the center of the inside portion which is generally circular and adapted to receive a hard round member such as a bicycle handlebar to be cushioned.

Abstract: A butt hinge assembly for a door hinged to a casement which keeps the opened door from moving on its hinges due to air currents or other forces acting on the surfaces of the open door. The assembly consists of a conventional butt hinge having two cooperating hinge plates joined together by a hinge pin fitted into the aligned cylidrical knuckles formed on the adjoining ends of the two hinge plates and a flat tempered spring steel plate sized to fit against the hinge plate mounted on the casement and positioned between the casement and the hinge plate. The spring steel plate has a plurality of flat fingers or extensions each sized to press against one of the cylindrical knuckles of the hinge plate which is mounted on the door.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of casting a melt into an ingot possessing a fine grain structure. The apparatus comprises (1) a casting mold for holding a reservoir of melt; (2) a partition means located in the melt for dividing the melt into a melt supply reservoir located on a first side of the partition means and a solidification reservoir on a second side of the partition means, the partition means having a communication means for permitting melt to flow from the melt supply reservoir to the solidification reservoir, the partition preventing turbulence from the solidification reservoir to be transferred to the surface of the melt; and (3) means for stirring the portion of the melt located in the solidification reservoir. The means for stirring provides nuclei for grain refinement of the ingot.

Abstract: A metal casting process for producing melt-out metal cores and the like made of metal alloys with low melting temperatures achieves a casting with uniform density, high quality finish and a fine grain structure. The process and apparatus do not require the pre-pressurization of a charging cylinder and permit closed dies to be used. The apparatus comprises a molten metal alloy tank, a cylinder in the tank having at its base a connection to a passageway leading through the tank to a die located outside the tank. A valve is provided in the passageway, located in the tank having a first position where the passageway to the die is open and a second position where the passageway to the die is closed. In the second position, a valve port provides a connection from the cylinder to the molten metal alloy in the tank.

Abstract: An auxiliary tool handle (10) for attachment to cylindrical tool handles (12), such as those used for garden rakes, hoes, push brooms and the like. The auxiliary tool handle (10) comprises at least one curvilinear handle segment (16, 20) for removable and adjustable mounting on a conventional tool handle. Sleeves (18) for slidable mounting of the handle segments on conventional cylindrical tool handles are attached to the handle segments (16, 20), thereby enabling adjustable mounting thereof about the circumference and along the length of the tool handle.

Abstract: A method for producing a crystalline reinforced block material, wherein a crystalline material in molten state at a high temperature is laminated in thin film form on a base material. Heat is dissipated in the direction of the base material to rapidly cool the crystalline material. Simultaneously high pressure and large shearing force is applied to the crystalline material, as the material is cooled, by a pressing means to cool and solidify the crystalline material into a thin film form on the base material. Further laminates of the crystalline material in molten state at a high temperature are laminated in a thin film form on underlying thin layer surface in molten state or semisolidified state, one after the other on the immediately proceeding laminated thin layer.