Abstract: A hospital bed has a frame mounted on a base. Articulating head, seat and leg patient support panels are mounted on the frame. Side guards are mounted on the panels. Patient support panels have longitudinal edges that are collapsible to narrow the bed for transporting a patient. The side guards are inwardly movable to contribute to the narrowing of the bed while still protecting the patient from falling out of the bed.

Abstract: The housing comprises an actuating lever (8) articulated about a transversal spindle (13), and a mechanism (16), controlled by the lever, capable of driving, in opposite direction, two rods (17, 18); each rod is provided, at its end farthest away from the housing, with a bolt, in order to bring about a locking at an upper point and a lower point, respectively. The actuating lever (8) comprises a unilateral thrust organ (19) capable of co-operating with one or two complementary abutments (21, 22) provided for on a driving organ (23) of the mechanism (16), whereby the lever (8) may be tilted from one position into another, to co-operate with the appropriate complementary abutment (21, 22), in order to selectively allow the fitting onto a "right-hand" or "left-hand" door.

Abstract: A mobile patient support system includes a table plate, a support column for supporting the table plate and a transport carriage for transporting the table plate. Two pin-shaped connecting elements arranged on the table plate are receivable in complementary pin receivers of the support column for connection therewith. The table plate is transferrable by relative motion between the transport carriage and the support column from the support column to the transport carriage and the reverse. The table plate and the support column on one hand are provided with latching means and the table plate and the support column on the other hand are likewise supplied with latching means for exchangeable engagement with one another. On each connecting element are at least two latching members supported for movement between a latching position and a free position, and during the transfer process they are simultaneously insertable in a pin receiver of the column and a pin receiver of the transfer carriage.

Abstract: An automatic trash disposal system (20) employing a trash discharge station (56) located internally of a building structure (22) and having a plurality of dedicated trash disposal ports (60P, 60M, 60G, 60NR) for receipt of different categories of recyclable trash items and/or non-recyclable trash items; a remotely located trash housing (21) exterior of the building structure (22) and housing a plurality of dedicated removable trash receptacles (36, 38, 39, 40); conduits (64P, 64M, 64G, 64NR) coupling the trash disposal ports (60P, 60M, 60G, 60NR) with respective different ones of the remotely located dedicated trash receptacles (36, 38, 39, 40); and, a blower/motor combination (68/79) for drawing a vacuum in the enclosed remotely located trash housing (21) and the conduits (64P, 64M, 64G, 64NR) for vacuum transferal of items of trash inserted into a particular one of the interior trash disposal ports (60P, 60M, 60 G, 60NR) to a particular one of the remotely located dedicated trash receptacles (36, 38, 39, 40

Abstract: An article of jewelry, namely a bracelet having a band containing plurality of individualized transparent compartments with removable transparent windows for displaying on the wrist numerous pictures, photographs, or other decorative or useful items. Further, the windows of the compartments are easily interchangeable and may be transparent, flat, convex for magnification, or some other suitable design. The invention constitutes a multipurpose and easily customized bracelet. Also the inner wall of the band is transparent to permit display of photographs or pictures back-to-back on both sides of the bracelet.

Abstract: An information display bracket is disclosed having a base portion for securing the information display bracket to the base of a product display bracket. An elongated arm extending over the product display bracket is pivotally secured to the base of the information display bracket at a proximal end by a living hinge and an information display plate is provided at a distal end extending past the end of the product display bracket.

Abstract: An apparatus for linking a cable to an object comprising a first element having a first channel passing therethrough which receives a connector that fixedly links the first element to the object. The first element also has a second channel passing therethrough which intersects the first channel and through which the cable extends. In addition, the apparatus is comprised of a blocker disposed in the first channel for preventing the connector from being removed. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a second element having a chamber, and a third channel passing therethrough and intersecting the chamber such that the chamber can receive the first element, and the second channel and third channel align so the cable can extend through the first element and the second element by way of the second channel and third channel.

Abstract: A guide attached to a vehicle window slides along a slotted vertical track and is pulled by a cable to raise and lower the window. A pulley-like cable holder is rotatably mounted on the guide and the cable is wrapped on the holder to impose a rotational moment on the holder. The holder carries a pin which rides in the track slot to prevent rotation during window raising and lowering so that only vertical movement occurs. A lateral slot arm extending from the slot receives the pin when the window is fully raised and allows the holder to rotate. A cam responsive to the holder rotation moves the window horizontally to or from its outer closed position.

Abstract: A damper device for a motor having a boss section attached to a rotary shaft of the motor, a mass inertia section rotatably supported by the boss section such that it surrounds the outer periphery of the boss section with a gap left therebetween, a magnetic fluid filling up the gap, and magnets provided in either the boss section or the mass inertia section for preventing leakage of the magnetic fluid. Furthermore, the boss section and the mass section facing each other through the gap are made of materials differing in the coefficient of thermal expansion, even if the magnetic fluid is heated by heating of the motor, an external temperature variation and the like so that its viscosity is decreased, such a decrease in viscosity can be canceled out by a change in gap dimension caused by the difference in expansion between the boss section material and the mass section material differing in the coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: A slide fastener lock assembly comprises a slider pull tab having an engaging pin and a lock having a locking lug releasably engageable therewith. The lock has a latch movable toward and away from the locking lug to lock and unlock the pull tab. A lock tumbler is rotatable by a key to releasably lock the latch with the engaging pin. The pull tab and the lock can be joined together simply by flipping the pull tab down with its aperture fitted over the locking lug.

Abstract: A device is provided for automatically signalling the opening of the door of a conventional mailbox. The device consists of a stationary member that pivotably interacts with a signal member. The stationary member attaches to the mailbox using existing holes intended to accommodate a conventional manually operated mailbox signal flag. A torsion spring housed within the device causes the signal member to be urged to a vertical position when the door of the mailbox is opened.

Abstract: A magnetic door stop and catch has a helically coiled spring mounted on a base board or wall through which a flexible cable extends to hold a swivel mounted magnet at the end of the spring. The magnet is pivotly mounted at the swivel which allows 360 degrees rotation and deflection of the magnet in all directions as the magnet engages a magnetically attractable strike plate mounted to a door opposite the door stop.

Abstract: A book return is disclosed which has a book storage container which has a support structure. A collapsible container has an upper peripheral edge which is affixed to the upper edge of the support structure. An elastic cord provides support between a first attachment point located at the bottom of the collapsible container and a second attachment point located on the support structure and spaced from the first attachment point so that the collapsible container is held in a substantially collapsed condition when the container is empty and expands to substantially fill the volume defined by the support structure as additional books are added. The book return also has a casement which defines a door compartment having a frontal access opening and a rear discharge opening. A sector-shaped door has a book guide surface and is attached to the casing about a horizontally-pivoted axis. A gate is pivotally attached to the rear of the door.

Abstract: A padded rail arrangement used in combination with a common water bed characterized as selectively detachable pad sections having a longitudinal cut-out undersurface adapted to be received on the upper portions of the rails defining the framework of the water bed. The invention is presented in two basic forms, to-wit, where, in one form, a pad section is adapted to continuously define a corner section of the water bed framework and, in another form, the corners of the water bed framework are exposed or uncovered. An independent mitered corner pad section utilizing the longitudinal cut-out undersurface is also presented. The pad section is typically covered by material for durability and appearance purposes.

Abstract: A support structure is provided which effects a pressure equalization. It mprises an enclosure filled with a large number of loose pieces. In a special embodiment the loose pieces are surrounded by a low friction material, such as nylon fabric, and are made of a deformable material, preferably foam-material. Another embodiment provides balloon-shaped pieces. Further an outer cover surrounding the enclosure may be provided.

Abstract: A wheel chair cushion and the like is disclosed which includes a cushion formed of a deformable resilient material. The cushion includes a base having a front wall and a rear wall. A plurality of individual foam springs are carried by the base having support surfaces which lie in a plane that is inclined to the base surface of said base as extending from said front wall to said rear wall. A pressure relief cut-out is formed substantially in its entirety from a mid-line of said cushion rearwardly so as to be disposed underneath the buttocks of a person sitting on the cushion to relieve pressure in that area and provide increased compressibility of the foam springs in the pressure relief area to disperse pressure and provide a resilient depression in the cushion to enhance the patient retention capability of the cushion as used in a wheel chair.

Abstract: An earring device comprises an ornamental element bearing means from which at least two thin ornamental elements are hung. These ornamental elements are thin cross-sectional (x,y -axes) depictions of animals, which when arranged on the bearing means, provide a three-dimensional illusion. In a preferred embodiment, the animal head and front quarter are depicted on a first thin ornamental element, and the animal rear quarter is depicted on a second element. When hung from the bearing means, spacers are provided to create a separation between the thin ornamental elements in a z-axes. This separation creates an illusion of depth along the z-axis, leading to a three dimensional depiction of the animal.

Abstract: A deflatable sealing member forms a weatherstrip to seal a closure opening. The sealing member includes an operative tubular section designed to provide tight interference engagement between the closure and vehicle body when vented to atmosphere and expanded by built-in resilient memory. A bellows pump is connected to the sealing member through a flow control circuit. The bellows pump serves to deflate the sealing member during closing of the closure. The bellows pump is adapted for convenient mounting in a cavity in the closure or vehicle body spaced from the closure hinge area. A flexible cable connects the bellows pump to the closure or vehicle body to provide the necessary actuation for operation of the bellows pump in response to the swinging movement of the closure. As the closure closes, a bleed port of fixed or variable size located at the pump vents the sealing member to ambient pressure, and the sealing member expands by resilient memory to its full cross section so as to provide a tight seal.

Abstract: A cylinder lock is provided which comprises a cylindrical housing; a core which is rotatably mounted in the housing, thereby defining a shear line; a first tumbler slidably disposed in a first aperture; means for moving the first tumbler between a locked and an unlocked position; a second tumbler slidably disposed in a second aperture; and means for moving the second tumbler between a locked and an unlocked position. When the lock is in the locked position, the first tumbler extends across the shear line into the first aperture of the core. When a correct key is inserted into the keyway, the first tumbler is urged completely into the core below the shear line. The second tumbler is arranged such that when the lock is in the locked position, the second tumbler extends across the shear line and such that when the correct key is inserted, the second tumbler is urged completely into the housing above the shear line.

Abstract: A fastener, comprising an expander part having a saucer-shaped head and a shank extending from the head and formed with a male thread thereon, and a fastener part having a flange and opposite stem portions branched from the back of the flange and connecting through hinge portions to guide portions which join each other at the other ends thereof, the expander part and fastener part each being made of a resin, the fastener part having a circular bore extending from the flange to the stem portions to permit the expander part to be inserted in and temporarily retained in the stem portions, the circular bore having therein opposite bulges positioned ahead of the hinge portions to spread the stem portions outward away from each other when the expander part is pushed.