Abstract: A filament-bearing plate or disk system for cutting grass and the like in which the filament is wound upon later-closed serrations in the disk periphery rather than passed through a succession of holes in the disk periphery; embodiments of the invention have respectively resilient, malleably deformable, and rotationally positionable aperture closing, and a ring closure.

Abstract: Mounting and control apparatus for a driven element such as a lawn mower blade mounted coaxially on an engine drive shaft, in an arrangement in which, under control of a deadman lever, the driven element is normally de-clutched from the shaft and stopped by a brake, as when the driving engine is idled, and for operation is released by the brake and clutched by a centrifugal clutch to the drive shaft, as when the engine is speeded up. The compact nested assembly includes a driven drum element having an outer cylindrical brake and clutch drum and an inner bearing ring which lies within the axial length of the drum and is mounted on the outer race of a ball bearing carried by a reduced-diameter bearing sleeve on a main hub fixed to the motor shaft. A clutch carrier plate on the hub carries centrifugal shoes engageable with the inside of the drum and partially nested between it and the bearing ring. The hub carries a flywheel when the engine is designed to depend on the mower blade for flywheel mass.

Abstract: If the next charge to be stuffed into the baling chamber has not yet reached the desired size and density by the time the stuffing fork and compacting plunger are ready to begin their next operating cycles, the plunger and the fork are temporarily deactivated until the charge reaches full size and density. Thereupon, the fork stuffs the entire charge into the baling chamber in a single cycle of operation for compaction by the plunger. The baler is loaded from the bottom of the baling chamber through an upwardly curved duct that serves both as an accumulating chamber and as a pre-compression area into which the charge is progressively packed by a rotating, retractable finger drum at the lower end of the duct. Actuation of the plunger and stuffing fork occurs automatically in response to obtaining the predetermined density of the accumulated charge as sensed by a pressure-sensitive device located at the lower end of the loading duct slightly downstream from the packing drum.

Abstract: A pet feeder which readily converts from a solid feeder to a liquid feeder. The feeder has only two physically distinct members; i.e., a feeding tray and a container which is adaptable to holding and delivering to the feeding tray either flowable solid or liquid material.

Abstract: A known and commercially available electronic sorter is positioned between the sorting conveyor of a tomato harvester and the front cross-conveyor thereof. This sorter includes a rejector mechanism for rejecting tomatoes of colors other than those corresponding to red-ripeness. A rejection chute receives culls impelled thereinto by the rejector mechanism dropping the rejected fruit on the ground, while accepted fruit falls to a front cross-conveyor. A preparatory mechanism associated with the sorting conveyor impels the tomatoes at a desired trajectory toward the electronic sorter, and preferably includes an elevating flighted conveyor for receiving tomatoes from the sorting conveyor, raising them to a higher level, and then dropping them forwardly on to an intermediate generally level conveyor. The intermediate conveyor is driven at a constant speed regardless of the speeds of all other moving parts of said harvester.

Abstract: In the interval between successive press cycles, crop material is picked up from the field and loaded into the stack-forming body of the machine. However, upon initiation of a press cycle, crop material, which continues to be picked up as the machine is advanced, is diverted into an accumulating chamber and collected within the latter until termination of the press cycle. Thereupon, the accumulation is discharged for recycling through the pickup and loading mechanism to be delivered into the forming body along with previously uncycled material. Alternative embodiments involve discharging the accumulation onto the ground ahead of the loader for pickup by the latter a second time, and discharging the accumulation either directly into the front or rear of the loader at a point above the ground.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a collar for a small animal wherein the collar provides a control for releasing a chemical toxic to pests such as fleas and ticks on the small animal. Also, the collar comprises a releasable catch so that a small animal, upon tugging upon the collar, can pull apart the collar and escape. In addition, the collar provides means for carrying identification with the name of the owner or the person to contact if the small animal or pet is lost.

Abstract: A rotary mower having a discharge chute with a downwardly angled guard for interception of missiles, the structure providing a coupling mechanism for securing a catcher to the chute, with attachment of the catcher serving to tilt the guard upwardly and to lock it in a horizontal position in which the clippings are freely discharged into the catcher. More particularly, the guard has inwardly extending projections formed with upwardly facing notches, and the chute has a cooperating outwardly facing groove. The catcher frame includes a horizontal supporting rod which is pressed against the projections incident to installing the catcher to swing the guard upwardly until the rod drops into seated position in the groove, the vertical edges of the notches serving to hold the rod captive. The rod is guided into seated position by an upstanding guide surface.

Abstract: A hedging apparatus is disclosed which comprises a wheeled vehicle having a specially adapted chain saw thereon for cutting limbs and branches from trees, hedges, or shrubs, which are planted in rows. The chain saw is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart guide bars which extend forwardly of the cutter chain, thus assuring the severing of limber branches which would otherwise be pushed aside by the saw and remain uncut. Resilient springs in the form of elongated rods can be used in conjunction with the guide bars to prevent chattering of the branches being cut. To particular advantage, a positioner can be provided for setting the chain saw blade at a selected pitch angle and for maintaining the selected pitch angle during a hedging operation. To further advantage, a hopper can also be provided for collection and disposal of the severed limbs and branches during the hedging operation so that they do not have to be subsequently gathered up and hauled to another site for disposal.

Abstract: A line guide for a fishing rod includes a resilient wire mounting frame for attachment to a rod in the conventional manner. The line guiding portion is an annular ring having a grooved periphery which snaps into the wire mounting frame. The configuration of the frame and the groove are such that the ring is held against rotation in any one of several rotatably adjustable positions and these may be changed without removing a line threaded through the guide.

Abstract: An improved rotating toy, particularly a flying toy, with a centrifugal force responsive release mechanism comprising locking means for retaining an object, such as a parachute, within a receptacle in a first locked position, and centrifugal force responsive means for releasing the object from the first locked position in response to a first level of centrifugal force and maintaining the object in a second locked position until the level of centrifugal force decreases to a second level of centrifugal force.

Abstract: A rotary mower has a cylindrical drum rotatable about its upright vertical axis and provided at its lower end with a downwardly and outwardly flared skirt provided on its lower side with radially projecting crop-cutting blades and on its upper side with crop-displacing ridges. A windrow-forming deflecting plate is fixed on the support of the mower adjacent the drum and has a lower edge parallel to the upper surface of the skirt and forming on juxtaposition of this lower edge with the leading edge of each of the crop-displacing ridges an outwardly open acute angle. The ridge may be pressed into the skirt or constituted as a bar secured to the top thereof and has a circularly arcuate leading edge that passes under the straight lower edge of the deflecting plate.

Abstract: A food processing apparatus for removing leaf fat from the abdominal cavity of a hog carcass wherein a first plate and a second plate are positionable with respect to the hog carcass, the first and second plates being engageable with a portion of the exposed surface of the leaf fat in a removal position of the first and second plates with respect to the leaf fat to be removed. A handle assembly connected to the first and second plates is utilized to position the first and second plates into and from the removal position via maneuvering the handle assembly. A first hook is connected to the first plate and a second hook is connected to the second plate for severingly engaging a portion of the leaf fat when positioning the first and second plates in the removal position for severing a portion of the leaf fat from the hog carcass to facilitate the removal of the leaf fat.

Abstract: An integrally molded belt with at least one working element attached thereto by means of at least two spaced connectors transversely aligned in relation to the belt.

Abstract: A rear shield for rotary lawn mowers comprising a body made of strips of rigid and flexible plastic secured together longitudinally in edge to edge relation. Means are provided for suspending the body at the rear of the mower with a rigid portion gravitationally contacting the surface being mowed.

Abstract: A combination litter box and carrying case for small animal pets is described which is in the form of a generally enclosed housing having a front wall provided with an opening dimensioned to permit passage of the animal therethrough. The housing extends rearwardly of the front wall. The portion of the housing near the front wall is positioned within a window opening and connected to the window frame of the dwelling to cause the housing to extend outwardly and to dispose the major portion thereof outside of the dwelling. The opening in the front wall permits the animal to freely move between the housing, which serves as an externally mounted litter box, and the dwelling. The walls of the housing other than the front wall are advantageously provided with at least two ventilating openings which permit air flow through the housing and permit odors therein to escape therefrom to the outside of the dwelling.

Abstract: Apparatus for segregating, collecting and removing fish from aquarium tanks comprising a divider engageable in a tank to divide said tank into compartments, a window opening in the divider through which fish can be herded from one compartment to another and a closure panel removably engageable in overlying relationship with the window opening, an upwardly opening box-like receiver engageable in the tank and having a gateway in one side through which fish can be herded, a gate removably engageable in the gateway, means to releasably couple the divider and receiver with the window opening and gateway in register, the divider and the upper portion of the receiver being perforated to permit the free flow of water through and into and out of the divider and the viewer, the lower portion of the receiver being imperforate and defining a catch basin to retain a portion of tank water and fish when the receiver is removed from the tank.

Abstract: A towable, wheel-mounted yard maintenance apparatus which may be a lawn comber having impact arms, a lawn mower having a cutting reel, or a sweeper having a cylindrical brush. The working elements, for example the impact arms, are carried upon a shaft within a transverse housing. This housing and the wheels are carried within the embrace of a structural frame. The frame extends in front of, and a short distance beyond each side of the housing to serve as a bumper which prevents the housing from coming too close to an obstruction such as a post or a tree. The frame also protects the wheels from such obstructions. The rear end of the housing is pivoted to the frame and the front end is attached to the frame by a height-adjustment linkage actuated by an adjusting screw which is locked in place whenever the height of the unit is proper for operation.

Abstract: An animal feeding and protective device comprising a housing with side walls enclosing a space adapted to receive a feeding dish for an animal. There is an access opening in one of the side walls so that the animal can reach the feeding dish. The side walls are preferably inclined at an acute angle for reception of a food dispenser which also has inclined sides, with the food dispenser being supported along the upper edge of the device. A lid is provided to prevent unauthorized access by an unauthorized animal. The preferred version of the invention is for use by a cat, although the invention clearly can be used by other small animals, effectively to prevent the taking of food by larger animals to the deprivation of the small animal.

Abstract: An open framework defining a pair of rows of stalls for livestock, a feeding hopper movable over the rows of stalls and having a pair of food material discharge openings each disposed to deliver food to the stalls of a different row. A pair of feeding conveyors in the hopper each feed material to a different one of the discharge openings and are independently driven and independently controlled by control elements causing the material to be discharged to predetermined ones only of the stalls. The framework includes longitudinal frame sections which provide gates to each of the stalls individually.