Abstract: A device for collecting animal wastes comprising a harness adapted for attachment to the hind quarters of the animal and a collection bag detachably connected to the harness. The fasteners connecting the bag to the harness are of a type permitting the use of any flexible bag and in particular permit the use of inexpensive disposable plastic garbage bags. The preferred form of fastener for securing the bag comprises the loop and stud type fastener commonly used for hosiery garters.

Abstract: Apparatus for leaf and grass vacuuming and compaction in a bag, although usable independently is shown mounted on a wheeled carriage of a power lawnmower on which are mounted a push-handle, a gasoline engine, a lawnmower blade drivable by the engine, a vacuum chamber enclosing a fan drivable by the engine, and a receptacle bag above which is mounted a compactor having a reciprocably movable ram. The ram is driven either by a belt-drive from the engine, or by an electric motor energized from the engine generator or starter battery, or by a hydraulic pump/motor system driven by the engine. A pick-up hose is attached to the vacuum chamber inlet and a discharge hose is attached to the vacuum chamber outlet whereby material such as leaves and grass clippings entering the pick-up hose are expelled through the discharge hose into the removable bag. As the material fills the bag, the compactor is actuated to cause the movable ram member to repeatedly descend into the bag to compact the material therein.

Abstract: A locking device for cords of a sun-blind or the like having an upper beam and one or more webs of sun-blinding material connected thereto. The cords extend through the internal space of the upper beam and leave it for opening or closing the sun-blind. The locking device consists of a U-shaped portion in the legs of which a tumbler is pivotably supported at the one end. The free end of the tumbler is biased in the direction of the bottom of the U-shaped portion. The cords extend between the free end of the tumbler and the bottom of the U-shaped portion and are locked when they are clamped between said free end and bottom resulting from the bias force.

Abstract: A screen door assembly (61) on the bottom of a combine serves to screen large pieces of foreign material from air flowing to a fan (49) and to provide access for service personnel to an interior cavity (53) of the combine. A screen (62) is moved between a closed horizontal position and an open position, shown by broken lines (62"), by a crank arm member (63) which can be operated (pivoted) by a wrench (91) engaged with the hex head (89) of a shaft portion (86). A pin (111) locks the crank arm member (63), and the screen in their screen closed position in which the screen and arms rest on laterally inward extending flanges (106, 107). The rear edges (116, 117) of the flanges (106, 107) serve to guide the screen (62) to its open position as the crank arm member (63) is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2 from its full line screen closed position to its screen open position shown by broken lines (63").

Abstract: A trimmer supported on a dolly, each of which has a handle. The operator holds the dolly handle in one hand and the trimmer handle in the other hand. The trimmer is pivotally connected to the dolly whereby movement of the handle of the trimmer relative to the dolly handle changes the approach angle of the trimmer relative to the movement of the dolly. The pivotal connection is forward of the dolly wheels whereby raising and lowering the dolly handle effects lowering and raising of the trimmer and the corresponding depth of cut. The connection includes adjustment means to adjust the positions of the trimmer relative to the dolly.

Abstract: A photographic print and display device comprising a unitary transparent member having a self formed base, a body portion upstanding from the base at less than a right angle thereto, a self formed upper marginal portion reversely angled to retain the upper edge portion of a photographic print, a portion struck from the base bendable on an axis at right angles to body portion and being adjacent thereto and supporting it and the print retained thereby at an angle less than a right angle.

Abstract: A front-mounted rotary mower is coupled to a vehicle by a pair of vertically swingable lift arms coupled between the vehicle and mounting brackets located in a central portion of the mower blade housing. A lift mechanism includes a pair of linkages respectively coupled between the pair of lift arms and the rear of the blade housing. Each linkage includes one link which carries a roller at one end disposed for engagement with the vehicle frame as the lift arms are swung upwardly, which action causes the one link to pivot to effect elevation of the rear end of the housing.

Abstract: A pneumatic system for harvesting combines which is operable for pneumatically transferring clean grain to the grain tank and for pneumatically conveying the tailings to the threshing cylinder. The pneumatic system includes a clean grain collection tube and a tailings collection tube, each of which is provided with an airlock device which permits grain or tailings to be metered into the pneumatic system while preventing air or grain from escaping therefrom.

Abstract: A double door fan inlet screen (56, 57) on the bottom of a combine serves to screen foreign material from air flowing to a fan (46) and provide access for service personnel to an interior cavity (103) of the combine. The screen doors (56, 57) are held in their closed position by a latch mechanism (74, 79) which is releasable by operation of a rod (94) having a handle portion (97') extending to one lateral side of the combine.

Abstract: A vehicle includes hydraulically actuated lift arms which are pivotally connected to central locations of the top of a mower blade housing and are operative for moving the mower vertically between working and transport positions. When the mower is in its working position, a pair of caster wheels suppports the front of the blade housing while the rear of the housing is supported from the lift arms by a pair of suspension assemblies. Each of the suspension assemblies includes a fore-and-aft extending adjuster screw which is operable for effecting selected fore-and-aft movement of an adjuster bracket, which is connected to an associated lift arm by a chain, so as to cause the rear end of the housing to be adjusted vertically. These suspension assemblies cooperate with adjustment mechanisms associated with the caster wheels to place the mower at different cutting heights.

Abstract: A disposable kitty litter box includes a box bottom having its inside completely sealed against moisture and further having two sets of opposite side walls, one set of which has three moisture barriers. A box top is sized so that the box bottom will fit inside the box top when the box top is turned upside down. Thus, the box top in its upside down position serves as an additional moisture barrier. For shipping purposes, a litter package is placed inside the box bottom. The box top is sized to slightly larger dimensions than the box bottom in order to ensure a close fit therewith.

Abstract: A hummingbird feeder, that is usually supplied with sweet nectar and hung from above, is provided with a liquid container above it. Water, plain or containing another substance, is placed in the container, preventing ants from crawling down and reaching the feeder. The container necessarily surrounds the element suspending the feeder; the opening of the container is sufficiently large to prevent the ants from reaching the edge of the container from the suspending element, and sufficiently small to render it difficult for the birds to reach the water. In one form, the container has a funnel at the top to catch additional rain which at least partially compensates for water evaporating from the container.

Abstract: A mobile unit for a kitten or similar animal includes at least two freely suspended rods, one of which is suspended from the other, with unequal torques applied about their off-center suspension points so that both rods, at rest, are skewed relative to horizontal. Pulling, tugging or otherwise disturbing a toy-like member, suspended from the lower rod, causes both rods to dip and bob irregularly in addition to rotating. This compound irregular motion, in both horizontal and vertical planes, is translated to the toy-like member with the result that the cat or other animal is attracted thereto. The mobile unit may be suspended from a door-way and the applied torques and suspension lengths may be made adjustable.

Abstract: The tine includes a base and a tine extending therefrom and is mounted to the belt by a single bolt extending through the belt and base. A rib is formed on the underside of the base which engages the surface of the belt and enables the tine to be positioned at an angle to the plane of the belt and to be held by the rib which prevents it from turning. The tines may be made from plastic, metal or metal covered with plastic or rubber. The flexibility of the belt and the tine reduce the possibility of the tine assembly from picking up rocks and it can be used on such implements as pick-up reels, on combine harvesters, balers, windrow turners, side delivery rakes, and the like.

Abstract: A receptacle for holding cat litter material is secured in a toilet bowl in such a fashion that it can be easily used by cats. The apparatus includes a substantial flange for providing stability and a rim overlapping tab to secure the receptacle to the front of the toilet bowl. Holes are provided in the bottom of the receptacle to drain liquid. The size and location of the receptacle is such that it covers only approximately 1/6 of the total opening of the bowl. Therefore the apparatus can be used with cats at will and without assistance and does not have to be removed in order for the bowl to be used by humans. A cat can be trained to use the apparatus with progressively smaller amounts of litter material until the cat uses the apparatus without any litter material at all. At that point it may be possible to remove the apparatus so that the cat relieves itself directly into the toilet bowl.

Abstract: A cotton retrieving device includes a slotted cotton retrieving belt supported in an eliptical configuration by an upper pulley and a lower pulley. The upper and lower pulleys are rotatably supported by a first member. A rearward and lower end of a second member for pulling the cotton retrieving device is attached to the first member. A forward and upper end of the second member is pivotally connected to a frame member at a pivot point located substantially in front of and above the axis of the lower pulley. The axis of the upper pulley is parallel to and located above the axis of the lower pulley, so that a major axis of the eliptical configuration of the retrieving belt is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the direction of travel of the cotton retrieving device so that the slotted cotton retrieving belt will open and then close upon tufts of cotton laying on the ground.

Abstract: A spill-resistant animal watering container including a water holding dish or bowl having sloping sides in combination with a snap-in lid having a central aperture large enough to allow all sizes of animals access to the liquid in the bowl. The inner side wall and floor surrounding the bowl cavity are shaped so that the forces within a liquid moving within the bowl tend to neutralize each other.

Abstract: A mower conditioner having a conditioning rotor (22) which is supported at its ends in bearing units (51) that are secured to side support walls (24) by releasable fastening means (56) including a pair of coaxial fasteners defining an axis (68), parallel to that of the rotor axis (23), about which the bearing units (51) and rotor (22) can swing downwards until the rotor (22) contacts the ground, thereby facilitating removal and re-attachment of the conditioning rotor (22). The rotor axis and axis of the fasteners may lie in a plane that is inclined upwards and rearwards from the ground. The rotor (22) may be driven at one end by a spindle (81) that is axially disengageable from the rotor. The spindle (81) may be driven by a chain drive mechanism (71, 76) including an intermediate double ring sprocket (73) that is reversible on its shaft (86) to allow two drive ratios to be selected.

Abstract: A bagging lawn mower includes a mower blade housing having a discharge outlet, and a material-conveying duct has one end connected for receiving material from the housing and another end connected for depositing conveyed material into the top of a receptacle. The conveyance of material through the duct is assisted by a blower having an inlet coupled for drawing air in from the receptacle and having an outlet coupled to an air duct having an outlet nozzle located in the material-conveying duct at a location just upstream from the housing outlet and operative to cause a vacuum to be created which effects the induction of air from the housing.

Abstract: A safety attachment is provided for use with a rotary lawn mower to prevent substantial injury to anyone whose extremity may accidentally strike the cutter. The attachment includes a relatively large annular disc mounted to the drive shaft of the motor for rotation about a vertical axis and at least one cutter bar mounted diametrically across the disc on the underside thereof. The disc diameter is substantially equal to the length of the cutter bar. In one embodiment slots are provided adjacent to the leading edges of the cutter bar and impellers are provided on the upper side of the disc adjacent the slot for discharging cut grass through the side of the machine. The combination of the disc and the cutter bar provides good grass cutting action and at the same time greatly reduces the risk of serious injury in the event that one's foot, for example, accidentally slips in under the mower.