Abstract: A bird feeding device is disclosed which can be accessed by birds and not by squirrels. The device comprises a container for holding feed and a wire mesh enclosing the container. An o-ring supports the container within the wire mesh and spaces the mesh away from the container such that the mesh is not directly in contact with the container whereby squirrels are prevented from accessing the container.

Abstract: A cinch strap is provided which is generally of two-part construction. The first part comprises a tensile load-carrying band and buckles are secured to opposite ends thereof so that the strap can be fastened to a saddle. The second part comprises a resiliently compressible, cushioning band secured in face to face relationship with the first part. A closed loop is formed at the center of the strap by respective lengths of the bands and the respective length of the first band lies in a slack bight in an unstressed condition. When the strap is subjected to increasing longitudinal tensile load, for example, by the body of a horse the respective length of the second band stretches until the slack is taken up and any further increase in load is shared between both lengths.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which is adapted to statically or intermittently apply a traction force to the body of a patient for therapeutic purposes. The apparatus includes a novel control means for cyclically reversing the direction of rotation of the wind-up drum upon predetermined minimum and maximum forces being present in the tension cord, and wherein the actual tension in the cord is monitored by a control circuit which provides an electrical output which is linearly proportional to the tension. The output signal is fed to a comparator circuit, where it is compared with independently selectable signals representing minimum and maximum tension forces, to control the wind-up and wind-down of the cord on the drum.

Abstract: A multipurpose container for the exigent storage of an explosive device found aboard an aircraft is provided which comprises a bucket-shaped member having a laminated wall structure of at least three metal layers and two foamed plastic layers between the confronting surfaces of the metal layers, and a detachable lid for said member defining a wall portion for said container of foamed plastic only, the laminations providing effective shock wave attenuation and directing a shock wave preferentially in the direction of the lid.

Abstract: In a method of and apparatus for harvesting a row of grapevines, a pair of opposed parallel striker bars are pivoted back and forth transversely of the row of grapevines about an axis that is situated over the plants and that extends parallel to the direction of travel of the harvester. The front ends of the striker bars are supported by a front shaker frame, and the rear ends of the striker bars are supported by a rear shaker frame that is free to pivot independently of the front shaker frame. Dual-eccentric-weight oscillatory drives are mounted to the front and rear shaker frames. Various drive arrangements are disclosed for rotating the eccentric weights on the front and rear shaker frames at different frequencies, amplitudes or phase relationships, as desired. Due to the different motions of the front and rear ends of the opposed striker bars, the bars impart a varying shaking action on the grapevines as the bars are translated forwardly relative to the grapevines.

Abstract: A sound producing device for a toy includes a base, and rotatably mounted on the base a rotating member. The rotating member is capable of rotating both clockwise annd counterclockwise. A member is located on the base adjacent to the rotating member such that in response to rotation of the rotating member in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction, respectively, the rotating member contacts and engages the member and moves the member in a first and a second direction, respectively. A noise emitting mechanism is also located on the base and is operatively associated with the member. The noise emitting mechanism is capable of emitting at least two different types of noise.

Abstract: Apparatus for lifting a down cow or other like animal. This invention comprises a frame having four vertical legs connected by an array of cross members. The legs and cross members include tubing of similar shape, but of different cross-sectional dimension so that elements of the frame may be hand-carried to a down animal and easily assembled in sliding fit engagement without tools. Two winches each connected to one end of a sling and to the frame are provided to lift the front portion of the animal. A hip clamp adjusted to engage the animal's pelvic bones and a hoist connected to a cross member lift the animal's hind quarters.

Abstract: A walk-behind, power lawn mower having a double action manual control reqing two distinct actions in order to start the cutting blade of the mower. The control includes a bracket mounted to one side of the mower handle bar, the bracket having a slot with an enlarged opening therein. A control handle connected to a brake-clutch mechanism is mounted with one end in the bracket slot and the other end pivotally received in the other side of the handle bar. A spring acting through the brake-clutch mechanism biases the control handle in a raised position with one end registered with the enlarged opening in the bracket. To start the mower cutting blade, the control handle must be rotated against the handle bar thus releasing the brake and engaging a clutch which controls the cutting blade. However, in order to rotate the control handle, it must first be moved in one direction away from the enlarged opening in the bracket. Then the control handle may be moved in another direction to release the cutting blade.

Abstract: A marker system for pipes or valves comprises a tape having a surface layer and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, the tape defining spaced-apart transparent window areas. A release paper backing is deployed on the adhesive layer of the tape, and the release paper backing includes pre-cut window backing portions generally registered with the transparent window areas of the tape. The pre-cut window backing portions may be joined with the release paper backing along a hinge/tear line whereby the window backing portions may be folded away from the tape. The marker system further comprises information cards sized to be adhered in the transparent window areas of the tape. The marker system is installed by first removing or folding back the pre-cut window backing portions of the release paper backing and adhering the information cards in the window area.

Abstract: A fish feeder assembly having at least one water receiving container eccentrically mounted on a rotatable shaft for oscillating the shaft as the container is sequentially filled with water and emptied when the container and shaft are pivoted by the weight of the water. The assembly includes a frame having an interior portion defining a longitudinal opening, a feed bin having at its lower portion a passageway communicating with the longitudinal opening for passage of fish feed, a metering rotor securedly affixed to the shaft and essentially filling a transverse sectional area of the passageway for rotation whereupon metered portions of fish feed are dispensed from the hopper through the longitudinal opening in the frame.

Abstract: A quick release device comprising two members which may be releasably engaged to transmit a tensile force. Each of the members has a load-connection end and an engagement end. The engagement end of the members comprises two flat, elongate branches, with each of the branches terminating in a flat, rigid paddle. The paddles of one member foldingly engage the paddles of the second member whereby the paddles fold together into an interlocking arrangement. A releasable latch holds the paddles securely in the folded position so that the members can transmit a tensile force so long as the latch is in place, and the members will disengage from one another when the latch is released, without passing through any rings, links, loops or buckles.

Abstract: Lock for a safety belt, with a belt lock into which an insertion tab can be inserted and latched by a latching bolt and where the latching bolt can be moved from the locking position into the opening position transversely to the insertion path against the force of a spring by a pushbutton. The latch bolt can be detented in the locking position and/or the opening position outside the insertion path of the insertion tab by a detent element which can be moved directly or indirectly by the pushbutton or by the insertion tab.

Abstract: A lawn mower having a housing mounted on wheels, an engine, a cutting blade, a brake connected to stop the cutting blade's rotation, a brake actuating arm connected to the brake, a spring biasing the brake arm to the set or braking position, a U-shaped handle connected to the housing and extending upward and rearward with a cross portion at its outer end, an actuating arm on the engine, a control housing secured to the side of the handle, a spring biasing the actuating arm toward stopped position, a control line connected to actuating arm extending through a sheath to a control lever in the control housing, a deadman lever in the control housing, the control lever and the deadman levers being interconnected so that the deadman lever retains the control lever in running position while the deadman lever is held in operating position but the control lever is released to stop position when the deadman lever is released.

Abstract: An improved shoelace knot retainer has a protective shoulder surrounding a bell which prevents the bell from becoming detached by the application of an external force, such as that caused by a child's crawling on the floor, by a child's chewing on the bell, or by the heel of a kicking shoe.

Abstract: A buckle for receiving a tongue. A pair of helical springs are positioned between the latch and a main body having first slots for receiving one edge of a reinforcement plate which is pivoted downward depressing the latch springs and snapping into place into a yieldable hook shaped portion. A push button is positioned between the reinforcement plate and the cover which has a plurality of downwardly extending hook shaped fingers engaging the plate which secures the cover and main body together.

Abstract: A forelimb splint or restraint for use by veternary hospitals in the intravenous feeding of animals, which immobilized the movable joints, especially the shoulder and elbow during treatment.

Abstract: A separable slide fastener comprises a pair of warp-knit stringer tapes each having a pair of webs which are interconnected by connector threads extending across the tape to provide a series of spaced openings receptive of stitching threads for attaching the fastener to a fabric article. A pair of rows of coupling elements is mounted on opposite longitudinal edges of the stringer tapes and taken into and out of inter-digitating engagement by a slider movable along the rows of coupling elements. The stringer tapes have at one end thereof a separable bottom end stop. A reinforcement strip preferably made of a textile material is mounted on each of the stringer tapes adjacent to the separable bottom end stop. The reinforcement strip has a series of pre-formed apertures spaced at such intervals and of such a size which are suitable for receiving threads from a knitting machine and a linking machine as well to secure the fastener to the fabric article.

Abstract: An automatically locking slider for slide fasteners has a locking member including a piece of resilient strip which is bent into a generally "3" or "E" shape having a U-shaped base extending around a transverse spindle of a pull tab, a locking prong extending from one end of the base, and an anchor extending from the other end of the base and terminating in a recessed end interlocked with a locking-member retaining-nose on a neck of a slider body. The base is normally urged against the spindle of the pull tab by the resilience of the strip. The recessed end of the anchor is normally urged against the nose by the resilience of the strip and is thereby prevented from coming out of interlocking engagement with the nose. Thus the locking member is held in position on the slider body solely by the resilience of the strip, requiring no bending or deformation of any part of the slider body that would make the slider defective from an aesthetic view.

Abstract: A suspension-type poultry drinking fountain comprises a hanger assembly adapted to be supported in suspension, and a bowl supported by the hanger assembly and containing a water trough for receiving water to be made available for drinking by the poultry. The hanger assembly and bowl include a bayonet-pin-and-socket connection permitting quick attachment and detachment of the bowl with respect to the hanger assembly.

Abstract: A modular model building structure comprising an integrally-formed base and a plurality of modular units. The modular units are formed so as to fixedly contact with the base with other modular units of the model structure. Further, the modular units are interchangeable, in part, thereby allowing the model structure to be arranged in several alternative configurations.