Abstract: An educational device for enriching the environment of a contained primate, including a variable and programmable maze as well as a mechanism whereby the primate may be instructed as to the location of the correct pathway through the maze.

Abstract: A bolt lock, for receiving and locking the end of a bolt having a head portion with a locking shoulder, said lock comprising a housing having internal jaws forming a central aperture, said jaws being expansible to allow the head of the bolt to snap through the opening so the the bolt shoulder latches behind the jaws. The jaws are retained in the housing above an aperture in the body which receives the inserted bolt head and below a bolt aperture in the upper portion of the housing, so that when the bolt is assembled, axial movement thereof causes the edges of the apertures to contact the internal jaws around and in spaced relation to the central aperture thereof. The jaws have upper and lower surfaces which are slightly inclined toward each other in relation to the axis of the central opening from the central aperture to the periphery of the jaws.

Abstract: The milking apparatus does not need the continuous presence of the dairy farmer. A mobile member coupled with a teat cup follows the free movements of one or more teats of a cow by means of detection member and by means of control means coupled with the mobile member.Detection means for detecting the position of the teat can comprise first and second light radiating elements as well as first and second light receiving elements.The milking apparatus can make use of a generally available robot or be designed separately.

Abstract: An animal housing system, for example, a horse barn, is constructed to permit ready access by a vehicle for purposes of cleansing the interior of the structure and removal and replacement of the bedding and supporting surfaces. The housing system is structured to incorporate exterior and internal walls arranged to form individual stalls; the interior walls, and at least a portion of the exterior walls, are arranged to be movable to alternate positions to provide an unobstructed passage extending the length or breadth of the entire structure to permit a vehicle to pass therethrough.

Abstract: An illuminated display assembly fits into an opening in a display board such as a sports scoreboard. The display assembly includes an indicator module containing a front panel having a plurality of light transmitting data indicating areas arranged thereon with a plurality of chambers mounted behind the front panel. Each chamber is associated with one of the data indicating areas and encloses light sources therein which illuminate the data indicating areas when energized. A light source module includes a printed circuit board having a plurality of light sources mounted thereto. When the light source module and indicator modules are assembled together, the light sources from the former project into the chambers in the latter to form a finished display.

Abstract: Two embodiments of an overrunning roller clutch with an improved shipping retention of the rollers and energizing springs are disclosed. A second means engageable between the springs and the clutch cage confines the springs relative to the cage before the cage is installed on an inner clutch race, and thereby retains the roller against a portion of the cage. The net result is that the rollers, springs and cage are strongly retained together as a unitary assembly for shipping and handling, independent of any spring compression. The means is disengagable by the action of an outer race cylindrical surface on the rollers as the outer race is positioned relative to the inner race and installed clutch. Therefore, the springs are freed from the cage so that the rollers are not confined relative to the cage during clutch operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a deformable seal element to seal the gap between the edge of an aperture in a building and the tail of a vehicle driven up to the latter, with aprons which are attached at the sides and at the top to a frame attached to the building, the frame being retained by stays invariable in height at the end near the building and reducible in length counter to the action of a return force, and the stays being constructed as horizontally aligned helicoidal springs which support at their ends remote from the building a support device for the aprons.

Abstract: A side weld plate for joining adjacent concrete slabs together by welding. An elongated body is provided having a body section for embedment in a concrete slab and a flange section for positioning adjacent an edge of the concrete slab. The flange surface provides upon embedment of the body section in the concrete slab, an exposed weld surface which allows for adjacent concrete slabs also having a side weld plate to be welded together.

Abstract: A grid, the size of which is selectable to conform to a window opening, or the like, comprising(a) multiple couplings, and(b) elongated grid members having slidable telescopic interfit with said couplings to define(i) peripheral frame members, and(ii) other members which extend between the frame members.

Abstract: A cover joint for masonry and sheet material structures and a method of forming the joint between two structure surfaces comprising attaching a cover strip member having inner and outer leg parts at the joint by firstly securing the outer leg parts, which are provided with apertures, to the structure surfaces by settable material which extrudes through the apertures. The outer leg parts are offset from the inner leg parts to provide a space between the inner leg parts and the structure surfaces. A coating of filling and settable material is then applied over the outer leg parts to provide smooth tapered uninterrupted surfaces thereon. The cover strip member may be of planar form or in the form of an angle member.

Abstract: An improved brooder feeding apparatus for a poultry house which includes at least one feed distribution apparatus suspended in a designated brooder area inside the poultry house for locating feed along the entire length of the brooder area, with specially designed drop tubes in the feed distribution apparatus and brooder feed pans located beneath the drop tubes for distributing feed through the drop tubes into the pans and feeding brooder poultry such as baby chicks. The feed distribution apparatus is further characterized by an elongated, hollow tube, channel or trough provided with an auger and a feed hopper located at one end of the tube or trough for moving feed from the feed hopper through the elongated tube or trough and the drop tubes to a feed flow control box located at the opposite end of the feed tube.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus has a floor with first and second sides, ends and a top. A side wall is attached to the floor and encloses the floor means with the side wall permitting limited access there through. Opposite ends of the side wall are pivotally secured so that they can be unlocked and opened thereby allowing a tractor to enter the enclosure for depositing hay within the enclosure. The remaining side wall is slidably attached in a manner to permit the side wall to urge toward the opposite side wall so that access can be had at all times to the hay contained therein as it is eaten by the animals.

Abstract: A programmable automatic feeder for pets and other animals dispenses a measured amount of food at a predetermined time. A digital clock control mechanism, including an adjustable portion control knob, controls the energization of a battery-operated motor. The motor drives an eccentric weight to vibrate a vibrating conveyor pan attached to the motor. The vibrating conveyor pan is resiliently mounted on a fixed plate secured within the housing, and the vibrating conveyor pan is disposed below the open bottom portion of a hopper disposed within the housing. When the vibrating conveyor pan is vibrated, the food is dispensed rearwardly off the pan and into a curved chute. The food falls down the chute and is accessible to the animal through an opening in the front wall of the housing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for erecting buildings is disclosed. The method involves providing frame elements of a building which may be made up of spaced columns connected together by a beam or beams which may meet at a gable. To erect the frames, each frame is disposed horizontally on the ground with bases of the columns attached by a hinge member to a footing. A spacer bar is supported with one end in a recess in the ground or attached to the frame. A tension member such as a cable is attached to the frame at the gable and is passed over the top end of the spacer post and a vehicle or other prime mover is attached to the tension member to pull the frame to erect position. Each of the hinge members may be made of a socket to attach to the base of a column and a shoe attached to a ground support footing. Each socket is hinged to the shoe by a forwardly facing slot that receives a pin on the socket.

Abstract: An animal tag assembly is disclosed having at least one relatively wide section along the length of the body of said tag, thicker than the body of said tag and containing a connector and optionally a washer to enable the tag to rotate. The body of the tag including edge beads is extruded from a powdered or finely divided compounded plasticized vinylchloride polymer insecticide releasing composition at temperatures below about 150.degree. C., preferably below about 125.degree. C., to provide a tag after extrusion with retention of at least about 90+% by weight of the migratory and volatile insecticide which is initially contained. The connector and washer, free of insecticide, are suitably compounded and molded from tough, impact resistant and relatively hard thermoplastics such as one of the acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers, polystryenes, polyvinyl acetals, rigid polyvinyl chlorides, nylons and poly alpha olefins.

Abstract: An exposure system for supplying a gaseous material, i.e. an aerosol, gas or a vapor, directly to the noses of experimental animals includes concentric vertical inner and outer manifolds. The outer manifold connects with the necks of a large number of bottles in which the animals are confined with their noses adjacent the bottle necks. Readily detachable small tubes communicate with the inner manifold and extend to the necks of the bottles. The upper end of the outer manifold and the lower end of the inner manifold are closed. Gaseous material is supplied to the upper end of the inner manifold, flows through the small tubes to points adjacent the noses of the individual animals, then is drawn out through the bottom of the outer manifold. The bottles are readily removable and the device can be disassembled, e.g., for cleaning, by removing the bottles, removing the small tubes, and lifting the inner manifold from the outer manifold.

Abstract: An improved dome-type structure having a plurality of load bearing rib elements extending upwards from a base and meeting at a common vertex, a roof deck extending over and supported by these rib elements and vertical side panels are all disposed so as to form an enclosure. The improvement comprises using components for forming the roof deck which are generally trapezoidal and rectangular in shape. The structure is assembled with the interconnection of the trapezoidal and rectangular-shaped components with and without structural ribs which are of inverted T-shape in cross-section. A water trap is provided at one or more places around the base of the structure, and, in locations where there is a scarcity of water, an underground reservoir is provided beneath the structure. The arrangement provides protection against earthquakes and earth tremors.The invention also contemplates the transportation of a complete shell unit under its own power by air lift.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an insulated building construction which includes panels having interior and exterior skins with an insulating core therebetween. Additionally, the bearing posts between panels have interior and exterior support members with an insulating layer therebetween. A mechanism for maintaining a thermal barrier around corners as well as between walls and roof is disclosed. All panels have standardized passageways which mate with one another to provide an efficient way of routing electrical wiring. A building in accordance with this invention may be constructed to be completely surrounded by appropriate insulating material thereby minimizing "thermal shorts".

Abstract: An invalid lift and transfer device has two rigid cantilever frames, a first of which is caster supported for rolling along the ground and a second of which is supported on the first frame for vertical movement, which movement is actuated by a jack engaged therebetween. A patient sling is suspended between opposite sides of the second frame. The frames, in aggregate, define between them a space which at a rear end is open laterally and vertically sufficiently to accept a wheelchair, bed, toilet or other patient support and which at the forward end is open up to a height sufficient to permit the leg and foot supports of the wheelchair, with the patient's legs and feet thereon, to project therethrough forwardly of the frames.

Abstract: A poultry brooder having a ceramic radiant element with protrusions and protrusion connectors forming spiral channels to lengthen the path of flowing gases from the closed center to the edge of the radiant and to impede the gaseous flow by turbulence. An insulator reduces undirected heat loss through the rear surface of the ceramic radiant and an electronic direct spark ignition system conserves fuel consumption and makes the brooder more reliable.