Abstract: A hand held power assisted shears has a piston located in a cylinder formed in a pistol grip body. A trigger controls the position of a hollow shuttle spool rod which slides longitudinally within a hollow piston rod connected between the piston and the blades. The hollow shuttle spool rod carries pressurized working fluid to the piston where it is directed to the space above or below the piston. The piston drives the blades through the piston rod to a position corresponding to the position of the trigger allowing the operator to continuously control the position of the blades and the extent and rate of closure during cutting. The relative position of the shuttle spool rod and the piston rod controls whether the working fluid is directed above or below the piston to open or close the blades. One end of the shuttle spool rod acts as a piston which causes the blades to open automatically when the trigger is released.

Abstract: A self-supporting, cordless, rechargeable battery operated household stirring appliance for use in a saucepan to stir gravy, puddings, soups, and similar food stuffs. The appliance has a body enclosing a battery operated motor and at least one rechargeable battery connected to the motor and held within cavities formed in the housing. A drive gear is journaled in a cylindrical bearing cavity formed in the housing and connected to the drive motor through a speed-reducing gear train similarly journaled in cylindrical bearing cavities formed in tile housing. A multi-bladed ejectable stirring paddle has a central shaft extending into the housing and engaging tile drive gear. A handle which is integral with the housing extends outwardly at one end from the top end of the housing and has a downwardly directed extension which projects from the stirrer handle on the outside of the saucepan and engages the saucepan handle to prevent rotation of the housing during operation of the stirrer.

Abstract: A vacuum packaging apparatus is provided for use in evacuating the air in an open package and sealing the evacuated package. The apparatus includes a chamber and a lid movable between an open position exposing the chamber and a closed position sealing the chamber. A sealing assembly is provided for sealing the package after air in the chamber has been evacuated. The sealing assembly includes a seal bar movable between a retracted position removed from pressing engagement with the package and an extended position in pressing engagement with the package. A piston of a piston and cylinder assembly is attached to the seal bar in a manner providing an electrical circuit through a sealing wire extending across the seal bar. The piston and seal bar are connected together in such a way as to permit the seal bar to be detached from the piston and removed from the apparatus.

Abstract: A balanced essentially vibration-free hand-grippable fluid powered reciprocating blade cutting tool intended primarily for cutting poultry, fish and meat for processing. The tool includes a hollow handle which functions as a motor housing. Fittings are provided for connecting the housing to a source of fluid under pressure and for exhausting fluid from the housing. A reciprocable cutting blade extends forwardly from the handle. A fluid actuated motor within the handle housing includes a pair of aligned piston assemblies of approximately equal weight. The pistons are reciprocable in opposite directions. The cutting blade is secured to one of these pistons. A control valve and fluid flow passages within the housing and associated with the fluid inlet fitting permits fluid to be directed alternately to the inner and outer sides of the pistons for causing the pistons to alternately move toward one another and away from one another. A manually operable trigger controls the flow of fluid into the housing.

Abstract: A hand-held fluid power-operated shears characterized by a body including a pistol grip handle portion, a blade-receiving recess and a cylindrical cavity with a removable cover over the blade-receiving recess. One of a variety of different size and design pairs of interchangeable shear blades may be installed in the blade-receiving recess. The blades are pivotally connected and each has a forward cutting section projecting forwardly of the housing and a rearward extension, the extensions being removably received in the blade-receiving recess to hold one blade fixed while permitting relative movement of the other. One end of a piston rod is fixed to a piston provided in the cylindrical cavity for reciprocal movement therein. The other end of the piston rod is in direct detachable engagement with the rearward end of the extension of the relatively movable shear blade.