Abstract: A pest detection device includes a housing with a sensor and one or more bait members. The sensor includes one or more of a chisel-shaped electrically conductive trace carried on a substrate, a low resistance electrically conductive ink defining an electrical pathway on a substrate with a pointed profile, and/or a substrate including a directional grain structure oriented in a predefined manner relative to an electrically conductive pathway.

Abstract: Composite materials that are palatable to a wood-destroying pest species and also pesticidal to the pest species can be used in pest control devices and can be used as wood substitutes for structural components, which are resistant to destruction by wood-destroying pests. The composite materials include a thermoplastic polymer, a food material for the pest and a pesticide. The composite material is formed by mixing a thermoplastic polymer, wood fragments or other cellulosic materials and a quantity of pesticide, and thereafter creating a molten material within a mixer, compounder, extruder or the like. The molten material is extruded or molded to form the desired shape.

Abstract: A device for removing plants with roots from the soil having spikes attached at the lower end of a shaft and a trigger mechanism located at the upper end. The spikes are shielded by a cover having holes alignable with the spikes. A rod extending down the interior of the shaft is attached to both the cover and the trigger mechanism. When the trigger mechanism is pulled, the rod and cover are pulled upward which exposes the spikes. When the trigger mechanism is released, a spring mechanism pushes the cover over the spikes.

Abstract: A game ball is made by rotationally molding a hollow spherical shell from a blend of foamed ionomer resins (Surlyn 9450 and Surlyn 8528) and low density polyethylene resin. The center of the hollow spherical core may be filled with foamed polyurethane, and the spherical core may be covered by a leather cover. If desired, hollow ceramic microspheres or beads can be added to the resins before molding.

Abstract: Plowing means for dislodging, uplifting and sweeping aside mines are attad to a crossbeam and located on either side of float shoes that slide along the ground and adjust to maintain a chosen depth of plow. The crossbeam is connected to the front of a vehicle by pushbars that attach to a frame mounting on the vehicle. The float shoes are caused to move by powered adjusting means mounted on the crossbeam and controlled by sensing means that monitor the attitude of the vehicle relative to the pushbars and generate a control signal for maintaining the plow depth.

Abstract: A shank mounting assembly for a soil opening point permits adjustment of the spacing between a pair of mounting bolts of the assembly for permitting attachment of the assembly to farm implement shanks having bolt holes of various spacings. The assembly includes an elongated adapter having a hidden, internal cavity to which access is gained only by an elongated slot on the backside of the adapter. The cavity and slot are so dimensioned that while the bolts may move lengthwise within the slot for positioning adjustment, the enlarged heads of the bolts remain in the cavity and cannot pass through the slot. By having the cavity accessible only from the back of the adapter and by providing the front face of the adapter with a smooth, continuous, soil-engaging surface, the heads of the bolts are protectively unexposed to abrasive contact with the soil during use.

Abstract: A softball including a hollow spherical core and a leather cover. The core is formed from a mixture of low density polyethylene and ethylene acid copolymer in which the amounts of the low density polyethylene and the ethylene acid copolymer can be adjusted to vary the coefficient of restitution of the softball from 0.47 to 0.52 at a hardness of Shore D 43 to 51.

Abstract: The applicator comprises a relatively thin, streamlined knife blade adapted to be positioned with its longitudinal axis inclined upwardly and rearwardly during use with a leading edge of the applicator slicing through the subsoil and a lowermost and forwardmost point thereof penetrating the subsoil for the progressive entry of a wedge immediately behind the point which firms up and smooths the lowermost portion of the slice being created by the knife. Upwardly and rearwardly inclined, streamlined wings at the bottom of the blade but above the wedge project beyond the rear of the wedge to define a pocket into which anhydrous ammonia or other substances can be deposited. In one embodiment, the wings commence at the point and diverge rearwardly therefrom at a faster rate than the wedge to provide increased surface area for lifting and fracturing the soil as the knife moves therethrough, providing particular relief in root-bound subsoils.

Abstract: A novel inflation/deflation system for the pneumatic tires of a vehicle, and particularly of an aircraft, is described, which comprises a housing on the vehicle, such as in the form of a fixed axle housing, on which the tire and wheel are mounted for rotation, and defining a cavity coaxial with the axis of rotation of the wheel for housing the valve and related components; a manifold within the housing defines a manifold chamber containing and supporting an axially movable poppet valve; a remotely controllable solenoid is mounted within the axle housing coaxially with the manifold and poppet valve, the plunger of the solenoid being operatively connected to the poppet valve for axial movement of the poppet valve between open and closed positions in response to operation of the solenoid, whereby pressurized air may be selectively supplied from a pneumatic source to the manifold and to the tire through pneumatic lines connected thereto.

Abstract: A valve system for remotely controlling the inflation pressure within a pneumatic tire of a wheel mounted for rotation on an axle of a vehicle includes several improvements. One improvement is a spool valve assembly disposed in a housing mounted within the axle. The spool valve assembly is carried by and rotates with an air manifold formed on the interior of the wheel hub cap. Another improvement is an electrical pressure transducer for monitoring the pressure in the air manifold which is mounted to the manifold and rotates therewith. A pair of electrical inductive coupling rings attached respectively to the housing and spool valve body electrically couple a stationary leading portion of an electrical signal transmitting cable to a trailing portion thereof which is attached to the transducer and moves therewith. A further improvement is a sealing assembly disposed between the housing and spool valve body adjacent the inductive coupling rings.

Abstract: A pair of circular, furrow-opening disks, supported by separate, angularly oriented axles, rotatable simultaneously as a unit and converging to a leading zone of interengagement within the ground for preventing soil buildup therebetween, have a wedge-shaped, trailing blade, rigidly supported therebetween immediately ahead of materials gravitating into the furrow, and following at a greater depth, for slicing the series of unplowed scallops at the bottom of the furrow, clearing the furrow bottom of loose soil and forming a truly V-shaped, ridgeless, material-receiving apex compressed into a smooth, firm sidewall formation.

Abstract: A double disc, debris-clearing assembly has a suspension member for releasable attachment to a farm implement and on which is rigidly secured an upright standard. A guide rigid to and depending from the suspension member beneath the standard has a tiltable channel element releasably mounted thereon and provided with an upwardly-extending strap for varying its height along the guide. An adjustable connection is utilized between the strap and the standard. A pair of interconnected brackets carried by the channel element are provided with disc mounts which may, in turn, be adjusted to vary the positions of the discs relative to each other and to their brackets. Accordingly, the suspension member, the standard, the guide, the strap and the channel element are common to the bracket unit and, therefore, the discs.

Abstract: An appliance for a book or the like having an outer panel with portions for securing the outer panel on the book, and a member mounted on the outer panel movable to and from a position within the book for marking a selected portion of the book.

Abstract: A complete production line of a wood I-joist manufacturing apparatus, the method of manufacture, and the I-joist products having lumber chords and a plywood web are available, wherein both the chord lumber and the web plywood are initially made into essentially endless lengths for subsequent cutting to lengths of the then pre-specified sizes of I-joists being prepared. Smaller lengths of chord lumber are finger jointed and glue cured together into longer lengths, which are then cut to specified overall lengths. Thereafter they are grooved to receive the opposing cut side edges of the web. Then these cut interfitting surfaces of both the chord lengths and the web first receive an application of glue before their subsequent convenient conveyed, converging, assembly. Once assembled, their overall glued joints enter a radio frequency heating glue curer which insures an excellent attachment between the chords and the web. The web is then cut to match the length of the chords.

Abstract: In the art of plant propagation having as its object increased yields and profits for the agricultural industry through proper techniques of soil and furrow preparation, in conjunction with controlled seed orientation, a multi-purpose, wedge-shaped follower is provided for use with a soil-slicing, furrow opener of a seed planter, specially configured and sized, and strategically located on a runner in a manner to assure a truly V-shaped, seed-receiving furrow having firmed side walls, and to increase the useful life of the slicer by decreasing the wear caused by the abrasive effect of the soil thereon.

Abstract: A double disc attachment for planters, operating to present a debris-cleared area ahead of the furrow opener of the planter, has one of the discs peripherally fluted so that the discs cooperate in their debris-clearing function rather than work in opposition to one another. The fluting permits lateral displacement by the other disc of debris which might otherwise be contacted simultaneously by the soil-penetrating cutter disc and left lying across the path of the oncoming furrow opener. The discs are properly oriented insofar as tilt, spacing, convergence, relative overlapping and lead are concerned, with at least certain of such relative positioning and depth being adjustable to accommodate for various conditions.

Abstract: A detachable, self-sharpening digging shoe for deep tillage shanks is shaped, sized and disposed in a manner to provide the proper angle of attack and to minimize resistance to its movement through the soil such that the movement is not only smooth but incapable of creating that kind of soil turbulence which normally results in substantial wear on critical areas of the shoe and the shank.

Abstract: A knife for applying substances such as fertilizer in solid, liquid or gaseous form cuts a slice in the subsoil with its leading, rearwardly inclined cutting edge and simultaneously firms up and maintains the lower portions of the sides of the slice in readiness for receiving the substance in a pocket formed by a recess at the lowermost rear of the knife in conjunction with the firmed up portions. The slice taken by the slender knife is of such narrowness and the movement of the knife through the subsoil is of such a streamlined nature that the cohesive integrity and inherent resiliency of the subsoil is not destroyed, promoting self-closure of the slice behind the knife, thus greatly reducing the escape of the substance where it is a gas.

Abstract: A solid state amplifier has an output transistor stage and an input transistor stage interconnected as a Darlington circuit. An interstage transistor interconnecting the collectors of the two stages of the Darlington circuit is connected with the first stage transistor in a compound configuration. When the load current furnished by the amplifier is less than a predetermined value, the output stage operates as a simple saturated switch with its base drive current flowing through the emitter-base junction of the first stage which produces no collector current because the base-emitter junction of the interstage transistor is reverse-biased. When the load current exceeds said predetermined value, the interstage transistor begins to conduct allowing the input and output stages to operate as a Darlington amplifier and diverting a significant portion of the base drive current of the output transistor back into the load.