Abstract: A tube is combined with a biased drift pin arrangement, which combination is useful for locking functions in coupling and decoupling separate tubes, or in locking-hinged dustpans, and so on. The tube has a wall formed with a pair of holes. The drift pin is formed on a leaf spring that has a base portion and a cantilever portion joined to the base portion for relative flexion therebetween. It is the cantilever portion that is formed with the drift pin, as well as a spaced push pin. The leaf spring inserts in the tube such that the drift and push pins are aligned to extend and retract through respective ones of the pair of holes. To wedge the leaf spring in place, a separate cartridge is sized and shaped to permit sliding insertion in to where respective abutment surfaces of the leaf spring and cartridge, respectively, mate each other.

Abstract: The method of assembly of a mop head which includes a polymer carrier in the form of a channel with in-turned lips or barbs on opposed flanges that retain compressed mop material without the need for glue or the like. The method includes compressing a block of mop material between two surfaces to reduce its thickness and to stiffen it, and then driving the compressed mop material into the channel, whereupon expansion of the mop material engages the lips or barbs. The molded polymer carrier channel is relatively rigid and can have reinforcements to resist resilient opening of the channel. The extent of compression of the mop material is substantial, for example, by a factor of four or five during compression, and another factor of two when passing through the nip between the lips.

Abstract: A butterfly sponge mop which is used for routine surface cleaning and moisture absorbing mopping and an integral unitary mop scrubber attachment with an outer abrasive surface which is to be used on the head of the sponge mop for cleaning more difficult and ingrained soiled surfaces. The mop attachment consists of two detent tabs which are to be inserted into the existing cutouts located in the sponge support member of the mop. The attachment also has side holes for placement over the existing holes of the mop's support member, through which the ends of the mop's squeeze arms are inserted. The mop attachment is readily and easily removable from the sponge mop and is interchangeably designed to be used with existing or new butterfly sponge mops. In another embodiment the mop attachment and the mop's sponge support member is formed with the scrubber component as a single, molded plastic component.

Abstract: A mop head is made from a molded polymer carrier in the form of a channel with inturned lips or barbs on opposed flanges that retain compressed mop material, such as a block of sponge for a sponge mop. Glue is not required, and assembly does not require deformation of a malleable carrier material to squeeze inwardly on the sponge or the like. The lips of the flanges of the preformed molded channel are inwardly inclined toward one another and rearward in the channel, forming an entrant section leading into a nip. The lips hook into the sides of the block of mop material as compressed. Proceeding outwardly from the nip, the entrant section holds the mop material is a progressively more expanded state. The method of assembly includes compressing a block of mop material between two surfaces to reduce its thickness and to stiffen it, and then driving the compressed mop material into the channel, whereupon expansion of the mop material engages the lips or barbs.

Abstract: A dust pan assembly has a handle receiving bracket formed or attached at the rear of a dust pan scoop, pivotally receiving an elongated hollow handle. The handle can pivot between and lock at least at two angular positions of the handle and scoop, e.g., in line or perpendicular, via a projecting movable locking pin that engages between the handle and the bracket, in a selected aperture of the bracket. A manual actuator mechanism disengages the lock to allow pivoting of the handle, and has an actuator button projecting through the wall of the handle at an accessible position on the handle out of interference with the dust pan scoop. The locking pin and the actuator button can be simple lateral projections on a V-shaped spring in the handle, the actuator button preferably projecting longer than the locking pin to ensure disengagement and to positively position the locking pin relative to the bracket apertures.

Abstract: A dust pan assembly has a bracket coupled to the rear of the dust pan scoop for pivotally receiving an elongated handle, wherein the handle can pivot and lock between at least two positions. In a first position the handle and scoop are perpendicular, for gathering debris. In a second position the handle and scoop are parallel for shovel-like disposal of debris gathered therein and for optimal storage and display. Additionally, the dust pan assembly can have clamping means on one or both of the handle and the bracket for receiving a broom, whereby the dust pan assembly and the broom for use therewith are attached as an integral unit.

Abstract: A brace for a tool having an elongated handle and a working head disposed perpendicularly to the handle, such as a push broom, has a slidable collar and a pair of buttress rods. The working head is provided with a pair of holes on a top side, each hole being spaced from a center of the tool head on opposite ends of the tool head with respect to the center. The buttress rods are thick wires, each have a downward facing prong inclined for insertion into each respective hole for engaging in tension and compression. Each buttress rod generally defines a leg portion angled upwards from the prong and tool head towards the handle. An upper end of each buttress likewise has a prong or arm angled so as to lay flat adjacent the broom handle, parallel to a longitudinal axis of the handle and also engaging in tension and compression. The upper prongs fit into oppositely disposed channels of a collar fixed axially on the handle.

Abstract: A nozzle for use in an injection molding machine. The nozzle comprises a tripartite body having an inlet, an outlet and an interconnected passageway extending therethrough. A heat pipe is located within the center of the body and portions of the passageway are disposed about the heat pipe. A resistance heating band is mounted on the body to conduct heat therethrough to heat the heat pipe. The heat pipe serves to heat plastic flowing through the surrounding passageway portions to the outlet.

Abstract: Tantalum powders which have high oxygen, high sodium contents are reclaimed for practical applications by treating said powders with selected fused salt compositions. This process converts normally unleachable sodium metatantalate, recognized herein as a significant source of the powder's content of oxygen and sodium, to leachable forms of oxygen and sodium bearing compounds.The conversion is accomplished by placing the high oxygen, high sodium tantalum powder, containing such metatantalate, in a fused salt bath which has the major portion of its composition equivalent to the final salts composition which would result from a reduction of potassium fluotantalate with sodium metal, under conditions where 90%-95% of required sodium stoichiometry was used and as a minor portion of composition contains small amounts of added potassium fluotantalate. The required amount of potassium fluotantalate is small in relation to the quantity of reclaimable tantalum powder treated by the process; i.e.

Abstract: Metal powders of agglomerated form having a uniform specific surface area for various size fractions thereof in a size spectrum extending from 3 microns to 10 mesh are produced by heating a charge of a salt source of the metal, pre-coated with reducing agent, to initiate an exothermic reduction reaction and continuing application of heat after termination of the exotherm heat output to modify powder size and agitating the reaction charge substantially throughout and further heating periods to maintain homogeneity. The charge may be diluted with inert salts to modify the necessary minimum hold temperature and the properties of resultant powders. The metal may comprise one or more of tantalum, columbium, zirconium, vanadium, hafnium, tungsten, titanium, thorium, chromium, yttrium, rare earths, germanium, manganese, beryllium, boron, iron, nickel and platinum group metals.

Abstract: Metal powders of agglomerated form having a uniform specific surface area for various size fractions thereof in a size spectrum extending from 3 microns to 10 mesh are produced by heating a charge of a salt source of the metal, pre-coated with reducing agent, to initiate an exothermic reduction reaction and continuing application of heat after termination of the exotherm heat output to modify powder size and agitating the reaction charge substantially throughout and further heating periods to maintain homogeneity. The charge may be diluted with inert salts to modify the necessary minimum hold temperature and the properties of resultant powders. The metal may comprise one or more of tantalum, columbium, zirconium, vanadium, hafnium, tungsten, titanium, thorium, chromium, yttrium, rare earths, germanium, manganese, beryllium, boron, iron, nickel and platinum group metals.

Abstract: A butterfly sponge mop which is used for routine surface cleaning and moisture absorbing mopping and an integral unitary mop scrubber attachment with an outer abrasive surface which is to be used on the head of the sponge mop for cleaning more difficult and ingrained soiled surfaces. The mop attachment consists of two detent tabs which are to be inserted into the existing cutouts located in the sponge support member of the mop. The attachment also has side holes for placement over the existing holes of the mop's support member, through which the ends of the mop's squeeze arms are inserted. The mop attachment is readily and easily removable from the sponge mop and is interchangeably designed to be used with existing or new butterfly sponge mops. In another embodiment the mop attachment and the mop's sponge support member is formed with the scrubber component as a single, molded plastic component.