Abstract: A motorized door latch assembly for locking an oven door in a locked and sealed position for purposes of cleaning the oven. A motor and cam cause a latch rod extending from side to side to translate, causing a latch plate to move between three different positions. In one position the latch plate prevents the oven door from opening. From this position, the latch plate is pulled inwardly, orthogonal to the direction of motion of the latch rod, so the oven door is in a locked and sealed position. In its locked and sealed position the door may be opened by biasing the latch plate against the bias of a biaser extending between a fixed location on a mounting plate and a fixed location on the latch plate.

Abstract: An oven door lock for self-cleaning ovens is described. The oven door lock includes a manually operated latch mechanism moveable from an unlatched state. In the latched state, a thermally responsive element is provided with a pin adapted to be received in a hole defined in the latch mechanism to lock the latch mechanism in the latched state during self-cleaning operation. The oven door lock is provided with a nuisance latch which prevents the latch mechanism from being moved to the latched state during non-self-cleaning use of the oven. A switch is provided to indicate when the latch mechanism is in the latched state. An insulation pad is sandwiched between the switch and a mounting bracket of the oven door lock to thermally and electrically insulate the switch from the oven door lock.

Abstract: A portable liquid surface skimmer efficiently removes small spills of petroleum derivatives from the surface of water, and is useful, for example, on thin sheen spills of oil or gasoline, in boating marinas. The skimmer is controlled by a long handle held by an operator, with a swivel connection to the skimmer body. The skimmer body is placed in the water empty, to take on a controlled amount of water as ballast, putting the skimmer at a proper level to skim the surface using a floating weir. A withdrawal conduit from the skimmer's sump leads to a storage tank or more preferably to some form of separator on shore or on a dock, for further separation of water from the contaminants. In one preferred form of the system and method, the skimmed oil/water mix is passed through a special filter medium which removes the petroleum sufficiently that the water can be returned to its source, eliminating the need for hauling large volumes of liquid away to a disposal site.

Abstract: An umbilical cord cutting and clamping device includes two clamps abutted in a side-by-side relation and a blade connected to an arm of one of the clamps and positioned between the two clamps. Both clamps have an upper arm and a lower arm, and a hinge coupling the proximal ends of the upper and lower arms. The clamps are held in relative position by frictional engagement and by a latch means which is automatically disengaged when the clamps are moved into a closed position. Both the upper and lower arms include clamping surfaces for clamping the umbilical cord. The proximal end of one of the clamping surfaces is provide with a retention tab which retains the umbilical cord between the clamping surfaces; i.e., the tab prevents the cord from migrating proximally off the clamping surfaces and into the hinge area.

Abstract: A corrosion resistant electrically conductive coating on steel anode studs used in the production of aluminum by electrolysis.