Abstract: A filling for frameless furniture is provided that vastly increases the positional stability of the filling by being comprised of high aspect ratio particles that contact and interlock with many more nearby particles than can be accomplished by substantially mono-dimensional prior art particles. The invention further features a process and apparatus for the manufacture of the high aspect ratio particles that provide substantial advantages over the prior art. Included in the advantages are uniformity of support, minimizing voids without support, and lack of resiliency from clustering, clumping and dense packing, all of which result from size disparity of prior art filling that is made rather crudely by foam shredding machines. The invention further includes an apparatus for fabricating the filler.

Abstract: A modified waterbed is provided comprising a liquid-containing mattress or bladder, a resiliently compressible, elastomeric material, porous as to the liquid forming a resilient insert disposed within the bladder, and a resilient base positioned at least in part beneath the bladder and having properties that are similar to the properties of the resilient insert. The resilient insert and resilient base have as one of those properties a function defined as displacement force divided by penetration depth, and that property of each is substantially similar to the other. In a preferred embodiment the bladder will be surrounded laterally with a resilient perimeter member to laterally contain the bladder, said resilient perimeter member being stiffer in terms of the displacement function divided by penetration depth than the similarly defined function of both the resilient base and resilient insert.

Abstract: A device for separating into two or more components an aggregate of various species of particles immersed in and settled at the bottom of a body of fluid, one application being the removal of biological debris settled on and within the gravel bed of an aquarium, without, however, removing the gravel.The device, which is used in combination with an auxiliary pumping and filtering means, employs a separator chamber having a mouth kept close to or in contact with said aggregate, and accomplishes its purpose by a flow induced through said chamber via inlet and outlet ports therein, with no flow or only a minor flow in through the mouth, while dirt and debris are induced into the chamber by a turbulent action provided for therewithin, such that the dirt and debris are entrained and swept away by the flow, but not the denser gravel.

Abstract: A single small safety valve is furnished for use with hazardous machinery that requires simultaneous actuation and continuous pressure on two hand valves at points out of the danger zone of such machinery. Operating characteristics are achieved by a housing having an axial bore, a piston moving within that axial bore, input ports, output ports and an exhaust port located at suitable positions on the housing. The arrangement of these ports is such that open fluid communication can exist between the two input and output ports only if the input ports are pressurized within a small time interval necessary to retain the piston in a neutral position in the axial bore, and if said inputs are held to maintain pressurization during the time that it is desired to maintain pressure in the output ports. Operation of the hazardous machinery is contingent upon continuous pressurization at the output ports.

Abstract: A no tie down valve or device for the actuation of hazardous machinery. The device comprises a spool moving within a cylindrical cavity having capped ends; input ports, an output port, and an exhaust port are located at suitable positions on the cylindrical cavity wall such that a pressurized output can only be obtained if both inputs are pressurized, and subsequently held, within a small time interval determined by design parameters of the device. An equivalent construction in terms of poppet or diaphragm-type seals, which is inherently more reliable and maintainance-free than spool construction, is also described.