Abstract: A hand held holder includes a handle portion which joins two outwardly extending bifurcated legs which form an acute angle from said handle. Sharp-edged ridges on lateral teeth are provided on the inside surface of each of the legs and are arranged to extend at least partially across the width of the legs to provide a contact surface for a food item or object which is to be immersed. The outer ends of the legs terminate in a curved section or backwardly angled surface to guide the object into the teeth of the device. The resiliency of the material which forms the handle and legs of the device is sufficient to create a relatively strong compressive force on the surface of the object when it is gripped by the teeth so that, during the immersion in the liquid, when the object has reached suitable saturation, the compressive energy will be suddenly released, causing actual movement of the legs which creates a tactile or visual signal for the user.

Abstract: An improved holder for dispensing rolled products includes a U-shaped bracket having a base member for attachment to a vertical support surface and outwardly extending support members having an aligned conical shaped support shaft on the bottom member while the top member has a downwardly extending retainer shaft. The top shaft retains the roll in a vertical position while the bottom shaft supports the roll and includes surfaces and edges to provide a desired coefficient of friction to the retained roll to permit controlled dispensing from the roll. The bottom support shaft can also have an outwardly extending edge upon which the roll rests to add additional friction during the dispensing operation. Various configurations and surface treatment is provided for the various support shafts and retaining shafts.

Abstract: A bellows-type energy absorbing device comprising at least two elongated bellows sections each having an adjacent tubular support section assembly wherein one bellows and tubular support section is sized to fit within the other. The sections are reversed and arranged so that the bellows and tube sections are arranged coaxially aligned with each other. The tubular support section of one bellows provides an alignment support for the adjacent bellows with the other support section providing the alignment support for the other adjacent bellows section. The bellows and tube assemblies are joined together at their ends by welding to form a sealed tubular unit. The support sections are arranged to telescope and retain the overall axial alignment of the device during collapse of the convolutes of the bellows section during the application of impact energy at either end of the device.

Abstract: A hydraulic weeding apparatus consisting of an elongated hollow tubular shaft being attached to a hand grip type body having a coupling for attaching the device to a source of pressurized fluid such as a common garden hose. A positionally adjustable, hook-type gripping device is spaced from the open end of said tube and is arranged with an outwardly extending free end which is arranged to encircle and grip the base of a weed root when the shaft is rotated. A splash shield is positioned above the gripping device to prevent the fluid from flowing upwardly along the shaft so as to protect the user. A valve can be provided in the body of the device for controlling the flow of fluid through the tubular shaft whereby the open end of the shaft can be inserted adjacent to the root of a weed to a depth where the gripping device can attach to the loose weed so as to easily remove it.

Abstract: A stamp frame in the general form of a cross, includes a rubber stamp at the end of each cross arm and includes, adjacent the rubber stamp, a raised indicia for the finger touch indication of the information on the stamp, and the arms of the cross are of different length, further aiding the touch contact for indentification of the rubber stamp on the end of the arm.

Abstract: An edge seal for a solar collector type flexible film material is provided for forming a generally air-tight heat insulating reusable seal around the edge of an opening in the surface of a building structure. The edge seal is formed around the film material which is sized to cover the window opening and overlap the edges of the opening. A band of magnetically permeable particles is adhered along the edge of the substrate forming the film material by a suitable adhesive. A strip of magnetic material is adhered around the edge of the opening. The permeable particles are attracted to the magnetic strip to form an effective air-tight seal between the flexible film material and the opening to essentially form a dead air space between the flexible material and the window opening. The flexible film material can be mounted similar to a window shade adjacent to the upper edge of the opening.

Abstract: A structure or building with a solar energy collecting system in an upright wall, arranged to face the sun, has a heat storage unit adjacent the wall for storing heat absorbed by the collecting system in sunlight, and for releasing the heat to the interior of the building in the absence of sunlight during those seasons requiring additional heat for the building, and a solar heat collector system for the building is arranged to provide a chimney effect for circulating air through the structure during seasons when heating of the structure is not desired.

Abstract: A diverging, smooth wall stand-off for an explosive shaped charge aligns generated gases into smooth flow enhancing of the formed jet substantially increasing the jet length effectively, the jet penetration, increasing the cleanliness of the developed hole, and the like. The shape of the stand-off to produce the enhancement is a frusto-conical tubular device, and preferably extends from about 13.degree. included closing angle at about 1.5 conical cavity diameters to about 30.degree. included closing angle at about 0.6 conical cavity diameters. The base of frusto-conical stand-off coincides with the base of the cavity of the shaped charge and the small end of the stand-off has an area of about two-thirds of the base. A small range on either side of the optium or preferred frusto-conical stand-off provides a highly effective enhancement for the shaped charge.

Abstract: A method of driving a shaft, or tunnel into competent hard rock with shaped charges. An array of shaped charges to nearly conform with the bottom of the shaft, or face of the tunnel, is carried upon a framework which places the charges a proper distance from the bottom or face surface. Detonation causes the shaped charge jets to penetrate and break several feet into the rock to advance the shaft or tunnel. The loose rock may then be mucked out of the shaft, or tunnel, and the operation repeated. A shaft may be driven downwardly or upwardly by these operations.

Abstract: A dark colored absorbing substrate covered with monolayer of solar radiation, transparent spheres, absorbs solar radiation for heating an air column formed between drapery material and the substrate mounted inside of a transparent window. In one form, a drapery material forms with the substrate a series of tubes for naturally or forcibly circulating warm air through the tubes when the substrate is heated by solar radiation. In another form, a eutectic salt in the tubes stores heat by transending to a higher energy state, so as to subsequently radiate heat on returning to a lower energy state. Reflecting cover means, selectively mountable in front of the substrate, reflects solar radiation back through the transparent window when heating is not required.

Abstract: An elongated tubular container filled with a liquid explosive charge is provided with a detonator at one or both ends thereof to provide a linear explosion along the length of the tubular container. The tube may be buried in the ground by a tube burying plow, suspended by floats in water, laid on the ocean bottom, etc. for forming ditches, providing seimic sources, etc. By providing a small tube in a larger tube, a potential explosive liquid can be activated by an activator contained in the small tube, by removing the small tube from the large tube through squeezing rollers at one end of the large tube.

Abstract: A plurality of focusing elements mounted above a solar radiation absorbing substrate, focuses solar energy rays into a series of hot spots on the substrate, providing a high temperature for a heat transfer medium.

Abstract: An open framework having a plurality of positions for suspending a plurality of explosive charges in a predetermined pattern includes releasable grapple means for supporting an explosive charge at each position, means for suspending the framework and carried charges generally horizontally from an overhead support, and means for releasing the framework from the charges placed on target.