Abstract: A barrier mechanism for providing selective access to a passageway on the floor of a lobby, room or pavilion. It utilizes a frame and carriage assembly thereon, a panel which is swivelable to selectively overlie and block the passageway, and an electric motor which powers the carriage assembly and moves the panel. A group of power components, including a driver operated by the motor and other linkages on the frame, provide simultaneous translating movement of the carriage assembly and panel and swiveling of the panel, synchronized to bring about a “wrap-around” effect to the latter. Optionally, the panel can be locked in either its blocking or its access position. Important safety features are incorporated in the mechanism, to prevent inadvertent injury to passageway personnel.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, an apparatus, comprising: a column (42) normally generally vertical when a device (30) of which the column (42) is a part is in an operating position; and a platform (62) operatively connected at one end to the column (42) and normally generally horizontal when the device (30) is in an operating position, the platform (62) being selectively raised or lowered to raise or lower a load placed on the platform (62).

Abstract: An aquatic treadmill comprises a frame, rollers, and a belt. The rollers are rotatably connected to the frame. The belt is movably connected to the rollers. The belt is movable in at least one direction relative to the frame. The belt forms at least two walkway areas arranged so that the treadmill is reversibly orientable relative to a seating surface on which the treadmill is seated. One of the at least two walkway areas is accessible when the treadmill is in a first orientation, and another of the at least walkway areas is accessible when the treadmill has a reverse orientation from the first orientation.

Abstract: A a cabinet with a sliding drawer, including: a housing; two opposing outer slides attached to inner surfaces of opposite sides of the housing; two inner slides attached to the sliding drawer and disposed in and telescopingly engaging the outer slides; and two first rollers contacting the inner slides and having their axes attached to the sides of the housing, with the axes of the first rollers spaced below a lower edge of the outer slide. Further, a cabinet with a sliding drawer, including: a housing having opposite side panels and front and rear ends; two opposing slide mechanisms attached to inner surfaces of the side panels and to sides of the sliding drawer; and the slide mechanisms being downwardly sloped from the front end of the housing toward the rear of the housing a degree sufficient to compensate for sagging from horizontal the sliding drawer may experience when extended from the housing.

Abstract: A cabinet, including: a generally hollow, rectilinear housing having opposite sides and top, back, and bottom walls; the side panels having rearwardly facing U-shaped channels formed along front edges thereof; and inner side panels attachable to the side panels by insertion of front edges thereof into the U-shaped channels and rotating the inner panels about the U-shaped channels to parallel proximity with inner surfaces of the side panels and being removably secured in such position.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a mounting bracket for support of a window air conditioner on a window sill installed in a window opening in a wall of a building, the bracket including: a generally horizontal support member for supporting a portion of the window air conditioner extending outside of the building, a proximal end of the generally horizontal support member being for attachment to the window sill; a foot member to rest against an outside surface of the wall below the window opening; a strut member having an upper end thereof attached to an attachment point near a distal end of the generally horizontal support member and a lower end thereof attached to the foot member; and apparatus to selectively adjust height of the proximal end of the generally horizontal support member above the window sill, depending on construction of the window sill and obstacles in the window.

Abstract: A portable garment steaming device for use in the home which emits steam through a retractable nozzle plate of a safety nozzle assembly which when retracted prevents against accidental touching of the hot nozzle plate. The garment steaming device also includes a clothes hanger assembly for hanging the article of clothing to be steamed. A water bottle compartment for supplying water to be generated as steam for the safety nozzle assembly is further provided which is detachably mounted for refilling.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a fluid flow valve, including: an elongate body having an axially extending cavity defined therethrough and having fluid inlet and outlet ports; a hollow seat assembly disposed in the body for the passage therethrough of a fluid; a shaped first aperture defined through a wall portion of the seat assembly; and a plug selectively axially moveable in the hollow seat assembly and along the shaped first aperture such that the fluid flows into the hollow seat assembly, upwards past the plug into the first aperture, through the first aperture, downwards past the plug, and out of the hollow seat assembly, the position of the plug along the aperture determining rate of flow of the fluid through the valve.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a method and apparatus for forming thin-wall tubing for later welding of the seam thereof which includes tightly rolling upon itself a sheet of thin metal stock about a roller between layers of a flexible fabric. When released from the roller, the sheet metal springs back to form a near-perfect tube without the kinks, scratches, and/or dents commonly caused by conventional rolling methods.

Abstract: In one preferred embodiment, a hands free hair dryer having a body in which are disposed a fan and a heating element, the body being mounted on a wall or the edge of a door. An infinitely positionable, self-supporting hose has a proximal end attached to the outlet of the body and a distal end selectively disposed to direct a stream of hot air toward the head of a user. Alternatively, the heating element may be disposed in the distal end of the hose. In another embodiment, the body is replaced with a housing within which the outlet nozzle of a conventional hand held air dryer is releasably secured.

Abstract: A system for introducing fresh air to a locked vault which is integral to the door of the vault. A fan provides motive force to the air which flows principally through passages in, or created with, existing components in the door. A food/water passage may be furnished by providing the door wheel spindle as a hollow, rather than a solid, tube.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a method and apparatus for hydroforming thin-wall metal corrugated tubing which include first preforming the corrugated tubing in a conventional hydroforming operation of the type in which each convolution is formed separately. Semi-resilient spacers are then inserted between the sides of adjacent internal convolutions, while non-resilient washers are inserted between the sides of adjacent external convolutions. The corrugated tubing with the inserted spacers and washers is then highly compressed to the total thickness of the individual elements, with the spacers and washers controlling the radii formed at the crests and troughs of the convolutions. The resulting corrugated tubing has trough and crest radii on the order of 11/2 to 2 metal thicknesses, has an extension/compression ratio of 4 or greater, and can be compressed nearly flat.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a vertical column for load lifting devices, which includes: a generally rectangular vertical outer shell; a generally rectilinear vertical inner shell; and the inner shell being joined to the outer shell so as to form four vertical interior rectangular tubes at the corners of the outer shell.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a snap switch which employs a conical contact mounted at the free end of a spring blade. The contact completes an electrical circuit by contacting and electrically joining two, round, spaced apart terminals. The resulting dual radii contact provides high unit pressure and a minimum of polymer-forming wiping action. The switch introduces little resistance into the electrical circuit, since the spring blade carries no current. The terminal wires are of nickel with sleeves of oxidized nickel bonded thereto in the region where the wires pass through the base of the switch. The oxide provides a tenacious surface for the adherence thereto of sealing glass to insulatively bond the wires to the base.

Abstract: In one preferred embodiments, a hands free hair dryer having a body in which are disposed a fan and a heating element, the body being mounted on a wall or the edge of a door. An infinitely positionable, self-supporting hose has a proximal end attached to the outlet of the body and a distal end selectively disposed to direct a stream of hot air toward the head of a user. Alternatively, the heating element may be disposed in the distal end of the hose. In another embodiment, the body is replaced with a housing within which the outlet nozzle of a conventional hand held air dryer is releasably secured.

Abstract: A system for introducing fresh air to a locked vault which is integral to the door of the vault. A fan provides motive force to the air which flows principally through passages in, or created with, existing components in the door. A food/water passage may be furnished by providing the door wheel spindle as a hollow, rather than a solid, tube.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a compound gasket including a relatively nonresilient base member having an opening therethrough and a relatively resilient member disposed about the opening. The resilient member has a thickness somewhat greater than at least a portion of the base member so that mating surfaces between which the gasket is placed can be drawn together to contact the thickened portion of the base member so that the resilient member is compressed to a precise degree. The resilient member is freely movable with respect to the nonresilient member to better accommodate differential expansion and nonuniformities in the mating surfaces.

Abstract: There is described an electrophoresis device providing a support for a gel plate assembly, such support being improved in that it has means for varying the width of the support between at least two different values, using the said same support. Such means allows width variation to occur without dismantling the support.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming thin-wall tubing in a funnel die or with a series of sets of forming rollers. The tubing is then welded by a method and apparatus which includes simultaneous guiding of the both the inner and outer peripheries of the tubing during the welding operation by a mandrel and a sleeve, respectively, so that lack of rigidity of the tubing is not a limitation. The edges of the tubing are not clamped, but are allowed to "float" during welding in one embodiment, a water-cooled heat sink is used to remove the heat of welding. The resulting tubing is highly uniform. A wide range of tubing materials can be welded and thin-wall tubing of nearly any desired length or wall thickness can be produced.