Abstract: An improved blind unit or shade having no pull cord for raising and lowering the blind members of the blind unit. The lower rail is movable upwardly from the lowermost position thereof when an upwardly directed force is applied to cord structure coupled with the blind members and the lower rail. When the lower rail moves progressively upwardly or downwardly with reference to the head rail above the blind members, the lower rail supports a progressively greater or lesser number of blind members. A variable, upwardly directed force is applied to the cord structure with the force being substantially equivalent at all times to the combined weights of the lower rail and the blind members supported on the lower rail when the lower rail is above its lowermost operative position. The force applying means, in one embodiment includes at least one conical member coupled to a constant force spring. In another embodiment, the force applying means includes a variable force leaf spring.

Abstract: An assembly for steam heating or cooking given food products, particularly hot dogs and buns, is disclosed herein along with its method of operation. The assembly includes a housing having at least one internal cooking chamber, a chamber inlet door a vertically lower chamber outlet door and a downhill ramp extending between the two doors within the chamber. The ramp serves to support one or more food supporting trays successively placed in the chamber while the latter is maintained at a preset temperature by introducing steam therein in a controlled fashion. All of the trays within the chamber move down the ramp one at a time, toward the exit door and are removed from the chamber, again one at a time, in the order in which they were placed therein. This assures that one tray does not remain in the chamber too long while another is taken out too soon.