Abstract: The tension level of moving webs of material is adjusted or measured and regulated by means of a guide roller mounted on parallel swing arms which include an angle 0 <.alpha. <90.degree. with the horizontal, .alpha. lying in an angular range of .+-. 15.degree. around the value .alpha..sub.M at which the traction applied to the web by the guide roller is at a minimum.

Abstract: A surgical staple for use in joining the skin or fascia of a patient. The staple is adapted to be formed about an anvil during emplacement. The staple has points formed by diagonal cuts across the ends, and its configuration prior to emplacement is such, that the diagonal cuts are perpendicular to the upper surface of the anvil and the skin or fascia, whereby the staple penetrates the skin or fascia without the tendency to slide therealong. The configuration is such that at initial contact of the staple points with the skin or fascia, the points lie substantially in the plane of the forming corners of the anvil, thereby affording greater skin gathering during emplacement. The configuration disclosed facilitates stacking of the staples for use in a cartridge, and provides for an improvement in the space factor within the cartridge over staples of conventional shape.

Abstract: A stapler has a housing which prevents the two arms of the stapler being opened right out. One part of the housing is attached to the base and engages with a part of the head, and prevents the head moving too far from the base. This part of the housing can be simply removed from the stapler itself. A second part of the housing is attached to the head.

Abstract: Machine for cold butt welding of metal blanks, wherein one of the blank clamping devices mounts on its housing a carriage with blades for cutting off the ends of the blanks, adapted for possible displacement in the direction of the force upsetting the blanks to position these blades at such distances from the device housings that assure the upsetting of an amount of metal as needed for the welding. The machine is provided with guide members carrying blank clamping devices, single-endedly fixed, that is in a cantilever fashion, in a power drive housing installed on a bed of the machine and adapted for set turning in at least one vertical plane in relation of the upsetting force. The blanks may be in different relationships in space. The invention can be successfully employed in welding aluminum and copper blanks of any cross-sectional shapes: circular, square, rectangular, rhombic, etc.

Abstract: An automatic welding apparatus comprising a workpiece fixture carried by a moving member for rotation about a horizontal axis extending in a back and forth direction, said moving member being provided on a carriage for sliding movement in a lateral direction, said carriage being provided for sliding movement in said back and forth direction, and a torch fixture carried by an arm for rotation about a vertical axis, said arm being provided for sliding movement in the vertical direction. In another embodiment, the workpiece fixture is provided only for rotation about a horizontal axis extending in the back and forth direction, and the torch fixture is carried by the arm for rotation about the vertical axis, which arm is provided at the end of a column for sliding movement in said lateral direction, which column is provided on a sliding member for sliding movement in the vertical direction, which sliding member is provided on a guide for sliding movement in said back and forth direction.

Abstract: A cup formed container made of a punched container blank of cardboard or the like has two opposite side pieces connected to the container bottom, and being wider than the bottom side with which they are connected. Opposite joint flaps are connected to the other two sides of the bottom. Each side piece has a central part which forms a complete container side and an outer side part on each end of the central part, these outer side parts each forming part of an adjacent side of the container, so that the outer side parts jointly form at least part of the intermediate container sides, with the joint flaps serving to complete the intermediate sides and keep the parts together.

Abstract: A vertical centrifuge comprises a housing provided with a cover. A centrifuge drum is arranged to be rotatable in the housing and has an upper feed opening and a lower discharge opening. A shield is arranged above the discharge opening and comprises a screening wall which covers only a part of the circumference of the discharge opening and is carried and can be displaced by means of a shaft mounted in a holding arrangement and passing through the cover. The holding arrangement comprises means for the rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: When a predetermined amount of separated sludge has accumulated in the peripheral part of the centrifuge rotor, a sensing device automatically opens outlets for the discharge of sludge. To provide substantially constant time intervals between consecutive openings of these sludge outlets, the feed rate to the centrifuge is automatically decreased in response to a shortening of these time intervals and automatically increased in response to a lengthening of these time intervals.

Abstract: An improved temperature control apparatus includes a main control unit of the on-off type which is utilized to maintain a room at a relatively high temperature during the day and a secondary control unit which is utilized to maintain the room at a relatively low temperature during the night. When it is desired to change from the high day temperature to the low night temperature, an actuator button on the secondary control unit is manually depressed. Depressing the actuator button moves a relay contact to complete a holding circuit. This holding circuit includes a battery which supplies energy to maintain the relay actuated. When the air conditioning system has been operated to maintain the relatively low night temperature for the desired length of time, the battery will have been discharged to such an extent that it is no longer effective to hold the relay actuated.

Abstract: The room thermostat for the room whose temperature is to be set-back is enclosed in an enclosure having an air inlet at the bottom and an air outlet at the top. Air from the room flows into the enclosure through the inlet and out through the outlet. During the interval when the temperature is to be set-back, the inlet air is preheated by a lamp in a second enclosure in communication with the first enclosure through the inlet. The lamp remains energized throughout the whole set-back interval. To set the magnitude of the set-back the lamp is pivotal between a position where substantially all of its heat is maintained within the second enclosure and a position where a large portion of its heat is dissipated outside of the second enclosure. The room thermostat responds to the increased temperature in the first enclosure to set-back the ambient temperature in the room.

Abstract: A container for air treating materials comprising a base wherein said air treating material is suspended and an adjustably displaceable cover associated therewith, said base having sidewall segments with openings therebetween and projections extending from the top thereof adapted to engage a plurality of oblique grooves on the inner surface of said cover so as to facilitate the raising of the cover and the corresponding exposure of the openings to allow the diffusion of the air treating material.

Abstract: Projectable sprinklers which rise automatically from the ground when water is supplied under pressure to the sprinklers, sprinkler heads, stationary sprinklers employing the sprinkler head of the present invention for use on the surface of the ground, and a lid apparatus for increasing the area wetted by a sprinkler head. The projectable sprinklers include a generally cylindrical housing closed at the bottom and sunken in the ground, a projectable float which floats upward within the housing when water is supplied under pressure to the sprinkler, and a sprinkler head including a rotating nozzle or nozzles attached to the top of the float. In one embodiment, the projectable sprinkler contains means for spreading chemicals over the surface of the ground. The sprinkler heads include means for pumping solutions or liquid mixtures of chemicals through the nozzle or nozzles of the sprinkler head, and may be used in a stationary or projectable sprinkler system.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for central spacing control of track-operated vehicles, particularly railroad vehicles, along paths which are subdivided into individual track sections for the positioning of the vehicles, which sections are continuously monitored as to occupation, in dependence upon the instantaneous position of the vehicles, preferably utilizing stationary information systems, particularly for railroad systems with a dense train succession and track section lengths, and without continuous information channels between vehicles and a main office, in which each of the track sections is continuously monitored in the main office, with respect to occupation thereof by a vehicle or a series of coupled vehicles, to determine whether the path sections ahead of and/or behind the occupied distance, representing a predetermined minimum distance between successive vehicles or series of coupled vehicles, are free of vehicles, and providing an actuating signal, when a section indicated as occupied is within the path r

Abstract: A hooking device for holding a cable from a suspended wire. The cable hooking device includes a pair of plates each having opposed end and lateral edges, which plates are bent outwardly on a same side at the end edges thereof and are disposed one over the other with respective end edges facing one another. Jaw means are provided on each plate at one end edge thereof, cooperating with one another to clamp the wire therebetween. The device further comprises releasable coupling means operable to bias the plates towards one another to secure the wire in clamping engagement between the plate jaw means, and at least one hooking member for holding the cable. The coupling means includes a bolt having a longitudinal axis extending perpendicularly of the plates between their opposed end edges.

Abstract: A nursing bottle holder is pivotally connected by a pair of hemispherical elements to a slotted, convexly curved base allowing shifting of a nursing bottle to opposite sides or in front of an infant. Provisions for quick and easy disassembly along with automatic indexing for re-assembly facilitates thorough cleansing of the entire assembly.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a novel support collar assembly which is designed, primarily, to fill a need for a simple, reliable and economical way of suspending and supporting standard flower pots, and the like, within any one of a series of larger-diametered containers, or within deeper (i.e., taller) containers.

Abstract: A seat supporting assembly for use in vehicles such as tractors or the like wherein the seat is surrounded in relatively close relationship by obstructions such as controls which make it difficult for the vehicle operator to get into and out of the seat. The seat supporting assembly provides means for supporting the vehicle seat such that the seat may be moved rearwardly and then rotated to permit access to or egress from the seat. The assembly also provides means which prevent rotation of the seat unless it has been moved to its furthest rearward position. The seat supporting assembly further includes means to facilitate vertical adjustment of the seat and to secure the seat in its desired vertical position.

Abstract: A book holding device comprises a pair of rigid elongated page-retaining members secured to a book-supporting board by a pair of elastic cords which extend across the back of the board. Means are provided for restricting the horizontal movement of the cords beyond predetermined limits.

Abstract: A proportional electromagnetic-type direction-and throttle-controlling valve comprising a spring centered valve spool in a valve body, a pressure reducing valve, two flow restricting orifices, two DC solenoid controlled poppet valves and a vent port in each pressure chamber. Supply flow reduced to a fixed low pressure is divided into two branch lines with flow restricting orifices. The pilot pressure in each restricted flow passage with vent port is controlled by a DC solenoid-controlled poppet valve. The pilot pressure acting on the main spool end moves the spool against the spool centering spring force proportionally to the input DC current. Therefore, the flow rate through the throttling gap between the spool land and the mating valve body is controlled proportionally to input DC current. Vent ports are provided for rapid action of the spool.

Abstract: Pilot valve, of the quick opening and quick closing type, actuated to open or close by a hydraulic fluid acting on a piston.

Abstract: A butterfly valve comprises a valve body, a valve seat, a valve stem, a valve member and sealing assemblies in which the central portion of a seat face of the valve seat is raised higher than both of its side portions and the diameter of the valve seat at the central raised portion is smaller than that of the valve member whereby a perfect seal can be achieved.

Abstract: A spring loaded, tamperproof plug valve such as a pressure gas stop has the rotatable valve plug resiliently retained against removal from the valve body by two stacked, slit, frustoconical, transversely arched spring washers that have teeth which make a one-way tight friction fit on a projecting end portion of the valve plug, and the outer peripheral portion of the forward of the two washers bears on a recessed planar area of the valve body which is surrounded by a continuous boss so a prying tool cannot be inserted beneath either washer. A self-threading sheet metal nut forms a thread in a reduced extremity of the valve plug and has a concentric integral skirt which bears on the teeth and also on the crown of the arched slit washer. The plug can be removed only by destroying the washer or the valve, either of which renders it inoperative. The nut will strip before the spring washers can be compressed enough to "lock" the plug in the valve body.

Abstract: An improved cylindrical plug valve is of the type which includes a body having a cylindrical bore and a pair of axially aligned passages intersecting the bore and normal thereto. A cylindrical valve plug is rotatably disposed within the bore for movement between an opened and closed position for respectively aligning and misaligning a diametral port therethrough with the passages. Sealing rings around the plug above and below the port and passages prevent fluid from escaping from the interior of the plug valve. The improvement includes a pair of cup shaped recesses at opposite sides of the plug which are aligned with the passages when the valve is closed. Each recess is larger than the passage and has a substantially flat bottom and a peripheral side wall.

Abstract: A closure-port type valve is constructed so as to minimize internal stresses and lengthen valve life. A limit plate is secured between a valve bonnet and a valve body; the limit plate halts motion of a diaphragm compressor as the compressor moves the diaphragm toward a valve-closed position. The limit plate and compressor are provided with surfaces which substantially completely support the diaphragm when the valve is fully opened. The limit plate and valve body seal and retain an outer diaphragm edge while achieving metal-to-metal contact, thereby preventing leakage and rocking movement which might otherwise be caused by repeated valve operation, or externally applied forces, such as overhung loads from actuators or seismic shocks.

Abstract: A one end lift or like jack is provided with a snubber which prevents a lift saddle from rising in an uncontrolled manner. The snubber comprises a bi-ended cylinder closed at both ends which is affixed to the lift cylinder for corresponding vertical motion. A piston rod is affixed to a relatively stationary lift frame, and a piston is mounted to the rod within the snubber cylinder to define two cylinder chambers. Within the piston is an axial bleed port bore permitting fluid to bleed between the chambers. A check ring can be moved by fluid pressure imbalance along the snubber piston rod into a closed position against the bleed port, inhibiting fluid flow and prohibiting uncontrolled rise of the snubber and main cylinders. When the check ring is not in its closed position, relatively free lift lowering action is permitted.

Abstract: A span trolley detachably connectable to a line suspended between first and second poles to draw an end of a cord from the first pole to the second pole. Two guide wheels and a drive wheel, secured to a chassis, are resiliently urged into engagement with the line extending between the poles. The chassis is moved along the line by a reversible variable speed electric motor to draw a cord having an end connected to the chassis along the line. The resiliently mounted guide wheels are adapted to move transversely relative to the line such that the span trolley passes splices and other obstructions along the line and maintains the drive wheel in driving engagement with the surface of the line while obstructions are being traversed.

Abstract: A stand for support of a structure, as a mobile home, above the ground. The stand includes a generally flat base and a plurality of legs having lower ends pivotally assembled to the base. The legs extend in upwardly converging relationship away from the base and are pivotally connected at the upper ends to a support platform. The lower ends of the legs are movable on the base in such a fashion to raise and lower the support platform. Means are provided to secure the position of the lower ends of the legs to the base whereby the support platform may be positioned in firm, supportive relationship to the structure.

Abstract: One end portion of a cable is gripped by one head and the opposite end portion of the cable is gripped by another head prior to the heads being spread apart to pull the cable end portions in opposite directions and impart tension to the cable. Without losing the initially imparted tension, one head may be released from and returned reversely along the cable and then may be shifted through another active stroke to place additional tension in the cable.

Abstract: A hydraulic jack, suitable for use as an outrigger support for a mobile crane, has a cylinder with a piston slidably received therein. Projecting from the piston is a rod that extends axially outward of the cylinder for supporting a load. The rod is externally threaded and a worm wheel nut is internally threaded to fit upon the rod. The nut is held in a fixed, axial position relative to the cylinder, and this nut must rotate on the rod to enable the rod to travel inwardly or outwardly of the cylinder. A rotatable worm is threaded to mesh with worm engaging gear teeth on the periphery of the worm wheel nut. Preferably, the thread on the worm has a helix angle with a self-locking characteristic, but the helix angle of the threads between the worm wheel nut and the piston rod is greater than the angle of friction so that there are no self-locking characteristics.

Abstract: A balcony or other metal railing assembly which can be readily prefabricated. This assembly includes a top rail and a lower rail, spaced from each other, between which extend vertically a plurality of parallel spaced pickets or spindles. The assembly may be mounted on vertical posts embedded in decking. The top and bottom rails are hollow and configured to receive the ends of the pickets and to snap-lock them in orifices in the top of the bottom rail, and in orifices in a locking cover plate which clips in to recessing in the underside of the top rail. While the bottom rails only extend between mounting posts, since the top rails may be clamped down, and thereby secured, onto the upper ends of the mounting posts, the top rails may extend over the posts without interruption. The bottom rails may also be snap-locked onto specially configured adapters laterally projecting from and secured to the posts. In addition, provision is made for suitable corner attachment of the mitered ends of abutting rails.

Abstract: A divider net has an upper portion with a replaceable lower panel attached thereto. The panel is attached to the upper portion by means of fasteners which do not have to be aligned, and yet which reliably and securely bind the upper portion to the panel at many closely spaced points. In one embodiment, the fasteners are hook and loop strips having connect straps periodically spaced around them. In another embodiment, lacing may replace the connect straps. The lacing may run longitudinally along the strip; or it may be in the form of individual tie lines. In yet another embodiment, a zipper is used to attach the lower panel to the upper portion.

Abstract: A bleacher stand of the telescoping kind, wherein a plurality of sections each including a platform and a seat are arranged to be stacked for storage in a vertical column, with the sections situated one above another and to be withdrawn from said stacked position to an extended position wherein the sections are stepped, characterized in that there are guard rails fastened to the ends of the platform portions of the sections which slope upwardly and outwardly therefrom so that when the sections are stacked the guard rails nest one within another.

Abstract: An arena aisle railing comprising a bracket including an extension and having thereon a clamp for attaching the bracket to a frame of an arena seat, and a U-shaped longitudinal bar having a base with a loop portion providing a grip at a top thereof, and a pair of leg portions which are longitudinally adjustably mounted in the bracket.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for dispersing a low viscosity fluid throughout a high viscosity polymer-containing mass comprising: conveying means for continuously passing a gross pre-mixture of said mass and said fluid through mixer means having a cylindrical barrel and a plurality of spaced, commonly-rotatable dispersion discs positioned therein as alternately-spaced perforated and solid rotating discs; said plurality of perforated and solid discs being arranged so that the first and last discs are perforated.

Abstract: A horizontal type continuous pug mill for a high viscous material in which means for feeding the material to be treated are provided in spaces defined by a mill body and adjacent agitating blades thereby minimizing rotation of the material together with the blades and promoting the surface refreshment of the material.

Abstract: A liquid moving and mixing apparatus is selectively submersible in a body of liquid and is operative to effect a turbulent flow of the liquid upwardly and then outwardly and then downwardly and to mix a selected material into the body of liquid during the upwardly and outwardly flow of the liquid. The liquid moving and mixing apparatus includes a propeller rotated by a submersible motor carried on a portion of a frame structure extending upwardly from a ballast member. The propeller directs the flow of liquid upwardly toward a downwardly directed apex of a cone-shaped diffusing member which directs the flow upwardly and outwardly toward a deflector member which deflects the flow outwardly and downwardly. Liquid flow by the diffusing member cooperates with and/or induces a flow of a selected material outwardly through an annular orifice in the diffusing member adjacent to and spaced from the apex thereof to mix said material into the body of liquid during the flow effected therein.

Abstract: This specification discloses a system and method for blending a dry chemical and a liquid. The system is comprised of a hopper for receiving and feeding the dry chemical into a pipe where it is transported by gas to a liquid weir and there mixed with the liquid. The hopper is adapted for having a positive pneumatic pressure applied at an upper location thereof and a negative pneumatic pressure applied at a lower location thereof to feed the dry chemical into a pipe. The dry chemical is then transported by gas through the pipe and directed from the downstream end of the pipe into the liquid weir. The liquid weir is adapted for having liquid flowed therethrough to mix and blend the liquid with the dry chemical. A container is provided to contain the blended mixture.

Abstract: This invention relates to a semi-automatic gas cutting machine which is capable of being operated with one hand freely. More particularly, it relates to a gas cutting machine which enables the steel cutting by: mounting in combination with a controlling apparatus which controls a motor and the rotation thereof, a transmission axis having a first gear at the top and being capable of transmitting the rotation of said motor, a second gear mounted so as to engage with said first gear and rotate around a device head freely, and a driving wheel which is capable of rotation by contacting the outer periphery thereof with said second gear around the device head respectively; and travelling the device head and a cutting nozzle attached to it by the rotation of a driving wheel at the gas cutting.

Abstract: A device for vacuum-refining of molten metal, comprising a vacuum chamber and an electromagnetic pump with an annulus-section line to which metal feed and discharge pipe lines are connected. The latter is coupled with the central portion of the annulus-section line. For pouring vacuumed metal into a foundry mould provision is made for a metal pouring pipe line connected to the metal discharge pipe line. The device envisages a higher degree of metal refining to free it from harmful impurities and a possibility of pouring metal directly into foundry moulds.

Abstract: The invention covers a protective nozzle for metallurgic vessels, particularly for steel mill converters which are provided with a frontal ring, connected to the vessel shell and reinforcing the nozzle for attachment of the nozzle ring, whereby the latter consists of interchangeable ring segments; also provided is forced cooling.

Abstract: A tundish for the continuous casting of steel characterized by lining thereto a moulding which consists of 50-80% by weight of a refractory which bases on silicic anhydride having approximately less than 100 mesh, 2-10% by weight of a refractory clay, 8-20% by weight of a refractory fibrous material and/or a porous refractory and 4-10% by weight of an organic binder, and if necessary 6-10% by weight of a refractory other than silicic anhydride.

Abstract: A preheater for uniformly heating the refractory lining of a ladle, ingot mold or the like. A concave, refractory lined cover is provided with one or more flues for exhausting noxious fumes and products of combustion. There is also provided an axially extending burner for projecting a flame onto the walls of the ladle refractory lining. Fluid operated means are provided for vertically tilting the boom which pivotally supports the ladle cover to enable the cover to be laid, with a tight fit, on the mouth portion of the ladle, - also to enable lifting of the cover and lateral swinging thereof from the closed position. A modification, particularly suitable for large ladles, is to provide a plurality of burners which emit flames substantially tangentially inwardly of the cover to uniformly heat the ladle lining.

Abstract: An improved vehicle-mounted support for isolating delicate loads from shocks and other disturbances imparted to the vehicle floor during movement thereof over rough terrain is described. A plurality of adjustable pneumatic springs are disposed in each corner of a load-bearing stiff frame for interconnecting the frame to the carrier floor. A steel rope or other flexible strand extends between the spring-supported frame and the vehicle floor for limiting vertical displacement of the frame, while a separate pivotal connection mounts the spring-supported frame for oscillation with respect to the vehicle floor in a plane perpendicular to the plane of travel of the vehicle. Additional resilient support blocks maintain a desired minimum spacing between the bottom of the frame and the vehicle floor, and a plurality of adjustable resilient rods or standards may be preset on the frame independent of the springs to maintain a desired, initially set orientation of the frame.

Abstract: A special purpose workbench for holding chain assemblies in the nature of tire chains. A table with a flat top has a vertical transverse wall located near one end and movable to a number of different locations. A similar wall at the opposite end of the table is fixed in one embodiment and movable in other embodiments. The walls are provided with hooks to engage the ends of longitudinal chain sections between which transverse chain sections extend. An apparatus for determining the location of one wall includes a central bar having holes, the wall having a flange with matching holes through which a locking pin can be placed. Guide brackets are provided at the ends of the wall to engage parallel side edges of the table. The means for adjusting the other wall includes either a threaded shaft engaging a threaded member on the wall or a fluid-actuated piston and cylinder assembly with control means. When the second wall is movable, guide means engaging the table edges are provided.

Abstract: A continuous sheet collating system is disclosed for printed texts wherein a continuous web of printed sheet-like material is continuously fed to a continuously, uninterrupted, collating drum. The web is wrapped upon the rotating drum a number of times equal to the number of printed sheets (less one) desired in a (text) collated stack of printed sheets. The wrapped web is then severed at the desired wrap number to provide collated individual sheets of the printed text in their proper sequential order. These sheets are then discharged from the collating drum as a unitized mass of collated printed sheets in textual context.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding small and large X-ray film and the like to processing machines is disclosed which includes an entrance section contiguous to infeed rolls of the processing machine, which can receive the film, and which has a movable closure and a chute movable into a feeding position with respect to the entrance section when the closure is in an open position, the chute having a closure and being of a length to accommodate the large film as it is advanced by the infeed rolls.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device adapted for feeding sheets individually from the bottom of a stack of sheets. An air floatation stacking tray is provided to minimize sheet-to-tray and inter-sheet friction to assure positive feeding of individual sheets from the bottom of the stack irrespective of stack height.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating sheets from a belt driven photosensitive surface in which a pair of rollers are disposed on opposite sides of the photosensitive surface downstream of the transfer paper feed point. One of the rollers is movable from a position spaced from the photosensitive surface to a position in which it contacts the sheet carried by the photosensitive surface and cooperates with the other roller to separate the sheet from the photosensitive surface. A sensor is provided to detect the absence of a sheet and to prevent the movable roller from contacting the photosensitive surface in the absence of a transfer sheet.

Abstract: A conveyor is provided for accepting sheets moving in one direction from a duplicator and conveying them at an angle to the initial direction; e.g., 90.degree.. The conveyor consists of rollers of relatively large diameter arranged with close spacing so that sheets of paper will pass easily from one to the other, and entering sheets will find fairly continuous support whatever their size. The rollers are set at an angle to the desired feed path to provide an effect urging the sheets towards a side alignment stop and the construction is such that the angular roller setting may be readily made during manufacture, to act towards whichever side of the feed path is selected as the one to carry the alignment stop surface.

Abstract: A ball and socket joint for a swing for providing simultaneous swiveling and pivoting motion in any direction. The ball is preferably molded with an inner core and an outer shell of different colored materials. As material from the outer shell is worn away in normal wear, exposure of the inner core indicates visually the extent of wear which has taken place. A retainer member placed in load bearing relationship between a support bolt for the swing and the ball is intentionally made larger than the opening at the base of the socket to prevent the swing from dropping in case of breakage of the ball.