Abstract: A new and distinct variety of Sansevieria plant that is a new chimeral cultivar formed as an adventitious bud on a leaf cutting of Sansevieria trifasciata var. laurentii. It has young leaves with narrow green margins and two broad yellow longitudinal bands flanking a central dull green core. The yellow bands become green after several months.

Abstract: A new poinsettia cultivar having the unique physical and growth characteristics of the variety named Poinsettia V-14 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,384), now named Glory, except that this new plant has its red bracts flecked and streaked with pink.

Abstract: A probe is mounted on the nose of a toolholder which fits into the spindle of a numerically controlled machine tool. An oscillator is mounted within the toolholder and is powered by a battery within the toolholder. The output of the oscillator is coupled to a primary coil on the toolholder which is inductively coupled to a ringshaped secondary coil on the spindlehead of the machine tool. Switches within the toolholder are wired to the oscillator to cause it to shift frequency when the probe stylus makes contact with a workpiece when moving along any one of the X, Y or Z axes. The ringshaped secondary coil is coupled to the machine tool's NC circuits to indicate when the probe makes contact with the workpiece.

Abstract: A honing machine for honing ball bearing races or other arcuate grooved surfaces that extend around the circumference of cylindrical workpieces comprises a workpiece support assembly for rotatably supporting the workpiece in the machine, a spindle drive mechanism for rotating the workpiece, and an oscillation mechanism for holding and oscillating a honing stone in abrading engagement with the arcuate surface of the workpiece as the workpiece is rotated. The oscillation mechanism includes an oscillating tool holder for holding the honing stone and a mounting mechanism for rotatably supporting the oscillating tool holder. The mounting mechanism is tiltable by means of a lift cylinder and toggle linkage to lift the stone out of engagement with the grooved surface of the workpiece for insertion and removal of successive workpieces into and out of the honing machine.

Abstract: A machine, and method, for tumbling objects or parts, generally of plastic material, to remove thin flange-like projections left along mold mating lines and frequently referred to as "flash". An advancing belt-like conveyor has a portion disposed to define an object-supporting surface so upwardly sloped in the direction of conveyor advance, as to cause tumbling and consequent deflashing of a mass of objects supported on said surface. The conveyor is also movable between two positions in which the objects are, respectively, loaded upon and automatically discharged from the conveyor. In the illustrated apparatus these are upper and lower positions. Tumbling occurs in the upper position, and discharge takes place in the lower position, under the influence of the advancing movement of the conveyor. The system includes mechanism for effecting additional cleaning of the objects, while tumbling on the conveyor, by subjecting them to a blast of impact cleaning media.

Abstract: A low draft, hydroplane-like vehicle in which the engine and associated equipment is so located in the hull that the engine not only drives a jet pump to power the vehicle but the weight .Iadd.and location .Iaddend.of the engine and associated equipment.[.imparts an.]..Iadd., relative to the center of buoyancy of the vehicle, renders the vehicle stable only when it is in an upright position, and the vehicle will immediately right itself from any overturned position. In addition, the weight and location of the engine and associated equipment imparts an .Iaddend.imbalance to the vehicle except when a user is mounted thereon. Due to this imbalance .[.the vehicle is stable only when in an upright position, and will immediately right itself from any overturned position. A further result of this imbalance is that.].

Abstract: Method and apparatus for casting a metal article in a mold at least as long as the article, utilizing a cooled mold of elongated form having top and bottom portions. The method includes the steps of introducing molten metal from a source through the bottom portion of the mold, flowing molten metal into the mold so as to form a solidifying casting shell which .Iadd.a .Iaddend.during casting occupies at least 40% of the cross-sectional mold area and .Iadd.a .Iaddend.has a molten core, and flowing molten metal from the source through the core towards the mold top .Iadd.at a filling rate, dependent on the mold cross sectional area, such that the product produced will have a relatively fine grained structure throughout the cross-section thereof.Iaddend..

Abstract: Headgear is formed of resilient material such as foam rubber and includes a display panel joined to a head encircling portion or band. When not worn the display panel remains in a flat, horizontal posture and when placed on the wearer's head the display panel pivots to assume an erect posture.

Abstract: A retaining assembly for protective headgear comprising, a chin cup for receiving the wearer's chin, and a strap having one end for attachment to the headgear. The other end of the strap is releasably attached to a side of the chin cup such that the strap releases from the chin cup under loads.

Abstract: Water reservoir comprising a flexible bottom and side walls formed by at least one inflatable tubular element extending along a closed contour, said bottom and said tubular element resting on a support.The bottom is connected to the tubular element by a peripheral connection zone extending between a line of the bottom parallel to the tubular element and spaced therefrom and a generatrix of the tubular element situated between the lower horizontal tangency generatrix and the inner vertical tangency generatrix of the tubular element. A brace is provided between the bottom line and said generatrix.

Abstract: A support for a pool liner (8) comprises interlocking mouldings (1,2). A slot (3) in one moulding (1) receives the top of the rigid wall (4) of the pool and a locking groove (5) receives the beaded head (7) of the liner (8), while in upwardly opening slot (9) receives an elongated rib (10) of the other moulding (2). The two mouldings (1,2) are also linked by a rib (11) and groove (12) formation and mask the fixing of the liner to the moulding (1) and the void space (13) behind the top portion of the liner (8) where the liner could readily become damaged. The two mouldings (1, 2A) can also be moulded additionally to form a smooth edging to the pool.

Abstract: A bed-convertible composite lounge chair comprises a base body whereto a backrest is removably associated in such a way as to define a structural framework. In the base body a cavity is formed housing a collapsible bedspring, a covering being laid on the framework and having a first portion spanning from the backrest and the side surface of the base body and a second portion spanning the seat, these portions being effective to house a backrest cushion and a seat cushion respectively.

Abstract: A mattress for supporting the human body has shoulder-supporting and hip-supporting portions of less hardness than waist-supporting and foot-supporting portions. The hardnesses of the shoulder-supporting and hip-supporting portions are inter-related to the maximum hardness of the waist-supporting portions so that the mattress biases the spine of the user into a shape consisting of two concave curves separated by a convex curve, which gives a more comfortable mattress and has medical and orthopaedic advantages. The mattress can be used domestically, for specialist orthopaedic purposes and for general medical purposes.

Abstract: A tool is disclosed for installing and releasing one-piece cable ties of the self-locking type which include an elongated strap having a series of pawl engaging detents thereon, and a head at one end thereof provided with an opening therethrough for receiving the other end of the strap and a pawl yieldably mounted in the head inclined partially across the opening for engagement with at least one of the detents on the strap when the other end of the strap is inserted through the opening. The tool comprises an elongated shank having a handle portion and a blade support portion forward of the handle portion, and a thin flat primary blade projecting outwardly from the blade support portion and insertable in the head of the cable tie between the strap and the pawl to release the pawl from engagement with detents on the strap so that the other end of the strap may be withdrawn from the head.

Abstract: A protective end cap for a water ski tow line handle comprised of a sleeve and a cup adapted to snap over each end of the handle and cover the water ski tow line. The cup is adapted to cover the end of the handle including the portion of the tow line encircling the handle.

Abstract: In the manufacture of a blind rivet, a threaded mandril is positioned endwise in a flanged, cylindrical, rivet body. The mandril-containing body is then advanced into a work station between a pair of spaced-apart, C-shaped die sections. The die sections are specially shaped so that when they are forcibly brought together with the rivet body between them, they first almost fully encircle and capture the body without physically appreciably deforming it. Then as the die sections bottom against one another, they coin the rivet body thereby staking the mandril in the body while simultaneously forming a pair of precisely sized, diametrically opposite ribs in the rivet body that extend part way along the length of the body intermediate its ends.

Abstract: An electric rotary toothbrush having an integral stem and brush guard housing within which is an axially moveable brush drive shaft and a removable brush. The brush drive shaft is manually controlled for axial movement by a control knob located on the stem and brush guard housing to lock the brush so that it is rotatably mounted on both sides thereof within the stem and brush guard housing and to allow removal of the brush from the housing.

Abstract: A battery operated, rotary powered washing and polishing wand is disclosed which has an elongated rigid tubular shaft and a coaxial flexible drive shaft which permits the incorporation of a bend in the shaft and the swiveling of a disc mounted at the bent end of said shaft. Fluid can be supplied through the interior of said shaft to the disc for discharge therefrom along with aspirated additives such as soap.

Abstract: A rotary brush mounting comprises support structure mountable from a sweeping machine and carrying support means for angular movement about pivotal axes at right angles to one another in a universal manner and a driven rotary brush depending from the support means and normally rotatable about a substantially vertical axis but capable of sideways and back and forth inclining movement with the support means so as to follow varying formation or irregularities of a road or similar surface in order to maintain effective sweeping contact therewith. The support structure may consist of a bracket having a pivoted arm extending for swinging movement and carrying the support means which latter may consist of a forked member longitudinally pivoted on the arm and carrying between its limbs for transverse pivotal movement a support member for the brush together with a direct motor drive to the latter.

Abstract: A device for applying coating liquids to a surface has primary and secondary units that are interconnected with the interconnection including a handle. Each roller is provided with a surface layer that readily absorbs the coating liquid. The primary unit is for use in applying the coating liquid with the roller of the secondary unit providing support when both rollers are held against the surface. In practice, the roller of the secondary unit is shorter than that of the primary unit and the interconnection enables the secondary unit to be detached and used by itself or while still attached.

Abstract: Conventionally, fence pickets are painted by brush on the individual faces and side edges. Alternatively, the front and rear faces may be painted by a roller coater but, due to space restrictions, the side edges must still be brush-painted by hand. The present device consists of a bifurcated handle carrying for rotation a main transversely situated roller coater, with a pair of picket-side-edge-engaging rollers extending forwardly of the main roller and situated at right angles thereto, one adjacent each end thereof. This enables one face and both side edges to be painted at the same time. The legs carrying the edge rollers and the main roller are angulated with respect to the handle so that when the one face and the two side edges have been painted, the roller assembly may be turned over so that the main roller may engage the opposite face of the picket with the edge rollers held clear of the side edges thereof.

Abstract: This troweling device for finishing wet concrete consists of a long, detachable handle assembly which is attached to a trowel or bull float blade by means of a pitch adjusting mechanism. This pitch adjusting mechanism allows the user to alter the angle of the blade in relation to the handle assembly while the trowel is in use by axially rotating the handle assembly. The pitch adjusting mechanism consists of a worm thread cylinder which is held in engagement to the geared portion of a geared support structure by a pivoting outer housing. This outer housing encloses the worm thread cylinder and pivots upon the geared support structure. The handle assembly is attached to the worm thread cylinder and the blade is attached to the geared support structure. Axial rotation of the handle assembly, therefore, causes the worm thread cylinder to be axially rotated and thereby advance and retreat along the geared support structure, thus changing the angle of the handle assembly in relation to the blade.

Abstract: A carpet or rug cleaner forms a bead of water or other cleaning fluid across the width of a cleaning head. The bead of fluid is applied on the pile of a carpet or rug, and the fluid is violently pulled, by the force of the applied vacuum, from the bead or from the region of the bead through the pile of the carpet or rug to a vacuum uptake with only limited downward penetration of the fluid into the pile. Cleaning action is vigorous, fluid recovery is enhanced, and drying time reduced.

Abstract: A U-shaped cooler handle of high density polypropylene plastic has three rigid hollow blow-molded portions with adjacent portions interconnected by solid flexible webs at the corners.

Abstract: A device for controlling the diameter of tubular casing during filling thereof, the device consisting of an annular tapered hollow body having an external diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the deshirred tubular casing whereby during filling and deshirring of the casing, the casing is not expanded beyond its original diameter. The device consists of a hollow body of generally annular configuration, the hollow body having a central opening to receive a stuffing tube and resilient web-like elements on the internal diameter about the opening to engage the tube.