A modified fire tube boiler construction and method enables a conventional fossil fuel fired fire tube boiler to operate with electrical heating for the purpose of heating water and producing low and high pressure steam. The construction and method involve replacing a plurality of selected fire tubes with a like number of elongated electrical immersion heaters supported by heater support rods between the front and rear tube sheets and controlling the heaters selectively and electrically for temp...

An automatic and essentially shock proof fire suppression system for a heavy mobile machine such as a log skidder, tractor, street sweeper or the like incorporates a set of spray nozzles piped to a tank of extinguishing fluid. A self contained battery circuit includes a plurality of thermostatic switch heat sensors and in the presence of fire a sensor closes, actuates a solenoid valve and allows CO.sub.2 gas from a CO.sub.2 capsule to flow and operate a piston device which in turn punctures a CO...

A timber-shearing apparatus for harvesting timber employs a main sliding, wedge blade which cooperates with a pair of smaller, pivotal blades all of which are remotely actuated by a common fluid cylinder and which collectively act to both center the tree and effect the shearing.

A multichannel telemetry system using double sideband suppressed carrier amplitude modulated signals is described. The transmitted suppressed carrier signal also contains a reference signal component which is on continuously notwithstanding that the information or data signal to be transmitted is discontinuous. At the receiving terminal, the entire composite signal is used to synthesize the carrier. The reference signal is extracted from the composite signal and also used to control the amplitud...

The dining table comprises a table structure having one or more openings adapted to receive in a snug fit either a dining tray or a pair of operatively associated access covers, which in either case fill the opening. An inner one of the access covers is connected to the table structure by a hinge and an outer one of the access covers is suspended by a lever and latching arrangement. In a raised position, the covers abut each other and provide a substantially smooth dining surface. In a lower pos...

An apparatus for lifting and storing a boat above water and particularly for shallow water, is made up of a pair of laterally spaced floats fixedly secured to inner ends of a pair of beams whose outer ends are pivotally secured to a dock, a set of fixed posts, a bulkhead or other fixed structure. The floats and beams form a well having an entrance away from which is mounted a rear bar and further away from the rear bar and on the beams is mounted a front bar. A boat mounting frame onto which a b...

A personal buoyancy boat device for use in water sports games employs an inflatable inner tube retained within a housing of generally torroidal shape. A buoyant deck panel is disposed above the housing and secures two valves emergent from the tube, a first valve for deflation, and a second valve for inflation. A water-collecting target assembly is disposed above the deflation valve. When the target assembly fills with water, its added weight causes depression of the deflation valve, causing the ...

A machine for three-dimensional braiding of fibers is provided in which carrier members travel on a curved, segmented and movable braiding surface. The carrier members are capable of independent, self-propelled motion along the braiding surface. Carrier member position on the braiding surface is controlled and monitored by computer. Also disclosed is a yarn take-up device capable of maintaining tension in the braiding fiber.

A rigid, tubular bailing device has an open top and a closed bottom made from pliable material. An integral, flap-type check valve is formed in the bottom by cutting the valve from the pliable material and leaving a small portion uncut to act as a hinge. The edge of the valve is tapered so that the valve will seat properly when closed. By providing an up/down motion of the bailing device, water is pumped up into the device through the check valve and prevented from escaping when the valve closes...

An upright cordless grass trimmer incorporated incoporates fixed multi-toothed bottom blade and plural sets of top blades which oscillate over the bottom blade to achieve cutting. The sets of top blades are driven by a motor through a gear and cam mechanism and are synchronized so that one top blade set cuts at a different time in the cycle from the other set to achieve a counterbalancing and load leveling effect. A clutch mechanism absorbs abrupt blade stoppage and shock situations and a rechar...