Abstract: An outrigger device for use on a fishing boat upon which it is mounted for both lateral movement, e.g., between trolling and stowage positions, and vertical movement, e.g., between vertical and horizontal, includes an outrigger pole receptacle tube, a mount unit including a plate for attachment to the boat, a standard tube that extends upwardly through and rotates in a central opening in the plate, a pivot unit fixed to the top end of the standard tube that mounts the receptacle tube to said standard tube for angled positioning between the two and a bifurcated, cam operated lock unit that surrounds the standard tube and is carried on the plate for controlling rotation of the standard tube relative to the plate.

Abstract: Disposable medical pressure cuffs of the type having one side made from a flexible non-porous plastic sheet and the other side made from a woven fabric sheet that presents a fleecy surface to provide comfort when in contact with the body of a patient are improved to prevent air leakage around joints of such sheets with inflation fittings by containing them in a small, fabric sheet-free section along the longitudinal edge of the cuff where the fittings enter the cuff and flanges of the fittings are heat sealed to the inside surface of the plastic sheet within the area of such section. Methods for forming such improved cuff structures are disclosed.

Abstract: A solvent recycle device for containing a volatile solvent with particulate material suspended therein having a density greater than such solvent and enabling the particulate material to gravationally separate from the solvent into a confined lower space isolated from an upper space from which clarified solvent is withdrawn from the device is described. Basically, the device includes an upper chamber with bottom sloping downwardly toward the rear, a lower chamber fixed beneath the upper, a first conduit at the rear connecting the two chambers for fluid flow between them, capped openings into the chambers and a second conduit external of the chambers connecting the top of the upper chamber to the back side of the lower chamber for fluid flow between them.

Abstract: An anti-theft device for a motor vehicle includes in combination an electromagnetic wave receiver, e.g. a cellular telephone, a disabling unit which when energized by the receiver will cause the vehicle's engine to stop running and a portable electromagnetic wave transmitter, e.g., a cellular telephone, capable of emitting a signal receptive by the receiver to effect energizing of the disabling unit. In one embodiment, the disabling unit opens the electrical motor control system to stop the engine. In another embodiment, the disabling unit stops flow of fuel to the engine thereby stopping it.

Abstract: A method for the generation of a supply of ozone containing process gas exhibiting high effective ozone content basically involves the steps of (a) providing a stream of an oxygen containing feed gas having a temperature not greater than about 50.degree. C. and an absolute pressure between about 1 and 3 bar, (b) subjecting the stream of feed gas to an electric discharge that transforms some of its oxygen content into ozone to produce a stream of ozone containing gas, and (c) compressing the ozone containing gas with simultaneous cooling thereof to produce a stream of ozone containing process gas having a temperature not greater than about the temperature of the feed gas, an absolute pressure greater than 3 bar and an absolute ozone partial pressure of at least 0.2 bar. Various systems for carrying out such methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Faux finishes are produced without need for artistic manipulations of coating materials by applying a layer of one or more unique color mixtures to a substrate surface and, while the layer is still wet, applying thereto scattered portions of one or more special blending solvent mixtures, allowing such portions to interact with the color mixture layer to automatically form a faux finish pattern and then allowing the resulting faux finish to dry. The color mixtures have the following weight percentage composition: 20%-60% acrylic latex, 20%-60% propylene glycol, and 1%-60% colorant. The blending solvent mixtures have the following weight percentage composition: 10%-30% isopropyl alcohol, 10%-30% ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, 30%-60% water, and 5%-30% acrylic latex.

Abstract: A ventilator wind scoop system is disclosed for attachment to a boat deck hatch having a hinged hatch cover which opens to uncover the hatch opening whereby the scoop system communicates through such opening with the boat's below deck space. The scoop system has a flexible air entrance unit formed of first and second fabric panels fixed in line contact with each other along their forward edges. The first panel, which is positioned forward and over the front edge of the hatch cover, contains a screened, rectangular opening through which air passes to flow over the top of the second panel that extends under the hatch cover and between two triangular side wedges. The second panel provides a louvre that collects any water entering the screened opening and carries it forward, away from the hatch opening. The wind scoop system is easily customized to fit a wide variety of hatch sizes and when not is use folds into a compact size for easy stowage.

Abstract: A propulsion system for a submarine vessel includes a thruster including a magnetic flux generating stator, a shaftless propellant rotor, electrical conductors to supply electrical current to the thruster, an electronic controller to regulate such electrical current and a mounting unit to attach the thruster to the vessel. The stator includes a plurality of magnetizable pole pieces each associated with windings of conductive wires electrically connected to a power supply via the controller. The rotor includes a propeller ring containing a plurality of permanent magnets to be torqued by the magnetic flux from the stator pole pieces and a plurality of propeller blades. The rotation of the rotor (armature) provides position signals to the controller which then energizes the proper field windings of the stator to continue the motion and provide full torque regardless of rotor speed.

Abstract: A method of operation of marine locks includes the steps of supporting a first column of water within a lock chamber upon a vertically movable first floor, supporting a second column of water within a balance chamber upon a vertically movable second floor, supporting the first and second floors upon a confined volume of compressed air communicated between the lock chamber and the balance chamber and causing the first floor to rise or fall by application of upward or downward hydraulic pressure on the first floor while causing the second floor to move in the opposite direction by application of contrary hydraulic pressure on the second floor. Lock systems to perform the new methods are disclosed.

Abstract: An adaptable system for precise cutting ends of 2.times.4 type lumber to form chords and webs for wooden roof trusses basically includes (a) a protractor unit formed of a plate member and a guide member, (b) horizontal table means including an upper surface supporting the protractor unit and upon which the lumber is supported in use of the system and (c) a radial arm saw. Stucture details of the protractor unit are disclosed. The system is relatively much less expensive than prior known precision roof truss member cutting devices and its method of use is quickly learned by sawyers.

Abstract: Methods for trimming trees with a machine that includes an elongated boom pivotally connected to the upper portion of a mast for elevational movement with the mast, an inboard rotor and an outboard rotor both rotatably mounted on the boom and a plurality of saws rotatably carried on each of the inboard and outboard rotors for rotation in a generally parallel plane are improved to prevent cuttings from accumulating in the tops of trimmed trees by rotating the inboard rotor and the saws carried thereby counterclockwise and rotating the outboard rotor and the saws carried thereby clockwise. Machines for carrying out the improved methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems of the prior art for cleansing a plurality of seriate filter cells in automatic backwash filters by backwashing the cells one at a time with backwash liquid wherein the cleansing operation on the active cell is prevented from moving to a further cell until the contaminant content of the waste liquid issuing from the previous cell reaches a predetermined low level are improved by overriding such prevention even though such content remains too high when a prescribed quantity of waste liquid has issued from the previous cell, e.g., as determined by a timer or fluid meter.

Abstract: A device for attachment to a tractor or similar vehicle for safe spray application of liquid chemicals around trees or like plants basically includes an elongated boom unit and a multinational spray unit pivoted by its inboard end on the boom unit, formed of an inboard section and an outboard section. The outboard section carries a spray nozzle and is pivoted by its inboard end to the outboard end of the inboard section. Spring members normally bias both sections of the spray unit into alignment with the boom unit, but first allow the inboard section followed, in turn, by the outboard section to move out of such alignment so they partially encircle a tree as the spray unit of the device contacts the trunk of the tree while the tractor moves the device forward and past the tree. Proximity switches and a photocell sense the correct positioning of the tree to emit sprayed chemical from the nozzle only when the spray unit is in contact with the tree.

Abstract: Leg-powered, foot-steerable devices for attachment to a wheelchair are disclosed that include a longitudinal pole unit, attachment clamps for releasably mounting the pole unit upon the frame of the wheelchair and a wheel assembly that includes a bearing unit carried by the pole unit, a pillar assembly carried by the bearing unit for limited rotation about a steering axis, an axle supported by the pillar assembly, at least one drive wheel carried by the axle for free rotation thereon and for limited rotation with the pillar assembly about the steering axis, and a pair of peddles fixed by opposed crank arms on opposite sides of the drive wheel for simultaneous rotation thereof by the feet of the wheelchair user about the steering axis and the axle.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for towing a pair of four wheel vehicles having handlebars for steering, e.g. an ATV, behind a van or other tractor vehicle. Such system includes an elongated tow bar that carries first and second hitchballs on its end portions. For each towed vehicle, there is a hitch unit with a cuplike forward end that rotatably engages a hitchball so that the hitch unit can be pulled forward by the hitchball while being free to oscillate behind it. The hitch units are fastened to the front ends of the four wheel vehicles and spring members are connected to each left and right handlebars of the four wheeled vehicle being towed to elastically bias them into the position that causes the respective the four wheel vehicle to move straight ahead, but momentarily allows the front wheels to momentarily move out of such position to enable the towed vehicle to accommodate itself to turning movements made by the tractor vehicle.

Abstract: An improved multi-stage treatment system for biological denitrification of and suspended solids removal from water includes a biological reactor containing rigid media supporting denitrifying bacterial growths, an aeration chamber and an automatic backwash filter. In use, methanol or other carbon source containing influent water flows into the reactor beneath the rigid media and upwardly in contact with said bacterial growths to cause nitrates and nitrites contained therein to be converted into nitrogen. The denitrified water is then aerated in the aeration chamber and subsequently filtered by downward flow through the automatic backwash filter.

Abstract: In a freeze-drying method, liquid substances to be dried are sprayed into a stream of cold gas, usually air, at ambient pressure creating a collection of small frozen particles that are metered through a vacuum lock into a vacuumized vertical tower having heated walls and, as the particles fall through the vacuum in the tower to its bottom, radiant heat from the tower walls causes the ice contained in the particles to sublime. The resulting sublimed vapor is removed from the tower by low temperature condensation while the dried particles are collected at the bottom and transferred through another vacuum lock into a container. The operation is continuous and fast, providing significant advantages compared to prior known freeze-drying operations.

Abstract: An improved multi-stage treatment system for biological denitrification of and suspended solids removal from water includes a biological reactor containing rigid media supporting denitrifying bacterial growths, an aeration chamber and an automatic backwash filter. In use, methanol or other carbon source containing influent water flows into the reactor beneath the rigid media and upwardly in contact with said bacterial growths to cause nitrates and nitrites contained therein to be converted into nitrogen. The denitrified water is then aerated in the aeration chamber and subsequently filtered by downward flow through the automatic backwash filter.

Abstract: Spray-freeze-drying systems and methods are disclosed for converting a wide variety of liquid substances into dry powder that may be reconstituted into the original substance by addition of water or other liquid that had been removed therefrom. Such systems and methods involve repetitive cycles of four operational steps, i.e., freezing, drying, defrosting and resetting and are characterized by: spraying the liquid substance downwardly in a vessel while surrounding the spray with a downward flow of process gas during the freezing step and by utilizing a heat pump for energy recapture to increase efficiency of operation.