Abstract: A fishing lure of the spinnerbait type is described wherein a body plug weight has an elongated stem extending from a body forward end to terminate in a rigidly affixed forward loop to which a fishing line may be attached, and also has a rigidly affixed body tail loop to which a hook may be attached. An arm extends from the stem to which one or more blades may be attached and blades may also be interposed between the body tail loop and the hook.

Abstract: A fluid filling system is disclosed wherein containers to be filled with fluid materials are supplied first to one or more time-metered filling stations, and then to a weight-metered filling station. At first, the time-metered filling station(s) is/are inactive, and only the weight-metered filling station is used to fill a first container to a desired final weight. A timer is used to monitor the filling time necessary to reach the desired final weight. When later containers are then supplied to the time-metered filling station(s), they are filled at each time-metered station for a filling time which is dependent on the previously measured filling time for the weight-metered filling station. These containers are then "topped off" by the weight-metered filling station to precisely fill them to the desired final weight, and the time required for such topping off is measured for use in subsequent modification of the filling times at the time-metered filling stations.

Abstract: An apparatus for properly centering and/or collimating an X-ray beam with respect to a target to be radiographically imaged. A field definer is situated between an X-ray source and an X-ray detector at the location where the target is to be situated. The field definer includes a pair of stops between which the target may be located, and the stops may be horizontally relocated relative to each other to be placed in abutment with the target. A sensor in communication with the stops produces a signal dependent on the distance between the stops, and a controller utilizes this signal to adjust the X-ray source to emit radiation in a desired area with respect to the field between the stops. As an example, a target may be situated between the stops, the stops may be adjusted in abutment with the target, and the X-ray source will then be collimated to emit a radiation beam which is incident only on the target between the stops.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a radiographic imaging system which performs system performance monitoring by (1) using automatic exposure control (AEC) components to predict the average image gray level; (2) obtaining measured average image gray levels from the portions of the X-ray detector situated in the X-ray shadow of the AEC components; and then (3) comparing the predicted and measured values. The predicted values are determined by use of a prediction model which is modified by a learning system over successive exposures to provide more accurate predictions. After the learning system has sufficiently developed the prediction model, the error between the predicted and measured gray level values may be monitored in later exposures and an error routine can be activated if the error exceeds a predetermined threshold. In this case, the error may indicate that system components in the imaging chain (e.g., the detector or AEC components) require maintenance.

Abstract: A guardrail system including a rail and rail connectors is described wherein the rail is formed of several elongated tubes which are integrally molded at the tube sidewalls. The tubes preferably have polygonal cross-sections with sidewalls situated in horizontal and vertical planes, with the vertical sidewalls of the various tubes staggered at different depths within the rail. Connections between rails may be achieved by internal connectors which fit within the tubes of adjacent rails, and/or by use of external connectors which receive the ends of adjacent rails. Such internal and external connectors may also be used to reinforce damaged rails to restore their performance characteristics.

Abstract: A slatwall system having a central, female, and male channels. The central channel includes top and bottom slots, as does the female channel, whereas the male channel includes a top slot and a bottom tongue. The channels may be arrayed on a wall such that the female channel bottom slot and the central channel top slot face each other, and so that the central channel bottom slot and the male channel top slot face each other. The facing slots of these channels thereby define grooves where hanging implements may be inserted. Further, the female and male channels are sized and configured such that when a male channel bottom tongue is inserted within a female channel top slot, the combined female and male channels have substantially the same size and configuration as the central channel; in other words, the male channel top slot resembles the central channel top slot and the female channel bottom slot resembles the central channel bottom slot.

Abstract: The computer automated system and method of converting a digitized raster image of a scanned source document, bearing alphanumeric text relating to a plurality of physical dimensions and to a plurality of edges of a three dimensional object and of a moiety a symbol represents and of an insertion point of the moiety into the three dimensional object, at least one orthographic drawing view having a plurality of lines oriented in a direction to each other and corresponding to the edges of the three dimensional object, and the symbol, into mathematically accurate three dimensional vectors corresponding to the physical dimensions and the edges of the object and moiety and into a mathematically accurate computer drawing file. The digitized raster image is organized into an orthographic viewpoint file corresponding to the view.

Abstract: A dual view display is described which displays two images, but wherein each image is visible to the exclusion of the other when the display is viewed from particular angles. A sheetlike picture inset bearing interleaved sections of the two images is situated between two transparent frame members having an accordion-folded or "zig-zag" configuration. The frame members are thus each formed of an array of planar sections wherein each planar section is at an angle to adjacent planar sections, and wherein every other planar section is parallel to a common view plane. When the display is viewed from a line of sight normal to one of the two viewing planes, the viewer sees only a single image, whereas image sections from both images are visible if the viewer sees the display from intermediate lines of sight.

Abstract: A plow blade is described which has first and second sections, e.g., a moldboard and a trip board, which are rotatable with respect to each other and maintained in a desired angular relationship with respect to each other via an elastic torsion joint. The elastic torsion joint includes an elongated inner member at least partially surrounded by an elongated outer sleeve. Resilient elastic cushioning wedges (e.g., elastomeric wedges) are situated between the inner member and outer sleeve in such a manner that rotation of the inner member with respect to the outer sleeve compresses the cushioning wedges and elastically resists rotation. The inner member and outer sleeve are respectively affixed to the moldboard and trip board (or vice versa) so that when the trip board strikes an obstruction and is biased with respect to the moldboard, the elastic torsion spring resiliently yields, and then causes the trip board to snap back to its original position with respect to the moldboard once the obstruction is removed.

Abstract: A small vehicle lift of the parallelogram type is described wherein parallel pivoting legs are pivotally attached at their opposing ends to a base and a support platform, whereby the lift ranges from a lowered state wherein the support platform is in close parallel relation to the base and a raised position wherein the support platform is in spaced parallel relation to the base. Both the support platform and the base pivotally bear the legs within channels and thereby surround the legs at opposing planes adjacent the planes wherein the legs pivot. The channels within the base also have wheels rotatably mounted therein to allow the lift to be easily transported. Two opposing pivoting legs are affixed together by a bridge member which is pivotally connected to a linear actuator, which is in turn pivotally connected to the base. Actuation of the linear actuator thereby raises and lowers the support platform with respect to the base.

Abstract: Melted thermoplastic is injected into a port in a hollow golf club head at high velocity so that the melted thermoplastic impinges on the club head interior opposite the port. The temperature of the thermoplastic can be such that it adheres and hardens almost immediately upon impact, thereby attaching to and weighting any area which it strikes, or it can be fluid so that the club head can be oriented after injection to have the thermoplastic flow to and weight a desired area. During this process, a weight sensor can monitor the weight of the club head and/or the weight loss in the injection apparatus so as to determine the change of weight in the golf club head. When the desired weight change is achieved, the injection apparatus can halt injection. Preferably, the injection apparatus is a hot-melt adhesive injector of the type commonly used to glue paperboard packaging materials, and the thermoplastic is standard hot-melt adhesive.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for determining the largest subset of points that remains within a set of points S (i.e., shape S) when S is subjected to a motion M. These methods, which are generally designated herein as unsweep (or formalistically unsweep(S,M)), can be implemented (preferably by computer) for a variety of practical purposes, for example mechanical parts design. In this instance, simply by knowing the motion to be experienced by a part and the envelope wherein the part must fit during motion, unsweep can define the largest part that fits within the envelope according to the given motion. While direct part shape output is obtained, no part shape needs to be proposed beforehand, and thus the design process is no longer an iterative process of proposing shapes and correcting them in the case of interference. Further, unsweep is related to the known sweep function and can be used to obtain sweeps as well as unsweeps.

Abstract: A service area is provided with a service area floor having a service pit sunken therein. A service lift is then provided within the service pit, and the service lift includes a service platform which is adjustable between a lowermost height to an uppermost height substantially equal to the height of the service area floor. Service personnel situated on the service platform within the service pit may thus actuate the service platform to various heights within the pit to allow comfortable servicing of the underside of a vehicle without the need to crouch or resort to the use of stepladders. The service platform can also be lifted to its uppermost height to effectively close the service pit, thereby enhancing the safety of the service area. The service lift most preferably uses air springs to effect the actuation of the service platform.