Abstract: A lift as a personal tool used manually to lift portions of a fuel hose successively, equipped to slide along the fuel hose as a user walks erect as the user moves along the fuel hose progressively causing residual fuel in the fuel hose to drain out the hose distal end, away from the fuel truck. The lift includes a handle adapted for grasping by its user separated from a fuel hose support by a bar depending from the handle forming a C-shape with an open portion opposite the bar and a trough opposite the handle. A roller disposed to roll on the hose support has a radially extending flange on each roller end maintaining the fuel hose central on the roller. In use, the user walks in erect posture from the truck along the fuel hose with the lift hanging from the user's downwardly extending arm. As the hose leads to the ground and before the hose reaches the ground, the hose moves into the lift trough engaging the hose at a hose engagement level several inches above the ground.

Abstract: A bracket that conveys repeated lateral forces on a bi-fold door from an overhead channel on a bi-fold door doorjamb through a common peg and roller to the bi-fold doors without damaging the door. The bracket comprises a horizontal edge plate and a broad vertical brace plate meeting orthogonally at a bracket corner. The horizontal edge plate has a vertical tubular post extending upwardly therefrom for receiving the peg and roller. Alternatively, the horizontal edge plate may have a hole no larger than the drilled hole in the door top edge in which the peg may be is received. To align the brace plate hole with the door hole the bracket may include a vertical edge plate orthogonal to both the horizontal edge plate and the vertical brace plate, extending between them. The vertical edge plate then measures the distance from the door side edge to the door hole as the same distance between the bracket vertical edge plate and the bracket peg hole.

Abstract: A disc-shaped wheel cover, or shield, with an arm rotatable around the shield center includes a pressurized fluid container at the arm distal end filled with cleaning chemical, extending on the arm radially beyond the shield. A nozzle on the container directed axially disburses chemical toward a tire sidewall. Alternatively, the arm may comprise a grasping member on its distal end adapted to receive a commercially-available pressurized container. A wheel may also be mounted under the container to support the arm distal end a predetermined distance from the tire as the wheel rolls around the tire sidewall. The shield is removably attached to a wheel rim flange by an elastic skirt around the shield circumference at shield closed end with a skirt open end adapted to attach to the wheel. Thus, in operation the elastic skirt is stretched about the flange.

Abstract: A tube cutting machine comprises a tube secured in a chuck tightened against an outer tube wall and by a mandrel expanded within the tube against the tube inner wall opposite the chuck. A blade with a conical body side on the tube body side advances into the tube at the body side angle, eliminating longitudinal force against the tube body and accumulation of tube material on the blade body side. In alternative embodiments, either the tube or the blade can rotate. As the blade edge enters the tube wall, the blade end side, opposite the body side is also conical and pushes the tube cut portion longitudinally away from the tube body, causing the tube before the blade to neck under the longitudinal force imposed by the blade end side. The blade is reversed when the neck weakens and is unable support the tube cut portion but has not yet broken, referred to as the failure point. The blade is then withdrawn and the neck is snapped off. The failure point is detected by a rod urged transversely against the tube end.

Abstract: A truck rack with a platform mounts over a pickup bed and within a pickup canopy, leaving a generally unobstructed view through the pickup rear window. The platform is supported above the cab rear window in its store position but lowered on one end for loading as the other end pivots on a frame. To minimize valuable space within the canopy above the window, the platform locates in store position between upper frame members. In a preferred embodiment, the rack is supported in a supplemental frame that pivots on a primary frame forward in the truck bed. When released from a lock position, the rack moves longitudinally, forward and rearward in the truck bed, in the supplemental frame for ease of loading.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to mix in a mixing chamber within the apparatus a waterless paint concentrate maintained in a reservoir within the apparatus. The concentrate is stored in the reservoir in a concentration unsuitable for application to a paintable surface. The concentrate is mixed with water received into the mixing chamber under external waterline pressure forming a paint suitable for application to a paintable surface. The paint is then discharged from the apparatus through a spray nozzle. Mixing occurs in the apparatus concurrently with discharge through the nozzle as water flows through the apparatus. The apparatus as largely a container of waterless paint concentrate with a simple mix and discharge spray head attached is disposable after consumption of the concentrate without need for cleaning.

Abstract: A digital synthesizer generates an electrical digital carrier that is converted to analog and driven a probe coil to generate an electromagnetic wave propagated into a test material proximate the probe coil. A return electromagnetic wave generated by eddy currents in the material includes signatures of material defects modulated on the return carrier electromagnetic wave. The return wave is detected by one or more probe coils and amplified. A second amplifier is applied selectively amplifying the signal in segments such that each segment exploits the input range of the analog to digital converter. The signal is then converted from an analog signal to a digital signal and then digitally mixed with digital sine and cosine functions also generated by the digital synthesizer to yield sum and difference values. A gain scaling stage then trims the signal to overcome circuit imprecision such that the amplification in each respective segment is a power of two.

Abstract: A tooth characterization guide includes several sets of tooth samples, each set representing a tooth different characteristic. The guide allows a dentist to compare guide samples in value and translucency with a patient's teeth to obtain an accurate characterization of a tooth prosthesis for the patient. From these tooth samples the dentist is able to first choose a suitable translucency, which is the most important and influential factor for true tooth replication from a first set of samples. The dentist then is able to choose a suitable brightness from a second set of samples. The dentist then is able to choose a suitable color and saturation from a third set of samples. The dental laboratory utilizing the guide selections can then objectively reproduce the observed tooth appearance.

Abstract: An icing dispenser having an expandable elastic reservoir on the handle proximal end which when loaded expands a reservoir bladder under an elastic bias that tends to return the bladder to its unexpanded condition, therein uniformly impressing constant pressure on the icing within the reservoir. A reservoir neck extends from the bladder through a handle passageway to a decorator icing tip. A butterfly valve within the reservoir neck modulates an amount of icing flowing through the tip with butterfly ends angled parallel to the passageway and urged into the pliable neck at a preferred angle, slightly deforming the neck to effect a valve seal. The handle is adapted for operation in an operator's fingers as a writing instrument with icing extrusion modulated by a lever on the handle being adjusted relative to the handle by the fingers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a digital synthesizer generating an electrical digital carrier that is converted to analog and driven a probe coil to generate an electromagnetic wave propagated into a test material proximate the probe coil. A return electromagnetic wave generated by eddy currents in the material includes signatures of material defects modulated on the return carrier electromagnetic wave. The return wave is detected by one or more probe coils and amplified. A second amplifier is applied selectively amplifying the signal in segments such that each segment exploits the input range of the analog to digital converter. The signal is then converted from an analog signal to a digital signal and then digitally mixed with digital sine and cosine functions also generated by the digital synthesizer to yield sum and difference values. A gain scaling stage then trims the signal to overcome circuit imprecision such that the amplification in each respective segment is a power of two.

Abstract: A wash bucket screen has a slanting platform supported on a frustum skirt. The platform has a plurality of holes interspersed between raised ridges on the platform running radially generally toward its perimeter as an aid in releasing water from a cloth squeezed against the platform. To effectively prevent backsplash from the bucket bottom back through the screen, the holes taper from a diameter sized to readily collect water on the platform top to a smaller hole diameter on the platform bottom. The skirt includes a flange on its distal end that engages the bucket wall. To accommodate a frustum bucket with changing wall diameter, the skirt flexes resiliently with the flange engaging the bucket wall and the skirt flexing inward as the screen is inserted in a bucket with decreasing diameter. To allow movement of the skirt, a plurality of slits extend vertically, opening at the skirt distal end, providing an effective splash shield between the skirt and the bucket wall.

Abstract: A digital synthesizer generates an electrical digital carrier that drives probe coil to generate an electromagnetic wave propagated into a test material proximate the probe coil. A return electromagnetic wave generated by eddy currents in the material includes signatures of material defects modulated on the return carrier electromagnetic wave. The return wave is detected by one or more probe coils, amplified, converted from an analog signal to a digital signal and then digitally mixed with digital sine and cosine functions also generated by the digital synthesizer to yield sum and difference values, mathematically expressing various eddy current signals received by the probe in a complete set of orthogonal functions. A low pass filter then removes all but the difference values. A direct current reference component is subtracted from the mixed digital signal, which translates the signal to center about a zero axis for ease of display and analysis.

Abstract: An eddy current probe comprising two solenoid coils wound around a common rectangular wafer base of high permeability material extending beyond the coils at wafer corners with the wafer becoming the solenoid core. Posts also of high permeability material depend from a wafer front at its corners with coils crossing orthogonally on the wafer. The coils are connected to alternating current to produce magnetic fields that have like magnetic poles at wafer corners diagonally opposed across the wafer, the coils switching in phase to alternate the magnetic field between posts at base diagonal corners. With the posts at the wafer base corners, the combined magnetic fields generated from the orthogonal coils conduct through the posts and emanate from post ends. The post ends have a curvature matching that of a material to be tested for better coupling the magnetic field into the material.

Abstract: A C-clamp including a two-member back with a first member telescoping from a second member to a selective position where it is releasably secured. A securing mechanism, such as a cross pin or a ratchet a pawl in a rack on the first member, releasably secures the members together at a preferred position. In the preferred embodiment, the second member comprises a channel with the first member passing into the channel. Thus, the cross pin at the channel entry end engages one of a plurality of grooves in the top of the first member. To adjust the extent of the inner member from the outer member, it rotates out of the channel to separate the pin from the selective groove, allowing the inner and out members to adjust their relative position. Equivalently, the cross pin may remove from a groove of a nonrotating inner member.

Abstract: The directed field array comprises a cylindrical solenoid 10 and a base 20 located transverse the solenoid axis 11. An array of mutually spaced apart posts 24 extends from the base 20 such that the magnetic field 22 passes through the base 20 and into the array of posts 24, dividing and focusing the magnetic field into discretized magnetic field divisions 22′ through the several posts. In a first configuration, the base 20 is disposed transverse the end of the coil center or core 12 with the array of posts 24 extending from the base 20 away from the solenoid 10 longitudinally with the solenoid axis 11. In an alternative configuration, at least one base 20″ locates at a solenoid end 30 transverse the solenoid axis 11 with an array of posts 24″ extending radially from the base 20, equally spaced apart circumferentially about the base. Multiple bases are typically aligned with their posts staggered.

Abstract: A pair of articulated rods connect between a float and a pair of shafts through a one-way clutch on the respectively shafts. When a float rises an “up” connecting rod causes the “up” shaft to rotate as its clutch is engaged, and when the float falls, that clutch disengages, allowing that shaft to freewheel. Likewise when the float falls a “down” connecting rod causes the “down” clutch to engage and the “down” shaft to rotate, typically rotating opposite the rotation of the “up” shaft. When the float reverses and begins to rise again, the “down” clutch disengages and the “up” clutch reengages. A connecting rod hand member connected pivotably to the forearm at a wrist joint is adjustable in length. The wrist joint adjusts the effective length of the hand member to change the stroke of the machine to match wave amplitude through a computer-controlled pneumatic actuator.

Abstract: Use of plastic laminate on both sides of book covers made of paper to render them stiffer and more durable and a method for attachment of the laminated book covers when hot glue is used in the book binding process. Hot glue used in book binding will not bond with the plastic laminate. Bonding of the book laminated covers can be achieved by bonding a paper strip to the spine area of the laminated covers. The hot glue will then bond to the paper strip in the book binding process.

Abstract: A truck rack with a platform mounts over a pickup bed and within a pickup canopy, leaving a generally unobstructed view through the pickup rear window. The a platform is supported above the cab rear window in its store position but lowered on one end for loading as the other end pivots on a rack frame. To minimize valuable space within the canopy above the window, the platform locates in store position between upper frame members. Supporting legs are length adjustable to position the frame and platform above the rear window. Sleeves mountable to a truck bed side have a hole through the sleeve receives a frame leg. Each leg has a plurality of holes matching the sleeve hole. To select a preferred leg length in positioning the upper frame and platform above the rear window, a bolt passes through a selective leg hole aligned with the sleeve holes.

Abstract: A rumble strip cutter machine having a nonoscillating main frame supported on round, ground-engaging operational support wheels with an oscillating moving frame generally coplanar within the main frame, moving slightly out of the common plane during oscillatory motion effected through crank action driven by an operational support wheel. A grinder brush is mounted central under the moving frame between the frame pivot pin and the crank connection. An engine is mounted over the brush also on the moving frame drives the brush and by its weight forces the brush into pavement below. For nonoperational transport at highway speeds the main frame is lifted off of its operational support wheels by a pair of hydraulically-actuated auxiliary wheels at the main frame rear end. The front operational wheels are lifting off of the ground by rotating and locking a trailer tongue on the main frame front end toward the frame.

Abstract: Vise jaw plates and matching work piece holders cooperate to reliably secure an odd-shaped object in a preferred orientation between the plates. At least one of a plurality of work piece holders are disposed throughout the jaw in a uniform orthogonal pattern with the plate holes precisely aligned in rows and columns and spaced apart a same distance such that a selected work piece holder with one or more mount posts matching the jaw holes is mountable equally well throughout the plate. The assembly of accessories includes a plurality of dowels, a pivot bar, a sine bar, a V-block, an arc block, a curvilinear side block, and a parallel keeper.