Abstract: A truck houses a closed recirculation system having a series of hoses, filters and pumps interconnecting a first point and second point, preferably hydrants, of a water supply system. A flow of water pumped outside of the water supply system through the filters causes an increased water flow within the section of the water supply system between the second and the first point to clean the section of deposits, sediment, particulates and other undesirable matter. All of the filtered water is returned to the water supply system. The water may be inspected and chlorinated.

Abstract: A neoprene strap has loop type connector material along the length of one side to mate adjustably with a strip of hook type connector material on the other side at one end of the strap to tightly stretch the strap around the patella in a double loop. A midportion of the strap is positioned either under or over the front of the patella. The ends wrap around the leg to form a cross overlap point with extra support behind or on either side of the patella and the ends are joined in an end overlap point with extra support at the front of the leg adjacent to the patella opposite the midportion. Magnets with hook type connector material attach at any desired points along the strap on the loop type connector material in contact with the skin at the desired points of application of magnetic therapy around the knee.

Abstract: A level pen/pencil or other writing instrument is equipped with an end-mounted level vial which mates with the pen/pencil barrel. The housing of the level is entirely clear allowing for the bubble of the level to be visible from all sides of the pen/pencil. The level pen/pencil is designed with sufficient length for reaching from a center of a child's head to a vertical wall surface for marking the child's height thereon. The level pen/pencil can also be used for other applications requiring both a level and a marking means such as construction, repair work, hanging pictures or shelves, or various other leveling and marking tasks.

Abstract: Extruded or molded plastic covers snap fit into the jamb liner slots over the lower jamb liners. Replaceable brush weatherstrips on the edge contact the lower window sash. Upper foam pads engage the upper window sash and press the upper sash against the window frame. The smooth outer face of the covers may be painted. A T-shaped back rail inserts in a back jamb liner slot.

Abstract: A plastic spoon bill, oval or circular in plan view with two angled thin faces which may be flat or curved, has a horizontal insert in the mouth of an artificial or natural bait fish. A pin through the bait fish body and through a hole in the insert secures the insert. A multiple pronged hook on a wire leader from the spoon bill is inserted in the underside of the bait fish. A weighted ballast attached to the hook is inserted in the underside of the bait fish. A live fish being hooked pulls the hook from the bait fish and the undamaged bait fish is reusable.

Abstract: A spring tensioned roller and spaced tension bar have a vehicle cover folded in half and rolled around the spring tensioned roller. The rear half of the cover has an end rod and a central opening which allows it to be hooked over a trunk lock mechanism and kept secure when the trunk is shut. The front half of the cover has a lead rope or belt with two hooks for securing it under the hood of the vehicle or any other edged surface on the front of the car. The tensioned cover is elevated above the roof of the vehicle by the roller and tension bar for purposes of ventilation.

Abstract: A hollow handle is fitted at the end with an offset ratchet wrench housing. A punch rod slidably positioned within the handle with an end protruding may be struck with a hammer or other implement to turn the ratchet. An impact cap over the end of the handle provides a larger target for the hammer. A spring-loaded striking pin pivotally attached to the working end of the punch rod engages and turns the teeth of the ratchet and also can act as the ratchet retainer pin.

Abstract: A sloping fuel grate allows primary air to flow up into a thick biomass fuel bed in a gasifier producing combustible gases. Fuel feed screws keep the fuel bed at a nearly constant height in response to a level indicator. A burner above the fuel bed admits swirling secondary air and combustible gases, burning the gases to produce a flame to heat a boiler or other heat applying device. A donut shaped collar in the burner prevents gases from leaking back into the burner. A programmable logic controller maintains the system at a desired optimum level of operation based on signals from oxygen, moisture, pressure, temperature and fuel bed height sensors. The controller sends signals to controls for primary air valves and dampers, fuel feeder, and an induced draft fan and optional combined primary and secondary air fan controlling the pressure and flow of air and gases for the system.

Abstract: A number of connectors each have a central hub and flexible arms radiating out from the hub, which may interlock orthogonally with other hubs or structural members. A twist in the flexible arms permits axial flexing in addition to the lateral flexing capability in all directions. Distal receiving ends of the flexible arms have laterally expanding and contracting flexible loops, arms, coils, sleeves, cables, or spring-loaded forked arms capable of contracting and expanding from two to ten times the thickness of the flexible arms to accommodate a wide range of sizes of tubes attachable to the flexible arms. Various colors, lengths, and diameters of inexpensive drinking-type straws may connect between connectors to form a wide variety of structural shapes.

Abstract: Top and bottom frame supports are spaced apart and secured together by central end posts. Downwardly opening grooves along the arcuate edges of the top frame support align with upwardly opening grooves along the arcuate edges of the bottom frame support to form mating tracks into which credit cards are inserted. The credit cards bend into the shape of the grooves and overlap with two cards on each side to form side enclosure surfaces which enclose a storage space between the cards on each side and the top and bottom frame supports for storing money and other valuables. A holder with a key, pen, knife, or other device may be inserted in a notch in the top frame support. Alternately the framed supports may be hinged together at one end to form a hinged clamshell-type container.

Abstract: A replacement parting stop installed in a double-hung window frame has a top groove on one side and a bottom groove on the other side. The grooves are equal in length to the top sash and bottom sash respectively. A pile weatherstrip has a base with protruding resilient ridges on each side along its length. The pile weatherstrip, cut into lengths equal to the top groove and bottom groove, is pressed into the grooves compressing the ridges with an airtight friction fit with the parting stop installed in place on the window frame. The weatherstrip is easily pulled out of the grooves and replaced as necessary with weatherstrip of a desired pile height to fill the gap between the parting stop and the sash.

Abstract: A base plate is secured to any existing snowboard with screws or bolts through holes in the base plate mating with the standard holes in the snowboard. A rotatable plate has a wide groove to receive a standard existing boot binding and the two have circular openings which fit rotatably over a protruding circular guide post on the base plate. A cap plate with mating holes and a protruding bottom circular plate extends through the boot binding and rotatable plate openings to contact the guide post on the base plate with the screws or bolts passing through all the mating holes to the snowboard. An elevated rim around the cap plate fits within a circular groove of the boot binding to allow the boot binding and rotatable plate to rotate relative to the cap plate. A low-friction ring has bottom teeth to fit within the teeth of the boot binding and a top low-friction top surface to contact the cap plate.

Abstract: A water-impervious material forms a protective envelope around the hull of a vessel. Interconnected pipe sections in a tubular opening around the upper edge of the envelope form a rigid frame to maintain the shape of the envelope. A pair of split rods pivotally connected at two points between pipe sections create a front collapsible portion of the envelope. The weight of the pipe sections in the front collapsible portion cause it to sink and pivot downwardly to allow a vessel to enter and exit the envelope. Ropes and blocks between the front portion and the floating piers are used to raise the front collapsible portion and the ropes tied to the vessel to maintain the front portion in place. The remainder of the envelope is fitted with a series of floats so that the envelope encircles the vessel to prevent marine growth on the hull of the vessel. Counterweights on ropes through pier blocks and connected to the envelope around its perimeter maintain it in place around the vessel.

Abstract: A curved container structure has an interior curved reflective surface for reflecting varied and distorted images of objects placed therein or within the near focal range of the reflective surface. A rigid curved structure is metalized on the interior or on the exterior of a transparent structure. A reflective flexible disc has a radial slit with the two sides of the slit overlapping and held together by a temporary binder to form an adjustable cone. A protective cover over the reflective surface is transparent when used on the interior of the container. Objects on a holder are inserted into the curved structure through a main viewing opening or an opposite apex opening. A collar on the holder secures a cord for moving objects hanging therefrom. A rod within a tube may adjustably secure a cord therebetween. One or more cords, such as elasticized cords, may be stretched across or dangled into the viewing opening. A cover, with an attached cord for dangling the object, may be placed over the viewing opening.

Abstract: A rotatable plate has a wide groove to receive a boot binding and the two fit rotatably over a protruding circular guide post on a base plate secured to a snowboard. A cap plate extends through binding and rotatable plate openings to contact the guide post with screws or bolts passing through mating holes to the snowboard. An elevated rim around the cap plate fits within a circular groove of the boot binding to allow the binding and rotatable plate to rotate relative to the cap plate. A square locking shaft with a T-shaped handle fits within a slidable sleeve having four binding tabs mating with the sides of the locking shaft. Screwing the sleeve into a lock base with tapered walls binds the binding tabs against the lock shaft to secure the locking shaft. The locking shaft may be locked with the shaft inserted in any of the lock holes in a lock ring around the perimeter of the base plate to secure the boot binding at a desired angle to the snowboard.

Abstract: A resilient tapered conical insert (40,70) is snap fit into a mating recess in each side of a two-piece multi-circuit connector (50, 80). A coupling body segmented latch arm (501, 801) expands over an insert ramp (410, 701) with segmented tabs (42, 82) and locks into an insert recess groove (402, 702) for a tactile and audible signal of engagement and a secure permanent union. Replaceable contact elements (20, 90) are snap fit in a fluid-resistant self-sealing relationship to selected mating openings (44, 74) in the inserts with a contact protrusion (22, 92) engaging an insert shoulder (140, 170) and contact barbs (23, 93) engaging resilient insert openings (145A, 171). A front contact barb (24, 94) snaps into a larger insert opening (45, 74) for a tactile and audible feedback of complete insertion. Replaceable inserts may be fitted with any desired configuration of paired contact elements assembled in the field. Blank or partially blank inserts (40B, 70B) may be drilled in the field.

Abstract: Sloping water tunnels and channels interconnect existing sources of water with dry land areas to form new water basins. Turbines are installed in rapidly flowing portions of the water tunnels and channels to generate electricity. Overflow tunnels connected to the sloping water tunnels by water gates communicate with wastewater treatment plants feeding into the sloping water tunnels to open the water gates when the outflow of treated wastewater starts to back up. The water tunnels and channels are formed by removing earth and installing steel frames with sprayed on concrete which is waterproofed. The earth removed is used to fill valleys to create dams and dumped into existing lakes and ocean bays on pontoon railways to create breakwaters and islands. A number of existing sources of water and new water basins are interconnected by a number of open water channels navigable by water vessels to create a transregional navigable water transportation system.

Abstract: A golf club shaft manufacturing process for making a lightweight golf club shaft that is not uniformly tapered along its length by using standard table-rolling tools and equipment. The process consists generally of creating one or more hollow sleeves and securing them around the exterior of a mandrel, the sleeves having a length and an exterior shape equal to the desired dimensions of the non-tapered portions of the shaft. Graphite flags are then rolled around the mandrel and sleeve, shrink tape is applied and the entire assembly is placed in a curing oven to cure the graphite shaft. The curing temperature is less than the melting point of either the mandrel or sleeve. Once the shaft has been cured, the shrink tape is removed and the mandrel is extracted. The remaining shaft and sleeve assembly is heated to a temperature greater than the melting point of the sleeve material so that the sleeve is liquefied and can be poured out of the shaft. The cured shaft can then be cut, sanded and finished as desired.

Abstract: Interlocking modular elements are each formed by two side panels spaced apart in parallel face-to-face alignment sandwiching two protruding elongated elements spaced apart in planar alignment forming a slot therebetween. A series of interlocking modular elements stacked vertically in an alternating orthogonal array interlock with slots intersecting adjacent slots and panels to form an vertical structural support. In a preferred embodiment, the space between elongated elements is equal to the width of one elongated element. Each protrusion of each elongated element creates a tenon insertable in each mortice between elongated elements to form a coplanar vertical structural support. Alternately, second modular elements are formed with two spaced parallel side panels sandwiching a single elongated element protruding above and below the side panels. Horizontal slots are formed between side panels.