Abstract: A protective cover for a stringed musical instrument is formed by a single fabric panel that has a peripheral edge passage for a pull cord. The cord is equipped with an adjustable clamp that can be tightened on the cord to hold the cord in a tensioned condition for stretching the fabric panel around the sound box of a musical instrument. The cover material is a stretchable elastic material that conforms to corners and irregular surface contours on the sound, so that the cover achieves a form fit on the instrument.

Abstract: Transparent acrylic lens elements can be screwed into drilled holes in the display sheet of an interiorly lighted sign box, to form illuminated messages. Each lens element has an enlarged head, and a cylindrical shank fitting into one of the drilled holes. A helical wall extending around and along the shank, so that the lens element can be rotated for screwing the element into the drilled hole. The helical wall has parallel flat side surfaces adapted to exert frictional grip forces on the associated display sheet, so that the lens element can be inserted partway into the hole to achieve different spacings of the enlarged head relative to the display.

Abstract: A denim fabric sheet is drawn into a folded rope configuration, and passed through an impact mechanism and an abrasion mechanism to give the fabric sheet a worn-out stonewashed appearance. Prior to passage through the impact mechanism the fabric sheet is coated with a water solution containing about five percent lubricant, four percent surfactant and about one percent antimigrant. After passage through the impact mechanism, the fabric sheet is rinsed and coated with a more dilute water solution about one percent lubricant, one quarter percent surfactant, about one half percent migrant, and about one half cellulase enzyme. The process is controllable to produce a consistent product appearance and fabric texture.

Abstract: An article storage apparatus includes a flexible panel that can be held against the upper torso of a person by an upper strap looped around the person's neck and a lower strap running around the sides and back of the person. The panel provides a support surface for a plurality of pocket structures that are sized to carry various articles normally carried by a person in a purse or in the person's pants pockets. The apparatus provides additional storage capacity for a person wearing conventional pants, or a primary storage device for a person wearing some other garment, such as shorts or a track suit.

Abstract: A disposable insulated drinking cup includes an inner liner, an outer annular shell, and an air-filled spacer between the liner and shell. The spacer includes a corrugated wall adhered to a backing sheet. Both the corrugated wall and backing sheet are of thin-wall construction to maximize the air volume and insulation properties of the spacer.

Abstract: A solar radiation shield includes a flexible shade assembly mounted on an automotive vehicle sun visor to prevent solar radiation from reaching interior surfaces of the vehicle when the vehicle is left standing in the sun for a protracted time period. The shade assembly includes a rotary spindle and a flexible sheet spirally wound on the spindle so that the sheet can be manually unrolled from the spindle to span the inner surface of the vehicle windshield. During normal operation of the vehicle the flexible sheet is wound onto the spindle so that the sun visor is enabled to perform in conventional fashion.

Abstract: A golf club head having an array of closely spaced air holes spanning the ball striking area of the club head front wall produces reduced drag and greater club head speed. A series of upstanding vanes behind the front wall provide upwardly open air channels that minimize turbulence and vent air out of the club head, thereby further improving aerodynamic performances.

Abstract: A composite photograph can be produced by taking two or more pictures, with different areas of the camera lens masked or covered during each picture-taking event. The mask structure is adjusted or repositioned between the picture-taking events so that when the multiple pictures are printed on a common film positive the composite picture will be a combination or merging of the scenes taken in the individual pictures. The mask structure can take the form of two or more rotary mask elements slidably carried on a cap structure adapted for placement on the front end of a conventional camera. Preferably the camera is an instant camera having self-contained mechanisms for printing the exposed picture on a film positive.

Abstract: A system for removing tetrachloroethylene impurity from water includes two or more adsorption columns in series flow relation. Each column has a upper layer of clay granules and a lower layer of activated charcoal granules. The liquid moves in a downflow direction through each adsorption column.

Abstract: The thermal stability testing apparatus includes a closed test chamber for containing a sample of material that is to be heated by an electrical heater; weight lost by the sample during the heating operation is a measure of the thermal stability of the material. A motor-operated exhaust fan is provided for removing gaseous products of combustion generated during the sample heating operation.

Abstract: An automatic photography apparatus has an object illuminating mechanism that has a high illumination mode and a low illumination mode. A switching control system is provided so that when the apparatus is used to photograph white background documents the illuminating mechanism is in the low illumination mode during the exposure setting periods; during the shutter-open period the illuminating mechanism is in the high illumination mode, so as to achieve sufficient exposure to capture the white background. The switching control system can be actuated to allow the camera to photograph documents and scenes having non-white backgrounds; in such situations the object illuminating mechanism is in the high illumination mode during the exposure lock-in stage and during the shutter-open stage.

Abstract: The present invention consists of a water spray hose device, a fixed base and a movable base, wherein the inner side plate of the fixed base is provided with a holder and a disk capable of continuously positioning, catching and stopping, and the outer side plate thereof is provided with a handle and a clip capable of fixing a spray connector; the inner side plate of movable base is provided with a brake element under the control of a spring; when the movable base is assembled with the fixed base, the stop on the brake element will intermittently move along the continuous corrugated chutes of the disk so as to control the action of stretching or folding the spray hose; and the outer side plate of the movable base is provided with a framed groove capable of disposing the inlet connector and a pair of recesses capable of folding the spray hose.

Abstract: A rack for supporting poultry in a baking pan during a cooking operation includes two slidably interconnected sections that can be pulled apart for disengagement from the turkey or chicken after the rack has been transferred from the baking pan to a serving tray or platter. Each section of the rack has a lifter handle to facilitate the process of lifting and moving the rack.

Abstract: A card game, on the order of blackjack, is played with at least one deck of cards, with sevens, eights, nines and tens removed. Each card has an assigned point value. Each player is dealt two cards face down, with an option to receive a third, in addition to the two cards initially received. The winning hand is the hand having the lowest point total, wherein the point total is the difference between the points for the cards in the person's hand. The lowest possible total is zero, achieved, e.g. when the two cards in the hand are the same number, hence same point value.

Abstract: The present invention consists of a screen-rolling device, two fixing frames for mounting the screen-rolling device on the roof of a car and two support frames for mounting the screen-rolling device on the ground, wherein the screen-rolling device is designed to adjust and control stretching or rolling a canvas screen through a twisting spring set which can generate a twisting force along with the rotation of a movable tube, the fixing frames are designed to mount the screen-rolling device on the roof of a car, and the support frames are designed to mount the canvas screen of the screen-rolling device on the ground so as to form an outdoor sun shade.

Abstract: A card game is played with a deck of cards having a full complement of face cards and a partial complement of numbered cards. Each card has a designated point value, with object being to achieve a hand having the highest point value. Each player receives four cards; one card is discarded, leaving three cards to be combined to achieve the point value for the hand. Cards of the same suit can be added together to provide a total point value for the hand. Alternately, points can be awarded for a hand containing three cards of the same kind, e.g. three kings or three sevens. The game is played according to the rules used in blackjack.

Abstract: A sunbathing apparatus includes a lounge chair equipped with six water spray nozzles at selected points along the chair surface, for generating a water mist atmosphere above the person reclining on the chair. Each spray nozzle has a tubular section extending through a rigid wall of the chair for gripment by a fastener, to achieve a rigid mounting of the spray nozzle. Water flow through the nozzles is controlled by a manual control valve connected to a flexible tube system joining the various nozzles. The valve is preferably a manually operable ball valve that can be adjusted to different settings for varying the water flow through the nozzles.