Abstract: Attachment of a bridge and temple hinge to the lens of rimless eye glasses. The attachment is accomplished by providing a tapered aperture is each lens adjacent to the outer surface of the lens and conforming the distal ends of the bridge and temple hinge to conform to the taper of the aperture. This combination provides a friction lock between the aperture and the bridge and temple hinge. The taper can be in the range of 1 to 20 degrees either convergent from the front to the back of the lens or divergent from the front to the back of the lens. Ideally a taper of 4.5 degrees is preferable. The taper can take the form of a cylinder, rectangular or triangular. The distal ends of the bridge and temple hinge can be inserted either from the front of the lens toward the back or from the back toward the front. The distal ends of the temple hinge can be inserted directly into the aperture or can be bent formed to provide a bias between the outer surface of the lens adjacent the aperture for non-rotational support.

Abstract: A bed having a hard sleeping layer with a conduit embedded in the layer. The layer rests on a thermally insulating layer. The conduit loops across the surfaces. A steam generator directs steam through the conduit to warm the bed. The steam passes to a condensor which condenses the steam and passes the resulting water back to the steam generator. Operation of the steam generator is controlled by a thermostat. A sight gage permits observation of the level. An arrangement is provided for flushing the conduit.

Abstract: A system for protecting collectible cards and the like. A transparent card holder holds the collectible card and an authentication certificate. The card holder is sealed to prevent removal of the card and certificate. A light impervious pouch receives the card holder to protect against fading of the card due to ultraviolet light exposure and to prevent scratching or other damage to the card holder. The pouch includes a transparent window through which the authentication certificate can be viewed without removing the card holder from the pouch. A flap covers the opening in the pouch through which the card holder is inserted. The pouch is formed from a soft material that will not scratch the card holder.

Abstract: A case for glasses in the shape of a writing instrument having a hollow barrel portion for receiving a pair of small glasses. The case can take a plurality of different cross-sectional configurations. The writing instrument can be a pen or pencil at one end of the hollow barrel with an opening with a removable cover at the opposite end. The glasses for use therewith can be small conventional glasses or specially designed glasses that can have both telescopic frames and telescopic temples.

Abstract: An improved brush assembly for horizontally rotating brushes on street sweeping machines. A circular disk carries brush holders for holding bristles in the desired configuration. The brush holders are clamped to the disk by a clamp having a clamp bar that engages the brush holder and is maintained parallel to the brush holder with an offset support. A bolt between the brush holder and offset support presses the clamp bar firmly against the brush holder to hold it in place. Alignment holes in the brush holder cooperate with pins on the clamp bar to maintain the brush holder in the proper position. Holes through the brush holder have transverse walls so that U-shaped bristles can be extended through the holes with legs of the U-shape on opposite sides of the transverse walls. Preferably, the holes position the bristles outwardly of the disk at about 62.degree. to the disk.

Abstract: An insulated building block system for use in building walls and other structures. Each full block has sidewalls and endwalls with a generally open interior and flat upper and lower surfaces. Two vertical ridges are provided along the interior of one sidewall, with a protrusion extending above the upper surface. The ridges are located such that an upper block arranged in staggered relationship to a block in a lower course will interlock with the lower block. Recesses are provided in the interior endwall surfaces to retain a thermal insulation panel against the interior sidewall surface opposite the ridges. Half blocks are also provided to fill spaces in wall end surfaces between staggered full blocks. The half blocks have open interiors for placement of insulation panels and include ridges for interlocking with protrusions on adjacent full blocks.

Abstract: A visual car spotter that is visible for a distance either day or night. The visual car spotter includes a telescopic mast with three telescopic segments frusto in cross section constructed of translucent or transparent material which when extended frictionally lock one within another. The mast is removably attached to a base which either has a permanent magnet embedded therein or has a layer of plastic with magnetic particles embedded therein adjacent to the bottom of the base for attachment to the metal roof of the automobile. In one embodiment a light at the distal end of the extended mast is a visual indicator at night and in another embodiment the light is in the base and the entire mast has illumination. A lanyard attached to the base or mast or both extending into the interior of the automobile between the door and door frame prevents theft and provides notice to the driver of the automobile to remove the visual car spotter from the roof.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring side-to-side tilt of vehicles such as trucks, trailers and the like that elevate one end of a bin to dump material therefrom. A curved transparent tube filled with liquid except for one gas bubble is mounted on the vehicle. A series of light emitters are arranged along one side of the tube with a corresponding series of light detectors along the other side. The detectors detect light passing through the liquid but not through the bubble. The resulting signals are transmitted to at least one light bar having a series of light emitters, such as incandescent lamps or light emitting diodes. An electronic circuit processes the tube detector signals and causes the light bar to light emitters in a pattern corresponding to the degree of tilt. An audible alarm and a circuit for stopping bin lifting when tilt reaches a predetermined limit are provided.

Abstract: A tray for use on the lap of a person for supporting a small bet or use in activities such as card games, writing, etc. The lap tray is formed from an elongated, flexible plastic panel formed from a plastic such as high density polyethylene. The lap tray has a flat central portion with two intermediate portions extending from ends of the central portion at approximately 90.degree. to the central portions and two end portions extending from ends of the intermediate portions toward each other, approximately parallel to the central portion. The end portions can be manually spread apart and the tray placed over the thighs with the central portion across the thighs and the other portions around the legs. For storage, the end portions may be folded against the intermediate portions and the resulting assemblies folded against the central portion to form a relatively thin, flat package. If desired, suitable restraints, such as elastic bands, may be used to hold the package in the stored position.

Abstract: A kit for repairing a worn out of round aperture. The kit includes a template which is later utilized as a part of the repair. In a first embodiment, the template is precisely located by means of utilizing the bottom of the aperture which does not become out of round as does the upper portion thereof and is fixedly attached to the structure containing the out of round aperture. A sacrificial pin is inserted in the out of round aperture, centered therein by means of the bottom non-out of round portion and adhered thereto. A drill is then passed through the boring guide enlarging the out of round aperture to a true round bore and the sacrificial pin is drilled out at the same time. The boring guide is then removed and an enlarged precision pin is inserted into the re-bored aperture. The new pin is fixedly secured in the new aperture by any convenient means such as peening between the pin outer surface and the adjacent structure.

Abstract: A workpiece indexing and clamping system for machining the workpiece. Spherical or narrow cylindrical heads of index pins extend from holes in a base plate into workpiece holes to align and index the workpiece. The pin portions in the base plate holes can be expanded to lock them to the base plate. Each pin has relief flats parallel to the pin axis. Clamps engage workpiece edges with thread-like angled grooves on a cam surface to force workpiece edges against the base plate during machining of the workpiece. A central clamp has a pin extending from the base plate into a workpiece hole. Angled grooves in a cam surface are brought into contact with the hole sides to force the workpiece toward the base plate and hold the central area in place during machining.

Abstract: A tailpiece for a banjo including an elongated aperture for connection to the vertical surface of the drum assembly and for varying the tailpiece elevation for adaption to different configured drum assemblies. A required bend has nested side walls that are welded at each corner thereof to prevent breakage across the bend caused by string vibration.

Abstract: The wheel truck for a skateboard has a concave curvilinear lower surface with a similar shaped axle. The axle is cast within the wheel truck. The distal wheel ends of the axle have their center line along the same plane. The wheel truck can be cast of aluminum, plastic or any other suitable material. The axle is formed of a material different than the truck casting and when cast within the truck casting provides increased support to the concave curvilinear surface of the wheel truck.

Abstract: A self contained light source for curing light initiated resins used to coat teeth as veneers and fill cavities and chips in teeth in aesthetic or restorative procedures. The source includes an elongated container holding a battery and electronic compartment at one end and a light emitting window at the other. A plurality of closely space light emitters, typically light emitting diodes or laser diodes, are arrayed to direct light to a common focal point. The light is directed out of the container toward a tooth bearing the resin to be cured to a hard, stable state. The light emitters produce light in a region of the spectrum to which the resin curing initiators is sensitive, typically blue light. The light emitters are preferably mounted on concave edged printed circuit so that they are all oriented inwardly toward the focal point. Microlenses may be used with each light emitter to further concentrate light toward the focal point.

Abstract: A central vacuum system particularly adapted to collect and dispose of hair from hair cutting and from pet grooming. The system includes an automatic arrangement for collecting and dumping accumulated hair or other material. A housing includes an inlet for receiving air and an air pump for expelling air from the housing, with filters between the inlet and air pump. A disposal opening is provided at the lower end of the housing for dumping accumulated material. A hinge is mounted on the housing adjacent to said disposal opening. A cover and extended arm are mounted on said hinge for rotation between a collection position with the cover over the disposal opening and an open position for dumping. A counterweight is mounted on the arm for maintaining the cover over the disposal opening when less than a predetermined weight of material rests on said cover within said housing and for allowing the cover to rotate away from the disposal opening when a greater weight of material is present.