Abstract: A fixture designed to hasten and ease aligning a trailer, in particular a gooseneck trailer, to a receiver ball situated on a vehicle by using a drop rod to signal the driver when the optimum hitching point is reached.

Abstract: A joint is configured for use with a rotary-wing aircraft having at least one engine. A driver is coupled to an output shaft of the engine, the driver being rotatable about an axis. A yoke is at least partially rotatable relative to the driver about a first center of rotation, the center of rotation being located on the axis. A plurality of upright links couple the yoke to the driver, each link being translatable relative to the yoke, the driver, or both. Each link is also rotatable relative to the yoke, the driver, or both, about a second center of rotation.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a deck, an aft running gear attached to the deck, a steering assembly, a flexible joint attaching the steering assembly to the deck, such that the steering assembly is pivotable about the flexible joint with respect to the deck between a rider-standing mode and a rider-sitting mode, and a brake assembly attached to the deck.

Abstract: An assembly for providing flexure to a blade of a rotary blade system includes an upper support plate having an upper curved surface, a lower support plate having a lower curved surface, and a yoke positioned therebetween. At least one of the upper and lower yoke surfaces has a layer of cushioning material positioned thereon and secured thereto. An alternate embodiment includes an assembly for providing flexure to a blade of a rotary blade system, including, an upper support plate having an upper curved surface, a lower support plate having a lower curved surface, and a yoke positioned therebetween and directly contacting the support plates wherein one of the curved surfaces is a non-circular arc that does not form part of the circumference of a circle. Another alternate embodiment includes a similar assembly having a twist-shank type of yoke for providing rotation of attached blades about their respective pitch axes.

Abstract: A combination apparatus for weighing an aircraft has a plurality of weight scales, each scale being adapted to be supported by a support surface in a position for receiving landing gear of an aircraft thereon. At least one riser supports at least one scale above the support surface, and the height of each riser is selected to position an aircraft on the scales in a level attitude while a weight of the aircraft is being supported by the landing gear on the scales. At least one scale may be recessed in the support surface, and the height of each riser may be adjustable.

Abstract: An actuator control system has a dual concentric servo valve having a spool and at least one motor adapted to selectively displace the spool.

Abstract: A solar-powered thermometer includes a temperature display face illuminated by an electrical lighting system. The lighting system is configured for front lighting the display face. A solar energy system conductively couples to the electrical lighting system for providing electrical power to the electrical lighting system.

Abstract: A rotor hub assembly for a rotary-wing aircraft has a central member and a plurality of blade grips adapted for attaching rotor blades to the central member. The blade grips are pivotally attached to the central member and are capable of pivoting about a pivot axis generally normal to a plane of rotation of the blades. The pivoting allows for in-plane motion of the blades relative to the central member. A damper is operably connected to each blade grip for damping the in-plane motion of the associated blade, each damper being selectively switchable between at least two spring rates.

Abstract: An axial swage alignment tool (11) having a bridge member (27) for axially and rotationally aligning a metal tube (21) and a fitting (31) is disclosed. The bridge member that is temporarily bonded to the exterior surfaces of the metal tube and the fitting. The bridge member eliminates the need to place any material between the metal tube and the fitting either prior to or after the swaging process.

Abstract: A functional ankle brace is custom tailored to optimize the magnitude and direction of the stiffness and fit of the ankle brace, so as to slow down the inverting motion of the ankle joint enough to allow the muscles enough time to act on their own.

Abstract: Selecting one or more entities from a plurality of candidate entities subject to one or more constraints is accomplished by establishing upper and lower profit-margin boundary values and determining an optimal profit-margin value within the boundary values using an iterative process. The iterative process includes one or more iterations of: setting a current profit-margin candidate based on a current upper profit-margin boundary value and a current lower profit-margin boundary value, determining whether the current profit-margin candidate value satisfies the constraint(s), adjusting the current upper or lower profit-margin boundary value based on the current profit-margin candidate value, and determining whether to use the current profit-margin candidate value as the optimal profit-margin value based the current upper profit-margin boundary value and the current lower profit-margin boundary value.

Abstract: A conveyor system has a pair of outer wheel tracks and a pair of inner wheel tracks, the wheel tracks of each pair being spaced from each other and extending parallel to each other. Each wheel track has at least one generally vertical portion and at least one generally horizontal portion. A conveyor member has two pairs of wheels, the wheels of each pair being located on opposite sides of the member, each pair of wheels engaging one pair of wheel tracks; the wheels and tracks are configured and oriented relative to each other so that the member is maintained in a selected orientation as the member moves relative to and along the tracks. The conveyor system includes a lift subsystem for preventing slippage of the conveyor member as the conveyor member travels around a curved portion of the conveyor system.

Abstract: A tilting suspension system is adapted for use with a vehicle having three wheels and a frame. The system has two sets of control arms, each set of control arms being pivotally connected to one side of the frame. An upright is pivotally connected to each set of control arms, each upright having a rotatable hub for allowing one of the wheels to be mounted thereto. Two rocker arms are pivotally connected to the frame, and a control link is pivotally connected to each of the rocker arms, such that pivoting of one rocker arm causes corresponding pivoting of the other rocker arm. A link member operably connects each rocker arm to a corresponding upright, such that pivoting of each rocker arm causes corresponding movement of the uprights. An actuator is configured to selectively pivot the rocker arms, such that actuation of the actuator pivots the rocker arms, thereby causing the frame to rotate about a generally longitudinal roll center and causing each upright to rotate about a generally longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An umbrella apparatus includes a pole portion, a canopy portion hingedly coupled to the pole portion, the canopy portion having a plurality of support ribs and a plurality of support struts, and at least one lamp module mounted to the canopy portion, each lamp module having a plurality of light emitting diodes, each light emitting diode being aimed in a selected fixed direction, at least one of the light emitting diodes being aimed in a direction that is not normal to the support rib to which the lamp module is mounted.

Abstract: An orthopedic walking boot promotes rapid healing of diabetic foot ulcerations by lowering the maximum peak pressure imposed upon the foot. The walker has a hard unyielding shell which is designed for walking. The shell closely and rigidly supports a mid-sole in a foot-shaped bed. The mid-sole has a foot-shaped cavity with rounded sides adapted to form resilient support for the heel, arch and sides of a foot in addition to the bottom of a foot. A conformable inner-sole is adapted to fit over the foot-shaped cavity in the mid-sole and be compressed in response to foot pressure between the sides and bottom of the foot and the sides and bottom of the foot-shaped cavity in the mid-sole thereby compensating for small differences between the shape of the foot and the shape of the cavity.

Abstract: An improved method of joining fiber composite laminates is disclosed. Two fiber composite laminates may be joined together end-to-end. The bonding is done through the thickness of the fiber composite laminates. There are two ways to form the bond: (1) non-interlocking; and (2) interlocking.

Abstract: A rotorcraft having an enhanced configuration in which a simple wing and a propulsive anti-torque system are combined is disclosed. The propulsive anti-torque system includes an anti-torque thruster system in which a variable pitch fan is installed internal to the tail boom of the rotorcraft and an anti-torque thruster nozzle is mounted at the extremity of the tail boom. The fan is driven directly from the main rotor drive. The configuration and location of the fan allows the primary exhaust from the engine to be mixed with the compressed air flow from the fan. The mixed air flow from the fan and the engine passes through the tail boom and out the thruster nozzle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a water-saving shower head which operates at low and high pressure. The inventive shower head comprises a knuckle consisting of an internally-threaded tubular section which is used to connect same to the tube, said tubular section being connected to a solid sphere containing an upper chamber therein. In turn, the upper chamber comprises a small funnel having three other small longitudinal, concentric and radially-equidistant conduits which are used to regulate the water flow and which flow into a conical cavity.

Abstract: A mechanical flight control system for a rotary-wing aircraft is disclosed. The flight control system comprises an upstream portion, a downstream portion, and a booster means for connecting the upstream portion to the downstream portion. The booster means may comprise dual concentric valve actuators and/or a variety of system load limiting features.