Abstract: A straw adaptor for a baby bottle comprised of an elongate tube having a first end adapted for drinking from and a second end adapted to be submerged in a drinking liquid in a baby bottle is disclosed. The first end is curved and flattened and the second end is straight and extends nearly to the bottom of a baby bottle. The device further includes a flattened, disc-shaped collar nearer its first end, this collar being integral with the tube and oriented in perpendicular relation to its long axis. The collar has a concentric, upstanding ridge on its upper face which registers with the inside edge of a threaded, annular baby bottle cap. Alternative embodiments further include a unidirectional valve and a mouthpiece with convolutions for added flexibility.

Abstract: A strawberry rose comprised of a stalk portion and a head portion combined to appear to be a long-stemmed rose bud is disclosed. The stalk portion includes a rigid elongate skewer wrapped with a bark-colored paper strip and having a sharpened end. A sprig of artificial leaves protrudes from the stalk. The head portion includes a strawberry covered with a hardened meltable confection, which may have various edible enhancements adhered thereto. A plurality of such strawberry roses are bound into an arrangement along with artificial fern fronds and baby's breath, all wrapped loosely in tissue paper and fitted into a display box having a glassine window in its cover.

Abstract: A body-mounted cutting apparatus comprised of a band able to encircle a body limb and a cutting tool are disclosed. The band is of an elastically extensible fabric and bears releasably fastenable hook and loop fabric patches on its ends. The band also has such a fabric patch along its length which is adapted to engage a mating patch on a cutting tool. The cutting tool is comprised of a flattened handle sleeve having a cutting edge carrier slidably disposed, and frictionally positionable, therein.

Abstract: A cleaning tank comprised of a fluid container, an air-driven motor, a drive shaft, a filtered submersible pump, fluid transport conduits and outlet nozzles is disclosed. Supports are provided for workpieces to be cleaned.

Abstract: A musical instrument case cover is disclosed, the cover being comprised of flexible fabric top and bottom panels having a surrounding side panel of the same fabric therebetween. The side panel is longitudinally bisected over a portion of its length by a slide fastener. The fabric employed in the panels is comprised of a reflective outer portion made up of an outer clear polyester coating over a reflective metallic layer of aluminum. A sheet of woven strips of polyethylene backs the metallic layer which, in turn, is backed by a layer of resilient foam. A fabric lining is the innermost layer, the top and bottom panels having a thick layer of resilient foam between this lining and the reflective outer portion. Interior slide fasteners secure openings in the fabric lining through which the thick layer of foam may be removed and replaced.

Abstract: A pickup truck storage box for use in the cargo bed of a pickup truck is disclosed. It has left and right edge brackets that receive left and right upstanding box panels; a center stake that fits between inner edges of the box panels to keep the outer edges of the box panels seated in the edge brackets; a channel member that fits over the upper edge of the truck bed's forward wall; a hinged, locking lid attached to the channel member; a hinged cross-member between the channel member and the upper, inner edges of the box panels; and, cap strips that cover the top edges of the box panels.

Abstract: A line splicing machine comprised of an elongate tubular fid, a removable tip and wire snare slidably disposed within the fid are disclosed. The tip has a shank which nests in the fid's forward end, the shank having a slot for receipt of the wire snare. The wire snare is biased in a rearward direction to hold either the tip, or the end of a line to be spliced, against the fid's forward end. In one embodiment, the mechanism for biasing the wire snare rearward comprises a spring-biased, over-center flop handle. In another, the biasing mechanism is a pivoting arm having a sliding collar thereon, the collar inhibiting the arm's motion when settled against a toothed protrusion. An embodiment with interchangeable sized fids, and a fid adaptor sleeve having a conical end and a concave end for increasing the size of line able to be spliced with a given fid size, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A frame for a scraping and sweeping tool is disclosed, the frame including a generally cylindrical, handle-receiving ferrule, a first length of angle stock being bound in perpendicular relation thereto such that one of its planes lies in perpendicular relation to the ferrule's axis and has an edge that projects beyond the periphery of the ferrule's tip. A second length of angle stock lies parallel to the first, and one of its edges is bound to the projecting edge of the first. A point on the exterior angle of this second length of stock is bound to the ferrule. The ferrule includes a rectangular block at its tip to aid in supporting the lengths of stock. Fasteners bind a scraper blade to the first length of angle stock and a broom head to the second.

Abstract: A scented lure is provided having a shaft connectable to a fishing line, a spoon lure for attracting fish visually and a bead and bearing combination between which scenting material is positioned. Additional scenting capability is provided by the use of a hollow sleeve which fits over the shaft and into which scenting material is inserted.

Abstract: An earth splitting tool comprised of a central shaft, a handle bar, a foot pressure bar and a wedge-shaped blade is disclosed. The blade has two primary trapezoid-shaped faces, two triangular side faces and a rectangular butt face. One primary face in the same plane as a tangent to the surface of the central shaft. The butt face has a width substantially the same as the thickness of the central shaft. The butt face may be perpendicular to the axis of the central shaft, or it may be sloped away from the perpendicular. The length of the butt face may also be substantially the same as the thickness of the central shaft.

Abstract: A circle cutter having an elongate body is disclosed, the body having an awl perpendicularly affixed to one end and a crank handle affixed to the other. The crank handle stands out from the same face of the body as the awl's handle, and parallel to its axis. The awl's bit projects, coaxial with its handle, from the body's opposite face. A cutting block is disposed in a channel in the cutter's body and is variably positionable therealong. One embodiment of the cutter includes a slot in the channel through which the shank of a thumbscrew projects for tightening the cutting block into a fixed position. Another includes a detent ball in the cutting block, the ball being able to engage one of a regularly-spaced series of depressions in the channel's wall.

Abstract: A guard for protecting a finger from the blades of a pair of shears is disclosed, and includes a band of rigid yet formable planar material disposed in a ring-like configuration. The band has opposed wide and narrow ends with a gap therebetween adjustable to comfort around said finger. The band further includes a front edge oriented transverse to the finger's axis and generally perpendicular to the band's wide and narrow ends, and a rear edge angled between the wide and narrow ends so as to permit the wide end to protect the knuckle where the finger joins the hand, and so as to permit the narrow end to cover the fleshy pad beneath the finger.

Abstract: A shower kit adapted to carry a bar of soap, two liquid receptacles and a face cloth is disclosed. The kit comprises a pair of containers, each container comprising a base shell and a lid shell bound along one mating edge by a hinge, and having a clasp opposite the hinge to retain the lid shell in a closed position. One of the containers defines a pair of apertures through which the necks and caps of a pair of liquid receptacles inside the container may project. The same container also has a pair of access holes through which the liquid receptacles may be squeezed or manipulated. The other container is completely closed for carrying soap. The containers have a strap binding them together and can be folded over to bind a face cloth therebetween. A protrusion from one container permits a belt from the other to be bound thereto, thus holding the containers in folded relation with the face cloth between.

Abstract: A moderately resilient, energy-absorbing practice golf ball and a process for manufacturing same are disclosed, the ball having a dense metal core surrounded with a thick layer of resilient material. To this, a fabric cover able to carry marking powder is bound. The practice ball leaves powder marks at its points of impact, and has a substantially reduced velocity upon rebound. The process of manufacturing the practice ball includes the steps of binding dense metal shot or granules together with resilient adhesive to form a core, wrapping uncured rubber strips into a thick layer around the core, pressing the surface of the layer to make it spherical; pressing a layer of textile fabric into the surface of the uncured rubber, curing the ball with elevated temperature and pressure to fuse its layers together and abrading the ball's fabric surface to raise a powder-carrying nap.

Abstract: An inventive lantern head is disclosed for adapting an inverted backpacking stove to lighting use, said lantern head including fuel-burning lighting means within a glass globe, said globe and lighting means both being supported by a surrounding frame. Mounting means for engagement with said inverted backpacking stove's underside depends from beneath said frame. And, said lighting means is fed by a fuel conduit having means at its distal end for attachment to the stove's remote fuel supply and fuel flow regulator.

Abstract: A form for lettering and illustrating shirts is disclosed, said form being a stiff, generally rectangular sheet with a handle projecting from its upper edge, arm tabs projecting outward from its upper side edges, and clips disposed along its lower edge for holding a shirt flat on the form. The clips employed have a fixed portion bound to the form's face and a pivoting portion biased against said face. The clips also include an extensible lever on their pivoting portion. A notch is provided beneath one of the form's arm tabs to relieve stress upon shirt' underarm seams.