Abstract: A boat lift having opposite sides with a pair of air bladders secured to the sides, respectively. An air bladder enclosure surrounding each air bladder. The enclosures defining the size and shape of the bladders when the bladders are inflated. The lift is more buoyant when the bladders are inflated whereby the lift may be floated to and from position and sunk as desired.

Abstract: A locking mechanism for a container having a hinged lid comprising a shaft adapted to be secured to a container and journaled for rotation about its axis. A locking bar is removably secured to the shaft and rotatable about the axis with the shaft between a locked position and an unlocked position. A lock lever is secured to the shaft between the locked position and the unlocked position and a roller is mounted on a track over the lock lever for motion into and out of an engagement with a lock lever. The shaft is held from rotation when the roller and the locking bar is in the locking position. The locking bar is free to move into and out of its locked and unlocked position and the roller is moved from its locking position.

Abstract: A fluid valve comprising a frame having a valve seat defining a flow passage and an actuator secured to the frame. A valve is secured to the actuator and movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat in response to the actuator for closing and opening the flow passage. A spacer is positioned between the valve and the valve seat. The spacer holds the valve and valve seat apart and the valve open. The spacer is of a disappearing material at predetermined fluid conditions allowing the valve to be installed in a fluid system, the system to be filled with fluid, and the system brought to normal operating conditions, simultaneously, in accordance with the method of the invention.

Abstract: A truck bed or a truck bed liner having bottom and front and side upstanding walls. The front and side walls upstand from the front and side boundaries of the bed. A tailgate is connected to the bed bottom at the rear boundary of the bed bottom. The tailgate is movable between a closed position and an open position. The bottom having a flat surface adjacent to the tailgate with an area sufficiently large to allow debris on the surface to be swept into a pile by a conventional dustpan and broom whereby the bed may be swept clean of debris and removed without having any debris clog the mechanism allowing the tailgate to move between its open and closed positions.

Abstract: A sofa-bed which has a base with a seat member, a back member, and a bed member. The sofa-bed has linkage which connects the seat and the back and bed members together. The seat, back and bed members can be moved between a sofa position and a bed position. In the sofa position the bed member is behind the back member and in the bed position the seat, back and bed members are essentially in the same plane. The linkage connects the seat, back and bed members to the base in a slidable relation. The linkage and the seat, back and bed members can be moved together as a single unit relative to the base.

Abstract: An improved vehicle seat frame having a back frame and a seat frame. The back frame and seat frame are hinged together. The back frame and seat frame are movable between an upright position and a reclining position. A latch is positioned between the upright and reclining positions which locks the vehicle seat in both its upright position and its reclining position from further movement both forwardly or rearwardly thereof.

Abstract: An improved ground cover. The ground cover is comprised of mulch and a binder. The mulch is molded into the shape desired and held together by the binder. The mulch is comprised of a plurality of small pieces. The binder surrounds the mulch and holds the mulch together. The mulch bound together is both gas and water permeable. Also, the bound mulch is biodegradable and harmless to soil and plants. The mulch may contain leachable plant nutriments. The mulch is opaque so as to retard weed growth and able to retain water.

Abstract: An improved detachable seat pedestal that can be secured to both a vehicle seat and the floor of a vehicle. The pedestal includes a base plate and a seat support. The base plate is adapted to be secured to the floor of the vehicle. The seat support is adapted to be secured to a vehicle seat. The base plate and seat support have aligning devices and attaching devices which allow the seat and the seat support to be removed from the base plate and the vehicle as desired.

Abstract: An implement for removing from its socket and testing a Christmas light bulb which has a handle with two opposite ends. The handle has a cap secured to one of the ends. The cap has a socket in its distal end and the socket is adapted to loosely receive the base of a bulb. A cavity is formed in the other of the ends. The cavity has a top and a pair of opposite side walls that extend toward the other end, and a bottom. A bulb gripper is provided in the bottom for gripping the base of a bulb. A battery is housed in the handle. The battery is easily accessible so that it can be removed and replaced as desired. The battery and the cap are electrically connected. The handle cooperatively attaches the cap and the cavity and the gripper so that the bulb can be positioned in the cavity and the gripper can grip the base to the bulb from its socket without separating the bulb from its base. The bulb then can be loosely positioned in the socket and tested.

Abstract: A tool for laparoscopic surgery comprising an elongated handle, an actuator connected to the handle between the opposite ends, a bore extending therethrough, a tool rod positioned in the bore, an actuator connected to the handle and engaging the tool rod for reciprocal motion within the bore. A sleeve extends over the tool rod and is secured to the handle. An instrument is secured to the tool rod at its distal end and is actuable by the sliding motion of the tool rod within the handle and sleeve. The handle has a cylindrical external surface and a grip remote from the distal end of the handle such that the handle can be held in the surgeon's hand like a writing instrument and the actuator be manipulated by the forefinger of the hand holding the tool to operate the instrument equally conveniently by right handed and left handed surgeons.

Abstract: An ergonomic, hand held instrument comprising an instrument and a shell. The shell has a longitudinal axis and opposite ends and a hollow interior. The instrument is positioned within the shell with its operational end extending from one end of the shell. The shell has a groove therein extending from adjacent the one end at least a partial revolution about said shell to adjacent the other end. The groove has a bottom and an upstanding wall. The groove spirals around the shell. The bottom has a width greater than the size of one's fingers. The spiral may have one or more partial turns or a single continuous turn or partial turn between the opposite ends of the shell.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray nozzle that is positioned at an angle above horizontal and less than vertical having a body with an upper fluid emitting end and a lower bottom end. The body having an interior cavity therein. Within the cavity is a shim capable of conducting electricity that defines an opening at the fluid emitting end and a channel that joins the fluid emitting end opening to a supply of flowable material. The body has an enclosed electrode external adjacent to and below the emitting end. Both the shim and the electrode are electrically connected to a voltage source. The nozzle, in operation, bends the field adjacent the emitting end upwardly in accordance with the method of the invention.

Abstract: An improved powder feeder having a hopper with an opening in its bottom. A resiliently deformable element is positioned in the opening of the hopper. The element has a flexible exterior dimension and is suitably positioned in relation to the opening to prevent the free flow of material through the opening. The element is mounted on an axle having an axis of rotation. The element is capable of carrying a metered volume of material through the opening as it is rotated. The axle is connected to a variable speed motor. As the element turns, the material flows into the element and moves through the hopper opening in precisely metered amounts relative to the volume and the speed of rotation of the element.

Abstract: A disposable cutter which has a plurality of cutting edges. The cutter has perforations adjoining the cutting edges. The cutter defines an axis of rotation. The cutter is joined to a transparent bowl. The bowl is concentric with the axis of rotation. The bowl has a bottom tool driver opening concentric with the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A tool having a shaft with a longitudinal axis and opposite ends. A boss is positioned at one of the ends. A tool collet is positioned at the other of the ends. A bore is in the boss end. The boss has a pair of pins that extend from opposite sides of the bore. A cutting lid with cutting edges on its top and a pair of bores passing therethrough. The cutting lid can be positioned on the pins and locked onto the boss, whereby upon rotation of the tool driver, the cutting lid is securely held in operable position on the tool driver throughout the operation and may be easily removed when desired.

Abstract: A tool driver having a shaft with a longitudinal axis and opposite ends. A boss is positioned at one of the ends. A tool collet is positioned at the other of the ends. The boss has a bore extending axially thereof forming debris cavity. An actuator on the shaft. A pair of oppositely disposed pins on the actuator. The pins are movable in relation to the boss in response to movement of the actuator. The actuator and the pins move as a unit axially of the boss between an at rest position and a static position. The pins are movable between an extended position and a retracted position as the actuator moves between an at rest position and a static position, whereby a tool can be positioned on the tool driver when the actuator is in its static position and held in operable position on the tool driver when the actuator is in its at rest position.

Abstract: An electrostatic powder coating apparatus comprising a powder reservoir, a gas flow injection chamber, a diffusion chamber and a coating chamber and method for coating a substrate or target objects. The injection chamber receives powder from the reservoir at a controlled rate. The powder particulates are entrained by a gas flow within the injection chamber. The diffusion chamber receives the particulates from the injection chamber. The diffusion chamber deaccelerates the particulates and creates a particulate cloud. The coating chamber receives the particulate cloud. A housing encloses the coating chamber. The coating chamber is isolated from the ambient atmosphere. The coating chamber has a cloud inlet and a cloud outlet. The cloud flows through the coating chamber from the inlet to the outlet. One or more deflectors, within the chamber, define a passage and two or more pockets adjoining the substrate or target objects.

Abstract: A handle for a handled implement. The handle has a stub, a yoke and a haft. The stub has a shank and a head. The stub has a longitudinal axis. The yoke is disposed on the shank. The yoke abuts the head axially. The yoke is free to rotate about the axis relative to the stub. The yoke has at least one lug disposed in spaced radial relation to the shank. The haft is elongate and engages the head. The haft is joined to the yoke in fixed rotational relation.

Abstract: A panel connector comprising first and second members and a lock. The first and second members define an axis. The first and second members are slideable in relation to each other along the axis. The members also are slideable in relation to each other transverse to the axis. The lock has engaged parts connected to the first and second members, respectively. The lock limits movement of the members transverse to the axis. The lock is disengaged by movement of the members axially relative to the lock.