Abstract: A boot-binding for board sports such as snowboarding is provided that is both automatically closing and compatible with any style of boot or shoe. A molded plastic shell which is fixedly attached to the board's upper surface provides a substantially boot-shaped receiving space and an automatic closing gate clamps down tightly across the boot's upper surface to bind the foot tightly. In operation, the rider simply steps into the binding thereby actuating a release mechanism which allows the gate to swing closed. Gate receptors mounted to the exterior of the plastic shell opposite the hinge accept and latch the gate firmly across boot's upper surface. Several cushioning elements, some of which may be inflatable, may be included and manual adjustments may be made without special tools to adjust the fit and feel of the binding.

Abstract: Embodiments of an punch machine and a quick-change die assembly are shown and described. The die assembly may be quickly installed and removed from the punch machine, without bolting or unbolting of either machine housing or the die assembly itself. The die assembly is slid into the machine through a hole in the machine housing and into a position which mates part of the die assembly with the push-bar. A clamp, with a handle outside the machine, is then pivoted against the die assembly. The push-bar is adapted to be self-supporting without being bolted to the die assembly, keeping the push-bar in place without manual adjustment and alignment. The die assembly preferably includes a die, pin retainer, and punch pins, and preferably includes a flexible, pivotal, or hinged pin strap to secure the pins to the retainer.

Abstract: A game call includes a mouthpiece having a plurality of vibrating reed areas, and/or a mouthpiece that is adjustable relative to the housing, to produce unusual and complex sounds that are very much like wild game sounds. The plurality of reed areas may be two areas of a single tubular reed vibrating on different areas of the mouthpiece, and, preferably, vibrating on opposite sides of the mouthpiece. The opposite sides of the mouthpiece may include surface contours, including indentures, curvatures, or orifices, which cooperate with the vibrating reed and/or subsequently affect the air waves created by the vibrating reed. The mouthpiece cooperates with a housing, so that air from the user's mouth travels across the reed areas, creating vibrations in the air, which air vibrations travel into the housing resonating chamber, and out to the surrounding area.

Abstract: A game call system includes a mouthpiece that produces sound by a plurality of reed or membrane portions vibrating against or near a plurality of sound-producing surfaces. Preferably, the game call has two recessed or curved or contoured surfaces on two halves of a generally circular end of the mouthpiece, with an aperture between the two curved/contoured surfaces. These surfaces may be identical, substantially identical, or different, and the reeds or reed portions also may be identical, substantially identical, and or different. Air passes over the reed(s) to create vibrations in the reed(s), and the resulting sound waves pass through the center aperture of the mouthpiece into the resonating chamber of the call, and through any resonating tube or other member that may optionally be present. The multiple sound-producing regions allow for more complex and/or realistic sounds than conventional single sound-producing region and single reed calls.

Abstract: A ground or earth connector comprises a metal tube having an integral connecting member. The earth connector is designed to be attached to a metal pipe, for example, a pipe in a central heating system, with the connecting member being deformable into permanent engagement with an earth cable so as to earth the metal pipe. The earth connector is tubular and is designed to be fitted between two adjacent pipe parts so as also to join the pipe parts together.

Abstract: An orientation system for vegetables includes a plurality of rotating rollers that both pull the vegetable into an inverted position, with leafy top down, and advance the vegetable along the length of the rollers to deliver the vegetables to a cutting system. The orientation system may be included in a vegetable harvester and topper or may be used separate from the harvester vehicle. The orientation system preferably has a plurality of orientation roller pairs, made up of first and second counter-rotating orientation rollers. These rollers may include strips of elastomeric fingers or other protrusions that engage the leafy top and pull it downward. Preferably, one of the rollers may also have a vegetable advancing spiral that moves the vegetables in “auger-style” by pushing the vegetables along in front of the rotating spiral.

Abstract: A fishing line strike indicator and improved hook setter. This device utilizing a body having a hole there through for allowing a fishing line to be inserted and affixed thereto. A water deflector extends from this body and faces the attached lure. When a fish strikes the lure attached to the fishing line attached to the strike indicator, the strike indicator, as it is pulled through the water by the fish pulling the line attached to the lure or by the current of the water, offers resistance in the water thereby increasing the chances that hook will be automatically set in the fish's mouth.

Abstract: An arm sling apparatus includes cooperating suspension system and support frame wherein the weight of a user's arm may be transferred from the shoulder to the torso. The arm sling apparatus allows the shoulder to rest and/or heal by temporarily relieving the shoulder of its lifting duties preferably without touching and therefore without stressing or fatiguing the neck or shoulder regions. A suspension system comprising one or more suspending devices engages and supports the arm in conjunction with a rigid, stable support frame from which it is hung. The support frame preferably comprises a stiff, but comfortable, waist belt and a rigid upright support arm adapted to accept the weight applied to the suspension system and center this weight about the hips. The support frame provides sufficient clearance for the shoulder and neck regions so that pressure is not applied to these areas.

Abstract: Embodiments of a key system for filters and their connecting heads/holders are shown. The filter cartridge and its holder each have a keyed surface, one being a protruding “key” and one being a recessed “lock”. Cooperation of these keyed surfaces is required in order for the filter cartridge to be installed in the holder, so that mismatched cartridges cannot be installed into the holder, for example, to prevent a particular type of cartridge from being placed in a filtration or other process where it would be inappropriate, or undesired. The keyed surfaces are selectively locate-able preferably at different circumferential locations on a perimeter of the filter and a corresponding location on a perimeter of the head/holder. The perimeter may be, for example, on an outer shoulder surface of a filter and an inner surface of a valve head, or on outer and inner surfaces of connectors that provide a liquid seal between the filter and the head/holder.

Abstract: A sighting system for a firearm includes a rear sight unit having a plurality of separate sight elements adaptable for “zeroing” the same gun with different ammunition. The multiple-zero sight unit comprises windage and elevation adjustments for each sight element, so that multiple ammunition types having different trajectories may be fired accurately from a single firearm after zeroing-in one of the plurality of sight elements for each of the different ammunition types. Preferably, the separate sight elements may be connected to each other or to a common pivot arm or movable bracket so that moving one sight element into the sight path automatically removes the other from the line of vision. Elevation adjustments may be done in various ways, for example, by sliding sight elements out along an arm or bracket, or by changing an angle of the arm or bracket relative to the firearm.

Abstract: A turbine generator regenerative braking system is for an automotive or other vehicle having ground engaging wheels and an electrical energy storage device. The braking system comprises an hydraulic fluid turbine generator having an electrical power output connected to the electrical energy storage device, a plurality of hydraulic fluid pumps, an actuation system for operatively connecting/starting pumping action, and a hydraulic fluid circuit connecting the hydraulic pumps to the turbine generator. In some versions of the system, a hydraulic pump, a clutch and an adjustable flow nozzle will be dedicated to each ground engaging wheel of the vehicle. In operation, braking is preferably initiated by the actuation of a brake master cylinder which provides hydraulic pressure to cause each rotating wheel with its corresponding hydraulic pump to engage. The pressurized fluid output of each pump is then fed to the turbine through the adjustable-flow nozzle causing the flywheel, and thus the generator, to rotate.

Abstract: A system for attaching safety glasses to headwear often called a “helmet” or a “hard-hat” has multiple adjustments that fit the glasses to the individual user and that allow the user to flip the glasses back and forth between in-use and removed positions. The preferred system includes a base piece that attaches to the interior or underside of the helmet, near the wearer's face at or near the junction of the helmet's bill/brim and dome. A preferred second piece receives a portion of the glasses at its distal end, and, at its proximal end, slideably connects to the base piece. The second piece may be locked at various positions relative to the base piece, to adjust, either incrementally or continuously, the distance of the glasses from the helmet. This slidable adjustment between the base piece and second piece makes it possible to adjust the glasses in a generally vertical direction, that is, generally parallel to the plane of the lenses of the glasses when being used, as best suits the particular user.

Abstract: A garment that attaches to the body of a personal recreational vehicle, preferably covers substantially all of the wearer's body, and traps heat generated and lost by the vehicle engine. The garment is preferably large enough to allow the wearer to sit or stand and turn as necessary without restraint. It may also equipped with a zipper in front that allows the wearer to vent heated air or to exit the garment and vehicle without detaching the garment from the vehicle. In the preferred embodiment, the garment is removably attached to a storage container attached to the vehicle behind the driver/wearer. The bottom hem of the garment is attached or anchored to the body of the vehicle in order to better trap heat and to keep the garment in place. The apparatus for attaching the garment to the vehicle preferably is strong enough to remain attached despite high winds and/or high vehicle velocity.

Abstract: A float tube or watercraft comprised of a generally U-shaped inflatable flotation chamber having two generally parallel and laterally disposed leg portions and a rearward portion. The leg portions are preferably formed integrally with the rearward portion. The invention further includes a seating device bridging the two leg portions of the flotation chamber. A stabilizing frame and system for connecting the stabilizing frame to the U-shaped flotation chamber provides support to the opposing legs of the flotation chamber and prevents them from pinching in on the occupant, and also preferably tensions a seat provided between the legs of the floatation chamber. For additional support and/or this preferred tensioning, a rigid and/or adjustable rod, or tube, extends between the opposing legs of the frame. The system for connecting the stabilizing frame comprises preferably a plurality of channel segments, which are fixedly secured to the leg and rearward portions of the flotation chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for tribocharging particles of electrically insulating materials has a rotatable drum (1), made of a metallic material, for containing the particles. The drum has an inlet (11), for charging material, and an outlet (13), for discharging material. The drum further has means (7) for rotating the drum about an axis of rotation, the orientation of the axis of rotation being such that, in operation of the apparatus, the particles tumble against each other and against the walls of the vessel, thereby becoming tribocharged. A fines removal mesh screening means (10) is attached to an outer surface of the drum, allowing fines to escape from the drum. An electrostatic separation tower (20), having tapering walls and at least one pair of electrodes (24) arranged on opposite walls of the tower, is aligned to receive discharged material from the drum. The tower separates the particles, falling from the drum into the tower (20), in an electric field generated between the electrodes (24).

Abstract: A bracket system holds a filter(s) in quick-attach and quick-release fashion. Brackets are combined in modular fashion, with conduit between the brackets, to create a “bank” of filters easily changed in number, arrangement, and flow scheme. Top brackets and bottom brackets capture/support the top end and bottom end of a filter, respectively, and filter inlet and outlet ports preferably slide onto and off of cooperating tubes/ports in the bracket modules without tools or threaded connections. A retainer may pivot on and off of its respective filter, holding the filter in place and releasing the filter, respectively. After pivoting the retainer up from the filter, the filter may be lifted up off of its respective bottom module, so that the filter is substantially vertically and pivotally removable from the bracket system.

Abstract: This invention is a pointing device, i.e. a computer mouse, for producing computer program commands issued by young children or others that have difficulty operating a conventional mouse device. A rotatable ball or other pointing mechanism is provided in the housing. A horizontally-elongated button is located within the front surface of the housing. This button, having a horizontal arc of between approximately 150 to 180 degrees, may be readily operated by any or all of the fingers of one hand of the user and may be pulled backward by cupping the hand in a grasping action. This eliminates the physically-difficult downward, single-finger, pressing action required of conventional pointing devices. Preferably, the mouse has a mass of approximately 150-250 grams, which, for the preferred small-volume mouse, amounts to a high-density mouse that tends to reduce or eliminate rapid or erratic movements that may be inadvertently initiated by the young or less-then-dexterous user.

Abstract: An adjustable power wrench is provided for spinning together, and apart, sections of pipe used in long drill strings such as are typically seen in water well and oil drilling. The wrench is preferably designed for use with large diameter drill pipes or rods, including casings. Two sturdy engaging arms, each containing a pair of serrated power rollers driven by a hydraulic motor, are manually positioned about the subject pipe length. The arms are closed about the pipe by two air rams, one for each engaging arm, to engage the serrated rollers and impart spin to the pipe. The apparatus is preferably supported by wire cable in a balanced fashion from the mast of an available drill rig.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cutting plant growth from waterways to promote fluid passage through such waterway. Water under high pressure is forced through a nozzle orifice to cut, chop and/or pulverize the aquatic plant matter. The nozzle is on a spray-head assembly of the apparatus, which is positioned above or in the waterway by the boom of a vehicle such as, for example, a crane or backhoe. As the transport machinery and apparatus are advanced in the waterway, a path is cut through aquatic plant matter by the high pressure water from the nozzle, and, as a result, the waterway may be effectively cleared. In the preferred apparatus and method, wherein the nozzle directs the water vertically into the waterway, a steel plate may be submerged beneath the level of the nozzle and above the soil surface to protect the soil from disruption and erosion.