Abstract: An apparatus provides variable resistance to rotation and includes a housing having a shaft having a first portion that is rotatable in the housing and a second portion passing outwardly thereof adapted to receive the tire of a bicycle for stationary bicycle exercise. A first body in the housing is mechanically linked to the first portion of the shaft so as to be rotatable within the housing. A second body in the housing is slidably connected to the first portion of the shaft and has flat face opposed to the flat face of the first body. The second body is movable with respect to the first body to result in a variably-sized gap between the opposed faces. A spring located between the housing and the second body biases the second body toward the first body.

Abstract: An improved wallet size card book which has been adapted to hold a card having the dimensions of a conventional credit card, and is particularly designed to be carried in the credit card compartment of a wallet or similar size compartment holder. The card book comprises: a) a cover having a fold which divides the cover into a front cover panel and a rear cover panel; b) a plurality of leaves attached along one marginal edge at the fold to form pages, each of the leaves and the front and rear cover panels being coextensive; c) a flood coated adhesive sealing the front surface of the first leaf to the inner surface of the front cover panel; d) an adhesive strip extending along at least two adjacent edges of the rear surface of the first leaf; and e) a pocket formed by the front surface of the first leaf being sealed to the inner surface of the front cover panel and a second leaf being sealed to the first leaf along the two adjacent edges by the adhesive strip.

Abstract: A rapid bleaching process for cellulosic materials such as cotton and cotton blends. The bleaching liquor includes a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, potassium hydroxide and a stabilizer combined with controlled time and temperature to produce a rapid bleach in about 10 minutes or less. The resulting textile goods are soft, absorbent, mote-free with a Hunter Scale Whiteness Value of greater than about 110 and less than about 0.65% extractable solids.

Abstract: A bicycle helmet strap having a first strap on one side of the helmet with a helmet female latch section, and a second side strap on the opposite side of the helmet with a helmet male latch section, is modified so that the helmet is be secured on the user's chin instead of being secured beneath the user's neck, by attaching an adapter between the end of the helmet straps. The adapter is formed of a chin piece to fit on the user's chin, a chin piece male latch section positioned on the chin piece for insertion into the helmet female latch section, and a chin piece female latch section positioned on the other side of the chin piece to receive the helmet male latch section. The chin piece can be a continuous flexible loop, with the chin piece latch sections being slidably positioned on the loop.

Abstract: A mobile telephone has a programmable controller for controlling the operation of the mobile telephone. The programmable controller has a plurality of selectable program configurations. An interchangeable component of the mobile telephone, such as the front cover of the housing, includes a program selector for indicating a selected program configuration. A detection circuit detects the program selector and generates a configuration signal representing the selected program configuration. The programmable controller is responsive to the configuration signal generated by the detection circuit to configure the control program according to the selected program configuration.

Abstract: The bulk material cooler/dryer apparatus of the present invention utilizes an oscillating spreader assembly in conjunction with a reciprocating discharge grate structure to achieve uniform distribution of in-flowing bulk material within a main processing chamber and also to achieve uniform and efficient discharge of the material from the chamber once processing is complete. This uniform distribution of bulk material within the processing chamber is accomplished via a spreader assembly which is mounted to the top of the chamber and which moves along two orthogonal axes. Motion with respect to each of the axes is facilitated by a pair of linear actuators, the actions of which are controlled so as to cause the stream of in-flowing material that is issued therefrom to oscillate in a sinusoidal type pattern when observed from a point above the spreader assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for securing a sheet of filter material about the circumference of a dye tube. The apparatus includes a mandrel support table having a tube loading station, a sheet wrapping station, a sealing station, and a discharge station; hollow, air permeable mandrels supported on the table; a table drive to sequentially index the mandrels to each of the stations; a vacuum chamber extending from the tube wrapping station to the sealing station to draw a vacuum inside each mandrel at and between the wrapping and sealing stations; a tube feeder for feeding tubes onto mandrels at the tube loading station; a sheet feeder for feeding sheets of filter material into engagement with tubes at the wrapping station; a mandrel drive for rotating each mandrel at the wrapping station to wrap the sheet around the circumference of a tube supported on the mandrel; and a sealer at the sealing station for sealing the sheet to itself to cover the tube.

Abstract: A low-shrinkage, stable print platform circular knitted fabric. The fabric is a two end fleece fabric having a weight of between about 8 to 12 oz. per sq.yd., a stitch density of between about 800 to 1000; and a face yarn count of said fabric is between about 16 to 20. In the preferred embodiment, the backing yarn count of said fabric is between about 7 to 12. The resulting fabric construction of the present invention has stretch of less than about 3% stretch in the width direction and less than about 3% stretch in the length direction when tested according to a standard stretch chart. In addition the fabric of the present invention has shrinkage in the range of less than 5% when tested according to a standard one wash cycle. The resulting fabric is an exceptionally stable print platform, circular knitted fabric.

Abstract: A furniture foot assembly including a foot support block and an attachable furniture foot. The foot support block includes a substantially triangular-shaped body having rectangular outer walls joined together along at one of the end edges to form an intersection having an angle of about 90.degree. corresponding to the angle between adjoining rails of an item of furniture. An elongated boss is aligned with the intersection and is adapted to receive a furniture foot having a stem. The elongated boss provides a sufficient area of contact between the stem of the furniture foot without adding unnecessary weight. In the preferred embodiment, a boss support structure is formed from a bottom wall and a plurality of radial supports attached to the outer walls and the elongated boss.

Abstract: A shatter-resistant basketball backboard is provided, which comprises a tempered glass basketball backboard having a front surface and back surface; and a plastic film adhered to the rear surface of the backboard. In preferred embodiments, the plastic film is comprised of at least one plastic layer and an adhesive layer. The plastic film can have a release liner adjacent to the adhesive layer, and a scratch resistant coating adjacent to the plastic layer. Ultraviolet resistance properties can also reside in the film or adhesive. The plastic film can be made of polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate or like materials. Plastic film can be applied either in an OEM or retrofit installation.

Abstract: A method for disinfecting a needle of a tagging gun is disclosed. The device used in the method includes a container having sides, a bottom and an open end opposite the bottom. A user breakable capsule is located inside the container with a liquid disinfectant inside the capsule. A needle penetratable seal seals the open end of the container until such time as the device is needed. When the capsule is broken, the disinfectant is released into the container and the tagging gun needle is pushed through the seal into contact with the disinfectant. In the preferred embodiment, a finger guard is attached adjacent to the open end of the container for helping to prevent the user from contacting the point of the needle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bucket for a front-end loader. The bucket comprises a planer back and an elongated relatively narrow bottom panel that projects from the back. Extending upwardly and outwardly from the bottom panel is a pair of opposed triangular shaped sides. The triangular shaped sides and the bottom panel form a generally V-shaped forwardly converging bucket structure.

Abstract: A sight for a gun includes a transparent, substantially cubic, glass body having a front, a rear, and peripheral surfaces including a top, a bottom, a right side and a left side which are opaque and matte. A semi-reflective surface within the body extends from the top to the bottom at a diagonal to the front. Light from a light emitting diode and reticle negative on a the bottom surface is collimated by a collimating mirror with an F/# between 0.6 and 2.0 and reticle negative on the top surface. Light from a target may pass through the front of the transparent body and exit the rear, and light from the light source may be imaged by the reticle negative, pass through the semi-reflective mirror, be reflected and collimated by the collimating mirror and reflected out of the rear by the semi-reflective mirror as an aimpoint pattern that intermixes with light from the target and the light source.

Abstract: A child's rear-facing safety seat is secured in a substantially horizontal position on a vehicle rear seat that has a seat surface extending downwardly to a joinder with a seat back, by positioning an apex of a bolster having the shape of an elongated, triangular wedge into the seat joinder, and placing the child's seat in a rear-facing position on the seating surface with the front edge of the child's seat resting on the bolster, so that the seat is maintained by the bolster in a substantially horizontal position. The bolster is preferably formed of a central section in the shape of a equilateral triangle with opposed first and second parallel, rectangular surfaces; and first and second triangular side sections, each having a rectangular side surface releasably attached to a rectangular surface of said central section. When placing a child's seat on a vehicle rear seat that has a smaller tilt, the central section can be removed, and the bolster formed by joining the side sections to each other.

Abstract: A wall structure for a manufactured building is constructed of a plurality of adjacent composite panels, each panel having a honeycomb core and exterior and interior steel skins; vertical tubular steel studs having openings for carrying electrical wiring are secured to the exterior skins of the panels with double-sided adhesive tape. Interior surfacing material is attached to the interior skins; exterior surfacing material attached to the studs; insulation material is positioned between the studs; and splines extend between adjacent panels to improve rigidity. Bottom and top attachment plates attach the wall structure to the rest of the building.