Abstract: Safety apparatus is provided which is adaptable to an aerosol spray can such that spraying can occur only in one direction or in a limited number of desired directions. The direction of spraying is in accordance with a feature on a spray head and a mating feature on a mounting cup, when mating alignment is achieved spraying can occur. When the spray head and the mounting cup are out of mating alignment spraying cannot occur.

Abstract: Sensing apparatus is disclosed which allows for the determination of the presence, absence or percentage of a conducting medium such as water, by electronic means. The inventive apparatus negates the effect of a false signal generated by contamination of the sensing apparatus. The inventive sensor comprises three or more sensing members attached to a non-conducting substrate with electronically significant distances between pairs of sensing members. An appropriate electrical circuit is connected to the sensing members which converts signals output from the pairs of sensing members into readings which indicate the presence or absence of a conducting medium, notwithstanding the presence or absence of contamination between the sensing members.

Abstract: A gaff for electrically incapacitating fish is disclosed. The gaff includes a handle and a hook. In a flying gaff, the hook is separable from the handle. In two embodiments, the gaff utilizes a piezoelectric sensor which when flexed by the weight of the fish produces a signal which activates a circuit which produces a stunning voltage across electrodes attached to the hook. Mechanical apparatus for activating the electric circuit are disclosed. Electrical circuitry diagrams are described which may be used with the piezoelectric sensor and the mechanical activation.

Abstract: By the unique usage of non-symmetrical loops, a pop-up tent is configured to have high substantially vertical walls with a floor area only slightly larger than the walled-in area. Thus, a pop-up tent is provided which can be used for both living and sleeping purposes. A method of folding the tent into a flat circular shape for ease of storage and transportation is disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A rain fly for use primarily on self-erecting enclosures which enclosures have sleeves for accommodating a wire or monofilament is disclosed. More specifically, this fly is characterized by a pair of monofilaments on the two sides of the fly which go from the front to the rear of the enclosure. The wires are secured interiorly of elongate sleeves at the lateral edges of the rain flap. The wires are proportioned to have their ends inserted into four sleeves flanking the internal wire of the tent. Means are provided for four stabilizers which extend front and rear and side to side. The function of the stabilizer is to assist in holding the fabric in spaced relationship from the enclosure to thereby permit ventilation. Optionally, a zipper-like opening is provided for a door cover, and a Velcro flap for securing one portion of the flap door cover for easy entrance.

Abstract: A coupler for use in swivably independently securing the remote ends of a monofilament or wire, which wire is constantly in a cantilever bending motion at its remote end when folded and necessitates a freedom of rotation. The connector itself has a preferably cylindrical body having two tapered elongate nesting pockets which are separated from each other by an interior stop at the mid-portion of the connector cylindrical body. The elongate pockets are characterized by a taper which is dimensioned to receive and friction fittingly engage the remote ends of a wire or monofilament a spaced distance from the central stop of the connector cylindrical body.

Abstract: A dispenser for discharging insects from a moving vehicle includes an insect retaining assembly and an insect acceleration chute. The chute receives air at several locations for accelerating the insects to the speed of the air passing the vehicle. The retaining assembly includes at least one surface for retaining the insects formed from a series of louvers which can be individually rotated on axles to discharge the insects. A metering valve is provided for delivering insects from the retaining assembly to the chute at a constant rate. A refrigeration apparatus is preferably provided for supplying cooled air to the retaining assembly to cool the insects. A method for discharging insects from such a dispenser includes the steps of depositing insects on each retaining surface and rotating the louvers individually at a constant rate to drop the insects from each surface at a constant rate.

Abstract: An improved ophthalmological drape having breathing devices associated therewith is disclosed. A nozzle tube is permanently attached to the location of a patient's nostrils relative to the his eyes, such that when the drape is fitted to the eye to be operated upon, the nozzle tube which delivers oxygen to the patient is substantially located underneath the patient's nostrils. A breathing surgical filtering mask is incorporated within the surgical drape directly below the oxygen supply nozzle device so as to provide an adequate respiratory exchange and an escape of the patient's expired air with carbon dioxide from his lungs.

Abstract: An electrically driven, world globe displaying Greenwich time, clock time, week of the year, season of the year and daylight-nighttime of a particular geographic location and a particular time of day relative to the rest of the world comprising a globe displaying a geographic arrangement of the world, a Greenwich time zone dial fixedly attached to said globe displaying Greenwich time relative to longitudinal locations of the geographic arrangement of the world, said globe and said Greenwich time zone dial together rotating in a first direction one revolution every twenty-four hours, a clock time zone dial rotating in a second direction opposite to said first direction, rotating one revolution once every twenty-four hours, a stationary geographic zone dial indicating cities and countries of the world.

Abstract: A weight arrangement is disclosed in conjunction with a Texas rig fishing lure whereby the fishing line from the eyelet of the fishing hook and which extends through the weighted portion of the fishing lure is not interfered with by the apparatus which is used to attach the weight portion to the body of the fishing lure. A helical coil member in conjunction with a small diameter tube member located therewithin prevents entanglement of the fishing line when the weight member is attached to the fishing lure.

Abstract: A two-piece intramedullary nail is provided having a stem portion and a rod portion. The distal and proximal ends of a femur are compressingly secured by the intramedullary nail by lag screw threads at the stem portion and a stepped portion at the proximal end of the intramedullary nail. A groove and key fit up between the stem portion and the rod portion prevents rotation of the two parts of the intramedullary nail. Elongated slots within the rod member and the stem member provide for openings through which fastening devices may easily be located and passed therethrough in order to secure broken fragments of the femur to the femur. An opening in the proximal end of the intramedullary nail provides for fit up of a hip plate and screw prosthesis or a femoral head hip prosthesis while providing structural support to the cylinder to plate connection thereof.

Abstract: A safe gun storage apparatus is disclosed for the storage therein and ready accessibility of a loaded handgun, said storage apparatus having child-deterrent latching apparatus provided therein is disclosed. A gun drawer containing a loaded handgun is retained within a cabinet which is substantially impervious to destruction and being pried open. Dual entry locking apparatus secures the loaded gun with the storage container. A first locking apparatus involving entry of a predetermined key punch code first unlocks a secondary child-deterrent latching apparatus. The latter unlatches after a given sequence of operations are carried out which then unlatches a latching bolt from within an opening provided within the drawer. The accessibility and, therefore, the gun within the drawer is provided in a quiet and otherwise undetectable mode of operation.

Abstract: X-ray radiation shielding apparatus for a person's hands is disclosed. The shielding apparatus comprises layers of flexible shielding material such as lead having attached to a flat side thereof a strap member having one or more loops formed therein. Said one or more loops being adapted to fit therethrough a person's fingers so as to provide x-ray radiation shielding to a person's hands while allowing the person to utilize his fingers in an unfettered manner to hold an object to be x-rayed. While holding the object to be x-rayed, the person's hands are positioned such that the radiation shield covers the person's hands from exposure to the x-ray apparatus during the taking of an x-ray picture.

Abstract: Combination apparatus for a total hip replacement or compression and fixation of the femoral head to a femur is provided. A compression plate is provided with a strut member extending between the barrel of the plate and the lower portion of the plate to significantly reinforce the connection of the barrel to the plate. The barrel is alternatively utilized with a compression screw apparatus or total hip replacement apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved tampon construction for more efficient absorption of menstrual fluids. The tampon originates as a rectangularly-shaped wad of absorptive material which is twice folded over onto itself in different planes so as to provide twice as much absorptive material in the upper half as compared to the lower half thereof. The twice-folded material is then subjected to pressure which forms the same into a cylindrical shape. Thereafter, a plurality of slits emanating radially from the center thereof is provided at the top of the cylindrical shape while a plurality of axial grooves are provided along the cylindrical body thereof. The folded construction, in addition to the slits and grooves, provides for efficient menstrual fluid absorption by the tampon even in the event that it is misplaced within the vaginal canal.

Abstract: A pneumatic energy absorbing arrangement, for use between the bumper and the frame of an automobile, includes a piston and cylinder combination which provides for an increasing amount of force or energy absorbed in relation to an increasing amount of travel between the piston and cylinder combination and, therefore, of the automobile itself. Exhaustion of the air within the piston cylinder combination is accomplished by a decreasing area of vent holes as the travel of the piston and cylinder increases. A specific or variable rate spring is provided to bias the piston and cylinder arrangement in an extended before-impact condition and absorb energy. The energy absorption device provided by this invention is reusable in that it is not destroyed during an impact.

Abstract: A weight arrangement is disclosed in conjunction with a Texas rig fishing lure whereby the fishing line from the eyelet of the fishing hook and which extends through the weighted portion of the fishing lure is not interfered with by the apparatus which is used to attach the weight portion to the body of the fishing lure. A helical coil spring member in conjunction with a small diameter tube member located therewithin prevents entanglement of the fishing line when the weight member is attached to the fishing lure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for magnetically treating a flowing fluid. A magnetic structure comprising the plurality of magnets made from rare earth materials are arranged around the inside surface of a ring and with the north poles of the magnets facing inwardly. The magnetic structure is placed within a flow system with the pump being substantially immediately upstream of the magnetic apparatus. The method and apparatus disclosed herein results in superior and more convenient treatment of water using magnetic materials.