Abstract: The trolling system for obtaining player endorsements on a baseball includes a drop cord, a reel which contains and holds the wound-up drop cord and a retractable ball basket. The retractable ball basket is attached at a terminal of the drop cord opposite the reel. The ball basket has a plurality of spaced apart and inwardly biased ribs. These ribs establish a ball container in a central region of the ball basket. Since the ribs are spaced apart and peripherally biased together at one end, the baseball player can rotate the baseball, identify an available endorsement area, and sign or endorse the baseball. Subsequent thereto, the fan can retract the ball basket by winding the drop cord on the reel thereby retrieving the ball from the lower elevation near the baseball player to the fan's elevated elevation in the stadium stands. The trolling system can be adapted for basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, tennis balls, hockey pucks and golf balls simply by changing the shape of the retractable ball basket.

Abstract: The bolt, in the one-way nut and bolt combination, includes a head, a stem, and bolt threads on said stem. A longitudinal channel is defined on the bolt stem by a plurality of notches extending through the crests of the threads. In one embodiment, each notch is defined by a radially aligned surface and an angularly displaced surface. The nut, in one embodiment, has a threaded bore that is complimentary to the bolt thread and includes at least one longitudinal cut-out. The nut further includes a compressible tine extending into the cut-out. The compressible tine has a body portion and a substantially radially aligned distal end portion. The distal end portion of the tine and the cut-out defines a narrow mouth leading to a wider throat deeper in the cut-out. The nut thread and the bolt thread cooperatively permit a user to translate the nut along the bolt threads by means of one-way rotation.

Abstract: A global positioning system recorder (GPSR), comprising a housing that contains a GPS receiver and associated circuitry, an antenna external to the housing and operatively connected to the receiver, a memory card slot, and control circuitry inside the housing for interfacing the GPS receiver with the memory slot. In operation, a memory element such as a PCMCIA card containing a set of operational parameters for the GPSR is inserted into the memory slot. The receiver reads the operational data from the memory card, receives GPS signals via the antenna, processes the signals to determine the position of the recorder, and writes the position data (along with the date and time) to the memory element. In a preferred embodiment, a new position data point is recorded only if the GPSR has moved since the last position data point was recorded, and/or if a parameter of interest has changed by at least a preselected amount.

Abstract: The control system for a humidifier, which is part of a heat, ventilation or air conditioning HVAC system, detects the level of water and generates control signals by detecting the capacitance of the water in the humidifier. These control signals are used to fill the humidifier with water and control heater elements and, to some degree, drain cycles. A capacitor is utilized to detect the change in capacitance as the water level changes. The control circuit, coupled to the capacitor, generates fill control signals based upon first and second predetermined capacitive levels. In one embodiment, the capacitor sensor includes an electrically conductive element extending into the water as a first electrode which is shielded by an insulating cover, where the water acts as a medium through which capacitance is measured and the humidifier casing or another electrically conductive element in the water functions as the second electrode for the capacitor.

Abstract: The present invention responds to these administrative problems associated with an increasing income financial product and addresses deficiencies in the prior art. The data processing system and method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention implements an investment account structure establishing and providing an increasing income financial product.According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, each subscriber invests in a financial contractual product or program. Each subscriber designates primary and secondary beneficiaries. The primary beneficiary is assigned, along with a number of demographically similar beneficiaries, to a certain contract group. The financial product contract is funded with principal payments or premiums paid by subscribers.

Abstract: The integrated peripheral vascular diagnostic system electronically links a pulse volume recorder PVR, an ocular pneumoplethysmograph OPG, a photoplethysmograph PPG, an audio-frequency analyzer AA unit which characterizes blood flow with a sensitive microphone, and a doppler ultrasound unit. This diagnostic equipment generates data signals. These data signals are converted into digital data signals and are stored in a database. The diagnostic system includes a computer with a processor, a memory, a keypad input device, a display monitor, a printer and an interface for connecting these electronic components together along with an interface for the PVR, OPG, PPG, AA and doppler ultrasound. The diagnostic system further includes a report generator which generates, displays and prints a plurality of vascular diagnostic reports from the digital instrument data signals and the keypad entry data.

Abstract: The steering wheel lock and an air bag anti-theft device is adapted to fit atop a steering wheel having a hub, a plurality of spokes about a central hub axis and carrying an air bag thereon. The device includes a first and a second platform slidably engaged together. Each platform has, at opposing ends, an arcuate, steering wheel grip member with a substantially semicircular wheel grip face. Each grip face has an open mouth which faces inboard towards said central axis of said steering wheel. The device also includes first and second laterally spaced apart locking bars each carrying locking grooves. The locking bars are mounted on one of said first and said second platforms. Respective receiving channels hold and guide the first and second locking bars. The channels are formed on the other of said first and second platforms such that said locking bars slide in and out of said receiving channels in an unlocked mode. A key actuatable lock is mounted on said other of said first and second platforms.

Abstract: The compact disk carrying case includes, in one embodiment, an outer enclosure which is defined by two clam-shell members. Each clam-shell member has an interfacing edge which mates with the corresponding interfacing edge on the other clam-shell member. A mechanism is provided, such as a zipper, for closing the interfacing edges thereby forming a closeable outer enclosure within which is captured a plurality of compact disks. The clam-shell members are hinged together along a portion of each respective interfacing edge. The carrying case includes a plurality of compact disk carrying plates which are grouped together into n end pairs of plates by n hinges. Each hinge has a progressively increasing span distance between the respective connected plates. Accordingly, these hinges establish minimum, a plurality of intermediate and a maximum span distance between the respective connected plates.

Abstract: The locking nut and bolt system utilizes a bolt with thread having a plurality of notches generally longitudinally spaced in a predetermined pattern. Each notch has a lock face and an opposing slope. The locking unit carries one or more tines. The tine has a distal tine end adapted to latch onto the lock face of the notch on the bolt and, when the distal tine end is not disposed in one or more notches, the tine end moves on the bolt thread crest. When the distal tine end is in the notch or notches, the lock face of the notch prevents counter-rotational movement of the bolt with respect to the nut when the distal tine end abuts the lock face. The locking unit supports the tine and may be cylindrical, rectangular or on a perpendicular support face normal to a radial plane through the axial centerline of the nut thread. The locking unit may be on a nut insert or may be carried on the leg of a U, J or S-shaped clip. The locking unit may be recessed as a blind hole.

Abstract: The computer-based method of selling consumer products and consumer services includes, in one embodiment, the utiltization of a computer system, which maintains the electronic bid, auction and sales records, and a plurality of customer computers interconnected with the computer system via a telecommunications link. The computer system electronically establishes a virtual showroom accessible by the customer's computers which displays consumer goods and services and information regarding the commonly available selling price for each product and service. For example, the system displays the manufacturer's suggested retail price or MSRP, a minimum opening bid price, information regarding the make, model and manufacturer or distributor of the offered product or service, and bid cycle data revealing the open, close and acceptance dates for the bids. The computer-based method electronically posts all bids made by bidders on the products and services during the bid period.