Abstract: The invention entails a defeathering cylinder having a plurality of fingers extending radially from its curved surface. The cylinder is mounted on a shaft positioned along the axis of the cylinder. The cylinder is rotatably mounted to an enclosure having a top, a bottom, a front wall, a back wall opposite the front wall, and sides connecting the front wall to the back wall. The front wall of the enclosure contains a cylinder opening. The back wall contains a plurality of apertures sized to substantially inhibit the passage of feathers. A power source such as an electric motor is functionally connected to the shaft on which the cylinder is mounted. Operation of the motor causes the shaft and the cylinder to revolve within the cylinder opening. The revolution of the fingers extending from the cylinder causes air to flow into the cylinder opening and out the apertures. When a bird is placed in contact with the revolving fingers, the feathers will be removed and drawn into the enclosure and toward the back wall.

Abstract: A music teaching system is provided, comprising at least two musical instruments, each instrument having a mechanism for producing a musical note when the means is activated, each such mechanism being marked by a color corresponding to the particular musical note produced by the mechanism; and at least two display vehicles for displaying a combination of the colors. The invention may be accomplished using colored hand bells for the instruments and cards for the display vehicles.

Abstract: A safety syringe is disclosed. The safety syringe has a hollow barrel and a plunger. The plunger enters the barrel from one end and a retractable needle leaves the barrel from the other end. A blunt sheath is positioned over the needle. The needle has an exposed position in which the point of the needle extends beyond the sheath and a covered position in which the point of the needle is contained within the sheath. The plunger and the needle are configured to cause the needle to move from the exposed position to the covered position upon the depression of the plunger. In operation, the safety syringe may be filled like a conventional syringe by placing the needle in a vial of medication and retracting the plunger. Once the safety syringe is filled, the needle is inserted into the patient. In one embodiment, the sheath may be inserted into the patient with the needle. The medication is then injected into the patient by depressing the plunger.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing select gas contaminants is disclosed. The apparatus is a bioreactor having a chamber for containing liquid and a liquid positioned therein, the liquid forming a column having a top and a bottom surface defining a height. The bioreactor further has a gas dispersal unit positioned in the column and a selected biomass suspended in the liquid, where the biomass is selected to metabolize the gas contaminant requiring degradation. The method includes feeding a select gas contaminant having a low Henry's coefficient into the gas dispersal unit to produce a stream of bubbles containing the gas contaminants, where the gas contaminant is a food source for said biomass, and allowing the stream of bubbles to sparge through and exit the top of said column.

Abstract: The invention comprises a needle aspiration safety syringe having a barrel, a plunger, a retractable needle, and a delayed engagement mechanism. The needle is functionally connected to the plunger by the delayed engagement mechanism such that when the plunger is retracted from an initial extended position, the needle does not retract immediately. The needle provides passage into the fluid receiving cavity, such that retraction of the plunger causes tissue fluid to flow from a target tissue through the needle and into the fluid receiving cavity. Further retraction of the plunger causes the delayed engagement mechanism to engage, whereupon the needle can be withdrawn completely into the fluid receiving cavity, such that the sharp end of the needle is no longer exposed. After the needle withdraws completely into the fluid receiving cavity, the needle cannot exit the fluid receiving cavity, such that the sharp end of the needle poses no danger of sticking a user or patient.

Abstract: An wastewater treatment system is provided. The system includes a cylindrical tank having a sidewall, a bottom, an upper portion and a lower portion. A cone-shaped hopper, open at both ends, is positioned in the tank. The hopper's upper opening is larger than the lower opening.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for treating wastewater is provided including a cylindrical tank having a top, a bottom, an outer wall and a cylindrical inner wall. The inner wall extends from the bottom of the tank to a point above a desired water level. The inner wall, the top and the bottom define an inner aerobic zone. The inner wall, the outer wall, the top and the bottom define an outer anaerobic zone. Wastewater may pass from the outer anaerobic zone to the inner aerobic zone through holes in the inner wall. An open ended conical hopper is positioned within the inner aerobic zone with its smaller end pointed toward the bottom of the tank. Several radially spaced air outlet pipes connected to a compressed air source extend downward into the inner aerobic zone where air is discharged through the open ends of the outlet pipes. An inlet line connected to the tank opens into the outer anaerobic zone of the tank. An outlet line is positioned within the clarification zone to remove purified water from the tank.

Abstract: A system and method for improving compliance by a patient with a medical regimen that has been prescribed to the patient wherein utilizing computer and electronic communication systems, patient data is compared to pharmaceutical data to verify prescribed drug dosage and prescribed medication duration are within acceptable limits, any abnormalities found by the comparisons are reported to the treating physician who may then alter the medical regimen before authorizing dispensing of the prescribed drugs and providing drug taking information to the patient, and upon authorization being issued, the patient is scheduled to receive reminder notifications prior to the prescribed time for the prescribed drugs to be administered, as well as automatically notifying the prescription distribution service to deliver the prescribed drugs to the patient, and notifying the payor service to pay for the prescribed drugs.

Abstract: A removable reusable insulating unit suitable for insulating exposed pipe sections forming components of an insulated pipe system, the unit having a hollow body constructed of an insulating material which is capable of being easily cut the hollow body defining an interior and an exterior of the insulating unit, the interior sized to envelop an exposed pipe section on an insulated pipe system, the body having at least two pipe receptor areas, each sized to accommodate a component of an insulated pipe system.

Abstract: A submersible work vessel and a method of using the same are disclosed. The vessel contains an internal work space. It also contains a set of openable jaws that are designed to engage an underwater pipe. When the pipe is engaged, it will pass through the internal work space of the submersible work vessel. When the jaws have engaged the pipe, the internal work space should be substantially watertight, at which point the water in internal work space may be pumped out. When the water has been substantially evacuated, a worker may enter the internal work space and work on the pipe. One of the principal tasks the work vessel is designed to facilitate is the installation of a blow out preventer. The worker will install the blow out preventer on the pipe. The blow out preventer is designed to remove a section of the pipe and then to seal the severed pipe. This is preferably done with a cutter mounted on a hydraulic arm and a sealing block also mounted on a hydraulic arm.

Abstract: A valve and actuator in combination with a transportation tank to operate off of low pneumatic pressures including a valve having a valve body with a tank end, a valve seat near the tank end of the valve body, the valve seat having a valve sealing surface; a stem chamber extending through the valve body, the stem chamber having an actuator port, a seat port, and an outlet port; a valve stem slidably positioned in the stem chamber, the valve stem having a plug end and a plug attached to the plug end, the plug having a plug sealing surface to sealingly contact the valve sealing surface; an actuator having a hollow housing with a valve end, the valve end attached to the valve body; a plurality of piston assemblies, each having a piston slidable in the housing and a partition fixed in the housing, the piston and the partition defining an actuator chamber; piston spacers joining the pistons so that each piston is fixed in position with respect to the others; the pistons being operatively joined to the valve stem;

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning debris from the surface of crop rows without substantially damaging the growing crop having a wheeled frame attachable to a pulling vehicle, the wheels positioned to avoid a growing crop, at least one journalled rotatable shaft attached to the frame, at least one brush positioned A each rotatable shaft, each brush having a plurality of bristles, and a power transfer member operatively connected to the rotatable shaft to transfer power from the pulling vehicle to the shaft.

Abstract: The present invention provides an adjustable socket for a socket wrench. In a preferred embodiment, the adjustable socket comprises a base plate and a collar plate rotatably attached to the base plate. The collar plate has a central opening formed by a plurality of internal sidewalls and there are movably positioned inside the central opening a plurality of gripping members. Each of the gripping members has a contacting surface which cumulatively define a gripping region. Furthermore, each of the gripping members is connected to the base plate and has a first end adapted to engage one of the internal sidewalls such that relative rotation of the base plate and the collar plate adjusts the gripping region.

Abstract: A lockable gun safety storage device having a rigid mounting member adapted to be fixedly attached to an item, a mount positioned on the mounting member, the mount adapted to hold a receptacle, said receptacle being sized to receive a firearm therein, the receptacle having a muzzle end and a handle end, the handle end being open, a shield positioned on the mounting member, the shield and the mount being moveable with respect to each other, and a lock to fix the relative position of the mount with respect to the mounting member so that when locked and a receptacle present in the device, removal of a firearm positioned in the receptacle is prevented.

Abstract: The present invention relates to carpentry devices such as sawhorses. More particularly, the present invention relates to brackets which hold the boards forming the legs and cross piece of the sawhorse together in the typical sawhorse configuration.

Abstract: A device for maintaining effective bacterial levels within a collecting container of an organic matter collection system of the type having a collecting container having a bottom and a liquid to air interface-surface is provided. The bacterial incubator has an enclosure defining an interior, the enclosure adapted to be positioned beneath said liquid to air interface-surface. The enclosure has a plurality of apertures therethrough, the apertures sized to allow the flow of wastewater into the interior of the enclosure. Placed in the interior is a packing having a high surface area. The apertures in the enclosure are sized to retain the packing in the interior. The packing is adapted to allow wastewater to flow therethrough.

Abstract: The present invention provides a jaw assembly and die insert for use in conventional power tongs, back-up power tongs, and similar tools. The die insert has a rear surface having a plurality of splines extending outwardly from the rear surface and forming a plurality of grooves between the splines. The die also has a front surface adapted to grip a tubular member and a keyway formed on the rear surface. A mating jaw member is provided which also has a front face of splines and grooves with a keyway which aligns with the die's keyway when the die is inserted into the jaw. A key is inserted into this combined keyway to prevent vertical forces from drawing the die out of the jaw member.

Abstract: A device to assist in removing a fetus from a woman's birth canal during childbirth is provided. The device includes a pliable, elongated member having a mouth adapted to fit over the head of a fetus, an insertion wand or applicator for positioning the elongated member over the head of the fetus, and a drawstring attached at the mouth. The elongated member is constructed so that as it is pulled longitudinally from the end opposite the mouth, the elongated member will axially grip the head of the fetus in much the same way that the novelty item, "Chinese handcuffs," grip the finger of a user. Once the elongated member has axially engaged the head of the fetus, the elongated member may be used to extract the fetus from the birth canal.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides a safety device for inhibiting child access to a storage space. The safety device has a length of flexible material with a first end. The device also has a material retainer for storing the flexible material and allowing the flexible material to be retractably withdrawn from the material retainer. A first connecting member is attachable to the material retainer and a second connecting member is attachable to the first end of the flexible material. The first and second connecting members are positioned in the doorway of the storage space such that opening the door of the storage space withdraws the flexible material from the material retainer and extends the flexible material across the doorway. When a small child opens a storage space door on which the invention has been installed, the length of flexible material is drawn across the doorway of the storage space.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for the electronic management and redemption of coupons. The system includes an integrated coupon card comprising a microprocessor, a random access memory, a scanner, and a communications port. The coupon card is capable of scanning coupon bar codes from paper coupons and receiving redemption requirement data from a periphery device. The coupon card will allow bar codes and redemption requirement data to be transferred to a periphery device and will store what bar codes were redeemed because they corresponded to purchase data received from a cash register memory. The system further includes one or more periphery devices having a microprocessor, a first communications port for communicating with said coupon card, and a second communications port for communicating with a cash register.