Abstract: A combined pill and water container comprising a cylindrical housing. A structure is for holding a plurality of pills and a supply of water separately within the cylindrical housing, so that a person carrying the cylindrical housing can take their pills with water any time.

Abstract: An oral device for holding the tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, thereby promoting suction closing the lips and encouraging breathing through the nose. The device has a U-shaped front wall extending along the exterior surface of the user's upper and lower teeth, and a tongue supporting platform projecting horizontally and rearwardly from the front wall. The tongue supporting platform is located substantially midway between the top and bottom surfaces of the front wall. In one embodiment, the tongue supporting platform is continuous along the interior surface of the front wall. In another embodiment, the tongue supporting platform is discontinuous, having a right side section and a left side section, and being absent at the center of the front wall. In still another embodiment, the oral device has a forwardly projecting handle.

Abstract: In drag racing it is important to heat the rubber of the rear tires in order to gain added traction, which is typically done through what is called a burn out, or spinning the rear tires on wet pavement until they become hot. At the same time, it is important that the tires not become overly hot, as excessive heating reduces traction. Therefore the length of the burn out is critical. Drag racing vehicles are typically equipped with a device called a line lock, which, when the brake is engaged locks the brake line to maintain pressure on the brake fluid after the brake pedal is released. Locking the front brakes in such a manner allows the driver to gun the engine while the vehicle is in gear, thus spinning the rear tires. The line lock is activated by a line lock button, usually mounted on the steering wheel, which opens and closes a solenoid, activating the line lock.

Abstract: A machine and method for producing bristles and a support surface for the bristles, are disclosed. An extruder feeds material from a supply source to an extrusion die and a forming die. The circumferential surface of the drum includes a plurality of recesses in the desired shapes and patterns for forming the bristles. In addition, a wide shallow groove in the extrusion die is formed in the desired shape of the bristle support surface. As the fluid material is extruded between the extrusion die and the forming die, the material fills the recesses in the drum that are facing the extrusion die as well as the groove in the extrusion die. The drum rotates to expose empty recesses and to rotate the filled recesses and material in the groove away from the extrusion die. As the fluid material is rotated away from the extrusion die, it cools and solidifies.

Abstract: Control apparatus for maintaining constant speed of an AC generator carried aboard a motor vehicle having an engine, a transmission including a power take-off, and an AC generator. The control apparatus includes a hydraulic pump driven from the power take-off, a hydraulic motor drivably connected to the generator, a fluid circuit driving the hydraulic motor from the hydraulic pump, a closed center proportional servo control valve assembly controlling the fluid circuit, and a control circuit disposed to control the proportional control valve assembly.

Abstract: The protection of items such as preassembled cabinets, furniture, major appliances or electronics against damage during shipping is a problem that has been approached in many different ways throughout the years. Manufacturers desire to pack their products as inexpensively, both in materials and labor, as possible while providing a maximum of protection against potential damage. This has typically entailed packing an item snugly in a preassembled carton, protected by systems such as styrofoam edge protectors. This procedure can, however, be quite awkward, especially with larger items such as furniture or cabinets. The present invention, however, offers a packaging system which can be built around the item to be packed, easing the packing procedure by employing a spacing lip along the lower edge of the bottom spacing pads which allow a packing sleeve to easily fit between the spacing pads and a bottom packing tray.

Abstract: A support structure for establishing a computer workstation around a chair, such as an easy chair or wheelchair. The support structure includes a flat base having a plurality of vertical posts projecting upwardly therefrom. Two of the posts have swing arms terminating in additional swing arms. An inclinably adjustable support platform is disposed above each final swing arm. Either support arm may optionally have a drawer and a clip for retaining papers. The compound swing arms enable the platform to be adjusted to any desired proximity to the post, within a range. The working surfaces of each support platform can be inclined, and the height of each support platform can be adjusted.

Abstract: The present invention is a light weight, easily used device designed for folding, storing and unfolding a floating solar swimming pool cover. In its preferred embodiment, the solar cover folder is an expandable, elongated loop which can be placed on the top surface of a floating swimming pool solar cover. After folding approximately the first two feet of the cover up and over said folder, said folder and the cover can then be folded back repeatedly until the entire cover has been rolled on the folder. Once the cover has been completely rolled onto the folder, it may either be left floating at the edge of the pool, lifted to rest on the side of the pool or removed to a remote location for storage.

Abstract: There is provided a knock-down bookshelf having a pair of trapezoidal base members each having front and rear slots which interlock with corresponding slots in front and rear vertical panels. When assembled, these members form a rigid base which supports a horizontal platform at a slight rearward slope so that books or similar articles placed on the horizontal platform are supported by the rear vertical panel without need for bookends or similar retaining devices. The bookshelf may be easily assembled and disassembled without need for tools.

Abstract: The present invention is a self-contained, solar powered heating and cooling system for a building. The collector has an insulated heating chamber, and a light transmissive cover and a thermostatically controlled vent. The chamber contains absorptive columns standing on the floor. An internal liquid conduit exposes the liquid to the heat within the chamber. The collector is connected to a remote thermal reservoir such that a liquid circuit and a separate gas circuit both circulate heated fluid to the reservoir. Heat can be stored in any of a liquid reservoir, thermal mass reservoir and gas reservoir. Wind powered generators and photovoltaic cells provide power for the system or other applications. The thermal reservoir has heat exchangers which deliver stored heat to the building or operate a heat operated refrigeration machine (e.g., a liquid absorption chiller). Additional self sustaining power sources may optionally be incorporated into the present invention.

Abstract: A mobile inventorying and collection apparatus includes a mobile cart for immediate inventorying of moneys collected in a coin collection box at an area adjacent to a host machine such as a gaming machine, and collecting in a secured receptacle of the mobile cart inventoried coins and tokens in a secured manner, and transmitting this data as well as identification data of the coin box to either a CPU provided on-board the mobile cart for later downloading to a remote data management control system, or directly to the remote data system.

Abstract: A mobile cart for inventorying monies collected from a coin operated machine. The mobile cart includes a receptacle for receiving and storing inventoried moneys, a data reception device, and a weight measuring device in electrical communication with the data reception device. The mobile cart also includes a receiving platform associated with the weight measuring device that is adapted to receive a coin box.

Abstract: A door stop for hollow walls having two drywall surfaces. The door stop comprises a cylindrical housing having an outwardly turned flange serving as a trim plate engaging the drywall surface exposed to the door knob of a swinging door. The flange is located at the exposed end of the housing. A piston occupies and is entrapped within a chamber formed in the housing. The piston is exposed to the door knob and presents surface roughly flush with the outer surface of the wall. The piston receives impacts when the door is swung so that the door knob strikes the wall. A spring inside the housing decelerates the piston responsive to the door being swung until contact with the wall ensues, and subsequently returns the piston to its original position. The chamber of the housing communicates to the exterior by a small orifice, so that piston movement is pneumatically dampened.

Abstract: A reciprocating, brush cutting attachment for a vehicle such as a riding lawn mower. The attachment is in the form of a sickle head having a bottom support plate that acts as a frame for the sickle head. Two top blades reciprocate back and forth on top of the support plate, one on each side. The bottom support plate and the two top blades all include front blade edges having a plurality of teeth. As the top blades move back and forth, vegetation between the teeth is cut. The prime advantage of the sickle head of the present invention is the reduction of vibrations achieved by continuously driving the colinear top blades in opposite directions with respect to each other.

Abstract: A planting tray for discharging many sproutlings simultaneously onto a permanent growing bed. The tray comprises a peripheral rectangular frame which slidably supports a floor panel. A flexible web attaches to the front of the frame by a clamp, extends over the floor panel, around the rear edge of the floor panel, and extends along the bottom of the floor panel back to the front of the frame. When the free end of the web is pulled, the floor panel is ejected to the front of the frame in parbuckle fashion. The sproutlings are thereby discharged onto the growing bed. The floor panel preferably has a roller disposed along its rear edge to avoid binding on the web when the web is pulled. The frame has two cable handles.

Abstract: Travel trailer and motor home users must periodically use various facilities for filling motor fuel tanks and water storage tanks of their vehicles, as well as dumping their waste water and sewerage receptacles. Typically the fill or discharge receptacles for these different tanks are located at different locations along the length of the vehicle, making it difficult to align the vehicle with the different service facilities. The present invention comprises a device whereby a driver can accurately line up fill and discharge receptacles with the corresponding service at a service station or dump station without the aid of a second person or the need for leaving the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention offers a low cost, modular structure with a continuous, horizontal, rotatable spine supported on posts fixed to the ground, providing one axis of rotation for pointing solar collectors in the North-South direction and vertical roll axis bars mounted orthogonally to the spine providing an additional axis of rotation in the East-West direction. Push rods provide linear motion for control of any number of solar collector modules, with the linear motion being translated to rotary motion by pulleys and cables attached to wheels or arc segments mounted to the spine and roll axis bars. Thus, a whole array of solar collector modules can be driven by a single solar tracking device and two drive devices. Additionally, when arrayed in multiple rows of the number of solar collector modules controlled can be multiplied so that a “solar farm” covering a large area could be controlled by the single solar tracking device and a minimal number of drive devices.

Abstract: A prefabricated barrier for providing protection to subterranean walls and other structural members against both penetration by water and by termites, are disclosed. The barrier has a tacky and waterproof compound, preferably an asphaltic compound, protected by a release liner which is peeled from the web immediately prior to installing the web on building surfaces. A layer of stainless steel mesh is used to inhibit passage of termites. The invention comprises a protective release liner, a first layer of tacky compound, a fiber reinforced material (preferably fiberglass), a second layer of tacky compound, a stainless steel mesh, and a layer of protective film.

Abstract: A playing card shuffler for shuffling a stack of playing cards with random distribution. The playing card shuffler includes an infeed playing card stack holder supporting an unshuffled playing card stack and discharges playing cards from incremental positions of the unshuffled playing card stack directly to the shuffled card receiver.

Abstract: A lock for locking valve and electrical switch handles in the “off” position, which lock incorporates a radio transmitter for reporting status of the lock to a remote monitor. The lock has a cable which encircles the handle. The distal end of the cable is connected to the lock and is locked in place. A conductor of an alarm subcircuit passes through the cable, thereby detecting whether the cable has been cut. The monitor includes a radio receiver and a display for displaying status of the monitored lock. The invention optionally utilizes plural locks and plural monitors.