Abstract: A color-changing, position-reversible hourglass assembly having two transparent bulbs one above the other and a storage compartment adjacent each bulb, the bulbs and compartments being joined together by a neck. Intercoupling the bulbs and the compartments is a crossover network which passes through the neck to couple each bulb to the compartment adjacent the other bulb. In operation, when one bulb and its adjacent compartment are in an up position and are respectively loaded with sand of different color, then sand of one color appears to trickle from the up bulb into the compartment in the down position while sand of another color appears to trickle from the up compartment into the down bulb. The resultant apparent flow of sand from a higher to a lower level creates the illusion that sand flowing out of the up bulb is undergoing a color transformation as it flows into the down bulb.

Abstract: A molding kit to facilitate the synthetic cloning of body parts, such as fingers, the kit including a supply of alginate powder and a mold form having a bottom opening that is sealed when the form is seated on a base. A charge of powder is mixed with water to form a quick-setting, flowable molding compound. This is poured into the mold form, after which the body member is inserted and held therein until the compound sets to form an elastic gel. The gel is then pushed out of the mold form through the bottom opening, and the body part withdrawn to expose the impression cavity. The gel is returned to the mold form which is again seated and a flowable casting compound of the same composition as the molding compound is poured into the cavity and permitted the set to create a flesh-like clone of the body part. This clone is readily removable from the cavity without marring the impression therein.

Abstract: Apparatus for playing a word game in which each player is supplied with a multi-channel slide holder having strips slidable therein. The channels of the holder all lie in parallel relation and are transversely bridged at the holder midpoint by a crosspiece having a column of read-out windows therein, each overlying a respective channel. Each strip is provided with a central blank zone and a series of letters printed on either side of the blank zone, the letters having numerical subscripts which assign values thereto. When all strips are aligned on the holder at their neutral positions, the blank zones thereof are displayed in all windows of the crosspiece. By shifting the strips in their channels in either direction, the player may select various letters for display in the windows of the column in a sequence creating a desired word.

Abstract: A yogurt maker which requires only hot tap water at the proper temperature and a yogurt preparation to produce a natural yogurt without the need for an external heat source to promote incubation. The maker is constituted by a can which houses a Dewar flask, the can having a removable cover provided with a chromatic liquid crystal cell that serves to test the hot tap water to be sure that it is at the correct temperature before it is poured into the flask to be mixed with the yogurt preparation. The hot water mixture is maintained by the flask at the incubation temperature for a period indicated by a scale on the cover, which scale is settable relative to start and stop points on the can. Upon completion of incubation, the flask containing the yogurt is withdrawn from the can and refrigerated.

Abstract: A technique for producing a pre-distorted design format on a printing plate for use in a print transfer system in which an inked design engraved on the plate is picked up by a soft transfer pad and applied to the irregular surface of an article to be decorated, the pad being forced against the surface and conforming thereto to impress the inked design thereon. In this technique, a physical master is created which is an exact replica of the article to be imprinted, the irregular surface of the master being engraved or otherwise prepared to accept ink to define the design which is to appear on the article. The design on the master is inked, and this inked design is picked up by the transfer pad and applied to the regular surface of a proof sheet, whereby the distortion in the design impressed on the proof sheet reflects the distortion introduced by transferring from the irregular to the regular surface.

Abstract: A multi-level edifice for playing a three-dimensional word game whose object is to gain the highest score in forming words having a fixed number of letters with the highest point value. The edifice is constituted by a set of transparent platforms equal in number to the fixed number and supported one above the other by corner posts. Each platform is provided with a uniform array of playing sites equal in number to the square of the fixed number, some sites being "free," the others being adapted to accept playing chips bearing different letters associated with numerals representing different point values. Words are formed in a straight line on any platform level or levels on the playing edifice.