Abstract: The rescue hook can be remotely attached to a load and can self-center to position the load in an optimal place on the hook. One embodiment of the rescue hook has an opening for a placement tool such as an extended stick so a user can place the rescue hook onto an attachment point of a harness or object remotely. The body of the rescue hook can form an elongated throat to hold the attachment point and a gate pivotably attached to the body to enclose the throat.

Abstract: A rotor damping system includes a rotor blade defining opposed leading and trailing edges, wherein the rotor blade has flexibility in an edgewise direction defined between the leading and trailing edges. A spar is mounted within the rotor blade, wherein the spar is stiff against flexure in the edgewise direction. A damper is operatively connected to the spar for damping relative motion of the spar and blade.

Abstract: A damped rotor system includes a rotor blade defining a longitudinal axis opposed leading and trailing edges and having a blade spar. The rotor blade has flexibility in an edgewise direction defined between the leading and trailing edges. A structural damping assembly has an eddy current damper including a damper body that is mounted to the blade spar. The damper body houses a magnetic member movable relative to the damper body. The damper body is of an electrically conductive non-ferromagnetic material such that movement of the magnetic member relative to the damper body induces magnetic eddy currents in the damper body for damping vibrations of the rotor blade in the edgewise direction.

Abstract: A rotor damping system includes a rotor blade defining opposed leading and trailing edges, wherein the rotor blade has flexibility in an edgewise direction defined between the leading and trailing edges. A spar is mounted within the rotor blade, wherein the spar is stiff against flexure in the edgewise direction. A damper is operatively connected to the spar for damping relative motion of the spar and blade.

Abstract: A drum lid for an open head drum in which the drum lid is clamped to the drum by a closing ring for sealing the drum. A section of the lip of the lid is reinforced. The section is reinforced by rigidly securing a reinforcing member to the exterior of the lid. The reinforcing member may be a metal lug.

Abstract: An automatic paint machine for painting cylindrically contoured objects. The paint machine includes a pair of housing members which are movable in a longitudinal direction for positionally mounting the cylindrical objects in a predetermined location. A cylindrical object to be painted is mounted in rotational displacement with respect to a multiplicity of rollers which extend from each of the housing members. Rotation of the rollers results in a corresponding counterrotation of the cylindrical object being painted. A series of spray nozzles are mounted on the machine to provide a spray of paint unto the surface of the object. A plurality of shield members are positioned adjacent a segmental portion of an outer surface of the object being painted. The shields intersect the path of paint being sprayed from particular spray nozzles to divide the object surface into zones and producing a sharp delineation of color between one zone and another.

Abstract: A football-like game ball which is manually thrown through the air. The ball has a generally truncated ellipsoid outer contour with a Venturi-like nozzle passage extending coincident with a major axis of the ball. A plurality of weighted elements are located within or adjacent to an outer wall of the ball to provide rotational stability when the ball is thrown through the air and spun about the major axis.