Abstract: A safety strap device for hazardous materials containers includes a hazardous materials container having an outer wall and a retractable safety strap device mounted within the hazardous materials container. The safety strap device includes an extendable and retractable securement strap having an outer end, the securement strap extending outwards from the safety strap device through the outer wall of the hazardous materials container, a biasing device operative to forcibly retract the securement strap into the safety strap device and a strap extension and retraction locking device operative to prevent extension and retraction of the securement strap when engaged. Finally, a latch device is mounted on the outer end of the securement strap for releasably connecting the securement strap to a selected securement point thereby releasably securing the hazardous materials container in an upright position.

Abstract: A foldable foam-based divider device includes a plurality of panels, each panel including a middle foam plate and front and back semi-rigid paper plates mounted on and sandwiching the middle foam plate, the middle foam plate further including at least one outwardly extending connecting tab and at least one tab-receiving recess with adjacent ones of the plurality of panels connected to one another in accordion-like fashion with the connecting tab extending into the tab-receiving recess and being secured therein by connection of the front and back semi-rigid paper plates to the connecting tab. The plurality of panels is movable between a closed position with the plurality of panels forming a folded stack of generally parallel panels and an opened position wherein the plurality of panels forms an extended wall operative to selectively divide an area.

Abstract: A bedsore reduction system for beds includes a generally rectangular base plate, a mattress support plate and a diagonal connecting plate extending between said base plate and said mattress support plate and pivotably connecting the opposite side edges of the base plate and the mattress support plate. An inflatable upper wedge-shaped air chamber having a generally triangular cross-sectional shape is positioned between the mattress support plate and the diagonal connecting plate and an inflatable lower wedge-shaped air chamber having a generally triangular cross-sectional shape is positioned between the base plate and the diagonal connecting plate. Finally, a controllable inflation device such as a set of air pumps is operatively connected to the upper and lower wedge-shaped air chambers for inflating and deflating them such that the mattress support plate is adjustable in the yaw orientation relative to horizontal thereby tilting a mattress supported on thereon for prevention of bedsores.

Abstract: A golf swing training device including a training ball constructed of a compactable, resiliently deformable foam material, the training ball including at least two generally flat club impact surfaces each formed along a chord plane angled between approximately five degrees and twenty-five degrees from vertical and spaced from the center of the training ball with each of the at least two generally flat faces being substantially covered with a releasable adhesive material. A club face releasable adhesive material is removably mounted on and substantially covers the ball striking face of a golf club and the releasable adhesive materials on the training ball and the ball striking face cooperatively operate to releasably engage with one another upon impact of the ball striking face with the training ball thereby generally causing the training ball to be releasably retained on the ball striking face at the location of impact.

Abstract: An improved drum brake includes a drum having an outer generally cylindrical circumferential wall having an inner braking surface and a side wall plate mounted on and extending between the inner side of the outer circumferential wall. A braking mechanism mounted within the drum includes at least one brake shoe having an arcuate brake pad mounted thereon and brake actuating means operative to force the arcuate brake pad into frictional contact with the inner braking surface. At least two diagonal grooves are formed in the inner braking surface of the outer circumferential wall, each of the at least two diagonal grooves having a generally V-shaped or U-shaped cross-sectional shape and extending substantially across the entire width of the outer circumferential wall to remove liquid from within the drum being forced rearwards and outwards out of the drum within the diagonal grooves due to the rotation of the drum.

Abstract: An energy weapon protection device to be worn by a live potential target includes a generally flexible main panel having three main elements, a generally flexible, generally planar electrically non-conductive outer insulator panel, an electrically conductive inner conductive panel and an electrically non-conductive insulating backing panel. The inner conductive panel is mounted on the insulating back panel in generally parallel alignment and the outer insulator panel is mounted on the inner conductive panel in generally parallel alignment thereby forming the main panel, and the main panel is operative to receive an electrical pulse from an energy weapon through the outer insulator panel into the inner conductive panel which completes the electric circuit for the energy weapon and the insulating backing panel generally preventing electric current from passing therethrough from the inner conductive panel such that the live potential target is protected from the electrical pulse generated by the energy weapon.

Abstract: A transonic hull having a bow, a stern, a longitudinal length therebetween, side surfaces extending from the bow to outboard portions of the stern, a lower surface extending between the side surfaces, the transonic hull having a submerged volume with an approximately triangular shape in plan view with apex adjacent the bow and a base adjacent the stern, and an approximately triangular shape in side view when in motion with a base adjacent the bow and an apex adjacent the stern.

Abstract: A loss prevention device for pens includes a pen having an exterior shell generally free of openings therethrough and a writing device housed within the exterior shell and a loss prevention device mounted within the pen which includes a gravity-actuated position sensing switch having an outer electrically conductive cylinder and an inner electrically conductive cylinder mounted within and extending in generally concentric alignment with the outer cylinder, the contact ends of the outer and inner cylinders being generally adjacent to one another such that an electrically conductive ball bearing housed in a generally frustoconical ball bearing chamber can fall into contact with the contact ends of the outer and inner cylinders thereby completing an electrically conductive circuit and initiating an audio-generating programmable electronic device for generating and outputting an audio signal to a loudspeaker when the pen is oriented in a generally horizontal position.

Abstract: A loosely bound book of foam-based pages includes a plurality of pages, each page including a middle foam plate and front and back semi-rigid paper plates mounted on and sandwiching the middle foam plate and at least one binder slot formed in each of the pages, the binder slot extending entirely through the middle foam plate and the paper plates. At least one binding strap is extendable through the binder slot of each of the pages for binding the plurality of pages in a book and at least one releasable binding strap closure device is mounted on the binding strap, the releasable binding strap closure device operative to open and close the binding strap to permit pages to be added to and removed from the loosely bound book.

Abstract: To erect metal utility poles, a plurality of tubular sections of utility poles are fabricated, each having tapered portions and the diameter of one being slightly larger than the diameter of another. The sections are brought to a site for erection and pulled together with short repeated strokes of a hydraulic cylinder attached to one section with its piston rod connected to another section of utility pole. In one embodiment it is not necessary to manually adjust the mechanism pulling the sections of utility poles together and in another embodiment, a light flexible cord is attached to one section and a hydraulic cylinder to another section. The hydraulic cylinder pulls the cord and when the piston rod is extended for the next retraction, the cord length is adjusted.

Abstract: A full body stretching assist device includes a base, a central support shaft mounted on the base, left and right arm support stretching sections extending outwards therefrom, and left and right leg support stretching sections. The left and right arm support stretching sections each include a shoulder multi-axis joint and an elbow hinge joint, while the left and right leg support stretching sections each include a hip multi-axis joint and a knee hinge. Powered movement devices such as pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical or other such actuating devices are operatively connected to the left and right arm support stretching sections and the left and right leg support stretching sections for alternatively extending, retracting and pivoting them in response to computer commands from a computing device, thus causing controlled movement to stretch and move arm and leg limbs being supported therein.

Abstract: An improved siding clip includes a planar sheet having a lower fold section having a lower end and an upper generally triangular securement section including at least one fastener hole formed therein. The lower fold section includes a generally upright upper section generally adjacent the upper triangular securement section, and a siding edge receiving and retaining structure is mounted on the upper section of the lower fold section which includes a generally L-shaped wall extending rearwards and downwards from the upper section and a plate spring mounted adjacent the generally L-shaped wall operative to bias the siding clip upwards relative to the siding section held within the generally L-shaped wall to frictionally secure the siding clip on the siding section. The lower fold section is bent forwardly, then downwardly and then rearwardly to form a general “C”-shape channel operative to receive and retain a siding portion therein.

Abstract: A portable water filtration device includes a liquid-tight filter container and a filtration device mounted in the liquid-tight container. The filtration device includes an inlet opening extending through one of the walls and a first filtration device in liquid transfer connection with the inlet opening operative to receive and filter liquid flowing therethrough. A second filtration device is operative to receive liquid from the first filtration device and further filter the liquid flowing therethrough. The first and second filtration devices are selected from the group including ultraviolet, activated carbon and reverse osmosis filters, and an outlet opening extending through one of the walls then receives the treated water and releases the water from the filtration device. Finally, the liquid-tight filter container is operative to prevent liquid from entering the interior volume thereof thereby preventing contamination of the filtration device from accidental incursion of contaminants.

Abstract: An improved bicycle seat includes a seat base having a base plate and a seat cushion mounted on the base plate and a seat base mounting shaft mounted on and extending downwards from the base plate of the seat base. A seat back mounting shaft assembly is mounted on and extends rearwards and upwards from the seat base mounting shaft and the base plate of the seat base and a generally upright seat back is adjustably mounted on the seat back mounting shaft assembly for vertical and horizontal adjustment of the positioning of the generally upright seat back relative to the seat base. The seat cushion further includes a generally flat front face and a forwardly tilted top surface wherein the top surface of the seat cushion is forwardly tilted from horizontal between two and thirty degrees.