Abstract: A portable degasser, flare tank and fluid storage system for use during oil well exploratory drilling which when connected to the fluid blow-out prevention hardware of an active drilling operation prevents the accidental spillage of liquid ejected under pressure from the drill bore hole.

Abstract: A seat, which provides an enhanced level of comfort, by the use of dual independently supported seat cushions is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an inner seat cushion and an outer seat cushion, each of which is independently supported by a compressed air pneumatic device to control vertical movement, and by parallelogram linkages control lateral movement, and allow for vertical transition of the seats while maintaining them horizontal. The occupant of this seat can independently adjust the distribution of body weight shared by the inner seat cushion and the outer seat cushion from time to time, in order to change the pressure pattern against body parts and to provide optimum ergonomic seating posture. Furthermore, by adjusting the air supply, the occupant can increase or decrease the seat's effective spring rate.

Abstract: An artist's cradle includes a sheet of rigid plastic having a paintable surface on at least one planar surface thereof and a rigid base frame mounted to the underside of the sheet. The sheet is substantially neutral or neutral alkali ph and treated with a heat treatment around at least a periphery of the underside of the sheet. The heat treatment includes heat oxidizing the periphery using a heat source. The rigid frame is bonded by an adhesive to the periphery of the sheet following the heat treatment.

Abstract: A lifting bracket and associated lifting bracket system for mounting on an anchor pier for lifting generally horizontal building supports such as foundations, wherein the lifting bracket includes, collectively, a lifting plate, a gusset plate and a slide collar. The slide collar may be elongate and sized to fit snugly over an exposed upper end of the anchor pier for sliding engagement thereon. The lifting plate is mounted to the slide collar so as to extend cantilevered in a first direction substantially orthogonally therefrom, and so as to leave at least an upper portion of the slide collar extending upwardly from the lifting plate. The gusset plate is rigidly mounted at a lower edge thereof to an upper surface of the lifting plate so as to extend substantially entirely across the lifting plate in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and is rigidly mounted at at least an upper portion thereof to the upper portion of the slide collar disposed above the lifting plate.

Abstract: An insulated vent cap includes a cover member having a circumferential rim extending around corresponding circumferential edges of both a substantially rigid cover sheet and a substantially rigid base sheet, wherein the base sheet is spaced apart from, and below, the cover sheet, to thereby define a sealed, air-tight insulating void there-between. A spacer extends from the coversheet to the base sheet, whereby the cover and base sheets are maintained spaced apart to maintain the insulated void or space between the cover and base sheets irregardless of ambient temperatures external and internal to the vent on an enclosure to which the vent cap is mounted.

Abstract: A packing element for a blowout preventer includes an annular flexible non-metallic composite body disposed about a longitudinal axis that is adapted to be compressively displaced inwardly towards the axis. A plurality of non-metallic composite inserts are embedded in the body in generally circular fashion spaced apart in respective radial planes extending form the axis for reinforcing the body. Each of the inserts includes upper and lower flanges, and a web element extending between the flanges. The web element includes trailing and leading edges, each having outer arcuate surface that are substantially semicircular in cross-section for distributing the loads applied to a bond line between the insert and the flexible non-metallic composite body during the operation of the packing element. A central rib extends between the leading and trailing edges. The replacement of metal inserts with non-metallic composite inserts eliminates sparks and scoring of string, which leads to explosions.

Abstract: Microprocessors read the tilt of a vehicle as indicated by lateral and longitudinal tilt sensors, and predict the amount of jack actuation needed to level the vehicle. Once an attempt is made to level the vehicle, the system may pause for a configurable amount of time to allow the oscillations of the vehicle to subside. Once the vehicle motion, if any, has stopped, the tilt angles of the vehicle are once again checked and any further actuation of the jacks is taken to fine tune the attitude of the vehicle.

Abstract: A lash for a spa having a lid, wherein the lash includes an elongate flexible member having opposite first and second ends and at least two layers of webbing having a flexible metal cable interleaved between the layers of webbing. A releasably lockable latch is mounted or mountable on the first end of the flexible member for locking the first end of the flexible member to a corresponding first exterior wall of the spa. An anchor is mounted or mountable on the second end of the flexile member for irremovably anchoring the second end of the flexible member to a second exterior wall of the spa, opposite the first exterior wall of the spa.

Abstract: A baton includes an elongated flexible resilient member having a wand portion extending from a handle formed at a first end of the member and divided into two separate elongated half sections substantially longitudinally bisecting the wand portion and the handle. The two half sections may be releasably mounted to one another to form the baton.

Abstract: A device for sampling drill cuttings includes a frame, an inclined perforated member mounted on the frame, a sprayer for washing cuttings down over the perforations, and a removable open-topped cuttings collector mounted under the perforated member, the perforated member cooperating with the downstream end of a vibratory screen over which the cuttings pass before translating onto the perforated screen.

Abstract: A method for resolving RFID-based object traffic transactions to a single container in the presence of a plurality of containers, where the method includes the steps of: monitoring RFID object traffic transactions to a single container amongst a plurality of containers wherein the traffic transactions are between at least one RFID reader and a plurality of detected RFID tags detected by the at least one RFID reader; calculating a cumulative and weighted data set for each detected RFID tag of the RFID tags; and, comparing the data set for each detected RFID tag with the data set for other of the detected RFID tags and identifying one RFID tag of the detected RFID tags having a greatest cumulative weight calculated for its corresponding data set so as to resolve multiple detections and identifications of the detected RFID tags in the object traffic transactions to the single container.

Abstract: A lockdown device for a power tool includes a housing containing a battery, a processor, and a relay. The housing mounts to an aperture in a power tool so as to be locked thereto and so as to be immovable therefrom without dismantling of the power tool. An electrical power cord mounts to the housing in electrical communication with the processor and relay. The processor communicates with the relay for selectively electrically opening and closing the relay upon instructions from the processor. The processor detects a mains electrical power supply and sequences opening of the relay following a pre-set delay upon detection by the processor of an absence of, or loss of the mains electrical supply to the processor and the relay. A removable key cooperates with the processor and relay for the manual closing of the relay to power the power tool.

Abstract: A joystick includes a handle, a base shaft having opposite upper and lower ends, and a curvilinear housing. The handle is mounted on the upper end of the base shaft. The lower end of the base shaft is mounted into the curvilinear housing. The curvilinear housing has an outer curvilinear surface formed so as to include at least a clamp support portion of a zone of a spheroid between two generally horizontal and parallel planes. The zone includes a portion of the spheroid having the maximum circumference of the spheroid so that the curvilinear housing may be braced by clamped support of the portion. A releasable clamp having at least two cooperating clamp members is releasably mountable by releasable fasteners onto the clamp support portion along a clamp-member interface so as to support and clamp therebetween the portion of the spheroid having the maximum circumference of the spheroid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of turning a board while the board is being transferred in a conveyance system includes a conveyance system for transporting a board, a rotary turning device for rotating the board, a bumper stop for restraining the board and a speed-up belt for increasing or decreasing delivery of the board. The rotary turning device rotates at a constant rate relative to the conveyance system speed; the bumper stop stops the flow of the lumber allowing the rotary turning device to pick up the board; the speed-up belt accelerates the board to the front of the lug space and the conveyance system transports the board while it is turned within the lug space.

Abstract: A device for sanding, buffing or grinding elongate objects includes a housing having a collar at one end and a rotatable sanding/buffing head rotatably mounted in the collar. The collar defines a cavity. A driveshaft is mounted to a motor in the housing for rotation of the driveshaft about an axis of rotation of the head upon actuation of the motor. A distal end of the driveshaft extends into the cavity in the collar. The sanding/buffing head may be cup-shaped and removably mounted or mountable into the collar on to the distal end of the driveshaft. The driveshaft rotates the cup within, and relative to, the collar upon the actuation of the motor. An abrasive is mounted to the annular inner surface of the cavity in the collar. The second end of the housing, opposite the first end, provides a handle for manual grasping and lifting by a user.

Abstract: A bathtub for the disabled or elderly includes a tub (10) having an enclosure defined by at least one sidewall (10a), where the sidewall (10a) has a doorway therein providing access from an external side of the sidewall (10a), external to the enclosure, into the enclosure. A generally horizontal and vertically spaced apart pair of elongate guides (74, 82) are provided in the sidewall (10a). A door is slidably mounted to the guides (74, 82) on at least one pivotable linkage arm (70, 78). The pivotable linkage arm (70, 78) is pivotally mounted to both the door and at least one of the guides, and is adapted for generally horizontal translation along the sidewall (10a), in cooperation with the guides (74, 82), between a closed position wherein the door is releasably lockably mounted in watertight sealed engagement within the doorway, and an open position wherein the door is clear of the aperture and substantially parallel to the sidewall (10a).

Abstract: A ladder leveller for mounting onto at least one stile of a hollow runged ladder includes an elongate stile extension member, a cross bar sized for mounting journalled through a hollow rung of the ladder. A locking pin extends from the cross bar, through one of an array of apertures in the extension member and cooperates with a locking bar. The locking bar is releasably mounted onto the locking pin to lock the stile extension member onto the stile.