Abstract: A solar powered lighting unit is affixed to a railing system to project illuminating light from the railing system. Solar powered light assemblies each have a light receptor and a light emitter placed in a linear array along a housing molded of a synthetic polymeric material. Gripping members preferably are molded unitary with the housing and are resiliently flexible so as to engage a selected member of the railing system to urge gripping surfaces against the selected member for ready attachment of the housing to the railing system. The gripping members grip the selected structural member to affix the housing to the railing system with the light receptors in position to receive impinging solar light and with the light emitters in position to emit illuminating light from the railing system.

Abstract: An apparatus for displaying and dispensing merchandise in the form of packages arranged serially along a path of travel leading to a dispensing location at a point-of-purchase is selectively adjustable to accommodate packages of different dimensions. A pusher track assembly and dividers, each having a near end and a far end, readily are placed at selected relative locations along a display shelf and are secured in place adjacent the near ends to guide and move the packages along the path of travel to the dispensing location. Stabilizing arrangements located adjacent the near ends stabilize and maintain the pusher track assembly and the dividers in alignment with the path of travel without the necessity for securing the far ends independent of the near end securement in order to maintain the desired alignment of the pusher track assembly and the dividers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for mixing feedstock within a vessel wherein the feedstock is moved along a heat transfer surface within the vessel. A mixing blade assembly includes a mixing blade and at least one mixing blade support member moved within the vessel to sweep forward along a path of travel extending adjacent the heat transfer surface. Feedstock is circulated within the vessel by the mixing blade, and the mixing blade support member includes a mixing surface confronting the heat transfer surface. The mixing surface is spaced from the heat transfer surface and is configured such that feedstock material is squeezed between the mixing surface and the heat transfer surface so as to be subjected to mixing shear and heat transfer between the squeezed feedstock material and the heat transfer surface.

Abstract: A unicondylar femoral prosthetic implant component for implant at a prepared implant site within a natural knee joint provides a femoral articular surface having a convex surface contour configuration along a femoral condylar surface in a restored knee joint. A relief section is located adjacent the anterior end of the femoral condylar surface for placement contiguous with the patella track of the natural knee joint. The relief section has a surface contour configuration dimensioned and configured for providing an essentially continuous and smooth transition between the patella track along the natural bone adjacent the implant site and the femoral condylar surface of the implant component. The surface contour configuration of the relief section preferably is concave.

Abstract: The containment wall of a basket media mill is constructed of a sintered porous metal having porous openings each of a pore size less than the predetermined size of the media for confining the media within the bed in the basket as feedstock is passed through the porous openings in the containment wall. The containment wall extends over an overall area and the porous openings provide an open area through which the feedstock flows as the feedstock passes through the containment wall, and the open area is at least about twenty-one percent of the overall area of the containment wall for enabling a concomitant increased volumetric flow of feedstock through the containment wall. A substantially flat sheet of sintered porous metal having porous openings is formed into a cylindrical configuration to construct a cylindrical containment wall with porous openings each increasing in pore size from the interior of the cylindrical wall toward the exterior of the cylindrical wall.

Abstract: A power solar panel is maintained in an optimum position relative to the sun during daylight as the sun traverses a solar track elevated above the horizon and extending from a sunrise location to a sunset location during each day of consecutive days of the year by utilizing solar energy to power a sun tracker which carries the power solar panel. The sun tracker includes pairs of solar modules wherein the solar modules are arrayed in an A-shaped cross-sectional configuration for being aimed directly at the sun in response to exposure to the sun, and the pairs of solar modules power motors which tilt the solar panel about a horizontal direction and rotate the power solar panel about a vertical direction to maintain optimum alignment with the sun during the course of a day.

Abstract: In an HVAC system in which ambient air is supplied by the system to a building through an ambient air intake airstream and is exhausted from the building through an exhaust airstream energy is conserved by transferring heat between the intake airstream and the exhaust airstream. A heat exchange fluid is circulated between heat exchangers located in the intake airstream and in the exhaust airstream. An air turbine is placed in the exhaust airstream for being driven by the exhaust airstream, and the air turbine is coupled with a pump arranged to circulate the heat exchange fluid between the heat exchangers such that upon being driven by the exhaust airstream, the air turbine, in turn, drives the pump to circulate the heat exchange fluid between the heat exchangers and thereby effects the transfer of heat from one to the other of the intake airstream and the exhaust airstream and a concomitant conservation of energy in the HVAC system.

Abstract: A fitting and a method for utilizing one or more of such fittings are described for securing supplemental hair to a person's head, along the outer surface of the person's scalp, to create an enhanced, natural appearance independent of the population and location of any natural hair on the person's head. Each fitting includes a base and a longitudinal bridge rising from the base to establish an eye providing a lateral path beneath the bridge. Each base is embedded beneath the outer surface of the person's scalp to secure the corresponding fitting at a selected strategic location on the person's head with the bridge projecting from the outer surface to provide a corresponding attachment site. Supplemental hair is juxtaposed with and secured to each bridge with a corresponding ligature passed through the eye of each corresponding bridge.

Abstract: A self-contained air-conditioning unit is modified to effect conservation of energy during operation of the unit. Refrigerant is moved along a refrigerant circuit for circulation through a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator within a housing which includes a base. The evaporator is raised above the base a distance sufficient to enable collection of condensate from the evaporator and transfer of the collected condensate by gravity to a condensate reservoir tray located adjacent the base. A heat exchange conduit is inserted into the refrigerant circuit, between the compressor and the condenser, and is placed in the condensate reservoir tray so as to be immersed in the condensate transferred to the condensate reservoir tray for enabling transfer of heat from the heat exchange conduit to condensate in the condensate reservoir tray during operation of the air-conditioning unit, thereby reducing the amount of energy needed to operate the unit.

Abstract: A surgical cutting tool for cutting a seating surface of curved contour configuration in natural bone for receiving a component of a prosthetic implant at an implant site. The tool has cutting blades in a cutting blade construct placed within an arbor such that the cutting blades are supported by the arbor circumferentially spaced from one another, with cutting edges of the cutting blades exposed for cutting the seating surface. Stabilizers along the arbor stabilize the tool during a cutting operation, while channels in the arbor along the cutting blades carry away cut bone.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for generating electrical power from an installation site in a body of water wherein waves occur naturally over an area of the body of water to move the water about a mean water level beneath an ambient atmosphere to effect an alternate rise and fall in the water level about the mean water level. A plurality of chambers are immersed in the body of water such that air is moved out of and into each chamber by the rise and fall of the water level in each chamber. The flow of air out of the chambers is conducted to one of two air turbines while the flow of air into the chambers is conducted to the other of the two air turbines. The two air turbines are coupled for simultaneous and continuous rotation as a unit, and the air turbines are coupled to a generator for generating electrical power.

Abstract: The containment wall of a basket media mill is constructed of a porous synthetic polymeric material having porous openings each of a pore size less than the predetermined size of the media for confining the media within the bed in the basket as feedstock is passed through the porous openings in the containment wall. The containment wall extends over an overall area and the porous openings provide an open area through which the feedstock flows as the feedstock passes through the containment wall, and the open area is at least about fifteen percent of the overall area of the containment wall for enabling a concomitant increased volumetric flow of feedstock through the containment wall. A substantially flat sheet of porous synthetic polymeric material having porous openings is formed into a cylindrical configuration to establish a cylindrical containment wall with porous openings each increasing in pore size from the interior of the cylindrical wall toward the exterior of the cylindrical wall.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for non-invasive analysis of saliva includes a user friendly lolli-pop like apparatus that is self contained and provides the user with a method to stimulate saliva by sucking on the pop head. The saliva activates a color change reaction on the apparatus that results in a visual response that can be compared to a user gauge for analysis in monitoring health conditions and concerns.

Abstract: A self-sizing cap provides a secure, optimum fit upon a wearer's head over a range of sizes. The cap includes a crown and a headband in the form of a plurality of headband segments extending circumferentially along the lower peripheral edge of the crown of the cap. A first headband segment is located along a back portion of the crown and is constructed of a uniaxially resiliently stretchable material oriented for stretching along circumferential directions. A second headband segment is constructed of a substantially non-stretchable material, preferably a perspiration-absorbing material, and is located along a front portion of the crown. Third headband segments are located along side portions of the crown, placed between the first and second headband segments, and are constructed of a biaxially resiliently stretchable material.

Abstract: A fish hook is baited by placing a morsel of bait in a well located at the top end of a block having a slot extending along a side of the block. The slot is located relative to the well such that upon placing the shank of the fish hook in the slot, with the tip of the hook confronting the well and aligned with the bait in the well, and then drawing the shank along the slot, the bait is impaled upon the tip of the hook with safety and with accuracy. The baited hook then is withdrawn from the block in a direction which militates against inadvertent pulling of the tip of the hook out of the bait.

Abstract: A boarding aid assists a person in embarking on and disembarking from a deployed inflatable dinghy over the bow of the dinghy. A handgrip bar is supported by a support structure selectively coupled with the dinghy so as to be placed over the bow of the dinghy, with the handgrip bar spaced above the bow at an elevated position which renders the handgrip accessible for ready grasping by a person remaining essentially erect as the person steps aboard or leaves the dinghy. Upon selective uncoupling of the support structure from the dinghy, the support structure and the handgrip bar will be released for stowing apart from the dinghy.

Abstract: A boarding aid assists a person in embarking on and disembarking from a deployed inflatable dinghy. A handgrip bar is supported by a support structure selectively coupled with the dinghy so as to be placed across the beam of the dinghy, with the handgrip bar spaced from the bow and the stern of the dinghy, at an elevated position which renders the handgrip accessible for ready grasping by a person remaining essentially erect as the person steps aboard or leaves the dinghy. Upon selective uncoupling of the support structure from the dinghy, the support structure and the handgrip bar will be released for stowing apart from the dinghy.

Abstract: A template and a method guide a cutting tool during cutting of a quilt block having a selected one of at least two alternate kaleidoscope patterns from a quilting blank having a given pattern of sections seamed together along seam lines intersecting at a common seam origin. The template provides right angle corners and obtuse angle corners for accommodating the alternate kaleidoscope patterns, and includes cutting guides and registration indicators which when registered with seam lines of the quilting blank locate one or more of the cutting guides for cutting one or more segments of the border of a selected kaleidoscope pattern. Indexing of the template and the quilting blank relative to one another relocates the cutting guides for cutting further segments of the border to complete the selected kaleidoscope pattern.

Abstract: A toy gun is operated by water under pressure, supplied from a conveniently available source of water under pressure, such as a garden hose connected to a municipal water supply, a household water supply, or a similar source of water under pressure, to launch a projectile, such as a water-filled balloon, along, and preferably through, the barrel of the gun. The projectile is coupled with a firing chamber, preferably by being placed in the firing chamber, adjacent the barrel, and water under pressure is admitted to an actuator for actuating an air compressor which, in turn, creates compressed air that is accumulated in an air chamber and then selectively released to the firing chamber to launch the projectile from the barrel.

Abstract: A container and method for containing a valued article protected against impact and shock during transportation and storage. The article is packed within an inner case and an inner frame is extended around the inner case, juxtaposed with the inner case at spaced apart locations along the exterior of the inner case. The inner frame is suspended within a circumambient outer frame and is spaced away from the outer frame by shock-absorbent suspenders placed at corresponding spaced apart corners of the inner and outer frames, with open gaps established between the spaced-apart suspenders. Cover members are juxtaposed with the outer frame to extend circumambient over the exterior of the inner case and cover the open gaps between the inner case and the cover members such that the open gaps deter the transmission of impacts from outside the container to the inner case.