Abstract: A flooring tool for the installation or repair of wooden tongue and groove flooring. The tool has a jack for exerting linear force, with a fixed and a movable portion. A pivoting gripper is mounted upon the movable portion, and a guide is mounted upon the fixed portion, which allows a brace such as a 2.times.4 board to be inserted into the guide and gripper and held in place, extending the reach and usefulness of the tool. A foot upon a push-pull rod extends downwards from the fixed portion of the jack, and pushes upon the flooring planks. In a preferred embodiment, two attachment points are provided for the foot on its rod, at each end of the fixed portion, providing maximum flexibility.

Abstract: A riding lawn mower has wheels which are spring suspended from the chassis and a floating-type cutter deck hangs from the chassis. When a wheel moves upwardly relative to the chassis, as occurs when the wheel goes across a bump or when the chassis leans in a turn, a nearby portion of the cutter deck is lifted upwardly in response. In one embodiment, the drive wheels are independently spring suspended rear wheels and the cutter deck is mounted between the front and rear wheels. On each side of the machine a chain runs from a lifting bracket attached to each rear wheel motor mount and runs down to the rear end of the deck. So, when a wheel moves upwardly the deck is moved upwardly. In another embodiment, the front wheels are the spring suspended drive wheels and the cutter deck is cantilevered from the front end of the machine. The rear end of the cutter deck is lifted upwardly upon upward wheel motion.

Abstract: A monitoring system monitors a plurality of remote product dispensers. Vends are detected indicating that products have been dispensed from the dispenser during a given time period. Vend data indicative of the products dispensed is stored. The vend data is communicated to a base unit and a base unit provides a display indicative of products dispensed and a service schedule based on the vend data received.

Abstract: A backup system for powering a fan that engages in the event of primary power loss. The system includes a backup motor run by an alternate power source and controlled by a backup circuit. When primary power is lost, a solenoid is de-energized, depressing a microswitch and completing the backup circuit to the alternate power source. The backup motor rotates into contact with the fan to ensure uninterrupted airflow. This backup system is especially suited for powering an air distribution fan that ensures sufficient oxygen reaches a coal fire burning within a coal stove, thus maintaining the coal fire until primary power is restored. This backup system is readily adapted to typical coal-burning stoves in addition to other devices.

Abstract: An affordable means of protecting a barn against fly infestation by trapping in a novel trap design predatory arthropods such as Carcinops pumilio and Macrocheles muscaedomesticae from another barn having a mature predator population, and transferring the traps to accumulations of manure which are underpopulated with the predatory arthropods. The predators self-release onto the predator-free manure and establish themselves, preventing fly infestations which would normally occur. The trap of the invention is a box-like structure, having a filter surface on one side which has openings large enough to admit Hister beetles and Macrochelid mites, but small enough to prevent the entry of hide beetles and litter beetle pests. Inside the box is an appropriate bait material which will attract the desired predatory beetles or mites, such as a slurry of housefly eggs in water spread on absorbent material. The traps are spread across a mature manure pile.

Abstract: A low insertion force connection using two interfitting components: a tapered element and a beam element which is deformed by the tapered element in the region where the primary forces are buckling, rather than bending. The present invention is based on pressure engaged insert/receptacle type of connections that are self-assembling, and require a minimized insertion force to produce a high and tunable contact force that is not applied through the component to be attached. Apart from differences in size, the same design principles are applicable from the chip level to the board level of a microelectronic system. The invention comprises a low cost pressure engaged electrical and thermal connection, based on insert/receptacle structures in which the contact force and insertion force are separated. Such a design allows tunable contact force while it minimizes the insertion force and allows also for self-assembly and reworkability.

Abstract: A floating apparatus for providing breathable pressurized air to a submerged swimmer(s). A inflatable tube supports a combination of two containers at the waters surface. The top container is a sealed battery compartment and mating cover which holds a battery for powering the compressor(s) and a means for mounting said compressor(s) in a position that allows for submersion at the waters surface. The top container is also used as shield and water deflector to prevent the intake of water into the compressors. The outlets of the compressors are joined and adapted to one or more hoses to provide air to a submerged swimmer(s). The bottom container is a cover which protects the electrically powered compressor(s) and provides a means to allow water entry to cool said compressor(s).

Abstract: An automatic sub-floor pumping system, having a controller box, sensor wires, suction hose and pump. Two or three sensor probes are used--the lowest, or ground, probe can be omitted, and the circuit referenced to earth or wiring ground. The pump evacuates water from beneath the basement floor through a hose inserted into a small hole drilled into the basement floor. The sensor probes can be simply wires with the last 1/8" to 1/2" bared, attached to the outside of the pump suction hose at two locations an inch or two apart. The hose, with wires attached, is inserted down the one-inch evacuation hole bored through the floor. The control uses a very low current on the wires, which are negative relative to ground so as to be cathodically protected from corrosion. An optional sensing circuit monitors lower probe wire voltage and warns of possible corrosion effects.

Abstract: A toenail hammer includes a head connected to a handle by a shank, where the shank is substantially bent such that, when toenailing in a confined space or around an obstacle the bent shape allows the nail being driven to be struck by the normal striking face of the hammer instead of the side face. The head and handle are in substantially the same relative alignment as in an ordinary hammer. An alternative embodiment positions the claw on the bent shank instead of the head.

Abstract: The Tissue Transfer method consists of transferring intact, organized cells from the surfaces of biological tissues or organs to a transfer substrate. A surface of the tissue or organ is selected, in most cases, a freshly cut surface. At least one layer of intact cells is transferred by adhesion of the cells to a transfer substrate, which is a membrane, film, plate or liquid layer bound to a solid structure. The substrate is brought into contact with the selected surface and removed. A layer of cells is removed by the adhesion of the cells to the substrate and the cells retain the organization of the organ or tissue. Method and apparatus for retrieving glomeruli dislodged from renal biopsy cores during the biopsy procedure and immobilizing the glomeruli on a membrane substrate. The morphological quality of these glomeruli is such that they can be used for diagnostic evaluation.

Abstract: The invention teaches a stone/soil urban tree mix that can safely support pavements yet also provide ample rooting area--a current limitation--for street trees that are planted close to the pavement. By expanding the rooting zone, the mix allows increased tree growth, decreased tree mortality, and decreased sidewalk failure. The mix employs a stone aggregate that is coated with an acrylamide hydrogel slurry, creating matrix pores that suspend the soil that is added to the mix in specific amounts. The criterion for determining the critical stone to soil dry-weight mixing ratios for various stone and soil types are disclosed.

Abstract: An exhaust muffler for a motor vehicle includes a louver tube having an intake end and an exhaust end. An outer tube, consisting of a frustoconical portion and a cylindrical portion, is concentrically arranged around the louver tube. A plurality of louvers and associated louver holes in the louver tube scoop a portion of gasses from the louver tube into the outer tube. An end cap, which includes an exhaust exit hole in its center, fits into an exhaust end of the outer tube. A plurality of end cap holes are arranged so that gasses leaving the outer tube flow through them. A restrictor disk between the end cap and louver tube includes a central hole coaxial with the louver tube and the exhaust exit hole of the end cap. Restrictor disk holes are in the restrictor disk between the central hole and its perimeter so that gasses leaving the louver tube flow through the central hole and the restrictor disk holes as they leave the muffler.

Abstract: A device for adjusting the pitch and quality of the sound produced by a diaphragm-type game call. Two embodiments are presented, which may be built by the manufacturer into a conventional call or clipped onto a pre-existing call by the hunter. The invention comprises a tuning bar which extends across the width of the diaphragm. The tuning bar may be slid along the length of the diaphragm, from the vibrating edge inward toward the fixed supported end. In the preferred embodiment, the tuning bar has a tab or "step" which extends downward toward the diaphragm, acting as a fret or stop and modifying the air flow over the diaphragm, allowing greater variations in sound.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a novel baculovirus cloning system. The new cloning system is a marker-rescue system, using an essential gene, e.g. gp64. In this system, a gene essential for viral replication, growth, or propagation in cell culture is removed from or inactivated in the viral genome. Once a null baculovirus is created, it is propagated in a host cell that expresses the essential protein or a functional homolog. For cloning into the baculovirus containing the null-mutation, the virus is used to infect wild type host cells and the same cells are transfected with a plasmid that contains the essential gene, or a functional homolog, linked to a foreign gene under the control of a selected promoter. The baculovirus is "rescued" by the rescue gene linked to the foreign gene and is able to propagate normally and express the foreign gene.

Abstract: The invention presents an easy to use anchor for safety cables which can be attached to the framing of the floor as it is built, and removed and re-used after the floor is completed. The anchor has lower and upper plates separated by a spacer the thickness of an I-beam cross-plate. The anchor clamps between two adjacent beams, with the upper and lower plates sliding around the top plate of the I-beam and being fastened firmly with setscrews in the lower plate. Eye bolts screw into the anchor plate to provide a tie-off spot for cables. The thickness of the anchor plate over the deck support beams is such that the top of the anchor plate is flush with the surface of the plywood decking over which the concrete will be poured. In use, the anchor is slid into the desired location between the top plates of two deck support I-beams and screwed tightly into place using the setscrews in the lower plate of the anchor.

Abstract: An adaptive holder for a pump-style dispenser is disclosed. The holder includes a holder base and at least two converging side rails slanted from top to bottom and connected to the holder base. The dispenser base slides between and under the top of the converging side rails until it is secured to the holder base by frictional compression forces between the dispenser base, the converging side rails and the holder base. A toothbrush holder system for positioning a toothbrush in proximity to the dispenser is disclosed. A toothbrush holder base is secured in the adaptive holder along with the dispenser. The toothbrush is supported by support base and held in proper position by the side rails. As an alternative, the adaptive holder which includes a support rail can be provided with a toothbrush support base and toothbrush guide rails. The adaptive holder can be provided with support arms and an extension handle arm pivotally connected to the support arms.