Abstract: An outrigger device for use with a motorboat upon which the device can be mounted for movement between an inboard storage position and an outboard trolling position includes a tube unit, a position unit moveable relative to the tube unit and a lock unit to releasably prevent such relative movement. The tube unit includes an elongated tube, a first shackle member fixed to its inboard end, a first mounting bracket and a universal joint supporting the shackle member on the first bracket. The position unit includes a V-shaped yoke with clevis members fixed on its ends plus second and third bracket members upon which the clevis members are pivoted. One of such bracket members including a latch to lock the device in an inboard storage position.

Abstract: A system for measuring the value of a parameter, e.g., structural strain, includes an optical waveguide, a laser or equivalent light source for launching coherent light into the waveguide to propagate therein as multi modes, an array of a plurality of spaced apart photodetectors each comprising a light receptor surface and signal output, said array being arranged to have light emitted from said waveguide output portion irradiate said light receptor surfaces, an artificial neural network formed of a plurality of spaced apart neurons, connectors to impose weighted portions of signal outputs from the photodetectors upon the neurons which register the parameter value on a meter or like output device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for clarifying liquids, especially water, of the two stage upflow/downflow type that operate in a filtering mode, a first stage flush mode and a bistage backwash mode are improved by the use in the first, upflow stage of particulate filter media consisting of solid particles with a specific gravity of between 3.5 and 4.4 and a size between 1.5 and 4 mm. and, preferably, in the second, downflow stage particulate filter media consisting of solid particles having a specific gravity of between 1.5 and 4.0 and sizes of between 0.3 and 1.5 mm and providing for upward passage of gas bubbles through the first stage media particles without appreciable expansion thereof during at least part of each flush and backwash mode of operation.

Abstract: An improved striking fishing rod holder for permanent installation on the cockpit gunnel or other location of a fishing boat is disclosed that enables hook-setting movement of the rod upon a fish strike of the bait trolled from the rod without removal of the rod from the holder. The new holders include a mounting plate assembly, a depending tubular member hinged to the plate assembly that swings from a troll position to a hit position and a detent assembly to releasably hold the tubular member alternatively in the troll or hit position. Advantageously, the holder also has an adjustment unit to vary the force required to override the detent assembly to release the tubular member for movement between its troll and hit positions. When a fish hits the bait being trolled from the rod held in the improved holder, movement of the rod in the new holder from the troll position to the hit position, alerts the fisherman that a fish strike has been made.

Abstract: A systems for measuring the value of a plurality of parameters includes an optical fiber having a core that conducts coherent light along two orthogonal polarization axes at different velocities, e.g.

Abstract: Improved methods for removal of disinfection by-products, halomethanes, precursors thereof and other organic contaminants from water being processed for use as potable or industrial water involve adding to the water being treated in a zone separate from the conventional clarification, softening and filtration steps, and downstream of at least the clarification step, between about 1 to 1000 ppm of powdered activated carbon (PAC), between about 1 to 1000 ppm of bentonite and between about 0.1 to 100 ppm of flocculant polymer, based upon one million parts of the water. The relative proportions of PAC, bentonite and polymer within the stated ranges are selected to give a sludge having a sludge cohesion factor "k" between about 0.5 and 5, especially between 0.6 and 1.5.

Abstract: An improved device for periodic cleaning of large diameter, cylindrical pipelines to remove from their inside wall marine growths or other deposits that implede liquid flow has a central shaft from which struts extend to carry wheels that run along the inside wall of the pipeline is disclosed. Rotor blades are carried on the front end of the shaft and function to drive cutter blades or crusher rollers over the inside wall of the pipeline to remove the impeding deposits. The device moves through the pipeline while water flows therein under control of a line fastened to the rear end of the shaft.

Abstract: Improved methods are disclosed for cleansing a plurality of seriate filter beds in automatic backwash filtering systems by backwashing the beds one at a time with backwash liquid from an effluent channel common to seriate effluent ports of the plurality of filter beds and pumping the backwash liquid seriatim through separate effluent ports of individual filter beds and then flowing filtered effluent from each bed through its effluent port into the effluent channel, repeating such steps of backwashing and flowing filtered effluent on individual filter beds until all the filter beds in the system have been backwashed wherein, simultaneously with the backwashing of a second bed, waste liquid from the first bed is pumped through its port while the waste liquid is monitored for turbidity and such waste liquid pumping is continued until the turbidity thereof reaches a predetermined low level.

Abstract: In a new method for the placement of sand, gravel or equivalent particulate material onto a sand trap, tee, putting green or other selected area of a golf course for construction or maintenance purposes, sand or other particulate material is pneumatically transported through a flexible conduit from an off-load site remote to the selected area to a nozzle positioned at the selected area and is sprayed from the nozzle onto the selected area. The new method eliminates the labor intensive prior method of wheelbarrowing sand or gravel from the off-load site to the selected site and the need then to rake or hoe the sand or gravel to properly spread it about the selected area.

Abstract: Declining rate filtration systems using influent siphoning for influent flow to a bed of particulate filter media are improved by using at least two influent siphons with each filter bed. In use of such improved systems, influent is siphoned from a flume source or the like to the filter bed after backwashing of the filter media through a first siphon and, thereafter as headloss in the filter bed increases, further influent from the source is siphoned to the filter bed through a second siphon that has an effective minimum cross-sectional area substantially greater than that of the first siphon.

Abstract: A current source inverter power supply for an ozone generator which results in improved efficiency and reliability in operation of such generators has an AC/DC converter coupled through a large inductance to a DC/AC inverter that, in turn, is coupled at its output to the primary of a high voltage transformer. Such transformer has an air gap in its core to supply the electrical characteristics necessary for resonance with the load which is capacitive in nature. Thyristors in the inverter are naturally commutated so the switching frequency is close to, but slightly above, the natural resonant frequency of the inverter/transformer/ozone generator circuit.

Abstract: An anchor having critically improved ability to penetrate and bury deep in mooring beds that can function well in a wide variety of mooring bed types is formed with a fluke component for burying into a mooring bed when it is cast on the bed and a shank component by which the anchor is attached to anchor rode. The fluke component is a contoured plate having identical starboard and port halves that increase in width from distal end to proximal end and meet in an apex at the center of the proximal end. The shank component has an elongated shaft bolted to a standard member above the plate with the shaft and the standard lying in a common plane with the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the plate. When the shaft is horizontal the plate is angled downward so its apex digs into the mooring bed when tension is applied to the anchor rode. Such angle may be varied to obtain maximum holding with different types of mooring beds.

Abstract: New systems for the purification of liquids containing suspended solids and/or dissolved solid materials basically include a conical flocculator unit and a conjoined conical clarifier unit. The flocculator has a cylindrical lower portion, frustum middle portion and large diameter cylindrical top portion while the clarifier is essentially a large diameter cylindrical top portion over a lower frustum portion. Water or other liquid to be purified enters the flocculator lower portion via opposed, unequally sized nozzles to assume a helical flow upward past a series of deflector plates positioned at the top of the lower flocculator portion while a sludge blanket forms therein. A double flume plus slot arrangement located at the junction of the flocculator with the clarifier separates solids from liquid as fluid flow from the flocculator passes into the clarifier where it is subjected to further separation of sludge from clarified liquid with part of the sludge being recycled to the flocculator.

Abstract: New systems for the purification of liquids containing suspended solids and/or dissolved solid materials basically include a conical flocculator unit and a conjoined conical clarifier unit. The flocculator has a cylindrical lower portion, frustum middle portion and large diameter cylindrical top portion while the clarifier is essentially a large diameter cylindrical top portion over a lower frustum portion. Water or other liquid to be purified enters the flocculator lower portion via opposed, unequally sized nozzles to assume a helical flow upward past a series of deflector plates positioned at the top of the lower flocculator portion while a sludge blanket forms therein. A double flume plus slot arrangement located at the junction of the flocculator with the clarifier separates solids from liquid as fluid flow from the flocculator passes into the clarifier where it is subjected to further separation of sludge from clarified liquid with part of the sludge being recycled to the flocculator.

Abstract: Imitation marble or like faux finishes are produced without need for artistic manipulations of coating materials, by applying random portions of one or more different aqueous colorant mixtures to the color absorbent surface of a substrate, while such random portions are still wet, applying thereto scattered portions of an activator solution of a small amount of water-insoluble volatile organic liquid, e.g., mineral spirits, dissolved in a water-miscible alcohol, e.g., isopropyl alcohol, allowing such scattered portions to act upon the random colorant mixture portions to automatically move them into a faux finish pattern, and then allowing the resulting faux finish pattern to dry. Aqueous colorant mixtures so used each contain a major amount of water and minor amounts of colorant and, selectively, detergent and/or water-miscible alcohol.

Abstract: Compostible compositions in the form of homogeneous mixtures containing 20-80% by weight unvulcanized, uncured C4-C6 alkadiene elastomer, e.g., natural rubber, 5-20% of modifier, e.g., casein, dextrose, starch or mixtures thereof, 1-40% filler, e.g., titanium dioxide or fibrous clay, 0-30% wax, e.g., carnauba wax, 0-40% styrene resin, e.g., polystyrene, 0-10% additive, e.g., bis-steramide, and 0-20% yeast are disclosed. Preferably such compositions are prepared as aqueous dispersions that can be converted by conventional casting procedures into thin sheets, e.g., about 1 to 10 mils, having useful tensile strength, elongation, flexibility and moisture barrier properties.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for erecting flat carton blanks into a tubular configuration, folding the minor flaps inwardly normal to the minor sides in three steps at a first work station, moving the erected carton blank to a second work station while partially folding the major flaps toward the folded minor flaps and applying glue to the minor flaps, further moving the carton blank to a third work station where the major flaps are pressure sealed to minor flaps and then discharging the finished carton from the work area. A machine for performing the method includes unique motor driven chain drive assemblies that enable adjustments to accommodate various size carton and a cam regulated valve system to control application of vacuum to suction cups and compressed air to a glue gun and to pneumatic pistons that move control arms and the like.