Abstract: A connector device is provided for a curtain wall system of the type having structural members secured to the building framing to define frames to support glazing panels. The glazing panels each have a sash by which they are secured to the frames of structural members to form an outer wall portion of a building. The curtain wall system has connector devices securing one of the glazing panels to the frames of structural members. The connector device comprises a keeper secured to a frame, and a latch mechanism secured opposite the keeper on the sash. The latch mechanism has a latch bolt automatically displaceable to a locking position upon contact with the keeper. The keeper and the latch mechanism cooperate in the locking position to lock the glazing panel to the frame in a secured position. A method for installing the connector device is also provided.

Abstract: An aspirator, including a bulb that defines first and second ports, a tube adjacent to the first port defined by the bulb, and means for helping to prevent aspirated material inside the bulb from exiting the bulb through the second port defined by the bulb.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing grass sprigs from sod and incorporating the grass sprigs into the ground, including a chassis, a sod conveying system mounted on the chassis and configured such that sod may be placed thereon and transported thereby, and a rotary tilling mechanism mounted on the chassis and oriented such that, during operation of the apparatus, the rotary tilling mechanism engages both the sod transported by the sod conveying system and the ground.

Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for building a database of bales of cotton available for sale, and for electronic commerce of bales of cotton. A fiber quality measurement instrument located in a cotton gin provides fiber quality data substantially concurrently with the making up of cotton into individual bales. The fiber quality measurement instrument is connected through a communications network, such as the internet, for uploading fiber quality data to a database storage device. For electronic commerce, a search engine is connected via the communications network to interrogate the database to select bales having fiber qualities within specified ranges for a candidate buyer.

Abstract: A combination mirror and amusement system for entertaining and amusing a child in a vehicle. A mirror assembly attachable to a vehicle seat includes a mirror and a frame surrounding the mirror. The frame has at least one ornamented portion and at least one appearing character portion. The appearing character portion in turn includes a sheet of plastic film having a visible front side and a reverse side. The sheet of plastic film has the characteristic of a “one-way” mirror which appears as a mirrored surface on the front side in the absence of illumination from the reverse side. A character image is printed on the reverse side A lamp behind the reverse side renders the character image visible from said front side when illuminated.

Abstract: A method of breath-powered sustained pressure induced breast tissue expansion by way of sucking air through silicone tubes attached to semi-rigid plastic domes cushioned by sticky silicone padding and clamping or locking the air pressure inside the domes to create tension on the breasts to enlarge them over a period of at least ten weeks of wear for ten hours per day or night, further including optional improved domes with silicone padding extensions on the outer edges of the domes below the armpits and hooks in back like a bra to create an improved seal to keep the air pressure in while wearer moves about in her daily activities.

Abstract: A mirror device for use inside a vehicle which includes a front seating area, a rear seating area, a sun visor within the front seating area, and a rear seat within the rear seating area. The rear seat has a top surface. The mirror device includes a mirror having a reflective front surface and a rear surface. The mirror device additionally includes an attachment system configured for attaching the mirror alternatively to the sun visor within the front seating area or generally near the rear seat top surface within the rear seating area.

Abstract: An interface between a relational database application program and a database management system that reduces application program execution time by reducing the number of commit operations performed by the commit facility of the database management system. Repeatedly, commit statements issued by the application program are suppressed until a time interval based on a time interval parameter has elapsed, and then the next commit statement issued by the application program is passed on to the database management system.

Abstract: There is provided a food preparation recipe game and a method for playing the game. A spin wheel having a pointer is provided and includes a plurality of encoded possible landing spaces. A plurality of recipe cards is provided, each of which lists a plurality of ingredients. A plurality of question and answer cards are also provided. Each question and answer card has a plurality of questions and answers which are encoded for various degrees of difficulty. The encoding for the landing spaces on the spin wheel corresponds to the encoding for the question and answer cards. A plurality of ingredient cards are provided. Each ingredient card lists an ingredient for a food recipe, which ingredient may or may not correspond to an ingredient of a particular recipe card. Each player is entitled to draw an ingredient card by correctly answering a question from a question and answer card and the first player to complete his recipe is the winner.

Abstract: A humidistat including an air inlet defining a beginning of an airflow path through the humidistat, a humidity sensor for enabling measurement of the humidity of air flowing along the airflow path, a baffle, a heat source for heating air along a portion of the airflow path, the baffle and the heat source cooperating to define two zones in the humidistat, and an air outlet defining an end of the airflow path. During operation of the humidistat, the air temperature is higher in one zone than in the other zone, and the higher air temperature zone is downstream from the lower air temperature zone in the airflow path.

Abstract: A pump priming apparatus including a housing through which fluid object material may be urged to flow, the housing including an intake portion and a pumping portion downstream from the intake portion. The apparatus further includes a piston assembly carried for reciprocation in the housing, the piston assembly and the housing being configured such that a partial vacuum is developed in the pumping portion of the housing as the piston assembly moves through the pumping portion of the housing toward the intake portion of the housing and such that the partial vacuum is substantially released upon the movement of the piston assembly into the intake portion of the housing, thereby causing the fluid object material in the intake portion of the housing to flow into the pumping portion of the housing.

Abstract: A device for storing computer cables, including a body portion, a lid portion, an optional electrically conductive shield, and a closure for fastening the body and lid portions in a closed position. The body portion includes at least one circumferential channel for storing a cable; the ends of the cable may extend outwards through openings in the device. The device may also include compartments and pockets for storing small accessory items.

Abstract: A method for allowing individual user entities access to tables in a database, such as a DB2 database, in an isolated manner, that is, without interfering with each other. For each original database table, DDL statements are employed to create a new table. Within the new table are defined the same columns that are defined in the original database table, as well as an additional column that includes a User Identification. A view is created having the same name and column definitions as the original database table, where the view selects only the rows in the new table in which the User Identification matches a particular user entity. For each particular user entity, access is allowed to the view for executing DML statements of the application program without modification of the DML statements of the application program other than for purposes of developing and testing functionality of the application program.

Abstract: A viewing panel device, such as a mirror device used inside a motor vehicle for observing an infant in a rear-facing child safety seat secured to the rear seat of the vehicle. In one embodiment, a support structure is attached to a rear surface of the viewing panel. In a more particular embodiment, the support structure includes a bottom panel having a top surface and a bottom surface that can contact the seat back top surface, and a diagonal support element that extends between the rear surface of the viewing panel at an upper end of the support element and the top surface of the bottom panel at a lower end of the support element. In another embodiment, the viewing panel device may be employed in a plurality of attachment configurations, for use with a plurality of possible vehicle configurations. In one configuration, the top tether anchorage point included in newer vehicles as part of the LATCH anchorage point system is employed.

Abstract: A pneumatically operated washer feeding attachment for use with a fastener driver of the type having a driver stroke axis and an exit barrel. A delivery channel has an acceleration chamber at one end for receiving washers one at a time from a magazine, and a retention region at the other end to which washers are pneumatically driven. The retention region has an exit aperture aligned with the fastener driver exit barrel and with the exit aperture. The attachment is powered by collected exhaust gas from the fastener driver. Some embodiments require no moving parts.

Abstract: A thermostat assembly for opening and closing an electrical circuit in response to the temperature within a measurement region. The thermostat assembly includes a relatively low-cost bimetal disc thermostat, but may be used in circumstances where temperature or other conditions exceed the design limitations of the bimetal disc thermostat. An elongated probe has a distal end arranged to extend at least to the measurement region, and a heat-disseminating end in thermal contact with a thermally-conductive outer housing surface of the bimetal disc thermostat.

Abstract: A high speed bagging system and a method for placing a liquid product into a bag and placing at least two of these bags into a pouch is described. The system comprises at least two bag fillers housed in a common filler housing and operating simultaneously to place the liquid product in respective bags on a continuous basis during a working cycle. Filled bags are simultaneously conveyed on a two lane conveyor system. The two-lane conveyor is configured to optimize floor space area. Each conveyor belt has an outlet end associated with a respective bagging machine at a bagging station. The bagging machines are adapted to place at least two of the bags into a pouch on a continuous basis during the working cycle. The bagging machines feed a respective pouch closure device to close a mouth opening of the pouches which are then discharged on a discharge conveyor.

Abstract: A viewing panel device, such as a mirror device used inside a motor vehicle for observing an infant in a rear-facing child safety seat secured to the rear seat of the vehicle. The viewing panel device may be employed in a plurality of attachment configurations, for use with a plurality of possible vehicle configurations. In one configuration, the top tether anchorage point included in newer vehicles as part of the LATCH anchorage point system is employed.

Abstract: A system (1) for the precisely and accurately controlled delivery and collection of aerosolized masses. The system (1) includes an aerosol generator (100), an upstream electro-optional aerosol mass concentration sensor (200) past which aerosols are transported at a known upstream volumetric flow rate, a deposition zone (300) within which aerosols are collected on or within a media, and a downstream electro-optical aerosol mass concentration sensor (201) past which aerosols uncollected in the deposition zone (300) are transported at a known downstream volumetric flow rate. The net mass of aerosols collected in the deposition zone (300) is determined by integrating over time the product of mass concentration measured by the upstream electro-optical sensor (200) and the upstream volumetric flow rate minus the product of mass concentration measured by the downstream electro-optical sensor (201) and the downstream volumetric flow rate.