Abstract: Apparatus supports fishing rod which extends from a housing secured to gunwale of a boat. The housing has an output shaft with a rod holder which carries the fishing rod. A motor within the housing rotates the output shaft through a variable control device which controls speed, direction and limits of rotation of the motor and thus stroke of the fishing rod. The apparatus has position sensors which are responsive to position of the output shaft and thus reflect position of fishing rod. The device also has a load sensor which is responsive to excessive load on the output shaft and disconnects power to the motor when torque on the shaft exceeds a predetermined value. At this stage the fisherman can remove the fishing rod from the holder, and play the fish in the normal manner. The apparatus permits a lone fisherman to jig, while leaving his hands free to control his boat.

Abstract: A roll up tarp assembly for a truck having a box with an open top. The assembly includes a tarp support system which is mounted on the open top of the box and a sheet which is located on the support system so that the top of the box is covered. A hollow pipe extending longitudinally across the top of the box is provided such that the hollow pipe is located substantially centrally with respect to the sides of the box. The hollow pipe is placed on top of the sheet and affixed along its length to the sheet. A biasing device is provided within the hollow pipe such that the hollow pipe is urged to rotate towards a a predetermined side of the box and thus roll up the sheet. A locking element couplable to the hollow pipe is provided to restrain the hollow pipe from rotating when the sheet covers the open top of the box.

Abstract: A device for stopping air leakage through fireplace flues includes an inflatable bag-like member having a top and a bottom of a flexible, air impermeable material. The top and the bottom are sealed together about an outer periphery of the member for retaining pressurized air therebetween. The member has a plurality of selectively slitable sealed areas for permitting a damper handle to pass through one of the areas. The top and the bottom are sealed together about each of the areas. A closable conduit communicates with the member for admitting pressurized air into the member.

Abstract: An all terrain vehicle has two vehicle units and an articulating link which interconnects the vehicle units in tandem. Each vehicle unit has a body and a pair of spaced crawler tracks which are powered for moving the respective vehicle unit. The articulating link has two longitudinally spaced apart pitch hinge assemblies, each of which cooperates with a respective vehicle unit to permit relative rotation therebetween about a horizontal pitch axis without interference between the vehicle units. Pitch swivelling means associated with one particular pitch hinge assembly can force relative rotation about the particular pitch axis between a particular vehicle unit and the link, so that one vehicle unit can be rotated forcibly relative to the other vehicle unit to negotiate marginal terrain. The remaining pitch hinge assembly can be either freely hinged to permit rotation about the remaining pitch axis or alternatively can have a similar pitch swivelling means.

Abstract: Rescue apparatus for rescuing a person in water has a body with inflatable pontoons interconnected by upper and lower frames to provide an opening between the pontoons to receive the person. Thrusters cooperate with the lower frame below the surface, and receive power and control signals to control movement of the apparatus on the surface. A net enclosure encloses the pontoons and frames and has an opening adjacent one end to receive the person. The upper portion of the apparatus is lighter than the lower portion, preferably by having the upper frames inflatable, to provide a low center of gravity for self-righting if the apparatus becomes inadvertently inverted. The lower frame can include two generally U-shaped frame members which are shaped to fit one within the other to reduce storage volume of the collapsed apparatus when the pontoons are deflated.

Abstract: A collapsible liquid container apparatus, particularly for use with helicopters for carrying and storing fuel, has a bladder-like tank having closable ports to admit and discharge fuel. The apparatus has a frame to support the tank, and a harness cooperating with the tank and the frame to suspend the tank from the frame. Preferably, the frame has three legs and the tank is suspended between the three legs, and is restrained against excessive lateral movement relative to the frame. The harness includes a plurality of flexible tension links which extend from peripherally spaced locations on the tank. The locations are within a generally horizontal plane positioned approximately mid-way between uppermost and lowermost portions of the tank when filled to permit an upper portion of the tank to collapse inside a lower portion of the tank as the tank empties.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying a stack of hay bales which includes a movable dryer for placement against a first end of the stack and an air and moisture impervious flexible sheet for covering the dryer and a top and sides of the stack. An air fan coupled to the dryer is operable to draw air through the stack from an open thereof into the dryer and to discharge the air from the dryer to atmosphere.

Abstract: A deep trolling release device releasably connects a fishing line to a downrigger line. A hollow outer member is connectable to the downrigger line. An inner member is slidably received in the outer member. There is a pin on the inner member adjacent the aperture with a free end. The pin normally spans the aperture for holding the fishing line which extends about the pin. A release device adjacent the top of the inner member is capable of being struck by a weight slidably dropped down the downrigger line to displace the inner member downwardly and move the free end of the pin across the aperture to release the fishing line. A recess member has a recess with an internal spline means and a passageway for fishing line exterior to the recess. A wedge member has a tapering portion shaped to wedge within the recess member. The tapering portion has longitudinal grooves extending along opposite sides thereof.

Abstract: A saw carrier assembly has a loop of saw chain and a powered sprocket to drive the saw chain. The assembly also has a saw chain journalling structure having a rotatable circular periphery cooperating with the saw chain to mount the chain to rotate therewith to reduce friction and to resist sawing forces. The saw journalling structure and sprocket cooperate with a saw support structure so that the chain saw extends as a loop around the sprocket and journalling structure. The journalling structure has a thickness less than the kerf produced by the saw to permit a portion of the saw journalling structure to pass into the kerf with negligible interference therewith. This enables a tree to be cut using a saw journalling structure of slightly less diameter than diameter of the tree where it is cut, and reduces frictional losses normally associated with a fixed chain saw support bar.

Abstract: A fishing device has a body with a flat planing surface and a bail for slidably receiving a connector at an end of a fishing line. The bail has a first position for the connector where the planing surface is angled to carry the fishing line to a desired depth below the surface of a body of water and a second position, assumed by the connector when a fish strikes, where the planing surface is angled to move towards the surface of the water as the fishing line is reeled in. The device has a tubular line protector for slidably embracing the leader. The body has a recess for releasably connecting the line protector to the body. There is a fitting for engaging the line protector with the leader so the line protector is disconnected from the body when a fish pulls on the leader. The fitting disengages from the line protector to permit slidable movement of the line protector along the leader after the line protector is disconnected from the body.