Abstract: Process of drilling a bore into a geopressured-geothermal reservoir containing a gas-laden fluid, allowing the fluid to escape through the bore, passing the fluid into a rotatable turbine which causes a generator to produce electricity, passing the fluid to means for separating gas from the fluid, and passing the fluid into a multi-effect distillation system to extract fresh water from the fluid to produce fresh water and saturated brine.

Abstract: An auxiliary base plate assembly for converting a portable power tool such as a router having an integral base plate and a pair of parallel guide rods affixed to the integral base plate and extending laterally from opposite sides thereof to a stationary bench-type power tool including: a work bench having a first through vertical opening in its top surrounded by an inwardly extending peripheral flange recessed below the top surface of the work bench by a predetermined distance; an auxiliary base plate member having a thickness equal to the predetermined distance and having a centrally located, vertically extending, second through opening and a pair of parallel, horizontal through bores intersecting the second through opening and positioned to receive the ends of the power tool's guide rods wherein the second through opening is shaped to receive and surround the power tool's integral base plate so as to permit mounting of the auxiliary base plate member on the power tool by insertion of the guide rods into the

Abstract: Apparatus for removably and adjustably mounting one or more of a wide variety of accessories to a universal, elongated bar rail (52) and ratchet strip (54) which in turn are secured to an underlying support surface. The ratchet strip (54) has outwardly extending teeth (58) and is generally hidden beneath the generally smooth, aesthetically pleasing, protective bar rail (52). The types of accessories that can be used with the invention include without limitation: a simple hook clip (72); a spring biased tie down clip (96); a heavy duty tie down ring and clamp (106 and 104); a cargo net (78); a tonneau cover (80); an extendable cargo holder bar (140); a low rack support system (162); a raised rack support system (186); a cantilevered, long load, over cab, rack support system (230); a canopy (248); and vertical posts (302, 308, and 310) and box boards (300).

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing soft padded bedding for pets, such as for cats and dogs. The invention comprises: a flexible foam-core sidewall; a flexible foam-core base; and a cover having a sidewall enclosure, a separate base enclosure, and a floor, the sidewall enclosure capable of at least partially enclosing the sidewall, and the base enclosure capable of at least partially enclosing the base. The invention may also be configured to have a general appearance of a boat or one of several different tepees.

Abstract: An improved snowboard (10) having a convex bottom (44) with a flat area (28) formed therein to extend from the tail (16) to at least the nose (18) to facilitate balancing of the snowboard (10) and improve performance when cornering. An improved snowboard (23) illustrates the convex bottom (36) smoothly tapering into the body 34 at the longitudinal midpoint (50) to form a flat bottom (52) that then extends to the tip (44). To provide additional control and stability, a keel (56) extends from the flat bottom (52) a distance no further than the convex bottom (36) and having a width between 2% and 4% of the width of the body (34).

Abstract: A unique method (10) for preparing protein-impacted grafts (22) wherein an untreated graft (22) is impacted and impregnated with a protein solution, ideally a collagen suspension (14) utilizing a dynamic flow soaking process (24). After soaking in the dynamic flow (24), the collagen-impacted graft is thermally and chemically fixed (26). Following a water wash (30) and glycine wash (34), the graft (22) is softened with a plastification procedure (36), after which it is air dried (38) and placed in a package and sterilized. With the method of the present invention, storable, surgically-ready collagen-impacted grafts can be reliably and rapidly prepared with a high degree of control and uniformity of characteristics in each graft than has heretofore been possible.

Abstract: A traction enhancement system (10) for a snowmobile (12) that includes a front plate member (14) and deflection plates (16) mounted ahead of the snowmobile body (18) for deflecting and compressing fresh, ungroomed snow to enhance traction, startability, and stability of the snowmobile in heavy and rough snow conditions. The front plate member (14) comprises an upper screen (40) offset ahead of a lower screen (42), with both screens being attached to the bumper (36) to angle downward toward the tail section (28) of the snowmobile (12). Each deflection plate (16) is bent along a longitudinal axis and mounted to the tip (32) of the skies (30) to deflect snow to either side of the skies (30). The front plate member (14) and the deflection plates (16) are slidably engaged within their respective receiving tubes (61) and (98), which are attached to the snowmobile (12) to facilitate quick and easy attachment and detachment.

Abstract: A piling cutting tool (10) comprising a piling cutting jig (12) and chain saw (14) engaged therewith. The jig (12) includes a rectangular frame (38) having levels (94) and (96) on the top wall (48) thereof. A receiving tube (58) is attached to the frame (38) and sized and shaped to receive an adapter shaft (84) attached to the chain saw (14). The height of the chain saw (14) is adjusted by a rod (70) and locked into the desired position by locking lever (74). The shaft (84) rotates about the longitudinal axis of the bore (68) to swing the cutting chain (30) through a cutting arc to thereby make a horizontally level cut across the piling (54).

Abstract: A barbecue grill and cooking grid element including a shell-like housing having a bottom wall and an upstanding peripheral sidewall; a cover hingedly connected to the shell-like housing; a heat source mounted in the shell-like housing; and, a grid element mounted in the shell-like housing above the heat source. The grid element comprises at least one generally planar base element and a plurality of integral, upstanding, spaced apart, parallel elongated ribs integral with the base element, there being at least one opening and, preferably a plurality of openings, formed in the base element between each adjacent pair of upstanding ribs. The heat source may comprise any conventional heat source such, for example, as an electrical heating element or a gas-fired heating unit.

Abstract: An improved releasable toggle locking connecting device (8) having a connecting body (10), an opposing pivoted retaining arm (18), and a multi-pivoted lock/release lever (24) and toggle link (2) adapted to provide a secure locking connection and quick releasing while the device (8) is under tensile load.

Abstract: A tuner apparatus and methods for use thereof for harmonically tuning a variety of stringed instruments. More particularly, an apparatus and methods which provide a guitar or other chordophone with an alternative or supplemental nut secured to the headstock of the instrument, without requiring permanent modification or defacement of the instrument's structure. The supplemental nut is positioned to raise a particular string from a preexisting nut, thereby extending the effective scale length of the string. Alternative use of the supplemental nut and the preexisting nut allows the musician to selectively increase and decrease the effective scale length of the string to obtain a variation of sound. Thus, this invention enables the generation of deeper or lower notes on preexisting strings than would otherwise be available on such an instrument.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a fire extinguishing and inhibiting material comprising potassium hydroxide, citric acid, diammonium phosphate, and urea in an aqueous solution is applied to an object to extinguish and inhibit fires. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a film-forming extinguishing material comprising potassium hydroxide, citric acid, diammonium phosphate, urea, surfactant, and trichloroethylene is applied to liquid fuel and self-propelled liquid fuel fires to extinguish and inhibit combustion.

Abstract: Degradable particulate absorbent materials, together with processes for manufacture thereof, wherein the absorbent materials: i) have, in most forms of the inventions, only on the order of 0% to 10%, by weight, of inorganic solids or "fillers", and in all forms have less than 30% inorganic solids by weight; ii) are not in pellet form; iii) are characterized by an open porous fiber structure having relatively low bulk densities on the order of not more than 13 lbs./ft..sup.3 and preferably only from about 6 to about 10 lbs./ft.sup.

Abstract: A brush-type system for attracting high volumes of fluid through capillary action and retaining such fluid by surface tension pending usage; and, more particularly, a brush-type system (20) of the foregoing type for blowing bubbles including: a hollow tubular body member (21); a plurality of flexible bristles (22) disposed in a hollow tubular array (24) and secured in coaxial end-to-end relation to the body member (21) and in closely spaced surrounding relation to the tubular array (24) of bristles (22) with the free ends of the bristles (22) projecting slightly beyond the free end of the sleeve (25). The bristles (22) are preferably slightly sinuous and have longitudinally extending radial flutes (30). The bubble blowing system (40) preferably includes an essentially spill-proof receptacle (41) for receiving the brush (20) and enabling loading of the bristles (22) with a bubble forming solution without risk of deformation of the bristles (22).

Abstract: An automatic trash disposal system (20) employing a trash discharge station (56) located internally of a building structure (22) and having a plurality of dedicated trash disposal ports (60P, 60M, 60G, 60NR) for receipt of different categories of recyclable trash items and/or non-recyclable trash items; a remotely located trash housing (21) exterior of the building structure (22) and housing a plurality of dedicated removable trash receptacles (36, 38, 39, 40); conduits (64P, 64M, 64G, 64NR) coupling the trash disposal ports (60P, 60M, 60G, 60NR) with respective different ones of the remotely located dedicated trash receptacles (36, 38, 39, 40); and, a blower/motor combination (68/79) for drawing a vacuum in the enclosed remotely located trash housing (21) and the conduits (64P, 64M, 64G, 64NR) for vacuum transferal of items of trash inserted into a particular one of the interior trash disposal ports (60P, 60M, 60 G, 60NR) to a particular one of the remotely located dedicated trash receptacles (36, 38, 39, 40

Abstract: Card game components comprising a playing board (10), a series of program cards (24), and a set of input cards (34). Input cards (34) are randomly drawn from a draw pile area (12) and placed in a memory area (16) according to the order indicated on a program card (24) in the program card area (14). Input cards (34) not immediately playable are placed in a temporary storage area (18). Input cards (34) may be taken from the temporary storage area (18) as they become playable in any one of the four segments (20) of the memory area (16). The program card (24) contains four columns (30) of a series of characters (32) arranged in a non-repetitive sequence that is unique from other series on the card (24).