Abstract: This invention discloses an in-situ process or method for cleaning the interior surfaces of a swimming pool or the like for removing stains, scale, calcium deposits, and the like, and without the need for draining the pool. The chlorine content of the pool is initially tested, and chlorine is added to bring it up to a level sufficient to prevent algae growth for a period of up to 10 days without filtering. Water is added to the pool to insure all water line marks are sufficiently immersed so as to benefit from the cleaning operation. An acid wash solution, including a mixture of hydrochloric acid and a strong metal chelating agent, is then applied in-situ or as close to the surfaces to be cleaned as possible. As the stains, scale, and deposits dissolve, a strong organic acid such as oxalic acid is added to precipitate out the undesirable materials and cause them to settle down to the bottom of the pool for subsequent vacumming.

Abstract: The therapeutic apparatus of the present invention includes a portable case having a hollow interior for housing a motion-generating case or housing wherein the front end of the assembly is provided with an elongated slot for extending an elongated rod therethrough. The rod is provided with a resilient foam collar over which is mounted a penetration member adapted to penetrate a selected body orifice for providing sexual stimulation, gratification and pleasure. The motion-generating assembly within the hollow interior of the portable enclosure includes both a horizontal motion-generating assembly and a suspension assembly for producing a generally variable vertical up and down component to the motion provided by the horizontal drive assembly. An electric motor is used to drive an eccentric disk. A yoke positioned on the disk is adapted to move the elongated rod reciprocally back and forth in a generally horizontal direction.

Abstract: A ball-launching system for a dog's ball which automatically launches or shoots a ball along an airborne path, thereby enabling the dog to chase the ball, fetch it and return it to the system. The system includes a ball collection area for receiving the returned ball, dropped or otherwise deposited therein by the dog, and for feeding the returned ball, under the force of gravity along, into the hollow interior of a ball-launching tube. As the ball rolls down the hollow interior of the tube, a sensing device detects the passage of the ball therover and generates a command signal. The command signal is delayed a predetermined period of time, sufficient to enable the ball to contact the rear end of the tube and come to rest in a firing position.

Abstract: A tape measure-type apparatus including a teardrop-shaped housing having a hollow interior. The housing has a rounded rear portion for storing a self-biased steel strip adapted to wind itself into a coil within the hollow interior of the rounded portion. The front portion of the housing is tapered in the form of a triangle whose base is the diameter through the center of the rounded portion and whose sides converge at the vertex to form the tape inlet/outlet opening. The edges of the housing along the triangular leg portions are relatively flat so that the apparatus can be laid on a flat surface on which length or distance is to be measured and used either right-side-up or up-side-down with equal facility for using either the top surface or the bottom surface of the tape strip for measurement purposes. In this matter, the top and bottom surfaces can be graduated in the same or different units adapted for one use on the top surface and a different and distinct use on the bottom surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a portable meal preparation assembly which includes a microwave oven unit, a refrigeration or ice chest unit, a container unit for carrying articles necessary for meal preparation, and a power supply unit. Each of the units has the same rectangular dimensions so they are adapted to be stacked one upon the other vertically. A case is provided for removably containing or storing the vertically stacked units and transporting same. The case may be provided with a handle for manually carrying the stacked units or it may be provided with straps for carrying the stacked unit in a backpack manner. A frame is provided which includes generally vertically-oriented sides and an annular flange extending into the hollow interior of the frame and generally perpendicular to the sides.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for monitoring the level of a liquid such as water in a reservoir of a water cooling tower or the like wherein it is required to maintain a predetermined desired liquid level and for generating a first control signal for controlling the addition of make-up liquid to the reservoir and a second control signal for terminating the addition of liquid to the reservoir. The apparatus includes a float chamber having it bottom coupled to the reservoir for equalizing the water levels therebetween. A float is positioned within the float chamber for rising and falling with the level of monitored liquid therein. A float rod extends vertically upward from a central portion the float for movement therewith. A lever housing is fixedly secured in an intermediate position within the float chamber, and the lever housing pivotally mounts a lever member therein. The lever member has a long lever arm and a short lever arm.

Abstract: the present invention discloses a method and apparatus for enabling motorists to anticipate the change of a traffic signal from green to red in sufficient time to enable the motorist to either stop or proceed through the intersection by altering his or her speed for both fuel conservation and safety purposes. The control system of the present invention includes a timer wherein timing signals are used to control the on/off condition of the red, amber, and green lights of a traffic light signal apparatus, as indicated below. The green light begins its cycle for a first relatively long period of time. At some relatively short period of time prior to the end of the green light's cycle, the ambler light comes "on" in a stedy state or blinking condition simultaneously with the green. This enables motorists to anticipate the impending change of the light from green-to-amber-to-red in order that they can properly gauge their speed for both safety and fuel conservation purposes.

Abstract: A guitar slide apparatus adapted to be worn on and removed from at least one selected finger of a guitar player's fret hand. The device is dimensioned to fit on the mid-portion of the player's finger and can be worn without removal or repositioning thereon for playing steel guitar while the front portion of the finger is free to bend at the first joint and play standard guitar. The apparatus includes an arcuate band adapted to be fitted around the lower portion of any selected finger of the users hands and adjustable straps for positioning the arcuate band thereon. The width of the band is dimensioned to fit over only the mid-portion of the selected finger and leave both the first and second finger joints thereof free to move or bend in a conventional manner. It can be worn interchangeably on any selected finger of the guitar player's fret hand and can remain thereon while playing selected note, chords, or for dampening or deadening other strings of the guitar, as desired.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recognizing an unknown character, pattern, or indicia, or the like as being a particular one of a group of known reference characters, patterns, indicia, or the like. In the preferred embodiment, the system converts scanned and digitized MICR data and uses it to identify the character. The reference characters and the unknown character are Fourier Transformed and various corrections are made for eliminating the absolute amplitude difference from the recognition process, while simultaneously providing a method of correcting for position differences between the reference charcter and the unknown character. Provisions are made for weighting the phase differences proportional to the expected accuracy of the phase data to minimize the effects of noise on the measurement, and for combining the amplitude and phase data to define a single "best match" criteria for the unknown character.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an auxiliary brake light control system which has its primary application in motor vehicles equipped with standard transmissions. In such vehicles, the brake lights are normally illuminated by means of a pressure switch associated with the brake pedal whenever pressure is manually-applied to the brake pedal by the driver. However, as the car slows toward a stop, or after it has actually stopped the driver normally releases his foot from the brake pedal and moves his left foot over to the clutch and his right foot over to the gas pedal thereby turning off the brake light to falsely indicate to those following that the car is not stopped. However, since the car is actually cruising at a very low speed or stopped, severe safety hazards may result.

Abstract: A height-adjustable, user-friendly, child's podium for use by children from pre-school years through elementary school to the sixth grade which assists a child in learning to speak before groups without fear, tension and apprehension. The child's podium of the present invention includes at least one set of user-friendly facial features operatively disposed on the front or back of the podium for relaxing at least one of the speaker and the audience, respectively. Preferably, a set of tension-eliminating facial features is provided on both the front and rear of the podium. The podium is made from box-like nestable structures wherein the depth to which adjacent boxes can be nested within one another is manually adjustable to selectively adjust the height of the podium for different heights of children within a given class or grade or from grade to grade as the children grow.

Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously testing a large plurality of conductive paths on a bare printed circuit board for short circuit and open circuit conditions. The bare printed circuit board has a rear surface which includes a plurality of terminals located at the opposite ends of the conductive paths to be tested and a plurality of terminal-engaging electrical contacts are provided for operatively engaging the terminals on the rear of the printed circuit boards when the two are forced together. A first set of LEDs on a display panel is used to test for shorts and a second set of LEDs is used to test for open circuits, and a single glance at the display will indicate, not only the presence of a short or open circuit condition, but the exact location thereof.

Abstract: An energy-saving cover for evaporative coolers. An oversized top portion provides a sufficient overhang about all four sides of the cooler for shading purposes. An insulative side panel is associated with each of the sides of the cooler and the panels are positioned a predetermined distance away to allow sufficient air flow to improve the cooling efficiency of the cooler during the cooling season. During the heating season the side panels may be repositioned onto close flush against the sides of the cooler so as to seal the vent portions thereof and prevent the escape of warm air from the dwelling through the duct system. Additionally an interior duct cover can be used to seal the cooling vent to prevent the escape of warm air from the room having the cooling vent thereby saving energy and increasing heating efficiency in the heating season.

Abstract: The proposed invention finds particular use in homes which do not have and/or in which the occupants cannot reach a telephone for phoning the police when an emergency condition exists, but which rely on neighbors, who do have telephones, observing the existence of an emergency condition and telephoning it in to the appropriate agency. The system includes an audio signal generator, either alone or packaged with a visual alarm, signal generator. Typically, the system includes a wall plate switch plate mounted on the interior of the dwelling with the system controls including a circuit board with a power supply, electronic delay and relay circuitry mounted in a convenient location. Alternately, a remote control unit can be used for alarm actuation. Under a potential alarm condition, such as when an unknown person comes to the door, the person within the dwelling can press a first SET switch which begins to time out a predetermined time delay or time interval.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically monitoring the level of water in a swimming pool, or the like, by monitoring the level of a float within a float chamber supported by water siphoned from the pool system, for detecting when the level of water has fallen a predetermined amount or distance below a predetermined desired level and for controlling the input of fresh water into the pool system in response to the detected level for restoring the water in the pool to the predetermined desired level as determined by the position of the float on the siphoned water within the float chamber being restored to a float position indicative of said predetermined desired level of water in the pool.

Abstract: A therapeutic apparatus for relieving sexual frustrations in women without sex partners which includes a generally rectangular, substantially flat, platform with a pair of longitudinal rails mounted along the axis of the platform. A housing includes a lower flange for being operatively received within continuous slots formed at the lateral interior of the rails for constraining the movement of the housing to back and forth reciprocal motion between the tracks. An assembly is mounted to the front of the housing which includes an elongated, generally cylindrical artificial penis for simulating the look and feel of an erect human male's penis and an annular pad of relatively soft material disposed adjacent the front of the housing and about the base of the artificial penis for simulating the look and feel of a male's pubic hair.

Abstract: A tent-like apparatus which has a substantial portion of its roof cut out to form a roof opening. Fastener means are provided around the roof opening, and various types of inserts each having its own fastener about its peripheral edge and each being sized to be fitted within the roof opening and the two fastener portions releasably secured together. The roof opening may be uncovered to provide a direct view and air supply but relatively no protection from inclement weather, insects and the like. A first panel insert may include conventional tent material. A sheet of flexible transparent plastic material may be provided as an insert to provide a clear unobstructed view, protection from the effects of inclement weather, insects and the like, solar heating within the interior of the tent even in relatively cold weather so long as the sun is shining, and sufficient ultraviolet radiation to the tent interior to permit the occupant therein to obtain a suntan in any type of sunny weather.

Abstract: An evaporative cooler air conditioning system comprising an air-to-air counter-flow heat exchanger having separate dry cooling and wet evaporating chambers, air saturating elements, and air movement devices. Ambient supply air or other fluid is forced through the dry cooling chamber of the heat exchanger and exits, after transferring through the heat exchanger, into the cooled spaced or room to be cooled. The air in the cooled space absorbs heat from the heat load and reaches an equilibrium at a warmer temperature, and is then forced directly through the wet evaporative chamber of the heat exchanger where it is heavily saturated with water or other liquid.

Abstract: An animal restraint apparatus having a plurality of elongate anchoring members each of which is attached to a baseboard by means of elongated pin which is received within an elongate slot in each elongate anchoring member. Each pin is provided with threads onto which a wing nut is threaded, the wing nuts being capable of firmly securing each elongate anchoring member in a selected position on the baseboard. Each elongate member is provided with a first strap to encircle an ankle of the animal to be restrained on the apparatus and a second strap for attaching the first strap to one end portion of the elongate anchoring members.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for automatically monitoring the level of water in a swimming pool, or the like, by monitoring the level of a float within a float chamber supported by water siphoned from the pool system, for detecting when the level of water has fallen a predetermined amount or distance below a predetermined desired level and for controlling the input of fresh water into the pool system in response to the detected level for restoring the water in the pool to the predetermined desired level as determined by the position of the float on the siphoned water within the float chamber being restored to a float position indicative of said predetermined desired level of water in the pool.