Abstract: An alphabet learning and word forming game is presented which utilizes a round ball having letters on its surface and four pick-up sticks. The surface of the alphabet ball is made of a material that is readily attached to one end of the pick-up stick. This attaching mechanism may be a vinyl ball and a pick-up stick having suction cups on one end or it may be a ball covered with a clear adhesive pile surface and a pick-up stick with a VELCRO hook surface on one end. The ball is rolled between players and the pick-up stick is attached to the ball such that one letter is underneath the pick-up stick each time it is rolled. The players accumulate points for forming words during a set time period from the letters which they have obtained through catching the ball with the stick. If the player is dissatisfied with the letters that he has, the ball may be re-rolled to him to obtain a new letter with a penalty of one point for each re-rolling. One point is awarded for each word formed.

Abstract: A centrally located window release retractor handle for a tilt-in window is presented. The handle readily attaches to an existing tilt-in window top sash. Attached to the handle is a retractor wheel. Attached to the retractor wheel are left and right retractor cables which are in turn attached to the left and right window release retractors. As the handle and wheel are rotated, the retractor cables are tensioned and draw the window release retractors inwardly. This action allows the tilt-in window to release at the top. The window may then be tilted inwardly by use of the handle leaving the user's other hand free to clean the window. The device is suitable to be mounted on the top of existing tilt-in windows although it may also be manufactured as a complete unit with the handle and retractor cables completely inside the top sash.

Abstract: A tight fitting guitar glove is presented which has a number of raised cushioning strips on the tips of each of the four fingers of the glove. Several longer raised cushioning strips are also placed on the thumb side of the length of the index finger. These raised strips are used to compress the chord strings on the guitar. The strips are quite narrow, being approximately 1/16" in width and have valleys between the raised strips. The cloth of the glove is extremely tight fitting so that only the raised strips on the tip or side of the fingers will touch the closely adjacent guitar strings. The raised cushioning strips not only provide comfort to the guitar player but are so designed as to allow for the strips to depress closely spaced guitar strings.

Abstract: A lightweight combination duck decoy carrier and dog stand is presented. The dog stand is a rectangular platform made of tubular aluminum with plastic webbing across it. Unfolding from the horizontal frame are four legs also made of tubular aluminum. Each pair of legs has a cross support. Also attached to the frame is a lightweight duck decoy net and a shoulder harness. The device may conveniently carry decoys through the wilderness in its folded up position by means of the shoulder harness. Once at the hunting sight, the device is deployed by unfolding the legs and sticking the ends of the legs into the ground. The dog stand is then about three feet from the mud or water level.

Abstract: A hay manger for large round bales of hay has a square box at the bottom which keeps any hay that falls from the bale dry. At each corner of the box is a vertical post. The posts are connected by horizontal cross braces. Slanted bars are located at appropriate intervals to both support the hay and to keep the cattle from actually entering the box. The bars are attached to the upper horizontal cross-bars and slant towards the center of the lower box. Attached to the horizontal cross braces approximately five feet from the top edge of the lower box are L-shaped hooks which support the bulk of the weight of the large round bales. The cattle eat the hay from the bottom. Since the bale is supported by the L-shaped hooks, loose hay is easily provided for the cattle feeding. Additionally, the inward slant of the bars creates a large amount of comfortable shoulder room for the animals and keeps the majority of the hay from the ground since nearly all falling hay drops into the box.

Abstract: A quick-release capo for a dulcimer musical instrument is presented. The capo body is an inverted U-shaped design having a fixed top and perpendicular side. A second perpendicular movable side is provided. Outside the movable side is a quick-release mechanism. The movable side and quick-release mechanism is adjusted to snugly fit across the dulcimer fret board by means of a thumbscrew and adjusting shaft. As the quick-release piece is adjusted inwardly by the thumbscrew, it compresses the movable side until the capo is snugly fit on the fret board. An L-shaped lever moves a non-concentric cam to alternately tighten or loosen the movable side. This L-shaped lever allows the user of the capo to quickly release and/or re-attach the capo to the dulcimer fret board.

Abstract: A protective vehicle cover for the passenger compartment of a vehicle or the cab of a pick-up truck is presented. The cover has a top with a front, rear and side flaps attached. The side flaps are connected along their vertical edges by elasticized accordion connectors. The lower horizontal edge of each flap has a hollow sleeve. Sand, small gravel, or other weighted material may be placed inside the hollow sleeve and sealed by an end cap. Placing the weight along the lower horizontal edge of each flap, along with the elasticized accordion flap connectors, keeps the cover in place on a vehicle during inclement weather. The cover also includes a VELCRO fastener adjoining the front and one side of the cover so that the cover may be generally adjusted to conform to the dimensions of the vehicle.

Abstract: A new apparatus for supplying discreet amounts of glue to sheets of paper positioned beneath glue heads is presented. The new glue nozzle consists of an essentially vertical chamber into which air pressure is introduced perpendicularly to the vertical alignment of the chamber. A glue needle is inserted down the center of the vertical chamber. Glue is supplied through the glue needle in droplets by applying pressure to the glue bottle. As a glue droplet accumulates at the bottom of the glue supply needle, a pulse of air is sent into the glue chamber and pushes the droplet off of the glue needle and onto the target. As the next sheet is moved into place underneath the glue needle, another droplet accumulates. When the droplet and sheet are aligned, a pulse of air blasts the droplet off the end of the needle onto the next sheet.

Abstract: An offset line socket is presented which provides a tool for removing and installing line-nuts in close mechanical tolerance situations. The offset line socket is made up of a drive gear which is driven by a standard ratchet wrench. The drive gear is connected to two transfer gears which in turn drive the application gear. The application gear has an opening in it which is sufficient to allow the offset line socket to be placed over the pipe to be loosened or tightend. The hexagonal inner configuration of the application gear then attaches to the hexagonal line-nut. Once in place, a ratchet wrench drives the drive gear which in turn drives the application gear and removes or installs the hexagonal nut. The offset line socket is used in places where a standard wrench shaft would not turn because of mechanical obstructions. An alternate pivoting arm is also available for the socket which entirely closes the pipe access opening in the application gear for greater mechanical stability.

Abstract: A holder for a safety razor is presented which also contains a sponge reservoir. The sponge reservoir is at one end of the holder and contains lubricating fluids within the sponge and reservoir. At the other end of the safety razor holder is a handle end which is slotted. A safety razor is placed in the holder by placing the razor blade head end in the sponge reservoir and the razor handle into the holder handle slot. When the blade of the safety razor is pressed into the lubricating sponge, the fluid keeps the blade relatively free of the corrosive effects of oxidation of the air, debris from shaving or other dulling factors. The blade may be lubricated by pressing it against the lubricated sponge as needed. The effect of using the safety razor holder is to keep blades sharper, to provide smoother and more comfortable shaves, and to allow the user to apply an appropriate amount of lubricating or softening oils to the razor blade.

Abstract: A flat weed guard cover system is presented which has at least two pieces. Each separate cover has a cut-out section and one or more flaps near the cut-out section. In use, a first weed guard cover is placed around a vertical structure with the structure protruding through the cut-out section and the flaps surrounding the vertical structure. A second cover section is then placed over the first with the vertical structure again protruding through the cut-out section of the second cover and the flaps of the second cover on top of the flaps of the first cover. The flaps may be sealed together by Epoxy glue or any other suitable manner. The edges of the cover may be secured to the ground by means of landscape staples. Different geometric shapes and different positions for the cut-out are also presented. The covers inhibit growth of weeds or other plant material around the vertical structure.

Abstract: A wooden drop ceiling system is provided which is readily attached to an existing metal T-rail system. A uniquely shaped grooved ceiling tile support is clipped on to the existing T-rail supports by means of U-shaped clips. Cross supports are then clipped on to the cross supports of the T-rails and the basic framework for the wooden ceiling tiles is provided. Transition blocks are also attached to the existing T-rail supports at the intersection of the supports and cross supports. Attractive wooden ceiling tiles of various designs and shapes are then placed into the support grids thus creating an attractive and readily installed wooden drop ceiling.

Abstract: A new and unique construction for a corn cob cutter knife is presented. A method is described for the manufacture of a unique cutting blade insert which is tapered and which has an inner ski angle compatible with the many applications involved in removing corn kernels from a corn cob in a mechanized operation. The unique removable cutting blade insert is designed so that the various angles of declination and attack optimize the sharpness and long lasting nature of the knife. A method is also presented to determine the off-set grinding radius for the ski angle of the knife.

Abstract: A golf fairway distance marker is presented which has an essentially flat rectangular lower base imbedded into the ground. The lower base has a horizontal slot such that when the base is placed in the ground, the horizontal slot is generally oriented parallel to the expected line of flight of the ball to the golf green. A flat thin sign is inserted into the horizontal slot so that the sign may be readily seen when perpendicular to the sign but provides an unobtrusive obstruction when parallel to the orientation of the sign and the central slit. The upper part of the sign may be color-coded red, white or blue according to the distance between the distance marker and the golf green.

Abstract: A new and unique construction for a corn cob cutter knife is presented. A method is described for the manufacture of a unique cutting blade insert which is tapered and which has an inner ski angle compatible with the many applications involved in removing corn kernels from a corn cob in a mechanized operation. The unique removable cutting blade insert is designed so that the various angles of declination and attack optimize the sharpness and long lasting nature of the knife. A method is also presented to determine the off-set grinding radius for the ski angle of the knife. A unique square bushing for the control of the knife is also provided.