Abstract: A wireless fingerprint attendance system comprises at least one fingerprint scanner and a computer server. First templates of fingerprint related data are stored on the server, and similar templates are stored on the scanner. When a fingerprint is scanned, the fingerprint data is transmitted wirelessly to the server, where a comparison is made. The server directs the scanner to display an indication whether or not a match was found. If available, an updated list of templates of fingerprint related data is transmitted from the server to the scanner and is added to the first templates. If a connection is not made, the scanned data remains on the scanner, which makes the comparison using the scanner templates. At periodic intervals the scanner and server attempt to connect. At a successful connection, the scanned fingerprint data is wirelessly transmitted to the server, and the scanned fingerprint data is purged from the scanner.

Abstract: A system of modular artificial rocks provides natural looking running water. A crevice rock has a floor and a barrier. A convex portion under the floor is over a reservoir. Water pumped through a hole in the crevice rock floor rises to a hole in the barrier. The water flows through the barrier hole and runs down the convex portion, from which it falls into the reservoir. The floor may have a depression that matches the size and shape of the convex portion. The system further comprises a second rock that interfits with the crevice rock barrier. Water is pumped simultaneously to the crevice rock floor hole and to a hole in a top surface of the second rock. The water from the second rock runs down and falls onto the crevice rock floor. A third rock may be interfit on the second rock and be similarly supplied with water.

Abstract: A prior top fill food processing machine is converted to increase production without increasing operating speed. A tooling set and a drive mechanism cooperate to increase the mold plate stroke and fill area. The tooling includes a fill plate and a breather plate with increased lengths that accommodate the increased mold plate fill length and stroke and that assure adequate seal-off. The pump box top plate of the prior machine is unchanged and serves as a reference for dimensioning the tooling set. The fill plate and breather plate extend in longitudinal directions from front and back edges of the top plate. The tooling is changeable into different combinations of mold plate cavity numbers and sizes and also different configurations for the fill plate fill slots. In a preferred embodiment, the mold plate fill area is increased 42 percent and the stroke is increased 33 percent relative to the prior machine.

Abstract: A circle cutting machine includes a template that is removeably installed in the bottom of a base. On the base bottom surface are a number of segments that define respective grooves for receiving the template. The base has a cross-beam that defines an axis of rotation and that receives a handle. On one end of the handle is a crank. The handle second end holds a cutting arm. A handle spring biases the cutting arm to contact the cross-beam. The handle is slideable in the cross-beam to locate the cutting arm below the plane of the base bottom surface for easy removing of the cutting arm from the handle. An adjuster rigidly locks and resiliently unlocks the cutting arm to the handle. The template has a circular periphery that enters the base grooves, and a tab that is between two segments, when the template is installed.

Abstract: A slip cutting system sheets an infeed web into discrete articles and merges the articles to a carrier web. The slip cutting system comprises a continuously rotating cutting die having knife blades and packings consecutively around a peripheral surface. The packings cooperate with the knife blades to define a circumferential space between each packing and an associated knife blade. When a packing is at a nip with an anvil roller, the infeed web is drawn in a downstream direction. When a circumferential space is at the nip, the infeed web halts downstream motion. When a knife blade is at the nip, the knife blade sheets the infeed web. An insert station cooperates with the cutting die to longitudinally space the articles as they merge to and are propelled downstream by the carrier web. At a subsequent station, the composite web is cut to manufacture individual products.

Abstract: An adapter enables a universal assembly machine to manufacture buttons with either flat backs or formed backs. The machine comprises a rotatably indexable die table to which are mounted pickup and crimp dies. A ram die is advancable and retractable in a pickup stroke and a crimp stroke. Indexing the die table causes a shifter post to rotate a ram outer ring into a pickup mode or a crimp mode to suit the ram pickup and crimp strokes, respectively. The universal assembly machine manufactures buttons with flat backs by using the adapter on the same crimp die pedestal as is used for manufacturing buttons with formed backs. The adapter has a top surface that is in the location relative to the ram die that suits flat back buttons. The adapter enables the same crimp die pedestal to be used for manufacturing both flat back and formed back buttons.

Abstract: A universal assembly machine manufactures button medallions. The machine comprises a rotatably indexable die table to which are mounted pickup and crimp dies. A ram die is advancable and retractable in a pickup stroke and a crimp stroke by means of a handle. Indexing the die table causes a shifter post to rotate a ram outer ring into a pickup mode or a crimp mode to suit the ram pickup and crimp strokes, respectively. The universal assembly machine also manufactures buttons with flat backs. To make a button medallion, a flat back button is loaded into the pickup die. The ram die is advanced in a third press stroke to bend the shell frusto-conical wall of the flat back button inwardly to be flat and parallel to the flat back. The thin edge of the button medallion enables it to be used as an attractive embellishment on flat surfaces.

Abstract: A method of operating a multiple row molding apparatus provides greatly increased production of food patty machines. The method comprises the steps of providing a mold plate having front and back cavities in longitudinal and transverse alignment. When the mold plate is at a retracted position, multiple fill slots enable flow of the food product from a manifold simultaneously to all the cavities. At an extended position, all the patties are ejected simultaneously by a knockout mechanism. The fill slots may be either one long fill slot, or multiple short fill slots in communication with respective cavities. In a modified method, food product flows through a single fill slot and communicates only with the front cavities when the mold plate is in its retracted position. As the mold plate advances toward its extended position, the row of back cavities passes over the fill slot and enables the food product to flow into the back cavities.

Abstract: A slide hammer tool is particularly useful for replacing worn teeth of a trenching machine. The teeth are retained in chain links of the trenching machine by respective open keeper rings. The tool has a rod with stops proximate both ends. A hammer is slidable on the rod between the stops. On one rod end is a wedge with converging surfaces that match radial surfaces on the keeper rings. The other end of the rod has a concave surface that matches the keeper ring outer diameter. To remove the keeper ring from a worn tooth, the wedge converging surfaces are abutted against the keeper ring radial surfaces. The hammer is rapidly struck against the corresponding stop. The impact of the hammer on the stop is transmitted to the wedge converging surfaces and to the keeper ring radial surfaces. The impact is sufficient to cause the keeper ring opening to expand, and the keeper ring is pushed off the tooth.

Abstract: The present invention is a very significant way to determine exposure to toxic mold, or the disease called mycotoxicosis. Urine samples are extracted for trichothecene mycotoxins to confirm the disease of mycotoxicosis in humans. Diagnosis of mycotoxicosis is confirmable even when toxic mold exposure cannot be ascertained to a reasonable degree of certainty.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a gun trigger for use with a bolt-action gun. The trigger of the present invention has a finger element with an extension and a catch. The catch has a front strap and a rear strap. One or more openings are between the front and rear straps. One or more braces can be across the one or more openings. The trigger also has a head. A socket is formed in the top of the head, and a ball is received within the socket. The height of the ball relative the bottom of the socket can be adjusted. There is practically no friction between the trigger and a gun receiver bottom. A forward lug is provided to adjust the trigger creep. A rearward lug is provided to adjust trigger over-travel. The trigger of the present invention is made by an abrasive jet machine.

Abstract: A rotary heat sealing system heat seals top and bottom webs to each other around discrete articles held in predetermined alignments and spacings between the webs. The rotary heat sealing system comprises a sealing station at which the heat sealing occurs, and a tensioning station upstream of the sealing station. The tensioning station produces a tension in the top and bottom webs and the articles by wrapping them in a reverse bend so as to maintain the predetermined alignments and spacings of the articles as they enter the sealing station. The sealing station includes an anvil and a heating die with a heat sealing grid and pockets between circumferential rails. The articles enter the pockets, and the webs are sealed to each other at areas corresponding to the heat sealing grid. A force mechanism applies a predetermined force between the heating die rails and the anvil.

Abstract: A pontoon trailer travel kit minimizes transverse spaces between a pontoon boat trailer and the pontoons of a pontoon boat. The kit comprises a bunk bracket that is mountable to and adjustable along a lift arm of the trailer. A bunk assembly is fastened to and is adjustable on the bunk bracket in directions perpendicular to the directions of adjustment of the bunk bracket. A kit is installed on a lift arm on each side of the trailer. The kits are pre-set such that the bunk of each bunk assembly is in close proximity to a pontoon. The boat is substantially prevented from sliding laterally on the trailer. In a modified embodiment, only the bunk assembly is used, and it is clamped directly to the trailer lift arm. That embodiment is used with boats in which the pontoons are exceptionally closely spaced to each other.

Abstract: A pontoon trailer travel kit minimizes transverse spaces between a pontoon boat trailer and the pontoons of a pontoon boat. The kit comprises a bunk bracket that is mountable to and adjustable along a lift arm of the trailer. A bunk assembly is fastened to and is adjustable on the bunk bracket in directions perpendicular to the directions of adjustment of the bunk bracket. A kit is installed on a lift arm on each side of the trailer. The kits are pre-set such that the bunk of each bunk assembly is in close proximity to a pontoon. The boat is substantially prevented from sliding laterally on the trailer. In a modified embodiment, only the bunk assembly is used, and it is clamped directly to the trailer lift arm. That embodiment is used with boats in which the pontoons are exceptionally closely spaced to each other.

Abstract: An inexpensive paper folding machine includes a paper feeder that reliably propels sheets one at a time in a downstream direction. The feeder includes a paper supply station that biases a stack of sheets against a pickoff wheel. The pickoff wheel propels the topmost sheet to a gate tip. The gate tip is comprised of a singulator that is biased against the pickoff wheel. A clearance is set between a singulator screw and the singulator. The clearance is greater than the sheet thickness, but less than two times the sheet thickness. As a sheet is propelled by the pickoff wheel from the paper supply station, the sheet leading edge enters the nip between the pickoff wheel and the singulator. The singulator pivots to take up part of the clearance. If a second sheet is propelled with the topmost sheet, the second sheet cannot pass between the nip. The paper folding machine further comprises a skew compensator that compensates for sheets that are misoriented relative to the downstream direction.

Abstract: An adjustable support is useful to carpenters for installing cabinets and handrails in buildings. The adjustable support comprises a stand that defines a longitudinal axis. An adjuster is threaded into the stand. A carrier rests on the adjuster. The stand provides coarse adjustment, and the adjuster provides fine adjustment, of the carrier. In one embodiment, the carrier is a flat plate that supports a cabinet. A tray secured to the stand stores tools used to install the cabinet. In another embodiment, the carrier includes a cradle that is pivotable to match the angle of a handrail along a stairway wall. The cradle may be offset from the stand longitudinal axis. Alternately, the stand has a working edge that is spaced relative to the cradle such that placing the stand working edge against the stairway automatically positions the cradle at the proper spacing from the wall.

Abstract: The log splitter of the present invention is interchangeably mounted to a skid loader in the same manner as conventional attachments, wherein the skid loader longitudinal axis and log splitter longitudinal axis are perpendicular. The log splitter has a mounting frame, a H-beam connected to the mounting frame, and a piston assembly and blade connected to the H-beam. The mounting frame has a top lip and a bottom flange. The skid loader has an attacher that engages the top lip and bottom flange of the mounting frame. The skid loader may supply power to the log splitter, so that the piston assembly pushes the head towards the blade. A user controls the orientation of the attacher, and hence the log splitter. The log splitter can pick a log off the ground, the skid loader can move while holding a log, and the log splitter can split a log over a receptacle.

Abstract: A double row molding apparatus provides greatly increased production of food patty molding machines. The apparatus comprises a mold plate having front and back cavities in longitudinal and transverse alignment. When the mold plate is at a retracted position, front and back fill slots enable flow of the food product from a manifold simultaneously to all the cavities. At an extended position, all the patties are ejected simultaneously by a knockout mechanism. The front and back fill slots may be either one long fill slot, or multiple short fill slots in communication with respective mold plate cavities. In a modified embodiment, a single fill slot communicates only with the back cavities when the mold plate is in its retracted position. As the mold plate advances toward its extended position, the row of back cavities passes over the fill slot and enables the food product to flow into the back cavities.

Abstract: A blade sharpener comprises a work surface consisting of a single support line. A grinding wheel defines a transverse plane that contains the support line. The grinding wheel is swingable in the transverse plane to a selected position relative to the support line. A blade is supported on the support line with the blade cutting edge perpendicular to the support line. The single support line enables a mulching blade to be sharpened without having to impart angular motions in space to it as it is fed past the grinding wheel. Swinging the grinding wheel to different positions relative to the support line enables it to produce different cutting surfaces on the blades. Swinging of the grinding wheel is achieved by mounting it to a plate that pivots about an axis perpendicular to the grinding wheel transverse plane. A mobile work table is selectively retainable over and removable from the support line support.

Abstract: An adjustable base structure supports a person in an upright attitude on uneven terrain and comprises a plate and multiple legs independently pivotally connected to the plate. When in an operative mode, the legs diverge from each other and from the plate and rest on the terrain to orient the plate horizontally. A cable connects the legs and maintains them in the operative mode. A bushing on the plate receives a post of a carrier that is attached to a seat. When the carrier post is in the bushing, the person can sit upright regardless of the contour of the terrain. A dome-shaped pad is joined to each leg for swiveling in a manner that accommodates the terrain and that supports the adjustable base structure in soft soil. Different lengths of the cable are storable inside one of the legs to adjustably limit the amount of pivoting of the legs.