Abstract: For assisting a golfer to determine the yardage from a golf ball to a target golf hole and to select the proper base club for the golf shot, a flat card has an elongated aperture with its top edge spaced from its bottom edge at parallel intervals taken across the aperture by distances decreasing in length from one end of the aperture to the other. The front and back faces of the card have first and second pluralities of the parallel intervals marked along the edges of the aperture respectively. The distances across the aperture at the marked intervals are nomographically coordinated to intervals of distance from the golf ball to the pin placed in the target golf hole. The distance from the golf ball to the pin is thus determinable by coincidental alignment of one of the marked intervals with the pin when the pin is visually registered in the aperture by the golfer.

Abstract: A shield for a toilet has a shaft adapted at one end to be fixed to an inner wall of the toilet bowl. The shaft extends horizontally into the bowl. A sleeve is mounted for rotation on the shaft. An arm extends from the sleeve inwardly and downwardly into the bowl. A strike pad is mounted on the end of the arm in an approximately horizontal position above the standing water level. A lever extending upwardly form the sleeve is engagable against the underside of the seat for angular displacement of the sleeve during rotation of the seat into the down position to move the strike pad to an approximately vertical storage position at the rear of the bowl and is disengagable from the underside of the seat during rotation of the seat to the up position to allow the strike pad to move to an approximately horizontal use position.

Abstract: A hand-held wafer-like signal which is essentially flat octagonally shaped with a handle at the lower end. It has a front side and a back side. The front side is a unitary construction made by plastic injection molding and has a reflector surface, one-half of a handle and a one-half of a cylindrical light housing which is essentially perpendicular to the reflective surface. There is a back side which is also made by injection molding and also has a reflective surface inside an octagonal frame, one-half of a battery container and one-half a cylindrical light housing. The one-half front and back sides are secured together as by screwing and when assembled it becomes a lightweight weatherproof hand-held signal.

Abstract: A neon light is simulated using light emitting diodes as a light source. An elongated, translucent diffuser of circular cross-sections is mated with an elongated opaque tubular housing of constant cross-section with a lengthwise slot. The diffuser is held in longitudinally aligned abutment against the edges of the housing slot to form a chamber between the housing and the diffuser from which light may only be emitted through the diffuser. A plurality of light emitting diodes is aligned in a linear array in the chamber. The reflection and refraction of light by the tubular diffuser produces a neon-like glow or glare along the exposed surface of the diffuser. The housing has a maximum width not greater than the diameter of the diffuser, so that the housing is hidden behind the diffuser.

Abstract: A golf swing strength trainer has a shaft of length not greater than that of a standard golf club shaft. A golf grip is fixed to one end of the shaft. A golf club head is fixed to the other end of the shaft. A pair of substantially equal weights is fixed concentrically on the shaft, one on each end of the grip, the center of gravity of the weights taken together being located substantially at a lengthwise center of the grip. Preferably, the weights abut the opposite ends of the grip. In use, as the axis of the shaft comes into horizontal and vertical alignment, the horizontal distance of the weights from the center of gravity is maximized and minimized. This relationship seems to trigger rather than inhibit the transitional phases of the swing. Since the weights, regardless of their anglular position, are equally displaced from the center of the grip, they tend to enhance rather than inhibit flow and transition of primary movers in the proper swing plane.

Abstract: A positive gear engagement transmission affords a continuously variable ratio between input and output rotational speeds. A circular rack journalled for rotation about a center axle or hub has inner and outer arrays of teeth. Inner and outer planet gears have arrays of teeth engaged with each other and with the inner and outer rack array of teeth for counter-rotation about their respective axles. The ratio of the rack array radii is equal to the ratio of the velocities of the planet gears along their racks. One or more linking gears can be used in addition to the planet gears to provide any desired axle orientation and force transmitting structure. A control force is applied to the planet gear support structure so as to apply unidirectional or opposing forces upon the axles of the planet gears to accomplish the variation of energy transferred between the rack and the planet gear assembly.

Abstract: In a process and machine for coating a surface of an ophthalmic lens, the lens is manually loaded by the operator to a wash/dry station within an enclosure of the coating machine. Thereafter, the machine computer controls the entire process. The machine is closed to minimize the introduction of external contaminates into the machine. Positive pressure and filtration of air is initiated in the enclosure before washing the lens. The loaded lens is washed and dried at the wash/dry station. The dried lens is transferred to a coating station within the enclosure and coated. The coated lens is transferred to a curing oven within the enclosure and cured. The cured lens is then discharged from the curing oven and the machine for collection by the operator. The machine can simultaneously process three lenses, one in the wash/dry/coat section, one in the cure section and one at a pick-off station between the wash/dry/coat and cure sections of the machine.

Abstract: A gas separator connectable between the seating nipple/pump and the mud anchor of a well production line takes advantage of gravitational, shear and centrifugal forces to detrain gas from the formation fluid. An outer cylindrical tube is concentrically secured by upper and lower couplings in relation to an inner cylindrical tube having an axial flow passage and a plurality of radial perforations. The upper coupling is adapted for connection to the seating nipple/pump and the lower coupling is adapted for connection to the mud anchor. The couplings each have a passage therethrough to extend the inner tube axial flow passage in fluid communication between the pump and the mud anchor. The outer cylindrical tube has a plurality of inwardly downwardly centrifugally oriented passages for admitting liquid entrained with gas into an annulus between the tubes and for causing the admitted liquid to flow in a downward spiral in the annulus.

Abstract: A rake for moving an air bubble entrapped between the surface of the water in and the underside of the top of a waterbed mattress to a vent through the top of the mattress is provided consisting of an elongated member and a handle. The elongated member has a lower surface lying in substantially a single plane and spaced apart beginning and end points. A straight line connecting the beginning and end points defines a geometric area for surrounding the bubble. The handle has one end connected to the member and another end extending above the plane defined by the lower surface of the member. The handle is used for manually urging the member downwardly against an upper side of the top of the mattress to trap the bubble within the geometric area. The handle is also used for guiding the geometric area with the bubble trapped therein into communication with the vent so that the air can be released to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A pouch attachable to a garment to store objects of credit card length and width has a container with front and back walls fixed to each other along bottom and opposite side edges to define a compartment sized to receive and hold, in a substantially immobile condition, several of the objects when they are stacked face-to-face and inserted through an open top edge of the container. Mating pieces of hook-and-loop material seal the open top edge to secure the objects in the container. A strap fixed at one of its ends to a back face of the container back wall proximate one of its edges extends across the container back face to its free end at a point proximate another of its edges. A segment of hook-and loop material is fixed along its entire length to the entire length of the front face of the strap. A mating segment of hook-and-loop material is fixed along its entire length to the back face of the container back wall between the fixed end of the strap and the point at the free end of the strap.

Abstract: A filter is provided which uses a particle barrier with its “dirty” side flow path connected in series with a centrifuge. The “dirty” side flow path has an inlet and an outlet for delivering fluid with particles suspended therein under pressure against the “dirty” surface of the particle barrier. The barrier has a plurality of fluid passages through it which are sized to collect particles suspended in the fluid on the “dirty” surface of the barrier while passing some of the fluid through the barrier. A centrifuge serially connected to the outlet draws fluid containing suspended particles across the “dirty” surface to wash collected particles from the “dirty” surface of the barrier wall.

Abstract: A system and process for reducing the flowing bottom-hole pressure in a natural gas well has a first discrete fluid flow path extending from the surface well head through a valve to an inlet of a separator, the valve being actuable between a closed condition and an open condition, and a second discrete gas flow path extending from an outlet of the separator to an inlet of a compressor, the compressor maintaining a near or below zero PSIG pressure at the separator inlet. When the valve is in the closed condition, positive pressure builds on the well head side of the valve and, when the valve is in the open condition, the near or below zero PSIG pressure of the separator is applied to the well head.

Abstract: A cover for a wheelchair seat is made from a cloth having a first ply of wicking material for drawing moisture that contacts the first ply away from an occupant of the wheelchair and a second ply of absorbent material for drawing moisture out of the first ply and dispersing the drawn moisture in the second ply. The first and second plies are permanently secured in laminar relationship to each other, preferably by a hem along their perimeter. The cloth is detachably mounted on the wheelchair seat, preferably either by an elastic band positioned within the hem, the band having a length in its unstretched state which is less than the length of the hem, or by a plurality of hook-and-loop fasteners fixed in spaced apart relationship to the cloth and extending outwardly from the hem to a plurality of mating hook-and-loop fasteners fixed to the cloth proximate the hem. The elastic band mount is specially preferred for use with removable wheelchair seat cushions.

Abstract: A makes blocks from pressed earth. A press foot is raised to a first level even with an open upper end of a breech. A feed drawer having an open lower end and filled with loose earth is moved laterally across a planar surface into registration over the breech. The press foot is lowered to a second level in the breech to receive loose earth from the feed drawer. The feed drawer is withdrawn laterally across the planar surface out of registration with the breech to screed excess loose earth from the breech. A bucking foot is lowered to close the upper end of the breech. The press foot is raised to a third level to compress the loose earth in the breech into a block. The bucking foot is raised to a level higher than the top of the feed drawer to permit vertical ejection of the block from the open upper end of the breech into the lateral path of the feed drawer. Upon raising the press foot to the first level, a previously-made block will be raised into the lateral path of the feed drawer.

Abstract: A motorcycle dolly is provided which includes a carriage for conveying the motorcycle parallel to a first plane and a prop mounted on the carriage for supporting the motorcycle in symmetrical orientation with respect to a second plane perpendicular to the first plane. In normal use, the first plane will be horizontal and the second plane vertical. The carriage consists of a chassis mounted on a plurality of casters. The casters have 360° turn capability and a locking mechanism for preventing rotation of their wheels. A ramp slopes downwardly and away from the rear end of the channel to facilitate driving the motorcycle onto the web of the channel. The prop consists of a channel fixed to the carriage with the web of the channel perpendicular to the first and second planes and the flanges of the channel aligned to receive the front wheel of the motorcycle therebetween.

Abstract: A heater for use in fusing the end of a branch polyolefin pipe to the side wall of a main polyolefin pipe of specified radius has a first plate with a convex outer surface definable as a surface generated by rotating a first straight line about a first parallel line of origin at a radius equal to the specified radius of the main pipe and a concave inner surface, a second plate with a concave outer surface definable as a surface generated by rotating a second straight line about a second parallel line of origin at a radius equal to the specified radius of the main pipe and a convex inner surface and a heating element of substantially constant thickness disposed in laminar relationship between the first and second plates, the inner surfaces of the plates being contoured so that, with the heating element in laminar relationship therebetween, the lines of origin of the outer surfaces of the plates lie a common plane.

Abstract: An artificial bait has a body shaped to simulate a natural bait. The bait exhibits a predetermined base drop rate when immersed in water with an attached threshold weight. Means is provided on the body for delineating one or more breakaway segments from the main segment of the body. The breakaway segments are volumetrically calibrated so that, upon removal of any number of breakaway segments from the main segment and immersion in water with the attached threshold weight, the body together with the unremoved breakaway segments has a predetermined drop rate correspondingly faster than the predetermined base drop rate according to the number of breakaway segments removed.

Abstract: A frame for converting any object into a fishing lure is formed from a length of wire bent at its center into two strands approximating a wishbone symmetrical about a longitudinal axis. The strands extend through a diverging segment, a converging clamping segment and a connecting segment looped for pivotal engagement on the converging segment. The converging segment is resiliently laterally expandable and the clamping segment is resiliently rotatively expandable with the pivotally engaged connecting segment to receive and hold the object to be converted into a fishing lure therebetween. A tension ring girdingly slidable on the converging segment limits resilient lateral expansion of the frame. Preferably, the wishbone has an eye for connection to the fishing line and a shank. A fish hook may be rigged on the tension ring. A bait hook fixed to the wishbone shank can be used to secure the object in place on the frame.

Abstract: Polyolefin pipes are welded end-to-end by a self-propelled, self-contained machine which performs all steps necessary to the process without need for any other machines or equipment. Hydraulically driven parallel tracks are independently controlled for maximum maneuverability. An hydraulically driven, computer controlled, reversible jaw assembly reciprocates the new pipe section relative to the exiting pipe line. A facer for trimming and squaring the pipe ends to be joined and a heater for melting the pipe ends for fusing are umbilically connected to the machine for on-board or remote operation. The computer, also on an umbilical, enables the operator to operate the machine in a normal mode in which the operator manually controls the facing, soaking and fusing processes or an automatic mode in which the fusing process is automatically controlled by the computer.

Abstract: Polyolefin pipes are welded end-to-end by a self-propelled, self-contained machine which performs all steps necessary to the process without need for any other machines or equipment. Hydraulically driven parallel tracks are independently controlled for maximum maneuverability. An hydraulically driven, computer controlled, reversible jaw assembly reciprocates the new pipe section relative to the exiting pipe line. A facer for trimming and squaring the pipe ends to be joined and a heater for melting the pipe ends for fusing are umbilically connected to the machine for on-board or remote operation. The computer, also on an umbilical, enables the operator to operate the machine in a normal mode in which the operator manually controls the facing, soaking and fusing processes or an automatic mode in which the fusing process is automatically controlled by the computer.