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: A process and machine for cleaning ophthalmic lenses and blocks heats a washing solution in a wash tank and a rinsing solution in a rinse tank to approximately l40.degree. F. Ultrasonic wave agitation is then initiated in the solutions. A set of lenses or blocks is immersed in the ultrasonically agitated washing solution for approximately one-half the predetermined time of the wash cycle. Mechanical agitation of the immersed set of lenses or blocks is initiated in the ultrasonically agitated washing solution for the remainder of the predetermined time of the wash cycle. The set of lenses or blocks is then raised above the washing solution for a predetermined drip period. The set of lenses or blocks is then immersed in the ultrasonically agitated rinsing solution for approximately one-half the predetermined time of the rinse cycle.

Abstract: A holder for suspending ophthalmic lenses and lens blocks of various diameters from a rod in a lens and block cleaning machine has a frame with a horizontal base member and a pair of upright members extending upwardly, one from each end of the base member. A hanger extending from the upper ends of the upright members is adapted to suspend the frame from the rod. Pairs of pins extend forwardly from the front and rearwardly from the back of the base member along parallel spaced apart first and second axes in a horizontal plane. Arms are pivotally pinned to the upright members for rotation about axes parallel to the first and second axes from lowest positions approximately sixty degrees below horizontal to highest positions approximately sixty degrees above horizontal. Detents prevent rotation of the arms below the lowest position or above the highest position. Torsion springs connected between the upright members and the arms bias arms toward their lowest positions.

Abstract: A buoyant walkway module for a boatlift is formed from a plurality of pneumatically discrete elongated compartments. Each of the compartments has a substantially flat upper horizontal exterior surface and complementary exterior end surfaces. With the end of one such module in abutment with the complementary end of another such module, the upper horizontal surfaces lie in the same plane so as to provide a suitable walkway for the boatman. Preferably, the end surfaces are perpendicular to the horizontal surface so as to provide maximum stability in the walkway.With the modules positioned in end-to-end relationship, they are coupled together by a flat plate disposed across the upper exterior surface of their junction and by a pair of straps extending longitudinally across the lower exterior surface at their junction.

Abstract: A hand grip exercise device consists of a resiliently flexible base sheet, preferably but not necessarily of stainless steel, having a length at least as wide as the palm of the hand to be exercised and having a cross section which, in its unflexed condition and taken in a plane transverse to the length of the base sheet, approximates the contour of the palm, forefingers and thumb of the hand to be exercised in a handshake position. A resiliently compressible pad is adhered to the convex surface of the base sheet so as to offer a comfortable, nonslipping gripping surface to the hand. The device further includes at least one additional resiliently flexible reinforcing sheet, also preferably but not necessarily of stainless steel, with a length not greater than the length of the base sheet and with a cross-section which, in an unflexed condition and taken in a plane transverse to its length, is concentrically snugly insertable into the base sheet cross-section.

Abstract: An anti-theft device is provided which, when used on a trailer coupler, locks on to the trailer coupler and covers the receptacle of the coupler, thereby preventing the insertion of a hitch ball or other towing means into the receptacle. Locking engagement is achieved by a retaining member being moved and held in a position inside the receptacle of the coupler by the operation of a lock housed in the body of the anti-theft device. In another embodiment of the invention locking engagement is achieved by the retaining member being moved to a position inside the coupler receptacle through operation of a lever independent of the retaining member and being held in such position through operation of a lock housed in the body of the anti-theft device. No tools or auxiliary parts are required to attach or remove the device.

Abstract: A tool for polishing/fining an ophthalmic lens has a housing with an interior open at the ends thereof. Resiliently elastic diaphragms with central spherical work surfaces extend across the ends of the housing. A cluster of rods extends longitudinally in sliding abutment within the housing from one diaphragm work surface to the other. A cap has a rim which fixes the exterior perimeter of the first diaphragm against the top of the housing. The cap defines a pneumatic chamber longitudinally aligned between the exterior surface of the first diaphragm and the interior wall of the cap. A passage through the cap wall admits air under pressure into the chamber. A ring fixes the exterior perimeter of the other diaphragm against the bottom of the housing. Preferably the cap and ring thread onto the housing with the diaphragms therebetween. Pneumatic distortion of one diaphragm is transmitted by longitudinal displacement of individual ones of the cluster of rods to the interior surface of the other diaphragm.

Abstract: Instruments for use in endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery include a cannula having a diameter suitable for passage in the carpal tunnel, a diametrically narrowing open tip to facilitate entry into the carpal tunnel and a matted interior surface to maximize visual clarity of the carpal tunnel display, an obturator having a diameter suitable for passage in the cannula end, a plow shaped tip which laterally shifts tendons and nerves from its path as the tip is passed in the carpal tunnel and a sway-back portion proximate the tip which maximizes the efficiency of the tip as it plows through the carpal tunnel tendons and nerves and a rasp having a rod of diameter suitable for passage in the cannula, a roughened face on an upwardly tapering trapezoidal cross-section tip for guiding penetration of the tip through the longitudinal slot in the cannula but limiting penetration of the tip therethrough, and a bend in the rod so that the roughened face of the tip is in substantially flush alignment with the ligaments when t

Abstract: A lift for docking a personal watercraft from a body of water has a shell with a cradle for supporting the watercraft and an open end for horizontally receiving the watercraft. A buoyant filler within the shell floats it with its open end approximately aligned with the water surface. A replaceable skid plate substantially centered on the open end of the shell engages the tapered bow portion of the watercraft during the docking process and guides the watercraft into substantially a centered position on the shell and raises the watercraft upwardly and drives the shell downwardly as the watercraft is horizontally transferred onto the shell from the body of water. The shell has two pairs of posts, one pair extending forwardly from the front and one pair rearwardly from the back, one proximate each of the sides of the shell. Each post has a flange about its free end.

Abstract: A pump valve for use with positive displacement/reciprocating pumps. The pump valve includes an adapter, valve body, disk, spring, and retaining ring. The adapter is driven or pressed into the fluid end of the pump and includes an annular interior threaded surface to receive a mating threaded neck of the valve body. The valve body includes the neck, trunk having a cavity therein, and an integral valve seat inside the cavity of the trunk. The disk has a diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the cavity so as to fit snugly therein and seat on the integral valve seat of the valve body. The spring is coiled from a first coil of smallest diameter so that each successive coil is of an increased diameter to a final coil of largest diameter. The spring is inserted inside the cavity in the trunk and contacts the disk. The spring is compressed so as to fit entirely within the cavity. A groove is cut in the wall of the trunk on its internal circumference so as to receive a retaining ring.

Abstract: A recognition apparatus and method are provided for identifying the type of work piece loaded onto the rotating shaft chuck of an ophthalmic product generator. A digital electronic system supplies signals which control the angular displacement of the chuck. Each type of work piece has a unique pattern of passages aligned on a plane transverse to its rotational axis which rotate into and out of alignment with a single registration line in the plane. Unique signature data which identifies each type of work piece by the angular positions at which the passages come into and go out of alignment with the registration line is stored in the digital electronic system. A beam of light, preferably infrared, is continuously transmitted along the registration line during a signature rotation of the chuck. The angular positions of the loaded work piece and the status of an electrical signal generated when the light beam passes through the passages are detected and stored in the digital electronic system.

Abstract: A prenatal audio communication device has a receiving chamber which accepts sound waves for transmission through a flexible tube to a megaphone secured against the abdomen of a pregnant woman so as to transfer sound waves from an external source with which the chamber is juxtaposed to a position proximate the ears of the baby in the womb. Means is connected to the megaphone for encircling the pregnant woman and securing the megaphone outlet port against her abdomen. Preferably, the inlet port has a perimeter contoured to be snugly juxtaposed about the mouth of a typical adult. A curved lip extends along the inlet port perimeter to form a continuous seal between the chamber and the face of the user, to increase the comfort level of the user when the chamber is pressed against the face and to make a single chamber more universally usable with a variety of sound wave source shapes and sizes.

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: A screen for use with a vibrating screening machine to filter undesired particles from a liquid uses a filter cloth having a substantially rectangular mesh suitable for separating the undesired particles from the liquid bonded in laminar relationship to a back-up having a substantially coarser mesh. The substantially rectangular mesh is formed by a lengthwise array of parallel individual wires woven with a transverse widthwise array of parallel groups of at least three wires. The individual wires are distorted from rectangular proximate the ends of the rectangles by bows in the individual wires at their area of intersection with each of the parallel groups of wires. This configuration provides improved throughput and life characteristics over known screens. A plastic grid of mesh substantially greater than the back-up mesh may be fused to the bonded lamination of the filter cloth and the back-up.

Abstract: In a linear actuator, a cylinder is separated into forward and reverse chambers by a piston. A lead screw is threadedly engaged in the piston and a piston rod connects to the load. A turbine applies torque to the screw to urge the screw toward clockwise or counterclockwise rotation depending on the direction of the piston movement. The tangent of the lead screw helix angle is so substantially equal to the coefficient of friction between the piston and the screw that the torque generated by the turbine does not significantly vary the force exerted on the load and the force on the load does not significantly vary the speed of movement of the load. Variations between the static and dynamic coefficients of friction between the lead screw and the piston can be offset by selection of an appropriate lead angle and friction coefficient in the turbine driven system.

Abstract: An adhesive insert anchor including an anchor body and a screw member for insertion into a drilled hole in a substrate containing an adhesive. The anchor body further including an integral friction segment and an adhesion segment. The friction segment includes an internally threaded cavity in which to receive the screw member and a knurled portion. The adhesion segment includes a cylindrical section and a plurality of saucer-shaped buttons positioned along its length ending with a terminal button. The buttons on the adhesion segment provide greater surface area for contact between the adhesive and the anchor. The friction segment has an external diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the hole drilled in the substrate, thereby providing a friction fit between the anchor body and the walls of the substrate hole.

Abstract: A unitary lap blank has a front polishing portion and a rear disk portion contoured for coupling the disk to a chuck of the lathe and also to a chuck of the polishing machine. Preferably, the disk has a circular channel in its face opposed to its base and a pair of seats in the opposed face symmetrically diametrically aligned in a land defined by the channel. The channel is of diameter, width and depth and the seats are spaced for mating with complementary components on the lathe chuck. The disk also has a circular seat centered in the land and a pair of parallel side walls disposed along symmetrically opposed cords of the disk transverse to a line connecting the pair of seats, the side walls being spaced apart by a distance and the seat being of diameter and depth for mating with complementary components on the polishing machine chuck.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens block and lens generating machine compression sleeve chuck are provided such that the block is of diameter suitable for the lens edging step of the lens generating process. The lens generating chuck consists of a plurality of concentric sleeves mounted on a hub of the spindle shaft and having lengthwise slots permitting compression of the sleeve onto the hub and the block. The sleeves are biased to telescope toward the lens so as to abut the front surface of the lens in a concentric pattern extending outwardly from the outer diameter of the block to support the front surface of the lens against the forces applied to the rear face of the lens during the cutting process. Thus, the combination of the block and the chuck is also suitable for the lens generating, fining and polishing steps of the lens generating process. Consequently, after polishing, the block is left on the lens.

Abstract: A holster supports a shotgun at the side of a shooter above the ground in an opened condition. A seat supports the shotgun and spaced side walls extend upwardly to receive the pivotally connected barrel and stock portions of the shotgun therebetween so as to prevent the shotgun from sliding laterally off the seat. A mounting device is provided on one of the side walls for mounting the holster proximate the waist of the shooter. The seat has a front section for supporting the barrel portion of the shotgun and a rear section for supporting the stock portion of the shotgun. The front and rear sections lie in intersecting planes which extend downwardly at an obtuse angle from their line of intersection to support the barrel and stock portions of the shotgun at approximately the obtuse angle defined by the planes. A pad preferably of leather protects the surface of the shotgun from being scratched or marred by the holster.

Abstract: A matrix system encodes five discrete audio signals down to a two-channel stereo recording and decodes the recorded stereo signal into at least five stand alone, independent channels to allow placement of specific sounds at any one of 5 or more predetermined locations as individual, independent sound sources, thus producing a 5-2-5 matrix system. One embodiment of the system provides signals to left front, right front, center, left rear, and right rear speaker locations. The matrix system is compatible with all existing stereo materials and material encoded for use with other existing surround systems. Material specifically encoded for this system can be played back through any other existing decoding systems without producing undesirable results.