Abstract: An apparatus for punching at least one hole in a sheet of paper and attaching a reinforcing ring onto the sheet around the hole includes a platform; a hole punch rod mounted to and extending outwardly from the platform positioned to match a desired location for a hole on a sheet, the hole punch rod having a rod cutting end extending away from the platform; a sheet panel having a ring passing hole positioned to register with the longitudinal axis of the punch rod and sized to pass a reinforcing ring; a hole punch plate generally parallel to and spaced forwardly from the sheet panel and having a hole punching port positioned to register with the longitudinal axis of the hole punch rod, the hole punching port being sized to pass the rod cutting end closely enough to cut a hole into a sheet placed between the rod cutting end and the punching port; a sheet panel return spring mechanism.

Abstract: A thermal engine includes a cylinder and piston and an insulated thermal battery including at least a thermal mass such as the engine block itself for storing and retaining heat to enhance or cause fluid expansion within the cylinder and drive the piston, the thermal battery optionally including an electrolyte chamber containing a thermal electrolyte for functioning as an electric thermal battery. Heat is stored in the thermal battery such as by activating electric resistance heating elements in the thermal mass. The stored heat either causes expansion of a non-combustible expansion fluid such as water or enhances the expansion of a combustible expansion fluid such as gasoline. Where the thermal battery is an electric thermal battery containing an electrolyte, the storage of heat also stores electricity which can be used to power an electric motor.

Abstract: A dispenser system for flowable material includes several interchangeable cartridge assemblies for retaining flowable material, each cartridge assembly including a dispensing piston sealingly and slidably retained within a cylinder, the cylinder having a distal cylinder dispensing end to which a material passing attachment can be sealingly mounted and having a proximal cylinder mounting end, and the piston including a piston head for creating the slidable seal within the cylinder and a piston drive mechanism connected to the piston; a drive structure for engaging and mounting the cartridge assembly and for progressively driving the flowable material out of the cartridge assembly and onto a target surface, the drive structure including a cartridge assembly engagement structure and having a piston drive mechanism which drivably and releasibly engages the piston drive mechanism upon fitting the cylinder to the engagement structure.

Abstract: A laser mounting assembly for mounting a laser tool to a mounting surface such as a wall to adjacent to an end of a mounted first molding segment and orienting the laser tool to project a beam of light from a point aligned with a longitudinal edge of the first molding segment along the mounting surface to locate and permit marking of the position of a second molding segment longitudinal edge includes a laser tool distal end for mounting to a support surface and having a laser tool proximal end. The laser mounting assembly includes a mounting plate for securing to a mounting surface; and includes a backing panel for fastening to the laser tool distal end, such as with adhesive, the backing panel having a direction indicator along the panel periphery which extends laterally to an extent that it is visible to an observer at the laser tool proximal end. A method of assembly use is also provided.

Abstract: A bumper apparatus includes a roller rack and rack fasteners for mounting the roller rack vertically along a dock structure; a bumper assembly having a buoyant structure having sufficient buoyancy to cause the bumper assembly to rise and fall with the water surface and thus with the tide and with any adjacent water vessel; and a rack engaging structure slidably interconnecting the roller rack and the bumper assembly so that the bumper assembly is slidable vertically relative to the roller rack. The roller rack preferably includes a spaced apart upright pair of opposing first and second mounting rails; and a longitudinal series of substantially horizontal cylindrical rollers mounted on individual roller axles extending between and connected to the first and second mounting rails so that the rollers protrude forwardly from the mounting rails.

Abstract: A boxing ring corner mat includes a mat body having a mat upper surface; and a pan recess in the mat upper surface and a liquid collecting pan retained within the pan recess for gathering and retaining water and other liquids. The mat preferably additionally includes a spit bucket recess located forwardly of the pan recess and pan and a spit bucket retained within the spit bucket recess in fluid communication with the pan through a bucket drain hose. The mat preferably additionally includes shoe engaging and propping elevations having shoe sole engaging upper surfaces, and preferably additionally includes a separable display region removably fitted into a display region opening in the mat body. The shoe propping elevations optionally are hollow and have upwardly opening air flow ports and each contain a shoe drying fan for blowing a stream of air onto the soles of boxer shoes.

Abstract: An infant seat base removably retaining an infant seat having a seat forward end which a seated infant faces and for simulating the sensations of travel in a road vehicle includes at least one vibration mechanism transmitting vibration into the seat for simulating vehicle vibration from tire movement over road surface irregularities; a recorded sound storing and playing mechanism for playing the sound of a moving road vehicle to an infant in the seat; a view simulation back drop structure having the appearance of a road vehicle seat backrest secured to the base at the seat forward end; and a base circuit including a power source delivering power through the circuit to the at least one vibration mechanism and to the recorded sound storing and playing mechanism.

Abstract: A safety drinking straw includes a beverage delivery tube having a tube first end for insertion into a quantity of beverage and a tube second end for placement between user lips; and a debris blocking structure substantially at the tube first end permitting a free flow of the beverage through the delivery tube while preventing entry of debris of a selected minimum target size into the delivery tube; so that the debris blocking structure prevents debris from entering the delivery tube and thus prevents debris from lodging and becoming an obstruction within the delivery tube. The debris blocking structure preferably includes at least one cord extending across the interior of the delivery tube substantially at the tube first end, and alternatively includes at least one tube partition or at least two tubular barrels fitted longitudinally and in tandem inside and secured within the delivery tube.

Abstract: A muscle memory training apparatus for training a ball player in proper elbow elevation at the beginning of a throw includes a frame; an elbow support cup assembly mounted to and projecting forwardly from the frame; a spring-loaded reel mounted to the frame a distance above the support cup assembly and having a retracting line secured to a ball mounted to the frame; and a fastening mechanism connected to the frame for fastening the apparatus to an anchoring object at a suitable elevation. A method of using the muscle memory training apparatus includes the steps of: securing the apparatus to a selected anchoring structure such that the elbow support cup is substantially at the user shoulder level; placing the user elbow in the elbow support cup; grasping the ball; and throwing the ball forwardly from the apparatus, so that the ball is subsequently retracted by the spring-loaded reel.

Abstract: A fastening system includes a grommet having a grommet shank and two grommet cap ends secured to opposing ends of the grommet shank; a planar border having a base and integrally formed substantially parallel planar flexible peripheral first and second legs of substantially like length, the first leg having a first leg distal end with a first aperture and the second leg having a second leg distal end with a second aperture and an integral and peripheral first spike having a first spike pointed end, each of the first and second apertures being proportioned for slidable receipt of the grommet when the first and second apertures are aligned with each other; and an elongate securement leg integrally dependant from the base in a direction of the distal ends of the flexible legs, and including a securement leg distal end having a receiving surface for receiving first spike pointed end.

Abstract: A roof anchoring kit includes a number of bracing plates, each bracing plate having two spaced apart plate ports, for placing on top of a roof panel; a number of loop forming members passing through the opposing plate ports of each bracing plate, and for passing through openings in an abutting roof panel and around a corresponding roof beam below the bracing plate, and for tying to form a loop securing the corresponding bracing plate, the adjacent roof panel and roof beam together; a number of tie down lines connected to a linear series of the loop forming members and extending across the roof and then down to part of one of a building wall and a foundation or to where the end of the tie down line is tied; and a number of crossing lines extending perpendicular to the tie down lines and connected to a series of the loop forming members on a series of roof beams, where ends of the tie down lines and crossing lines are anchored.

Abstract: A wall and port form for forming a concrete wall having a port for mounting a window or a door includes a building wall form having a wall form perimeter wall and a wall form bottom wall; a portal form for placement within the building wall form perimeter wall for defining an opening for one of a door and a window, the portal including a portal form perimeter wall configured as a closed loop encompassing a port space and preventing concrete poured into the wall form from flowing into the port space encompassed by the portal form, and a form spacing and dislodgement mechanism for spacing the portal form from the building wall form bottom wall upon curing of concrete within the wall form and thereby dislodging the portal form from the grip of the concrete.

Abstract: A method of constructing a concrete module having several interconnected walls and defining a portion of a building includes the steps of forming two pitch walls, each pitch wall having a wall upper end angled to match the pitch of the building roof to define an upper peak having a beam receiving notch, having a shorter lateral end and a longer lateral end, and a wall lower end [and an angled upper end], and having a notch at the intersection of the lower lateral end and the angled wall upper end; forming a linking wall having two linking wall lateral ends substantially matching the height of the pitch wall shorter lateral ends; providing a floor form platform having a horizontal platform surface and an upright floor form rail defining a side of the floor form; placing the two pitch walls and the linking wall on a floor form platform; pouring uncured concrete into the floor form; permitting the concrete within the floor form to cure and define a module floor jointed to the pitch walls and the linking wall; co

Abstract: A bait hook for constructing a stinger rig includes a hook proximal end including a primary leader engaging first ring eye; a hook shank including a shank connecting segment extending distally from the first ring eye and a shank hook segment arching laterally from the shank connecting segment, and a hook distal end; and a second ring eye extending from the hook shank for engaging a trailer leader for connecting the bait hook to a trailer bait hook.

Abstract: A flow rate selection valve includes a gate cylinder having a gate cylinder rotational axis and having at least two flow rate determining passageways and passing laterally through the gate cylinder at orientations angularly displaced from each other and having cylinder rotation structure; and a valve housing containing a flow passageway and having a cylinder receiving bore intersecting the flow passageway into which the gate cylinder is rotatably and sealingly mounted, the gate cylinder dividing the flow passageway into a passageway inlet end and a passageway outlet end, the flow passageway containing a passageway registration barrier extending across the flow passageway and sealingly abutting the gate cylinder and having several flow ports with different minimum diameters, each flow port positioned to register with one of the flow rate determining passageway.

Abstract: A liquid gathering and transferring apparatus for gathering liquid from a liquid source containing a quantity of liquid having a liquid surface and containing debris and discharging the liquid into a liquid receiving location includes an intake chamber having a chamber discharge end in fluid communication with the liquid receiving location and a chamber structural end opposite the chamber discharge end and a chamber side wall extending between the chamber discharge end and the chamber structural end and a longitudinal series of liquid intake ports in the chamber side wall extending generally between the chamber discharge end and the chamber structural end, the intake ports being of generally increasing diameter along the chamber side wall toward the chamber structural end for minimizing liquid vortex formation at the intake ports; so that the intake chamber can be suspended below the liquid surface at a minimal depth where less debris is present and draw liquid with negligible vortex formation.

Abstract: A weight training bench apparatus includes a support frame; an elongate bench platform mounted on the support frame at an angle to define a platform upper end and a platform lower end and having upper and lower platform segments extending between the platform upper end and the platform lower end, the upper platform segment being positioned at a first angle relative to a horizontal direction, and the lower platform segment having an upper first portion extending at a second angle relative to a horizontal direction which is smaller than the first angle to protrude forwardly from the upper platform segment, to follow the curvature of the user spine lumbar region, and has a lower second portion positioned at a third angle relative to a horizontal direction which is larger than the second angle, and a seat mounted to extend forwardly from the platform lower end.

Abstract: A flow slowing boom for slowing the speed of a buoyant fluid floating on moving water having a direction of water movement and a water surface includes a support structure for positioning at the surface of a body of water across the direction of water movement; an anchoring structure for anchoring the support structure relative to the moving water; a skirt structure; and a pivot structure interconnecting the support structure and the skirt structure so that the skirt structure is pivotably suspended from the support structure and moving water pivots the skirt structure out of a suspended vertical orientation to any of a range of angles beyond vertical including horizontal, thereby constraining buoyant fluid to flow across the skirt structure to slow the speed of the fluid and thus to permit the fluid to buoy toward the water surface for containment. A boom system and method are also provided.

Abstract: A heat transfer apparatus includes a heat source having a heat source maximum operating temperature; and a heat sink comprising a closed chamber having a chamber first end wall, a chamber second end wall and a circumferential chamber side wall interconnecting said chamber first end wall and said chamber second end wall, said walls defining a chamber interior space, at least one of said chamber first end wall and said chamber second end wall being a heat transfer wall, a heat transfer material retained within said chamber, and at least one impeller having an axis of impeller rotation and an impeller radius mounted within said chamber adjacent to said heat source to rotate about the axis of impeller rotation for moving the heat transfer material over said heat transfer wall and propelling said heat transfer material to a location thermally remote from said heat source for heat dissipation, wherein said chamber interior space extends perpendicular to the axis of impeller rotation a radial thermal spacing distanc