Abstract: An assembly of a needle, catheter, and a device for selectively protecting the needle tip from inadvertent needle sticks by an elongate housing having an extending needle and a needle guard adapted for sliding movement relative the housing. The needle guard is formed to carry a catheter hub and catheter, and includes an actuation tab to enable selective sliding movement of the needle guard relative the housing and along the length of the needle. The housing is adapted to be held within one hand to permit insertion of the needle and catheter into a patient, and after insertion, the needle may be withdrawn from the patient and covered by the needle guard by pressing against the actuation tab while slidably retracting the housing and needle relative to the needle guard; upon full retraction of the housing, a detent mechanism formed between the housing and needle guard locks the needle guard about the length of the needle and prevents accidental contact with the needle tip.

Abstract: An oar mounting system for forward-facing rowing in which an arm or pulley strut is hinged to a support or gunwale frame, with an end of the arm extending from the frame and rotationally mounting an auxiliary or inner oar frame to which an oar loom is attached and the auxiliary frame is tensioned with respect to the arm. The tensioning is by a cable that extends from a terminal post on the auxiliary frame around a pulley at the end of the arm and around a further pulley hinged to the support frame.

Abstract: Method and appartus for the pouring of liquids by a partially closed shell extending from a base to a rounded and interrupted tip, with partially opened shell sides extending from the base to the tip which is interrupted by a a "V" shaped notch; the shell has a base advantageously inclined with respect to the pouring axis of the shell to permit downward flow of fluid into an aperture that communicates with the opening in the shell; the shell can be a pouring spout covered by a protective cap which is unscrewed and removed to expose the spout and permit fluid to be poured between open sides along the shell and over a sharp, interrupted edge at a tip, by which flow is terminated when the shell is up-righted, so that the sharpness of the interruption and the general configuration of the tip reduce the usual dripping of fluid after a pour.

Abstract: A three-point harness strap for suspending a musical instrument which has a main body and an extension, with a first connector for attaching the strap to the main body of the instrument, a second connector for attaching the strap to the extension of the instrument from its main body, and a third connector between the first and second connectors and for attachment to the instrument between its main body and extension for limiting the extent to which the strap can be displaced from the body of the instrument.

Abstract: A band having opposed ends and adapted for spanning the head of a user between opposed ears, with each end of the band including an ear phone mounted in a base attached to said band and an interchangeable and replaceable decorative cover for each base mounting an ear phone to permit interchange with another cover of different design. In a method of customizing a set of headphones, the steps include (A) applying a removable decorative outer cover to at least one ear phone of the set; and (B) removing the outer cover and replacing it by a different decorative outer cover.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the detecting hazardous conditions including the hazardous leakage of carbon dioxide gases by detecting spontaneously a plurality of the conditions which are encoded with a different response for each condition; for the detection of hazardous conditions associated with combustion or potential combustion, the detection is of a plurality of gaseous conditions having different chemical and thermal characteristics and the presence of each such condition is indicated; when the detection is of the leakage of fuel gases, a plurality of catalytic units is used, each having a platinum wire extending to a junction with a comparator and bridged by a detector provided with bridge balance and threshold adjustment; periodic heat cleansing is by a multi-terminal bistable oscillator; smoky carbon particles are detected by an ionization chamber connected to alarm circuitry.