Abstract: A composition and method is disclosed for suppressing infections and treating one or more injured or diseased aquatic vertebrate animals, by adding to the water containing the aquatic animal(s) a solution containing the extracted juice and fine particles of walnut husks or the combination of walnut husks and walnut leaves of the walnut trees of the genus Juglans, family Juglandaceae (also referred to herein as “Juglans blend”). Effective amounts of walnut husks or the combination of walnut husks and walnut leaves which inhibit or promote recovery from aquatic bacterial, fungal, protozoan, and dinoflagellate diseases on the surface of or in the skin of the animal or from wounds and abrasions, or to control or eliminate metazoan parasites, or to control or eliminate aquatic single-celled green algae are in the range from 0.035 grams to 0.

Abstract: An emergency lighting system powers all the luminaires of a lighting system during normal use, and switches from utility power to an emergency power source to drive some of the luminaires during a power outage. The typical on/off wall switch control for regular use carries out an automatic system test routine every time it is switched off. First, the non-emergency luminaires are extinguished, the emergency luminaires are activated for a time-limited period, and the system reverts to regular utility power and on/off control by the wall switch.

Abstract: In an electronic device that accepts drawn graphic entries and includes a screen display, a tool for storing and recalling elements displayed on the screen enables a user to draw a simple diagonal line to establish where an element is to be placed onscreen and the definition of the element. The length and slope of the diagonal line determines outer dimensions which are used to define the size of the element displayed. Each element is assigned to a respective line specifier, such as line color. A plurality of zones may be defined on the screen display, each zone having unique specifier assignments for the diagonal lines. A plurality of electronic devices may be connected to a communications network, and elements recalled on one device may be transmitted at the same time to any other device. Elements that are functional objects may be transmitted in this manner, and actualized and operated independently by the recipient devices.

Abstract: A tray for use in conjunction with a ladder bracket includes a plurality of upwardly opening compartments that may be used to hold paint, tools, or other painting supplies or implements. The bottom of the painter's tray is provided with structural features to engage a ladder bracket. A pair of downwardly opening channels are formed in the bottom surface, the channels being continuous, concentric, and curved in circular fashion to receive the hoop portion of two common sizes of ladder brackets. Both channels open to a slot opening that receives the tang portion of the ladder bracket. A plurality of tab members are mounted on posts extending downwardly from the bottom of the tray, and are rotatable to extend over the channels and secure a ladder bracket hoop portion therein.

Abstract: A paddle for a kayak, a canoe or other small boat has a shaft with a handle portion which extends from one end of a blade and a tongue portion formed by cutting away a section of the sidewall of the shaft to provide a chamber which extends along a surface of the blade. A filler member extending longitudinally within the chamber is adhered to the tongue portion of the shaft and also to the surface of the blade. This provides a light weight, high strength paddle construction which is economical to manufacture as the blade need not be formed with a bulky molded socket for enabling attachment of a shaft.

Abstract: A sleeping mattress construction provides a mattress cover that is fabricated from a transparent material so that the interior of the mattress may be visualized to prevent concealment therein of contraband. In one embodiment the mattress is an air mattress formed of transparent polymer, such as transparent PVC Vinyl sheet material. In another embodiment the mattress is filled with any acceptable filling material or device and enclosed with a transparent cover.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a fader controller comprised of a longitudinally extending track having a portion thereof extending over an image area of an electronic display, and a fader cap joined to the track for longitudinal sliding translation therealong. A plurality of permanent magnets are spaced along the track, and the fader cap includes at least one electromagnet. Conductive rails extend longitudinally on the track, and the fader cap includes contacts that electrically engage the conductive rails. The electromagnets are actuated to translate the fader cap distally or proximally along the track. In another aspect, the invention provides a magnetic arrangement for removably joining one or more controller device to a flat panel electronic display, whereby controllers such as switches, knobs, and faders (slide controllers) may be superposed on the display.

Abstract: A paint brush cover which will protect the bristles of a paint brush after it has been used. The cover is formed from a planar sheet of liquid-resistant material and is provided with fold lines about which the sheet may be folded around and releasably secured to at least the bristle portion of the brush.

Abstract: An independently rotating, split tread wheel assembly includes a pair of disks each having an outer tread formed of rubber or polyurethane compounds and supported on the periphery thereof. Each disk includes a central opening that receives a ball bearing assembly. A pair of hub inserts have central annular surfaces in adjacent relationship. A cylindrical spacer extends about the central annular surfaces and supports the inner races of the bearing assemblies so that the two disks turn independently about the hub inserts on their respective bearing assemblies. A pair of spaced apart caster bracket arms straddle the wheel assembly and impinge on the opposed outer surfaces of the hub inserts. An axle extends through aligned holes in the arms and through central bores in the hub inserts, and is secured thereto.

Abstract: A graphic programming system for associating distinctive arrow appearances to specific transaction(s) that the arrow may convey among and between on-screen objects. The distinctive appearance features include arrow color, arrow style, and double-headed arrows, among many other possibilities. The system provides default relationships between specific arrow transactions and arrow appearance, so that, for example, a arrow of a particular color is recognized by the system (and easily identified by the user) to carry out a particular transaction. These relationships may be selectively varied by the user to suit individual needs.

Abstract: A liquid process tank that provides a quick dump feature includes a fixed bottom wall assembly and moveable tank side walls that contain liquid and also act as a quick dump valve for the liquid. The bottom wall assembly includes an acoustic transducer secured thereto. The tank side walls are secured to a plurality of linear actuators adapted for vertical movement. A seal is secured to the lower edge of the side wall assembly to impinge on a land surface that extends about the perimeter of the bottom wall assembly. The linear actuators are retracted to draw join the bottom and side wall assemblies to retain liquid, or activated in unison to drive the tank walls upwardly from the fixed bottom wall assembly, creating a bottom opening in the tank that quickly discharges all the liquid from the tank.

Abstract: A modular retaining watt has tiers of headers which extend into compacted backfill material and tiers of stretchers which extend between headers to form the front face of the wall. Vertical pins, extending between successive headers in each stack of headers, facilitate precise emplacement of headers during construction of the wall. Layers of geosynthetic mesh reinforcement reinforce the load bearing capability of the backfill. Load forces in the backfill are sustained by forward ends of the layers of geosynthetic mesh reinforcement, which extend upward in front of the backfill and then backward into the backfill, instead of being sustained by the stretchers. A sizable space behind the stretchers may be filled with loose topsoil to facilitate growth of landscaping plantings on the face of the wall.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for manipulating lightweight strips in parallel, laterally edge-adjacent array into spaced apart array for processing includes a platen having channels for receiving the strips, and a comb device for translating the strips of alternating channels to form two groups of laterally spaced strips. A pick-and-place conveyor has suction cups to remove each group in unison from the platen and place it on a belt conveyor. Suction holes in the channels selectively retain the groups on the platen. The comb, pick-and-place conveyor, and belt conveyor operate in synchrony and reiteratively to create a continuous stream of spaced apart strips.

Abstract: Vacuum cleaning apparatus having a rotary brush situated at an air intake opening in a housing has a configuration which enables efficient cleaning of edge portions of a floor that are adjacent to a wall or other vertical surface. A cleaning head portion of the housing has intersecting sidewalls which extend at right angles to each other enabling one sidewall to face the edge of a floor while the other sidewall faces the lower edge of an adjacent wall. The air intake opening is angled to extend into both of the angled intersecting sidewalls of the cleaning head. The rotary brush carries bristles which protrude through the air intake opening at both of the sidewalls of the cleaning head and at the intersection between the sidewalls.

Abstract: A high bandwidth telephone line transceiver for connecting telecommunications equipment to a telephone line provides a pair of isolation capacitors connected to the telephone line to transmit the telephone signals across the requisite electrical isolation barrier. The capacitors are connected to a user-side hybrid circuit that provides a line impedance match for the telephone circuit, and converts the two wire connection to the capacitors to a 4 wire circuit for separate transmit and receive signal paths. The receive signal path extends through a signal op amp to a high pass filter that transmits the DSL download bandwidth and rejects the upload bandwidth and voice spectrum. The received signal is then fed to an analog/digital converter, and the digitized signal is connected to a DSP. The DSP is connected to a data handling device via a USB port, a PCI interface, or the like. The transmit signal path extends from the DSP circuit to a transmit path digital/analog converter.

Abstract: A cracker dispenser for dispensing individual crackers in a sanitary manner such as at public cooking events and at wine and cheese tasting events. The cracker dispenser includes a plastic housing for receiving a plurality of stacked crackers from a standard size roll of crackers. The housing is of elongate rectangular shape with a horizontal lower wall of a rectangular shape slightly larger than the individual crackers. Three upstanding walls include a rear wall and opposing side walls which extend from the lower wall to retain the plurality of crackers into a cracker receiving interior chamber defined by the housing in a stacked position. A movable door in the form of a sliding door or a latching hinged door is connected to the housing to selectively cover a cracker roll receiving opening formed at the front of the housing between the two side walls to admit crackers from the roll thereof and closing to cover the cracker roll receiving opening.

Abstract: A powered touch screen input device is perpetually self-powered and free of any mechanical connection to the touch screen itself. The input device includes at least one photovoltaic cell supported thereon and disposed to receive light from the display screen associated with the touch screen device. The photovoltaic cell is connected to the electronic signaling circuit disposed within the input device. The input device comprises a stylus having a proximal tip connected to the electronic signaling circuit to generate or receive actinic radiation and interact with the touch screen device. A bezel extends about the barrel to enclose the photovoltaic cells and direct light from the display screen to the cells. Alternatively, RF energy may be transmitted to an antenna in the input device and rectified to drive the electronic signaling circuit.