Abstract: A device for use in planting seeds and bulbs is disclosed which allows planting in untilled soil with a simple prodding-type motion to both make a hole and to plant the seed in the hole. The device is capable of operation on hills or in almost any other type of terrain, and thus greatly reduces the labor needed to plant seeds and bulbs. It may be used with a conveyor system to continuously supply seed to the device to enable rapid, efficient planting of seed.

Abstract: A water pressure intensifying system for providing elevated water main pressure from water at a relatively low pressure head, such as may be available from a slowly flowing stream, for example. The basic system comprises two in-line cylinders of different diameters with the pistons being coupled together by a connecting rod. Associated valving directs water flow so that the low pressure water driving the large piston causes the small piston to produce water flow at substantially increased pressure. Multiple pumps can be driven in parallel in a companion pump battery from control valving associated with a single pump in a basic system, thus substantially reducing the cost of adding flow capacity to a basic pumping system of the invention. A modification of the system can be used as a proportional flow mixing system such as, for example, adding chlorine to a water supply in a municipal treatment plant.

Abstract: A series of instruments for use in cleaning and shaping the root canal of a tooth is disclosed. The instruments are files having increasing tapers on sequentially-used files, with all of the files having the same, or nearly the same, small diameter at the tip of the cutting surface. The files create an increasingly tapered aperture in the root canal, which is exactly sized to admit a selected one of a set of variable taper filling materials available for filling a prepared root canal. Each file also has a safe edge to eliminate perforating the root canal, a rounded tip to eliminate ledging, and a handle shaped to provide a tactile reference to the orientation of the safe edge.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for automatically unlocking the guard bars on a window in response to the output signal of a fire detection device. In a preferred embodiment a smoke alarm having a pair of relay-controlled contacts is used in conjunction with a solenoid arrangement to unlock the window bars. Power to the smoke detector and the solenoid circuit is supplied by a rechargeable battery, so that in the event of power failure the automatic window bar unlocking apparatus continues to operate.

Abstract: A test device for use with a pacemaker to simulate the load of a heart. The device is designed for telemetering control and includes in its circuit a magnetic reed switch which opens and closes a load circuit in response to a remotely applied magnetic field. The device is intended to be disposable and is installed in circuit with the pacemaker terminals which normally connect to the heart leads. The device as thus installed is packaged in the sterile shipping package with the pacemaker and both permit the final checking of the pacemaker within its sterile pack prior to shipment and testing of the pacemaker in preparation for implantation without the necessity of opening the sterile package to conduct the test.

Abstract: Circuitry for quantitatively determining the level of processed heart signals relative to actual sensing sensitivity level (threshold) in an implantable pacemaker. The measurement is useful for adjusting the settable threshold, polarity, filtering or amplification parameter settings for safe operation and noise rejection of the pacemaker.

Abstract: The lipectomy device includes a generally hollow tubular housing to the open front end of which are releasably sealingly connected an elongated hollow tubular suction conduit, with a rounded closed front end bearing at least one opening, and a cutting blade with the shaft and cutting tip thereof wholly disposed in the conduit and spaced inwardly therefrom. The cutting blade is releasably connected to an electrical motor in the housing for rotation of the blade, and a suction line also runs into the front end of the housing to remove severed tissue sucked through the blade and/or conduit. The device may include an electrocoagulation component which includes the blade tip in the form of electrically resistive metal, and an electrical circuit between a housing switch, the blade tip and an external electrical power source.

Abstract: It is proposed to construct a large diameter subsea bore hole (e.g. about 10 to 50 meters in diameter) provided with a stable wall by a method which comprises drilling a number of bore holes around the circumference of a ring of large diameter, supplying to the ring bore holes material to locally stabilize the surrounding geologic formations, and forming a central bore hole, or shaft, within the perimeter of the ring by drilling and reaming or by excavation. The ring bore holes and locally stabilized geologic formations form a stable wall of large diameter for the central bore hole shaft. It is contemplated that a large diameter subsea bore hole of the type described above could be used for the safe emplacement and disposal beneath the seabed of a large waste job object such as the shielded reactor core of a decommissioned nuclear submarine, or of other waste objects containing radioactive material.

Abstract: The rate of leaking from a liquid storage tank may be accurately determined by measuring the change in volume of the tank over a period of time, and during said same period (or during a period immediately before or after said measuring period, or both,) measuring the change in length of a probe which extends from the bottom of the tank to the top, and calculating, from the change in length of said probe, the change in volume of the liquid in the tank due to changes in temperature throughout the entire height of the tank. In one embodiment of the invention, the probe is a rod of material which has a high coefficient of thermal expansion and which is inert to the liquid being tested. Since each segment of the rod assume a length which is a function of the temperature at the level of that segment, the rod assumes a length which is a function of the integrated temperatures from the top of the bottom of the tank.

Abstract: A security door system using a roll-up door fabricated of curtain sections reinforced by extruded metal cross beams. The system is designed for installation in a closet doorway or the like to provide security for valuables which may be stored in the closet or to keep dangerous implements, such as guns, away from children in a household, and the like. The door has a slide lock with a re-lock assembly for back up in the event that the primary key lock is broken. The door is designed for shipment in kit form and includes a number of door track sections with mating splices for joining the sections together. The design and construction of the system provide a low cost solution to the problem of developing secure storage within a residence, school, business establishment or the like in a unit which is aesthetically pleasing in design and is inexpensive to purchase and install.

Abstract: A pull-down type arrow rest support for an archery bow is disclosed. The downward motion of the lower limb tip as the bow changes from its drawn position to its relaxed position is used to pull down the arrow rest support out of the path of the arrow. There is no need for cocking the device each time before an arrow is fired, and the pulled-down arrow rest support clears even the largest fletchings so that the arrow is not deflected from its intended path. The arrow rest support disclosed makes it possible to use a V-spool rest or can be adapted to use other commercially available arrow rests. Provisions are made for precise vertical and horizontal adjustments of the arrow position, and the V-rest can be adjusted to accommodate any size arrow.

Abstract: An institutional bed, such as is commonly used in hospitals and nursing homes, which is convertible into an easy chair. Conversion occurs by moving an upper frame and the mattress longitudinally toward the foot of the bed while elevating the upper body portion of the movable frame to form the back of the chair. As the frame moves toward the foot, the lower portion, together with the portion of the mattress thereon, is drawn back underneath the bed and out of the way from interfering with the patient sitting in the chair configuration with his feet on the floor. The chair configuration may be elevated so that the patient is assisted in rising to a standing position without dependence upon attendant personnal. The bed includes an inflatable pillow which further assists the patient in rising unaided.

Abstract: A device for use with flexible, collapsible plastic tubes containing a pliable substance for extrusion through an opening in the tube is disclosed which effectively strips the substance in the tube toward the end of the tube having the opening. The device includes a handle and has a slot disposed near an edge thereof through which the flat end of the tube is inserted. The device, which may be molded of plastic, is of one-piece construction, is small and inexpensive, and may have a variety of surface configurations.

Abstract: A blind for installation adjacent or inside the semi-circular portion of an arched window is disclosed which is based on a U-shaped frame, which frame is adapted for mounting along the face of the window or at the bottom of the semi-circular portion thereof. Two sets of blades fan out evenly from the ends of the U-shaped frame around an axis and meet at the top of the window, thereby forming a semi-circular array. In one embodiment handles rotating from the blade axis are fastened onto the last blade in each set, and meet at the top where they are locked into position by latches mounted on the end of a support arm also rotating from the blade axis. In another embodiment the sets of blades are secured in their open position by fastening the top two blades together with a fixture attached to the window.

Abstract: An absorptive laminated sheet material having improved, moisture-resistant, pressure bonded spots for locking the lamination layers together. During fabrication of the laminated product, a thermoplastic low-viscosity wax-like substance, such as melted wax or paraffin, hot melt plastic or the like, is applied in minute amounts onto juncture lines of pressure bonded spots formed in the pads. The thermoplastic material penetrates the layers of the laminated product so that, on cooling, it forms a "wax rivet" at each bonded spot, thus providing added strength for the juncture lines and rendering the layers impervious to absorbed liquid at the points of application.

Abstract: The in-line fuel filter device is readily installable in the fuel line of a liquid fuel-supplied engine. Thus, it is useful to filter fuels such as gasoline, diesel, oil, etc. and includes a generally closed, preferably cylindrical casing having a pair of opposed inlet and outlet-bearing endwalls interconnected, preferably releasably interconnected, by preferably transparent sidewalls. The casing defines a central filtering space accessible through the inlet and outlet. A preferably cylindrical particle filter is held by an interior bracket spaced from the casing sidewall with one end thereof surrounding and sealed against the outlet, while the filter is spaced from the inlet. A plate closes the opposite end of the filter and is secured to a bar passing longitudinally through the casing and filter releasably threadably secured to ferrules extending outwardly from the casing endwalls, so that the casing is readily openable.

Abstract: A urinometer which prints out a patient record corresponding to the flow rate measurement. One embodiment of the invention comprises a Drake urinometer unit which is modified to generate the patient record automatically. Other embodiments of the invention include components which are fabricated by a vacuum forming process to provide low cost units which are disposable after a single use. One of these embodiments prints out a patient record on photosensitive paper. Another embodiment prints out a patient record on blotting paper. Another embodiment of the invention incorporates a specimen collector and a coupling arrangement whereby the urinometer automatically discards the initially voided urine so that a mid-stream (clean catch) sample can be collected automatically.

Abstract: An absorptive laminated sheet material having improved, moisture-resistant, pressure bonded spots for locking the lamination layers together. During fabrication of the laminated product, a thermoplastic low-viscosity wax-like substance, such as melted wax or paraffin, hot melt plastic or the like, is applied in minute amounts onto juncture lines of pressure bonded spots formed in the pads. The thermoplastic material penetrates the layers of the laminated product so that, on cooling, it forms a "wax rivet" at each bonded spot, thus providing added strength for the juncture lines and rendering the layers impervious to absorbed liquid at the points of application.

Abstract: Apparatus for cooling and thermally isolating turbocompressor foil bearings. The bearing journal includes a hollow shaft through which gas is positively circulated to cool the shaft. A slinger at one end of the shaft develops a centrifugal pumping action during operation of the turbocompressor by virtue of a plurality of radially directed gas passages. Pressurized gas may be introduced from the compressor into the interior of the hollow shaft and, after traversing the shaft, returned to the compressor. The invention includes arrangements for protecting the bearing against combustion products which may leak past turbine wheel seals by removing such combustion products before they can reach the bearing.

Abstract: An air data sensor probe for providing measurements of total pressure, static pressure and angle-of-attack for an aircraft in flight. The probe is essentially cylindrical with a hemispherical nose. It has a vertically elongated central opening for measurement of total pressure and a plurality of off-axis openings, manifolded by pairs, to measure angle-of-attack. Static pressure is measured by a plurality of ports mounted back from the nose, manifolded together to provide the static pressure reading.