Abstract: Apparatus for manually propelling wheelchairs includes a drive wheel which is mountable to a wheelchair in a manner which allows frictional rolling contact with a wheelchair propulsion wheel; a two-armed hand lever which is pivotally mountable to the wheelchair so as to be manually accessible to the wheelchair occupant; and a drive mechanism, preferably including a reversible-drive ratchet, which is operably connected to the hand lever and operably attached to the drive wheel so that a wheelchair occupant may propel the wheelchair by reciprocally pivoting the hand lever. The apparatus can be supplied in kit form, and the hand lever and the drive wheel may be mounted directly to a side panel so that the apparatus may be substantially installed by securing the side panel to the wheelchair. A method for retrofitting wheelchairs in this manner is also disclosed.

Abstract: An auxiliary mounting device for use with a tractor having a one-point tractor hitch. The auxiliary mounting device includes a body having a forward end and a rearward end with the longitudinal axis of the body extending therebetween. Means are provided for attaching the body to the tractor hitch. The auxiliary mounting device includes a primary tool mount on which a primary cultivating tool may be mounted in fixed relation to the body. A secondary tool mount is located rearwardly of the primary tool mount. A secondary cultivating tool may be mounting thereon. Wheels are attached to the body in rotating relation and are located at a selected point between the primary and secondary tool mounts. Means are provided for moving the wheels between a first position, wherein the wheels support and elevate the body and the primary and secondary cultivating tools are held above the ground, and a second position, wherein the body is lowered and the primary and secondary cultivating tools are engaged with the ground.

Abstract: An improved reciprocating knife includes a blade with a blade opening, a blade guide defining a track for guiding the blade reciprocation, a blade drive having a rotating drive shaft and an angled cam plate which extends into the blade opening, means for mounting the blade drive such that rotation of the drive shaft causes the cam plate to engage the rim of the blade opening to reciprocate the blade, and biasing means for biasing the rim of the blade opening against the cam plate to modulate the play between the cam plate and the rim. The biasing means is designed to aid blade reciprocation over a portion of the reciprocating cycle and to resist blade reciprocation over another portion of the reciprocating cycle. Reinforcing for the rim of the blade opening, a replaceable blade cutting edge section, and a collar for adjusting the fit of the drive shaft in the knife are also disclosed.

Abstract: A stand particularly adapted for use with snowmobiles or other snow vehicles to easily and quickly lift one end of the vehicle to allow for cleaning, inspection, or alignment of the continuous tracks used to propel the vehicle. The stand includes a tripod with a lifting lever which lifts the lift rod, and with a locking means to lock the lever in a raised position with the vehicle end elevated.

Abstract: A process for preparing L-carnitine which comprises exposing .gamma.-substituted acetoacetic acid esters or amides to the fermentative enzymatic action of a microorganism which elaborates oxido-reductase enzymes, recovering the resulting, optically active, corresponding .gamma.-substituted-.beta.-hydroxybutyric acid derivative and converting said derivative to L-carnitine.

Abstract: A moving device for moving automobiles with disabled wheels, the moving device to be used in conjunction with a conventional floor jack. The moving device includes a jack dolly having wheels upon which the jack dolly can be moved and securing means for securing the floor jack on the jack dolly. A cradle is provided having retaining means for retaining the cradle on the distal end of the jack arm in pivoting relation thereto. The cradle further has engaging means for engaging the cradle with the automobile frame or equivalent part. The cradle may be engaged with the automobile frame at a selected location thereon and the jack arm of the floor jack may be raised to lift the disabled wheels so that the automobile may be moved by moving the jack dolly on the dolly wheels.

Abstract: Radioactive specimens are placed in the well (12) of a plastic scintillator body (11), and the light flashes from the scintillator body (11) are picked up by a photomultiplier tube (13). The anode (44) and dynodes (43) of the photomultiplier tube (13) are electrically isolated and a selected biasing voltage is provided across the cathode (42) and dynodes to operate the photomultiplier tube in its linear range at the activity level of the specimen. At high activity levels, the current flowing from the anode (44) is measured by an electrometer (21) to determine a value which is directly related to the activity of the specimen, whereas at lower activity levels where anode current is not accurately measurable, the pulses at the last dynode (50) are counted to determine the scintillation rate and thereby the activity level of the specimen.

Abstract: A fishing spoon having a blade. The blade includes means for selectively varying the waterfoil surface thereof. In the preferred embodiment, the blade has at least two blade elements having longitudinal axes defining an aperture angle therebetween. Attaching means are included for pivotably attaching at least one element to the remainder of the elements such that at least two of the elements may pivot relative to each other to increase and decrease the aperture angle defined by their longitudinal axes and thus to increase and decrease the waterfoil surface of the blade.

Abstract: An anti-twist rod section (10) is disclosed which adapts a survey monument (38) at once to resist rotation and to conveniently accept hardware designed to engage cylindrical rods. The method of using the anti-twist rod section (10) in placing a survey monument (38) is also disclosed. The anti-twist rod section includes an elongated body (12) which may have at least one surface channel (18). At least one fin (20) joined to the body (20) at a junction (22) preferably within the channel (18). The junction (22) is adapted to allow the anti-twist rod section (10) to be driven into the ground with the fins (20) in place such that a portion of the fin (20) resists rotation of the anti-twist section. The junction (22) is also adapted to allow the fins (20) to be severed from the body (12) as they are bent tangentially away from the body (12) such that the anti-twist rod section (10) is left unimpeded by fins. The body of the anti-twist rod section (10) may then accept hardware designed to engage cylindrical rods.

Abstract: A portable tree seat has a generally flat platform with a back edge for engaging a post or tree and is held in position on the tree by a rope. A flexible strap is secured to the platform near its front edge and extends to the back edge of the platform where it is adjustably secured in position by being passed through a pair of slots formed in the platform. A rigid elongated brace is attached to the flexible strap and is cradled therein between the positions of securement of the strap to the platform. When the back edge of the platform is held in position on a tree, the flexible strap may be adjusted such that the brace is held by the strap in a position engaging the tree at its back end and extending up to a position supporting the platform at its front end so that the platform is held in a substantially horizontal position. The brace is held only by the strap so that the brace may shift to its most stable position when the platform is loaded.

Abstract: A superconducting energy storage magnet is formed having inner (13) and outer (14) coils which are supported and restrained by an inner support structure (15) comprised of thermal and electrically conductive rails (33) which engage and parallel the turns of composite conductors (30, 31) in the two coils. Each of the support rails (33) is electrically isolated from adjacent support rails by insulating spacers (33) between layers and an insulating spacer (35) between the rails for the inner and outer coils. The spacing between turns in the inner and outer coils preferably progressively decreases toward the top and bottom ends of the magnet in a manner to best direct the magnetically induced forces on the composite conductors (30, 31) into the inner support structure. The two layer coil structure causes the forces on the conductors when current is flowing therethrough to be directed primarily inwardly toward the inner support structure (15).

Abstract: Two or more webs (11 and 12) of highly bulked substrate are passed into a nip formed between a gravure roller (14) and an impression roller (15). The impression roller has raised areas defining an interconnected network of lines such that the webs are compressed only under the raised areas; as a result, the binding liquid applied by the gravure roller (14) to the laminate of the two webs is absorbed substantially through the webs in the compressed areas. The gravure roller (14) may have a uniform surface, such that a light coating of binding liquid is applied to the surface of the uncompressed areas in the laminate, or the gravure roller may have a pattern of etched grooves or cells which matches and registers with the pattern of raised areas on the impression roller. In the latter embodiment, binding liquid will be absorbed into the laminate only in the compressed areas.

Abstract: A rotary electric toothbrush including a power handle having a foot and a motor having a rotatable power shaft. A brush stem is attached to the power handle and extends therefrom to terminate at a stem head. A brush cartridge is attached to the stem head and extends therefrom to terminate at a toothbrush head. The brush cartridge includes at least one generally cylindrical brush oriented approximately headward-to-footward. A drive shaft extends from the power handle to the brush. A transmission transmits the motion of the power shaft to selectively cause the drive shaft alternatively to rotate about its longitudinal axis and to move parallel thereto in a reciprocating manner. A user of the rotary electric toothbrush thus may direct power from a single motor selectively to cause the brush to rotate about its longitudinal axis and, alternatively, to move in a reciprocating manner parallel thereto.

Abstract: A shutter adapted to be attached in hinged relation to a frame defining an opening, whereby at least part of the opening may be covered by the shutter, includes a shutter body. The shutter body has opposed top and bottom and opposed side body members, the body members defining a shutter opening. A plurality of movable slats extend horizontally across the shutter opening. The slats are individually suspended and vertically spaced from each other by at least two flexible ladder suspension harnesses. Each harness has two parallel vertical strands with each slat held in fixed relation to a selected location on each of the vertical strands. Lateral movement of the slats is limited by the vertical strands and longitudinal movement of the slats is limited by the side body members. Means are provided to selectively lower and raise at least one of the vertical strands of each harness to rotate the slats about their longitudinal axes.

Abstract: A reclosable plastic container is formed having a cover hingedly attached to a base and having an interlocking structure such that the cover is held on the base when the container is closed. Release tabs are formed on each of the cover and base adjacent one another and having camming surfaces on each tab which extend therefrom toward the other tab. The camming surfaces on the tabs intersect in a fulcrum such that when the user presses the tabs together, the tabs rotate about the fulcrum to pull the cover and base apart. The camming surface on each tab may be formed as a ridge formed integrally with the tab. Reinforcing ridges, extending away from the plane of the tab in a direction opposite to that of the camming surfaces, are also preferably formed in the tab to provide structural rigidity so that the tabs do not substantially bend or flex when they are pressed by the user. The tabs allow a securely closed container to be easily opened by one hand of the user.

Abstract: A kit for the in-place repairing of windshields and the method for using such kit, wherein a repair material injected into the windshield break area by a syringe and needle is forced into the windshield break through a repair assembly secured and sealed to the windshield by first applying stepped increments of measured vacuum levels and visually monitoring the windshield break area, and second applying positive pressure to the windshield break. An ultraviolet light source completes the repair by expediting hardening of the repair material within the windshield break to prevent refraction of light at the windshield break.

Abstract: A toilet seat lifter for use with a conventional, floor-supported toilet. The toilet seat lifter has a foot pedal adapted to be hingedly attached to the toilet without permanent alteration thereof by means of at least one of the toilet attachment bolts that attaches the toilet to the floor. The foot pedal extends forwardly from its point of attachment to be depressable by the foot of a user. Lifting means are provided for lifting the seat of the toilet from its closed position toward its open position, the lifting means being adapted to be hingedly attached to the toilet by at least one of the seat attachment bolts by which the seat is attached to the toilet. A mechanical linkage is provided between the foot pedal and the lifting means whereby the lifting means lifts the seat toward the open position when the pedal is depressed by the foot of a user.

Abstract: A pickup truck cargo bed liner is disclosed which is particularly constructed for efficiency in shipment and storage, and so that the liner can easily be installed in trucks having top caps. The truck bed liner has a liner bottom wall adapted to fit on and substantially cover the full width of the truck cargo bed floor, the liner bottom wall having a width substantially as great as the width of the truck rear opening. Two liner wheel wells are formed in the liner bottom wall at opposite sides thereof and adapted to accommodate the truck cargo bed rear wheel wells. A liner front wall is connected to and extends upwardly from the liner bottom wall, the liner front wall having an upper margin adapted to fit snugly against the truck cargo bed front wall. Two liner side walls are connected to the liner bottom wall and wheel wells and the liner front wall at opposite sides thereof, the liner front wall substantially limiting the distance between the liner side walls at the front end of the liner.

Abstract: A long range optical pointing apparatus (10) is disclosed which can locate a spot (24) on a video screen (16) from a position several feet away from the screen. An optical pointer unit (11) focuses a portion of the raster lines traced over the video screen during one frame onto a photodetector (28), and provides an output pulse when a raster line is focused upon and detected by the photodetector. The detected raster line pulses are provided to a processing unit (13) which also receives the vertical and horizontal deflection signals from the video terminal (15). The processing circuitry (13) averages the positions of the group of raster line portions detected by the optical pointer unit to provide an averaged vertical and horizontal position for the area of the screen at which the pointer (11) is directed.