Abstract: A therapeutic back rest is described consisting of two semi-circular or half round steel supports, standing upright and spaced apart, with their ends resting upon the ground level. Connecting the two round supports at opposite ends are cross bars near the ground, one cross bar providing a foot support for mounting the back rest and the opposite cross bar providing one portion of a rectangular shaped opening adapted to receive a person's head. Covering the upper portion of the arc forming the arch is a plurality of flat wood slats bolted between each of the half round steel supports. Near the top of the arched back rest is a pair of nearly vertical pull up supports for the person's ease in using the device. A mat covers the wood slats, the mat having a rectangular head opening conforming to the opening in the structure. The therapeutic back rest provides a constant curving arch for the person's back, neck and pelvis area, completely lifting the person off the floor.

Abstract: A beverage container crusher adapted to receive for crushing beverage containers holding liquids, the beverage container crusher having an upper feed hopper to receive a plurality of beverage containers, the beverage containers directed to a pair of synchronized, counter-rotating crushing drums. The crushing drums are designed such to initially pierce the beverage container to permit the ready escape of the contained liquids as the beverage container is being crushed between pyramidal shaped crushing teeth, the piercing being accomplished by pyramidal shaped piercing teeth situated on the primary crushing teeth, the primary crushing teeth attached to the crushing drums. A motor and speed reducer drives one of the crusher drums which in turn through a connecting gear, drives the other crushing drums through its connecting gear. The beverage containers are first pierced to relieve the contained liquid and then crushed between the crushing teeth to flatten the containers.

Abstract: It is common for bicycle riders to remove the bicycle front wheel and secure it with a lock and chain to the bicycle back wheel and frame when parking a bicycle. In such a case, the front fork of the bicycle then engages the ground. This often causes damage to the front fork or to the drop out slots in the front fork. To this end, a bicycle fork protector has been devised, the fork protector secured in the drop out slots of the blades of the front fork, the fork protector adapted to be interposed between the front fork and the ground. The fork protector consists of a generally elongated flat plate made of durable material with two pairs of opposite sides, one elongated side being a rounded side, the rounded side having a dense shock absorbing material strip adhesively attached thereto adapted to engage the ground. The opposite straight side is wedged into and frictionally held by the drop out slots of the bicycle front fork.

Abstract: An improvement in footwear consisting of sandal footwear having an interior plenum adapted to contain sand or other granular material, the sand providing a natural environment walking surface for the bottom of a person's foot. The footwear has a lower shell and attached bottom sole to form a cuplike shell with upraised heel part, and an upper cover joining the lower shell and covering the front top portion of the footwear to form with the lower shell the plenum leading to the ankle inlet/outlet mouth. Situated interiorly to the enclosed plenum upper cover is a toe pad providing a defined spacial clearance between itself and the persons's toes, the pad adapted to be engaged by the foot when the foot lifts the footwear for purposes of retaining the sandal upon the person's foot while being moved.

Abstract: A transformerless line powdered digital AC voltmeter for selected voltage ranges is disclosed which takes a minimum of electrical power from the AC line being measured. The AC input is firstly directed to an AC/DC converter to furnish a source of DC operative voltage, the AC/DC converter possessing external electronic circuitry to assure that an adequate minimum voltage appears as its input for any selected voltage range the invention measures. The AC voltage input to be measured is first halfwave rectified, and then voltage divided and smoothed before directed to the input of an A/D converter. The A/D converter has specific external circuitry added to it to assure that the output is accurate over the range of the voltages to be measured. The output of A/D converter is directed to a liquid crystal display which visually indicates the AC voltage measured. A external electronic circuit determines the decimal point for the voltage range measured.

Abstract: An improved multiple afferent sensory stimulation device is provided to receive a prerecorded tape program upon which the audio stimulation and control signals for the visual stimulation of a subject person's eyes and ears is provided, the invention consisting of a reproducing device to emit the audio and visual control signals on separate channels, the audio stimulation proceeding to earphones worn by the subject person, and the visual stimulation control signals processed electronically. This electronic processing includes amplifiers receiving the electronic signals for amplification, means to convert the AC signals to stretched out positive pulses, and means to utilize the stretched pulses to turn on and turn off the visual stimulation components of the invention. Visual stimulation components utilized may be electrofluorescent lights or incandescent bulbs placed directly in front of the subject person's eyes.

Abstract: A drink holder for mini-vans is detailed and described which does not require a fixed physical attachment to a mini-van, the drink holder having a flat surface tray with a plurality of openings therethrough adapted to receive various sized drink containers or soft drink cans, and a coffee cup, together with a rectangular shaped receptacle providing a cavity below the surface of the top, the cavity for receiving small food or non-food items. Attached to the bottom surface of the top are a pair of "J" shaped legs, the elongated portion of the legs adapted to be frictionally secured interiorly to a compartment provided in the mini-van front console and dashboard assembly and thereby to secure the tray in a fixed level portion. The legs are each hinged to the bottom surface of the tray to swing in towards the tray for minimum storage room and protection against breakage of the legs during non-use.

Abstract: A multiple afferent sensory stimulation device is provided to receive a prerecorded tape program upon which the audio stimulation and control signals for the visual stimulation of a subject person's eyes and ears is provided, the invention consisting of a reproducing device to emit the audio and visual control signals on separate left and right channels, the audio stimulation proceeding directly to earphones worn by the subject person, and the visual stimulation control signals processed electronically. The electronic processing includes devices to frequency separate the audio stimulus signals from the control signals, an automatic gain control circuit to assure sufficient amplitude of visual control signals for processing, tone decoders to separate signals energizing the visual stimulus and turning off the visual stimulus, logic circuit to assure certainty of the on and off stimulus control signals, the electrical stimulus provided by an electrical lamp immediately in front of the subject person's eyes.

Abstract: A bicycle safety turning device for installation upon a bicycle frame lower cross bar adapted to be engaged by the bicycle front wheel fork shoulder to limit the front fork from turning so far to the left or right as to be at a right angle to the forward movement of the bicycle and cause the bicycle to jackknife while riding. More specifically, the bicycle safety turning device consists of a pair of clamp members adapted to surround the bicycle frame lower cross bar, capped with clamp plates, and a pair of bolts bringing the two clamp plates and clamp members together, the bolts also holding a striker plate against which the front fork shoulder comes in contact after the front fork has turned through an arc of 35 to 45 degrees as desired. Encountering the striker plate, the fork is prevented from further turning.

Abstract: An improved dual flush system for toilets to effect a partial or mini-flush of the toilet to carry away liquid waste by partially opening of the main valve situated in the water holding tank of a toilet for a period of time determined by an operator. The described device provides means to limit the upward lifting of the main valve by limiting the rotational movement of the lever arm connected to the main valve by a cord or chain. Upward movement of the lever arm is limited within the flush handle assembly connecting to the lever arm wherein a partial flush handle movement is terminated by striking a modified eccentrically shaped cam situated within a hollowed out cavity in the partial flush handle, and a full flush handle is provided to continue raising the lever arm to effect a full flush.

Abstract: The subject invention is a direction indicating clamp for attachment to fire fighting hoses which indicate direction to exit the building. The invention consists of an elongated band fully or partially encircling the fire fighting hose with attached directional fingers protruding perpendicularly from the band. The clamp is placed upon the hose at prescribed distances thereby allowing the fire fighter to continue feeling along the hose and eventually to exit the building. Various embodiments of the invention encase the flexible clamp with soft rubber or a cloth material. In addition, the directional fingers may have a pointed end or may have raised letters indicating the exiting direction.

Abstract: A dual flush system for toilets to effect a partial or mini-flush of the toilet to carry away liquid wastes by partially opening of the main valve situated in the water holding tank of the toilet or a period of time determined by an operator. So long as the main valve is only opened slightly, downward pressure upon the main valve and suction forces of water passing between the main valve and valve seat exert a downward force on the main valve with the effect that the main valve is pulled back into a closed position after opening. Only when the main valve is raised to a position where its buoyancy exceeds downward pressures is a full flush effected. Accordingly, the described device provides means to limit the upward lifting of the main valve by limiting the lengthwise travel of a cord attached to the main valve, the cord having attached at its other end variously a pull ring or flush handle and lever.

Abstract: A removable stirrup for water skis adapted to be placed upon the top surface of the ski and to be removed therefrom with a minimum of effort. The removable stirrup comprises a rectangularly shaped flat surface base having a non-slip textured upper surface with a pair of padded straps rising up from upper surface, the straps adapted to receive the front portion of a skier's foot. Attached on opposite sides of the elongated rectangular base are downward extending cupped lips adapted to extend below the sides of the ski and inwardly on the bottom of the ski. A pair of compression screws reside in threads formed transversely through the flat base. The removable stirrup is slipped on to the ski from the front up-turned section by sliding the side edges of the ski between the oppositely located cupped lips to a position immediately forward the standard fixed boot attached to the ski.

Abstract: Footwear consisting of a sandal having a plenum adapted to receive the person's foot as well as sand or other granular material, said sand providing a natural environment walking surface between the bottom of the person's foot and the sandal mid-sole, the footwear also having a bottom sole to engage the ground, the bottom sole a part of a lower surrounding cup-like shell with upraised heel part adapted to receive and secure the mid-sole, the upper rim portions of the lower shell providing means for securing a toe strap, heel strap, and instep strap, the instep strap and toe strap being loose and not contacting the foot while the person is standing but contracting the foot when the footwear is lifted up along with the foot. The footwear completely encloses the person's foot by continuing above the forward portion of the lower shell with an upper cover, and finally a plastic top closure material to engage the person's ankle.

Abstract: A novel locker shelf and drawer assembly for placement interiorly to a locker or other semi-enclosed container providing a shelf above the floor of the locker together with a slidable drawer for holding of books and storage of pencils and the like. The locker shelf and drawer is constructed of two oppositely situated vertical upright members with attached shelf portions. The shelf portions are each characterized by having diagonal converging sides. Further, these diagonal converging sides are also characterized by acute angled beveled edges formed on the sides. Adapted to be received between the converging sides of the left and right shelf portions is a center wedge portion having the same angled converging diagonal sides, with the edges of these sides additionally configured to have the same angled acute beveled edges.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for use on a telephone line where there is two or more telephones or other instruments connected in parallel to the same telephone line whereby when one of the instruments goes off-hook (in a telephone, raises the receiver) the telephone line exclusion device automatically locks out all other instruments connected in parallel with the instrument that went off-hook. Such a result is achieved by a pair of interconnected two-coil polarized normally closed reed relays which interface the incoming telephone line and the two instruments. The two lines which normally connect to each instrument on the telephone line utilizes the normally closed contacts of one relay to energize the coils of the other relay and thereby inhibit the other instrument on the telephone line by opening the normally closed contact of the second relay which is in line with the other instrument.

Abstract: An inventive positioner adapted to secure a string of a guitar or other fretted stringed instrument at fret positions in order to quickly and easily vary the length of the string available for vibration to change the pitch when the string is plucked. The positioner describes a threaded machine screw received in a metal insert, the insert fixedly held in the fretboard of the neck of the guitar. The positioner screw is angled at a preferred 55.degree. angle with respect to the fretboard and so positioned that it hooks the string in a locking downward "V" catch to secure holding the string against the fretboard so that the string will rise up and engage the adjacent fret between the positioner and the guitar main body. The guitar string is not moved laterally when it is engaged and held.A plurality of positioners are provided for each of the guitar strings behind each fret throughout the length of the fretboard in order that each guitar string effective vibrating length may be changed as desired.

Abstract: A microphone mount and plug mount for attaching to the side of a motorcyclist's helmet, said microphone mount adapted to secure a microphone boom positioning a microphone proximate the motorcyclist's mouth, the motorcycle mount characterized by a clamp portion adapted to forcefully engage the bottom edge of the helmet with minimum structure below the edge of the helmet, and a boom seat to receive the boom base and passage of electrical wires from the microphone mount. The plug mount defines a clamp portion similarly adapted to surround the lower edge of the helmet, and a plug seat defining a cavity adapted to receive a electrical plug and an opening to said plug seat cavity to receive electrical wires from said microphone mount and from a headset mounted interiorly to said helmet, the electrical plug receiving a mating electrical plug attached to wires connecting with audio accessories located on said motorcycle.