Abstract: A plastic suit drying system comprises a drying chamber with an air warmer, and a mobile dryer rack. The mobile rack has a wheeled air plenum base, a number of drying positions (each comprising three perforated air pipes protruding up from the base), and a flanged air inlet in the back of the base that mates with a connection flange in the drying chamber. Through this flanged connection hot air is forced into the base/plenum and then into the perforated pipes. For use, wet plastic suits are placed upside down on the drying positions. Then, the mobile rack is rolled into the drying chamber so that the rack's flange mates with the drying cabinet's connection flange. Next, the drying chamber doors are closed, and the drying cycle started, during which heated air is blown into the mobile rack plenum and up into the air pipes extending into the suits.

Abstract: An inflatable tube ski vehicle with steering mechanism comprises an inflated, torus-shaped tube or bladder and a ski insert disposed in the central opening of the bladder. The ski insert may be dish-shaped, or it may partially wrap around the top and/or bottom of the bladder. In either case, the ski vehicle has a steering/braking mechanism comprising left and right lever arms pivotally attached to and extending down through the ski insert. To turn, a rider simply pulls on one of the lever arms, causing a lower portion of the lever arm to extend past a bottom of the insert. To brake, both arms are pulled simultaneously. Because the ski vehicle is round and because the weight of the vehicle and rider are largely uniformly distributed over the center of the vehicle, a pivot or fulcrum point occurs directly under the rider's seat, affording a significant degree of control.

Abstract: A shelf dolly comprises a caster-footed pedestal base and a lifting sleeve slidably connected to the pedestal base. A shelf-leg coupling adapter, provided for removably coupling the lifting sleeve to a shelf leg, is connected to the lifting sleeve. Additionally, the shelf dolly is equipped with a jack for raising and lowering the lifting sleeve with respect to the pedestal base. To raise a shelf leg, the shelf dolly is positioned next to the leg. The lifting sleeve portion of the shelf dolly is coupled to the shelf leg using the shelf-leg coupling adapter. Subsequently, the shelf dolly's jack is operated, causing the lifting sleeve to move upwards, and the shelf leg, coupled to the lifting sleeve, to lift off the ground. To move a shelf, a shelf dolly is attached to each shelf leg.

Abstract: An adjustable gage comprises a centerline hub and a swing gage. The hub includes a body with position jaws adjustably attached thereto, and a central post. The gage comprises a pair of parallel slide bars and front and rear blocks slidable along the slide bars. A movable, spring-biased probe is slidably connected to the front block via a rail and carriage bearing apparatus. The probe is operably connected to a probe-movement indicator. The rear block has a fixed probe. Both probes have end roller bearings. In use, the part to be measured is placed within the position jaws, previously adjusted to the approximate inner or outer diameter of the part. Then, the gage is placed over the post, with the roller bearings coming into contact with the part, and the gage is rotated. The probes track along the part, with any variances in part diameter showing up on the indicator.

Abstract: A vortex generating golf ball dimple for producing a turbulent boundary layer on the surface of a golf ball during its flight is a composite of a plurality of overlapping smaller concave sections. Preferably, the dimple is a plurality of peripheral spherical sections overlapping a central spherical section to form a ridge-like polygon. The polygon, the top edge of which lies below the outer edges of the dimple, acts as a vortex generating structure within the dimple concavity for producing the turbulent boundary layer. Each pair of opposite or near opposite sides of the polygon has a common cross-sectional shape or structure. The aerodynamic characteristics of the cross-sectional structure are such that the turbulent boundary layer is formed about the dimple at even relatively low velocities without any unnecessary interference being produced at high velocities.

Abstract: An interactive security blanket for children comprises two fabric sheets sewn together to provide a blanket body. One of the sheets preferably has a colorful children's pattern or design, while the other is provided in a complimentary solid color. Additionally, a plurality of spaced-apart ribbon loops, or “tags,” are attached to the four edges of the blanket body, and extend out therefrom. The lengths of ribbon comprising the tags are looped from and back into the seam between the pieces of fleece, and are firmly attached at that seam. The tags are provided in a variety of colors, patterns, and textures, e.g., they may be wide, thin, silky, textured, bright-colored, pastel, shiny, solid, and/or provided with fabric prints suitable for children. The tags function as a means for providing sensory stimulation for children via the children's passive (ocular) or active (tactile) interaction with the pillow or blanket.

Abstract: A wall-mounted locking system for firearms comprises a wall-mounted base plate having hinged primary and secondary latch doors. A breech hook is connected to the base plate. The primary latch door carries a locking mechanism, which is dimensioned to pass through a hole or cut-out provided in the secondary latch door. Additionally, a barrel ring or muzzle hook is wall mounted above the base plate. A firearm is held against the base plate via the breech hook, which engages the firearm's ejection port and prevents the firearm from being loaded with ammunition. The barrel ring or muzzle hook prevents the firearm's barrel from being moved laterally. The firearm is secured via closing the latch doors and locking the lock.

Abstract: A marking device for a CNC machine tool or the like comprises a tubular body capped at either end with top and bottom plates. A main shaft extends down through the top plate along the central axis of the body, and is rotatably held in place by upper and lower bearings. A cylindrical cam having one or more cam lobes disposed on an underside thereof is attached to the main shaft within the body. A guide extends through the bottom plate and slidably supports a spring-biased stylus, an upper, anvil end of which normally tracks along the underside of the cam, and a lower, marking point end of which normally lies just within the guide. When the main shaft is rotated, e.g., by being operably connected to the machine tool's spindle, the cam also rotates, causing the cam lobes to strike the anvil and drive the stylus axially downwards through the guide and into a part or work piece. To create a complex pattern, the machine tool sets the spindle to rotate at a constant rate.

Abstract: A cap attachment system for securely and electrically attaching the primary metal components of an air/oil separator to one another comprises a plurality of unique metal clips and mating retainer strips used in conjunction with a tubular, perforated metal cylinder, or “cage;” and two cap members, namely, a flanged ring top and an end cap. Three of the retainer clips, spaced equidistant as around a circle, are connected to an inner side of the cap, as are three additional clips connected to an inner side of the ring top. Three of the retainer strips, bent to have the same radius of curvature as the cage, are connected to an inner surface of the cage equidistantly along its bottom edge. Three more retainer strips are likewise connected to the inner surface of the cage along its top edge.

Abstract: A pulse wave velocity measuring device generally comprises first and second photoplethysmographic transducers or probes electrically operably connected to a computer. The transducers are positioned on a patient's back to record pulse waveform information at two locations along the descending thoracic aorta. Additionally, the patient's ECG is recorded. Once the pulse waveforms and ECG waveform are recorded, noise or artifact ridden data is excluded, and the pulse waveforms are signal averaged using the ECG data points as fiducial references. Then, the signal averaged pulse waveforms are analyzed (again, with the ECG data providing fiducial points) to determine the foot of each waveform and the foot-to-foot transit time between the two transducers. Pulse wave velocity is then determined by dividing the distance between the transducers by the foot-to-foot transit time.

Abstract: A vortex generating golf ball dimple for producing a turbulent boundary layer on the surface of a golf ball during its flight is a composite of a plurality of overlapping smaller concave sections. Preferably, the dimple is a plurality of peripheral spherical sections overlapping a central spherical section to form a ridge-like polygon. The polygon, the top edge of which lies below the outer edges of the dimple, acts as a vortex generating structure within the dimple concavity for producing the turbulent boundary layer. Each pair of opposite or near opposite sides of the polygon has a common cross-sectional shape or structure. The aerodynamic characteristics of the cross-sectional structure are such that the turbulent boundary layer is formed about the dimple at even relatively low velocities without any unnecessary interference being produced at high velocities.

Abstract: A firearm safety enhancement system is provided for enabling use of a firearm only by an authorized individual. At least one electrically activated preventer is provided having a first position for preventing use of firearm and having a second position for enabling use of the firearm. An electrical activation circuit is operatively connected to the preventer to move the preventer between the first and second positions. A portable power supply is carried in said firearm and is coupled to the activation circuit for providing power. A power signal transmitter is operatively connected to the power supply for transmitting an electromagnetic power signal at a regular frequency. A passive identification tag is mounted to a personal adornment to be carried or worn by an individual and is preprogrammed with an authorized identification code preselected from a large number of available identification codes.

Abstract: A system of plastic plant trays is disclosed for conveniently transporting, displaying and removing (for planting) young plants or seedlings. In the preferred embodiment, each tray comprises a plurality of cells for removably housing the plants; unique pull-out tabs for gently lifting plants atop them from individual cells; and a color-coded handle that identifies the price of the plants. By pulling up on a dangling end of a tab, a gardener can lift and later extract a plant with minimal damage to its roots or flowers.