Abstract: A urinal provided for the convenience and training of juvenile boys in accordance with this invention requires no plumbing, and comprises a support means having front and rear surfaces. The rear surface is adapted for attachment to a vertical surface, and the front surface has a receptacle-receiving lower portion. A dish shaped urine-receiving receptacle is utilized, with its lower portion having a configuration closely complementary to the lower portion of the support means. The receptacle has a full height rear wall and a front wall of abbreviated height, with the upper portions of the wall portions terminating in a generally oval front opening. The receptacle is insertable at an angle to the vertical into the lower portion of the support means, and likewise is able to be withdrawn for emptying by lifting upwardly at substantially the same angle to the vertical.

Abstract: A night shooting aid which provides the user with the ability to shoot accurately in a low light environment. It comprises a structural device having a flashlight-engaging member along one edge, and a weapon-retaining member along the opposite edge, at a laterally removed location from the flashlight-engaging member. In this way a flashlight and a weapon supported by the structural device can be aimed in a common direction. The arrangement is such that the aim of the weapon is coincident with the aim of the flashlight at twelve to eighteen feet in front of the user. Two different embodiments of the weapon retaining member are disclosed for engagement with either a revolver or a semiautomatic weapon. A further feature of indentations on the underside of the device is also disclosed which adds stability to the device.

Abstract: A toothpaste tube holder for supporting a toothpaste tube in a generally horizontal attitude in accordance with this invention involves a generally flat, rectangularly-shaped base member having a front face and a rear face. A pair of similarly-sized support arms are attached in a generally aligned, spaced relationship to the front face, with the rear face being configured for attachment to a generally vertically disposed supporting surface. One of the arms has a fixedly attached cap thereon, and the other arm has therein a tube receiving portion. The cap has a tapered interior, configured to receive the nozzle from which toothpaste is dispensed from the toothpaste tube. Therefore, upon the user discarding the original cap of the toothpaste tube, the cap of the one arm can serve as the closure for the nozzle, as well as the support for that end of the toothpaste tube. The receiving portion of the other arm of the holder serves to receive and support the closed end of the toothpaste tube.

Abstract: This invention relates to the vacuum packaging of products and involves the use of a heat sealable thermoplastic bag in conjunction with a vacuum dome having a sealing edge disposed around its periphery and being connected to a source of vacuum, the thermoplastic bag being entirely closed except for an integral flat vent passage disposed at one peripheral location on the bag. One half of the vent passage is made up of material from one portion of the bag, and the other half of the vent passage is made up of a precisely equal amount of material from an opposite portion of the bag, such that the interior surfaces of said vent passage can tend to adhere together.

Abstract: A key holder arrangement for one or a plurality of spare keys, with which advertising may be effectively used, comprising a planar base member approximately the size of a typical business card, and of a thickness approximating the thickness of a key. The base member has opposing faces thereon, and one or more cutouts therein, each cutout being of a size closely conforming to the key to be received, such that the key can be frictionally retained therein. One of the faces of the base member is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, with a backer sheet normally residing on the pressure sensitive adhesive, to prevent the base member from adhering to an extraneous object. The backer sheet is to be readily peeled away from the adhesive preparatory to the placement of the backside of a business card in contact with the adhesive, and in careful alignment with the base member.

Abstract: An extension device of unitary, non-metallic construction for use by a small person in operating an electric toggle switch utilizing a spaced pair of screws for securing the switch plate to the outer portion of the toggle switch. This device comprises an arm of elongate, relatively rigid construction having a handle at one end, and a switch-contacting member at the other end. The switch-contacting member has a hole therein insertable over the lever component of the toggle switch, with a slot in the switch-contacting member closely adjacent the hole. A strap member is utilized for holding captive the switch-contacting member of the arm to the switch plate of the toggle switch.

Abstract: An improved pumping arrangement for use in a face pumped or edge pumped slab laser, this arrangement comprising upper and lower housing members able to be removably secured together in an operational relationship. The lower housing member has in a central portion thereof, a body of solid state laser host material, with the laser host material typically having a rectangular cross-section with top and bottom surfaces, opposing side surfaces, and opposing end faces. The lower housing member also is configured to have a pair of spaces running the length of the laser host material. The upper housing member has on its underside, a pair of parallel flashlamps set a distance apart. The lower housing member is able to receive the upper housing member in an interfitted, operative relationship, in which the flashlamps are received in the respective spaces alongside the body of solid state laser host material.

Abstract: An electronic control for a warm air furnace blower including an input circuit for receiving a signal from a thermostat. The signal is delayed by a first adjustable time delay to operate a blower relay, which energizes the blower. When the input signal ceases, a second adjustable time delay serves to delay opening of the blower relay. A second input circuit for receiving an emergency signal operates the blower relay without delay, and the second time delay serves to delay opening of the blower relay after the emergency signal ceases.

Abstract: An electromechanical motion amplifier in accordance with this invention is useful for controllably converting an input displacement into an amplified output displacement. This device comprises a first piston movable within a predetermined range of travel along an axis in response to the input displacement, and a second piston movable within a predetermined amplified range of travel along such axis. Force transmission means cooperating with the first and second pistons is utilized for effecting movement of the second piston in response to movement of the first piston. The relationship between the first and second pistons is such that movement of the first piston along the axis produces amplified movement of the second piston along the axis in a selected direction. In a preferred embodiment, the force transmission means is an elastomer, and the second piston is connected to a valve located in a nearby chamber, so as to directly control the positioning of the valve.

Abstract: A rectangularly shaped, multimode game board in accordance with this invention comprises at least one generally flat playing surface upon which game pieces can be rolled or slid by one player. My novel game board is supported by a plurality of legs, with the legs preferably being removable in pairs, such that the game board can be folded into a comparatively flat configuration for transit and/or storage. I may use a hinged joint at approximately at the midpoint of the game board, such that it can be folded into a comparatively small volume for storage transport. The multimode game board preferably has a generally flat playing surface on both of its major sides, with the pairs of removable legs being able to be installed in either of two orientations 180.degree. apart, whereby the player or players can utilize the game board for at least two different games involving the use of game pieces that are caused to move along a generally flat playing surface.

Abstract: A restraint system for enabling a badly injured infant or small child to be immobilized on an adult size backboard, our device has a spinal immobilizer to be placed against the spinal portion of the injured infant, and held tightly in place by securing elements passing around the chest and abdominal portions of the injured infant. Our spinal immobilizer is radiotransparent and is constructed to offer considerable resistance to bending about its longitudinal axis, but permitting a degree of wrap around the torso of the injured infant. In one embodiment a collar member is affixed to an upper part of the immobilizer, and the securing elements of the immobilizer involve a pair of chest straps and a pair of abdominal straps. Fastening elements are located on the free end of each chest strap and abdominal strap, such that the respective pairs of straps can be properly fastened together tightly around the chest and abdominal portions of the injured infant.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus to effect the separation of component fractions from paper-containing and plastic-containing waste materials. This method and apparatus accepts materials of widely varying characteristics such as paper, plastics, glass, metal, food wastes and other materials to be inserted en masse into a rotating vessel equipped with lifting paddles and directional flighting. In this way the intimate contact of materials with moisture and heat is accomplished, thus effecting the repulping of paper materials. The repulped materials, as a result of directional tumbling, are dispersed throughout the vessel. Because of the repulping of the pulpable materials, size reduction of the randomly large and odd-shaped pulpable material is accomplished. By virtue of the size reduction of the large and odd-shaped pulpable materials, the non-pulpable components are freed of the particle shapes and surfaces that affect separation.

Abstract: Hand operable apparatus for shearing thin-wall sleeve members to a precise, selected length without causing sidewall collapse, this apparatus comprising an elongate, generally cylindrical body having a partially hollow interior. An elongate support mandrel is mounted in a cantilever manner on the longitudinal centerline within the cylindrical body, with one end of the mandrel being supported adjacent one end of the generally cylindrical body. The other end of the mandrel is free and of a diameter such that the end of a thin-walled sleeve member to be cut to length can be closely received thereon. A cutoff device is operatively mounted on the generally cylindrical body adjacent the free end of the mandrel, which cutoff device can be brought forcefully into contact with the sleeve member at a selected location. The user can then accomplish shearing of the sleeve member by causing relative rotation between the cylindrical body and the sleeve member.

Abstract: A sanitizing spray device in accordance with this invention is designed for use on a toilet having a seat member, and comprises an elongate, generally tubular member having a spray device adjacent one end. The arrangement is such that water at a selected temperature and quantity is connected to said generally tubular member, so that water can be caused to travel for a portion of the length of the tubular member, and then issue as a spray of warm water from said spray device. A mounting device is provided under the seat member for pivotally mounting the generally tubular member at a location intermediate its ends. The mounting device is advantageously constructed to permit the generally tubular member to be readily swung from a recessed position in which it principally resides under the confines of the seat member, to a deployed position in which the spray device is in approximately a central location with respect to the principal aperture of the seat member and the bowl of the toilet.

Abstract: An automatic juice extraction machine for squeezing juice from one or more pieces of fruit in accordance with this invention comprises at least one pair of cups disposed in a vertically aligned relationship, with the lower of each related pair of cups utilizing a series of spaced, upwardly extending fingers and a centrally disposed fruit piercing tube. This tube defines part of a passageway located directly below each lower cup, in which passageway a strainer is disposed. Each upper cup, defined by spaced, downwardly extending fingers, is mounted on a vertically movable member movable between spaced vertical positions. The spacing of the fingers allows the fingers of the upper and lower cups to mesh, to bring about squeezing of the fruit. We utilize a pneumatic device for causing a single piece of fruit to be inserted into each lower cup subsequent to the raising of the vertically movable member.

Abstract: A beverage and/or food holder in accordance with this invention is principally constituted by first and second planar members, each approximately of the same size and of generally rectangular configuration. A first of the planar members has a plurality of apertures formed therein, in each of which apertures, a container for a beverage, food item or the like can be placed. The planar members are maintained in a spaced apart, essentially parallel relationsip by the use of columnar members utilized at or near the corners of the planar members. Advantageously, this beverage and/or food item holder utilizes a plurality of non-skid members on the underside of the second planar member, to resist displacement of the beverage and/or food item holder along a surface upon which it has been placed.

Abstract: A control circuit, particularly for use in a phase-locked loop includes a read-only memory (ROM) having n address inputs divided into two groups, each group being addressed by first (A) and second (B) signals, and the memory device having words preprogrammed therein to provide an output having values (C) of a predetermined function of the first and second signals. In one embodiment the control circuit is employed in a phase-locked loop where one address group provides an analog version of the first signal to a voltage controlled oscillator, and application of the second signal to the second address group permits a step change in the output voltage to the VCO. In another embodiment, the first and second signals may comprise carrier signals and modulating signals in a phase-locked loop employed for frequency modulation.

Abstract: A preamplifier for a laser rangefinder receiver having two signal level modes comprises, in accordance with this invention, a light detector having a first load resistor, and a buffer having an input connected across the load resistor and an output to the receiver. A first diode is placed in series with a second diode, with the second diode being connected in parallel with a second load resistor. A positive feedback path is provided from the output to the junction of the first and second diodes, wherein the first and second diodes are nonconductive during a low signal level mode, and conductive during a high signal level mode.

Abstract: A one-piece, substantially flat and very thin heat exchanger core in accordance with this invention has two flat and parallel surfaces, with each of said surfaces being suitable as a mounting surface for a number of heat producing electronic chips. These surfaces are closely spaced and separated by a single cavity for conveying a fluid coolant, and the cavity contains a plurality of closely spaced pins extending the full distance between the parallel surfaces. The pins are formed and permanently joined to both of the parallel surfaces, and quite significantly, this is accomplished with creation of a seam. Each pin is capable of having a hole installed through for its entire length, from one of the flat surfaces to the other, without breaching the fluid cavity and without creating a path for fluid to leak from the fluid cavity to the ambient. Also significant is the novel method by which this heat exchanger is constructed.