Abstract: A safety fastener for ball and socket hitches of medium to heavy vehicles provides a base defining a channel to fit about a hitch tongue beam of a towing vehicle with holes in the base to receive the fastening bolt of a hitch ball to fasten the base and hitch ball on the hitch tongue. The base carries at least one collar for adjustable positioning of at least one vertical fastener arm by a pin fastener. The vertical fastener arm carries a horizontal fastening beam extending over the hitch beam carried by the ball to prevent removal of the hitch from the ball. Species provide one or two vertical fastening arms carrying the fastening beam. The pin fastener may carry a lock to prevent unauthorized removal of the hitch from the ball.

Abstract: A powered auxiliary toilet seat lift provides a U-shaped casement formed by two similar elongate side members interconnected by a forward end plate to fit about a toilet stool and support a toilet seat structure thereabove for vertical and forwardly and downwardly angulated motion. Each casement side member is peripherally defined to create an internal chamber carrying similar elongately spaced lateral pairs of forward and rearward compound jackscrews that pivotally interconnect with the toilet seat structure thereabove. Powering mechanism provides separate electric motors powering each jackscrew that are controlled by a computerized feedback type circuitry for manually selectable or pre-programed motion of the toilet seat structure.

Abstract: An eyes and ears protection device provides a forehead beam supporting a depending goggle-like eyes shield and laterally opposed depending side shields. The lateral portions of the forehead beam pivotally support rearwardly extending temple beams, the rearward portions of which each movably interconnect a rearwardly extending ear beam by a ball and socket joint. The rearward portion of each ear beam movably interconnects an earplug structure by a ball and socket joint. Each earplug structure movably supports an earplug positionable for use in a user's auditory canal and for storage in a cavity or space defined by the ear beam.

Abstract: An elongate form tie extender aids insertion of form ties in form panel structures for thinner concrete walls. The extender passes through form tie holes and has fastening structure at one end to interconnect a form tie. For use a first form panel is established in forming position and form ties are fastened therein extending toward a second panel established in a temporary position spaced to allow a workman to move between the panels. Form tie extenders are interconnected on form ties in the first panel with one end in paired cooperating form tie holes in the second panel. The second panel is moved to forming position adjacent the first panel with form ties extending between the panels. The form tie extenders are removed and the form ties fastened on the second panel.

Abstract: A fruit tester provides a motor driven intrusive plunger with associated sensors to determine digital data indicative of plunger position, force resisting plunger intrusion and constant pressure creep. Sensor data is presented to a computer for storage, analysis and feedback control of the plunger. The plunger powering train includes a belt driven ball screw translator to convert rotary to linear motion and an “S” type stress block with plural bridge interconnected strain gauges to sense pressure resisting intrusion to allow accurate measurements. Methods of analysis are disclosed to determine both resistance to plunger penetration and plunger creep at fixed pressure, in each of at least two concentric zones of a fruit, which are related by software for accurate determination of fruit condition as a function of time, both present and future.

Abstract: A gambling type card game for one or more players provides two probabilistically determined betting games both based on the same player hand of traditional playing cards. The first game simulates traditional black jack but with some different playing and counting rules and the second game simulates poker but with some different hand valuations and limited hand point values. Both game portions are individually bet on and both game portions are determined by pre-established valuations as opposed to comparison with a hand held by a casino-employed dealer or another player. Neither game portion outcome is related to the skill or knowledge of a dealer or of any other player but is determined probabilistically and by each player's play.

Abstract: A light structure releasably interconnects between a battery powered drill and the powering battery to provide a drill light in a first mode and in a second mode releasably interconnects the powering battery therebelow and a handle structure thereabove to serve to as a stand alone light independent of the drill. The light structure pivotally carries a light source for vertically angulated positioning. The handle structure provides a pivotally interconnected L-shaped handle formed by two adjustably pivotally interconnected elongate elements to allow adjustable positioning of the light structure relative to an underlying supporting surface.

Abstract: A trailer for transport, positioning and removal of grave-site supports by one workman provides a U-shaped base frame supporting an upstanding peripheral frame that carries an upstanding storage bin for tools and accessories required for set up of the grave-site support and supports a hoist structure. The U-shaped base frame defines a rearwardly opening medial space within which the grave-site support is carried for transport while allowing trailer positioning over the grave-site support for removal and placement. The hoist provides a depending tension element interconnecting plural connector elements which interconnect the grave-site support for vertical motion for positioning and transport.

Abstract: A board unscrambler for lumber processing provides an upwardly and forwardly extending S-shaped curvilinear conveyor with a rearward horizontal portion to receive an agglomeration of scrambled boards, a medial uprising portion to unscramble and align the boards and a forward portion to deliver the boards at an elevated position. The conveyor provides at least two spaced link chains and interconnecting bars that are carried on an S-shaped conveyor support surface defining spaced parallel open top channels where each link chain is supported and maintained by synchronously driving both the lower rearward input portions of the chains to push the lower chain portions and the upper output portions to pull the upper chain portions to maintain the chains in the channels without vertical restraints. The unscrambled boards are delivered in an aligned single layer from the forward elevated portion of the conveyor.

Abstract: A tool, for mounting on a powering vehicle for transport, vertical motion and pivotal motion about a horizontal axis, provides a frame having connecting structure to interconnect with the powering vehicle. The frame carries extracting structure having plural laterally spaced extracting tines extending forwardly from the lower frame portion. At least one extracting tine has at least one depending vertical fin to increase tine strength and direct tine motion in a horizontal plane upon insertion through the earth; at least one extracting tine has at least one laterally extending horizontal fin to increase tine strength and direct tine motion in a vertical plane upon insertion through the earth; and at least one extracting tine has at least one soil retaining plate to aid support of material thereabove. The fins and plates tend to separate earth above and below the course of their insertion.

Abstract: A harness to interconnect an operator with a baby stroller for hands-free propulsion and control of the stroller provides two similar spaced connecting arms each having vehicle connectors at first ends to releasably attach to a stroller and rod caps at second ends to releasably attach to belt connectors carried by a belt releasably positionable about the operator's waist. The vehicle connectors are releasably fastenable in spaced positions about either horizontal or vertical structural elements of the baby stroller. The belt connectors are fixedly attached in spaced relationship to the belt. The joinder of the connecting arms to the vehicle connectors at the first ends may be articulating for motion primarily in a vertical plane to accommodate operator motion while maintaining steerage control for the stroller and the belt connectors may accommodate operator motion by resilient deformation or loose positioning of the belt about the operator.