Abstract: A golf club head cover is made primarily of stretchable fabric, which is in the shape of an elongated cylinder closed at the upper end and open at the lower end. The stretch fabric is made to stretch in a circumferential direction of the cover. The open lower end of the cover has dimensions which are smaller than the dimensions of a golf club head with which the cover is to be used; so that the cover stretches as the head is inserted. To facilitate placement of the cover over a golf club head, the lower open end of the cover has a pair of diametrically opposed lips extending from it. The lips are joined together at notches on diametrically opposite sides of the lips to facilitate use of the lips in placing the cover over a golf club head. The cover stretches to conform to the shape of the head, thereby protecting the head when it is inserted into the cover.

Abstract: A control system is disclosed for a swimming pool or a spa recirculating system. Water is withdrawn from a pool or spa by a pump and supplied, through a filter, back to the pool. As is common with such systems, a controller is operated to initiate operation of the pump at pre-established time intervals (for example, once every twenty-four hours). The length of time or duty cycle that the pump is operated at each of these time intervals is determined by a temperature sensor which senses the water temperature. The temperature sensor supplies a signal to the controller to cause the pump to be operated for a longer period of time when the water temperature is above a threshold temperature, and to be operated for a shorter period of time when the water temperature is below the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A programmable n stage shift counter divider circuit includes a plurality of n flip-flops arranged in cascade from a first stage to an nth stage. The data inputs of each of the flip flops are coupled with the output of the next preceding stage through corresponding OR gates. A source of preload signals is coupled with the second inputs of the OR gates; and a combined trap detector and terminal count detector has inputs coupled with the outputs of the last n-1 stages of the shift counter circuit and an output coupled with the source of pre-load signals to operate it.

Abstract: A low coherent noise interferometer system incorporates an improved low spatial coherence source obtained from a laser light source which supplies a beam of light through a beam-shaping lens to the first one of a set of two cascaded diffusers. One of the diffusers is dynamically changing, provided by a rotating ground glass disk. The diffusers then supply light to an interferometer of a two-beam interferometer configuration, such as Fizeau, Twyman-Green or Mach-Zehnder. In one embodiment, the first diffuser is the rotating ground glass diffuser and the second diffuser is a multi-mode optical fiber. The exit face of the fiber represents the spatially incoherent extended light source for the interferometer. The laser, the motor for driving the first diffuser and the diffusers themselves all are mounted on a separate base from the base on which the interferometer is mounted.

Abstract: A trigger lock for guns having a trigger guard and a trigger with a space between the rear of the trigger and the trigger guard comprises a main lock plug member or housing, which is inserted behind the trigger and which generally conforms to the space and size of the space behind the trigger. An integral flange on one side of the main lock housing contacts the side of the trigger. The main lock housing includes a partially hollowed out interior with a locking spring extending across an insert path for a projecting pin. The projecting pin is carried by a locking plate; and the pin snaps into place by the action of the locking spring. The locking plate is held on the other side of the trigger. Thus, the trigger is locked against use. A small opening is provided through the first flange; and a handcuff key or other device may be inserted through the opening to engage the spring to release the pin. This then releases the locking plate to remove the trigger lock.

Abstract: An improved package and method for manufacturing extruded monofilament string trimmer line incorporates preconditioning of the line to provide a high moisture content. Straight line segments are produced by feeding the extruded line through a straight guide after surface cooling or quenching and cutting the line segments as the line exits the guide. The line then is packaged in a sealed package with a removable cap to permit withdrawal of line from the package. A moisture-laden sponge may be placed within the bottom of the package to maintain a high humidity within the package. Copper chloride or cobalt chloride salts also may be coated on the line, or added to the plastic forming the line to provide a color indication of the relative moisture content of the line.

Abstract: An electrical homopolar capacitor generator includes a set of stacked dielectric plates and conductive plates arranged in a magnetic field, with at least one of the dielectric plates is rotated relative to the remainder of the plates to generate an electrical output charge between the conductive plates. One version of the generator employs flat circular disks with an inner dielectric disk rotated relative to the others. The inner disk is placed between a pair of electrically conductive plates, which in turn are placed between a pair of first and second dielectric plates which are in a fixed relationship to the conductive plates. A second embodiment utilizes concentric cylinders in a similar arrangement to the stacked circular disk embodiment, with relative rotation of an inner dielectric being effected along a common axis for all of the cylindrical plates.

Abstract: A camp stove warming oven is designed in the form of a hollow, rectangular enclosed box having a top, bottom and four sides. One of the sides is hingedly attached to the main body portion of the oven to permit access to the interior. The bottom of the oven has apertures through it to permit hot air to rise from below the oven into the interior. Foldable legs are provided to permit placement of the oven over the top of an outdoor camp stove at a pre-established height, typically on the order of 17". This permits the camp stove to be used in its intended manner for the cooking of food. Waste heat from the stove then rises and heats the interior of the oven, which may be used as a warming oven, to keep foods warm while additional food is being cooked on the burners of the stove.

Abstract: An evacuable plastic storage bag comprises a pair of opposed walls that define, between them, an interior volume and a mouth. The bag has a Zip-locks.RTM. closure for releasably sealing the mouth closed. The wall has a hole therein which is reinforced by an annular grommet-like plastic element. The element defines an aperture which is in communication with the interior volume of the bag and which is arranged in proximity to the closure. The wall has a plug of resiliently deformable plastic material for closing the aperture by forcing the plug into releasable engagement with the aperture. The plug and the element are disposed sufficiently close to the closure so that as the closure is pulled open, the plug is withdrawn, thereby obviating the need to withdraw the plug in a separate operation.

Abstract: A fixed line trimmer head for string trimmer machines is made to accommodate trimmer lines of a range of line sizes, from a relatively small diameter line to a maximum diameter line, typically from 0.080" to 0.160". To accomplish this, the trimmer head consists of a generally cylindrically-shaped hollow main housing member having a central axis through it. Exit openings for the line are formed on diametrically opposite sides of the main housing member in a plane which is perpendicular to the axis of the housing member. A first set of string entry holes is formed through the housing member in a plane which is offset from the plane of the exit openings; and these holes are located on opposite sides of a line which is perpendicular to the projection of a line passing through the exit openings.

Abstract: A safety containment system for use during the loading and unloading of firearms, such as handguns, rifles and the like, is made in the form of an elongated hollow steel cylinder. One end of the cylinder is closed with a steel plate; and a rubber-like disk is located between the closed end of the cylinder and the open end to form a bullet containment compartment adjacent the closed end of the cylinder. This compartment is filled with randomly oriented hardened metal objects with sharp edges, such as elongated concrete nails having a substantially rectangular cross section. The other end of the housing has an elongated rubber tube acting as a guide member, secured to the rubber-like disk and to the housing member, for accommodating the muzzle end of a barrel of a firearm inserted therein.

Abstract: A virtual contiguous system for combining multiple and arbitrarily-sized and aligned digital data packets from a PCI bus to a DSP circuit is disclosed. Information from the PCI bus is supplied directly to a plurality of FIFO RAM memory units. Each packet of digital data includes data packet descriptors identifying at least the start address for each data packet and the size of each data packet. The system utilizes this information to operate a read pointer and a write pointer to remove data from the FIFO RAM memory units on a sequential bit-by-bit basis and to supply said data packets to said RAM memory units by means of a write pointer operated by said control circuit. The information transfer is managed on the read side of the FIFO RAM memory units with minimal processing on the write side.

Abstract: A mechanical load fuse assembly, particularly designed for lifting cables used with helicopters, consists of first and second end assemblies. An axial shear pin is releasably secured between the first and second end assemblies; and this shear pin is calibrated to have a breaking point of a pre-established amount when axial forces are applied to it. A protective sleeve is located over the shear pin between the first and second end assemblies when the shear pin is releasably secured. This protective sleeve has first and second positions of operation. A coil spring is used to normally bias the protective sleeve to the first position. In this position, radially projecting pins on the first and second end assemblies engage corresponding slots on the protective sleeve to prevent relative rotation of the first and second end assemblies relative to one another, so long as the sleeve is in the first position.

Abstract: A work piece transfer system particularly suited for transferring semi-conductor wafers from one environment, through a loadlock, to another environment and back again employs a series of pivotally interconnected levers located within the loadlock when the device is in its central collapsed position. Only a single shaft extends through the loadlock, the main drive shaft for operating the device. The lever arm, which is attached to the input shaft for rotation with it, has a hole through its center for pivotally supporting a composite lever arm half of which is located above the first lever arm, and the other half of which is located below the lever arm, with the two portions connected by a pin passing through a hole in the center of the first lever arm. The work piece is pivotally attached to the opposite end of the first lever arm; and an interconnecting lever arm is pivotally attached between one end of the composite lever arm and an intermediate pivot on the work piece.

Abstract: An advertising display sign device particularly useful for real estate signs and similar displays. The device incorporates an inner frame in the general shape of a hollow rectangle, which is constructed with a length and height greater than its thickness. A narrow drawer is pivotally mounted near the bottom of the inner frame to tip outwardly through an opening in one of its minor sides; so that access may be made to the open top of the drawer. Because the pivot is on the forward edge of the drawer, the drawer returns to its closed position by gravity whenever it is released. Top, bottom and first and second end clamping members which fit together, are attached to the frame and extend a short space out from the opposing faces of the assembly. These clamping members hold in place first and second display panels, which are placed on both sides of the assembly to form an advertising surface.

Abstract: A locking manhole cover which may be made of lighter weight material than conventional iron or steel manhole covers has a cover plate dimensioned to fit over a manhole opening. A cylindrical frame is attached to the underside of the cover plate and extends downwardly into the hole when the cover plate is in place. Diametrically opposed apertures are located in the side of the frame; and movable locking members are hingedly attached to the frame adjacent the apertures for pivotal movement through the apertures from a location within the frame to a location where a portion of the locking members engage the sides of the manhole in which the device is located. An operator is mounted inside the frame for effecting the pivotal movement of the locking members by means of an interacting cam or gear arrangement.

Abstract: A connector system for multiple fiber optical cables aligns multiple optical fibers of one coaxial cable with corresponding multiple optical fibers of another coaxial cable or tool head. This is accomplished by forming off-axis fiber holes in the flat connector face of an end terminator for one of the multiple fiber cables. Similar off-axis fiber holes, in the same pattern as in the first cable end terminator, are formed in a second cable end terminator. Alignment flats are located adjacent the faces of each of the end terminators; and a coupling sleeve, having a slot in each of its ends for fitting over the alignment flats, is used to align the fiber holes in each of the end terminators with one another when the coupling sleeve is secured in place on the end terminators.

Abstract: A safety hole cover particularly useful in providing temporary protection for drilled and augured holes has a flange portion which is placed on the ground surrounding the hole. This flange portion has a circular opening through it; and the diameter of this opening is at least as great as the diameter of the largest hole to be covered by the hole cover. A domed housing fits over the opening in the flange, and telescoping cylindrical sections are located within the housing. The external diameters of the telescoping cylindrical sections are selected to correspond to the internal diameters of different holes with which the device is to be used. The lowermost (and smallest) cylindrical section has retractable fingers or spikes in it for extension outwardly from the side of the section to engage the side walls of a hole when the device is in place over the hole. The housing provides a visible indication of the presence of the device; and by locking the device in place, removal by vandals is inhibited.