Abstract: A detector for detecting light, such as infrared light, reflected from discontinuous lane dividing lines or other lines on a highway surface from a moving motor vehicle to determine the position of the vehicle on the highway detects light reflected from the surface of the highway and includes circuitry to determine from the reflected light sensed not only the presence of a road line but a characteristic of the road line sensed to determine if the road line detected is consistent with previously detected road lines and therefore appears to be a valid road line. The alarm, when enabled, is activated unless a road line consistent with previously sensed road lines is sensed within successive fixed periods of time in which it is expected that a line should be sensed. By detecting the beginning and end of a signal, various characteristics of the sensed line can be determined, and such things as the type of line likely sensed or the speed of travel of the vehicle can also be determined.

Abstract: A device for holding camping items ready for use at a camp site includes a support pole that is driven into the ground or is attached to a horizontal surface such as the top of a picnic table. The support pole has at least one, a preferably a plurality of, support arms that extend therefrom to hold camping items such as a lantern, paper towels, and cooking utensils. Support structures can also be secured to the support pole, such as by a sleeve which fits around the support pole to hold condiments, such as salt and pepper, or other items, such as garbage bags or a cutting board. The support arms are pivotally attached to the support pole to pivot between a support position wherein the arms extend from the support pole when the device is in use to hold the camping items, or a storage position wherein the arms are aligned with and substantially against the support pole for storage of the device.

Abstract: An electrical stimulation device for applying electrical stimulus to a living body includes a pair of applicators adapted to each contact the living body. The applicators each include electrically conductive material covered by electrically insulating material whereby the electrically conductive material is separated from the living body by the electrically insulating material when the applicators contact the living body. A preferred applicator is formed of flat cable having a plurality of conductors therein that form a plurality of antennas for transmitting electrical signals to the body. A signal generator generates a series of positive electrical pulses to be applied to the living body through the applicators.

Abstract: Dust from and erosion of earth surfaces is controlled by the application of a fatty acid containing material such as used vegetable oil, animal renderings, or a combination thereof such as Yellow Grease to the surface and allowing the surface to harden and dry. The hardening and drying of the surface may be accelerated by making an at least semi-emulsion of the fatty acid containing material with a surface binding material such as lignin, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, or a mixture thereof, and water. With the at least semi-emulsion, the fatty acid containing material makes up between about 30% to about 75% of the product, the surface binding material makes up between about 10% and about 40%, with the water making up the remainder. The product is applied to the earth surface to be treated and dries in several hours.

Abstract: An inflatable rocking recreational device includes an inflatable main body having a generally arc-shaped bottom surface for resting in water or on a surface such as the ground or a floor, and on which the device can be rocked. The device can include a plurality of connected bodies such as a main body with stabilizing bodies secured thereto or two or more main bodies secured side-by-side or at angles to one another to stabilize the body. Handles are provided to allow the users to grip and hold on to the body. The device is usually mounted by a plurality of users who rock the device back and forth along the arced bottom surface.

Abstract: A fence post connector includes a securement section for securing the post connector to a fence post and at least one receiving section for receiving an item to be joined. The item to be joined may be the end of a stabilizing fence post, a gate hinge, etc. For attachment to a T-post, a closure member captures the T-post between a pair of spaced arms extending from the receiving section and travel of the post connector along the T-post is limited by adjacent lugs extending from the T-post. These lugs may cooperate with the closure member, an arm, or the portion of the connector spacing the arms, to limit sliding. For attachment to a wood post, at least one arm abuts the post with an opening through which a fastener, such as a nail or screw, extends into the post. The post connector is generally used to connect fence posts in reinforcing configuration and loosely connects the various fence posts.

Abstract: Flavor potentiating and enhancing compositions include an aqueous mixture containing colloidal silica of preferable 10-100 angstrom particle size. The colloidal silica acts synergistically with other flavor inducing agents which may also be present in the mixture. The compositions according to the invention have been found to enhance flavor, tenderize meats, aid in the formation of a stable crust on breaded fried foods, and impart improved body, consistency, and flavor in soups, dressings, and beverage. Also a novel method for generating the colloidal silica in the presence of a magnetic field is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reading programmes into a device which processes data using a processor, according to a programme stored in a programme memory. A programming device sends programme data to the programme memory of the device to be programmed in the form of a data stream. The inventive method comprises the following steps: a) activating a light transmitter in accordance with the programme data, so that said light transmitter generates digital light signals in accordance with the programme data; b) receiving the light signals with a light receiver which is permanently installed on the device to be programmed and c) applying the signals of the light receiver of the device to be programmed to the programme memory of the same. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out this method.

Abstract: A quick connect and disconnect coupling which does not allow free rotation of the ends of the coupling with respect to one another includes a male connector having a coupling end and a female connector having a coupling end with a receiving opening therein to receive the coupling end of the male connector when the connectors are in coupled condition. A holding mechanism is associated with the connectors to hold them together in coupled condition and allow easy disconnection when desired. Interengaging cooperable surfaces are provided on the male and female connectors, such as tabs extending from the female connector to engage a flat or other tab mating surface on the male connector to substantially prevent relative rotation of the male connector in relation to the female connector. The coupling is particularly useful for attaching sprinkler heads to sprinkler head holding bases in sprinkler systems to allow easy replacement of the sprinkler heads.

Abstract: An apparatus and method utilizing a strip solution for removing gold from the loaded activated carbon used to accumulate such gold leached from gold bearing ore, and for electrically removing such gold from the strip solution by electrowinning. The apparatus includes a pair of strip columns fillable with loaded activated carbon. The strip columns are connectable individually and in series in respective continuous loops using a valved crossover pipe assembly to an electrowinning device, with the strip solution being pumped therethrough.

Abstract: A multi-diaphragm flow control valve includes a valve body separable into two parts. Each part includes an interior chamber having a closed end which separates the chambers when the parts are joined and an open end for connection to a pipe. An outer chamber surrounds a portion of the interior chamber and is separated therefrom by an interior wall. Slots connect the interior and outer chambers. The outer chambers connect to form a diaphgram chamber when the parts are joined. A cylindrical bell type elastomeric diaphragm having a central outwardly extending hump and with legs extending axially from opposite sides of the hump is positioned in the diaphragm chamber with the respective legs of the diaphragm over the slots through the interior walls of respective parts. The diaphragm is pressurized to block or allow flow through respective slots and each leg of the diaphragm acts as an independent diaphragm.

Abstract: A thread insert and method to replace the damaged threads and tapered seat in a spark plug bore of an internal combustion engine allows for the continued use of the original factory specified spark plugs where the original threads in the spark plug bore have been damaged by stripping or cross threading. The thread insert's inner bore is designed to replace the original threads and tapered seat in the cylinder head. The thread insert may be adapted to fit any internal combustion engine using tapered seat spark plugs, and is particularly useful in deep spark plug bores with limited access as found in the aluminum heads in Ford modular engines. The insert includes a flange head that determines how far into the head the insert can extend and a recess below the flange to collect any bonding agent that may be squeezed from the threads during installation of the insert. Special tools make the installation of the insert easy and accurate.

Abstract: The effect lamp according to the invention comprises a baseplate, at least one perforated plate which is located in front of the baseplate and facing the observer and which comprises light passageway openings as well as at least one light source which illuminates the space between the baseplate and the perforated plate which is adjacent thereto and/or the space between two adjacent perforated plates. The baseplate and the perforated plate(s) bear text, image and/or color information whereby different optically appealing effects are generated. The optical effects alter depending on the illumination conditions inside and outside the effect lamp and depending on the location of the observer in relation to the effect lamp.

Abstract: A modular electronic device has a cabinet frame, a plurality of push-in modules with module frames retained in the cabinet frame side-by-side, and printed circuit boards mounted in the module frames, and electronic components carried by said printed circuit boards. Each of these modules has autonomous data transmitting connections for communicating directly with each of the other ones of the modules.

Abstract: A removable rear warning light system for attachment to a vehicle, such as a boat or snowmobile, carried on a trailer pulled by a motor vehicle to provide warning to the drivers of motor vehicles approaching from the rear. The warning light system includes a pod removably mountable on a rear portion of the trailered vehicle attachable to the electrical system of the motor vehicle to work in unison with one or more light functions of the motor vehicle. The pod fits within a boat cover having a flexible, water repellant sheet of such configuration as to cover the upper portion of a trailered vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention is based on a fermentation product produced by adding koji (rice or bean yeast) to boiled and/or steamed beans and allowing the mixture to ferment and mature. The fermentation product is kayu-like. Various foodstuffs and beverages can be prepared from such a fermentation product. Such fermentation products, foodstuffs and beverages are novel, tasty and rich of nutrients but do not contain salt or, if they do, contain salt only to a small degree. Such products are highly effective and useful as dietary food or drink.

Abstract: In order to manufacture parts with an outer profile, a workpiece 32 is pressed by a pressure piece 24 through a ring-shaped cutting tool 34. The cutting tool 34 has a plurality of disks with inner cutting edges 62 for removing material from the workpiece 32. The cutting edges are progressively longer in the advance direction, so that each cutting edge removes material chips and the last cutting edge in the advance direction corresponds to the desired outer profile of the part. In order to improve chip removal, the chip chambers 74 located between the cutting edges communicate with the outside through radial connection openings 128 which are distributed all around their circumference. To hold the workpiece 32 securely on the pressure piece 24, a pressure pad 76 extends through the cutting tool 34 and is supported on the side of the workpiece 32 opposite to the pressure piece 32, and a hydraulic piston 80 generates a compression force on the pressure pad 76.

Abstract: A water soluble, surface active, polymeric agent is mixed with digestion liquor, preferably with an additional surface active defoamer coagulant agent prior to or during acidification of the alkaline digestive liquor. This results in an easily separable, non-gelatinous, non-gummy, coagulated lignin as a solids, particulate fraction that tends to float on a clarified liquid fraction containing recoverable salts. The solids fraction and the liquid frictions are easily separated, one from the other, by a gravity separation step.

Abstract: A method of training a neural network for the guidance of a missile to a target includes the steps of: computing a solution of the non-linear guidance problem in analytical form, generating numerical solutions for a number of flights of a virtual missile to a virtual target, determining a human pilot's behavior and of the missile by simulating a number of flights of the virtual missile to a virtual target, and “cloning” a neural or fuzzy-neural network with the knowledge about the guidance of the missile to the target as obtained by the preceding steps. For determining the behavior of the human pilot, a scenario of missile and target is represented. This scenario is transformed into slow-motion. The flight of the missile to the target is simulated in slow-motion, the human pilot guiding the missile to the target. The pilot's behavior and the behavior of the missile resulting therefrom is stored for a number of such simulated flights.

Abstract: A flattened acoustic muffler for use on stock cars. The muffler mounts to the standard exhaust system pipes and to the lower chassis of the car, routing exhaust gasses to one or both sides of the car while providing improved ground clearance between the exhaust pipe and the surface of the race track. The muffler contains a plurality of spiral acoustic traps, which attenuate exhaust noise while producing little additional backpressure.