Abstract: A self-supporting beach blanket having two layers of fabric joined at their edges with a single spring steel hoop inside sized to hold the blanket open and flat on the ground. The hoop is compressible so that it can be removed through a small slit in the side allowing the blanket to be machine washed.

Abstract: A new polycarbonate copolymer resin is formed by internal generation of stabilizers bound to the polymer chain. Irradiation of a solid piece or a deoxygenated solution of the resin at a first frequency below 300 nm generates 2 to 8 mol percent of phenyl salicylate groups which are rearranged to dihydroxybenzophenone groups by irradiating the resin under oxygen excluding conditions at a second frequency from 300 to 320 nm.

Abstract: The feeler is placed in alignment with the axis of a pin or screw inlet hole of the wall of the nail and is mounted at the distal end of a driving rotating spindle, at least partially flexible, the distal end of the spindle bearing the tool being housed in a bore of a protruding sleeve carried by a sliding block between a disengagement position allowing the sliding of the head in the nail and an engagement position, with application to feelers intended to bore, in bone surgery, a transversal hole from a medullary channel.

Abstract: The tracking characteristics of a fishing fly are improved by a detachable, reversible foil having a rear socket which engages the eye of a fishing hook and a front, angled section which causes the fly to wiggle and to rise or fall depending whether the front section is pointing upwardly or downwardly. The rear lip of the fly contains a socket adapted to engage the eye of the hook and a set of channels extending from the front surface of the foil to the socket for receiving the leader thread. The foil can be readily slid on the thread onto the eye of the hook in either orientation. A portion adjacent the eye of the hooks is tapered to blend into the hook shank for a smooth transition with fly tying materials.

Abstract: In a wind power plant having wind surfaces which are moved by air currents and coupled to a generator and are guided in longitudinal frames so as to be staggered one behind the other and are pivotally connected to lateral pulling devices and supported by endless lateral circulation rails, wherein the plant is mounted on a rotatable support plate, an arrangement and construction are provided in which, simultaneously, the wind surfaces are approximately perpendicular in the upper run of the pulling device and horizontal in the lower run and a number of wind surfaces at both ends of the longitudinal frame are in the reverse position. An additional horizontal guide strut may be disposed in the top region of each wind surface, the outwardly projecting ends of which guide strut engage an outer guide bar which, having a larger diameter, is secured to the longitudinal frame at a specific distance from the inner guide groove.

Abstract: Very small, individual polymeric microspheres with very precise size and a wide variation in monomer type and properties are produced by deploying a precisely formed liquid monomer droplet, suitably an acrylic compound such as hydroxyethyl methacrylate into a containerless environment. The droplet which assumes a spheroid shape is subjected to polymerizing radiation such as ultraviolet or gamma radiation as it travels through the environment. Polymeric microspheres having precise diameters varying no more than plus or minus 5 percent from an average size are recovered. Many types of fillers including magnetic fillers may be dispersed in the liquid droplet.

Abstract: A remediating apparatus has a conveyor which moves contaminated material, a main hopper which holds a load of contaminated material and dispenses the material onto the conveyor at a receiving location, and an auxiliary hopper adjacent the main hopper which holds a load of an absorbent material and dispenses the material onto the contaminated material as the material is moved toward a transfer location. The apparatus also has an oxidizing material applicator and an aerator associated with an elongated mixing chamber. Also, a mixing and conveying auger rotatably mounted in the mixing chamber concurrently mixes the contaminated and absorbent material received in the mixing chamber at the transfer location and transports them from the transfer location to a deposit location. Spray nozzles of the applicator connected in communication with the mixing chamber spray pressurized oxidizing material on the mixture of contaminated and absorbent materials.

Abstract: A golf ball mark repair tool is mounted on a hand grip end of the shaft of a golf club. The repair tool has a mounting base secured to the hand grip end of the shaft, and an elongated prong attached to one end of the base and projecting therefrom. The prong has a configuration for prying turf to repair a ball mark. The shaft of the golf club provides a handle extension for the base of sufficient length for permitting a player to operate the tool to repair the ball mark by gripping the handle extension while standing erect. The repair tool also includes a protective cover removably mounted to the club shaft end and having a hollow interior for extending over and enclosing the turf prying prong. Preferably, the cover constitutes an extension of the club hand grip.

Abstract: A longitudinally reinforced crimped streamer includes a thin narrow metallic strip of flexible streamer material having a pair of opposite faces and a multiplicity of longitudinally-spaced, transversely-extending crimps set therein. The crimps form a series of alternating, opposite-facing, permanent, flexible bends in the streamer material and provide a multiplicity of transversely-extending opposing pairs of surfaces with the surfaces of one pair being disposed in inclined relation to the surfaces of each adjacent pair. The streamer also includes at least one elongated strip of flexible reinforcing material much narrower in width than the strip of streamer material and adhesively applied to adjacent surfaces provided on one face of the streamer material strip and extending longitudinally therealong, generally perpendicular to the extent of the crimps and centered between opposite side edges of the streamer material strip. The reinforcing material strip can be in the form of ordinary flexible strapping tape.

Abstract: An integrated traction inverter and battery charger apparatus which is capable of operating in either drive or charge modes. The apparatus integrates the components of a prior art three-phase inverter with an AC line-powered prior art DC source charger in a manner which recognizes that an input capacitor and certain components of a three-phase bridge inverter are capable of performing dual functions and thus can be active in both modes. Therefore, in the integration of the prior art devices some of the components are eliminated allowing savings in cost and weight of, and space required by, the components of the integrated inverter/charger apparatus.

Abstract: A pressure compensating flow rate control device includes a one-piece molded plastic body having an external surface with a recessed inlet port for receiving a fluid and a recessed outlet port for discharging a fluid. First and second passages are defined internally of the body and extend between the inlet and outlet ports to provide first and second internal fluid flow paths through the body from the inlet port to the outlet port. A flow regulating mechanism is disposed in a first chamber in the first passage for regulating fluid flow through the first flow path to provide a preset constant rate of fluid flow from the body at the outlet port and thereby define a controlled mode of operation of the device.

Abstract: A consumable anode of a reactive metal such as lithium is provided as a layer on a flexible, conductive substrate. The anode is preferably in the form of an elongated tape wound on a reel. The anode tape is fed from the reel into and through an elongated electrolyte reaction chamber formed between the surface of the anode tape and an opposed cathode. The ends of the compartment contain seals for retaining electrolyte between the electrodes. The tape is rewound on a driven take up reel.

Abstract: A metal-air battery power supply for powering a device includes an enclosed container having an air inlet, an air outlet, and an array of connected metal-air battery cells therein. The container is sealed during non-use. When a power switch is turned on, the air inlet and air outlet are opened. At the same time, the residual low power of the battery cells is used to start a fan positioned near the air inlet. The fan initiates an air flow across the battery cells to further increase the power supply output. The power supply output is limited to the use requirement of the device by varying the fan speed in response to instructions from the device. Precise control of the battery cells' exposure to air extends the lifetimes of the cells.

Abstract: A metal-air battery has a base for containing the active battery materials and a lid located on top of and fitted with the base. The flexible bottom surface of the base is curved to permit an expansion of the battery container during battery discharge. The air cathode is retained by a ledge in the base as well as by channels in the lid to prevent separation between the electrolyte and the air cathode membrane during battery discharge. An air chamber housing having inlet and outlet air ducts is located above the air cathode membrane for continuous air flow and optimal battery operation. The air ducts are sealed during storage to extend the shelf life of the battery.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon liquids are recovered from carbonaceous materials such as tar sands utilizing a separation reagent formed in situ by reacting polar resin components of tar sands with an inorganic base such as sodium silicate in sonicated aqueous solution in absence of an organic solvent to form a surfactant.When tar sands are added to the sonicated separation reagent, the surfactant penetrates the bitumen which aids in removing the bitumen from the sand particles. The lighter, non-polar hydrocarbon oil fraction separate from the emulsion and rise to the top and are recovered by skimming. The heavier asphaltenes and preasphaltenes complex with the polyvalent metals to form charcoal-like agglomerates which settle to the bottom of the treatment tank. The separation reagent forms during the reaction and can reach a concentration capable of dissolving bitumen. The separation reagent can be recovered and used in other processes after removal and recovery of the clay.

Abstract: A bed sheet stuffing device has an elongated thin flat shaft member and a clamp element attached on a leading end portion of the shaft member adapting the device for use in stuffing a corner of a bed sheet under a waterbed mattress. The shaft member and clamp element are both composed of resiliently flexible material and configured to be flexible about axes extending across their respective widths. The clamp clement has an outwardly flared guide lip at its forward end which together with the forward edge of the shaft member defines a slot normally closed at its front and sides but adapted to be forceably opened for receiving therethrough an edge of the bed sheet corner. A cavity is defined between the clamp element and shaft member aft of the lip is open at its opposite sides and closed and pivots at its rear end. The cavity at its forward end communicates with the slot.