Abstract: An identification tag is manufactured by driving a toner printer or color printer with a word processing and graphics programmed computer to print identification indicia in the form of toner or color characters and optional graphics indicia fused to a surface of a transparent sheet. Die cutting the printed sheet and a highly contrasted sheet such as a sheet with specular reflection to the shape of a cavity. Stacking the sheets in the cavity with the transparent sheet above the other sheet and sealing the cavity with a transparent cover such as by sonic welding a polycarbonate enclosure.

Abstract: A sealed aperture is formed in a laminated assembly by prepunching a central sheet such as a paper art print to form a first aperture and then laminating the art print between two sheets of laminating film to form a laminated assembly in which the two films are fused together in the aperture to form a single film in the form of a disc. A second aperture is then punched through the disc having a smaller diameter than the film aperture such that a sealed border remains between the second aperture and the first aperture.

Abstract: Combustible hydrocarbon gas from a contaminated zone of soil and/or water is abated by removing hydrocarbon gas from the zone, combusting a first portion of the hydrocarbon gas in an internal combustion engine to develop power and to produce hot exhaust gas, delivering a second portion of the hydrocarbon gas and the hot exhaust gas to a catalytic unit, passing the hot gas exiting the catalytic unit in countercurrent heat exchange relation to the second portion of the hydrocarbon gas before venting said exit gas and utilizing the power from said engine to remove hydrocarbon gas and contaminated water from the zone and to pump the gases throughout the system.

Abstract: Solid waste such as sewage sludge containing fecal matter is processed to reduce pathogens by at least 90% and converted to a useful product such as an amendment to agricultural land by combining the waste with an acid such as concentrated sulfuric and a base such as fly ash which exothermically react and thermally pasteurize the waste and add mineral value to the product. Pozzolanic materials, such as fly ash agglomerate the product and after grinding, the particles can aerate soil. The calcium oxide in fly ash reacts with sulfuric acid to form calcium sulfate dihydrate, a soil amendment. The amount of sulfuric acid can be controlled to provide a product with acid pH which is useful to neutralize alkaline soils such as those found in the Western United States of America.

Abstract: A magnetic sweeper for collecting magnetically attractable debris from parking areas and the like using magnets in an aluminum tube. A collector plate is hinged to the tube in the magnetic zone so that the collector plate can be pivoted away from the magnet to release accumulated debris from the influence of the magnets. Steel latch plates on the collector plate hold it against the magnets in operation.

Abstract: A buckling beam probe contactor in which an array of electrically conductive, parallel, probe test wires, are cast into a housing with urethane or silicone elastomer so as to elastically couple the wires to each other and cause all of the probe wires to bend and buckle in identical, parallel, congruent waveforms and thereby maintain spacing between the wires. Stiffer elastomers are used to insure that the wires have a greater number of inflections with less sideways displacement. Various modifications of the elastomer allow desired buckling patterns to be generated.

Abstract: Soil contaminated with contaminants such as a heavy hydrocarbon or a chlorinated hydrocarbon is cleaned, preferably on-site, by contacting the contaminated soil with a supersurfactant such as the micellar surfactant formed by sonicating polar substituted heavy hydrocarbon in the presence of an alkali metal salt such as sodium silicate and a free radical generating agent such as hydrogen peroxide and sonicating the suspension. At least 85% of the contaminant is flushed or washed from the soil including fine particles having a particle size below about 70 microns.

Abstract: In-situ decontamination of soil is accomplished by providing electromagnetic energy of relatively short wavelengths from an array of applicators (antennas), inserted into a borehole array that encompasses the contaminated zone. The borehole array geometry is designed according to the soil's thermophysical properties. Electromagnetic energy heating and heat transfer mechanisms are used to raise the temperature of the soil to the desired level for vaporization of contaminants while at the same time avoiding excessive heat loss from the much larger array size. Heating is maintained throughout the contaminated zone after the final temperature has been reached by proper compensation of the envelope heat loss. Contaminants are evaporated by the heating. Contaminant vapors are collected by vapor collection pipes and/or a gas cover over the soil being heated. The contaminant vapors are then reduced in volume to manageably safe levels and then treated and/or disposed of.

Abstract: Water from a low pressure irrigation system is conveyed through a tube and sprayed upward from an orifice. A collection of splash plate water deflectors rotates above the orifice on supports extending up from the tube. Different surface shapes on the splash plates create different spray patterns when they are rotated into the path of the water stream from the orifice. A flow rate valve is incorporated into the tube to regulate water flow.

Abstract: A composite bat is formed of a stiff core having a thick sheath of an elastomer such as a polyurethane. The bat can have an oval-shaped handle covered with a high friction grip. The elastomer sheath is resistant to water and oil. The bat is useful to hit and stun or kill fish without rebound. The core can be formed of a pultruded resin-fiberglass composite having good adhesion to the elastomer sheath. The bat can also take the form of a billy club.

Abstract: In bicycles that have the front fork and handle bars attached to a steering tube that rotates within a frame mounted head tube, a bearing system wherein a compression ring slides over and about the steering tube to trap the bearing against the head tube. Lock nuts surround the tapered compression ring so that when they are threaded together they squeeze the ring against the steering tube. Threads or barbs on the inside of the ring dig into the steering tube to resist movement away from the bearing and allow the ring to be moved against the bearing and establish a proper bearing end load. Further tightening of the lock nuts holds the ring permanently in place.

Abstract: Apparatus to spin a glass window in front of a camera lens so as to centrifugally throw off water and dirt. The window rotates in a pair of parallel bearing races at its circumference. Impeller blades between the bearing races spin with the window to force air through the bearings and prevent entry of contamination into the bearing races. The apparatus is mounted directly to the camera to isolate the lens from gyroscopic and vibrational forces.

Abstract: Porous pipe formed of particles of vulcanized rubber dispersed in a binder resin such as polyethylene are stabilized to reduce degradation by ultraviolet light by dispersing in the binder resin an effective amount of an ultraviolet stabilizer such as 0.1 to 10% by weight of carbon black.

Abstract: An array of coupons is releasably adhered to an underlying support card for easy transport, storage, and redemption. Each coupon and underlying adhesive layer is peeled off as needed. The merchant presses it onto an imprinted space on a store-maintained tracking form. The card has a central support layer of card stock, a bottom layer of reinforcing transparent plastic, and a coupon array layer formed from peel-off label stock.

Abstract: A permanent magnet motor or actuator, such as the voice coil motors used in disk drives to position read/write heads, with an armature to magnet interface or junction modified to expand the magnetic material into regions of the armature that carry less than the maximum possible magnetic flux so as to have increased flux strength without inducing leakage of the flux out of the armature. Reduced flux regions include outside corners of the armature, places where the flux divides into two paths, and parts of the armature that have comparatively longer flux lines.

Abstract: A molded plastic seedling tray with an array of depressions thereon, with holes in the bottom of the depressions, each depression comprising a germination cell for growing plants. A perimeter side wall around the edge of the tray holds the germination cells up from the supporting surface so as to insure an air circulation chamber under the cells. Indexing holes are formed in the perimeter at intervals equal to the space between cells so that a planting machine can engage the holes and index the cells by one hole at a time, and thus one cell at a time. The indexing holes also provide root drying ventilation to enable self pruning.

Abstract: The readback oscillations from a ceramic-ferrite composite head are substantially reduced by applying a dampening material, such as an epoxy coating, to the surface of the slider body--preferably to one or both side edges or to the trailing edge of the slider body.

Abstract: A fitting for connecting together porous and non-porous irrigation tubing, threaded garden hose, and pipe with conventional pipe thread. Some openings in the fitting have both exterior male threads to engage the hose and interior compression rings to engage the tubing. Another opening in the fitting is provided with pipe threads to allow connection to ordinary threaded risers used in underground distribution systems.