Abstract: A conventional electronic foot accelerator pedal of an electronic engine control module is fitted with a link one end of which engages the roller of the potentiometer arm on the pedal and the other end of which is disposed for releasable engagement with the plunger of an electric switch which is connected in an electric circuit of the electrically actuated engine brake or other electrically actuated device. As the pedal is pivoted to accelerate the engine, the link disengages from the electric switch plunger and opens the switch to deactivate the electrically actuated device. When the pedal is returned to the engine idle position, the link engages the switch plunger and closes the switch to activate the electrically actuated device.

Abstract: A decorative ribbon is shown including a controllable adhesive on the backside thereof for select placement on package material and select removal, if necessary, therefrom without damage to the package. The decorative ribbon according to the present invention may include incomplete die cutting to provide portions of the ribbon which may be selectively moved out of the plane of the ribbon, but remain attached to the ribbon body. Furthermore, the incomplete die cuts may define ribbon portions which may be torn from the ribbon body whereby, by use of the controllable adhesive on the backside thereof, the ribbon elements may be selectively placed about a gift package according to user preference. A stretch ribbon includes alternating transverse die cuts directed inward from outside edges of the ribbon whereby upon application of longitudinal forces the ribbon stretches beyond its natural length and assumes a three dimensional character.

Abstract: A guiding and gripping device for stapler is affixed in upright relation to the front surface of the stapler. The body member has a front contoured surface that receives a line being stapled and guides an unattached portion of the line in upright position along the front contoured surface. The front contoured surface also positions an unattached portion of the line laterally along the bottom surface in a position that is straddled by staples driven out of the bottom surface of the stapler. The front contoured surface includes a lower convex V-shaped groove for receiving an unattached portion of a line and that is bent thereover to impart friction to actual movement of the line. The front contoured surface also includes an upper projection having at least one guide surface offset laterally from the groove wherein a line that is bent over the groove and along one side of the laterally offset projection has angled engagement against the projection to further impart frictional clamping force on the line.

Abstract: The invention provides the peripheral edge portions of rigid sheet-like panels with locking edges arranged for mating, snap-fit locking engagement by panel connector members, whereby a plurality of panels may be connected together to form building structures such as doll houses, children's play houses, utility sheds and the like.

Abstract: A compound archery bow is provided with a power cable system in which two pairs of parallel, laterally spaced power cable stretch segments extend parallel to and symmetrical with respect to the operating plane of a bowstring extending between eccentric cams mounted on the outer ends of bow limbs by cam shafts. One end of each of the parallel power cable stretch segments of each pair is connected to a single cable end segment. The free end of each end segment is secured to a different one of the eccentric cams and the free ends of the associated pair of stretch segments are connected to spaced apart positions on the shaft that mounts the cam opposite the cam to which the associated single cable end segment is secured.

Abstract: Biodegradation of gasoline by microorganisms in soil and groundwater is achieved by improving the growing conditions for petroleum degrading microorganisms in the subsurface by introducing oxygen containing gas and soluble nitrogen into a system of closely spaced aeration columns extending vertically in the soil to below the groundwater surface. As the gas rises through the groundwater in the columns it oxygenates surrounding soil and groundwater and raises the water level in the columns above the groundwater table. This water level differential induces groundwater migration in the columns and in soil surrounding the columns, providing limited vertical circulation of groundwater in the soil.

Abstract: An archery bow stabilizer is formed of at least three elongated stabilizer rods secured at their inner ends to a base member mounted detachably on the handle of an archery bow and extending forwardly of the bow handle in parallel, circumferentially spaced-apart arrangement. At least one tuning slide member has elongated openings therethrough, spaced apart to match the spacing of the stabilizer rods and having a larger diameter than the rods for freely receiving the rods therethrough. A set screw is threaded into a threaded bore in the tuning slide member, the bore communicating with each opening, and a resilient pad on the inner end of the set screw is arranged to engage the associated stabilizer rod to secure the turning slide member to the stabilizer rods intermediate the ends of the rods, the pads allowing the rods to vibrate in the enlarged openings.

Abstract: An electric power supply that accommodates a wide range of input voltages utilizes a half wave rectifier connected to the input of a MOSFET switching transistor the output of which is connected to a power supply filter capacitor and a zener diode voltage regulator. A fold-back transistor is connected to the zener diode and is operable upon conduction of the zener diode to turn on just enough to cause the switching transistor to turn off just enough to maintain the voltage set by the zener diode and maintain the charge on the power supply filter capacitor. A latch transistor is connected to the MOSFET transistor and is operable during conduction of the fold-back transistor to cause the switching transistor to turn off. During the negative half cycle of the source voltage to the half wave rectifier, the power supply is turned off and the capacitor supplies all of the voltages and current to the circuit.

Abstract: An archery bowstring serving tool is provided in the form of an attachment to a conventional portable cordless electric power drill the motor of which provides the drive power for the tool. A drive bevel gear couples the drill motor output shaft to a driven bevel gear the body of which mounts a spool of serving line and a guide for delivering serving line through a radial slot in the gear body to an output guide which, upon rotation of the driven bevel gear, wraps serving line around bowstring extending through the radial slot at the axis of rotation of the driven bevel gear.

Abstract: A fluid pressure piston-cylinder drive unit is reciprocated automatically by coupling the opposite ends of the cylinder through delivery conduits to a source of fluid pressure and exhaust through a switching valve in which a longitudinally reciprocative spool has a pair of passageways which reversibly couple one end of the cylinder to the source of fluid pressure and the other end of the cylinder to an exhaust conduit. The opposite ends of the switching valve contain shift pistons each of which engages an end of the spool through a coil spring. The shift pistons abut the opposite ends of an elongated rod which extends freely through a bore in the spool. Bypass conduits couple the opposite ends of the cylinder through the delivery conduits one to each end of the valve body such that fluid pressure in one delivery conduit from the source is coupled to one end of the valve body while exhaust fluid pressure from the other delivery conduit is coupled to the other end of the valve body.

Abstract: A ball pitching device includes a ball feed tube mounted on support components which are adjustable about vertical and horizontal pivot axes to vary the horizontal and vertical positions of delivery of pitched balls relative to a practicing batter standing at the position of home plate. The device also includes a pair of ball projecting wheels rotated by electric motors the speeds of which are adjusted by controlling potentiometers. Eccentric cams are included in the support components for enabling incremental adjustments about the vertical and horizontal pivot axes, preferably without recognition by the practicing batter, to make incremental changes in the horizontal and vertical positions of delivery of pitched balls. The electric circuit of the drive motors also includes adjustable electric signal generators operatively connected to the support components providing for elevation adjustments, for effecting changes in motor speed in accordance with changes in elevation of the ball feed tube.

Abstract: A detachable mount for a rifle telescope sight includes front and rear clamp support bases configured for attachment to a rifle, the bases having in their lateral side walls a plurality of detents arranged to receive the rounded ends of mounting screws extending through laterally spaced legs on front and rear scope clamp members configured for mounting on a telescope sight. The plurality of detents on the front base are arranged on a common axis that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rifle barrel, and the plurality of detents on the rear base are arranged on a common axis that extends obliquely with respect to the axis of the front base detents, whereby to enable adjustment of the longitudinal axis of the telescope sight vertically relative to the rifle barrel. The spacing between the detents on the front base is different from the spacing between the detents on the rear base, whereby to ensure that a removed telescope sight must be returned to the same detents from which it had been removed.

Abstract: A vehicle tow bar includes a transverse cross member which mounts one pivotal, elongated leg assembly in fifth position at one end of the cross bar and a second pivotal, elongated leg assembly for movement across the cross bar between a collapsed condition closely adjacent the first leg assembly and an erected, operative position at the opposite end of the cross member. The ends of the leg assemblies opposite the cross member are connected to an apex frame which mounts a socket coupler component of a ball and socket type trailer hitch. Each leg assembly includes telescopic sections for adjusting the length of the leg assembly. A spring loaded locking piston in one leg section of each leg assembly is arranged, when the leg sections are extended, to project into a locking socket in the other leg section of the leg assembly, to secure the leg sections in extended condition.

Abstract: The heart rate of a subject during strenuous physical exercise is monitored accurately by feeding the plurality of electric signals of diverse amplitudes generated by transducers engaging the skin of the subject, to a variably controlled gain amplifier to adjust the amplitudes to within a predetermined amplitude range, feeding the adjusted amplitude signals to a slew rate filter formed of a pair of slew rate limiters to compare the slew rates of the adjusted signals, feeding the compared signals to a slew rate limit comparator to separate from the QRS waveforms representing heartbeat of the subject those interfering electric signals having slew rates outside the range of slew rates representing QRS waveforms, and monitoring the QRS waveforms.