Abstract: A combination airport air and ground transportation marker and airport traffic way comprises broad, substantially coextensive first and second sheets of pliant material each having a perimeter edge formed with a fluid ballast bladder formed with a fluid inlet for permitting intake and outtake of fluid relative to the bladder for filling and relieving the bladder, and a relief vent for relieving pressure in the bladder during the filling of the bladder with fluid and the relieving of the bladder of fluid. The first sheet is splayed out onto an airport traffic way, and the second sheet is splayed out onto the airport traffic way overlying the first sheet of pliant material, whereby the first and second sheets cooperate forming a marker for the airport traffic way. A charge of fluid fills each of the bladders fluid ballasting the marker relative to the airport traffic way.

Abstract: A bath accessory collection, holder, and storage device includes a base, and a scoop, removably couplable to the base, having a drain for draining liquid therefrom. A handle is attached to the scoop, which is used to wield the scoop. A hanger is carried by one of the base and the scoop, which is used to suspend at least one bath accessory thereon. In another embodiment, there is a clamp carried by one of the base and the scoop, which is capable of grippingly holding at least one bath accessory. The base is furnished with a shelf for receiving and supporting bath accessories thereon. An engagement element is carried by one of the base and the scoop, and a detachably engagable complemental engagement element carried by the other of the base and the scoop. Preferably, the device presents the appearance of an object or thing designed to promote interest in the device by children and for encouraging use of the device when the scoop is attached to the base.

Abstract: A ceiling fan assembly includes a hanger bracket secured to a conventional overhead support member and a fan motor depending from the hanger bracket. A housing encapsulating the fan motor and the hanger is detachably secured by a detent engagement means. An element of the detent engagement means is integral with the hanger bracket and a complemental element of the detent engagement means is integral with the housing. When engaged, the housing obscured the detent engagement means.

Abstract: An access floor assembly includes a base floor, a substructure mounted to the base floor, a bearing plate, formed with a first cavity, mounted to the substructure and disposed at an elevated location relative to the base floor, an isolator plate, formed with a second cavity, overlying the bearing plate, a ball disposed between the bearing plate and the isolator plate contacting the first and second cavities, and a floor plate coupled to the isolator plate and together forming an access floor disposed at an elevated location relative to the base floor.

Abstract: Finishing a seal assembly as a unit is proposed, which prevents alignment of the end gaps of the annular body and the annular ring of the seal assembly, provides the ability to manufacture the seal assembly to very low tolerances, and establishes virtually perfect parallelism between the upper and lower surfaces of the seal assembly. A finishing process is characterized by lapping a seal assembly as an assembled unit with a lapper using gritted oil as a polishing medium.

Abstract: A system and method for the facilitation of sales for items or services between vendors and buyers through an intermediary platform. The sale of these goods or services would be implemented utilizing a haggling process in which the intermediary and each individual buyer would bargain for a final sale price of that item. Generally, each of the vendors provides the intermediary with a retail sale price and a minimum sale price for each of the items. Thereafter, a buyer would counter the retail price for each of the items with an offer presumably below the retail price. Haggle tables are utilized to allow the intermediary to counter the buyer's initial offer as well as subsequent counter offers by the buyer. Once a sale price for the particular item or service is finalized, the item would be delivered or service rendered to the buyer and the vendors account with the intermediary would be credited to reflect this purchase.

Abstract: Methods for diagnosing and identifying genetic and metabolic factors associated with a physiologic procoagulant predisposition for and concurrent activation of the coagulation response in patients suffering from conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, Gulf War illness and cardiovascular disease are disclosed. Diagnostic assays utilized in the methods include measurement of blood levels of Protein C, Protein S, antithrombin, activated protein C resistance, prothrombin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, lipoprotein (a) and homocysteine. Treatment regimens include anticoagulant therapies comprising administering warfarin or heparin as needed.

Abstract: A valve assembly is constructed for use in a filtering system including a pump and a filter with an inlet and an outlet, for example those systems used in conjunction with swimming pools. The assembly includes a valve body with a pump inlet, a filtered output, a waste-water disposal outlet, a filter inlet, and a filter outlet. Pairs of a plurality of plunger heads are positioned within the valve body to provide a plurality of modes of operation, the pairs of plunger heads being positioned within the valve body in one of a filtering mode, a backwash mode, and a direct mode in which flow from the pump is directly into the waste-water disposal outlet. The pairs can be affixed on two different interchangeable plungers or moveably positioned on a single plunger.

Abstract: Fishing hook tying apparatus includes a housing with a shaft mounted therein for rotation about the longitudinal axis. An end of the shaft protrudes from one end of the housing to form a chuck including resilient jaws and a longitudinally movable collar. The chuck is formed to grasp the shank of a fishing hook in a closed-jaws position and to release the fishing hook in an open-jaws position. A lanyard with a free end and an end attached to the shaft has a wound-position and an unwound-position. A spring is attached to the shaft and to the housing so as to produce a winding bias on the shaft when the lanyard is moved from the wound-position to the unwound-position. The winding bias tends to rotate the shaft from the unwound position of the lanyard to the wound position of the lanyard.

Abstract: A trailer includes a ramp having an end attached to the trailer for pivotal movement of the ramp between a raised gate position and a lowered, inclined loading position. An elongate support is attached to the trailer adjacent to the end of the ramp, and a tension spring encircles the support and has a first tag end coupled to the end of the ramp and a second tag end coupled to the trailer and winding and unwinding in response to movement of ramp between the raised gate position and the lowered, inclined loading position, respectively.

Abstract: A hanger assembly for depending a ceiling fan from a overhead includes a hanger bracket securable a support member integral with the overhead. A down rod suspended from the hanger bracket has a lower end adapted for engagement with the ceiling fan. A canopy has a central opening through which the down rod is received and an upper rim which receives the sidewall of the hanger bracket. The upper rim of the canopy is secured to the hanger bracket by a plurality of screws having heads exposed on the outside of the upper rim of the canopy. A rim cover which fits over and encapsulates the screw heads is engagable with the canopy in snap engagement.

Abstract: Apparatus for preventing fluid transfer through an opening connecting an oviduct to a uterine cavity includes a body having a base with a periphery and a seal carried by the body for overlying and engaging uterine tissue leading to the opening. The seal receives fibroblast in-growth to create a hermetic seal between the oviduct and the uterine cavity. A peripheral anchor portion extends from the base for securing the body to the uterine tissue leading to the opening, the base overlying the opening.