Abstract: A holdback device for holding a door or gate in either an open or closed position is described. A plate member is affixed to a support, adjacent the vertical side edge of the door in the selected open or closed position, and is provided with an upstanding finger member and a pivotally mounted bail intermediate the ends thereof. A chain is secured to the vertical side edge of the door and is passed upwardly through the bail and the end is slipped over the end of the finger member, which is then allowed to fall back to its rest position and thereby secures the door in the selected open or closed position.

Abstract: A rope hammock, having a woven rope bed, a harness at each end of the bed and a stretcher at each end is described. The harness ropes are passed through respective holes in the stretcher and around loops at the ends of the bed. The harness ropes are then drawn back through the same holes and the free ends of the harness ropes are provided with stoppers to prevent them from pulling back through the holes when the hammock is in use.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shield operable by two persons. This shield advantageously comprises in combination: a shield body, said shield body having a front face and a rear face; at least first handling means positioned in central portion of a width of the rear face of said shield and intended to be shared by said persons; at least second handling means positioned in a periphery portion of the rear face of the shield and intended to be used by one of said persons; and at least third handling means positioned in a periphery portion of the rear face of the shield and intended to be used by the other of said persons. The said shield is utilized for protection in order to secure an aggressive individual within an enclosed area. It can also be used in riot control to prevent an aggressive crowd from advancement.

Abstract: A permanently knotted tie having an adjustable neck band is described. The tie comprises a tapered tubular section having a tie front section depending longitudinally therefrom and a tailpiece section depending longitudinally therefrom in the opposite direction to the front section. The tailpiece section is passed around the wearer's neck and the free end thereof is inserted through the tubular section to lie behind the front section, when viewed from the front. Releasable fastening means are provided to releasably secure the tailpiece section to either the front section or the tubular section.

Abstract: A holder for storing and dispensing an elongated flexible member, such as a rope, hose or electrical extension cord. A planar elongated handle member has a pair of planar parallel cross members, around which the flexible member is stored, extending perpendicularly therefrom and intermediate the ends thereof. Each cross member has a spring loaded end piece selectively pivotally movable between a closed position in which the flexible member is retained on the holder and an open position, perpendicular to the closed position, in which the flexible member can be rapidly removed from the holder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for highlighting hair is described. A frame, having a pair of parallel rods and a scalp engaging member mounted therebetween at the lower end, has a guide tube mounted parallel to the rods adjacent the upper end thereof, and a spring loaded plunger having a double prong at the lower end is mounted through the guide tube and concentric therewith. A treatment tube, usually made of aluminum foil, is placed over the guide tube and the apparatus is placed against the scalp. The spring-loaded plunger is operated to extend the prongs, which encircle selected strands of hair, and then released to draw the hair into the guide tube. The apparatus is then removed from the scalp and the treatment tube is pushed off the guide tube so as to contain the selected strands of hair within it. The lower end is then crimped around the hair, treatment solution is added and the top is crimped. After a selected treatment time the treatment tube is removed.

Abstract: A double, front loading, dishwasher comprising two side-by-side dishwashing cabinets each provided with a washing arm and either a common pump and motor or an individual pump and motor is described. Preferably, the dishwasher is designed to fit into an existing kitchen cabinet and even more preferably into an eye level kitchen cabinet so that while one cabinet is used to store clean dishes and cutlery the other cabinet is available to load and wash another set of dirty dishes. Storage of a set of clean dishes in the dishwasher saves time as the step of unloading the dishwasher to a separate storage cabinet is eliminated, as the clean dishes may be unloaded directly to the table.

Abstract: A portable and foldable shelter for use by ice fishermen and other outdoorsmen is described. A tripod of pole members, hingedly interconnected at one end, is covered with a canvas or plastics cover. A hinged tang is provided on the central pole member which can be secured to the ice and about which the erected shelter can be rotated to keep the open side thereof directly downwind in the event of a wind shift.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring differential and absolute concentrations of a selected gas, preferably oxygen, in two flowing gas streams is described. A reference gas and a sample gas in separate gas flow paths are passed at selected temperature, pressure and flow rate over a pair of gas sensors, connected in series with their cathodes or anodes connected together, which produce output signals proportional to the differential selected gas concentration between the sensors and the absolute selected gas pressure in each sensor. The output signals may be amplified and recorded by any conventional means.

Abstract: An everting toroid for use in delivering a powdered, fluid, or aerosolized pharmaceutical composition, or other composition, to an internal body cavity, such as the urethra, or other cavity, is contained within a tubular housing and may be extended therefrom and retracted back into the tubular housing. The composition may be distributed on the surface of the everting toroid when made from an impermeable membrane, contained within the toroid when made from a permeable membrane, or may be injected through the lumen thereof via an aerosol wand which releases the composition as the toroid and/or wand are withdrawn from the cavity.

Abstract: A method for detecting breaks in a prestressed wire, rod or bar embedded in concrete surrounding a metal pipe is described. A remote field eddy current probe is traversed axially internally through the pipe so as to create an energy flow path externally of the pipe and a transformer coupling through the pipe, and generate a signal in a detector coil axially spaced from an exciter coil. As the exciter coil traverses the wire, rod or bar containing the break a signal change is generated, regardless of the radial position of the detector coil relative to the break.

Abstract: Methods of treating dehulled or hull-less oat, i.e. oat groats, to produce oat pearlings, oat flour and oat bran products are described. Oat groats are abrasion milled to remove up to 15% by weight and produce pearled oat groats and pearlings. The pearlings are extracted sequentially with aqueous ethanol and hexane to produce an anti-irritant and a light oat oil, or with hexane to produce a dark oat oil and lipase. The pearled oat groats are steeped in an aqueous medium for up to 4 hours and then macerated to produce an enriched oat bran, from which an enriched beta glucan may be extracted; a refined oat flour, from which oat starch and oat protein may be extracted; and a pearled oat groat extract from which further products, such as an oat anti-irritant can be recovered.

Abstract: A method for reducing brightness reversion and yellowness (b*) of bleached mechanical wood pulps. The pulp is digested in an aqueous formaldehyde solution containing carbonate, preferably in an amount up to 30% by weight of pulp. Paper made from the digested pulp can be further improved by treating with a reversion inhibitor such as a polyethylene glycol bisthiol.

Abstract: A combination telescopic boat hook/bilge pump which includes a novel locking device is described. The inner tube is provided with a washer at the proximal end which acts with the outer tube as a piston. The ball tip distal end of the boat hook is provided with an axial bore so that water can be sucked into the outer tube for subsequent discharge. For use as a boat hook the inner tube is extended until a pair of spring loaded pins mounted in the inner tube at the proximal end thereof releasably engage any two of three circumferential slots provided adjacent the proximal end of the outer tube so as to provide an extended rigid shaft.

Abstract: Novel substantially odor-free polymeric thiol-containing antioxidant compounds suitable for preventing light induced brightness reversion or yellowing of pulps and papers and polymeric materials are described. The novel compounds are based on a polymeric backbone having thiolactate or thioglycolate groups grafted onto the ends thereof and are soluble in water or alcohol.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cell culture wherein cultured cells adhere and divide, in a monolayer, on an optically transparent planar electrode in the culture vessel. An electric current is applied between the planar electrode and a counter electrode so as to create an electric field between the electrodes which influences the characteristics of the cells growing thereon. In a preferred embodiment the planar electrode may be an optically transparent conducting layer coated onto the culture vessel bottom or the culture vessel may be made of an optically transparent electrically conducting material. The apparatus is particularly useful for the introduction of different biologically important molecules into cells or for cell fusion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly measuring nitrogenase activity of a nitrogen fixing plant growing in a medium in a non-porous container, is described. Gas containing hydrogen is sampled at the surface of the medium at a rate approximately equal to the rate of hydrogen diffusion from the medium, and the sample is passed to a hydrogen sensor where it is measured and nitrogenase activity is determined therefrom.

Abstract: An everting toroid for use in delivering a powdered or liquid or aerosolized drug to an internal body cavity, such as the urethra, is described. The drug may be distributed on the surface of the everting toroid or may be injected through the lumen thereof via an aerosol wand which is designed to release the drug as the toroid and/or wand are withdrawn from the body cavity.

Abstract: A method for producing thick ceramic films of greater than 10 .mu.m on selected substrates is described. Conventional sol gel solutions are loaded with up to about 90% by weight of finely divided ceramic particles and mixed. The resulting slurry or paint can be either spun or dip coated or sprayed or painted onto a planar or other substrate, fired to remove the organic materials and to develop a microcrystalline structure. The fired film may then be heated. Composite films are also contemplated.