Abstract: A bait container has a housing, a top and bottom which at least partially surround the bait. A nozzle having a funnel portion and a bait-dispensing exit end extends from the top. A flow-inducement chamber permits a flow stream to be created which carries the bait into the bait-restraining exit end of the nozzle when the container is tipped. The fluid will drain through primary flow passages into the flow-inducement chamber and out of the chamber back into the housing through a secondary flow passage. A strap on the bait container permits the container to be suspended from a shoulder or waist of the fisherman. A stopper keeps the bait in the bait-dispensing portion until the fisherman is ready to dispense the bait into her/his hand. An insert for the exit end of the nozzle can permit different size bait to be dispensed one at a time.

Abstract: A water-resistant scope shade is provided having a sun shielding barrel which includes a barrel grasping collar and a barrel body, and a pivotal hood affixed to the barrel. The sun shielding barrel is removably attached to a sighting end of a telescopic sight of a rifle.pivotal hood includes lens of a circular configuration to be fittingly received on a collar of the pivoting hood.

Abstract: A video cassette includes a skeletal structure with a polymeric sheet material stretched over its transverse faces and weighs less than 1 oz. to reduce shipping costs on high volume mailings. The polymeric sheeting material which may, for example, be vinyl or mylar with pre-printed graphics is attached using a heat staking process or an adhesive.

Abstract: A toe cap is a reinforcement member made of thermoset structural composite material with a tensile strength of 30,000 psi, a tensile modulus of 2.5×106 psi, a compression strength of 35,800 psi, a specific gravity of 1.85, and a Barcol hardness of 65. More preferably, the material has a tensile strength of at least 50,000 psi, a tensile modulus of at least 3.8×106 psi, a compression strength of at least 42,000 psi, a specific gravity of at least 1.90, and a Barcol hardness of at least 70. A suitable family of materials is a thermoset vinyl ester based sheet molding compound reinforced with glass fiber and/or carbon fiber. The sheet molding compound has fiber content of about 63% and a typical fiber length of one inch. The maximum wall thickness of the upper portion of the toe cap is in the range of between 0.100 inch and 0.250 inch.

Abstract: A swing assembly suitable for children ages new borne through 12 months has a seat member that surrounds the child, and a disk-shaped base with support legs extending upwardly therefrom. The width of the base exceeds the vertical extent of the swing assembly making it extremely stable. The base includes a stationary base that supports a rotational base to permit turning throughout 360° about a vertical axis. The swing may be oscillated by manual and/or mechanized members. The dimensions of the swing are such that it can be easily maneuvered around, moved about and transported to other locations.

Abstract: A support assembly for a precision gauge includes a base block, a support post, a platform which can be coarse adjusted up and down the post using a locking screw, and an support arm which has a portion received by a hollow end of the platform. A fine adjustment screw moves the support arm with the attached precision gauge vertically up and down two dowel pins secured within the hollow portion of the platform. The base block is machined to within 0.0001 inch smoothness to permit the machined element to be measured to be positioned directly on the base block.

Abstract: A radially soft drive coupling for reducing vibration transmitted across the coupling in certain marine drive applications. The elastomeric elements interconnecting the hub and housing are precompressed by an amount which is at least in the range of 15-20% to produce significant radial and torsional softening of the spring rate of the elastomer. The radial spring rate whose magnitude expressed in lb/in is in the range of between one half and three times the magnitude of said design torque level expressed in lb-in.

Abstract: A personal water slide has a first series of tubes which cushion the impact of a user launching her/himself onto the extended plastic surface. A second series of tubes each having a diameter at least twice the diameter of the tubes in the first series are positioned along the lateral periphery and help reduce the tendency to slip off the sides of the water slide. An optional third series of tubes permit a hose to be connected thereto and pin hole openings in these tubes form an arched spray which wets the surface of the slide. A flap may extend from each end of the extended plastic surface to permit attachment of two lengths of water slide and attachment of various accessories.

Abstract: A housing has five sockets extending beyond the front face thereof, spaced to simultaneously engage the lug nuts securing a wheel to a vehicle. Each socket has secured to a peripheral portion a satellite gear that engages a universal gear. The universal gear has a drive surface allowing it to be driven in a conventionally opposite direction to simultaneously remove the lug nuts and then driven in the opposite rotational direction by a pneumatic wrench to simultaneously secure the lug nuts securing the replacement wheel to the vehicle, greatly reducing the time needed for a wheel/tire change. This tool has the potential for greatly reducing the time required for a pit stop in stock car racing giving a huge advantage to the team so equipped.

Abstract: A tracking system employs a strip of readily magnetizable material adhered to at least one edge of a conveyor belt used with a magnetic roll separator. The magnetic field produced by the head roller of the conveyor belt produces a continuous centering force which acts on the easily magnetized material providing proper tracking for the conveyor belt. The readily magnetizable material can be attached directly to either surface of the belt, have an edge portion of the belt wrapped around it or, in the form of a woven wire mesh, have the belt integrated into it by vulcanization. The strip of material may be continuous or intermittent.

Abstract: A frictional cord lock for use in locking one portion of a single length of cord relative to another. A first embodiment includes a cylindrical, barrel-shaped member having a cylindrical wall substantially surrounding a longitudinal axis, has a first cord end fixed in one opening in the cord lock. Second and third tear-drop shaped openings lie along a common axis that forms an angle with the longitudinal axis and receive a second portion of the cord, the first opening lying vertically between said the second and third openings. The cord slides freely in second and third openings when pulled along their common axis but locks when subjected to non-axial forces. The non-axial forces pull the cord into the v-shaped portion of the openings pinching the cord and securing them in place. A second embodiment employs a generally horizontal v-shaped channel to lock the cord in place.

Abstract: A carrier permits a parachute washer to be mounted in a recess in a push-on wheel. The carrier has a flange that engages a shoulder in the recess to provide proper positioning and alignment. The parachute washer is held in a hat-shaped slot by a bump so that the hole through the washer is sufficiently coaxial with a first opening in the carrier to permit the wheel, carrier and washer to be slipped onto the axle. Should wheel removal be necessary for any reason, a dowel rod may be inserted in an opening in the opposite side of the carrier and the axle driven out of the washer.

Abstract: A rigid bar of material is fastened to a circuit board to increase its stiffness. The bar is preferably a high modulus plastic such as liquid crystal polymer. Flexible fingers which surround a central opening are formed integrally with the bar and pop into throughbores in the circuit board. Each finger has at least one arcuate protrusion and, preferably several, which can engage the bottom of the circuit board. A rigid pin which may be made of steel is slid into the central opening and has an interference fit therewith to hold it in place to prevent flexible fingers from moving inwardly so the stiffener is held fast to the circuit board. In one embodiment, the stiffener has an I-beam cross section and arches enhancing the resistance to bending.

Abstract: A generally rectangular sheet which has a plurality of holes arranged in vertical and horizontal rows is secured into any of a variety of different sized sleeves. This may be accomplished by the use of a lace or strand being woven through overlying holes, by the use of two-piece rivets, or by the use of nubs extending from a first surface adjacent one edge of the sheet being received in holes adjacent the opposite edge. A bottom for the sleeve can be formed by interweaving the strand or by a separate bottom member that is attached by two-piece rivets or arms. These arms may be received in a horizontal row of holes directly or nubs on the arms may extend into the holes. The attachment nubs can be shaped to be received in complimentarily shaped holes in the sheet and may involve a sliding into a recess sized to receive a head portion of a button. An extending tab can be used to secure the personal carrier to a belt or shoulder strap to secure it to a portion of the body of the user.

Abstract: A hollow, L-shaped plastic block has a protrusion on a first end and a recess on the opposite end which fit together to form a retaining wall. A rod extends between openings in the protrusion and the recess to secure adjacent blocks against lateral movement. Alternating ribs and grooves are formed in two laterally extending surfaces and a horizontally extending surface to reinforce them against bulging and to provide passageways for runoff. Rebar is used to attach the blocks to the underlying and adjacent soil. A hole may be cored in an upper surface, fill selected from the group of sand, soil, rock, cement and water inserted, and the cored plug reattached using spin welding.

Abstract: A tubular first member receives a compressible article and, a flat circular member is zip-locked to the first member to create a waterproof, gas-impermeable protective satchel for the article. A one-way valve secured to one of the first and second members allows the compressible article and the satchel containing it to be squeezed to drive out any excess air stored within the article allowing it to be stored at a volume which is as much as 50% reduced from its normal volume.

Abstract: A flat oblong piece of brightly colored, durable, stretchable elastomeric material has a pair of apertures spaced by approximately 2″ less than the outermost reaches of the cleat arms. The visual guard may be stretched over the arms of the cleat and provides a visual warning to passersby without interfering with the function of the cleat: a rope may be attached above or below the guard without inhibiting its function.

Abstract: Skates having increased lateral stability for use in speed skating and hockey. A primary blade is provided with first and second secondary blades which extend laterally outwardly from the primary blade at angles therefrom. In a first preferred embodiment, these secondary blades extend outwardly at equal 45° angles and engage the surface of the ice when the primary blade tilts either direction through an angle of 45°. In a second preferred embodiment, the inner secondary blade extends outwardly at a lesser angle of say 30° so that double blade engagement of the ice can be more easily accomplished for sprinting situations.

Abstract: A plastic duct section is equipped with integral connections on its ends. Each duct has indicia along its running length to facilitate cutting of the duct to a desired length. In one embodiment, the indicia may take the form of equally spaced circumferential ribs spaced along the length of the duct. These ribs are engaged by sets of fingers extending toward each other from concentric walls spaced to receive the straight end of an adjacent duct section. The innermost end of the concentric walls is equipped with a layer of insulative material to enable sealing engagement between duct sections significantly reducing pressure loss. Attached straps permit duct sections to be easily suspended between adjacent joists. A floor-mounted elbow boot is equipped with a removable plastic cover to prevent dust, dirt and debris from accumulating in the installed heating duct during finish construction of the building.

Abstract: A weather head electrical connection box enables electrical connection to a home or business without the need for splicing. The box contains three splice blocks which have two sets of orifices equipped with set screws, a first set for the power feed and the second for the service entrance cable from the customer's building. These connector blocks are of conductive material and transmit power from the in feed to the service entrance cable without the need for splicing. The connection box is provided with a removable cover that may be provided with a pivot finger that engages in a slot secured to the bottom of the box and may be closed by a wire to restrict access to the box. The housing may be alternatively attached to the top of a service pipe that extends above the roof or to the side of a house.