Abstract: This invention relates to the art of fishing rods having open-faced spinning reels and especially to a thumb-operated touch rod for mounting on the top of the rod handle to be in cooperation with only special spinning reels which are furnished with an automatic bail release, sometimes known as a "Touch Bail". These special spinning reels were designed with an automatic bail release mechanism whereby the fishing line holding and release thereof is attained through manipulation of the line pickup bail by the user's index finger. A large proportion of anglers are more adept in the use of their thumbs in operating various maneuvers during fishing than in the use of their index fingers because some anglers have short fingers and have difficulty in grasping the rod handle and simultaneously manipulating the line pickup bail. This invention comprises a thumb-operated touch rod which is clamped to the rod handle above the spinning reel.

Abstract: This safety shield is collapsible and for use with a vertical drill press to protect the press operator from injury. The shield includes a pair of interconnected telescoping hollow cylinders, with the top cylinder of elongated shape that is mounted to a non-rotating, vertically movable drill housing member, while the lower cylinder is also of elongated shape and it is suspended from the top cylinder and is capable of telescoping with respect to the top cylinder. The top end of the top cylinder has a novel adjustable clamping collar so the collar may expand and contract, and fastening means are used for tightening and loosening the collar with respect to the drill housing member. The lower cylinder of the shield is also fitted with an enlarged collar adjacent its top end of about the same size as the adjustable collar of the top cylinder.

Abstract: Apparatus is mounted on the rear of a riding lawn mower for utilizing a large supply of large size plastic sheet tubing to form plastic bags as needed for receiving the grass cuttings being discharged from the lawn mower, so that the mower operator need not leave his seat on the lawn mower in order to seal the plastic bag after it is full of cuttings, and to discharge the bag away from the lawn mower. This apparatus is vertically mounted. The grass cuttings are blown to the top of the apparatus into a first air-release funnel. Beneath this funnel is a supply of large plastic sheet tubing folded lengthwise into an annular cartridge. A throttle section is positioned beneath the cartridge for collapsing the sheet tubing into a rope-like formation. Then a pair of vertically-spaced sealing tape dispensers serve to seal the rope-like formation at two locations. Then a cutter severs the plastic to complete sealing the top of a filled bag and for sealing the bottom of the next plastic bag to be filled.

Abstract: A circular dog-run and feeding station is provided with a shade so that the animal is free to exercise within a complete circle. There is a feeding bowl provided with a vertical bearing receiving an elongated stake that is driven into the ground where the bowl stabilizes the stake. An elongated pole is pivotally mounted to the stake above the bowl and a free end of the pole engages the ground. This free end of the pole is fitted with a flexible leash that is no longer in length than the pivoted pole. The free end of the leash is attached to the collar of the dog. An umbrella is mounted at the lower end of its vertical shaft to the upper end of the stake.

Abstract: A thumb-operated fishing line choke accessory that may be installed to an existing fishing rod for choking the line when preparing to cast, as well as for choking the line after the cast has been made in order to accurately pinpoint the drop of the lure being cast. The device has a clamping member that is adapted to be fastened to the front end of the rod handle, a thumb-engaging actuator member that is pivotally connected to the clamping member, and a movable collar that is carried by the rod and acted upon by the actuator and serves as an anchor for one end of a pair of parallel wire members that are supported along the length of the rod. There is a combined fishing line ring guide and choke member mounted intermediate the length of the rod, and it has an inclined guide frame supporting a smooth ring guide through which the fishing line extends, as well as a movable choke member that is attached to the other end of the pair of wire members.

Abstract: This low friction rotatable electrical connector is for use with coiled telephone cords to prevent the cord from becoming twisted and knotted-up. This connector is generally of insulating material formed by a hollow inner cylindrical member telescoped within a hollow outer cylindrical member. A pair of ball bearing members support the outer member on the inner member for rotation about a central longitudinal axis. The inner member has a single longitudinal split in one side for receiving a plurality of continuous conductive rings on the outer surface when the inner member is squeezed, and a first set of flexible insulated conductors extend through the interior of the inner member and then through this split for connection to these rings. A plurality of apertures are formed in the wall of the outer member in alignment with the conductive rings, and these apertures contain spring-biased balls in rolling contact with the rings.

Abstract: A one-way brake bleeder check valve is shown for use in bleeding entrapped air from the hydraulic wheel brake cylinders of automobiles and the like. This brake bleeder valve has a one-piece valve body that is mounted as a permanent part of a wheel brake cylinder. This valve body includes a longitudinal passage with a first section having its innermost end provided with a recessed valve seat. A second section of the passage is of larger diameter for receiving an adjustable valve sealing cap by means of a threaded connection. Positioned within the second section is a valve element for cooperation with the said recessed valve seat. The sealing cap has an innermost end provided with a second recessed valve seat in cooperation with a longitudinal passage through the cap that includes a compression spring that normally bears on the valve element to seal the valve element against the first recessed valve seat.

Abstract: A cover assembly is shown for a pickup truck having an open-topped bed. Supported from the top of the side panels of the truck bed is a track that is positioned within the bed and is formed by a pair of parallel rails of C-channel configuration, having an elongated slot extending longitudinally thereof and facing a similar slot on the other rail. The front end of each rail extends partially into a storage box that is fitted down into the truck bed at the front thereof, and this box extends transversely thereof. The track is furnished with a travelling rectangular frame having a pair of flexible side portions formed by a plurality of hinged slide bars that travel within the parallel rails. These slide bars are separated by a short link so that this travelling frame may fold into accordion folds when the frame is shifted forwardly into the storage box. A sheet of flexible material is fitted over the travelling rectangular frame for covering the truck bed.

Abstract: This invention relates to the art of high speed bottle filling machines and particularly to the use of a one-piece liquid filler tube that is inserted down through the neck of a bottle and is adapted to be joined to a tank of the bottle filling machine. The filler tube has an outer tube with an open upper end furnished with an external mounting that is joined to a tank of the bottle filling machine as well as capable of temporarily sealing the mouth of the bottle during the filling. The lower end of the outer tube has a conical tip with a series of large radially spaced discharge holes, and a second series of large radially spaced discharge holes formed in the outer tube adjacent the first series. A coarse mesh screen covers each discharge hole.

Abstract: A standard waterbed is shown having added thereto a sound wave system having four loudspeaker housings positioned within the floor pedestal of the bed beneath the supporting deck for the water-filled bladder mattress. Each of these loudspeaker housings is an airtight, acoustically insulated loudspeaker enclosure that supports a loudspeaker in the top portion thereof which faces upwardly to be in alignment with the plurality of openings formed through the deck. These loudspeakers are wired to an external balance control box that includes a volume control as well as a left and right hand and a head and foot speaker volume control capability. This external balance control box is wired to a stereo amplifier of a stereo radio and/or phonographic sound system, whereby the sound waves projected from the loudspeakers cause waves to form in the water within the mattress so that a person reclining on the mattress will feel as well as hear the sound and music passing through the mattress.

Abstract: A transparent perspective hand-held tracing board is shown for use with a sheet of transparent drawing material. This board is formed of a rigid plastic or glass panel. A measured pattern is imprinted on the panel to assist in judging distance and relative angles. A supporting handle is mounted from one side edge of the panel for use by one hand in holding the panel in space so that an object being drawn at a distance may be sighted both through the drawing material and the board, and the angle and distance of the board may be adjusted to fit on the said measured patterns so the object may be traced on the drawing material.

Abstract: A standard caulking gun is shown having two new features added thereto. The first feature is a replaceable razor blade that is clamped in a notched edge of one wall of the hollow trigger. In combination with the razor blade is a hole in an adjacent wall of the hollow handle. Over the hole is placed an adjustable adapter having various size angular openings for cutting the tip off of the nozzle of a caulking tube at a 45.degree. angle. The second new feature is an elongated pick built into the hollow handle to be retracted when not in use, and to be extendible for receiving the open nozzle thereover so as to pierce the seal of the tube.

Abstract: A combination one-way check valve and coupler assembly is shown for use in bleeding air from the wheel brake cylinders of automobiles and the like. This one-way check valve is adapted to be attached to a standard bleeder valve that is assembled to each wheel brake cylinder. One-way check valves have been used for this purpose before, but the present invention incorporates a coupler means between the one-way check valve and a standard bleeder valve that is positive and reliable in operation. This coupler means is in the form of a threaded nut that is threaded onto the inlet end of the valve body of the one-way check valve. The outermost end of this threaded nut is slotted from one side to create a spaced, three-sided flange that is capable of slipping over and behind the nipple of a standard bleeder valve so that when the nut is tigntened onto the check valve body, the nipple will be drawn into sealing engagement with a recessed valve seat of the inlet end of the check valve body.

Abstract: An outside rescue elevator system is shown for use on a high-rise building. The elevator system can be installed on existing buildings, as well as being included in new construction. The system includes a dual compartment track mounted vertically on the outside of the building, and a wheeled truck operating within one of the track compartments, and a dual cable system is included with the truck for raising and lowering the truck within the track. A portable elevator cab is connected to the truck, and the cab includes a pair of stabilizing wheels, so that the cab actually rides on a smooth vertical roadbed that extends up the exterior wall of the building.

Abstract: A knee and leg orthopedic exercising device is shown for use by a person that is seated in a chair. The device itself is a wide leg rest that may accommodate both legs of the user, although it could be used for one leg at a time. This leg rest has a side profile of an inverted capital T having a vertical shank portion that is supported from a generally perpendicular crown portion. The edge of one end of the crown portion is provided with an elongated roller which is adapted to roll upon a floor surface. The top side of the side of the crown portion which is remote from the roller serves as a footrest, while the side of the shank portion of the leg rest which is remote from the roller serves to support the shank of at least one of the legs of the user. This leg rest is provided with holding straps for holding the shank portion of the leg rest against the underside of the shank portion of the user's leg as the user flexes the leg between a vertical and an inclined, outstretched position.

Abstract: A solar panel is shown for use as a double panel window structure. It has an outer frame formed by an H-shaped extrusion that has one of its outermost legs shortened, and a pair of generally parallel legs or flanges that are inwardly directed of the frame. The outer surface of these flanges are furnished with a dual pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a width between 1/4 inch and 1 inch. A pane of transparent material is sealed around its periphery into engagement with the adhesive tape for forming a double pane solar panel. Several modifications are also shown for exerting a mechanical locking force on at least one of the panes.

Abstract: A metal concrete joint form is shown supported on a plurality of interlocking metal stakes for providing a positive, vertically-adjustable, strong locking action between these members. The top end of each stake is flattened and it has a plurality of closely-spaced vertically arranged serrations or ratchet formed on one side thereof. The concrete joint form is an elongated sheet metal member having an inverted hook portion at the top edge of the form with a downturned flange that has its lower edge hemmed on the inside and then folded outwardly to create an upwardly-inclined raw edge of the hem of the flange to serve as a locking pawl for cooperating with the vertical row of serrations or ratchet.

Abstract: Sectional scaffolding assemblies are widely used by craftsmen in the construction industry. Multiple levels of interlocking scaffolds are employed to reach high locations. The present invention is shown as a vertical hoisting pole or mast that is furnished with vertically-spaced clamp members located adjacent the lower end of the mast for coupling the mast to both an intermediate upright on an end frame of the scaffolding as well as to vertically-spaced rungs on the end frame. A pulley assembly is suspended from the top of the mast, and it includes a long rope acting with the pulley. One end of the rope is fitted with a loop that is adapted to be lowered over a top corner pin of the end frame. This loop carries an elongated push rod that has a hook formed on the free end thereof.

Abstract: A dental operating unit is shown for use behind the head of a reclining patient's chair. There is a central, floor-mounted dentist's dynamic instrument service cabinet and an elongated counter top that is elevated above the service cabinet a short distance thereby leaving a gap between the cabinet and the counter top, and there is a pair of pivoted bracket arms located within the gap above the service cabinet and beneath the counter top. One pivot bracket arm has an anchor pivot that supports the bracket arms, while the free end of the second bracket arm is attached to a dental assistant's unit; whereby this dental assistant's unit is supported by a pair of swinging bracket arms which are capable of moving so that the dental assistant's unit may be reversible from either the left side or the right side of the patient's chair.

Abstract: Wheel alignment testing apparatus is shown for use with the wheels of a motor vehicle. This apparatus is adapted for use with the racks of an alignment machine. A remote monitoring console would be provided with gauges for recording the reading of caster, camber, toe and turning radius angles of both front wheels of the vehicle. The apparatus includes two units, one unit for each front wheel. Each unit has a stationary base and a wheel-supporting platform or turntable with front and rear rails for centering the center of the wheel on the vertical turning axis of the turntable. A cross-bar transducer is supported from the turntable, and it is provided with electrical strain gauges at both the front and rear of the wheel for sensing either a positive or negative caster angle, as well as at both the left and right sides of the wheel for sensing either a positive or negative camber angle.