Abstract: A bailer having multiple check valves to minimize leakage of sample fluid from the bailer. A primary check valve assembly including a ball and a seat are disposed at a lower end of the bailer. At least one auxiliary check valve assembly is positioned above the primary check valve assembly. When a first auxiliary check valve closes, the hydrostatic pressure applied to the primary check valve is reduced significantly and leakage through the primary check valve is reduced. When a second auxiliary check valve closes, the hydrostatic pressure applied to the first auxiliary check valve is reduced and the same benefits are obtained for the first auxiliary check valve. Particulate matter is collected in an annular trough formed in the primary check valve assembly and in pockets that form a part of each auxiliary check valve assembly.

Abstract: A balloon angioplasty apparatus includes a guide wire, a balloon catheter, and a guide catheter. The balloon catheter has slots formed in it to define a plurality of elongate members between the slots. A joint is formed at the proximal, distal, and mid-point of each elongate member. Displacing the proximal and distal joints toward one another causes the respective middle joints to displace radially outwardly, and radial inward travel of the middle joints is caused by increasing the distance between the proximal and distal joints. A mesh that captures emboli overlies the jointed members and opens and closes with them. The guide catheter is used to close the joined members and the emboli-capturing mesh at the conclusion of the angioplasty procedure. In a second embodiment, the jointed members are formed in a delivery catheter. In a third embodiment, the jointed members are formed in a guide wire.

Abstract: A balloon angioplasty or stenting apparatus includes a guide wire, a balloon catheter ensleeving the guide wire, and a guide catheter ensleeving the balloon catheter. The balloon catheter has slots formed in it to define elongate members between the slots. A joint is formed at the proximal, distal, and mid-point of each elongate member. Displacing the proximal and distal joints toward and away from one another causes the respective middle joints to displace radially outwardly and inwardly, respectively. A mesh that captures emboli while allowing blood perfusion partially overlies the jointed members is opened and closed when the jointed members are opened and closed. A guide wire having an outer coil and an inner rod slideably received within it has jointed members formed in the outer coil. The mesh is opened and closed by axially retracting and advancing the inner rod with respect to the outer coil, respectively.

Abstract: 13A miniature, highly decorative kite that flies indoors or outdoors is made by cutting a small piece of tissue paper into any preselected shape, including the shape of a standard diamond-shaped kite. Very finely cut bamboo sticks serve as the frame of the miniature kite and are adhered to a first side of the kite body to form a frame that maintains the preselected shape. Two elongate ribbons are secured to one another at their respective leading ends and are secured to the trailing end of the kite body. A string is attached to the apex of a triangular flap that is adhered to a second side of the kite body. The flap is folded at its base so that it lies in a plane perpendicular to the kite body when functioning. The kite flies in the slightest breeze and may be flown indoors.

Abstract: A prosthetic lock assembly of the ratchet type for connecting a liner for a prosthetic socket to a prosthesis. The lock assembly includes a two part locking mechanism held together by suitable fasteners. Removal or loosening of the fasteners enables a user to separate the two parts from one another in the event a sock gets into and jams the locking mechanism. In a first set of four embodiments, a latch is formed in a first part of the locking mechanism and in a second set of four embodiments, the latch is formed in a second part of the locking mechanism. In all embodiments, an elongate latching pin that depends from a prosthetic socket liner has annular ratchets formed in it along its length and the latch selectively engages the latching pin between the ratchets.

Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder machine includes at least one pusher that follows a loop-shaped path of travel as the machine operates. The pusher pushes an insert into an envelope during a forward and downward part of its path of travel and then retreats rearwardly and upwardly along the loop-shaped path of travel before repeating an insertion. In this way, the pusher makes no abrupt changes in its path of travel. Very high rates of insertion are made possible by providing multiple pushers at longitudinally spaced apart intervals along the loop-shaped path of travel. A stop plate is integrally formed with each pusher assembly and a fixed position barrier is mounted on the machine adjacent the rearward end of the loop-shaped path of travel to prevent over-rotation of each pusher member at very high speeds.

Abstract: The cost of building a five thousand pound boat lift is substantially cut in half by using three pilings instead of four. The three pilings include a pair of outboard pilings and a single inboard piling. A boat-supporting cradle includes a leading frame member having an outboard end positioned near a leading piling of the pair of outboard pilings and an inboard end positioned near the single inboard piling. A trailing frame member has an outboard end positioned near a trailing piling of the pair of outboard pilings and an inboard end positioned near the single piling. A longitudinally disposed brace interconnects the leading and trailing frame members near their respective outboard ends and a longitudinally disposed plate interconnects the frame members near their respective inboard ends. An equalizer assembly is pivotally mounted to the plate and opposite ends of the equalizer assembly are connected by separate cables to a winch that surmounts the single piling.

Abstract: 10A golf putter having a moment of inertia in the 12,000-28,000 gm/cm2range. The main body of a putter blade is disposed in trailing relation to a ballstriking surface and includes a frame part formed of a preselected light-in-weight material. The frame part has enlarged openings at its toe and heel ends for receiving toe and heel weight members. The toe and heel weight members are formed of a preselected material heavier than the material that forms the frame part. One embodiment has a length of about seven and one-half inches, a weight of about five hundred fifty grams, and a moment of inertia of about 28,000 gm/cm2.

Abstract: A three piling boatlift includes an inboard piling to which is secured a master/slave cable assembly. A first master cable extends from a first end of a master drum to a first outboard piling and a second master cable extends from a second end of the master drum to a second outboard piling. A first slave cable extends from a first end of a slave drum to a first inboard end of a boat lift cradle and a second slave cable extends from a second end of the slave drum to a second inboard end of the boat lift cradle. The slave drum is interconnected to the master drum so that winch-driven rotation of the master drum effects simultaneous and corresponding rotation in the slave drum. The weight of a boat lifted by the boatlift is distributed equally between four cables and all four cables are wound and unwound in synchronization with one another.

Abstract: A golf club carrier includes a central support that forms one of three legs that support the carrier when in use. The two other legs are provided by bending a flexible and resilient rod at its mid-point and pivotally interconnecting the rod at that mid-point to an upper end of the central support. Three point stability is provided when the legs are pivoted relative to the central support. A detent member mounted to the central support captures the legs to position them in a storage position. The inherent bias of the rod urges the legs to resume a divergent relation to one another when they are released from the detent member. A top ring and a cup are secured to a first side of the central support and support at least seven clubs. Auxiliary devices are mounted to a second side of the central support to avoid interference.

Abstract: The invention describes a tubular burner consisting of a cylindrical tubular body initially open at either end into which a distributor component can be slidingly fitted. The tubular body is provided with rows of apertures over a narrow area of the uppermost surface thereof to give the burner a flame strip. The distributor is substantially the same axial length as the tubular burner body but of smaller cross-sectional dimension than said body allowing for sliding fitment of the distributor inside the burner body. In accordance with the invention, the distributor has a first tubular portion and a second extension portion which is effectively a continuation of the upper surface of said first tubular portion, and both the tubular portion and extension portion of the distributor are provided with axially aligned flanges on either aide having a number of perforations.

Abstract: A substantially leak-free bailer includes an improved valve assembly at its lowermost end. A valve body is mounted to the lowermost end of a valve stem and the valve stem is slideably received within and guided by a central bore formed on a support member that spans the hollow interior of the bailer at its lowermost end. The valve body may be hemispherical, frusto-conical, or elongate and downwardly tapered. The valve seat is configured to match the contour of the valve body. An annular ridge circumscribes the valve seat and serves as a barrier to particulate matter so that the valve body sits in the valve seat without interference from such particulate matter.

Abstract: A bailer that is substantially leak-free includes an improved valve housing at its lowermost end. A valve body in the form of a solid or hollow hemispherical ball is mounted at the lowermost end of a straight valve stem. The hemispherical valve body seats in a valve seat that matches the contour of the hemispherical exterior surface of the valve body. The valve body has a preselected specific gravity that enables it to float on the surface of the liquid fluid being sampled when the valve body is unrestricted. The valve stem is slideably received within and guided by a central aperture formed in a central hub of a spider member that spans the hollow interior of the valve housing. The spider is supported about its periphery by an annular shoulder formed in the interior sidewalls of the valve housing. The spider is inserted into the valve housing and pressed against the annular shoulder when the bailer is assembled.

Abstract: A prosthetic liner made of gel has an externally mounted fabric reinforcement at its distal end to limit pistoning of the residual limb. The fabric is substantially inextensible in a longitudinal direction but is extensible in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the residual limb. The fabric is provided in a single layer in one embodiment and in a double layer in a second embodiment, but in all embodiments a distal umbrella is secured to a distal end of the liner. A distal umbrella has a base embedded in the gel in a first embodiment. The base is disposed in overlying relation to the gel and in underlying relation to the fabric in a second embodiment. The gel is thickened at the distal end of the liner so that the durability and comfort level of the liner compares favorably with the durability and comfort of silicone liners. The liner is as easy to put on and take off as a sock, there being no need to roll the its liner onto the residual limb.

Abstract: Improvements in high-speed machines for inserting sheets into envelopes include a first apparatus for pre-opening envelopes after they are pulled from a hopper and before a blade-like envelope flap opener fully opens them. The first apparatus includes a roller and a roller housing having a top part that defines a small space between them through which a flap-including longitudinal edge of an envelope passes. The edge is constrained to form a curvature as it passes through the small space, causing the flap to open at least to some extent. A second improvement in pre-openers includes a cut out formed in an envelope support plate and a rigid deflector positioned in the path of the envelopes as they leave the hopper. The envelope flaps are partly opened as they are deflected below the plane of the support plate. A third improvement includes a plurality of vacuum dishes formed in an envelope-supporting plate.

Abstract: An apparatus having one or two steps at the election of a user. The apparatus is stored under a counter in a space that is normally wasted. When in its single step configuration the apparatus has a generally parallelepiped appearance and includes a transversely disposed front wall, longitudinally extending side walls, a transversely disposed rear wall, and a top wall that provides a first step. A folding line formed in the top wall enables a trailing section of the structure to be rotated until the rear wall lies in a horizontal plane and provides a second step. A transverse rod facilitates rotation of the second step and the transverse rod supports the second step after it has been deployed. The rod has a telescoped construction and permits lowering of the second step when the user exerts an axial force against the rod.

Abstract: A bailer having a slow rate of descent into a liquid body to minimize agitation. In a first embodiment, a plug closes the upper end of the bailer and a perforation is formed in the plug. Air in the hollow interior of the tubular main body of the bailer is constrained to flow through the perforation as the bailer fills. A back pressure created by the air prevents rapid descent of the bailer and thus prevents rapid filling of the bailer. When the bailer is being emptied, the perforation prevents a vacuum from forming in the space below the plug and above the liquid level, but it provides a partial vacuum and therefore slows down the rate of flow of the liquid as it exits the bailer. Covering the perforation with a thumb creates a vacuum above the liquid level and stops the flow of liquid from the bailer. This eliminates the need for a tool that unseats the valve of the bailer from its valve seat.

Abstract: A high-speed sheet feeder includes a separator wheel having a diameter of about three inches. A curved metal shroud having a low friction surface is disposed in close proximity to the wheel. The shroud has first and second straight parts that are disposed about ninety degrees relative to one another, and a curved part that interconnects the straight parts. The curvature substantially conforms to the curvature of the separator wheel. The second straight part of the shroud is parallel to a conveyor belt and has a slot formed in it so that the separator wheel engages sheets below the second straight part. The large diameter of the separator wheel, which is about double the diameter of prior art separator wheels, and the unique shape and extent of the shroud combine to enable a sheet feeder to handle sheets of widely varying thickness.

Abstract: Jewelry items such as rings, bracelets and necklaces are made of pop beads of novel construction. The structure includes a spherical body from which extends in a radial direction an elongate, flexible neck having a ball formed on its distal free end. The neck is sufficiently long to enable it to be formed into a loop so that it can be press fit into a socket formed on the opposite side of the same spherical body, and the neck is adapted to receive a plurality of strung beads to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the item. In a second embodiment, the neck is not long enough to enable it to be formed into a loop, but is sufficiently long to receive at least one strung bead so that bracelets and similar items are made by connecting a plurality of the pop beads together with strung beads being positioned between the respective spherical bodies of the pop beads. Additional embodiments include pop beads that depend from barrettes, eyeglass holders, lanyard hooks, and similar articles.