Abstract: A Sleeve Valve for regulating the water level in ponds, lagoons and other wetlands which includes an outer tubular section of plastic pipe with a plurality of vertically spaced openings and an inner tubular section of plastic pipe that is disposed telescopically within, and rotatable relative to, the outer tubular pipe. This inner tubular pipe includes a plurality of vertically spaced openings that are positionally staggered about a circumference and arranged for selective alignment with one of the openings in the outer pipe. Each of the openings in the outer pipe are sealed against the outer wall of the inner pipe until rotation of the inner pipe causes alignment of a selected opening in the outer pipe with a corresponding opening in the inner pipe, thereby allowing water to pass only through such corresponding aligned openings. The water level is regulated by selecting and aligning corresponding openings in the outer and inner pipes at the water level desired.

Abstract: A sight window assembly and a method of making same, the assembly being comprised of a windowpane panel mounted directly and under radial compression within an annular window-opening of a vessel wall panel and having cooperative annular peripheral portions which are complementary in shape to the window-opening defining portions of the wall panel, said panels having cooperative, mechanical, annular, positive interlocking elements.

Abstract: A method of forming a frangible metal bullet core comprising providing an elongated inner heart member made up initially of a bundle of parallel zinc wires, twisting a plurality of zinc wires tightly around that bundle in a spiral path to cause the wires to inter-engage, deform and cohere to each other, and thereafter swaging the inter-engaged wires into the shape of a bullet core to cause the core, upon striking a target, to disintegrate into fragments smaller than the individual wires. Although copper, iron, and steel wires may be used, zinc made up of 99.99% pure zinc has been found to be preferable for forming such a core.

Abstract: A one piece shot cup (also commonly known as a shot pouch) designed especially for use in protecting the bore of a shotgun barrel when shooting hard shot made of a material such as tungsten or non-annealed steel. The cup is characterized by the use of shield members located opposite and outwardly of equally spaced tear lines which are defined by narrow areas of substantially weakened wall structure extending longitudinally of the cup. The shield members are connected to the wall structure of the tubular member only adjacent its closed rear end portion and are otherwise separate and free thereof. Portions of the tubular member extend between the circumferentially spaced shield members. The shield members prevent the shot, which ruptures the tear lines, from damaging the bore of the shotgun barrel. They also aid in holding the shot in an improved aligned relation to thereby improve the shot pattern.

Abstract: Nontoxic, biodegradable injection-molded, plastic shotshell components, and method of manufacturing same, the components having a fused degradation composition comprising as its active ingredients polycaprolactone, amide stearate and vegetable oil, the latter two enhancing the degradation activity of the polycaprolactone and imparting injection-moldability thereto.

Abstract: A non-toxic highly frangible training round bullet, and a method of making same, in which a plurality of segments of non-toxic metal selected from a group including zinc, iron, steel and copper are grouped or arranged within pressure-molding equipment and sufficient pressure is applied thereto to cause such segments to inter-engage and cohere, one to another, while being formed into a desired shape of bullet and retaining their individuality at least to a limited extent. Upon impact with a target, such a bullet fragments to a large extent along at least some of the original physical boundary lines of the original segments into new segments which are relatively small as compared to the size of the original segments. There is no substantial ricocheting or "bounce-back" activity associated with such fragmentation and, of course, there are no toxic effects.

Abstract: A non-toxic, highly frangible elongated soft-point training round bullet core which will disintegrate upon striking its target, for use in a training round in training exercises for law enforcement personnel and having a central heart of non-toxic metal selected from a group consisting of zinc, iron, steel, and copper with a plurality of wires of non-toxic metal selected from that group twisted around said heart throughout its length prior to being swaged into deforming and inter-engaging relation with the heart, and the core having been subsequently swaged into the shape of a soft-point nose of a bullet, with pressures sufficient to cause the strands of wire and the heart to inter-engage and deform while retaining their individuality at least to a limited extent, whereupon substantially all of the strands of the core, upon the core being fired and striking a target, will fragment along at least some of their original physical boundaries into discrete fragments smaller than the original size of the bullet.

Abstract: A wall forming apparatus for constructing monolithic concrete footings and walls of a building foundation which includes a plurality of relatively light-weight prefabricated wall forming panels connected together and positioned to form a plurality of opposing monolithic footing and wall forming units, each panel having an outer rigid framework from which an adjustable footing form depends, the opposing footing forms of the opposing footing and wall forming units being devoid of any structure extending directly therebetween, and the framework of each panel being constructed of sufficient rigidity and with sufficient cross-sectional dimensions so as to prevent canting and sagging of the footing and wall forming units formed by the panels when interconnected.

Abstract: A photo-degradable, molded, high strength plastic shotshell component having a degradation composition comprising as its combination of active ingredients linear polyethylene having a melt index of 0.1 to 5.0 and an ethylene-vinyl acetate-carbon monoxide terpolymer, the ratios by weight of which to said linear polyethylene is approximately 0.115:1 to 0.261:1 The ethylene-vinyl acetate-carbon monoxide terpolymer in its preferred composition has about 65% by weight of ethylene, 25% by weight of vinyl acetate, and 10% by weight of carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A diameter-measuring gauge for measuring the diameter of rods, pipe and the like comprised of a thin panel having a V-shaped recess formed in one of its side edges. The recess extends through the panel which carries a plurality of oppositely disposed shoulders along opposite recess-defining portions of the panel, the distance between said opposed shoulders being one of the standard diameters of rods, pipe, or the like. The distance between the shoulders of each pair is less than the distance between the shoulders of the adjacent outwardly disposed pair. Suitable indicia is carried at the surface of the panel to appropriately indicate the diameter of a rod or the like, which bears against the adjacent pair of shoulders. The gauge is simple, easy to use, and highly practical. In addition, it is inexpensive to manufacture and, as a consequence, is readily adaptable for use as a give-away advertising item, as well as a standard item in a worker's tool box.

Abstract: A non-toxic highly frangible training round bullet, and a method of making same, in which a plurality of segments of non-toxic metal selected from a group including zinc, iron, steel and copper are grouped or arranged within pressure-molding equipment and sufficient pressure is applied thereto to cause such segments to inter-engage and cohere, one to another, while being formed into a desired shape of bullet and retaining their individuality at least to a limited extent. Upon impact with a target, such a bullet fragments to a large extent along at least some of the original physical boundary lines of the original segments into new segments which are relatively small as compared to the size of the original segments. There is no substantial ricocheting or "bounce-back" activity associated with such fragmentation and, of course, there are no toxic effects.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing a sharpened edge on an elongated cutting tool comprising a base member having an elongated slot therein and a pair of elongated sharpening elements each pivotally mounted on the base member at opposite sides of the upper end portion of the slot and extending in crossed relation and intersecting at the slot as a cutting tool is drawn downwardly and outwardly through the slot. Separate counterweights are connected to the upper end portions of each of the sharpening elements to resist their downward pivoting movement as the cutting tool is so drawn through the slot. Separate eccentrically mounted cams are disposed between each cutting tool and its axis of pivot to adjustably control the extent of swinging movement of each of the sharpening elements in both directions.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive, but highly effective, single-walled fire-rated enclosure for a fire extinguisher cabinet which maintains the integrity of 1- and 2-hour fire-rated walls. The enclosure requires only five panels of fire-rated material which are firmly secured in place around the cabinet by a single pair of identically constructed metal mounting brackets which are oppositely secured to opposed walls of the fire extinguisher cabinet. Each bracket is generally planar, but has peripheral portions formed into a pair of oppositely facing channels offset from its outwardly facing surface, a flange extending from the bottom of each channel and away from the inwardly facing surface of the bracket, and a retaining element at one of its sides which also extends away from said inwardly facing surface. Each of the above elements is integrally formed with the more central portions of the bracket.

Abstract: A speed measuring system for a jet-propelled watercraft which includes a pitot tube mounted within the jet intake chamber of the watercraft for measuring the dynamic water pressure therewithin. The pitot tube is linked via flexible tubing to a pressure port in the dashboard of the watercraft, which is fitted with an electronic pressure sensor. The output of the electronic pressure sensor is amplified and input to an analog-to-digital converter, where the digital data is then input to a microprocessor for calculation of the actual water speed as a function of the dynamic water pressure measured within the jet intake chamber of the watercraft. A variable linear scaling factor is applied to the digital pressure signal over different ranges of such signals to compensate for nonlinearities that are introduced in the dynamic water pressure within the intake chamber.

Abstract: Single drive conveyor apparatus including an elongated material-conveying conveyor having a vibration generator connected to one end thereof and vibrating the same substantially only in a direction parallel with the longitudinal centroidal axis thereof and including two pairs of parallel vibration-generating shafts, each pair having axial displacement relative to the other and each shaft of each pair carrying eccentrically mounted weights generating equal forces and rotating in opposite directions, each pair of shafts rotating at different speeds and each pair carrying a pair of equal force-generating and eccentric weights different from that of the other, a continuous flexible drive element having opposed continuums extending around and in driving relation to each of the pairs of shafts, and controllably shiftable phase-adjustment/motion-altering mechanism engaging each of the continuums and shortening one of the continuums while lengthening the other as the mechanism shifts to thereby controllably alter the

Abstract: A double-pivot circle-cutter including a pivot member pivotally mounted on a support arm and having a sliding beam slidably extending therethrough. The pivot member is vertically adjustable, and its axis of pivot extends through the support arm. The sliding beam carries a platform which in turn pivotally supports a holder for a cutting member adjacent one end of the platform. The axes of pivot of the pivot member and of the cutting-member holder are parallel, and the latter shifts with the sliding beam to make the distance between the axes equal to the radius of the desired circular cut.

Abstract: An improved non-toxic primer which is devoid of metallic oxidizing compounds and of hygroscopic compounds and is comprised of 30-75% by weight of at least two percussion-sensitive compounds selected from a group consisting of a diazo, a triazole, and a tetrazole compound mixed with approximately 10-30% by weight of a suitable propellant, and a frictionator comprised preferably of approximately 12% by weight of calcium silicide and 8% by weight of fine particles of glass. The glass preferably has a particle size of dimensions less than 0.0021". The primer provides improved propellant ignition, non-toxic ignition products, improved ballistic data, and greatly minimizes misfires.

Abstract: An autoclavable ligation instrument for use in dental or medical applications which includes a ligature gripping tool having a pair of jaws with handle members connected thereto, and a drive mechanism for causing rotational movement of the gripping tool for consequent twisting of opposite ends of a ligature being gripped thereby. The drive mechanism includes a spring biased helically shaped drive shaft which is engaged by a drive follower nut that is connected to the gripping tool, such that activation of the drive mechanism causes the drive follower nut, and consequently the gripping tool, to rotate about the helically shaped drive shaft. The gripping tool includes a releasable locking mechanism for locking the jaws of the gripping tool in their closed position, and the gripping tool and drive mechanism are disassemblable and constructed of an autoclavable material to facilitate sterilization thereof.