Abstract: A shoe, preferably an athletic shoe, with an attachment designed to give people who have just begun an exercise program, and have not yet achieved sufficient flexibility to be able to comfortably touch their toes, something to grab onto that is attached to the toes of their shoes. The attachment consists of two side members that go on each side of the shoe from the toe to the opening for the leg, and a front piece and several cross-pieces connecting the side members, like rungs on a ladder. The side members, front piece and cross-pieces can be sewn together, or cut from one piece of material. The front piece is sewn to the toe of the shoe or otherwise permanently attached. A person using the invention may begin by reaching the cross-piece furthest from the toe, and work his or her way downward, one rung at a time, until they are able to touch their toes. The side members may be removably attached to the shoe by strips of hook and loop fasteners, when the attachment is not in use.

Abstract: A pole, such as for a parking meter, that is reinforced by a hardening compound applied to its surface, preferably in vertical strips, to prevent theft, and a method of anchoring the pole or other upright object. The hardening compound is preferably a solder that is applied to the external surface of the pole by welding. Once it cools, this hardening compound cannot be cut with an ordinary hacksaw. For esthetic purposes, and to prevent rust to the pole, a PVC pipe with a slightly greater diameter than the pole is placed over and around the pole. In a preferred embodiment, the pole is welded to a base plate, with hollow metal cylinders welded to and extending from an opposite surface of the plate. Holes are drilled (or otherwise formed) in a concrete (or other solid) surface, epoxy is inserted into the holes, the metal cylinders are inserted into the holes, and when the epoxy hardens the cylinders and base plate are bonded to the concrete.

Abstract: A device that assists in the tying of knots for tightening lines, especially ropes that hold heavy loads in place on trucks or flat bed trailers. In the preferred embodiment, the invention comprises two side members, two transverse members, and a clasping member. The clasping member moves between a closed position in which the side members, the lower transverse member and the clasping member form a closed loop, and an open position in which there is an opening between the side members. The clasping member is spring loaded and biased toward the closed position. One side member is turned back to form a hook, the end of which engages the clasping member in its closed position. The upper ends of the side members extend above the upper transverse member to form ears that prevent a rope tied around that member from slipping off.

Abstract: A device for computing the heading of an airplane in the outbound leg of a holding pattern, and the bearing to a VOR or NDB station at which the airplane should begin turning inbound at the end of the outbound leg, given the bearing of the outbound leg, the speed and bearing of the wind, and the true airspeed of the plane, but without requiring the user to keep track of the time. In a first preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a slide rule with upper, middle and lower disks attached at their centers by a pivot, and a straight rule movably retained in a groove in an upper disk. There is a logarithmic scale for true airspeed on the straight rule, and a parallel and adjacent logarithmic scale for wind speed on the upper disk. The lower and middle disks each have degree markings, and the middle disk also has figures for heading and bearing corrections, to which arrows on the straight rule point.

Abstract: A trash liner in combination with a trash container, and a method of using them to dispose of waste material. The trash liner is a bag having an opening and a body without perforations, with the opening of the bag having an edge within which is a tubular channel, and a flexible tying member passing through the tubular channel. Opposite ends of the tying member extend from openings in the tubular channel. The trash liner may be fastened on a trash container by inserting the body of the bag into the trash container, placing the edge of the opening of the bag over the rim of the trash container, and tying the opposite ends of the tying member together. Trash placed within the trash container may be safely removed by untying the ends of the tying member, removing the edge of the opening of the bag from the rim of the trash container, closing the opening of the bag, and again tying the ends of the tying member to secure closure of the bag.

Abstract: An audience rating system for digital television and radio, using identification codes in control streams of time-multiplexed digital transmissions. When a television set or radio, that is being monitored pursuant to the system, is turned on and tuned into a channel, and each time that the channel is changed, an identification code for each audio, video or auxiliary digital stream of the channel is extracted from the control stream, and recorded along with the time. The time is also recorded when the television set or radio is turned off. This data makes it possible to determine what stations, channels, and programs members of the audience being monitored are watching or listening to at any particular time. In the first preferred embodiment, the multiplexed digital transmission is received separately by the television set or radio (or an attached IRD) and a meter connected to it.

Abstract: A cooling device for a machine, especially, but not limited to, a device for cooling the central processing unit (CPU) of a desktop computer, thereby increasing the speed at which it can operate. In the preferred embodiment, the cooling device includes a copper evaporation chamber and a conduit made of copper pipe having a condensation coil, which are connected in a single closed loop, and contain water. As heat is absorbed by the evaporation chamber from the CPU or other heat generating component, the water changes from liquid to gas, and gravity and pressure differences cause the water to circulate through the conduit. As heat is transferred from the conduit to its surroundings, the water changes from gas to liquid, and returns to the evaporation chamber. The high heat of vaporization and condensation of water allows heat to be efficiently transferred with a small difference in temperature between its liquid and gaseous states.