Abstract: A grid structure having openings of various shapes are utilized in a display using balloons. Balloons are inserted in openings in the grid structure and inflated. The pneumatic pressure of the inflated balloon holds the balloon in the grid opening. The balloons may arrayed to produce designs of animate and inanimate objects. The displays may be in a single two dimensional plane, or the grid structure may be bent and twisted in a desired shape to provide a three dimensional display.

Abstract: An electric toaster having an automatic resetting heat reduction assembly. The toaster includes one or more cavities to receive bagels, bread, or other food products, and a plurality of heating elements located within the cavities to toast the food products. A carriage assembly movable between a raised nontoasting position and a lowered toasting position lowers and raises the food products into and out of the toasting cavities. When lowered to the toasting position, the carriage assembly activates a heat activation assembly which completes an electrical circuit between a power source and the heating elements, thereby energizing the heating elements to toast the food products. The toaster also includes a heat reduction assembly settable between an original full heat position and a depressed reduced heat position.

Abstract: A vascular graft is held in a collapsed state on a pair of stents which take the form of flexible sheets wound around a spool. A sheath is fitted closely around the graft to hold it in its collapsed state and to retain the stents in rolls tightly wound on the spool. After the spool has been inserted into a damaged vessel and advanced to the area of vascular damage, the sheath is withdrawn. The stents then unwind and expand to press the ends of the graft against healthy parts of the vessel on opposite sides of the damaged area. An alternative embodiment of the invention includes a Y-shaped graft for application to a branched part of a vessel. In place of a sheath, control cords with slip knots are used to retain the stents in their contracted conditions while the graft is being positioned in the vessel.

Abstract: Novel cementitious systems comprised of gypsum, calcined clay, and clinker consisting essentially of hydraulic calcium silicates are disclosed which have the following properties: (1) a water demand of less than about 33% nc; (2) one-day strengths of at least about 1000 psi; and (3) low alkali functionality. By increasing the amount of calcined clay, the resulting cementitious system will sequentially gain the following properties: (1) alkali non-reactiveness; (2) alkali resistance; and (3) low chloride permeability. Novel methods of preparing the novel cementitious systems of this invention are also disclosed. The novel methods not only reduce production costs by decreasing fuel and raw material consumption, but they also allow the cement producer to proactively address significant environmental concerns related to the manufacturing process.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a self-contained, modular unit and method of using the same for evaluating the mobility, dissipation and degradation of chemicals and their degradates through a soil matrix. The self-contained, modular unit comprises at least a soil matrix vessel for containing the soil matrix and a leachate collection vessel communicating with the soil matrix vessel for collecting and storing the leachate from the soil matrix vessel. The leachate collection vessel is designed and connected to the soil matrix vessel in such a manner that the collected leachate is observable and removable at ground level, thus eliminating the necessity of digging a trench to view or retrieve the leachate as prior art units required. The preferred embodiment of the self-contained modular unit further comprises a runoff collection vessel which communicates with the soil matrix vessel and collects the runoff from the soil matrix vessel.

Abstract: An adjustable baseball batter's helmet automatically adjusts and grips wearer's heads of differing sizes. The helmet has a rigid shell with shock absorbing foam pads secured to the interior of the shell. An elastic band or strap extends horizontally within the helmet and has a mid-portion secured to the back of the helmet. Arms of the elastic strap diverge forwardly and end in attachments under the front portions of the side pads of the helmet. The V-shaped elastic band snugly cradles and forwardly biases the helmet on the wearer's head and tends to space the helmet from the wearer's head at the sides and rear areas. The helmet is believed particularly useful in youth baseball leagues which have limited budgets and time to individually fit helmets to players' heads.

Abstract: The invention is an inflatable balloon, having an inflatable chamber; a graphic design on at least a portion of the inflatable chamber; a flap member adjoining the inflatable chamber; the flap member having a first position and a second position, wherein the first position conceals at least a portion of the graphic design on the inflatable chamber; and the second position allows at least a portion of the concealed portion of the graphic design to be exposed.

Abstract: An inverter/converter power supply system that employs pulse-width modulation controlled by an absolute-value representation of a reference wave. A low-frequency wave, such as a 60 hertz sine wave, is precision-rectified which then is the reference input of a pulse-width modulation controller (PWM). The PWM then produces a high-frequency square-wave signal whose pulse width changes as the amplitude of the rectified reference wave changes. The high-frequency square-wave signal is further rectified at an inverter/converter transformer secondary, whose output is filtered through a low-pass filter that removes the high-frequency component while minimizing the stored charge in the filter capacitor(s) to an amount easily drained by a small constant-current load across it. Feedback from the constant-current load to the PWM further adjusts the pulse-width to compensate for load variations and circuit losses.

Abstract: A novel plastic composition and method for making the same comprising a host polymer having substantially uniformly distributed therethrough a non-miscible liquid crystal polymer and red amorphous phosphorus. The liquid crystal polymer is present in a concentration sufficient to encapsulate said red amorphous phosphorus such that a substantial portion of the red amorphous phosphorus does not contact the host polymer.

Abstract: A three-dimensional balloon display comprising a grid array comprised of at least one set of grid members, each set of grid members having a front side and a back side. The grid members are each shaped to form a compartment for receipt of at least one inflated balloon. The compartments have an interior side and an exterior side. An inflated balloon is maintained in the compartment by the pneumatic pressure within the inflated balloon exerted against the interior side of the compartment to create the three-dimensional display. In an alternative embodiment, a second set of grid members is aligned with the first set of grid members to create a three-dimensional compartment for receipt of the inflated balloon.

Abstract: A device and method for securing at least one, and normally a plurality of supply stands in one localized area of a patient table. The device generally comprises a mounting means for removably attaching the device to the patient table and a clamping means for removably clamping the post of the supply stand to the device. The clamping means comprises a restraining member having at least one opening and a shiftable cylinder proximate to the opening in the restraining member for receiving and rigidly maintaining the post of the supply stand perpendicularly to the patient table.

Abstract: A quick-connect terminal and receptacle for electrical spring test probes used in the printed circuit testing industry has a tubular receptacle having an inner bore with an entrance for inserting a wire terminal. The terminal has an open end receiving a base end of a wire. A barb cut from the terminal wall extends angularly into the terminal bore and away from the open end. The barb has an edge for gripping the wire end and preventing easy pullout. The wire extends to circuit testers which execute a testing routine upon the printed circuit board. The receptacles contain removable and replaceable spring probes and the quick-connect terminal and receptacle assembly provides speed and ease of probe replacement. Sealing rings can extend between the terminal and receptacle to maintain vacuum for use of the arrangement in vacuum actuated test fixtures.

Abstract: A combination bib and toy device which is comprised of any suitable nonrigid material. The device may include a toy in the form of a human figure or may take the form of an animal or other nonhuman character. The toy figure is attached to the nonworking side of a bib body, preferably by sewing, or other suitable means. When the device is worn around a child's neck as a bib, the positioning of the toy figure prevents the toy figure from becoming soiled and prevents the child from playing with the toy while eating. When not being worn as a bib, the novel design allows the bib body and other extrusions to fold quickly and neatly inward so that an unsoiled toy becomes prominent. The combination bib and toy device reduces the number of children's items that must be carried away from home and is easily stored among other items without contaminating them.

Abstract: A wall fitting for penetrating interior walls of a residential/commercial building which provides a through passage for running lengths of wiring such as for stereo, television, computer and other communication systems. The wall fitting includes a rigid, elongate tubular shaft having a head end and a tip end with a through passage extending the length of the shaft. The tip end is specifically adapted for penetrating sheetrock wall board. The shaft tip end is specially adapted for cutting through the wall board and has a plurality of transverse grooves located inwardly at the tip end for breakoff. A bezel fits over the stub end of the shaft to provide a finished appearance. A first alternative embodiment uses a handle specifically adapted to drive the wall fitting tubular shaft through the wall and with an easily removable and changeable penetrating tip end. A second alternative and preferred embodiment is similar, but has a metal inner shaft removable from the tubular shaft.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel and unique entertainment card device such as a baseball trading card or a music rock star trading card comprising a flat, rectangular card including a touch sensitive element for sound activation. Replaceable electrical power batteries are mounted within the card. The touch sensitive element is activated by simply touching a surface area of the front side of the flat rectangular card. The entertainment card device further includes entertainment pictures such as of sports figures or music rock star images.

Abstract: A board game has first and second playing areas, with the first playing area being a continuous path along the perimeter of the game board. The second playing area is located within the first playing area and includes spaces for forming words with the spaces having a surface for erasable markings of letters. The first and second playing areas have indicia printed thereon. The first playing area determines which letters to use to form words within the second playing area, and indicates the monetary values for using the indicated letters. The board game also includes a die that controls the movement of player pieces along the continuous path and which directs the players to use a spinner of the board game. Words may be formed within the second playing area and can be spelled forward, backward, vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The spinner provides a further random chance control.

Abstract: A digital optical micrometer for mounting on an optical instrument and having an optical flat plano-parallel window which is connected to a micrometer drum. The drum can pivot or incline the optical plano-parallel window to cause displacement of a line of sight. The digital optical micrometer further has an LCD read-out that indicates the amount of displacement of the line of sight, a circuit that is connected to the optical plano-parallel window and provides an electrical signal having a signal property which varies in proportion to the inclination of the line of sight, and an analog-to-digital converter that is connected to the circuit and converts the electrical signal to a digital word having a binary value representative of the inclination of the line of sight. The optical micrometer further has a computer which has a clock input that provides for an automatic power down of the micrometer.

Abstract: A grain drill is disclosed having a folding frame for parallel operation and a parallel link system that controls the tension to earth openers in order to produce relatively constant downward pressure for the openers. The grain drill includes a rotating tool bar for facilitating the adjustment of downward pressure to the openers, controlling the ground cutting depth of the openers and raising the tools to obtain the ground clearance needed for road transport. The drill has disc openers with axially collocated discs having different outer diameters and a narrow angle between the opener discs producing a "V" shaped groove for seeding. The grain drill has a common horizontal center to support seed boxes, fixed dual wheels and a hitch for connection to a pulling vehicle.