Abstract: A child view safety mirror comprising a main mirror. A structure is provided for mounting the main mirror to a rear surface of a front windshield of a motor vehicle, so that the driver can use the main mirror as a rear view mirror, to look out of the rear windshield of the motor vehicle. A top angled mirror is on the main mirror, so that the driver can use the top angled mirror to view the rear seating area in the motor vehicle, to see children in the rear seats. A left side mirror is provided. A first assembly attaches the left side mirror in an adjustable manner to a left side of the main mirror. A right side mirror is also provided. A second assembly attaches the right side mirror in an adjustable manner to a right side of the main mirror. When the left side mirror and the right side mirror are turned inwardly, the driver can see behind the front seats from one side of the motor vehicle to the other side giving a full view of the entire interior of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A blackjack or other card game system having a plurality of player counters which count the blackjack hands or other player jackpot tally events dealt to players. The system also includes at least one dealer counter which counts the number of bust hands of the dealer or other dealer jackpot tally events. Displays are included for both the dealer and players to indicate the counts. The counters are typically zeroed at the end of each hand if a tally event has not occurred. Jackpots are awarded when the tally counts exceed predefined thresholds. A tabletop retrofit game system is shown for mounting upon blackjack tables. A special round of play having modified rules can be used as part of the jackpot award.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for reclaiming expanded synthetic resin wastes in a form suitable for subsequent injection molding. The apparatus includes a tank containing a solvent having a pump for pumping dissolved resin wastes to an evaporator. The evaporator comprises an endless belt on which dissolved resin waste is deposited and precipitates in the form of a thin film. A heater is disposed below the belt to expedite separation of solute and solvent by evaporation. A blower disposed within a housing enclosing the endless belt establishes air circulation over the belt, further promoting evaporation. The thin film is wound on a roller and subjected to a heated roller to fuse the many thin film strata into a solid, generally cylindrical mass. The solid mass is then comminuted by a granulator. Evaporated solvent is recovered in a condenser and is reused.

Abstract: A brush having a passage for conducting a fluid to the bristles. The brush has a handle enclosing a passage extending along the entire length and opening to one end of the handle. A head bearing bristles is attached to the proximal end of the handle. The passage of the handle extends into the head along the extent of the bristles. That surface of the brush bearing bristles has a plurality of holes communicating with the passage. A removable cover is located on the head behind the surface bearing bristles. This cover is snap fit to the head, retained by friction, and has a tab enabling engagement by fingernail. The cover is dimensioned and configured to expose all holes for dispensing fluid to direct access for cleaning. The handle has at its distal end a threaded socket for threading to a tube of toothpaste.

Abstract: A set of interlocking wrenches wherein each wrench is configured to engage a second wrench of the set when the two wrenches are placed end to end to extend length and leverage of the first wrench. Each individual wrench has an elongated handle, a box style working head located at one end of the handle, and an open ended working head located at the other end of the handle. A recessed notch or receptacle is formed at the base of the box style working head of each wrench of the set. The notch is configured to cooperate with a jaw of the open ended working head of another wrench of the set, so that two wrenches may be placed end to end and securely engage one another. The notch has surfaces serving as stops maintaining the open ended working head in engagement with the first wrench. The second wrench employed to increase effective length of the first wrench is constrained against slipping out of engagement by the notch when the second wrench is subjected to force increasing torque applied to the first wrench.

Abstract: A modular, threaded container for growing plants and subsequently increasing size of the container. Modules are arranged to be stacked on one another to increase overall height of the modular assembly. Individual modules include a top module having bottom threading only, intermediate modules open at the top and bottom and having top and bottom threading, and a bottom module having a floor and threading at the top only. The container may optionally include frustoconical modules, a first frustoconical bottom module configured to replace an open intermediate module with a module closed at the bottom, and a second frustoconical module closed at the bottom of dimensions and configuration different from those of the first bottom module. The plant is grown in a container having relatively few modules. After growth has occurred, the bottom module is removed and an intermediate module open at both ends is filled with growing medium and is inserted in series prior to replacing the bottom module.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for awakening the user during a preset time interval or bracket at the point when, for all intents and purposes, the user is already awake. At certain periods, discernable by, for instance, measurement of resistance through the body, large .DELTA.'s are observed at certain brief periods, especially close to the beginning and end of REM. At these points, it is possible to wake a person with almost no effort at all, and in many cases, the person will be unaware that they even were sleep.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method for monitoring inventory in a plurality of coin-operated vending machines. A bar code scanner is used to log inventory into a memory within each vending machine. As merchandise is dispensed, transaction records including the date and time of sale are generated and stored within each vending machine. Denominations of currency tendered by a buyer for each transaction are also stored. At a predetermined time under the control of a processor in cooperation with a real-time calendar-clock within each vending machine, stored information about each vending transaction is transmitted via a cellular telephone interface and modem to a central computer where a statistical analysis of sales for a single vending machine or for predetermined groups of vending machines may be performed. Calls are times such that no two vending machines are attempting to communicate with the central computer at the same time.

Abstract: A condom for simulating conditions arising during the first sexual intercourse of a virgin woman, wherein a red fluid is released to simulate bleeding. The condom has a flexible sheath having an open end and a closed end. A closed compartment containing a red colored fluid simulating blood is disposed at the closed end. The closed compartment is fabricated from a material weaker than that of the sheath. The closed end of the sheath is preferably formed at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the sheath, with the closed compartment disposed forwardly and partially to the side of the front end of the sheath. Optionally, the closed compartment also contains a sponge material tending to retain some of the fluid even after rupture of the closed compartment. Preferably, the sheath and closed compartment are dark or opaque, so as to conceal the red fluid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wrapped pulp bale of the kind which, apart from a proper bale, comprises an enveloping wrapping which is folded along opposite faces of the bale while forming mutually overlapping parts in which the paper lies in two or more layers on top of each other. For holding the wrapping against the proper bale, sets of lugs (26) are provided in the overlapping parts of the wrapping, each set of lugs including a number of lugs corresponding to the number of paper layers, which are punched out from the paper layers while leaving through holes therein, and folded along a common folding line (25) as well as jointly inserted between the inside of the innermost layer of paper and the outside of the bale in order to be held therebetween.

Abstract: An eccentric gear comprises two differently large gear rings (6, 7), of which an outer ring (6) has a certain number of inwardly directed teeth and an inner ring (7) has a smaller number of outwardly directed teeth, of which only a few engage with the outer gear ring, in that the inner gear ring is eccentrically mounted in bearings. The inner gear ring (7) is integrated with a casing part (8) whose geometrical axis of rotation (A) is oblique relative to an axis of symmetry (B) through the center of the outer gear ring (6). During the generation of the inner gear ring, the casing part is submitted to a nutating motion, during which the axis of rotation (A) of the casing part moves as a generatrice along an imaginary cone, around a cone apex (C) that is axially distanced from the gear rings (6, 7).

Abstract: A wheeled carrier suitable for carrying diverse articles on sandy terrain. The carrier has a body forming an upwardly open principal cargo receptacle, a closed second receptacle, upwardly oriented openings for carrying cups, horizontally disposed tubular openings for carrying rolled papers and the like, external pockets formed from flexible material, a collapsible carrying rack, and a collapsible towing handle. The principal receptacle has a seat belt for securing a child therein. The carrier has four wheels supported on brackets and axles suspended beneath the body. Each wheel has an associated skid pivotally supported on the axle supporting its associated wheel. Each skid is configured in the manner of a ski, for assisting the carrier in negotiating ridges and similar obstructions present in sandy terrain.

Abstract: A bib having plural manually removable protective panels. The bib has a base panel and a tie for tying the base panel around the neck of a wearer. The base panel has a male snap located at each of its right and left upper corners. Each removable protective panel has a profile corresponding to that of the base panel, and hence right and left upper corners alignable with those of the base panel. A female snap is disposed on the rear surface of each removable panel at each upper corner thereof. Each female snap is two sided, having a male snap disposed on the front surface of each removable panel. This enables removable panels to be fastened in stacked fashion to the base panel. In an alternative embodiment, the snaps are replaced by hook and loop fasteners. Optionally, a top protective panel is provided having snaps attachable only on one side, a finished surface being exposed on the opposite side.

Abstract: The present invention features a fiber optic display screen constructed from a plurality of short optical fibers. Groups of the short optical fibers form optical couplers, each optical coupler receiving a single input fiber. Each coupling fiber is attached to the face of a cathode ray tube such that an image appearing at the face of the cathode ray tube is conducted via a plurality of input fibers to the optical couplers whereby an enlarged image is displayed remotely from the cathode ray tube. A method for assembling the fiber optic display screen of the invention is also presented.

Abstract: The present device features a precision power coupling housing formed from a U-shaped, extruded aluminum channel. An input power source such as a motor is mounted to a first leg portion of the U-shaped channel while a load device to mounted to the second leg portion of the channel. The motor's output shaft and the load's input shaft meet in the interior region of the channel facilitating the use of a vibration damping coupling or the like between the two shafts. Bolts passing through the two leg portions of the channel and perpendicular to the two leg portions are provided to slightly adjust the parallelism of the two leg portion so as to allow precision alignment of the input and output shafts.

Abstract: A strap tensioning device comprises a frame (1) with a rotatable reel (3) and a turnable command member (2). A ratchet wheel (43) is co-rotatively connected with the reel, the wheel cooperating with two spring-loaded latch elements (14, 29). When the command member (2) is turned out from the frame (1), the reel (3) is carried with it. At an opposed return movement, the reel (3) is blocked. A rotatable support roller (4) is arranged between the two side pieces (5, 5') of the frame (1). The reel (3) comprises a shaft (16) whose opposed ends are arranged in elongated holes (9). In this way, the reel (3) may be distanced from the support roller (4), whereby the device may be used for both strap tensioning and strap feeding.

Abstract: Detection of the flow of a fluid, and also measurement of the flow of a fluid, is provided by feeding the fluid flow through a cylindrical chamber to form a cyclonic circulation of the fluid in the chamber. A movable member is moved by the fluid flow. As one example a ball rotates around the inside of the chamber and the passage of the ball detected, at a particular position. An alternative is an annular member also rotated. There can be an optical detection or electronic detection. Output signal can be generated by the movement. Such signals can be processed to give flow rates. The chamber is positioned in a by-pass flow line, with the flow rate of the by-pass related to the total flow.

Abstract: A novelty drinking mug having handle and incorporating a display simulating that of an artificial horizon instrument disposed within the floor of the mug. The floor is transparent, and encloses a fluid chamber partially filled with a colored liquid. The transparent floor of the mug has indicia simulating the scale of an actual artificial horizon instrument. A disc bearing indicia simulating that representing an aircraft in an actual artificial horizon instrument is disposed in visual alignment with the transparent floor. This disc may, in alternative embodiments, be contained within the fluid chamber or within its own chamber. The disc has an eccentrically located ballast weight, and is rotatably fixed to a pivot pin. The disc rotates relative to the mug responsive to gravity when the mug is rotated about its longitudinal axis. Indicia disposed upon the disc simulates banking.

Abstract: An impact barrier extending along the entire length of one side of a cabin of a motor vehicle. The impact barrier includes plural constituent barrier segments each protecting a door or a body panel. Barrier segments interlock or interengage neighboring barrier segments or, alternatively, engage fixed anchorage components of the barrier during an impact. Barrier segments remain free of interengagement when no impact occurs, so that doors and hatches may be opened. Each barrier segment connects to its neighboring segment or, alternatively, to an anchorage component of the barrier by hooks. As an alternative to hooks, any suitable male and female interengaging devices may be employed. Anchorage components are permanently fixed to structural elements of the cabin, such as a doorpost or pillar, for anchoring barrier segments during an impact.

Abstract: A display for displaying and dispensing brochures. The display comprises a housing and a transparent door hinged to the housing to swing forwardly when opened. A pocket is pivotally mounted to the same hinge as that pivotally supporting the door. The pocket has a rear panel including a relief, or cut away section, enabling a person to grasp brochures stored in the pocket. A spring is attached to the pin of the hinge, to the door, and to the pocket such that the door is biased into the closed position and the pocket is biased against the door. The door is hinged at the bottom, and has a forwardly turned handle at the top for opening. The housing has an outwardly projecting flange extending along the entirety of the front opening of the housing, and a drip hood. The floor or bottom wall of the housing inclines to promote drainage. In a preferred embodiment, the door and pocket are molded integrally from an elastic material enabling the pocket to be opened elastically.