Abstract: An earring post for pierced ears is disclosed, the post being split at its distal end to form one or more prongs. The prongs are held together by a slidable sleeve or the fingers, the prongs thus being in a tensioned state in generally axial alignment with the post. Upon insertion, the prongs are released by the fingers or by sliding the sleeve away from the prongs, thus assuming their resting position biased out of axial alignment with the post for retaining the post in place.

Abstract: The deboner carries a plurality of modules in a closed path through a series of processing stations. Each module includes a rotary bone holder that supports one end of a poultry bone and a stripper assembly that is moved toward and away from the bone holder. The stripper blades engage the poultry part and stretch the meat, skin, etc., holding it taut while the thigh is moved through a cutting station. The stripper assembly is then moved away from the bone holder and then upwardly again to engage the bone and to strip the meat from the bone. As the blades strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder is rotated by its sprocket engaging the sprocket turning protrusions.

Abstract: A steerable intramedullary fracture reduction device has an elongated shaft with a steerable tip pivotally mounted to the distal end of the shaft. Tip actuating apparatus near the proximal end of the shaft enable the operator to steer the tip and the shaft into successive segments of the fractured bone, even when the segments are transversely or rotationally displaced so that the segments can be aligned by the shaft.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced cellular concrete is disclosed along with methods of production of the concrete material and of building materials formed from the concrete. The invention includes diverse fractions of concrete, a relatively dense, waterproofed fraction and a lightweight fraction having essentially the same composition but with gas bubbles dispersed therethrough. A composite product is formed from the casting of the lighter fraction over the heavier fraction to form a single sheet, with the lighter fractions of separate sheets being planed and bonded together with a vapor barrier therebetween to form blocks, wall panels, beams, and the like.

Abstract: A sun shade (10) for mounting to a chair or other furniture comprises a support frame (11) including a lateral tube (21) and vertical tubular legs (12, 13) pivotally mounted to the lateral tube. A central clamp (26) is rigidly mounted to the lateral tube (21) and includes a U-shaped opening (36) for engagement over an upper edge portion of the chair. Outboard clamps (41, 42) are slidably positioned on lateral tube (21) and have U-shaped openings (43, 44) for engagement over side edge portions of the chair. Means (22, 23, 24) are provided for resisting the pivotal movement of the tubular legs (12, 13) relative to the lateral tube (21). A canopy assembly (51) is pivotally mounted to the tubular legs (12, 13) and includes a rectangular frame (52) and a fabric panel (56).

Abstract: A lysimeter probe which may be inserted into the ground is provided with a tubular basic body (1) and a tubular body (4), the latter of which is made of a porous material. It has a connecting sleeve (10) for the application of a negative pressure to the interior space (5) of the tubular basic body (1) and the porous tubular body (4). The basic body (1) is implemented in two pieces and includes on both parts (2, 3) detachable means of connection (14, 15) between which the porous tubular body (4), which is implemented in the way of a pipe-section, is arranged between the two parts (2, 3) of the basic body (1), which are turned towards each other, in a way it may be clamped relieved from pressure.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for automatically stripping the meat from the bones of a poultry part. The deboner (11) carries a plurality of deboning modules (12) along a processing path. Each deboning module (12) includes a rotary bone holder (38) for supporting the poultry part and a stripper assembly (41) for stripping the meat from the bone. The stripper assembly (41) has stripper blades (62) which engage the meat on the bone and strip the meat from the bone as the stripper assembly (41) moves along the length of the bone. As the blades (62) strip the meat from the bone, the rotary bone holder (38) can be rotated to thus rotate the bone with respect to the meat to assist in the meat removal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for timing the delivery of a speech comprises a rectangular case bearing a linear array of light emitting diodes arranged into three groups of different colors each corresponding to a portion of the speech. A microcontroller is configured to activate the LED's in sequence and adjustments are provided to control the rate at which LED's are activated within each group. The color of a presently activated LED informs the speaker at a glance which portion of the speech he should be delivering as well as the time remaining to complete such portion.

Abstract: A wing removal method and apparatus comprising a conveyor (31) which a poultry carcass (9) is placed for processing the wings (7) extending downwardly below the conveyors. The back of the carcass (9) is placed upon a pair of cradles (32) and engaged by a mandrel (33) in the opening created by the prior removal of the neck of the bird from the carcass.

Abstract: An ultra-precision grinding machine capable of effectively dealing with finishing of a complicated curved groove loop on a workpiece, while improving efficiency and consistency of the operation. The machine includes a processing member carrying a grinding tool; a work table which is slidable and rotatable in a horizontal plane, and which holds a workpiece underneath the grinding tool; and a slide table having a motor for driving the work table in rotational motion, the slide table being slidable in a horizontal plane together with the work table.

Abstract: A back pack assembly which is convertible into a tree seat has a rigid, substantially planar member to which one end of each of a pair of elongated frame members is pivotally attached at either side of the planar member. Frame extension members are pivotally attached to the distal ends of the frame members, and a V-shaped blade member is adapted to be mounted to the distal ends of the extension members.

Abstract: A barbecue grill is disclosed having a fire box and a hood connected thereto, the fire box being inwardly tapered toward the bottom thereof and the hood being inwardly tapered toward the top thereof for reducing the overall material required for the grill while maintaining the same cooking area. The fire box includes integral seating portions for the burner, the burner includes receiving portions for the seating portions, and the fire box also includes an integral gas collecting dam around the ignitor port.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for influencing a laminar-turbulent boundary layer transition on bodies in flow is indicated. The disturbances are in this case introduced into the boundary layer in an unsteady manner. The disturbances are induced by blowing-out and sucking-off and/or by oscillations of the surface and/or by sound pressure.

Abstract: An emergency hand truck for removing injured athletes from a playing field has an approximately horizontally extending frame and a bed suspended from the frame, with a portion of the bed sloped upwardly from the rear to the approximate center of the truck to support the buttock and thighs of a person and sloped downwardly from the approximate center to the front of the truck to support the calves and feet of a person. Wheels are provided to support the truck at the front and rear, the front wheels being swiveled for steering the truck. A back support is pivotably mounted to the rear of the frame and is movable between a horizontal attitude lying over the bed to a sloped position for supporting the abdomen of a person in an inclined position.

Abstract: To minimize the width of a seat reclining device provided with a Taumel mechanism (planetary gear type angle adjusting mechanism), a motor unit is disposed on an inside surface of a base frame and within a seat cushion, and a motor output gear is disposed on an opposite outside surface of the base frame. Further, an outer gear of Taumel mechanism is formed in the base frame; an inner gear of the Taumel mechanism is formed in a reclining arm in mesh with the outer gear; and the reclining arm is disposed on the inside surface of the base frame and the reclining gear is disposed on the opposite outside surface of the base frame. Further, a shock absorbing member is disposed at the reclining gear to effectively absorb shock generated when the seat back is tilted to its extreme position stoppers.

Abstract: A serving piece for serving cereal and preventing its becoming soggy in milk includes a lower bowl configured to be supported in a food containing orientation upon a surface. An elongated sloped chute is mounted to and communicates at one end with the lower bowl and extends upwardly and outwardly therefrom and an upper bowl is mounted to and communicates with the other end of the sloped chute. In use, crispy cereal from the upper bowl is urged in successive measured portions down the chute and into milk contained in the lower bowl from where each portion of cereal can be consumed prior to its becoming soggy.

Abstract: An automatic fastening machine where strips of covered fasteners (11) are fed from a reel 16 of fasteners into the rear of the fastening machine along a guide means (12) as needed. A fastener advancing means (13) intermittently urges the strip of fasteners toward a drive element (60). The drive element engages the top of the foremost fastener of the strip of fasteners to force the fastener into a work piece.

Abstract: A display frame [10] for displaying photographs and other sheet-like articles comprises an outer shell [11], a liner [20] and a threaded cap [33]. The outer shell is transparent, generally cup-shaped and has a tapered inner wall [15]. The liner has a tapered outer surface [23] upon which are positioned a series of ribs [26], with the taper of the outer surface of the liner closely matched to that of the inner wall of the outer shell. Photographs or photocopies may be secured to one another and trimmed into an arcuate array [30]and the array placed within the outer shell. As the liner is inserted into the outer shell, the ribs contact the array and act as "skis" to allow the liner to be moved relative to the array without tearing, crumpling or otherwise marking the array.