Abstract: A fallen game animal can be dragged with a rig having a right and a left tether, both secured to the animal. The right and the left tether run alongside each other away from the fallen game animal in a direction of travel. Two or more persons, flanked by the right and the left tether, are positioned in a single file facing away from the fallen game animal. The persons use their right hands and their left hands to grip the handholds on the right tether and the left tether, respectively. Walking in single file in the direction of travel, the two persons pull the pair of tethers to drag the fallen animal. The rig can be extended to accommodate additional persons.

Abstract: A fluid dispenser includes an applicator attached to a base, as well as a case that is at least partially filled with a fluid. The base and case are telescopically mounted together and can be relatively reciprocated to retract and extend the applicator relative to the case. A piston is mounted in the case for outwardly urging the fluid.

Abstract: An eye shield attachment can be used in combination with a safety helmet. This helmet has a front brim continuous with a rim extending along each opposite side of the safety helmet to a pair of rim slots in the helmet's rim. The attachment has a pair of frames that can removably attach to the pair of rim slots in the helmet. The frames each have a fastening member that is lockable onto a corresponding one of the rim slots and adjustable to accommodate various depths in the rim slots. A support structure attached to the pair of frames extends along the rim toward the front brim. A front lens and corrective glasses may be attached to the support structure. A pliable bead may be attached to the front of the support structure and extend rearwardly to engage a wearer's forehead.

Abstract: A workbench is equipped with a clamping device that has a moveable element. A holding system has a top with a fibrous or pierceable material that is disposed upon the workbench near the clamping device. The system employs at least one block having a working face and a connecting face. The working face is adapted to oppose the moveable element. The block has on its connecting face at least one connector for securing the block in place on the top against clamping forces from the clamping device. The connector includes a first hub and a second hub, each having on one side thereof a plurality of spiral prongs. The spiral prongs on the first hub spiral in a direction opposite that of the spiral prongs on the second hub. The connector also has a manually operable link connected between the hubs for relatively rotating them in opposite directions in order to releasably connect to the fibrous or pierceable material of the top. A workpiece is placed between the block and the moveable element.

Abstract: A toy construction set has interconnectable objects, each with multiple faces. Some faces have a connector, while others lack a connector but may have a fibrous or pierceable material. The connector includes a pair of concentrically nested hubs. The two hubs have spiral prongs that spiral in opposite directions. A manually operable link connected between the two hubs can relatively rotate them in opposite directions. The play activity proceeds by adjoining a pair of the objects with a prominent, connector-bearing face of one of the pair touching a prominent connector-free face of the other one of the pair. The player will counter-rotate the hubs in the connector of the prominent connector-bearing face to embed their spiral prongs in the fibrous or pierceable material of the prominent connector-free face.

Abstract: An accessory that can be mounted over a mailbox has a base with a pair of sidewalls that are spaced to straddle the mailbox. A frame assembly mounted on at least one of the sidewalls has one or more indicia bearing members removably attached thereto. These indicia bearing members are installed and arranged to supply address information. A light mounted at the frame assembly is powered by a power supply that has a solar powered charger for charging a battery in order to illuminate the indicia bearing members at night.

Abstract: An anchor that can fasten to a fibrous or pierceable substrate employs a base with a spaced pair of bores. A pair of hubs are rotatably mounted to axially reciprocate in the pair of bores between a retracted and a deployed position. Each of the hubs has on one side thereof a plurality of spiral prongs. The spiral prongs on one of the hubs spiral in the opposite direction from the spiral prongs on the other one of the hubs. The hubs when in the deployed position project the plurality of prongs beyond the base. A thrust member mounted over the pair of hubs can thrust them from the retracted to the deployed position. With the hubs placed side by side and with the spiral prongs against the substrate, the hubs can be rotated in opposite directions to embed the spiral prongs in the substrate. An object can then be anchored by being lashed to the hubs.

Abstract: A toilet cleaning device employs a handheld dispensing device having an internal barrier with a channel and an orifice. Water passing through the dispensing device is compelled to flow through the orifice in the barrier. An external trigger located at the handle section of the dispensing device is coupled to a shuttle which can slide in a channel and control water flowing through the orifice. A cleaning agent in the form of solid, water soluble pellets is loaded in a cavity in a barrel section of the dispensing device and then contained by attaching a nosepiece to the barrel. An elongated outlet tube cantilevered from the nosepiece has a proximal section and an obliquely angled distal section and can dispense all water flowing therethrough in a single concentrated stream into a toilet. A hose can connect the dispensing device to a supply line for a toilet. A holster mounted at the toilet can hold the dispensing device.

Abstract: A toy construction set has a plurality of interconnectable objects each having a plurality of faces. Some of these faces have a connector, while other faces lack a connector but have a fibrous or pierceable material. The connector includes a first hub and a second hub that are concentrically nested. Each of the hubs has on one side thereof a plurality of spiral prongs. The spiral prongs on the first hub spiral in a direction opposite that of the spiral prongs on the second hub. The connector also has a manually operable link connected between the first and the second hub for relatively rotating them in opposite directions. The play activity proceeds by adjoining a pair of the objects with a prominent, connector-bearing face of one of the pair touching a prominent connector-free face of the other one of the pair.

Abstract: A method for communicating with a vehicle has a generator for producing a data stream that can indicate, street sign information, house number, lead vehicle information, traffic information, oncoming vehicle information, juxtaposed vehicle information, a voice channel, etc. vehicle information can indicate braking, low beam requests, direct or indirect traffic flow information, adjacency, partial adjacency, or presence of nearby vehicles, etc. This signal is generated by at least one of: the sign, house number, oncoming vehicle, lead vehicle, operator of the lead vehicle, operator of the oncoming vehicle, operator of the juxtaposed vehicle, a traffic control system. A device for generating such data streams is discussed, as well as, a device for receiving such data streams. Information pertinent to the people in the vehicles or operation of the vehicle can be modulated on the link.

Abstract: A novel bandwidth extension technique allows information to be encoded and decoded using a fractal self similarity model or an accurate spectral replacement model, or both. Also a multi-band temporal amplitude coding technique, useful as an enhancement to any coding/decoding technique, helps with accurate reconstruction of the temporal envelope and employs a utility filterbank. A perceptual coder using a comodulation masking release model, operating typically with more conventional perceptual coders, makes the perceptual model more accurate and hence increases the efficiency of the overall perceptual coder.

Abstract: A plurality of plants of at least one species are planted in starter soil contained in a starter tray. The tray can have a perforated floor with a plurality of reinforcing ribs and one or more walls rising from the floor peripherally. The plants are nurtured in the starter tray long enough to develop entangled roots with an interplant root entanglement that at least partially consolidates the starter soil.

Abstract: Most commercial & residential buildings have rainwater collection systems that consist of leaders and gutters that collect water coming off the roof. These leaders and gutters are connected to drain pipes that channel the water away from the structure, usually into a dry well or storm drain. A substantial add-on to the leader and gutter system is a debris trap with an overflow port. The debris trap/overflow port may be attached to the leader at waist height (for easy access) to collect leaves, tree droppings, windblown litter and other materials. This debris can be easily discarded by opening an access panel to empty a built-in strainer. When a dry well or storm drain becomes saturated, water will back up through the leader causing seepage and overflow into the building and create erosion that can damage the foundation. The function of the overflow port is to divert water from the drain pipe away from the foundation.

Abstract: A reflective or light redirecting device has a base with an overlaying pattern or light redirector. The pattern can be selected from a collection of masks, templates, or reflective appliques. The device is arranged to reflect or redirect light, for example sunlight, in a beam that projects a corresponding design. A motor rotates the device and reorients its directional axis to reflect light toward a surface to circulate the design on a path on the surface.