Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying fishing line specification comprises providing a fishing rod and reel assembly. The fishing rod and reel assembly comprises a fishing rod and a fishing reel. The method includes placing a fishing line having a particular specification on the fishing rod and reel assembly and attaching to one of said fishing rod and fishing reel a label having indicia thereon representative of the particular specification of the fishing line. The label is attached in a manner to enable a user of the fishing rod and reel assembly to view the indicia while the user is fishing with the fishing rod and reel assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for teaching a child about basic fluid piping systems comprises a kit having a plurality of pipes and pipe fittings, and a media embodying element, all of which are packaged together for sale. The pipes and pipe fittings come in a variety of shapes, sizes and types and are adapted to be interconnected with one another to form a variety of operable fluid piping systems. The media embodying element includes media that conveys information in a form that can be comprehended by children about the manner in which the pipes and pipe fittings may be interconnected with one another to form various fluid piping systems, which are adapted for connection to a water source for operating the fluid piping systems.

Abstract: A fuel composition of improved lubricity comprises a lubricity-increasing amount of a lubricity aid dissolved in low sulfur diesel fuel and spark ignition fuels. The lubricity aid is an alkanolamide of a fatty acid, an alkanolamide of a modified fatty acid or a mixture thereof. If the lubricity aid is other than an alkanolamide of an aryl-substituted fatty acid, the composition further necessarily comprises a haze-inhibiting amount of a dehazer. The lubricity of such fuels may be enhanced without acceptably increasing the tendency of the fuel to become hazy upon contact with water.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly including a nozzle member, a cap member, a spinner and a foam tube. The cap member is rotationally mounted on the nozzle member and may be rotated from an “off-position” to a “foam-position” with continued rotation bringing the cap member to a “spray-position” and then to a second “foam-position” and then to the “off-position.” Rotation of the cap member drives foam tube from a retracted position to an extended position extending forward of the nozzle member when the cap member is in the “foam-position.” The spinner rotates to atomize liquid flowing through the assembly.

Abstract: A lumbar support device, preferably secured in a seat frame, includes a support structure attached between a pair of levers that are rotated by an actuator assembly. In one embodiment, the pair of levers are each formed from a serpentine wire, and each lever wraps around a bar that is secured to the seat frame and wraps around a side of the support structure. The actuator assembly rotates the pair of levers which move the support structure into the lumbar region and pull the support structure in tension.

Abstract: An end shield for an electric motor is provided with an integrally formed component compartment. The component compartment is mounted on a peripheral edge of the end shield. The component compartment has a hollow interior volume and a motor component used for controlling operation of the motor is received in the component compartment. The motor component is housed and protected in the component compartment.

Abstract: A method of complex image reconstruction from partially acquired data in two or more dimensions is presented. This method uses an iterative multidimensional transformation to reconstruct a magnetic resonance image. The method of this invention abandons the theory that complex conjugation is necessary to reconstruct a complex image from partially acquired data and, instead, utilizes a phase constraint to make the solution determinable using a multidimensional transformation technique. This method of image reconstruction allows magnetic resonance images to be reconstructed by acquiring only one-half of the k-space data.

Abstract: The invention is an amusement device involving a ball, a set of targets and a set of obstructions. Specifically, the device has a target is a plurality of concavities towards which a ball is rolled. A plurality of obstructions located near the concavities act to deflect a rolling ball. A peripheral groove surrounds a playing surface to collect errant balls. A projection device is used to roll the ball towards the set of targets.

Abstract: A fill material mix that includes coal processing wastes, at least one coal combustion by-product and a neutralizing/stabilizing by-product that may be the same as or different than the coal combustion by-product is mixed with water to form a mortar. The mortar can be placed in abandoned mines and other appropriate underground or surface locations as a fill material that is environmentally more benign that the individual components of the mix. The mortar cures rapidly to provide a surface that can support heavy equipment.

Abstract: A blower for a high efficiency furnace is provided with an increased interior space for accommodating an impeller of maximum practicable diameter. The blower includes a blower motor and a blower housing having a bottom piece and a top piece assembling with the bottom piece to define an interior of the blower housing. The top piece includes an annular lower support portion for supporting the blower motor and an annular upper portion extending above and around the lower portion. The upper portion has an outer peripheral edge and lugs extending outward beyond the outer peripheral edge. The lugs have lug holes to receive mechanical fasteners to secure the blower housing to an external device. The head of the mechanical fasteners are positioned above the lugs on the upper portion of the top piece. In this arrangement the diameter of the bottom piece is not limited by a need to accommodate spacing for the head of the mechanical fastener.

Abstract: A mounting device for mounting a reducer support beam of a sprinkler system to a ceiling support rail of a drop ceiling in a building. The mounting device comprises an adjustable clamp portion and a mount portion. The clamp portion has opposing ceiling support rail engagement portions separated by a clamping space sized and shaped for receiving a portion of the ceiling support rail of the drop ceiling. The clamp portion is adapted to adjustably move the rail engagement portions relative to one another between a loosened position and a clamped position to vary the clamping space separating the rail engagement portions. The clamping space is sized to receive the ceiling support rail when the rail engagement portions are in the loosened position. The rail engagement portions are adapted to securely engage the ceiling support rail when the rail engagement portions are in the clamped position.

Abstract: A rotor assembly is comprised of a rotor core and at least one magnet. The rotor core has a support protrusion projecting radially outwardly from the core exterior surface. The at least one magnet is positioned on the support protrusion and is supported in a radially outward spaced relation from the core exterior surface. The radially outward spacing defines a radial spacing between the core exterior surface and the at least one magnet. A connection is located in the radial spacing and holds the at least one magnet to the core exterior surface. A method of assembling the rotor core assembly comprises the steps of providing the rotor core with a support protrusion projecting radially outwardly from the core exterior surface. Providing at least one magnet.

Abstract: An airbed mattress includes a valve for controlling inflation of the mattress. The valve is normally biased to a closed position to prevent changes in the mattress' level of inflation. The valve may be opened by introduction of an air pump. The valve and air pump are designed to operate cooperatively by employment of an adaptor to facilitate the introduction of the air pump. The valve has an air passageway which contains an internal airflow control assembly. The control assembly operates to open the valve to passage of air upon introduction of the air pump and adaptor as well as effecting the closing of the valve when the air pump and adaptor are withdrawn. The valve also may have an extension adapted for a releasable connection with an air pump and adaptor for holding the valve open.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an interactive computer system and method for collecting and analyzing user response data. The system includes a portable, compact re-programmable data device, the user interface of which is defined via an input program created on a computer and transferred from it to the data device. The user response data collected by the data device is transferred to an output table stored in the computer which is directly created from the input program without the need for additional programming. The user response data stored in the output table may then be analyzed via a data analysis mechanism also stored in the computer. The data analysis mechanism includes data analysis software and a plurality of customizable data analysis templates stored separately from the data analysis software, such that a data analyst can automatically and selectively configure the data analysis mechanism without the need for additional programming.

Abstract: A row former of a conveying system is provided with a plurality of protrusions projecting from a side of a row forming arm that engage with portions of objects arranged in a row and pushed before the arm across a row forming table surface and prevent relative movement of the objects in the row.

Abstract: A retractable covering for attachment to a golf cart is provided. The covering is comprised of a framework having a plurality of pivotal and nestable U-shaped rib members and a fabric cover that enables the awning to move between an extended deployed position and a retracted closed position over a rear compartment of the golf cart. The framework is mounted to the cart through one of several disclosed arrangements including a transition plate extending between the forward rib member and a top mounting bracket in one arrangement. The covering comprises a gathering flap that is adapted to surround a portion of the cover as the cover portion is retracted from use. The gathering flap has an indicia area exposed to view from behind the golf cart. The indicia area has indicia thereon that is visible from the rear of the golf cart.

Abstract: A conveyor system comprises a novel row former, a novel array rake and a novel sweep mechanism that are all designed to prevent relative movement between objects arranged in rows and then formed in two dimensional arrays of the objects as the objects are moved through the conveyor system, where the objects have triangular shaped cross sections.

Abstract: A conveyor system includes a diverter positioned between an upstream conveyor and several downstream conveyors and splits or switches a procession of objects conveyed by the upstream conveyor to one of the downstream conveyors where the downstream conveyors are provided with a plurality of sensors along their lengths that detect the presence or absence of objects on the downstream conveyors at different positions along their lengths and supply signals to the diverter to control the diverter to switch between the downstream conveyors to direct the objects conveyed by the upstream conveyor to the one of the downstream conveyors having fewer objects being conveyed by the conveyor and also controls the number of objects delivered by the diverter to the downstream conveyors.

Abstract: Methods to determine the activity of any and all DNA binding factors, proteins or fragments thereof based upon the detection of a change in a luminescence or fluorescence signal are provided. Preferably, a fluorescence donor is attached to a nucleic acid comprising one portion of a DNA binding element and a fluorescence acceptor is attached to a nucleic acid comprising the other portion of the same binding element. Alternatively, a microsphere bead is attached to a nucleic acid comprising one portion of a binding element and a luminescent moiety or fluorochrome is attached to a nucleic acid comprising the other portion of the same binding element. Binding of a DNA binding factor to the nucleic acid components affects a change in luminescence. These methods may also be used to detect mediating analytes, to diagnose diseases and/or screen for drugs that mediate the activity of DNA binding factors.

Abstract: Disclosed are bacteria having virulence attenuated by a mutation to the regulatory gene poxR. Also disclosed is a method of producing bacteria having virulence attenuated by mutating to the regulatory gene poxR. Such bacteria are useful for inducing an immune response in an animal or human against virulent forms of the bacteria with reduced risk of a virulent infection. Such bacteria are also useful to allow use of normally virulent bacteria as research tools with reduced risk of virulent infection. In a preferred embodiment, poxR attenuated bacteria can be used as a vaccine to induce immunoprotection in an animal against virulent forms of the bacteria. The disclosed bacteria can also be used as hosts for the expression of heterologous genes and proteins or to deliver DNA for genetic immunization. Attenuated bacteria with such expression can be used, for example, to deliver and present heterologous antigens to the immune system of an animal.