Abstract: A modified method for playing bingo awarding a bonus prize to the first player who has all of the numbers on one of the player's cards selected if the number with which the player completes having all the numbers of that card selected is the same number as the day of the month on which the game is played. Optionally, the bonus prize available during a series of games only until there is a winner in that series of games. Also optionally, if no player wins the bonus prize in a given series of games, increasing the bonus prize in the subsequent series of games.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a capital for an architectural column. The inside of a mold for an architectural column is lightly coated with a mold release. A first opening of the mold is placed upon a surface, and a plug is positioned on the surface within the first opening. Through another opening foam is poured around the plug. After the foam has hardened, the mold is removed from the surface. All other openings in the mold are securely covered. Then an elastomer is introduced into the mold, and the mold is rotated about three different axes. The introduction of the elastomer is repeated after the prior coating created by the introduced elastomer has become tacky but before the prior coating has become firm. After the final coating of elastomer has become tacky but not firm, foam is introduced into the mold.

Abstract: A convertible cover for protecting a personal watercraft and increasing the carrying capacity of the personal watercraft. The convertible cover consists primarily of a watertight, unitary hull which, when placed on the personal watercraft, encloses substantially all of the upper portion of the personal watercraft to protect the part of the personal watercraft above the hull and the billage seam. To increase the carrying capacity of the personal watercraft, the convertible cover can be placed in the water and towed behind the personal watercraft. Cargo or a seat can be placed within the hull.

Abstract: A slopeboard mounting linkage that raises a slopeboard while also raising and moving a fluid-powered cylinder toward the longitudinal center of the bulldozer to which the cylinder and slopeboard are attached. One end of a rod extending from the cylinder is rotatably attached to the slopeboard as is also one end of a link arm. The other ends of the cylinder and of the link arm are rotatably attached to an angled link that is rotatably attached to the back of the primary push blade of the bulldozer. And the inside edge of the slopeboard is rotatably attached to a long arm of the bulldozer.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for the manufacturing of wavy pre-preg material that moves a first group of rollers in a transverse and a longitudinal direction with respect to a second group of rollers, to place a sinuous waveform in a fiber reinforced matrix for the manufacture of a wavy pre-preg material. The fabrication of wavy fiber pre-preg (fibers pre-impregnated with epoxy resin as an example) can be accomplished with an automated control system that permits the creation of non-periodic or mixed waveforms. The improved apparatus for this process allows for a more accurate placement of fibers, production of a wider variety of usable waveforms, and increased quality of pre-preg produced.

Abstract: A motorized skate employing an electric motor with rotor being a drive wheel. A boot or clamp for holding the foot of a user is attached to a rail that supports the boot or clamp. The drive wheel has one or more permanent magnets attached to said drive wheel with opposite magnetic poles adjacent to one another. One or more electromagnets are attached to the rail to which the drive wheel is rotatably connected. A sensor determines the location of the permanent magnets. This information is utilized to assure that the electromagnets are energized only when the resultant magnetic fields will interact with the magnetic fields of the permanent magnet to produce a force on the drive wheel that will cause rotation in the desired direction. Three principal embodiments are employed. In a first embodiment, a computer periodically activates a switch to send pulsed voltage to the electromagnets; the percentage of the period of each pulse during which the voltage is non-zero determines the speed of the drive wheel.

Abstract: A stethoscope carrier has a stethoscope bell receiver space formed by anteriorly protruding bell receiver flanges and a recessed bell retaining collar; a pair of ear piece retaining grooves together with a set of ear piece retaining groove keepers located laterally on the carrier; a set of stethoscope tubing retainers consisting of an arched tubing shelf/retainer and side tubing retainers; and, optionally, a waist clip forming the most posterior aspect of the carrier. The stethoscope bell receiver space and ear piece retaining grooves are precisely sized to receive and protectively store and release the bell and ear pieces of a stethoscope in a slip-fit relationship. The stethoscope tubing retainers allow the excess stethoscope tubing to be wrapped around the carrier. Lastly, the waist clip provides a means for securing the carrier as a whole.

Abstract: A fluidic dampening device having a housing containing a rotatably mounted wiper that sealingly moves past the side walls, bottom, and peripheral wall of the housing as well as a faceplate attached to the top of the housing. The housing contains a bypass channel that has a first port in the first side wall of the chamber and a second port in the second side wall of the chamber. A control shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. The control shaft has indentations of varying sizes formed at distinct points around the shaft with areas having no indentation between each consecutive pair of indentations and is so located in the housing that either no indentation or only one indentation lies within the bypass channel at a given time. When no indentation has been rotated into the bypass channel, the control shaft completely blocks the bypass channel. Optionally, channels exist in the bottom of the faceplate or in the portion of the housing which forms the bottom of the chamber.

Abstract: A combined filter for removing an aqueous fluid and entities, such as bacteria, existing in such aqueous fluid, from a nonaqueous fluid is described. The combined filter consists of a hydrophilic filter and a hydrophobic filter that are arranged in fluid communication and serially to be placed along the flow path of a fluid. The hydrophilic filter and the hydrophobic filter may touch one another or be located some distance from one another. Also, a structure may be inserted into the space between the hydrophilic filter and the hydrophobic filter that will maintain the space between the hydrophilic filter and the hydrophobic filter without significantly restricting the flow of fluid. And, in one embodiment, the combined filter may be composed simply of material having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic characteristics on the molecular level. Preferably, however, the filters and spacing structure are contained within an encasement having an inlet and an outlet.

Abstract: A sheet of shingles for application to the ridge or hips of a roof. Two or more shingles are arranged in a generally straight line with the tops of adjacent shingles generally aligned with one another, with the bottoms of adjacent shingles generally aligned with one another. The second edge of a prior shingle overlaps and is above the first edge of any immediately subsequent shingle. Adhesive is placed in the overlapping area of adjacent shingles to connect such shingles, leaving the corners unattached so that the upper, overlapping corners can be lifted to nail the lower, overlapped corners to the roof. Tar is placed between the overlapping and the overlapped corners in order to utilize solar energy to seal the corners of the adjacent shingles to one another after the nails have been inserted.

Abstract: A method and system to facilitate deep phytoremediation by planting a tree deeper than is traditionally done and then supplying at such depths the air; water; nutrients; and, optionally, the gaseous exchange needed for the development of root systems. Either forced air or the germination and growth of mycorrhizae spores not creates, in compacted soil, macro pores through which root hair can pass. The trunk of the tree can optionally be coated with either vitamin B1 or mycorrhizae spores or a combination of these substances to encourage root growth even further. To prevent water from flowing to the bottom of the hole in which the tree has been planted and air from flowing to the top of such hole, clay layers are optionally used to separate different areas where root growth is desired. Conversely, to preclude root growth in areas where such growth is not desired, either the trunk of the tree is wrapped, in such areas, with a material that is impervious to roots or such areas are backfilled with gravel.

Abstract: A reflex timing device having a first switch. Engagement of the first switch causes a microcontroller to activate a second visual indicator at a random time. The micorcontroller measures the time between activation of the second visual indicator and engagement of a second switch. This measured time is compared by the microcontroller with a required benchmark reflex time, which may optionally be selected from several benchmark reflex times. A signal indicating success is provided if a subject being tested does not disengage said first switch until said second visual indicator has been activated and if the subject also engages said second switch within the required benchmark reflex time. Optionally, a signal indicated failure may be provided if these conditions have not been met.

Abstract: A device for orienting and achieving the optimal density of a quantity of elongated objects having a cleated conveyor belt with a substantially horizontal first portion upon which a pre-weighed product is deposited, an inclined middle portion, and a substantially horizontal end portion. The inclined conveyor belt establishes an even rate of discharge for the elongated objects so that such elongated objects tend to be oriented in a horizontal plane after they have fallen into a product orientation hopper. By having the width of the product-orientation hopper narrower than the length of most of the elongated objects, the longitudinal axis of the elongated objects will tend to be parallel to the sides of the product-orientation hopper. The product-orientation hopper is, also, vibrated to increase the density of the elongated objects.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced composite structures and applications that exhibit inherent damping with little or no sacrifice in strength and that make use of wavy fiber patterns in the plane of the composite laminate. The invention includes the methods and apparatus for manufacturing the wavy composite material, and the use of the material in the construction of practical structures and devices. The fabrication of a wavy fiber pre-preg (fibers preimpregnated with epoxy resin as an example) can be accomplished with an automated control system that permits the creation of non-periodic or mixed wave forms. Combined with conventional laminate structures and/or materials, these wavy composite materials allow the design engineer to “tune” the dynamics (e.g. damping, stiffness) of a structural member. The use of wavy patterns in the laminate is not limited to the use of traditional epoxies but may also be used in conjunction with specialized matrix materials having inherent viscoelastic properties.

Abstract: A resuscitator having a collapsible bag with an inlet for attachment to a source of oxygen. The collapsible bag has a major outlet and a minor outlet. The major outlet is connected to a first arm of a three-armed connector. The minor outlet is attached to a flexible tube which, in turn, may either be connected to an adapter that is connected to the second arm of the three-armed connector or to a nebulizer or aerosolizer that is attached to the second arm of the three-armed connector. The third arm of the three-armed connector is connected to a housing containing a one-way valve to permit the flow of oxygen away from the collapsible bag and to preclude the flow of liquids and gases toward the collapsible bag. Preferably, the housing also contains, between the one-way valve and the second end of the housing, an exhaust aperture; and the exhaust aperture is preferably covered by a filter.

Abstract: A device which is neural networked with other such devices to control the irrigation of various irrigation zones. Each neural networked irrigation controller commences irrigation for its zone, provided sufficient water is available, either when a preselected period of time arrives or sensed zonal conditions so dictate. The determination of adequacy of water in the source forms the basis for neural networking. Each controller senses water level or pressure in the source and has its own initial water threshold value—a level or pressure at which irrigation will be permitted to commence. Optionally, each controller may have its own terminal water threshold value—a level or pressure which must be maintained in order for irrigation of the zone to continue. Thus, the controllers communicate hydraulically with one another.

Abstract: A pulsed method for creating composite structures employs a pulsed application of compaction force to composite material. During the application of the compaction force, curing energy is intermittently or continually supplied to the composite material. One type of machine employing this process may create a single batch; another such machine incrementally advances the raw or partially cured composite material to create a continuous cured and compacted length of composite material. Preferably, for the single batch machine, the pulsed compaction energy diminishes in amplitude or ceases upon the gelation of the composite material; and, for the continuous manufacturing machine, each increment of composite material is moved, prior to or at gelation of the increment of composite material, into an area of the machine where pressures are continuous.

Abstract: A method and device for the electrostatic separation of chaff from grain. An nonconductive continuous belt moves a mixture of grain and chaff past an ionizing electrode, which imparts an electrical charge to the grain particles and the particles of chaff within the mixture.

Abstract: A support for a limb of a body having a sheet of flexible material with longitudinal loops running along the sides of such sheet. The longitudinal loops can readily, but releasably and securely, be attached, with rods, to the sides of a base for the support. Optionally, the sides of the base will be higher at one end of the support than at the other end in order to improve comfort for a user. Also, optionally the distance of the tops of the sides from the bottom of the base is adjustable.

Abstract: A column and panel concrete fence includes two or more columns, each of which comprises two portions which are separated from one another along one or more planes that are essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the column. The columns are placed upon footings, as also are the ends of concrete panels which run between successive columns. Preferably, the panels are composed of two or more panel units which are mirror images of one another.