Abstract: A protective collar entirely of a resilient, cushioning material such as a thermoplastic rubber and having the shape of an annular ring which has an open end which may be sleeved over an aerator mounted at the tip of a faucet spout. The discharge end of the collar has an aperture formed therein with a diameter greater than that of the discharge outlet of the aerator so that the collar does not interfere with the flow of water through the aerator. At the same time, the diameter of this aperture is less than that of the leading edge of the aerator so that the collar, when in position for use, abuts this edge, thereby protecting fragile and easily chipped objects impacting upon either the underside of the aerator or upon its vertical sides.

Abstract: A welt having a strip of transparent plastic material which is folded over a cord or rope saturated with a phosphorescent paint so as to encase the cordage and protect both it and the paint. The welt, after being exposed briefly to an ordinary bright light, remains luminous for time intervals on the order of hours, allowing portions of the welt to be seen in the dark.

Abstract: An article carrier of the slip cover type for mounting over the back of an automobile seat or the like and having a plurality of transparent plastic pockets arrayed in partially overlapping rows for displaying advertising brochures, maps, and other informative material. The pockets are arranged so as to make a substantial portion of the outermost brochure inserted in each pocket visible at a glance and at the same time keep all of the brochures in good condition. So that none of the pockets is ever empty in use, a hidden band within each pocket prevents a passenger from removing its outermost brochure. The remaining brochures are accessible for self distribution. When used in a taxi cab, bus, airplane, or other common carrier, this brochure holder can help inform a rider of the attractions of the community he is visiting. A taxi driver benefits by having the brochures available to help answer a rider's questions concerning places to stay and to dine.

Abstract: A hull for a boat having a forward section with two twin subhulls or sponsons joined by a bridging structure which forms, approximately midway along the sponsons, the fore-end of a third subhull. The twin forward subhulls each have a modified W cross-sectional shape which is continued to a spoiler located near the mid-section of the hull. Water flowing past the undersides of the sponsons gives rise to a lifting action as the boat starts to move. The bottom of the central subhull runs downward and rearward between the sponsons but remains separated from them past the spoilers. In the rear section, the extension of the central subhull is deeper than the remainder of the hull and has a substantially flat bottom joined to sides inclined outwardly and upwardly to form a generally V cross-sectional shape. As the boat picks up speed, it merely rises in the water with little change of attitude until the aft part of the hull skims on the surface of the water.

Abstract: A joint structure for a knee brace in which the axis around which motion takes place is not fixed but rather simulates that of the natural joint, lengthening and shortening with it. The joint structure includes two slidably-coupled joint elements, the lower one of which has a ramp member and a pair of furcations. The head of the upper joint element is received between these furcations and connected thereto by a pin which passes through an elongated slot formed in the head. As the joint elements rotate toward each other from their fully extended position, the pin slides from the upper to the lower end portion of the slot, increasing the overall length of the joint structure with flection as does the human knee joint.

Abstract: A portable seat device which can be mounted on the trunk of a tree to provide a body supporting seat for hunters or the like. The device comprises a frame member with a horizontal bar and a tailpiece which extends generally downwardly from it and which is pivotally connected to a bifurcated arm which supports a seat platform. A pair of pronged support pins each of which is threadedly engaged with a coupler attached to the top of the bar project outwardly from its mid-section and away from a backrest attached to the bar. Straps for encircling the trunk are secured to the front of the bar so that they can be passed over its upper surface and on either side of the couplers. As a first step preparatory to use, the straps are tightened about the girth of a tree while the bulk of the device is held away from it.

Abstract: Movable game tokens are placed on a game board partitioned into twelve regions known as house areas and into forty-eight other subdivisions known as zodiac squares in response to throws of a pair of dice and on the basis of actions dictated by additional chance means including three preshuffled decks of cards. Two of these decks have cards with one or more directions imprinted thereon which call for the placement on or removal of at least one game token from one of the zodiac squares. The house areas, each of which bears a different zodiac sign and is proximate four zodiac squares, are grouped in eight sets of three, each known as trigons. The house areas within each trigon are associated either with the same major planet or with the same minor planet. Each of the four trigons associated with a major planet is assigned to one of the contestants before play is commenced.

Abstract: A portable climbing device suited for scaling existing overhead structures such as trees, buildings, clifts and the like. Using his legs, a rider cranks a hoisting winch that is equipped with bicycle-like foot pedals to retract a cable by which the device is suspended. Having a curved frame which extends along a narrow region of space from a point above the rider's seat and downwardly behind it, the device tends to deflect any overhead tree branches which may be in a rider's path as he ascends while simultaneously giving him a virtually unobstructed view. Also shielded by the frame is the cable which is guided across a plurality of rollers mounted on the concave side of the frame. The rollers are so positioned that the cable acts on them to stabilize the frame by resisting forces which tend to stretch it longitudinally when the rider's seat is occupied.

Abstract: A device for scoring the opposing sides of a tennis match which is adapted to be mounted on the side of a tennis racket handle. A variation of this device may be employed to keep count of the games won by each side. The device comprises an elongated, flexible, transparent structure which is segmented into two compartments by a seam across its mid section. Enclosed within each compartment is a bead-like chip or marker which is slideably movable therein when the marker is pressed gently. Each chip is held in place by a spring-like action wedging it against the wall of its compartment and preventing it from being moved inadvertently during the game. The structure itself is sandwiched between two strips of film which are adhesively attached together. The outer film layer includes an elongated transparent panel through which each marker may be viewed within its compartment and upon which are imprinted indicia, each of which corresponds to a score in a tennis game.

Abstract: An attachment for use with common porch swings and the like which includes a foldable platform that not only serves as a foot rest but also provides means by which a rider can, with a small amount of effort, propel the swing from rest to a gentle swinging motion. In addition to the platform, the attachment comprises a supporting structure and a pair of flexible members from which portions of the platform proximate its rear and front edges, respectively, are suspended when the platform is fully extended.The attachment transforms foot pressure as it is being applied to straighten the platform for use as a foot rest into a force tending to propel the swing forward. Only a slight pressure is required to set the swing in motion. The action of unfolding the platform is coupled with an increase in tension on the flexible members supporting the platform to greatly magnify the non-vertical component of the force supplied by the rider's foot on the platform.

Abstract: A closure for a teat cup with a resilient inner liner in the shape of a small disk with a centrally located bulge. A farmer who has to milk fewer than four teats on any cow because of injury to or disease in one of them can utilize the closure to adapt an automatic milking machine of the conventional type to harvest her milk. The disk is large enough to cover the opening in the teat cup liner otherwise provided for the reception of a teat so that the flow of air therethrough can be cut off when a vacuum is applied to the passageway which terminates in this opening. The bulge with its gently sloping, raised surface increases the area of contact between the disk and the lip of the liner to aid in sealing the disk to the cup under vacuum conditions and prevents the disk from slipping sideways. A magnet secured to the back side of the closure, opposite the bulge, facilitates storage.

Abstract: A spill-resistant animal watering container including a water holding dish or bowl having sloping sides in combination with a snap-in lid having a central aperture large enough to allow all sizes of animals access to the liquid in the bowl. The inner side wall and floor surrounding the bowl cavity are shaped so that the forces within a liquid moving within the bowl tend to neutralize each other.

Abstract: A support block for stringing one or two cables simultaneously which is hung from an existing cable suspended laterally overhead, in which the cable-to-be-strung can be rapidly inserted, and on which the cable-to-be-strung rests prior to its being lashed to a utility pole. The temporary support block is raised to the existing cable by means of a layup stick or similar hand-held installation pole by a worker standing on the ground. More than one support block can be hung and cable suspended therefrom before the cable is pulled between one or more utility poles. The method of using several support blocks reduces the frequency with which workers must put tension on a cable in order to string it and enables the workers to keep greater lengths of cable suspended above potentially-damaging ground traffic and obstacles.

Abstract: An oscillating guide roll assembly is illustrated for use with a cloth winder in building a cloth roll in such a manner as to avoid registry of the selvage portions throughout the build of the cloth roll. The subject oscillating guide roll is especially useful in connection with looms such as Sulzer looms having thickened edge portions which result from inserted filling ends in the selvage area.

Abstract: A lightweight drafting table having a full-size drafting board of sandwich-type construction, the underside of which is glued to a yoke having three support arms which are disposed approximately parallel to each other and which are connected to a cross member to form a rigid structure for supporting two drawers. The board provides the cover for the drawers when they are closed. Each drawer has a slot formed in each of two sides thereof; the walls of each slot ride on a key which protrudes laterally from one of the support arms. A slight drag between the key and the slot prevents each drawer from opening under the force of gravity alone when the drafting board and the drawer are tilted at an angle of several degrees to the horizontal and the drawer is fully loaded. The yoke is pinned to a pair of vertical support members attached to a four-legged base and to a pair of braces, each of which is also bolted to one of the support members to form a lightweight structure of exceptional strength.

Abstract: A tool couple which is used with a manually-operated threading die to aid in cutting the initial threads on a pipe or bolt. The device is used to force the anterior cutting edge of the die firmly against the outer, unthreaded surface of the workpiece at the outset of a threading operation. The die is kept wedged, as the initial threads are being cut, between the workpiece and a rotatable member of the tool couple so that the die cannot slip backward toward the leading edge of the workpiece. To keep the die so wedged, the rotatable member is advanced in the direction of the end of the workpiece at approximately the same rate as the die is moved along the longitudinal axis of the workpiece. By maintaining the anterior cutting edge of the die in juxtaposition to the advancing edge of the thread, the device prevents a chamfering of the leading edge of the workpiece as the threading die is turned.