Abstract: A combination hitch for allowing a towed vehicle to be fastened to a tow vehicle. The combination hitch includes a base for being attached to the bed of the tow vehicle, the base including a ball hitch member located substantially over the centerline of the rear axle of the tow vehicle. The combination hitch also includes a superstructure movable between a first position attached to the base and second position attached to the base. The superstructure has a pin box hitch member located substantially directly over the ball hitch member and the centerline of the rear axle of the tow vehicle when the superstructure is in the first position and not located substantially directly over the ball hitch member and the centerline of the rear axle of the tow vehicle when the superstructure is in the second position.

Abstract: A golf club holder holds and organizes a plurality of golf clubs within a golf bag. The holder includes a floor portion having a first plurality of holes therethrough, with each hole being sized for receipt of a shaft of a golf club therethrough, and the holder also includes a circumferential sidewall portion extending upwardly from the floor portion and substantially concentric with the central axis of the floor portion. A second plurality of wedge-shaped compartments are formed within the sidewall portion with each compartment being shaped as an annular sector about the central axis, being downwardly closed by the floor portion, and having an open apex radially inward toward the central axis. The heads of golf clubs are received into the compartments when the shafts of the clubs are received into the holes through the floor portion. Raised platform portions separate some of the compartments, and a vertical bore through each raised platform portion receives the shaft of an oversize golf club.

Abstract: A femoral neck anteversion guide for use with a femur having a prepared intramedullary canal. The guide includes a radiolucent stem having a distal end for inserting into the prepared intramedullary canal; and a radiopaque angle locator wire embedded within the stem at a known angle for allowing the femoral neck angle and femoral neck anteversion to be determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cold sealing a pharmaceutical unit dose package of pills while the package is seated upon a resilient sealing tray. The unit dose package has a plurality of blisters for holding the pills. The sealing tray has a plurality of outwardly-opening compartments open to its upper side, and the compartments are spaced for receipt of the blisters of the unit dose package.

Abstract: A die lubricant applicator for spraying lubricant from a pressurized source of lubricant through a plurality of injector nozzles onto a die press. Associated with each injector nozzle is a solenoid-operated valve for selectively gating the flow of the lubricant to the injector nozzle, and also an electronic control, such as a portion of a programmable logic controller, responsive to the movement of the die of the die press, for opening the solenoid valve for a predetermined and programmable dwell time, thereby passing a predetermined volume of lubricant from the pressurized source to the injector nozzle. The electronic control associated with each injector nozzle includes a programmable timer that causes the solenoid valve to open for the programmed dwell time, and the electronic control may also include a programmable counter that can inhibit the firing of the programmable dwell timer for a number of die press cycles.

Abstract: An apparatus for allowing a user to hold a device, such as a gun, steady while pointing that device at a target. The apparatus includes a base; attachment structure for attaching the base firmly against a portion of the user's body; and a rod attached to the base for being held by the user against or relative to the device.

Abstract: An improved gantry crane that has a control cab mounted for vertical up and down movement substantially parallel with respect to the upstanding columns of the crane between a lowermost position adjacent the ground and infinite positions within a fixed range. One or both of the sill beams of the crane include a downwardly offset mid-portion extending adjacent to the ground but spaced therefrom with the mid-portion of one of the sill beams being positioned to receive the control cab when in the lowermost position thereof. A supporting beam supports the control cab therebeneath so that the operator in the cab has a 360 degree substantially unobstructed view in all directions.

Abstract: An adjustable depth patella recessing guide and method for guiding a cutting tool to recess the posterior surface of a patella. The guide includes a body having a first end for engaging the posterior surface of the patella, having a second end, and having a bore extending between the first and second ends for allowing the cutting tool to pass therethrough. A depth gauge is mounted within the bore of the body for movement in a direction between the first and second ends of the body. The depth gauge includes a stop for stopping the cutting tool. A lock mechanism is provided for locking the depth gauge to the body.

Abstract: An anchor for anchoring the post of a basketball goal to a container. The anchor includes a portion of a vehicle tire that has been modified so that the tire has been severed transversely to provide a pair of ends and a major portion of the sidewalls of the tire have been removed to provide partial sidewalls respectively having holes therethrough adapted to receive the post of a basketball goal. A tightener extends between the pair of ends for selectively drawing the ends together to tighten the anchor around a container. A modified embodiment includes a tire of a right size to snugly fit around a container or a portion thereof and the tire is complete except for aligned holes respectively in the opposite sidewalls of the tire and adapted to receive the post of a basketball goal. A specially designed container is disclosed that is adapted to be used with the modified embodiment.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for driving and rotating a prosthesis of the type having a stem for implanting into a bone, and a neck extending from the stem. The surgical instrument includes a shaft having a first end for engaging the prosthesis, having a second end, and having an axis between the first and second ends; and a bracket adjustably attached to the shaft so that the relative position between the shaft and the bracket can be adjusted, and for gripping the neck of the prosthesis so that force applied along the axis of the shaft toward the first end of the shaft will drive the prosthesis into the bone and so that rotational force applied to the axis of the shaft will rotate the prosthesis.

Abstract: A cover for protecting at least a portion of a compressed module of fibrous material from wind, rain, etc. The cover includes a cap; a first hanger member secured to a first side wall member of the cap at a point slightly below a top member of the cap; a second hanger member secured to the first side wall member of the cap at a point slightly below the top member of the cap and spaced from the first hanger member; a third hanger member secured to a second side wall member of the cap at a point slightly below the top member of the cap; a fourth hanger member secured to the second side wall member of the cap at a point slightly below the top member of the cap and spaced from the third hanger member; and strap means extending through the first and second hanger members parallel to the top of the module, through the third and fourth hanger members parallel to the top of the module, and around first and second end walls of the module at a spaced distance below the hanger members.

Abstract: An intramedullary implant including an elongated body, a first groove in the body for varying the geometric stiffness of the body; and a second groove in the body for varying the geometric stiffness of the body. The first and second groove have varying cross-sectional shapes whereby the geometric stiffness of the body can be optimized.

Abstract: A fishing reel cover for covering a fishing reel including a first side member, a second side member, and a rotatable spool extending between the first and second side members with each of the first and second side members having an outer perimeter wall. The fishing reel cover includes a flexible body member for extending around the outer perimeter walls of the first and second side members of the fishing reel and for covering the rotatable spool of the fishing reel.

Abstract: A garden seeder having a seed hopper atop an elongated barrel, a seed dispenser for dispensing a metered volume of seeds from the hopper into the barrel, a resting plate secured transversely to the bottom of the barrel for resting placement upon the ground, and a seed dispensing foot below the resting plate. The resting plate includes a hoe blade portion extending outwardly from the barrel. Seeds pass down the barrel from the seed dispenser, out the dispensing foot, and into the ground. A measurement arm may extend outwardly from the lower end of the barrel to space newly-planted seeds from previously-planted hills. The seed dispenser includes a sliding plate having interchangeable metering insert plugs that are removably inserted into a seed metering hole in the sliding plate, so as to define a selectable metered volume of seeds to be dispensed with each operation of the seed dispenser.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, an instrument for surgically implanting a grommet for a flexible small bone joint replacement prostheses, such as a finger joint, is provided. The instrument includes a handle having a central axis with opposed proximal and distal ends, wherein the distal end of the handle is configured with a first connection portion. A head having opposed proximal and distal portions includes a base extending axially from the distal portion, the proximal portion of the head being configured with a second connection portion for releasable engagement with the first connection portion of the handle. A post protrudes distally from the base and includes a cross section which is tapered in a distal direction from a thicker portion at the intersection of the post with the base toward the tip of the post. The taper of the stem portion is adapted for mating with the grommet to be implanted into the medullary canal of bone.