Abstract: This invention (FIGS. 1-4) relates to a pipette-syringe combination employing a wire probe attached to the syringe plunger to remove a cover provided over the pipette orifice. One edge of the protective cover is attached via an elastomeric strap to the pipette. When the cover is forced away from the pipette orifice, the elastomeric strap pulls the cover away from, and prevents return of the cover over, the pipette orifice. A suitable sample may then be drawn in the pipette at the location of the cover removal. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-7, the protective cover is manually removed to obtain a surface growth sample by the wire probe and the sample retracted within the pipette. A quantity of nutrient broth is added to the pipette, the pipette sealed by manually replacing the protective cover, with subsequent incubation of the sealed pipette in an incubator.

Abstract: A system and process are disclosed for providing visual indication that a roll of photographic film has/has not been previously exposed to thereby reduce the likelihood of double exposure or the expense of processing unexposed film. A removable, color coded, plastic strip, cover is provided over at least a portion of the starter tab of film extending from a film canister. The presence of this cover gives visual indication that the film has not been previously exposed and prevents camera loading while in place. Instructions on the cover, or provided separately, warn that the cover should not be removed until ready to load the camera and that the film cannot be loaded until cover removal. The absence of the cover is visual indication that the film probably has been exposed. Additional exposure indicia may also be employed on the film canister and/or on the tab extension and is obscured from view when the color coded cover is in place.

Abstract: A system and process for providing systematic, updated, weather information from the ground to the pilot of an aircraft are disclosed. A ground station receives and assimilates weather data for satellite broadcast as digital weather data that is received by an aircraft (while on the ground or while airborne) within the satellite coverage area, encoded by a flight processor, and shown on a display screen to the pilot in map-type depictions and alpha-numeric format tailored to the operational needs of the pilot. The flight processor provides near real-time automatic processing and comparison of surface weather observations with the applicable forecast in both text and map depictions. The display screen information is controlled by a control panel that permits the pilot to select the departure, destination, alternate and any arbitrary airport with this selection establishing the map boundaries and with the projected flight path marked thereon.

Abstract: A pair of spaced slots, disposed on each side of an aircraft centerline and spaced well inboard of the wing leading edges, are provided in the wing upper surfaces and directed tangentially spanwise toward thin sharp leading wing edges of a highly swept, delta wing aircraft. The slots are individually connected through separate plenum chambers to separate compressed air tanks and serve, collectively, as a system for providing aircraft lift augmentation. A compressed air supply is tapped from the aircraft turbojet power plant. Suitable valves, under the control of the aircraft pilot, serve to selective provide jet blowing from the individual slots to provide spanwise sheets of jet air closely adjacent to the upper surfaces and across the aircraft wing span to thereby create artificial vortices whose suction generate additional lift on the aircraft. When desired, or found necessary, unequal or one-side wing blowing is employed to generate rolling moments for augmented lateral control.

Abstract: A weight support harness, including separate portions disposed over each of the shoulders and beneath the arms of a musician, terminates in a pair of hooks at the front of the musician for supporting a saxophone or similar instrument. The harness is adjustable to comfortably accommodate right or left handed, as well as male or female, musicians. Either of the pair of hooks is capable of supporting the instrument weight to permit transferring the instrument from the front position to a side position during breaks or between musical sessions. A separate adjustable strap is connected to each of the harness portions and extends across the back shoulders of the musician to distribute some of the instrument support to the musician's back. In one embodiment, supplemental straps are employed to reduce strap contact with a female musician's breasts.

Abstract: A process for obtaining precision castings of body parts wherein the body part is first immersed in a ice and water slush, immediately removed therefrom and immersed in a melted paraffin wax-water container, immediately removed therefrom and the body part extracted from the resulting wax mold. At least the interior surface of the hollow wax mold is coated with a casting material and permitted to cure at room temperature. The cured casting is heated by immersion in the wax-water container or in a separate heated water container for a period of at least ten minutes to remove the wax mold and recover a casting of the body part. The removed wax molding material may be recycled and employed in subsequent castings and recover a casting of the body part.

Abstract: A lightweight, high strength, water ski hydrofoil assembly includes a diamond planform hydrofoil wing and a V-strut connecting the wing to a parallel ski support platform. The diamond planform wing is formed as a unit and the separately formed V-strut and platform secured thereto. The wing is provided with a foam plastic, aluminum or composite core element, while the V-strut and platform are provided with core elements selected from aluminum or aluminum alloys, composites and balsa wood. In the preferred embodiment, the core elements are provided with an intermediate layer of molded composite material (resin impregnated fiberglass and graphite fibers, or cloth) and an outer layer of rubber. The rubber coating may be applied to the core elements by injection molding, and confined to the leading and trailing edges of the components, with the intermediate layer being omitted, in some embodiments.

Abstract: A portable stair lift system, for assistance in traversing short or medium length stairways, employs a pair of spaced elongated solid metal plates extending the stairway length and supported by a pair of vertically extending end brackets attached to a block of wood at each end thereof. An axle extends through each pair of end brackets and each axle supports a roller transversely disposed at the metal plate ends. At least one of these rollers is provided with a sprocket wheel secured to the axle between split roller segments. A reversible drive gear motor, drive chain connected to the sprocket wheel, drives the roller. A heavy duty conveyor belt is positioned about the pair of rollers. A passenger support system (either a chair seat or step segments) is secured to and movable with the conveyor belt. Manual switch means for controlling motor operation and direction are provided and actuatable by the passenger at any point along the stairway.

Abstract: A rocket glider stabilization system wherein a releasable, granular, counterweight, or ballast material is provided in the forward end of a model rocket aircraft to offset the weight of a tail mounted rocket motor assembly. The counterweight ballast material is releasably maintained in a counterweight bay formed at the opposite end of the model glider fuselage from the rocket motor. A rocket body tube connects the rocket motor with the counterweight bay and, when the ejection charge of the rocket motor is ignited, the ejection charge pressure ruptures or opens a retaining structure to release the ballast and maintain the desired center of gravity for glide flight of the rocket back to the ground. At least one adjustable or fixed trim tab is employed on at least one of the flight surfaces to induce the desired glide path return for the model aircraft.

Abstract: A porous airfoil having venting cavities with contoured barrier walls, formed by a core piece, placed beneath a porous upper and lower surface area that stretches over the nominal chord of an airfoil is employed, to provide an airfoil configuration that becomes self-adaptive to very dissimilar flow conditions to thereby improve the lift and drag characteristics of the airfoil at both subcritical and supercritical conditions.

Abstract: A bicycle wheel straightener including a support surface, an axle retention bar attached to the support surface and including an axle, adjustable along the length of a slot in the retention bar, for rotatably supporting a bent bicycle wheel in a horizontal relationship relative to the support surface. A pair of spaced rollers are rotatably fixed to the support surface in position to engage and rotatably support a side of the rim of the bicycle wheel. A third roller is positioned between and vertically spaced from the first and second rollers and adjustably supported by a vertical frame member. A jackscrew provides vertical movement of the third roller relative to the first and second spaced rollers to selectively apply pressure to the opposite edge of the bicycle wheel rim supported by the pair of spaced rollers. The jackscrew exerts a straightening force on the wheel rim as the wheel is manually rotated. Two embodiments of the axle retention/adjustment structure are disclosed (FIGS. 3-4 and FIGS. 6-8). FIG.

Abstract: An inverted L-shaped finger support device is releasably secured to the back side of a putter, or other golf club, shaft adjacent to the bottom area of the handle grip. The attachment device is formed of unitary, or hinged, cylindrical stock with the short arm of the inverted "L" extending perpendicular from the club shaft and adapted to be positioned between the index finger and the middle finger on the right hand of a golfer. The perpendicularly extending portion is disposed in the groove of the first joint of the golfer's index finger during use to thereby permit essentially the entire weight of the club to be supported with this one finger. Tap screws, bolts and a spring clip structure provide alternate releasable connections for securing the finger support device to a golf club. The spring clip releasable connection permits forced movement of the device along the length of the golf club to provide vertical adjustment thereof when the golfer desires to employ a choke grip on the golf club.

Abstract: A motion compensation and tension control system (MCATS) for a surface vessel overboarding, umbilical cable supported, submersible payload is provided with a housing containing a pair of spaced parallel guide rods attached to oppositely disposed housing end plates. Two identical carriages, slidably disposed on the pair of guide rods, each include two parallel slide tubes rigidly attached by a cross plate and by an axle, with a plurality of sheaves rotatably supported by each axle. Motion of each carriage as a rigid body along the guide rods is elastically restrained by, either extension or compression springs. The surface vessel umbilical cable is received through an opening in one of the end plates, reeved around the two sets of sheaves, and mechanically connected to the other end plate. Wave induced surface vessel motion is transmitted through the umbilical cable and absorbed, or compensated for, by the spring restrained carriage motion before it reaches the submersible payload.

Abstract: A computer controlled signalling system to assist a driver in accurately positioning a truck chassis at a preprogrammed specific stop point in a loading/unloading lane adjacent to a dockside container crane to facilitate loading/unloading of containerized cargo by the crane and employing a light signal panel visible to the truck driver and having a series of vertically disposed lights thereon sequentially actuated by a computer. The vertical lights indicate to the driver the exact distance he is from, and when he reaches, the desired stop point. The computer is responsive to a video image received from a video camera disposed over the traffic lane and matches the image(s) received with a programmed image for locating, identifying and signalling the position of the truck.

Abstract: A decorative light display unit for displaying one or more lights for a window display, table centerpiece, or the like, wherein a substantially rectangular hollow housing is provided with a top surface having at least one transverse opening therethrough to maintain a display candle extending from each opening. A glass or plastic sconce is disposed around each candle and supported by a groove formed around the transverse opening. The sconce includes a first tubular end supported by the hollow housing and a flared bulbous open portion disposed around the bulb of the candle. The flared bulbous portion is provided with a scalloped tip end and a ribbon secured around a reduced diameter portion thereof. A hinged closure door is provided for one end of the hollow housing to permit the insertion/removal of a suitable candelabrum therein. A notch is provided in the closure door to accommodate an electric cord supplying electric current to the candelabrum.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for determining the emissivity of a test specimen including an integrated sphere having two concentric walls with a coolant circulating therebetween, and disposed within a chamber which may be under ambient, vacuum or inert gas conditions. A reference sample is disposed within the sphere with a monochromatic light source in optical alignment therewith. A pyrometer is in optical alignment with the test sample for obtaining continuous test sample temperature measurements during a test. An arcuate slit port is provided through the spaced concentric walls of the integrating sphere with a movable monochromatic light source extending through and movable along the arcuate slit port. A detector system extends through the integrating sphere for continuously detecting an integrated signal indicative of all radiation within its field of view, as a function of the emissivity of the test specimen at various temperatures and various angle position of the monochromatic light source.

Abstract: A portable conveyor system having multiple, separable, conveyor sections, a separable latching bridge mechanism disposed between and connecting each two adjacent conveyor sections, a single drive motor for the system, a belt driving gear arrangement on each end of each conveyor section for driving the conveyor belt, a pair of idling gears carried by each separable latching bridge mechanism and adapted to engage and connect the roller gears on adjacent conveyor sections when the latching bridge mechanism is employed to latch adjacent conveyor sections. Snugger rollers are provided to adjust the tension on the conveyor belt on each conveyor section.