Abstract: An improved hoisting apparatus for a sailboard rig of the type which is attached to a sailboard with a universal connection, the improved hoisting apparatus comprising a hoist pole with a bottom end and a top end, an attachment connecting the bottom end of the hoist pole to the mast to provide pivotable and rotational movement of the hoist pole with respect to the mast, a halyard including first and second tension members extending from the top end of the hoist pole, the first tension member connected to the boomhead, the second tension member having a graspable end portion for exerting a force on the hoist pole to hoist the rig, and elastic cord members connected to return the hoisting apparatus to a stowage position when the graspable end portion is released.

Abstract: A three hand movement of the type having a frame, a stepping motor mounted in the frame, a manually actutable timesetting stem disposed in the frame and a gear train driven by the stepping motor to rotate coaxial members carrying "seconds", "minutes", and "hours" hands. An improved dual reduction gear assembly comprises a first rotatable member with a toothed wheel and a second rotatable member having first and second pinions driving the "hours" and "minutes" wheels. A timesetting gear is adapted to be clutched to the "minute wheel". A friction coupling connects the first and second rotatable members during timekeeping. During timesetting, the friction coupling slips to disengage the toothed wheel from the first and second pinions, so that the second rotatable member separately functions as a reduction gear during timesetting.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a timepiece stepping motor comprising the steps of: providing a flat one-piece stator member defining an opening for the rotor and having a pair of diametrically opposed narrow sections on either side of the opening; providing a movement frame having stator locating projections and defining a pair of holes larger than the narrow sections and extending through the movement frame; locating and attaching the stator to the frame with the narrow sections spanning the holes in the frame; cutting through the narrow sections with a laser to sever the stator into two members, utilizing the holes in the frame to dispose of vaporized metal from the stator; encapsulating and re-joining the severed sections with a plastic fixation; and attaching a coil core assembly to the stator members and in magnetic circuit therewith.

Abstract: An improved drive circuit for a quartz analog wristwatch having a bipole stepping motor with a drive coil, a power supply, a gear train having a plurality of gears driven by the rotor, a plurality of output members with hands rotatably driven by said gears, the rotor, gears, output members and hands together comprising a rotating system, wherein the improvement comprises a low impedance drive coil, first circuit means arrange to generate periodic pulses of alternating polarity at a normal timekeeping frequency, second circuit means arranged to supply successive drive pulses of alternating polarity to the coil at an intermediate frequency on the order of 300 to 600 pulses per second selected to sustain and synchronize the rotating system at a substantially constant angular velocity, and third circuit means arranged to modulate the periodic pulses generated by the first circuit means so as to chop them at a high frequency on the order of 4 kilohertz at a 25 to 50 percent duty cycle selected with regard to the l

Abstract: An improvement in a multimode electronic wristwatch of the type having a display, a lamp for illuminating the display, manually actuated switches and an integrated circuit programmed in a first logic sequence to light the lamp in response to actuation of a first switch, to change modes in response to actuation of a second switch and to change information displayed in each mode in response to actuation of a third switch. The improvement comprises transfer logic responsive to actuating the first switch for more than 2 seconds so as to alter the first logic sequence into a second logic sequence, wherein actuation of either of the second or third switches will automatically light the lamp momentarily in addition to duplicating the first logic sequence. The program returns the watch to the first logic sequence after a period of time, 3 hours in the example shown.

Abstract: A bookholder for reclined reading includes a support arm assembly of two arms meeting at a right angle and extending upwardly at approximately 45.degree. from the horizontal. The support arms provide ledges for supporting the bottom and one side of an open book at a 45.degree. angle. The ledges have a plurality of holes for selective insertion of pegs to hold the book and its pages in place.The support arm assembly is pivotably supported on a backwall member, which in turn is supported on a base member. In a modified form the support arm assembly is fixed rather than pivotable. The ledges include notches to optionally support a book in the horizontal position. A lamp for night time reading is incorporated into an open box structure in the base member.

Abstract: A transportable livestock scale has a towable trailer bed with load cells mounted on the trailer bed in the four corners and a weighing cage having a platform arranged to rest on the load cells. The cage side members have gates for entry or exit of livestock, and loading ramps arranged to be transported on the trailer bed in a storage position when traveling. During weighing extendable support legs connected to the trailer bed partially support the trailer bed, and temporary spacer blocks are removed which support the weighing platform directly from the trailer bed and protect the load cells during travel.

Abstract: An improved textile material having a bristle pile specially adapted for use on articles of clothing to create a preferential movement thereof, said improved material comprising a plurality of weft and/or warp yarns, and a pile yarn passing among said weft and/or warp yarns, at least one leg of each loop of said pile yarn being straight and extending at a preselected angle from the surface of said textile to provide a plurality of relatively rigid bristles, and means causing said pile bristles to maintain said preselected angle with the surface of the textile, whereby random movement of the textile with the bristles against the surface of an adjacent object will create a preferential movement of said textile with respect to said object.

Abstract: An improved bookholder consists of a box with a base and an opening at the top, a lid for the box which is pivotable from a first position extending in a substantially vertical direction above the base to a second position in which the lid covers the opening of the box, a pair of separately movable arms with ledges for supporting a book on the ledges when the lid is open, means for holding said book on the ledges and against the lid, the arms being arranged to be moved to a location on the lid where they will enter the opening of the box as the lid is pivoted to the second position. In its preferred form, the arms are attached to the lid to be pivotable, together with fixing means for holding them in selected positions, and are also hinged in the middle. An illuminating lamp is contained in the box, and arranged to illuminate the pages of the book.

Abstract: An improved movement for a three hand quartz analog timepiece having a frame, a stepping motor with the motor pinion adapted to step once per second, and a plurality of coaxial output members rotatably mounted in the frame including a spindle for driving a "seconds" hand and having a toothed seconds wheel driven by a two-pin rotor pinion, a two-pin reduction drive pinion connected to the spindle, a coaxial sleeve having a toothed minutes wheel and a coaxial sleeves having a toothed hours wheel. The improvement comprises a dual reduction gear assembly with a single shaft rotatably mounted in the frame having a toothed third wheel driven by the reduction drive pinion and having a first reduction pinion and a second reduction pinion directly driving the hours and minutes wheel, respectively, from the same shaft. The first reduction pinion is the two-pin type and the second reduction pinion is a spur gear.

Abstract: An improved stepping motor rotor assembly comprises a rotor having a shaft and a driving member such as a gear pinion, a centering washer disposed on the shaft and a recess with a short finished cylindrical wall coaxial with the shaft and annular abutment surface at the bottom of the recess, a rare earth permanent magnet having a rough center hole preferably drilled by laser beam defining an annular clearance with the shaft and having a finished outer cylindrical wall extending into the recess with a loose fit to center the magnet with respect to the rotor axis, and a holding washer forming an interference fit with the shaft and pressing the magnet axially against the abutment surface on the centering washer. The centering washer may be restrained in axial position by a light interference fit with the shaft or it may be held by contacting the driving member.

Abstract: The invention comprises a universal stepping motor/gear train module for a wrist instrument having a frame plate, a bridge plate attached thereto and spaced therefrom, a stepping motor comprising rotor and stator disposed between said plates, a reduction gear train having gear members coupled to be driven by the rotor and having coaxial output members adapted to receive analog hands, an input/output circuit board disposed in said frame plate and having a pair of power supply terminals thereon, said frame plate defining a recess large enough to receive at least a portion of a button energy cell, and first and second spring contact connectors having ends adapted to contact the terminals of the energy cell and extending between the recess and the power supply terminals on the input/output circuit board, whereby power may either be supplied to said board directly from said power supply terminals or from said energy cell.

Abstract: A digital wristwatch having a case and strap also serves as a computer to display speed, distance, and pedaling cadence when temporarily attached to a holder on the bicycle handlebar. Wheel and sprocket sensors are connected to electrical terminals in the holder. The wristwatch is provided with external electrical terminals connected to a microcomputer in the watchcase which uses signals from the sensors when the watchcase is temporarily retained in the holder. The microcomputer is preprogrammed to provide an improved dual mode circuit which keeps time in a "watch mode" and which uses the sensor signals to make speed, distance, and cadence computations and display them in a "bike mode." The computations may be altered and new constants entered in a "calibration mode," through manual actuators. Changes of state within a mode are responsive to manually actuated push-buttons, to lapse of predetermined time periods or to condition of an annunciator.

Abstract: An improved combination bracelet and wristwatch comprising a watch case including a bezel, a crystal, and a case back, the watch case containing a movement, dial and hands disposed therein, said hands being viewable from one side of the case through the crystal, the case back defining a recessed well facing the exterior side and having a decorative insert disposed in said well, a pair of opposed spindles projecting from opposite sides of the bezel, a bracelet attachment including articulated chain elements, and means attached between selected chain elements and said spindles for rotatably and pivotally mounting said watch case on said bracelet attachment.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means rotatably mounting the watch case comprising a pair of collars disposed on said spindles and having a pair of hooks each extending through an articulated chain element and having opposed ends pivotally cooperating with said collars.

Abstract: An extraction and transfer mechanism for modular containers in an automated storage and retrieval system of the type having a storage matrix of modular containers and a stacker crane with a vertically movable platform. The extraction and transfer mechanism is carried on the platform and when positioned adjacent a selected modular container, is arranged to extract the container from a first selected storage location laterally onto the platform, and to transfer the container in either lateral direction into a second selected empty storage location. The preferred embodiment uses a pair of continuous loop friction belt and collapsible hook assemblies, which both grasp and hook the sides of handleless modular containers for extraction and transfer.

Abstract: An improved wristwatch, radiotelephone comprising a case having a timekeeping circuit a radio transceiver and a display disposed therein, a strap having a pair of strap ends connected to opposite ends of the case and adapted to be connected together for holding the case on a wearer's wrist, a microphone connected to the transceiver, a speaker connected to the transceiver, and an antenna connected to the transceiver and embedded in the strap, wherein the improvement comprises a microphone housing and a speaker housing disposed on the strap and spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit simultaneous use thereof by a user when said strap ends are not connected. Either or both of the speaker housing and microphone housing are disposed on and supported by the terminating end of a strap end and incorporate portions of the clasp. The antenna is provided by coupling through a filter circuit to a pair of audio leads connecting the transceiver to either or both of the speaker and microphone.

Abstract: A watch case has attachment lugs on opposite ends thereof, a flexible resilient watch band with attachment ends, first means pivotably connecting one attachment end of the watch band to the lugs on the six o'clock end of the watch case, and second means pivotably connecting the other attachment end of the watch band to the lugs on the twelve o'clock end of the watch case and having abutment means limiting pivoting on the twelve o'clock lugs so as to require more resilient flexing of the watch band on the twelve o'clock end than on the six o'clock end as the band curves toward the wearer's wrist, whereby tendency of the more flexed end to unflex displaces the watch case in a preferred direction on the wrist.