Abstract: In addition to oxygen concentrator apparatus utilizing two zeolite beds and alternating, pressure controlled pressurization and exhaust cycles, with a swash plate cylindrical pump having a pressure sensitive idle mode, improved oxygen concentrator apparatus is also disclosed. The improved oxygen concentrator apparatus has an isothermal, high volume, low pressure air flow system with unrestricted air conducting lines and ports throughout for more efficient and effective oxygen production. It includes a unique rotary vane pump designed for essentially isothermal air pumping and has precision collet mounted rotor with centering apparatus, tapered vanes for reduced wear and erosion, and combination cast iron pump chamber liner with external aluminum finned casing to enhance both durability and heat dissipation. It also includes a combination double one-way and balancer valve for controlling the flow of oxygen-enriched air downstream from the zeolite beds.

Abstract: A self-temperature regulating hermetically sealed dental mirror includes a mirror encasement comprised of an inverted metal cup that contains electronic heating and temperature control components secured in its interior cavity by a heat conductive resin base potting material. The external surface of the closed end of the cup is a light reflective surface that functions as a mirror. The open end of the inverted cup is imbedded in a plastic base that is molded around and sealed to the sides of the cup in such a manner that the potting material and electronic components are completely sealed and not exposed to the exterior. A molded handle extends radially outwardly from the base, and electric wire leads for conducting electricity to the heating components are positioned longitudinally through the handle. A male jack plug is molded into the distal end of the handle for connecting the wire leads to a power source.

Abstract: A simulated fire and hit indicator apparatus and method includes two opponent stations having a gun device and a target device and a master control unit. Each gun device generates a dispersed trigger-active signal and a focused bullet signal; preferably in the form of a modulated pulse burst powering infrared emitters. Detectors, preferably in the form of phototransistors, are mounted in each target to sense the bullet signals and each operates to produce a hit signal when struck by an opponent's bullet signal. The trigger-active signals are detected, again preferably by phototransistors, and produce fire signals corresponding to respective gun devices. Each station includes processing circuitry to produce uniform pulse bursts representative of the fire and hit signals of the station, and the signals may be mixed and may be used to enable a radio transmitter that broadcasts the fire and hit data to a receiver on the master control.

Abstract: A ball expelling device has a pair of soft, counter-rotating, coacting wheels mounted in a housing container on a pair of parallel spaced axles. A ball feed tube terminates in an outlet opening defined by a pair of opposed fingers at a location between opposed peripheral surfaces of the wheels. The ball feed tube is selectably positionable so that the outlet opening is moveable both in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the wheels and in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the wheel axles. A drive assembly operates to counter-rotate the wheels and preferably includes a pair of step-cone drive pulleys mounted on a pair of parallel drive axles with the drive pulleys each connected by a v-belt to a respective multi-stage pulley mounted on a wheel axle. The drive axles are interconnected by a transmission so that rotation of one drive axle causes rotation of the other drive axle in an opposite angular direction with equal magnitude.

Abstract: A composition and method for testing and evaluating a person's sensitivity to metals, such as mercury and nickel includes an inorganic salt of that metal carried by a mixture of propylene glycol and deionized water. In the case of mercury, a base solution having 5% by weight of mercury chloride in deionized water is mixed with propylene glycol so that the resulting composition has between 0.1% and 2.5% by volume of the base solution. For nickel, between 4% and 7% by weight of nickel sulfate is mixed with a 50-50 mixture of propylene glycol and deionized water. The method includes the steps of measuring first values of the person's vital signs, applying the mercury or nickel composition to the skin by way of a bandage, measuring second values of the vital signs after a lapse of time, and comparing the first and second values.

Abstract: The disclosure in this patent application includes a retractable in-row tiller device that has a parallelogram carriage structure for supporting the outrigger arm and tiller and for retracting and extending the outrigger arm and tiller in relation to the tractor on which it is mounted. It also includes an electro-hydraulic control system with a single wand plant feeler device that provides very accurate and responsive automatic control to guide the tiller around plants and which can be overridden and operated manually with ease and accurateness. It also includes an automatic positive depth control feature operated electro-hydraulically by a gauge wheel.

Abstract: A ratchet device is provided and includes a ratchet mechanism mounted in a housing assembly and a work arm protruding therefrom. The ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet wheel which is secured to the work arm and which is rotatably mounted on an axle and a pawl arm which is mounted at one end in the housing assembly and which is biased to engage canted ratchet teeth on the circumferential surface of the ratchet wheel. A pawl release member selectively moves the pawl arm between one position permitting engagement of its free end with the ratchet teeth and a second position disengaging the free end from the ratchet teeth. A detent is provided to maintain the pawl release member in a selected one of these positions. Preferably, the detent includes a rotatable shaft having a cam which defines the detent and a notch which receives a portion of the pawl arm to define a pawl release. The shaft is preferable oriented parallel to the axis of the axle to define a plane of symmetry.

Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance spinning apparatus includes an elongated cylindrical sample rotor with slotted air vanes on one tapered end thereof, an axial stator air drive and air end bearing, and a lateral ring air bearing around the opposite end of the rotor. The lateral end bearing retains the spinning axis at a precise pre-set angle, and the slotted air vanes are designed for high speed, low pressure applications. An adjustable cradle support mounts the spinning apparatus in a manner that allows convenient spin angle adjustment, and an insulated probe is provided with a convenient access opening and door structure for access to the spinning apparatus mounted therein.

Abstract: A ski training halter is adapted for positioning on a person below his or her waist and to extend across the person's front, lower abdominal region to the respective left and right hip regions of the student's body. The training halter also includes portions adapted to be positioned around the upper portions of the student's thighs and interconnected with the portions extending across the student's lower abdominal and hip regions. Adjustable and detachable fasteners are provided to maintain the training halter in proper, taut position on the person's body, and elongated reins are detachably connected to the training halter and extended to a location rearwardly of the person where another person can be positioned safely on skis to hold the reins and use them to exert restraining and turning forces on the training halter.

Abstract: A training harness and method for training a person in proper breathing techniques employs a pair of spaced apart flexible straps adapted to encircle the torso of the human body. A plurality of relatively stiff, yet resilient support straps extend between the flexible straps to maintain the flexible straps in spaced relation to one another. The free ends of each flexible strap are provided with mating fasteners to releasably secure the free ends together so that each strap forms a closed loop, and the flexible straps are adjustable in circumferential length. The support straps are releasably secured to each flexible strap by means of fasteners and the support straps are adjustable in length to permit selected adjustment of the distance between the flexible straps.

Abstract: An applied pressure or volume change is intrinsically transformed into an output pressure or volume change which is related to the magnitude of the relative input quantity and a ratio of effective areas of pressure application surfaces of a plurality of pistons in a fluidic transformer. The surfaces of the pistons are interconnected by fluid communication paths in a predetermined manner such that pressures existing in each of the communication paths relate only to the input pressure relative to the reference pressure and a ratio of the effective surface areas of the pistons, and such that the pistons are in a balanced force equilibrium state. The pressures present in the communication paths can be operatively applied on opposite sides of fluid sealing elements of a plurality of sealing elements arranged in serial order to operatively seal between the applied pressure and the reference pressure.

Abstract: A deep draft oil well drilling platform having a large hollow body is shaped, designed, and ballasted to have a substantial portion thereof submerged under the surface of the ocean a sufficient distance to be substantially unaffected by surface waves and weather. The body contains an oil well drilling rig and all supplies, equipment, and materials normally necessary to drill an oil well, with such rig, equipment, and the like positioned well below the surface of the water.

Abstract: The disclosure of this invention includes a pressure swing adsorption oxygen concentrator having a plurality of zeolitic molecular sieve beds. The pressure and air flow in each bed is alternately charged between pressurizing and air flow in one direction to bleeding and counter flow in the opposite direction. Each time this change occurs, additional oxygen enriched gas from the pressurized bed to increase the incremental oxygen purity. These changes in this invention are initiated by a pressure sensitive transducer which detects a predetermined upper pressure limit. The air compressor drive includes a spring-biased swash plate which reciprocates the piston rods of reciprocating piston compressor pumps.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for creating a display including a novel shuttering assembly and drive mechanism therefor. The shuttering assembly alternately presents first and second shutter panels to a window forming an element of the display. The panels are connected to cams on a rotatable axle positioned in spaced relation to the opening and alternately mask the opening on reciprocal rotation of the axle. A drive rod is connected at a first end to a dog on the axle to rotate the axle. The drive mechanism moves the drive rod which has its second end connected to a movable drive member. Preferably a plurality of shutter assemblies are provided, and a reciprocally rotatable drive disc carries solenoids having plungers to selectively engage the drive members. A single cycle motor rotates the drive disc, and logic circuitry permits selected activation of the solenoids. The method includes the step of moving all shutter assemblies into a no display mode at mid-cycle during the reciprocal movement of the drive disc.

Abstract: An improved pre-evacuated blood sampling collection tube having two oppositely positioned rubber stoppers sealing the corresponding oppositely positioned open ends of the said cylindrical tube, and interposed within the said tube is a slideable perpendicularly placed filtration disc that filters and separates the cellular elements of the whole blood from its fluid counterpart during the process of centrifugation. One embodiment of the tube having a special structural extension baffle at one of the two sealing rubber stoppers, said structural extension found proximal to the puncturable entrant area of the blood specimen into the tube, acts as the structural baffle that prevents or curtails hymolysis of the red blood cells during the sudden onrush of blood from the blood source through the bore of the collection needle, and into the vacuum of the said collection tube.

Abstract: A retractable in-row tiller device is adapted for mounting on a movable vehicle and for tilling the ground around and between objects in a row. An outrigger arm with a rotary tiller mounted on its distal end is retracted inwardly and extended outwardly by a trapeze-type control arm which amplifies the velocity and magnitude of reciprocal motion produced by a hydraulic ram to move around and avoid objects encountered in the row. Both manually and automatically operable controls are included respectively to allow an operator to retract and extend the tiller out of and into the row as desired and to cause the tiller to be retracted and extended out of and into the row automatically upon encountering an object in the row. Manual control is also provided for the operator to override the automatic retraction control.

Abstract: A cordless musical extension telephone unit with programmable capabilities, wherein a singular or a plurality of respective data block relevant to future phone calls to be made can be entered into its micro-computer's memory so that, according to the sequence of programmed time and/or data when each respective phone call becomes due, as coordinated with the forward progression of actual time and date, the integrated alarm system can effectively remind the user to make the respectively pre-programmed phone call without delay, while the relevant block of information about the current targeted call becomes automatically displayed at the LCD or LED display window.

Abstract: A mulch crimper implement for use in agricultural and horticultural applications is disclosed with a flexible mounting for extension wings that accommodates both pivotal and vertical movement of the wing in relation to the main frame of the implement. The mounting includes slotted pivot mounting holes in a pair of brackets positioned between and above the wing and main frame. A power lift system operated with a hydraulic cylinder utilizes the slotted hole wing mounting system for pivoting the wing through an angle greater than 180 degrees between work position adjacent the main frame and a transportation and storage position over the main frame.

Abstract: A vehicle frame element cover apparatus is provided which includes a flexible shell adapted to be snugly fit about the frame element and held in proper orientation by an adjustable strap and pockets which receive portions of the frame element. Zippered slits are formed in the shell to allow convenient attachment of the cover to the frame element and, when the slits are closed, the cover is drawn taut around the frame element. Preferably, the shell is formed of an inner layer of soft material and an outer layer of durable, wear-resistant material. Removable pouches may be mounted on the shell.