Abstract: A novelty hat in the form of a ball cap having a visor defining an opening in which a miniature basketball net is mounted. The miniature net is held in position in the opening by a rim of molded plastic including respective flanges circumscribing the opening, on both the top and the bottom of the visor. A miniature basketball fits through the rim, but the opening in the bottom of the net is small enough to keep the ball from passing all the way down through the net. A keeper mounted on the rim is selectively movable to a position extending above a portion of the ball to hold the ball in the net and thus prevent the ball from being lost when the hat is not being worn.

Abstract: A spinning plant preparation machine with a rotary plate for the depositing of fiber slivers in spinning cans, The basic body of the rotary plate is a casting, A cover is attached to the underside of the rotary plate, The cover is a cover plate which is presented in different, prefabricated states and is to be attached to the rotary plate.

Abstract: The sock organizer is made from molded polycarbonate plastic from a die. The sock organizer is suitable for use in the water and heat in a washing machine. The sock organizer includes a clamp like device with a plurality of parallel finger elements to grasp socks therebetween. The clamp has two sides that are shut to secure the socks in place. The sock organizer may be placed directly from the washer to the dryer to keep the socks organized during the laundry process.

Abstract: A single or multiple needle bar tufting machine is provided with loop forming fingers above the substrate or base fabric and by laterally shifting the needles during tufting, rows of loop stitches are formed over the loop forming fingers on the face of the substrate and rows of pile loops are formed on the back side. Methods are disclosed for utilizing this machine in connection with yarn feed pattern control devices, pattern control needle bar positioners, a controllable fabric feed, to create a variety of novel fabrics and fabrics simulating patterns heretofore only made on looms and knitting machines. The resulting fabrics offer many advantages including lower stitch rates, better substrate coverage, less resistance to sliding traffic, increased abrasion resistance, and improved draping characteristics.

Abstract: A hat or cap having a concave crown formed by joining panels including two side panels and a top panel. A finger panel is disposed within the crown adjacent the top panel and connected to the crown to form a finger pocket. At least one thumb panel is disposed outside the crown, adjacent one of the side panels, and connected to the crown to form a thumb pocket. The finger pocket and the thumb pocket define a glove.

Abstract: A protective facial mask system having an outer, high impact, rigid layer (of, e.g., polycarbonate) and an inner, flexible, relatively soft layer of energy absorption and dissipating material (e.g. an unaerated viscoelastic polymer). The inner, soft layer preferably has variable or different thicknesses of material (e.g., going from about an eighth of an inch minimum to about a quarter inch maximum thickness), affording greater protection to facial areas where the underlying bone structure is weaker (e.g., the nasal region), which is where in the invention the inner layer is thickest, and thinner where the bone structure is stronger (e.g. over the flanking, supra-orbital/glabella regions). The inner soft layer thereby best absorbs, redirects and dissipates the energy from impact forces to the face, protecting the facial skeleton from, for example, fracturing. The mask, in all three of its embodiments (FIGS. 1 & 2, FIGS. 3 & 4, and FIGS.

Abstract: This invention is a head with a kerchief portion, a forefront portion and a billed portion. The kerchief portion is attached to the forefront portion and the billed portion is attached to the forefront portion along a weakened fold line. Both the forefront portion and the billed portion each include a reenforced central panel and a pair of reenforced side panels connected thereto by weakened fold lines. When worn, the present invention looks like a baseball cap with a kerchief attached. When the bill portion is folded juxtaposed to the forefront portion and the respective side portions are folded back on the central portions, the kerchief can be wrapped thereabout to form a compact folded headwear that can be stored in a small purse, pocket or the like when not in use.

Abstract: An insert-molded head harness for use in securing a respirator mask to the face of a wearer, wherein the head harness comprises a web having a central portion and a peripheral portion extending at least partially around the central portion, and a plurality of elastomeric fastening straps having first and second ends, the first ends being integrally bonded to the peripheral portion of the web and the second ends being adapted to be used in securing a respirator mask to the face of a wearer. The head harness can include an elastomeric flange which comprises an elastomeric resin and embeds the peripheral portion of the web. The web preferably comprises a material selected from the group consisting of woven, knitted, and non-woven materials.

Abstract: An injection molded foam bicycle helmet and method of constructing same includes a dome-shaped internal frame and a surrounding coating of a foam based material. The dome-shaped frame is formed from an integrally molded, planar member including an annular lower perimeter body, at least one lateral arc-shaped rib extending from one side of the body to the opposite side of the body, and at least one longitudinal arc-shaped rib extending from the front of the body to the rear of the body. Both the lateral and longitudinal ribs deform out of the plane of the body and into arched configurations, thereby forming the dome-shaped frame. Each lateral rib is also operative to engage each of the longitudinal ribs so as to provide additional structural support for the frame. A number of positioning pins are also formed along the inwardly and outwardly facing sides of the body and the ribs for centrally positioning the frame within the mold.

Abstract: A coulter blade assembly for use with a farm implement, which assembly comprises a first coulter unit, a second coulter unit, and a third coulter unit, all units mounted to the implement in a triangular arrangement in plan; with the first coulter unit being a lead unit, the second coulter unit trailing and to one side of the lead unit, and the third coulter unit trailing and placed to an opposite side of the second coulter unit for forming with said other coulter units a seedbed, and a substance applicator mounted on the third coulter unit for applying the substance onto the seedbed, and optionally a second substance applicator mounted on the second coulter unit for applying another substance onto the seedbed separated laterally from the other substances. The invention includes further a process of preparing a seedbed by moving and rotating implements such as coulter blades into the ground in a particular triangular relationship in conjunction with one or more substance applications concurrently therewith.

Abstract: A brush structure for use as a stitch support for a velour needle loom comprises bristle tufts inserted into a carrier plate, with their free ends forming a continuous support surface for supporting thereon a fiber batt to be needled. The foot portions of the bristle tufts are of polygonal cross-section, resulting in a high packing density of the bristle tufts on the carrier plate and optimum bristle-coverage thereof. This enables excellent continuity of the support surface formed by the free bristle ends to be achieved without the bristles having to be provided with a curl or crimp.

Abstract: A thread feeding device for a sewing machine, is simply constructed but can feed a plurality of looper threads individually in amounts necessary for each seam with adjustment of the tensions of the looper threads by one adjustment knob. The thread feeding device includes a shaft fixed on the machine body orthogonally of the feeding direction of a plurality of threads. A rotor is mounted on the shaft as to rotate intermittently in one direction only. A plurality of thread holders are provided on the rotor for holding and letting off the threads individually. In each thread holder the radius from the center of rotation of the rotor to the position where the thread is held is set to a value corresponding to the individual length of feed of the thread.

Abstract: The belt for protecting the lower spinal region of a wearer from injury by impact or abrasion when engaging in a hazardous activity, such as motocross, is provided with sets of male press studs and/or touch and close fasteners. Cooperating sets of female studs and/or touch and close fasteners are provided on the inner waistband of trousers to enable the belt and the trousers to be secured together in a variety of different relative vertical positions to suit the body shape of the wearer.

Abstract: A moisture management hat is constructed of a shell fabric and includes a moisture management band. The moisture management band is located along an inside perimeter of the hat for residing next to at least the forehead of the wearer during garment wear. The moisture management band includes a first, moisture wicking fabric layer having a skin-side surface and a shell-side surface. The first fabric layer is constructed of hydrophobic fibers for residing nearest the head of the wearer for moving moisture outwardly away from the head. A second, moisture dispersal fabric layer having a skin-side surface and a shell-side surface resides adjacent to the shell-side surface of the first fabric layer. The second fabric layer is constructed of hydrophilic fibers for receiving and dispersing moisture wicked outwardly by the first fabric layer.

Abstract: A head cooling device for mounting over a person's head, generally within a headgear or a safety helmet. The device comprises: a housing, defining a main body enclosing a generally closed pocket, for containing ice cubes therein, a mouth, at one end of the main body, and an intermediate flooring, for supporting the ice cubes inside the pocket spacedly from the mouth. Thus, the flooring remains spaced at all times from the scalp by a spacing gap. The flooring is bored at its periphery, for enabling water droplets from the melting ice cubes to escape one at a time from the pocket, freely through the spacing gap and toward and against the person's head scalp. Flexible bands are used, integral to the housing, for releasably anchoring the housing to the head in generally overhanging fashion.

Abstract: A body protective vest for sports use has a front panel and a back panel joined at the shoulders and side panels. The front panel and back panel include inner and outer plies having elongate padding inserts held in place between the inner and outer panels by line stitching. The padding inserts on the front panel are angled diagonally and held in place by diagonal line stitching which permits the front panel to yield and fold as the wearer assumes different positions.

Abstract: A decortication machine for loosening and separating the core of kenaf or similar stalks from the outer fiber. The machine includes first and second sets of bladed feed rollers which have blades which intermesh to crush and split the bast fiber bark longitudinally and breakup the core of the stalks into short segments. The stalks are then fed into a first set of bladed beater rollers which have blades which intermesh to beat against the bast fiber and loosen and separate the broken core pieces. The machine includes a third set of bladed feed rollers downstream from the first set of bladed beater rollers. The third set of feed rollers further breaks up any remaining core pieces associated with the bast fibers and feed the stalks into a second set of bladed beater rollers. The blades of the second set of bladed beater rollers also intermesh to beat against the fibers and further loosen and separate additional core pieces.

Abstract: A holster worn outwardly of an article of clothing and attached to a snug body engaging inside article of clothing in the form of a belt or an undershirt or a bullet-proof vest, the attachment including spaced keys mounted on a semi-flexible inside support member attached at selected positions on the inside article of clothing and keyhole or keyways attached to the holster.

Abstract: A two-apron drafting unit comprises at least one sliver guide which projects into the wedge-shaped gap of the roller pair which follows the apron unit. The sliver guide has a defined distance from the surfaces of the roller pair and can be moved within certain limits in the longitudinal direction of the roller pair. The sliver guide is arranged in a holding device which is aligned in parallel to the roller pair as well as with respect to the height of the drafting zone plane. The holding device, which has a slideway for the sliver guide, is arranged on a supporting part which is connected with the lower deflection guide for the bottom apron.

Abstract: An overedge stitch sewing device comprising a straight sewing needle and a lower looper that travels in a curved path and has advanced timing relative to the sewing needle. The device may also contain a needle thread cam which is shaped such that the needle thread is in partial contact with the front surface of the needle thread cam during the needle stroke.