Abstract: A sports racquet having two string faces each with a different tension to provide variable playing characteristics. The racquet is further equipped with two different grip surfaces to assist the player in detecting which racquet face is in use and with a grip which is inflatable to vary the grip "feed". A cassette loadable racquet face insert is also provided to enable a player to readily change one of the string faces to any of a number of different tension settings.

Abstract: A stringing arrangement for a sports racket which compensates for twisting of the racket in the hand of the user when a ball is hit by areas of the racket to either side of a substantially flat middle region which extends from the heel to the tip of the racket frame. The stringing arrangement presents spaced string areas to opposite faces of the racket from the middle region outwardly to the sides of the racket frame. These spaced string areas become progressively farther from the plane of the substantially flat middle region from said middle region to the sides of the frame.

Abstract: A baseball training device that is worn upon a fielder's glove hand for aiding the wearer in developing proper fielding skills. The device has a thick triangular shaped pad that encompasses the entire hand. Webbing on the back surface of the pad encircles the thumb and first three fingers of the glove hand to position the apex of the pad over the wearer's wrist and the base leg of the pad extended beyond the wearer's fingertips. The pad is comprised of a resilient material that will deform upon being struck by a ball over the heel region of the hand to provide the ball sufficient residency time on the pad to enable the wearer to bring his or her or other hand over the ball and thus complete the catch. Balls striking the pad in other areas are provided little or no residency time and are thus more difficult to field.

Abstract: A target or clay pigeon may comprise a stopper for hermetically sealing an outlet hole. The stopper may automatically or non-automatically open the outlet hole. In one embodiment, the outlet hole (91) is hermetically sealed by a film (92) with a thread integrated with this stopper, the free extremity of which departs from the film (92) and is connected to a weight (94). With the rotation of the clay pigeon or target, the weight (94) pulls on the wire and tears the stopper, thus freeing the colored material.

Abstract: A football blocking apparatus having a telescoping ram assembly supported in parallel spaced relationship to a support sled. The ram assembly having a blocking pad for simulating a torso of an on-rushing defensive lineman attached to the extending end of said telescoping ram assembly and a thrust bar attached to the telescoping ram assembly for imparting thrust forces to selectively extend or retract the telescoping ram assembly to simulate the rush of a defensive lineman. The apparatus further adaptable to simulate a torso of a football player attempting a cut block.

Abstract: A method of treating burns and scald wounds on the human body by rapid cooling which includes spraying liquid from a hand-held container and directing the liquid to the portion of the human body to be treated to form a film of liquid and then spraying and directing onto the film of liquid from a second hand-held container a refrigerant at a temperature low enough and a flow rate high enough to freeze a substantial portion of the film of liquid so that the human body is rapidly cooled by the heat absorbed from the frozen film. An apparatus accomplishing the method includes a portable hand-holdable support with two containers, one having sprayable liquid and the other having a refrigerant.

Abstract: A board game apparatus for playing is provided. The apparatus includes a set of game boards, each having a matrix of holes arranged in mutually orthogonal rows and columns for receiving game pieces that are coded according to the adversary and the type and size of military unit they represent and that are deployed according to the discretion of each player. A variety of actual topographical map sets, representing scenes of battle, may be secured under transparent overlays bearing lines of latitude and longitude, each point of intersection of which corresponds to a hole in a game board. Dice, spinning devices and cards are also provided to define such game variables as unit movement, limiting weather conditions, missions, support, special situations and battle objectives.

Abstract: A road hockey puck in the shape of a cylindrical body. The body is defined by a pair of mating cylindrical sections having inner and outer faces. Each inner face is provided with hemi-spherical cavities which extend through the outer face. A spherical ball is placed in each cavity such that when the mating sections are joined to form the cylindrical body a portion of each ball will extend beyond the outer surface of each section and thus provide a puck which can be propelled on each of its flat faces.

Abstract: A game board bearing indicia defining a plurality of adjoining game spaces, a plurality of sets of distinctive markers for placing in the spaces to progressively outline design patterns allotted to the various game players by radomly drawing game cards bearing the patterns, and design pattern-making pads, score-keeping pads and game rules. In accordance with the method of play, order of play by the players is first determined, then the individual design patterns are drawn by card by the players, after which each player secretly determines where to outline the selected pattern on the game board and secretly records that selection on a pattern-recording sheet. Thereupon, each player, in turn, places a marker on a space on the game board in order to progressively complete that player's pattern. Points are awarded for first finishing a pattern, blocking another player's pattern and first reaching an intersection of patterns. The player who first accumulates a predetermined point total or completes a pattern wins.

Abstract: A surgical needle holder having a pair of clamping jaws at an obtuse angle to respective elongated handle portions forming a vertex therebetween which are clearly defined. Cooperating latching mechanisms having portions on each handle portion and engageable to hold the handle portions and the respective jaws together to clamp a suturing needle. The jaws are parallel and substantially straight and of uniform cross-section. The handle has two manually grippable portions that cooperate to define a cylinder when the jaws are clamped together. The overall size, shape and weight of the subject needle holder are similar to and feel like a mechanical pencil when held by a surgeon. The needle holder is part of a family of tools having common handle characteristics.

Abstract: A curved surgical needle for tissue wound closure and in particular, suturing together both sides of an incision made in human or animal tissue comprising a substantially curved body portion, a point located at a first end, suturing material attached at an opposite tail end, and at least one cutting blade projecting radially outwardly from the tail end so as to make a radial cut in the tissue to facilitate the entry and passage of the suturing material through the tissue, as well as to facilitate rotation of the knotted suture for purposes of burying the knot below the surface of the tissue.

Abstract: A hockey stick includes a blade having forehand and backhand puck striking surfaces. The forehand surface is concavely curved throughout substantially the entire length of the blade, and the blade is bifurcated in the toe region to provide fore and back toe segments that are independently transversely flexible. The blade may be employed in combination with a curved handle, and may have a forehand surface inclined in the forehand direction for relatively greater effective curvature. A cushioning blade toe end cover is also described.

Abstract: Surgical needles are described which exhibit a tapered region intermediate the point and barrel sections, over which the needles undergo a gradual transition in shape from a generally rounded circumference to a rectangular I-beam shape. The I-beam shape affords favorable strength characteristics and the gradual transition in shape smoothes the changes in penetration force performance.

Abstract: An auxiliary safety base pad is provided, particularly for the first base position, adapted to be fastened alongside the conventional base pad and extend across the running lane adjacent first base. The pad is preferably made up of a hard rubber base member with a covering of outdoor type carpet. The covering is attached to the base except for the corners thereof. A grommet is placed at each corner of the hard rubber for receiving a spike fastener upon anchoring the base to the playing field. After the base is anchored the corners of the covering are placed over the spikes and grommets in a concealing fashion.

Abstract: A light projection tag game requires the overlap of player projected images on a gaming surface. Each player is provided with an optical transceiver which has a receiver with a narrow field of view that is geometrically coincident with the light beam projected from the transceiver. Each player's transceiver can detect when an opponent's image which is also projected on the gaming surface enters this field of view thereby achieving a tag. Receiver methods use either signal transients or infrared modulation. Various embodiments include automatic targets, automatic game control and projected gaming mazes.

Abstract: A sailboat racing board game and game board therefor is provided for racing game pieces through a race course made from contiguous squares. An upwind leg of the race course provides tacking movement for the game pieces can move forwardly against a fixed wind direction. The squares along the upwind leg are oriented in a particular direction so that the game pieces can move in diagonal directions with respect to the fixed wind direction to simulate tacking. While at the same time, the game pieces are not moving in a direction which is diagonal with respect to the orientation of the squares. The game also provides game cards which the players pick up if they land on certain indicated squares on the game board.

Abstract: A neonatal subglottiscope set for emergency use comprises a plurality of subglottiscope tubes of various sizes suitable for neonatal use and a handle. These tubes are detachably connectable to the handle by means of a lever-operated latch. Each tube has a passage along its wall for receiving a fiberoptic light carrier, which is bent 90 degrees near its proximal end, and which has a locating pin receivable in a hole located in an ear on the handle. The entrance opening of the light carrier-receiving passage on its subglottiscope tube is positioned on the wall of the tube so that when the tube is attached to the handle, the entrance opening in all cases is at a uniform predetermined distance from the hole in the ear on the handle which receives the locating pin of the light carrier. Consequently, the same light carrier and handle can be used with all of the tubes in the set.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel game board, game apparatus and game designed for play by two opposing players. The game is played upon a generally flat surfaced game board which contains a plurality of hexagram playing spaces symmetrically positioned in two outer rows and a plurality of assymmetrical hexagonal playing spaces positioned between the two outer rows. The hexagrams are provided upon the game board in the form of hexagons, the sides of which each have an abutting triangular space. The hexagonal spaces are designed to receive an equal number of major playing pieces for each player while the triangular spaces are designed for receiving minor playing pieces. The major pieces may move into any adjacent hexagonal spacing, provided the pathway remains unguarded by one or more minor playing pieces. The minor playing pieces are permitted only to move forward into adjacent triangular spacings.

Abstract: A midsize tennis racket is disclosed which utilizes two arcuate bridges, inverted with respect to the arc of the head of the racket, and includes grommets at opposite ends of the head in order to shorten the length of the center main string so as to provide more uniform power response in the central hitting area. A selected number of the center main strings are crisscrossed between the arcuate bridges and their support locations on the frame. The construction provides the playability of a small headed racket while maintaining the stability of a large headed racket. Further embodiments are disclosed which effectively shorten the length of the main strings by effectively creating two arcuate bridges. In one embodiment, the arcuate bridges are formed by elongated projections which have boreholes at their distal ends. In a further embodiment, inelastic loops are used to form the arcuate bridges.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is apparatus to precisely determine if a tennis ball hits in or out of the tennis court area. A pressure sensitive layered material which changes colors upon the tennis ball striking it is placed outside the tennis court bounderies and gives an indication whenever the ball strikes out of bounds. The material returns to its original color a short time later.