Abstract: A battery-powered, portable air conditioner apparatus is provided having an insulated chest with two holes in the lid. A fan is positioned in one of the holes for drawing air into the chest, where heat is exchanged with the contents of the chest, and the other hole is a vent, through which the conditioned air exits. The air conditioner apparatus may be provided with a receptacle that is capable of engaging rechargeable, cordless power tool battery packs.

Abstract: An battery-powered, portable air conditioner apparatus is provided having an insulated chest with two holes in the lid. A fan is positioned in one of the holes for drawing air into the chest, where heat is exchanged with the contents of the chest, and the other hole is a vent, through which the conditioned air exits. The air conditioner apparatus may be provided with a receptacle that is capable of engaging rechargeable, cordless power tool battery packs.

Abstract: A hunter's coat made of waterproof and noiseless material, such as micro-fleece, especially adapted for waterfowl hunters and preferably in a camouflage design, with an insulated inner lining and a tailored action back and underarm gussets for a full range of motion in the arms and shoulders. A variety of customized storage compartments are designed for storage of specific gear and provide the hunter with easy access to the gear when needed, yet maintain the gear in a secure position when not in use. A game bag/pocket attached to the back of the coat carries the ducks and geese, freeing the hunter's hands for other uses. Two hand-warmer pockets are located at breastbone height to allow the hunter to warm his hands while wading in cold waist-deep or higher water. A specially designed dedicated shell pouch, a duck call pouch/pocket, and a call separator allow the hunter to readily access the particular item when needed, yet securely stow the item when not in use.

Abstract: A medication injector apparatus such as an injection pen. The injection pen includes a resettable, cartridge plunger drive assembly including an axially floating nut, a cartridge plunger engaging screw, and a drive clutch movable with the nut and which when rotated causes the screw to screw through the nut. When a cartridge assembly is mounted to the pen base, the floating nut and drive clutch are shifted proximally such that the drive clutch is in torque transmitting engagement with a rotatable drive member of the pen, such that rotation of that drive member results in drive screw advancement through the nut in the distal direction. When the cartridge assembly is not mounted to the pen base, the floating nut and drive clutch are biased distally to disengage the drive clutch from torque transmitting engagement with the rotatable drive member and to thereby allow the drive screw to be reset proximally through the nut to a position more retracted within the pen base.

Abstract: The present invention relates to subtilisin 309 variants having a modified amino acid sequence of wild-type subtilisin 309 amino acid sequence, the wild-type amino acid sequence comprising a first loop region, a second loop region, a third loop region, a fourth loop region, a fifth loop region and a sixth loop region; wherein the modified amino acid sequence comprises different amino acids than that occurring in wild-type subtilisin 309 (i.e., substitution) at specifically identified positions in one or more of the loop regions whereby the subtilisin 309 variant has decreased adsorption to, and increased hydrolysis of, an insoluble substrate as compared to the wild-type subtilisin 309. The present invention also relates to DNA sequence encoding such subtilisin 309 variants. The present invention also relates to compositions comprising such subtilisin 309 variants for cleaning a variety of surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to Subtilisin DY variants having a modified amino acid sequence of wild-type Subtilisin DY amino acid sequence, the wild-type amino acid sequence comprising a first loop region, a second loop region, a third loop region, a fourth loop region, a fifth loop region and a sixth loop region; wherein the modified amino acid sequence comprises different amino acids than that occurring in wild-type Subtilisin DY (i.e., substitution) at specifically identified positions in one or more of the loop regions whereby the Subtilisin DY variant has decreased adsorption to, and increased hydrolysis of, an insoluble substrate as compared to the wild-type Subtilisin DY. The present invention also relates to DNA sequences encoding such Subtilisin DY variants. The present invention also relates to compositions comprising such Subtilisin DY variants for cleaning a variety of surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to subtilisin Carlsberg variants having a modified amino acid sequence of wild-type subtilisin Carlsberg amino acid sequence, the wild-type amino acid sequence comprising a first loop region, a second loop region, a third loop region, a fourth loop region, a fifth loop region and a sixth loop region; wherein the modified amino acid sequence comprises different amino acids than that occurring in wild-type subtilisin Carlsberg (i.e., substitution) at specifically identified positions in one or more of the loop regions whereby the subtilisin Carlsberg variant has decreased adsorption to, and increased hydrolysis of, an insoluble substrate as compared to the wild-type subtilisin Carlsberg. The present invention also relates to the genes encoding such subtilisin Carlsberg variants. The present invention also relates to compositions comprising such subtilisin Carlsberg variants for cleaning a variety of surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to Proteinase K variants having a modified amino acid sequence of wild-type Proteinase K amino acid sequence, the wild-type amino acid sequence comprising a first loop region, a second loop region, a third loop region, a fourth loop region, a fifth loop region and a sixth loop region; wherein the modified amino acid sequence comprises different amino acids than that occurring in wild-type Proteinase K (i.e., substitution) at specifically identified positions in one or more of the loop regions whereby the Proteinase K variant has decreased adsorption to, and increased hydrolysis of, an insoluble substrate as compared to the wild-type Proteinase K. The present invention also relates to DNA sequences encoding such Proteinase K variants. The present invention also relates to compositions comprising such Proteinase K variants for cleaning a variety of surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to subtilisin BPN′ variants comprising at least one or more amino acid positions having a different amino acid than that occurring in wild-type subtilisin BPN′ (i.e., substitution) at specifically identified positions, whereby the BPN′ variant has decreased adsorption to, and increased hydrolysis of, an insoluble substrate as compared to wild-type subtilisin BPN′. The present invention further relates to various cleaning compositions comprising such BPN′ variants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to subtilisin BPN′ variants having a modified amino acid sequence of wild-type BPN′ amino acid sequence, the wild-type amino acid sequence comprising a first loop region, a second loop region, a third loop region, a fourth loop region and a fifth loop region; wherein the modified amino acid sequence comprises different amino acids than that occurring in wild-type subtilisin BPN′ (i.e., substitution) at specifically identified positions in one or more of the loop regions whereby the BPN′ variant has decreased adsorption to, and increased hydrolysis of, an insoluble substrate as compared to the wild-type subtilisin BPN′. The present invention also relates to the genes encoding such subtilisin BPN′ variants. The present invention also relates to compositions comprising such subtilisin BPN′ variants for cleaning a variety of surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cleaning compositions comprising protease enzyme which is a carbonyl hydrolase variant having an amino acid sequence not found in nature, which is derived by replacement of a plurality of amino acid residues of a precursor carbonyl hydrolase with different amino acids, wherein said plurality of amino acid residues replaced in the precursor enzyme correspond to position +76 in combination with one or more of the following residues: +99, +101, +103, +104, +107, +123, +27, +105, +109, +126, +128, +135, +156, +166, +195, +197, +204, +206, +210, +216, +217, +218, +222, +260, +265, and/or +274, where the numbered positions corresponds to naturally-occurring subtilisin from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens or to equivalent amino acid residues in other carbonyl hydrolases or subtilisins (such as Bacillus lentus subtilisin).

Abstract: An improved string trimmer guard for attachment to string trimmers having an elongated shaft with a lower section and a rotary cutting head mounted at the lower end of the shaft to carry a string along a circular pathway, the guard adapted to be mounted on the shaft adjacent the cutting head, and including a barrier at the front of the trimmer, a pair of parallel support arms extending rearwardly from the barrier on opposite sides of the shaft, a first clamp attached along the support arms, and a shaft clamp attached to the shaft, the first clamp and shaft clamp being attached to each other.

Abstract: The present invention relates to cleaning compositions comprising subtilisin proteases from Bacillus lentus having the following alterations: N76D, S103A and V104I, where the numbering is based on the corresponding positions in the subtilisin from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

Abstract: An infeed system for a packaging machine directs a nested mass of articles in a downstream direction between two side rails. A locating-wedge affixed to one of the side rails moves the nested mass of articles to a position where a segment line of the nested mass is aligned with a lane divider. As a result, a group of articles in the nested mass is gently separated into a first group which moves along one side of the lane divider in a first lane and a second group which moves along the other side of the lane divider. The articles in the second group are directed into other lanes sequentially formed from the one side rail to the other side rail and are positioned relative to the lane dividers with locating wedges affixed to the lane dividers.

Abstract: Carboxy substituted aromatic chromophores are reactively linked to fibers containing alcoholic hydroxyl groups, amino groups or thiol groups, such as cellulosic fibers, with the linkage produced in the presence of a cyanamide compound, such as cyanamide or dicyandiamide.

Abstract: A novel class of dyes are disclosed of the formula: ##STR1## where D represents a chromophore and R represents a phosphonic or a phosphoric group. These acid groups serve both as water-solubilizing and as reactive groups to bond the dyes covalently to cellulosic substrates.