Abstract: A light-weight, modular, adjustable vertical hydroponic growing system and method of Native American design for cultivation plants and beneficial soil organisms (BSO's) in symbiotic combination. Forest-like arrays of fully rotatable and demountable grow tubes are suspended within climate-moderating greenhouses, optionally from conveyor tracks. The tubes are filled with light-weight, porous 100% in-organic grow media predominately comprised of expanded volcanic or recycled glass granules. The grow tube arrays are provided with an insulated, overhead-mounted fertigation distribution system delivering metered intermittent flows from insulated mixing and holding tanks. The flows are recycled via an insulated return piping system to maintain cool fertigation temperatures near those of natural ground water.

Abstract: A light-weight, modular, adjustable vertical hydroponic growing system and method of Native American design for cultivation plants and beneficial soil organisms (BSO's) in symbiotic combination. Forest-like arrays of fully rotatable and demountable grow tubes are suspended within climate-moderating greenhouses, optionally from conveyor tracks. The tubes are filled with light-weight, porous 100% in-organic grow media predominately comprised of expanded volcanic or recycled glass granules. The grow tube arrays are provided with an insulated, overhead-mounted fertigation distribution system delivering metered intermittent flows from insulated mixing and holding tanks. The flows are recycled via an insulated return piping system to maintain cool fertigation temperatures near those of natural ground water.

Abstract: A swing training shirt for training a user to perform proper swings can include a shirt body configured to fit closely against a body of the user and sleeves configured to fit closely about the user's arms. A side of the sleeves can be selectively engaged and disengaged from the shirt body to restrain movement of the user's arms away from the user's torso. The swing training shirt can allow the user to maintain the user's arms in sync with a rotation of the user's torso during execution of swings; thereby allowing the user to synchronously control and coordinate movement of the user's torso and arms during swings.

Abstract: Our valve device, which is used to purge air from a plumbing system, includes a unitary, elastomeric body comprising top wall, a circumferential wall connected to the top wall, and a housing with a cavity that is accessed through a pair of ports. A closure element is moveably disposed within the cavity and responds to fluid entering one port to close the other port. An adjustable strap detachably wrapped around an exterior of the circumferential wall holds our device securely to an open end of a riser conduit of the plumbing system during testing for leaks. The circumferential wall has at least two wall sections of different diameters to accommodate different sized conduits.

Abstract: Our valve device, which is used to purge air from a plumbing system, includes a unitary, elastomeric body comprising top wall, a circumferential wall connected to the top wall, and a housing with a cavity that is accessed through a pair of ports. A closure element is moveably disposed within the cavity and responds to fluid entering one port to close the other port. An adjustable strap detachably wrapped around an exterior of the circumferential wall holds our device securely to an open end of a riser conduit of the plumbing system during testing for leaks. The circumferential wall has at least two wall sections of different diameters to accommodate different sized conduits.

Abstract: A coupling used during testing of a water line including an upstream pipe and a downstream pipe connected by the coupling. A removable barrier disk prevents water from flowing through the connected pipes until after testing, when the disk is then detached from the body member of the coupling. A piercing assembly interacts with a groove near the perimeter of the disk to initiate a tear that propagates along the groove as the disk is pulled away from the body member of the coupling. The piercing assembly is attached to the disk by a fulcrum element offset with respect to a center of the planar disk.

Abstract: A coupling used during testing of a water line including an upstream pipe and a downstream pipe connected by the coupling. A removable barrier disk prevents water from flowing through the connected pipes until after testing, when the disk is then detached from the body member of the coupling. A piercing assembly interacts with a groove near the perimeter of the disk to initiate a tear that propagates along the groove as the disk is pulled away from the body member of the coupling. The piercing assembly is attached to the disk by a fulcrum element offset with respect to a center of the planar disk.

Abstract: A coupling used during testing of a water line including an upstream pipe and a downstream pipe connected by the coupling. A removable barrier disk prevents water from flowing through the connected pipes until after testing, when the disk is then detached from the body member of the coupling. A piercing assembly interacts with a groove near the perimeter of the disk to initiate a tear that propagates along the groove as the disk is pulled away from the body member of the coupling. The piercing assembly is attached to the disk by a fulcrum element offset with respect to a center of the planar disk.

Abstract: A device for plugging a pipe includes a resilient, hollow body member that expands with the application of internally applied pressure to block the pipe. The body member has at one end a conical shaped wall with an apex that points inward. At ambient pressure, the diameter of the body member is less than the diameter of the pipe into which it is inserted. The diameter of the body member increases as the internal pressure increases, and the length of the conical shaped wall decreases.