Abstract: The blister pack is composed of two sheets bonded together at least one sheet being made of plastic film and forming receptacles around a plurality of tablets or other objects to be stored and dispensed. The objects are arranged in rows and columns. An imperforate tear line is provided along a linear path traversing each of the objects in each column so that one or more objects can be freed with one pull along the tear line. Preferably, the imperforate tear line is formed by orienting the plastic material and/or forming shallow grooves or score lines in the film sheet. Both sheets can be made of plastic film, and both can have imperforate tear lines. The tear lines preferably are positioned so that only a small portion of the tablet is exposed by the tear [so that the tablet will tend to be retained in the receptacle until it is deliberately removed].

Abstract: The card playing system or network and method is particularly suitable for playing bridge and other multi-table card games in clubs and tournaments. A remote input/output device or scoring unit is provided at each of a plurality of tables. Each remote unit preferably has a transmitter and receiver for sending and receiving playing information to and from a base station, such as a base computer and/or a connection to the World Wide Web. The base station equipment also has a transmitter and receiver. Bids are input into the scoring units by operating keys or other input means, and the bids and scores are transmitted by means of the network to the base station. The base computer or website equipment computes interim standings of the players and sends that and other information to the scoring units. Transmission preferably is wireless or by means of cables.

Abstract: A trellis and trellise kit are provided with poles and lattice netting in which the lattice netting can be rolled up on the poles to which they are attached. Two crossbars are provided. They can be easily slipped on and off the poles to detach them from the netting, and the trellis can be formed into a compact package for shipping, warehousing, or storage by the user in a protected location. The poles preferably have square cross-sections. A pair of crossbars is provided with square holes slightly larger than the poles, so that the crossbars fit slidably onto the poles. The crossbars have very simple hook structures which engage the upper and lower edges of the netting to stretch it tight. Advantageously, the netting is made to bend across at least one edge of the crossbars, and at least one edge of each of the poles, so as to relieve strain on the fastening structures.

Abstract: The cage has a vertical side wall made of flexible netting. Vertically elongated receptacles are attached to the side walls at spaced intervals, and stiff support rods are inserted into the receptacles to stiffen the sidewall and cause it to stand erect when the cage rests on the ground or the bottom of the body of water. When the stiffeners are removed from the receptacles, the flexible netting and the receptacles bend easily so that the sidewalls can be folded up to flatten the cage and greatly reduce its volume to facilitate transporting, storing, or handling the cage. Preferably, the cage has a simple steel rebar rod frame with an extruded plastic channel around the rebar and holding the edges of netting material forming the top and the sidewall of the cage. Similar channels are used to form the bottom border of the cage. The top of the cage is a flexible flap of the netting material bordered with the channel material and reinforced with rebar rods. The bottom border also is reinforced with rebar rods.

Abstract: A net pen or cage for containing aquatic animals. The pen has a light-weight inexpensive net cover for the top which keeps predators out. The cover is easy to apply and remove and yet is held securely in place by means of studs or posts extending upwardly from the frame of the cage or pen and having enlarged heads which preferably are slightly larger than the holes in the mesh. Preferably the mesh is made up of resilient plastic strands which snap back into their original shape after being deformed by the bolt-heads passing through, so that the bolt heads and the netting together form a snap-fitting fastening system. In one embodiment, panels of materials such plastic netting are suspended in cages so as to attract the growth of algae thereon for feeding algae-eating aquatic animals such as conch, fish, etc. in the cages.

Abstract: Aquatic animals (e.g., fish) are counted in the same operation in which the fish are sorted as to size. This minimizes the labor required for counting because it is the same labor as that used for sorting the animals. A grading or sorting barrier is provided with a plurality of parallel holes or passageways, and the fish are urged towards the barrier. Mounted so as to extend across each of the holes is a flexible electrode which normally forms a closed electrical switch. When the animal passes through the hole, it hits the electrode and thus opens the switch. This creates a signal which is stored in an electrical memory. The information stored in the memory is read out sequentially and counted by an electronic counter. The size of the holes in the grading barrier is such that only animals smaller than a pre-determined size will pass through.

Abstract: The cage is made of netting panels forming a basket and flotation material secured to a frame. The frame is made of split tubing, with the edges of the netting inserted into the gap left by the split and secured within the tubing. Seams between netting panels of the basket are formed in the same manner. The tubing can be metallic or flexible plastic tubing with a steel rod inside. The edge of a metallic top for the cage can be secured in the plastic tubing instead. Netting material can be used for the top of the cage, with the flotation material underneath and secured to the netting top. The flotation material also provides shade for the aquatic animals in the cage. An H-shaped metal frame structure preferably is used to provide added strength for the cage top, and to provide a support for a hinged lid.

Abstract: Use is made of the discovery that "near" ultra-violet radiation is effective in attracting large enough quantities of insects entirely from within the water to feed substantial numbers of animals without attracting flying insects from the air. Radiation from lamps producing predominantly near ultra-violet radiation, that is, radiation whose wavelength is between 3,000 and 4,000 angstroms, is directed into water in which insects live. The insects which are attracted by the radiation are fed to the animals. Preferably, the insects are attracted towards an insect enclosure with a downwardly-facing entrance in the water. A near ultra-violet lamp in the enclosure attracts the insects into the enclosure, from which they cannot escape into the air above the water. Fish or frogs in a cage are positioned below the enclosure to eat insects in or rising towards the enclosure. In one embodiment, only the lamp is used; the insects are numerous enough to allow some to escape and still feed substantial numbers of animals.

Abstract: In the culture of confined aquatic animals such as fish, tadpoles and frogs, the cage or other confining structure is used both to restrain the animal being cultures, and also to trap wild aquatic animals (e.g. fish) for the animals being cultured to eat. Thus, a simple, low-cost automatic means is provided for supplementing the diet of insects, commercial food pellets, etc. which also is fed to the animals being cultured. The cage walls have a mesh size small enough to keep out all but the small aquatic animals. At least one fish-trap entrance structure is built into the walls of the cage. The entrance opening of the fish-trap structure is of a size such that only forage fish significantly smaller than the animals being cultured in the cage can enter, and the cultured animals cannot escape. The fish-trap structure substantially prevents escape of the forage fish until they have been eaten.

Abstract: An enduring cage for fish or other aquatic animals is provided. The structure of the cage is such that it can be made of deterioration-resistant materials at a reasonable cost. The cage has a top frame made of bent aluminum tubing or pipe. The tubing is slit so that it has a horizontal gap or slot into which are inserted the upper edges of flexible netting side walls. The top frame is strengthened by the use of an aluminum top sheet inserted into the same slot as the upper edges of the netting and forming a partial cover for the top of the cage. The tubing then is clamped, by means of bolts inserted through holes in the tubing, and the edges of the netting and the top sheet. The netting and top sheet are held tightly and evenly in place. The side walls and bottom of the cage are made of netting panels which are fastened together at their edges to form seams.

Abstract: Insects are collected and fed to aquatic animals such as fish and frogs. In collecting the insects, an ultraviolet lamp for attracting the insects is hidden in a vertical funnel where the insects cannot see the lamp from a horizontal position. However, the lamp is open to view from above. The insects therefore must fly downwardly to reach the lamp. The lamp is positioned near the exit of the funnel, and the exit empties into an enclosed air space above the water containing the aquatic animals to be fed. A fan is located below the lamp to draw air downwardly through the funnel and into the enclosure below. The insects thus are urged into the trap by at least three forces: the force of gravity, inertia of the downwardly-flying insects, and the air drafts created by the fan. The funnel inlet makes a big target for the insects. Light is reflected upwardly by the funnel walls to attract airborne insects.

Abstract: Use is made of the discovery that "near" ultra-violet radiation is effective in attracting large enough quantities of insects entirely from within the water to feed substantial numbers of animals without attracting flying insects from the air. Radiation from lamps producing predominantly "near" ultra-violet radiation, that is, radiation whose wavelength is between 3,000 and 4,000 angstroms, is directed into water in which insects live. The insects which are attracted by the radiation are fed to the animals. Preferably, the insects are attracted towards an insect enclosure with a downwardly-facing entrance in the water. A near ultra-violet lamp in the enclosure attracts the insects into the enclosure, from which they cannot escape into the air above the water. Fish or frogs in a cage are positioned below the enclosure to eat insects in or rising towards the enclosure. In one embodiment, only the lamp is used; the insects are numerous enough to allow some to escape and still feed substantial numbers of animals.

Abstract: A device and method are disclosed for feeding insects to animals. The abundant natural supply of flying insects is used as a food supply. Thus, the insects, which normally are not eaten by humans, are used to grow animals which form a valuable source of protein for humans. In feeding insects to fish, for example, insects are attracted to the surface of the water, preferably at night by means of a light source, and are guided into contact with the water where they can be eaten by the fish. The light not only attracts the insects, but also attracts the fish to the feeding spot. The light source preferably is supported on a floating platform. If needed, several such platforms can be tied together and spread over the surface of a body of water such as a pond or lake to feed the entire fish population in the water. The light source preferably is an electric lamp energized by batteries or by a cable extending from a power supply on the shore.