Abstract: A reduction in excitation amplitudes affecting turbine blade durability in a turbine nozzle assembly having a plurality of vanes and turbine blades, includes: identifying a turbine blade design of the turbine nozzle assembly; performing a modal model analysis of at least one of the turbine blades in the turbine blade design; reducing aerodynamic impact by ensuring that each of the turbine blades is free of aero-excitation from an upstream flow at the vanes in an operating speed range; identifying blade natural frequencies with respect to the nozzle vanes; and modifying a trailing edge of at least one of the vanes to reduce the excitation amplitudes.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe with a single crisscrossed laces or closure panel and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the crisscrossed laces or closure panel to tighten the shoe about a wearer's foot, and which can be released easily so that the shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot. An actuating wheel partially projecting from the rear sole of the shoe provides a convenient and reliable actuating means for movement of the automated tightening mechanism in the tightening direction.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe with a single crisscrossed laces or closure panel and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the crisscrossed laces or closure panel to tighten the shoe about a wearer's foot, and which can be released easily so that the shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot. An actuating wheel partially projecting from the rear sole of the shoe provides a convenient and reliable actuating means for movement of the automated tightening mechanism in the tightening direction.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe with a single crisscrossed laces or closure panel and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the crisscrossed laces or closure panel to tighten the shoe about a wearer's foot, and which can be released easily so that the shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot. An actuating wheel partially projecting from the rear sole of the shoe provides a convenient and reliable actuating means for movement of the automated tightening mechanism in the tightening direction.

Abstract: A tightening shoe is provided with a sole, an upper and crisscrossing laces. The lace ends project into the shoe structure where they are received by a tightening mechanism. The tightening mechanism includes a winding gear for winding the lace ends about its perimeter to withdraw the laces into the tightening mechanism's interior chamber. In addition, the tightening mechanism includes a drive gear which is rotated by a pre-wound tightening cable which is positioned immediately adjacent to the winding gear. Preferably, the winding gear and drive gear are positioned within the shoe's sole so as to rotate about a vertical axis relative to the shoe's structure.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe with crisscrossed laces or closure panel and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the crisscrossed laces or closure panel to tighten the shoe about a wearer's foot, and which can be released easily so that the shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot. An actuating wheel partially projecting from the rear sole of the shoe provides a convenient and reliable actuating means for movement of the automated tightening mechanism in the tightening direction.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe with crisscrossed laces and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the crisscrossed laces to tighten the shoe about a wearer's foot, and which can be released easily so that the shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe with crisscrossed laces or closure panel and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the crisscrossed laces or closure panel to tighten the shoe about a wearer's foot, and which can be released easily so that the shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot. An actuating wheel partially projecting from the rear sole of the shoe provides a convenient and reliable actuating means for movement of the automated tightening mechanism in the tightening direction.

Abstract: A wide angle arrowhead which is light weight, and which has minimal structure and surface area to decreased arrowhead weight, surface area and drag to increase performance of an arrow to which it is attached. A blade cutting edge of the wide angle arrowhead maintains an interior angle relationship to the centerline of an arrow shaft where such relationship can be fashioned to have one interior angular relationship within a specified angular range. Also, drag is minimized by the utilization of a thin ground blade cutting edge, an additional benefit of which is the decreasing of the cutting edge bluntness, thereby enhancing easy target penetration.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe is provided where a tightening mechanism operates to cause automatic tightening of the shoe laces about a wearer's foot and which releases the laces to allow loosening of the shoe. The shoe laces travel to the interior of the tightening mechanism located at the heel whereat the laces are operatively associated in a tightening or a loosening direction with the tightening mechanism. The tightening shoe further has a locking mechanism for locking said at least one lace in a tightened condition and a release mechanism for unlocking the locking mechanism and releasing the shoe laces. The release mechanism includes a lever arm which projects rearwardly from the rear of said shoe. Depression upon the lever arm causes the locking mechanism to unlock and release the shoe laces from being in a tightened condition.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe with crisscrossed laces and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the crisscrossed laces to tighten the shoe about a wearer's foot, and which can be released easily so that the shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe where a tightening mechanism is actuated which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the shoe about a wearer's foot and which releases to allow loosening of the shoe. Shoe laces are led to the interior of the tightening mechanism in the heel whereat the laces are operatively associated in a tightening or in a loosening direction with the tightening mechanism. The tightening mechanism includes a rotatable central shaft which may have drums mounted thereto, a ratcheted coupling collar or ratcheted cam disk, a ratcheted actuator spool, a compression spring, a return spring, a ratchet wheel, and a release lever including a pawl and a cam actuator bar, all of which extend along the central shaft and operate to tighten as well as to allow loosening of the shoe laces.

Abstract: An arrowhead having interchangeable finely honed cutting blades with opposing broad ground surfaces for slicing through and into a target. Multiple blades are interchangeably secured about a tapered body.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe with crisscrossed laces and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the crisscrossed laces to tighten the shoe about a wearer's foot, and which can be released easily so that the shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot.

Abstract: A wide angle arrowhead which is light weight, and which has minimal structure and surface area to decreased arrowhead weight, surface area and drag to increase performance of an arrow to which it is attached. A blade cutting edge of the wide angle arrowhead maintains an interior angle relationship to the centerline of an arrow shaft where such relationship can be fashioned to have one interior angular relationship within a specified angular range. Also, drag is minimized by the utilization of a thin ground blade cutting edge, an additional benefit of which is the decreasing of the cutting edge bluntness, thereby enhancing easy target penetration.

Abstract: An automated tightening shoe with crisscrossed laces and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the crisscrossed laces to tighten the shoe about a wearer's foot, and which can be released easily so that the shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot.

Abstract: A positionable and expandable tube system composed of snappingly engageable slotted tube segments for the construction of hamster, gerbil, or like pet tubes. Each tube segment consists of an upper and a lower truncated sphere connected at an annular intersection. The preferred embodiment incorporates an upper truncated sphere having a plurality of tapered slots delineating flexible arcuate portions which can be flexed inwardly upon contact with a lower truncated sphere of a succeeding tube segment to reduce the cross section of the upper truncated sphere to allow easily accomplished entry into the lower truncated sphere of a succeeding tube segment. The tube segments, when snappingly engaged, create frictionally positionable ball and socket joints.

Abstract: An automated tightening and loosening shoe with rigid, semi-rigid or flexible polymer bands functioning as laces, and a tightening mechanism which operates in one direction to cause automatic tightening of the rigid, semi-rigid or flexible polymer bands to tighten the automated tightening and loosening shoe about a wearer's foot, and which operates in a reverse or loosening direction to cause automatic loosening of the rigid, semi-rigid or flexible polymer bands so that the automated tightening and loosing shoe can be removed from the wearer's foot.

Abstract: A positionable and expandable tube system composed of snappingly engageable tube segments for the construction of hamster, gerbil, or like pet tubes. Each tube segment consists of an upper and a lower truncated sphere connected at an annular intersection. The preferred embodiment incorporates an arcuate notch which accommodates the annular intersection in the lower truncated sphere to allow a greater maximum bend angle compared to a tube segment where an arcuate notch is not incorporated. The tube segments, when snappingly engaged, create frictionally positionable ball and socket joints.

Abstract: An arrowhead for a target and hunting arrow that includes a plurality of pivoting sharpened blades having actuating tips that move from a closed folded position to an open and extended position as the arrowhead penetrates the target or game. The blades increase the cutting action of the arrowhead and prevent the arrowhead from passing through the target or game. Each blade can be of the same geometrical configuration.