Abstract: A watercraft having its propulsion machinery near the bow. The hull of the craft has a single, tapered bow section, with a drive pod under the center of the bow. The bow section is tapered up into the hull aft of the middle of the craft, while the sides of the craft are extended downward aft of the middle of the craft, forming a double hull at the rear. The drive pod is capable of freely rotating, allowing the craft to be steered by vectoring the thrust at the bow. Because the thrust is pulling the craft from the bow, rather than pushing from the stern, the craft is inherently stable in the manner of a front-wheel drive automobile.

Abstract: A canard wing surface for aircraft, especially supersonic aircraft, which can be lowered and retracted flush into the fuselage of the aircraft when no longer needed. The canard is hinged to an extendible platform at or near its upper edge, so that a raising mechanism on the platform can raise the canard from a position integral with the skin of the fuselage to a fully extended position as a curved wing. The platform is extended to allow the canard to clear the fuselage, and may be rotated to adjust the angle of attack of the canard from nearly flat, for the transition to high-speed flight, to a range of low-to-medium angles of attack when used as a lift surface during takeoff and landing, to nearly vertical for use as a speed brake during the landing roll. If desired, multiple canard surfaces can be used on an aircraft, arranged along the fuselage.

Abstract: Apparatus for picking up leaves and other loose material from a lawn or other surface and compacting such material in a bag for disposal. As in prior art apparatus of this type, the material is propelled by a rotating paddle wheel into the forward section of a housing, and from a rear housing section to an auger compactor which feeds the material into a bag positioned upon and against side and end support walls. In the present apparatus, better compaction is achieved by inhibiting rotation of the material within the bag due to rotation imparted by the auger. This action is provided by protrusions on the end and side walls of the support walls which indent the flexible bag as it is filled. As a further safety feature, a skirt carrying pivoted obstruction members prevents objects from being propelled forwardly of the apparatus.

Abstract: The disclosed wind turbine is designed to optimize power output at a given wind velocity without corresponding increases in cost. The rotor carries a plurality of vertical vanes arranged at an acute angle to diametric lines through the rotor and the inner edges of the vanes, which are spaced from the rotor center. Each vane carries a plurality of fins extending on opposite sides of the vanes. In one embodiment, a wind-collecting shroud is movable to position an open side thereof in the upwind direction and is shaped to direct the wind more efficiently toward the vanes and fins. In a second embodiment, each vane is bent on a vertical axis to include two portions, at least the inner of which carries wind-collecting fins, at different angles to the rotor diameter, and no shroud is used.