Abstract: A sampling apparatus and process for obtaining microbial samples from a suspect surface, such as a meat processing facility, animal carcass, and the like, wherein a agar saturated porous plastic foam strip is placed in contact with the suspect surface and thereafter incubated to indicate the presence and quantity of microbial growth on the suspect surface. The porous plastic foam strip is attached to one surface of a double faced adhesive tape with the other tape face being adhesively attached to a spool on a hand roller to permit hand pressure application of the porous plastic sampler to the test surface. For use of the sampler without the roller, one surface of the double face adhesive tape is attached to a plastic strip and the sampler may be hand positioned directly on the suspect test surface. Agar for specific known bacteria may be employed to saturate the porous plastic foam sampler.

Abstract: A melted gelatin (specific example agar) is employed to saturate a plastic foam disk and, after solidification, to provide a medium to promote seed germination and plant growth. After germination, the seed and gelatin saturated disk are transferred to a growth container for additional plant growth prior to transfer of the plant to soil. The growth containers are divided into upper and lower chambers by transverse bamboo rods (FIGS. 3 and 5) or piano wire lengths (FIG. 4) with the gelatin saturated disk and seedling(s) placed in the upper chamber and the lower chamber provided with water, water containing plant food, agar, or nutrient gelatin.

Abstract: A hanging wire cage bird feeder is provided with a plastic foam base supporting a gel structure saturated with bird seed that completely fills the wire cage. A pair of perch supports are provided at the base of the wire cage structure to support birds attempting to feed from the feeder. The process for making the feeder includes providing a wire cage with a plastic foam bottom surface, positioning the wire cage onto an absorbent surface, covering the exterior of the wire cage with a fluid proof sleeve and filling the wire cage with a hot slurry of a water/gel mixture saturated with bird seed. The filled wire cage is them placed in a freezer compartment of a refrigerator to solidify the gel. After solidification, the wire cage is removed from the freezer, the sleeve removed, and excess gel trimmed from the base of the wire cage. After conditioning for twenty-fours at room temperature, the wire cage feeder is ready for hanging outdoors.

Abstract: A bird feeder station including a clear plastic canopy provided with a hanging line for suspension thereof from an overhead structure and three depending chain supports for wire baskets containing bird seed suspended under the protection of the canopy. Each wire basket contains a porous plastic foam core saturated with a gelatin and multiple bird seed embedded within at least one gelatin surface coating on the plastic core. The process involves placing the plastic core in an open mold, spooning a quantity of hot gelatin containing multiple bird seed over the exposed surface of the plastic, refrigerating the gelatin coated plastic core to solidify the gelatin-bird seed coating thereon; turning the plastic over to expose a different side and repeating the spooning of the hot gelatin and refrigeration thereof for all sides and top (if desired) of the plastic core.

Abstract: An ornamental bird feeder composed of a plastic foam disk saturated with a melted agar that has one of more surfaces thereof covered with bird seed before the agar is permitted to cool to a gel state to entrap the bird seed. A hanging tab consisting of a length of wire has one end thereof embedded within the plastic disk with the other end serving to support the bird feeder from an overhead structure. Suitable food color may be added to the agar while in the liquid state for aesthetic and bird attracting properties. Conventional muffin pan molds may be employed or the molds may be custom made in the desired shapes by hand forming the mold(s) from aluminum foil.

Abstract: A pipette-syringe combination having a removable cover and employing a tubular sampling probe to take a bacterial sample from a culture includes a pipette cover provided over the pipette orifice and attached thereto via a stressed elastomeric strap. The cover is provided with an extension that permits manual grasping, removal, and replacement of the cover. After cover removal, the tip of the tubular sampling probe is syringe extended to contact a culture growth and retracted back within the pipette. A quantity of nutrient broth is added to the pipette, and the protective cover manually replaced to hermetically seal the nutrient broth and culture sample therein. The pipette is then incubated at the desired temperature and for the desired time. At least one transverse opening is provided through the sidewall of the tubular sampling probe for access of growth media to contact any sample retrieval within the lumen thereof.

Abstract: This invention (FIGS. 1-4) relates to a pipette-syringe combination employing a wire probe attached to the syringe plunger to remove a cover provided over the pipette orifice. One edge of the protective cover is attached via an elastomeric strap to the pipette. When the cover is forced away from the pipette orifice, the elastomeric strap pulls the cover away from, and prevents return of the cover over, the pipette orifice. A suitable sample may then be drawn in the pipette at the location of the cover removal. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-7, the protective cover is manually removed to obtain a surface growth sample by the wire probe and the sample retracted within the pipette. A quantity of nutrient broth is added to the pipette, the pipette sealed by manually replacing the protective cover, with subsequent incubation of the sealed pipette in an incubator.

Abstract: The presence and a quantitative estimate of microorganisms in a sample is determined by monitoring the growth of vertical subsurface colonies in a soft agar medium. A culture cell containing the sample-agar mixture is positioned on a rotating circular index table and, at an inspection station, a video camera monitors colony growth with an image processor and computer processing the output of the video camera. Select output parameters include, but are not restricted to, colony counts and growth rates, morphological variations and identification criteria.

Abstract: This invention (FIGS. 1-4) relates to a pipette-syringe combination employing a wire probe attached to the syringe plunger to remove a cover provided over the pipette orifice. One edge of the protective cover is attached via an elastomeric strap to the pipette. When the cover is forced away from the pipette orifice, the elastomeric strap pulls the cover away from, and prevents return of the cover over, the pipette orifice. A suitable sample may then be drawn in the pipette at the location of the cover removal. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-7, the protective cover is manually removed to obtain a surface growth sample by the wire probe and the sample retracted within the pipette. A quantity of nutrient broth is added to the pipette, the pipette sealed by manually replacing the protective cover, with subsequent incubation of the sealed pipette in an incubator.

Abstract: An inverted L-shaped finger support device is releasably secured to the back side of a putter, or other golf club, shaft adjacent to the bottom area of the handle grip. The attachment device is formed of unitary, or hinged, cylindrical stock with the short arm of the inverted "L" extending perpendicular from the club shaft and adapted to be positioned between the index finger and the middle finger on the right hand of a golfer. The perpendicularly extending portion is disposed in the groove of the first joint of the golfer's index finger during use to thereby permit essentially the entire weight of the club to be supported with this one finger. Tap screws, bolts and a spring clip structure provide alternate releasable connections for securing the finger support device to a golf club. The spring clip releasable connection permits forced movement of the device along the length of the golf club to provide vertical adjustment thereof when the golfer desires to employ a choke grip on the golf club.

Abstract: A club swing indicator (10) to be used with a grip-improving glove (32) includes a thin flat base (12) having an approximate shape of the outline of a person's finger with a raised, relatively sharp, indicator element (18) mounted on one side thereof. The indicator is placed in a finger portion of the grip-improving glove and is oriented such that the indicator element impinges on the bottom of a person's finger which is in the glove. Thus, the indicator element is between the finger and a club gripped by the finger. Exceptional pressure between the finger and the club causes the indicator element to be thrust into the finger thereby causing a sharp sensation in the finger to indicate that the exceptional pressure has taken place.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for detecting and enumerating specific microorganisms from large volume samples containing small numbers of the microorganisms wherein the large volume samples are filtered through a membrane filter 23 to concentrate the microorganisms and filter 23 is positioned between two absorbent pads 21 and 25 previously moistened with a growth medium for the microorganisms. A pair of electrodes 13 and 15 are disposed against filter 23 and the pad-electrode-filter assembly retained within a petri dish 17 by retainer ring 27. Cover 29 is positioned on base 19 of petri dish 17 and sealed at the edges thereof by a parafilm seal prior to being electrically connected via connectors 14 and 16 to strip chart recorder 11 for detecting and enumerating the microorganisms collected on filter 23.

Abstract: The growth of microorganisms in a sample is detected and monitored by culturing microorganisms in a growth medium and detecting a change in potential between two electrodes separated from the microbial growth by a barrier which is permeable to charged particles but microorganism impermeable.

Abstract: The presence of microorganisms in a sample is determined by culturing micrganisms in a growth medium which is in contact with a measuring electrode and a reference electrode and detecting the change in potential between the electrodes which arises by the migration and accumulation of said microorganisms adjacent the surface of the measuring electrodes thus forming a charge-charge interaction between said measuring electrode and accumulated microorganisms, by measuring the potential change with a high impedance potentiometer.

Abstract: The presence of microorganisms in a sample is determined by culturing microorganisms in a growth medium which is in contact with a measuring electrode and a reference electrode and detecting the change in potential between the electrodes which arises by the migration and accumulation of said microorganisms adjacent the surface of the measuring electrode thus forming a charge-charge interaction between said measuring electrode and accumulated microorganisms, by measuring the potential change with a high impedance potentiometer.

Abstract: An electrochemical detection device for detecting micro-organisms. A standard pH reference electrode and a platinum cathodic electrode are positioned in a container with suitable nutrient medium for microbial growth plus the sample to be tested. The two electrodes are connected to electronic circuitry including an up/down counter which counts up for the first 80 minutes after a test has been initiated. Then the potential between the two electrodes is tracked by the electronic circuitry and after there is a change of 10 mv a signal is sent to the up/down counter to cause it to reverse its count. Thereafter when there is a additional 20 mv change in the potential between the two electrodes another signal is sent to the up/down counter signalling it to stop. The resulting count on the counter is equal to the length of time for the inoculum to begin the production of measurable amounts of H.sub.2 after inoculation. This length of time is indicative of a endpoint.

Abstract: A simple apparatus and method is disclosed for making individual single Gram stains on bacteria inoculated slides to assist in classifying bacteria in the laboratory as Gram-positive or Gram-negative. The apparatus involves positioning a single inoculated slide in a stationary position and thereafter automatically and sequentially flooding the slide with increments of a primary stain, a mordant, a decolorizer, a counterstain and a wash solution in a sequential manner without the individual lab technician touching the slide and with minimum danger of contamination thereof from other slides.

Abstract: The presence of microorganisms in a sample is determined by culturing microorganisms in a growth medium which is in contact with a measuring electrode and a reference electrode and detecting a change in potential between the electrodes caused by the presence of the microorganisms in the medium with a high impedance potentiometer.