Abstract: An elongated, plate-like structure on which bicycle accessories can be mounted, that is held in place at one end of a bicycle's rear wheel axle or, alternately, ids axial skewer. The latter, like the rear wheel axle, includes bolt threads for threadedly engaging a nut at said end. Supported on either the bike's right or left side, the structure, which extends both perpendicularly to and rearwardly from the rear wheel's rotational axis, defines multiple through openings. Among them is a round aperture sized to slideably receive the rear wheel axle or, alternately, just a part of the skewer-engageable nut at the same time the nut's annular shoulder abuts the structure's outer face. Distal from the round aperture, the structure's generally flat inner face defines a small protuberance which, in use, restrains, from sideways slippage, a bicycle tow leash clamped onto an opening-free portion of the structure's midsection.

Abstract: An elongated, plate-like structure on which bicycle accessories can be mounted, that is held in place at one end of a bicycle's rear axle or, alternately, its axial skewer. The latter, like the rear axle, includes bolt threads for threadedly engaging a nut at said end. Supported on either the bike's right or left side, the structure, which extends both perpendicularly to and rearwardly from the rear wheel's rotational axis, defines multiple through openings. Among them is a round aperture sized to slideably receive the rear axle or, alternately, just a part of the skewer-engageable nut at the same time the nut's annular shoulder abuts the structure's outer face. Distal from the round aperture, the structure's generally flat inner face defines a small protuberance which, in use, restrains, from sideways slippage, a bicycle tow leash or like accessory clamped onto an opening-free portion of the structure's midsection.

Abstract: A clamp assembly mountable on a short span of structural tubing which can have any one of a broad spectrum of transverse cross-sectional shapes, sizes and vertical orientations, as found in bicycle frames and the like. Augmenting the assembly's inner and outer clamp members, so that one can use them to maintain a tight grip on the short span, is an assortment of inserts. Each insert, when deployed between the outer member's elongated flat face and the inner clamp member's midsection where it bounds a long, relatively narrow concavity, is designed to keep the clamp members from slipping sideways with respect to the compression force applied through them to the short span. Included is a two-headed insert, deployed one head at a time, as dictated by how much the short span fills said concavity and whether it extends, beyond it, perpendicularly to the elongated flat face.

Abstract: On leash, dogs enjoy being tethered together, provided they can detect directional changes in their partner's movements. The dog coupler includes a semi-rigid hollow tube, each distal end of which is pressure fitted with a clip fastenable to a dog's collar or harness. Fabricated of resilient plastic tubing, about 18 inches long, the tube, when relaxed, forms a shallow arch. Arched more deeply by compression or, alternately, straightened out, the tube acts like a weak spring but exhibits substantially stronger spring tension when stretched. Because of the tube's three distinct spring constants, two dogs, individually tethered at the tube's distal ends, can communicate, via tube, their relative positions as they move toward or apart from each other. Working to prevent negative feedback, each dog is trained to space itself properly instead of bumping into or pulling away from its partner, thus enabling the two dogs to walk or run well tethered together.

Abstract: On leash, dogs enjoy being tethered together as partners, provided they can detect directional changes in their partner(s)' movements. The dog coupler includes a pair of clip assemblies and a semi-rigid hollow tube, each distal end of which is pressure fitted with a clip fastenable to a dog's collar or harness. Fabricated of plastic tubing, about 18 inches long but stiff enough it remains tangle free when held by one end horizontally, the tube, in its resting state, forms a shallow arch. Partially folded by compression or, alternately, straightened out, the tube acts like a weak spring but exhibits substantially stronger spring tension when stretched. Because of this spring-like action, two dogs, individually connected to the coupler, get negative feedback when they move toward or apart from each other. Absent such feedback, they are rewarded for correctly positioning themselves, encouraging them to walk or run well tethered together.

Abstract: A dog leash having a stiffener and a mast, the latter connected to a clamp by a flexible coupling. Moored to the clamp by a cord, the stiffener protrudes outwardly from the mast's end distal from the clamp. Built up by encasing a cord segment and the base of a clip in a semi-rigid plastic sheath, the stiffener directly links the clip to the mast. Because, in use, the stiffener and the clip ride attached to the dog's collar without slapping or flopping around randomly so as to confuse the animal, the leash can transmit nonverbal communication free of extraneous signals from the user of a personal carrier to a tethered dog. The dog can be then trained quickly and easily controlled, making possible the leash's use not only on bicycles but also, once they have been retrofitted with a universal mounting bracket, on wheelchairs and other personal carriers.

Abstract: A dog leash having a stiffener and a mast, the latter connected to a clamp by a flexible coupling. Moored to the clamp by a cord, the stiffener protrudes outwardly from the mast's end distal from the clamp. Built up by encasing a cord segment and the base of a clip in a semi-rigid plastic sheath, the stiffener directly links the clip to the mast. Because, in use, the stiffener and the clip ride attached to the dog's collar without slapping or flopping around randomly so as to confuse the animal, the leash can transmit nonverbal communication free of extraneous signals from the user of a personal carrier to a tethered dog. The dog can be then trained quickly and easily controlled, making possible the leash's use not only on bicycles but also, once they have been retrofitted with a universal mounting bracket, on wheelchairs and other personal carriers.

Abstract: A compound leash for use with a bicycle as a person simultaneously rides the bicycle and runs the animal. Made by a dog lover and bicyclist, the leash allows the dog to range across an area extending from about 10 inches to about 3 feet laterally from one side of the bicycle and about 2 feet forward and and aft of its rear axle. The leash comprises a mast, a clamp and a flexible connector joining them together. Mounted on the bicycle frame below its rear axle, the connector terminates outwardly in the mast which extends upwardly therefrom. Secured to the mast distal from the connector is at least one strap attachable to the dog's collar or harness. With the connector so mounted below the rear axle, the force from a harsh sidewise pull on the mast by the animal tends to tip the bicycle away from him rather than tipping the bicycle on the animal.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to material handling systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a non-homogenous roller having a plurality of friction coefficients for use in a material handling system. The roller may comprise an inner sleeve defining a bore for receiving a roller shaft, wherein the inner sleeve comprises a first material having a first coefficient of friction; and an outer body formed around said inner sleeve, wherein the outer body comprises a second material having a second coefficient of friction.

Abstract: A shaft mounted drive component, such as a cluster roller assembly, includes a body member having first and second half members and an opening defining a central axis through which a shaft is received for mounting the body member on a shaft. The first and second half members are divided by a cut forming a gap along the central axis. Alignment holes are split by the cut. A spacer pin is received within each alignment hole and is substantially the same diameter and has a diameter larger than the gap to maintain alignment and positioning of the half members and rollers as before splitting into respective first and second half members and facilitating replacement of first and second half members on a shaft, thus eliminating the need for shaft removal.

Abstract: A cluster roller assembly used in material handling includes a body member for mounting a driven shaft. The body member includes a periphery having a plurality of roller support positions. A roller is supported at each roller support position. A central bore extends through either end of the roller and defines an axis of rotation. A bearing recess is formed at either end of the roller and a pair of rolling element bearings are each fitted within the bearing recess and each has an inner race. A roller shaft extends through the central bore and the rolling element bearings and engages at either end a pair of support legs for supporting the roller between the support legs. In one aspect, a spacer engages the rolling element bearing and the inner race to pass the thrust of the roller through the spacer to the body member. The rolling element bearings can be sealed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ball deck which reduces or eliminates the use of castings, which is self-fixturing for welding and can be manufactured and assembled relatively inexpensively and simply, which has drive means that is readily alignable with the drive motors, which incorporates a deck plate easily registerable with the associated driven balls regardless of the adjustment required to align the drive means, and which incorporates a means for attaching the deck plate so that the upper surface thereof is flat and uncluttered and is less susceptible to wear.

Abstract: An improved ball deck having a plurality of driven balls arranged in rows, with each driven ball supported on a freely rotatable ball and a pair of drive wheels secured to parallel shafts positioned on either side of the driven balls in each row, and a tray for each row of driven balls having bearings in the end plates thereof. Chain drive sprockets attached to each of the shafts with adjustment means for adjusting the trays to control the tension in the chains.

Abstract: A parking meter coin box receptacle retrofits into an existing parking meter while increasing the interior volume of the coin box receptacle, so that more coins can be accumulated between periodic emptying of the box. Moreover, the coin box receptacle includes an exterior display portion to hold a seal, in a secure visible position for locking with a bore within an interior rod within the receptacle. A fastener is in positional register with the seal, and a bore within the fastener accommodates a fiber optic strand within the seal fastener, to hold the locking rod in place and to indicate tampering when the fiber optic strand is cut. The exterior display portion of the coin box receptacle includes an outwardly facing window, so that the bar code on the seal fastener can be easily viewed while the seal fastener is in place in a locked position.

Abstract: A cluster for a material handling conveyor in which a plurality of rollers are mounted on a body member at an acute angle to a driven shaft, with bushing pressed into and recessed from each end of each roller to provide a consistent frictional force between the rollers and the member under various conditions of moisture.

Abstract: Interface control for controlling the altitude of two roll planes of a deck surface relative to each other and providing cooperation with a stop that precludes the lowering of one of the roll planes when a load is in position on the deck surface.

Abstract: The present invention has to do with aircraft cargo handling and loading equipment and specifically with a type of roller deck surface employed thereon.

Abstract: Interface control for controlling the altitude of two roll planes of a deck surface relative to each other and providing cooperation with a stop that precludes the lowering of one of the roll planes when a load is in position on the deck surface.