Abstract: An insect killing device including rigid outer and inner tubes assembled to be slidably and telescopically engaged, and having a pliant, limber elastic cord extended therethrough. The cord is interconnected at its respective proximal and distal ends only to a gripping pull knob and substantially flat insect-impact element. The pull knob is connected to the inner tube proximal end and is larger than the outer tube's inner diameter to prevent accidental disassembly thereof. Sighting an insect on a surface, user grasps the outer tube by one hand, and with the other hand retracts the knob along with the inner tube and cord, drawing the impact element toward the inner tube distal end. On release the stretched cord and inner tube drive the impact element against the insect. The pliant nature of the cord affords an unrestricted twisting motion of the impact element so as to align with an impact surface.

Abstract: An impact action cat toy with a rigid tube, an elastic cord, an elastic cord retainer, an elastic and non elastic cord retainer and a cat toy play member. The elastic cord is retained inside the rigid tube. The elastic cord terminates on one side in the elastic cord retaining member and on the opposite side in the elastic and non-elastic cord retaining member. The non elastic cord terminates on one side in the elastic and non elastic cord retaining member and on the opposite side in the cat toy play member. The cat toy play member is caused to quickly and erratically fly into the air while tethered on the non elastic cord when a user holds onto the rigid tube with one hand and stretches the elastic cord member from the elastic and non elastic cord retaining member with the other hand and releases the retaining member causing it to snap back and impact the end of the rigid tube.

Abstract: A fly killing device with a flat disk shaped member, an outer rigid tube, an inner rigid tube, an elastic cord and a pull knob. The inner rigid tube is slidably and telecopically engaged within the outer rigid tube. The elastic cord is slidably and telescopicically engaged within the rigid inner tube member. The elastic cord is attached at one end to the flat disk shaped member and at the opposite end to the pull knob. When a user pulls back on the pull knob, the elastic cord is stretched and, when the pull knob is released by the user, the elastic cord retracts rapidly causing the inner rigid tube and the disk member to shoot forward rapidly for the purpose of killing a small insect such as a fly or mosquito.

Abstract: A cat toy with a rigid outer tube member, a rigid inner tube member, an elastic cord member, a pull knob and a toy element. The inner tube member slidably and telescopingly engaged within the outer tube member. The elastic cord member is slidably engaged within the inner tube member. The toy element and the stop plate are fixedly attached to the end of the elastic cord. The pull knob is attached to one end of the inner tube member and to one end of the elastic cord member so that when a user pulls back on the pull knob, the elastic cord member stretches, causing the toy element to be drawn to the end of the outer tube member. When the pull knob is released by the user, the inner tube and the elastic cord and the toy element shoot outward for engaging a cat in play.

Abstract: A method of generating motion vectors from a video signal, for use in motion compensation, is applicable to interlaced video signals. In the method alternate video fields are shifted vertically so as to align the picture lines of interlaced fields, by moving the lines of one field up by half a picture line and the lines of the next field down by half a picture line. The fields of each resultant pair are compared to produce a set of motion vectors which can be used to motion compensate the video signal. The accuracy may be improved using temporal filters operative on correlation surfaces derived over tow or more field intervals.

Abstract: A temperature sensitive protective device for a solar water heater comprising an electric heater (12) for heating water and an electrical circuit for controlling electrical power to said electric heater. A first switch (22) in the circuit controls electrical power to the electric heater and an actuator is moveable to an activated position for operating the first switch means (22) to discontinue electrical power to the electric heater. A fusible link (24) is attached to the actuator for preventing the actuator from operating, and a second switch is disposed in the said circuit for controlling electrical power to the fuisible link when actuated for breaking the fusible link to release the actuator. A safety thermostat senses the temperature of the water and actuates the second switch in response to a predetermined temperature of the water and a biasing operates the actuator upon the release of the actuator by the fusible link.