Abstract: A peristaltic pump dampener apparatus includes a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a flexible diaphragm. The first chamber of the peristaltic pulse dampener apparatus receives a first input flow tangent to the walls of the first chamber, and the second chamber of the peristaltic pulse dampener apparatus receives a second input flow tangent to the walls of the second chamber. The flexible diaphragm of the peristaltic pulse dampener apparatus acts to equalize the pressure between the first chamber and the second chamber so as to generate two substantially even, constant output flows.

Abstract: A pump producing peristaltic pumping action by sequentially occluding a tube between staggered curved surfaces. The pump includes a pump frame with a platen with a plurality of curved surfaces. The curved surfaces of the platen operatively interact with opposing curved surfaces on a pressure plate assembly or the like. Pumping is accomplished via a tube sandwiched between the platen and the pressure plate assembly.

Abstract: A pump producing peristaltic pumping action by sequentially occluding a tube between staggered curved surfaces. The pump includes a pump frame with a platen with a plurality of curved surfaces. The curved surfaces of the platen operatively interact with opposing curved surfaces on a pressure plate assembly or the like. Pumping is accomplished via a tube sandwiched between the platen and the pressure plate assembly.

Abstract: A pump producing peristaltic pumping action by sequentially occluding a tube between staggered curved surfaces. The pump includes a pump frame with a platen. The platen has an irregular surface forming a plurality of curved end surfaces. The irregular surfaces of the platen operatively interact with a pressure plate assembly having a plurality of pressure plates. The pressure plates are configured for translational motion. In operation the pressure plates are spaced one from another such that each one includes an end curved surface extending generally toward complementary staggered curved surfaces on the platen. Pumping is accomplished via a tube sandwiched between the platen and the pressure plate assembly. A drive operatively associated with the pump frame and pressure plate assembly drives the pressure plates in a wave sequence so as to sequentially occlude portions of the tube between staggered curved surfaces so as to promote a peristaltic pumping action within the tube.

Abstract: A cylindrical collector of the rain gauge has a vertical distinctively colored stripe extending parallel to its vertical axis a focal length from its central axis on the opposite side of the rain gauge from rainfall indications. With this arrangement, the rain water in the rain gauge appears to have the color of a stripe which makes the water height easier to see. An open end of a parallelopiped interface receives the rain and has an area larger than the cross sectional area of the cylindrical collector to which it supplies the rain it receives. The numerals on the rain gauge indicating rainfall are scaled in proportion to the ratio of the area of the open end of the interface and the cross sectional area of the cylinder for easier reading. The parallelopipe design was selected to reduce the size of the shipping container and the dimension perpendicular to the holder is less than the width to permit the gauge to lie flat against a surface for hanging.

Abstract: A cylindrical collector of the rain gauge has a vertical distinctively colored stripe extending parallel to its vertical axis a focal length from its central axis on the opposite side of the rain gauge from rainfall indications. With this arrangement, the rain water in the rain gauge appears to have the color of a stripe which makes the water height easier to see. An open end of a parallelopiped interface receives the rain and has an area larger than the cross sectional area of the cylindrical collector to which it supplies the rain it receives. The numerals on the rain gauge indicating rainfall are scaled in proportion to the ratio of the area of the open end of the interface and the cross sectional area of the cylinder for easier reading. The parallelopipe design was selected to reduce the size of the shipping container and the dimension perpendicular to the holder is less than the width to permit the gauge to lie flat against a surface for hanging.

Abstract: A rain gauge includes a cylindrical rain holder having a float in the rain holder and a rainfall value indicator arranged so that as the float moves vertically in the rain holder a pointer moves circumferentially to indicate the amount of rainfall. A cover for the rain holder includes an opening that is less in area than the area of the surface of water in the rain holder, whereby the water level in the rain holder raises less than but in proportion to the rainfall. The pointer is on the float and the float is mounted to a vertical screw so as to rotate as it floats vertically, whereby the pointer points to lettering on the rain holder wall indicating the amount of rainfall. The pitch per inch of the screw is proportional to the ratio of the area of the surface of water in the rain holder to the area of the opening.

Abstract: A rain gauge includes a cylindrical tubular water holder and a flat surface having large rainfall value indicators upon it arranged so that they indicate an amount of rain that has fallen with reference to the water in the water holder and thus are easily readable from a distance. The tubular water holder can be rotated so that indications on it are visible through the curved surface of the cylindrical tube and thus magnified below the water level but not magnified above the water level.

Abstract: A thermometer includes a housing with a C-shaped window therein and a temperature scale adjacent to the window. A member within the housing has a colored or shaded region with a boundary visible through the window. The colored region is sufficiently large so that it fills the window from the lower side of the temperature scale up to the boundary. The boundary is moved relative to the temperature scale by a bimetal coil spring. The boundary and the colored region indicate the temperature being read by the thermometer. In one version of the invention, the window extends in an arc of about 180.degree., the member is a substantially planar disk, and the colored region is a semi-circular portion of the disk. The disk is mounted within the housing on a shaft, and the disk rotates relative to the shaft. The thermometer is easily readable under a variety of viewing conditions, especially adverse viewing conditions.

Abstract: A three-wheeled exercise vehicle includes an "L" shaped frame, a pivot about which the frame pivots as the vehicle is used by an exerciser, pedals for moving the vehicle from place to place and steering wheels that turn as the frame pivots. The user steers the exercise vehicle by leaning in a direction at an angle to the direction of movement of the exercise vehicle, wherein at least one steering wheel turns an amount related to said leaning about an axis substantially perpendicular to the horizontal. To drive straight, the user pedals the vehicle and shifts weight from the upper body to compensate for his automatic shifting of weight as he or she pedels, whereby an operator using the exercise vehicle while exercising must exercise more than one portion of the exerciser's body to both move said pedals and to control said pivoting.

Abstract: The disclosed exercise apparatus manipulates the back in a manner intended to strengthen back muscles and maintain spine flexibility. Adjacent arrays of rollers are mounted on a frame in a manner that allows the arrays of rollers to be secured in a first position relative to one another, wherein adjacent pairs of rollers are coaxially aligned, and in a second position relative to one another, wherein adjacent pairs of rollers are out of alignment.

Abstract: To control the dispensing of granular dry matter, the upper face of a flange extending from the perforations in the top of a dispenser for granular dry matter is positioned substantially in a horizontal plane and the dispenser is shaken. The granular dry matter is dispensed from the container through a channel in the flange containing the perforations, over the upper face of the flange and observed by the user. The amount of granular dry matter on the upper face may be added to by further shaking the dispenser while briefly tilting it slightly so that the output end of the upper face is below its feed end. The amount of granular dry matter on the upper face may be reduced by shaking the dispenser while briefly tilting it so that the output end of its upper face is slightly above its feed end so that the granular dry matter falls into the channel and back into the container.

Abstract: A card dealing and sorting apparatus adapted for use with a conventional deck of cards. The apparatus includes a frame onto which is movably mounted a card holding device. The card holding device holds the deck of cards, the lowermost cards being removed by a card removing device. The removed card falls down an open well where it is directed into a desired card holding compartment by a series of gates which either intercept the falling card or allow it to pass by. The gate position information is encoded on a program strip which is read by a strip reading device, the information being translated to the gates for positioning of the same.

Abstract: A water gauge in accordance with the invention includes a base and a spherical indicator ball. The base includes a container having a side wall, a bottom wall and a post. The spherical indicator ball has a yellow initial signal hemispherical wall and a red final signal hemispherical wall connected to an axle along a circumference. The axle is supported by the side wall of the container. The yellow initial signal hemispherical wall is heavier than the red final signal hemispherical wall. The spherical indicator ball has a channel in the middle of the red final signal hemispherical wall. Initially, the post is positioned into the channel so that the yellow initial signal hemispherical wall is up and visible. The water gauge is positioned on a lawn to be watered. When watering has added a sufficient amount of water to the container to float the ball above the top of the post, the ball is rotated by gravitational force to position the heavier hemispherical wall in the water.

Abstract: To permit easy reading of the rainfall at a distance, an intercepting means on a rain gauge intercepts rain falling through a larger area than the upper surface area of the rain water within the container of the rain gauge. A colored float points to rainfall markers on an expanded scale along the container so that if rain is indicated in inches, the indicia means has its inch marks spaced vertically to correlate with the float at distances larger than inches.