Abstract: An identity authentication method authenticates valid purchases of restricted products or services such as alcoholic beverages from unattended vending machines. The authentication method is designed to comply with all 50 States' requirements, as the equipment includes a field-programmable age requirement verification mechanism. The process consists of two primary steps: 1) Registration, a one-time procedure where a Patron's age is verified, fingerprint enrolled and information entered into an electronic tag, as well as a central database (if applicable); and 2) Purchase, which occurs each time a product is purchased, where the Patron presents the electronic tag to a tag reader (located on the front of the vending machine), authenticates his/her Identification by placing the appropriate finger onto a fingerprint scanner (also located on the front of the vending machine), then proceeds to purchase the product via cash, credit card, or whatever other method is applicable to that particular location.

Abstract: A floating dock includes sheet metal clips on its outboard side. The clips carry utility lines that extend into a utility tower mounted on one of many inter-connected buoyant wharf modules forming the dock. The clip, in combination with wales that connect the outboard sides of the modules together, provide an enclosed volume for the utility lines. Contact between the utility lines and a metal base of the clips is prevented by a pair of electric insulating sleeves, each having a slot that fits into each edge of utility clip base. The module carrying the tower includes a tunnel and a depression in a deck of the dock, under the tower. Utility lines from a side of the modules opposite from the side carrying the clips extend through the tunnel, into the tower via the depression. Utility lines in the clips go into the tower via the depression and aligned openings in the tower base and depression.

Abstract: A floating dock including many buoyant wharf modules having approximately the same exterior size and shape, as well as density properties, relative to a pile extending through a vertically extending passage in one of the modules. The passage has four straight walls defining a square in the horizontal plane. A roller is at each corner of the square. The roller which is normally spaced from the cylindrical pile, contacts the pile as the dock bobs. A bracket mounted on a carrier having fixed tabs encased in a concrete deck of the module can be moved to different radial positions relative to the center, vertical axis of the passage, to accommodate different diameter piles. A permanent mold form for the concrete includes the lips extending upwardly from the passage side walls and lips extending upwardly from exterior side walls of a closed shell having foam therein. The shell has a roof forming the permanent mold form floor. The roof extends between the lips.

Abstract: Buoyant wharf modules of a floating dock include a rotary molded polyethylene structure having a lower shell portion filled with a steamed polystyrene foam and an upper portion that is a permanent mold form for a concrete aggregate-water mixture. The foam has sufficient compressive strength so that when the mixture is poured into the form over a reinforcing mesh, the form remains stable. The form includes troughs and mesas shaped so that the water flows by gravity to sumps adjacent walls of the form. The walls have openings so the water can flow from modules. Lined tunnels in the set concrete include removable rods having threaded ends which extend through openings in wales extending along longitudinal walls of the modules. Nuts and washers threaded on the rods abut exterior side walls of the wales to hold the modules together. Short spacer tubes having straight side walls abut wales of side-by-side modules.