1. A hand held display device comprising
a floating cowling comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal slit;
a first spool rod retained within the tubular housing, the first spool rod having a distal end and a proximal end;
a distal aligning yoke coupled to the distal end of the first spool rod;
a proximal aligning yoke coupled to the proximal end of the first spool rod, the distal aligning yoke and the proximal aligning yoke configured to rotationally support and axially align the tubular housing around the first spool rod to allow free rotation of the tubular housing about the first spool rod;
a flexible material having a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end coupled to the first spool rod;
a pull tab coupled to the free end of the flexible material, the pull tab configured to prevent the free end of the flexible material from passing through the longitudinal slit into the tubular housing; whereby the flexible material is movable through the longitudinal slit between a retracted position having the flexible material wrapped around the first spool rod inside the tubular housing and an extended position having a majority of the flexible material outside the tubular housing;
wherein the distal aligning yoke has a distal raised annular ridge along an outer circumference of the distal aligning yoke; and wherein the proximal aligning yoke has a proximal raised annular ridge along the outer circumference of the proximal aligning yoke, the distal and proximal raised annular ridges configured to rotationally support and axially align the tubular housing around the first spool rod.
2. A hand held display device as in claim 1 further comprising a handle coupled to the proximal end of the first spool rod.
3. A hand held display device as in claim 1 wherein the tubular housing comprises flexible plastic material.
4. A hand held display device as in claim 1 wherein the distal aligning yoke is coupled to the distal end of the first spool rod via a threaded connection.
5. A hand held display device as in claim 4 wherein the tubular housing is comprised of one of rigid plastic, wood and metal.
6. A hand held display device comprising
a tubular housing having a longitudinal slit;
a first spool rod retained within the tubular housing, the first spool rod having a distal end and a proximal end;
a distal aligning yoke coupled to the distal end of the first spool rod;
a proximal aligning yoke coupled to the proximal end of the first spool rod, the distal aligning yoke and the proximal aligning yoke configured to rotationally support and axially align the tubular housing around the first spool rod to allow free rotation of the tubular housing about the first spool rod;
a flexible material having a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end coupled to the first spool rod; whereby the flexible material is movable through the longitudinal slit between a retracted position having the flexible material wrapped around the first spool rod inside the tubular housing and an extended position having a majority of the flexible material outside the tubular housing;
wherein the tubular housing has two internal circumferential ridges configured to rotationally support the tubular housing with respect to the distal aligning yoke and the proximal aligning yoke.
7. A hand held display device comprising
a tubular housing having a longitudinal slit;
a first spool rod retained within the tubular housing, the first spool rod having a distal end and a proximal end;
a distal aligning yoke coupled to the distal end of the first spool rod; a proximal aligning yoke coupled to the proximal end of the first spool rod, the distal aligning yoke and the proximal aligning yoke configured to rotationally support and axially align the tubular housing around the first spool rod to allow free rotation of the tubular housing about the first spool rod;
a flexible material having a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end coupled to the free end first spool rod;
whereby the flexible material is movable through the longitudinal slit between a retracted position having the flexible material wrapped around the first spool rod inside the tubular housing and an extended position having a majority of the flexible material outside the tubular housing; further comprising ski tip guides coupled to the tubular housing adjacent to the longitudinal slit, the ski tip guides configured to assist in retracting the flexible material through the longitudinal slit.
8. A hand held display device as in claim 7 wherein the tubular housing further comprises continuous outwardly rolled edges coupled to the tubular housing adjacent to the longitudinal slit, the continuous outwardly rolled edges configured to assist in retracting the flexible material through the longitudinal slit.
9. A hand-held display device as in claim 7 further comprising a second spool rod coupled to the free end of the flexible material.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A bearing structure apparatus for a pivoting irrigation system, the bearing structure apparatus comprising:
a rotatable vertical section of a water-carrying conduit, the rotatable section including a first cylindrical sidewall presenting an inner surface and an outer surface, and defining a first longitudinal axis;
a non-rotatable vertical section of the water-carrying conduit, the non-rotatable section including a second cylindrical sidewall presenting an inner surface adjacent to the outer surface of the rotatable vertical section, and defining a second longitudinal axis coaxially aligned with the first longitudinal axis;
a first annular assembly including a first race mounted on the rotatable vertical section and a second race mounted on the non-rotatable vertical section, the first race rotatably connected to the second race; and
a second annular assembly including a third race mounted on the rotatable vertical section and a fourth race mounted on the non-rotatable vertical section, the third race rotatably connected to the fourth race,
wherein the first cylindrical sidewall defines an outside diameter and the second cylindrical sidewall defines an inside diameter, the outside diameter of the first sidewall is smaller than the inside diameter of the second sidewall, and the rotatable vertical section is housed substantially within the non-rotatable vertical section; and
wherein the inner surface and the outer surface of the rotatable vertical section have inwardly tapered ends.
2. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first race is mounted on an upper end of the rotatable vertical section, the second race is mounted on an upper end of the non-rotatable vertical section, the third race is mounted on a lower end of the rotatable vertical section, and the fourth race is mounted on a lower end of the rotatable vertical section.
3. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the rotatable vertical section defines a longitudinal length and a horizontal diameter, and the longitudinal length is at least two times the horizontal diameter.
4. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inside diameter of the second cylindrical sidewall is approximately 8.175 inches, and the first cylindrical sidewall has a wall thickness of approximately 0.175 inches.
5. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the annular assemblies each include at least one bearing, each bearing is operable to be subjected to vertical, horizontal, torsional, andor rotational loads, and the bearings are collectively configured to evenly receive the loads.
6. A bearing structure apparatus for a pivoting irrigation system, the bearing structure apparatus comprising:
a rotatable vertical section of a water-carrying conduit, the rotatable section including a first cylindrical sidewall presenting an inner surface, and defining a first longitudinal axis;
a non-rotatable vertical section of the water-carrying conduit, the non-rotatable section including a second cylindrical sidewall presenting an inner surface and an outer surface adjacent to the inner surface of the rotatable vertical section, and defining a second longitudinal axis coaxially aligned with the first longitudinal axis;
a first annular assembly including a first race mounted on the rotatable vertical section and a second race mounted on the non-rotatable vertical section, the first race rotatably connected to the second race; and
a second annular assembly including a third race mounted on the rotatable vertical section and a fourth race mounted on the non-rotatable vertical section, the third race rotatably connected to the fourth race,
wherein the first cylindrical sidewall defines an inside diameter and the second cylindrical sidewall defines an outside diameter, the inside diameter of the first sidewall is larger than the outside diameter of the second sidewall, and the non-rotatable vertical section is housed substantially within the rotatable vertical section; and
wherein the inner surface and the outer surface of the non-rotatable vertical section have inwardly tapered ends.
7. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the inside diameter of the second cylindrical sidewall is approximately 8.175 inches, and the first cylindrical sidewall has a wall thickness of approximately 0.175 inches.
8. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the annular assemblies each include at least one bearing, each bearing is operable to be subjected to vertical, horizontal, torsional, andor rotational loads, and the bearings are collectively configured to evenly receive the loads.
9. A bearing structure apparatus for a pivoting irrigation system, the bearing structure apparatus comprising:
a rotatable vertical section of a water-carrying conduit, the rotatable section including a first cylindrical sidewall presenting an inner surface and an outer surface, and defining a first longitudinal axis;
a non-rotatable vertical section of the water-carrying conduit, the non-rotatable section including a second cylindrical sidewall presenting an inner surface adjacent to the outer of the rotatable vertical surface, and defining a second longitudinal axis coaxially aligned with the first longitudinal axis;
a first annular assembly including a first race mounted on an upper end of the rotatable vertical section; a second race mounted on an upper end of the non-rotatable vertical section, the first race rotatably connected to the second race; and a first bearing communicatively connected to the first race and the second race, to facilitate relative rotation therebetween; and
a second annular assembly including a third race mounted on a lower end of the rotatable vertical section; a fourth race mounted on a lower end of the non-rotatable vertical section, the third race rotatably connected to the fourth race; and a second bearing communicatively connected to the third race and the fourth race, to facilitate relative rotation therebetween,
wherein the first cylindrical sidewall defines an outside diameter and the second cylindrical sidewall defines an inside diameter, the outside diameter of the first sidewall is smaller than the inside diameter of the second sidewall, and the rotatable vertical section is housed substantially within the non-rotatable vertical section;
wherein the inner surface and the outer surface of the rotatable vertical section have inwardly tapered ends; and
wherein the first bearing and the second bearing are radial bearings.
10. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the first race presents an outer surface and the second race presents an inner surface facing the outer surface of the first race; the first bearing is disposed between the outer surface of the first race and the inner surface of the second race; the third race presents an outer surface and the fourth race presents an inner surface facing the outer surface of the third race; and the second bearing is disposed between the outer surface of the third race and the inner surface of the fourth race.
11. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the first annular assembly further includes a first thrust bearing, the first race presents an upper surface and the second race presents a lower surface facing the upper surface of the first race, and the first thrust bearing is disposed between the upper surface of the first race and the lower surface of the second race.
12. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein the upper and lower surfaces each include a groove for receiving and aligning the respective bearings.
13. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein each bearing is operable to be subjected to vertical, horizontal, torsional, andor rotational loads, and the bearings are collectively configured to evenly receive the loads.
14. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the first race and the second race are slightly spaced from each other, and the third race and the fourth race are slightly spaced from each other.
15. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the bearings each have a static coefficient of friction of between 0.1 and 0.25.
16. The bearing structure apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the bearings are formed of molybdenum disulphide and polytetrafluoroethylene plastic.