Wednesday, April 16, 1986/The Battalion/Page 3
State and Local
oA&M prof designs sit/stand chair
[nventor predicts postures
campus
■n the st
may be bettered as result
intinuclftM '
^enpeactl
lA&M; By ANALISA VINSON
ft the intf Reporter
cLnisf; j), j err y Congleton, an asso-
ties l: j a te professor of industrial en-
haven folneering at Texas A&M, has
t sym; lesigned a sit/stand type of chair
could If H ' ie sa Y s ma y revolutionize
j Imptica’s sitting posture.
fall tfiilM )n g let0n began desi g nin &
louiuiotH c h a i r { or surgeons while
'CCt)." /orking on his doctorate at
nee wiltlexas Tech University.
[since t<pl_
n fN'nyKThere’s an opportunity to
rave better posture with a sit/s-
vnur'd type of chair,” Congleton
•'* IKHclll '
office. Hongleton decided the chair
nation a eeded to put the body in a posi-
m of neutral posture.
Neutral posture is the form
istronauts take while sleeping in
ior politu weightless enviroment.
1 1 0*7 i
yie legs are in a 127-degree
ngk to the torso and the arms
Mout in front.
■tere’s no pressure on the
j ^yt/ertebrae in this position, he
I I'“In'space the body automat-
( py has this posture,” Congle-
mlsays. “It is also the position
fthedead man’s float.”
IS so
its
[Congleton has begun to mar-
■is chairs with the help of the
g to taltInstitute of Ventures in New
payme;:: technology.
INVENT was established by
h I ^ J ffi bexas L e g‘ s * atu, 'e in 1983 to
I' 1 ! 11 ' Irpm o t e research and
over Iv htfepreneurship in Texas,
eluded tkB
dves.ltw IN VENT has invested
im that : in Congleton Work
ed Systems and owns 15 per-
ptof the company.
. HAjBie institute also helped Con-
a . .won refine the original chair
.s or catenaj^ipg some functional
a have binges.
The seat pan of the Pos-Chair is a
combination of a tractor seat and an
English saddle.
It has contour for the buttocks
and thighs and leg troughs to keep
the person from sliding out.
The seat pan comes in four sizes,
two for men and two for women.
Congleton says the differences
between a man’s pelvis and a wom
an’s pelvis makes different types of
contours for the seat necessary.
The seat pan also can be adjusted
from a 90-degree angle, the normal
sitting position, to an angle of 130
degrees.
“This helps you find what angle
is non-stressed for you,” Congleton
says.
In addition, the seat pan can be
lifted from normal sitting to the
height of a tall stool.
The chair has a backrest which
can be adjusted to the small of the
back by being raised or lowered.
It also has an inflatable airbag
which, when pumped up, can give
extra support to one’s back.
INVENT also provided Congle
ton with marketing and business
plans for his company.
Congleton Workplace Systems
had its grand open house on last
Wednesday and has sold 140 chairs
to date.
Congleton says he is the first fac
ulty member and his is the second
completed project to go through
INVENT.
The Pos-Chair won a prize as the
most utilitarian invention at the
1985 Austin Computer Fair’s In
ventor’s Showcase.
In the past, he has designed
chairs for bass boats and deer
stands.
Congleton now says he would
like to develop an executive chair
with a larger backrest and armrests.
Hightower: Texas farm
‘endangered species’
Dr. Jerry Congleton, an associate professor of industrial engi
neering, created a chair, which he says could improve posture.
develop a wheelchair and introduce
microscope and computer tables.
He says he hopes to sell 3,000
chairs by the end of the company’s
first year.
The three main dealers will be
computer stores, office supply
stores, and stores that sell equip
ment for people with bad backs, he
says.
Congleton also is looking into
selling the chairs directly to major
industries.
He currently is lending out some
of the chairs to companies and sur
geons for evaluation.
The Pos-Chair costs about $600,
but the price varies with different
options and upholstery.
THEATHT GUIDE
Plitt Information
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AUSTIN (AP) — Texas lost 173
farms and ranches a week during
1985, while one-sixth of the survi
vors predict 1986 could be their last
year on the land, a new study said
Tuesday.
“The personal effects of the fi
nancial devastation have idled pro
ductive farmland and left proud
families in ruin,” said the report re
leased by the Texas Department of
Agriculture.
Agriculture Commissioner Jim
Hightower said the farm crisis that
has spread from the Midwest to
Texas rivals the oil price slump in
economic devastation.
“The commercial family farmer in
Texas is an endangered species, hav
ing survived the last four years on
determination, grit and remarkable
efficiency in the face of overwhelm
ing economic obstacles,” Hightower
said.
“Texas farmers just finished their
worst year since the Great Depres
sion. ... By every indication, the
farm crisis in Texas will be much
worse in 1986. Action must be taken
immediately if we hope the family
farm will survive this decade.”
Among the report’s findings:
• Since 1981, 49,000 Texas farms
have gone out of business.
• Statewide, 17.7 percent of
farmers said 1986 could be their last
year.
• After adjustment for inflation,
farm income fell 35 percent from
1979 to 1984. Meanwhile, produc
tion costs soared by more then $800
million.
• Texas farm debt grew by $4 bil
lion, with the current statewide farm
debt surpassing $ 14 billion.
• Regional farmland values have
plummeted, with values in the High
Plains dropping by as much as 25
percent and values on the Gulf Coast
down by 21 percent.
• Used equipment values have
fallen by as much as 60 percent.
The study said the damage being
done extends far beyond the farm or
ranch gates.
Problems extend from farm sup
ply companies saddled with high
debt and dormant machinery to tea
chers who have lost their jobs be
cause many Texas farmers and
ranchers, socked in with unyielding
debts and dwindling hope, are delin
quent in taxes that vitalize their cities
and towns, the study says.
Rep. Steve Carriker, D-Roby, a
farmer and chairman of the task
force, said rural banks also are suf
fering as farmers find themselves
unable to repay.
“Texas farmers and ranchers
have never expected to have a guar
anteed profit from their work, but
today’s farm programs have guar
anteed them a loss,” Carriker said.
He said the study found that High
Plains farmers lose as much as 66
cents on each bushel of corn they
grow; West Texas farmers lose 16
cents per pound of cotton; northeast
Texas farmers lose 51 cents on a
bushel of soybeans; and Gulf Coast
farmers lose $6.62 per hundred
weight of rice.
“With losses like these, you can
understand why so many farmers
believe they will have reached the
end of their rope before this year is
out,” Carriker said.
The study suggested several
short-term and longer range actions,
although it stopped short of recom
mending a moratorium on farm
foreclosures or establishment of
state-subsidized loan programs.
But Hightower said the key is con
gressional legislation which allows
family farmers to cover their pro
duction costs and imposes a supply-
management mechanism to adjust
crop production to demand.
The current federal farm bill
must be changed this year, he said.
“Political pressure is building up
for Congress to do something sensi
ble rather than something terminally
dumb,” Hightower said.
Over the long term, Hightower
said, government credit demands
brought on by high federal deficits
must be reduced to bring down in
terest rates, and farmers need to di
versify into alternative cash crops.
U.S. Treasury
Bonds
For each $1,000 you spend at Texas Coin Exchange on a loose
diamond, Texas Coin Exchange will give you a $1,000 U.S. Trea
sury bond. This offer does not apply on any other merchandise.
Lay-a-way not included. This offer ends Saturday, April 19,1986!
ROUND
Bonds Our Price Compare at
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7:20 9:40
7:30 9:55
13,350“
7,980“
6,650“
7,950“
4,985“
4,575“
3,875“
4,395“
3,575“
3,475“
3,495“
2,875“
2,195“
2,095“
1,985“
1,675“
2,825“
2,825“
2,395“
2,795“
1,875“
1,875“
3,235“
1,850“
2,695“
1,950“
1,950“
2,095“
2,075“
1,950“
1,520“
1,975”
1,650“
1,295“
1,125“
1,050“
1,195“
1,295“
975“
975“
815“
825“
835”
825“
975“
775“
975“
975”
945“
930“
930“
850”
895“
945”
895”
895“
685“
865”
875“
695“
25,000°°
13,500°°
12,250°°
14,500“
8,950“
7,500“
5,900“
6,300“
6,200“
5,700“
6,800“
5,500“
4,200“
3,975“
3,800“
2,975“
5,500“
5,500“
4,850“
5,350“
3,850“
3,850“
5,975“
3,850“
5,350“
3,850“
3,850“
4,200“
4,175“
3,950“
2,975“
2,850“
3,300“
2,500“
2,350“
2,150“
2,350“
2,600“
1,950“
1,950“
1,675“
1,650“
1,650“
1,650“
1,875“
1,550“
1,875“
1,875“
1,850“
1,830“
1,800“
1,750“
1,750“
1,850“
1,900“
1,900“
1,300“
1,750“
1,750“
1,750“
ROUND 1
Our Price Compare at
.53pts
845“
1,650“
.53pts
495“
995“
.52pts
830“
1,650“
,52pts
820“
1,640“
.51pts
795“
1,550“
,50pts
750“
1,500“
.49pts
770“
1,650“
.50pts
750“
1,550“
,49pts
785“
1,700“
.48pts
795“
1,700“
.47pts
750”
1,700“
,48pts
795“
1,500“
.46pts
585”
1,150“
.46pts
585“
1,150“
,46pts
585”
1,150“
.49pts
785“
1,500“
,47pts
750“
1,500“
,46pts
595”
1,250“
,45pts
535“
1,100“
.42pts
660“
1250“
,45pts
695“
1250“
.27pts
270“
475“
,27pts
270“
475“
,26pts
265“
550“
,26pts
250“
475“
,23.pts
235“
475“
.21 pts
215“
415“
.20pts
205“
410“
.20pts
180“
380“
,20pts
165“
350“
. 19pts
165“
350“
,18pts
155“
295“
. 10pts
63“
125“
,08pts
41“
85“
,07pts
38“
75“
,06pts
33“
65“
,05pts
29*
45“
MARQUISE
Bonds
Our Price
Compare at
1,52cts
2,000
$2,750“
$6,700“
1,46cts
3,000
3,750“
7,500“
1.1 Gets
3,000
3,195“
6,200“
,73pts
1,000
1,295“
2,500“
,73pts
1,000
1,235“
2,500“
.72pts
1,000
1,250“
2,500“
.70pts
1,000
1,195“
2,350“
.55pts
895“
1,750“
.50pts
875“
1,750“
,37pts
450“
9,00“
,36pts
525“
1,050“
.35pts
425“
950“
.35pts
425“
850“
,33pts
395“
750“
.30pts
365“
750“
.30pts
365“
750“
.27pts
325“
675“
,18pts
195“
295“
OVAL
Bonds
Our Price
Compare at
2.58cts
9,000
9,750“
$19,500“
1.1 Sets
2,000
2,495“
5,200“
1.01 cts
2,000
2,475“
4950“
1 OOcts
3,000
3,300“
6750“
.83pts
1,000
1,650“
3,300“
.78pts.
1,000
1,650“
3,300“
.71 pts
1,000
1,495“
2,900“
,63pts
895“
1,750“
.44pts
335”
670“
,38pts
285”
575“
.38pts
285“
575“
.32pts
240“
485“
.30pts
225”
430“
.27pts
200“
295“
.25pts
195“
295“
,25pts
195“
295“
MODIFIED RADIANT I
Bonds
Our Price
Compare at
2.01 cts
4,000“
4,350“
$6,900“
1.03cts
2,000“
2,600”
5,500“
.93pts
1,000“
1,945“
3,950“
,42pts
750“
1,550“
.35pts
635“
1,350“
PEAR
Bonds
Our Price
Compare at
1.59cts
3,000
3.175“
$6500“
1.17cts
2,000
3250“
4750“
.78pts
1,000
1750“
3500“
.62pts
1,000
1395“
2700“
.54pts
1,000
1195“
2300“
.47pts
1,000
1050“
2200“
.30pts
1,000
350“
750“
EMERALD J
Bonds
Our Price
Compare at
2.62cts.
6,000
6,485“
$13,500“
2.55cts.
7,000
7,495“
16,500“
1.02ctS
2,000“
2,495“
4,900“
<3.
3.
HEART
Bonds Our Price
.80pts
.63pts
1,000
1,000
$1,650”
2,600“
Compare at
$3,200“
2,600“
7:25 *45
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