Hi steve
Ihave done some searches on the patent offices on_line database and havent found anything which you could say was very close to my idea,one or two sort of kind of similar.So perhaps you could let me have the contact detail of your freind if you think he could help.
Although I did see a notice which says that the patent office refuse to even look at any perpetual motion machines or kill-o-zap death rays so thats two of my ideas out of the window for a start:-(