Abstract: The toy construction set includes a plurality of blocks and at least one base plate. Each of the blocks has one or more axially shiftable and rotatable coupling cams mounted therein which can be projected from the bottom of the block to effect vertical attachment with another block or with the base plate, using a suitable hand tool to do so. The preferred base plate contains a number of appropriately located coupling cams so that it can be attached either above or below a number of blocks.

Abstract: The device comprises a casing composed of a bottom tray having an upstanding pivot post and a hinged cover having an open window. Three concentric flat rings have partial designs embossed thereon to provide raised design portions, the inner ring being rotatable about the post, the intermediate ring rotatable about the inner ring and the outer ring rotatable about the intermediate ring. By individually rotating or angularly positioning the rings relative to each other, any of the partial designs can be radially aligned to form a composite design. After the composite design has been formed, a piece of paper is placed over at least the segments constituting the preselected design. Closing of the cover on the tray clamps the rings in a fixed relation with each other so that the user can then rub a marking implement, such as a colored pencil or crayon, over the portion of the paper appearing in the open window in order to transfer the preselected design onto the overlying paper.

Abstract: The doll illustrating the toy figure includes an ingestion system having an inlet opening and an outlet opening. A resilient or flexible tube connects the inlet opening to the outlet opening. The resilient tube includes a straight longitudinal section within the doll's body. A carriage unit is constrained for rectilinear movement relative to the straight section, a roller movable with said carriage unit performing a persistalic pumping action as it is progressively moved downwardly along the straight section of the tube. A manually actuated lever connected to the carriage unit permits a child to move the carriage unit downwardly, the lever projecting through a slot in the back of the doll's body. Provision is made for only partially collapsing the tube as the carriage unit is returned to its initial position by means of a roll spring.

Abstract: The valve operating mechanism includes an L-shaped rocker arm having a cam follower surface on one leg composed of a straight section and a curved section acted upon by a cam on a rotatable camshaft. The other leg of the L-shaped rocker arm contacts a valve member to open the valve member, overcoming the spring closing force to do so. A lever arm has one end mounted for pivotal movement about a shaft providing a fixed axis, a pin carried by said lever arm intermediate said one end and the other end thereof providing a shiftable axis. A base circle feature is included by means of a pair of curved edges adjacent opposite sides of said straight section. The curved section provides an increased amount of valve opening, the curved section curving sufficiently to provide a semi-desmodromic valve operation desirable during maximum valve lift at high engine speeds.

Abstract: A duplicate shield mechanism or unit is employed for each rearmost sweep of a cultivator. The unit in each instance includes two laterally adjustable disks mounted for rotation at the trailing end of a longitudinally adjustable two-piece drawbar or arm. The forward end of each drawbar or arm is pivotally attached to a selected portion of the rear shank having the sweep with which the unit is to co-act. Both disks of each unit travel between the rows of plants rather than over the row.

Abstract: The sound-of-steam producing system is completely mounted on the tender intended to be pulled by a toy electric locomotive. The system includes a switch mechanism included in the circuit of a module which energizes a speaker to simulate the puffing sound of a real locomotive. The switch mechanism is opened and closed by a roller mechanism comprising a pair of rollers having their diameters ratioed in accordance with the relative diameters of the locomotive's drive wheels and the tender's wheels, whereby the puffing sound is precisely synchronized with the rotation of drive wheels of the locomotive.

Abstract: The manipulator includes an internally toothed ring, an externally toothed wheel, and a cam arm. The wheel and arm, which function in a "master" capacity, have registerable holes for accommodating the tip of a ballpoint pen so that a primary line design is created as the ballpoint pen is manually moved over a sheet of paper while maintaining the wheel teeth in mesh with the ring teeth. The ring has at least one pivot post projecting upwardly into a slot in the cam arm to cause the cam arm to function in a "slave" capacity so that a fiber-tipped pen gripped by the cam arm produces a secondary line design at the same time the primary line design is being produced.

Abstract: Prismatic blocks having a triangular cross section are provided with letters and scoring numerals on two faces thereof. In forming words, the players position the blocks in a grid having rectangular openings therein so that only one of the lettered faces is visible. The scoring numeral on one face of each block is contained in a box, whereas the scoring numeral on the other lettered face is unboxed. The highest score wins the game. However, the players can earn extra or bonus points by combining the blocks in prescribed patterns, such as words of at least a certain length containing all boxed numerals or all unboxed numerals.

Abstract: A free wheeling toy vehicle has the outer faces of its front wheels spaced a greater distance apart than the outer faces of its rear wheels. When the toy vehicle travels down an inclined track having upstanding sidewalls and one of the front wheels strikes one of the sidewalls due to travel of the vehicle at an acute angle toward that sidewall, the angle of travel of the vehicle is changed so that the vehicle moves away from the sidewall it has just struck. The overall resistance to movement down the inclined track is thereby reduced.

Abstract: A design drawing instrument for creating a variety of decorative patterns and designs. The instrument includes a frame member having a circular opening and a multi-lobed cam-shaped internal recess therein, and a disc member having a multi-lobed cam-shaped external surface or edge. The disc member is provided with stencil-shaped openings in its surface. The disc member is positioned within the recess formed in the frame so that its surface with stencil-shaped openings, is exposed. By placing a writing instrument, such as a pen, within the stencil opening and tracing along the outline of said opening, the disc is caused to move relative to the frame member and a prescribed design is created on a drawing surface.

Abstract: A battery powered toy in the form of a skillet has a simulated cooking surface of dielectric material containing thereon a grid of electrically conductive strips which are normally electrically insulated from each other by reason of the dielectric cooking surface that exists between the strips. When a deformable material, such as Play-Doh.RTM. brand modeling compound, having a sufficiently low electrical conductivity is kneaded or cut into the shape of an article of food and is manually placed on the cooking surface so as to bridge or span portions of the electrically conductive strips constituting the grid, the deformable material completes a circuit that activates a noise signal generator which produces through the agency of a small speaker a sizzling sound resembling that of frying food.

Abstract: A battery operated electronic drag race simulator includes a casing having hand grips at each side. When an on-off ignition switch is closed, a first light emitting diode (LED) numeric display immediately indicates the maximum engine RPM or tachometer reading that cannot be exceeded for the class of race the player has selected. A race start indicator or "Christmas tree" produces an automatic sequential energization or countdown of a yellow lights followed by the energization of the green start light signifying that a race has officially begun. Depressing a gear pushbutton and then depressing a gas pushbutton, causing a brief tire squeal sound to be produced via a speaker. The gas button causes a varying frequency signal to be generated that produces a sound resembling various engine speeds. A frequency varying signal representative of engine speed during the race is employed to constantly change the RPM reading on the numeric display.

Abstract: A plurality of frozen fish columns having a rectangular cross section are contained in a corresponding number of transversely aligned and laterally spaced tubes constituting a magazine. The lower ends of the columns rest on pushers which are slidable on a number of plastic anvils or blocks comprising part of a vertically adjustable table assembly. A single-edge blade is advanced and retracted at a 30.degree. angle through the lower ends of the frozen columns to sever portions therefrom having a thickness determined by the vertical adjustment of the table assembly. Pushers, which are synchronized with the blade movement, shove the severed portions from the cutting station beneath the lower ends of the tubes onto a conveyor. By controlling the speed of the conveyor the various severed portions, while still uniformly oriented, are transferred in an appropriately spaced end-to-end relationship to another location for processing.

Abstract: The digital moisture meter includes means for taring an empty sample pan placed on the balance platen. After the balance has been tared, a small sample is placed in the sample pan and a heat lamp energized. At this same time, the initial weight of the sample is stored in memory and after twenty seconds a first calculation is made to determine the percent weight loss, the value of which is also stored in memory. Subsequent percent weight loss values are calculated and if the latest percent weight loss is greater than the one that has been stored in memory, the stored one is then replaced with the latest value. However, if the latest percent weight loss value is less or equal to the stored value, the stored value is retained in memory for comparison with the next percent weight loss value that is calculated.

Abstract: A plurality of frozen fish columns having a rectangular cross section are contained in a corresponding number of transversely aligned and laterally spaced tubes constituting a magazine. The lower ends of the columns rest on pushers which are slidable on a number of plastic anvils or blocks comprising part of a vertically adjustable table assembly. A single-edge blade is advanced and retracted at a 30.degree. angle through the lower ends of the frozen columns to sever portions therefrom having a thickness determined by the vertical adjustment of the table assembly. Pushers, which are synchronized with the blade movement, shove the severed portions from the cutting station beneath the lower ends of the tubes onto a conveyor. By controlling the speed of the conveyor the various severed portions, while still uniformly oriented, are transferred in an appropriately spaced end-to-end relationship to another location for processing.

Abstract: A dielectric tube, such as glass or plastic, having a square cross section extends between the two plates of a capacitance-sensing transducer. The opposite sides of the tube have a spacing only slightly greater than the diameter of the capsules to be checked. The capsules to be classified are oriented prior to their introduction into the tube so that they enter in an end-to-end relationship. The requisite spacing between the capsules is accomplished by an air jet device that rapidly accelerates the leading capsule as it enters the tube to such a velocity that it leaves the transducer before the next capsule enters, thereby assuring that only one capsule is in the transducer at any given moment. The capacitance-sensing transducer is repeatedly charged and discharged by means of a high frequency oscillator circuit.