Abstract: A raining umbrella is provided as an outdoor play toy for children. Water from a hose flows up through the umbrella handle and sprays out through holes in the spokes which support the umbrella canopy to create "rain" beneath the umbrella.

Abstract: An automatic open and close umbrella, that has an umbrella canopy, a hollow shaft, a driven member which is driven by means of a threaded drive shaft and has at least one radial spline extending through an axial slot in the wall of the hollow shaft, and a handle located at the proximate end of the hollow shaft containing a drive motor which powers a threaded drive shaft to drive the driven member along the hollow shaft, incorporates a manual override mechanism to engage and disengage the drive motor to manually operate the driven member along the hollow shaft to open and close the umbrella.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a crutch which is readily disassembled into a plurality manageable components which can be conveniently tucked away when not in use. The components can be easily adjusted to accommodate persons of different heights. A significant safety feature of the disclosure is the fact that each of the two release subassemblies is provided with a release pin sleeve that ensures a quick and efficient release of the release pin and subsequent re-engagement without the release pin hanging-up and thereby preventing injury to the user. A first embodiment discloses the height adjusting support member receiving both the upper and lower support members therein, while the second embodiment discloses the height adjusting member receiving only the upper support member therein with the lower support member receiving the height adjusting member therein.

Abstract: A lightweight tent which is virtually self-erecting and free-standing. It does not require any stakes, poles, shock cords, or ropes to support it. The tent of the present invention generally has four fabric walls and a floor. It is supported by two flexible hoops, each sewn into a portion of one of two opposing sidewalls. The floor is attached to the bottom of these sidewalls as well as the other two sidewalls. When erect, the top of the hoops nest, one inside the other, while the bottom of the hoops are spaced apart to form the floor area. The tent can be easily and compactly collapsed with a simple twisting and folding motion into three concentric, circular loops, each approximately one third the size of the original hoop. It attaches to the outside of a backpack, saving internal space and sheltering the pack.

Abstract: The invention relates to a collapsible umbrella having at least one pair of anopy rod parts (1,2), which extend alongside one another and are guided so as to be displaceable on one another, within each linkage of the canopy-supporting linkage frame. One of the canopy rod parts (2) is composed of wire, and guided on the other rod part (1) by means of a bight (2e) of the wire which embraces the other rod part and is formed with hooks (2f,2g) which can be spread to allow the bight to be fitted transversely on the other rod.

Abstract: This invention relates to a support for a building or structure. The support consists of an outer container, typically of square or circular cross section. A movable assembly having a variable length is disposed within the container. The assembly has a plurality of vertical jointed legs mounted radially about a longitudinal center axis. The legs are mounted on a spring within the container at their lower ends and are rigidly fastened to the bottom floor of the building at their upper end. The legs contact the container wall at the legs' central portions. Movement of the top portion of the legs away from the assembly axis causes one or more of the legs to move away from the container wall while pushing the remaining leg or legs into the container wall. This movement causes the jointed legs to extend against the action of the spring thereby translating lateral movement of the container wall into vertical movement of the assembly.

Abstract: An improvement in walkers including a set of specially designed, spring biased, retractable casters on at least the four corner legs of the walker apparatus to assist the user in moving the walker apparatus from one point to another. The walker further includes an adjustable seating system situated to the rear of the user for ease of utilization without the need to turn around when seating oneself. Additionally, an accessory food tray sub-system is provided. The walker is designed to provide an effective means for invalids, the elderly, and the like to comfortably, easily and without fear move about an area, while also having a seat and tray readily available so that the user can rest and even comfortably sit and eat or engage in other activities, thereby relieving the user of the necessity of having to manipulate furniture in sitting and getting up, an often painful process for the infirm.

Abstract: The frame of a portable shelter is disclosed, particularly for use in ice fishing, wherein two planar, usually rectangular, top and bottom frame sections (10, 33) are held apart by an over-the-center linkage mechanism assisted by cable retainer arrangement (51, 52) associated with a seat portion (40) of the collapsible frame of the shelter.

Abstract: A sleeve article which is made out of a rigid and durable material, e.g., varied metals, high-grade polyvinyl chloride, wood, which has a first portion which is to be removably affixed, substantially flat against the wall or ceiling intended to be covered or formed by the sheetrock, etc. The sheetrock sleeve article of the invention is to, further, include a second portion which is preferably attached to one side of the first portion and is offset from the first portion by an angle of from greater than 0.degree. to less than 90.degree. relative to the surface to be covered by the sheetrock to be installed, i.e., the second portion is offset from the first portion by an angle of from greater than 90.degree. to less than 180.degree.. Preferably, the angle existing between the first portion and second portion of the inventive article, as defined in the previous paragraph, should be from greater than 0.degree. to about 45.degree., with such angle most preferably being approximately 20.degree., i.e., about a 20.

Abstract: An umbrella includes a substantially inextensible cord which is mounted by couplers to the free ends of the ribs of the umbrella such that the cord forms a closed loop disposed radially inwardly of the ribs of the umbrella. The cord braces the umbrella against inversion, and the couplers can be designed to allow the cord to be retrofitted to an existing umbrella.

Abstract: A mechanism for protecting an eavestrough against the accumulation of leaves and other debris. Apertured cover plates are positioned along the eavestrough to intercept water descending from the roof into the trough. The water passes through the apertures, while the debris is trapped on the cover plate surface. Debris accumulations on the cover plate can be removed by a sweeper mechanism that is movable longitudinally along the cover plate surface. An angled blade on the sweeper mechanism plows the debris forwardly off the front edge of the cover plate.

Abstract: Walls of the prefabricated compact service core structure are higher than the total height of the floor, wall and ceiling structure of an ordinary one-storey residental building, but lower than the total height of a two-storey building of any kind. The height of the walls is large enough to e.g. accommodate the serviced fixtures of complete main floor bathroom, kitchen, and possibly laundry and utility rooms, as well as lower parts of the same rooms of the second storey of a two-storey structure. On the other hand, the height is small enough to make the prefabricated compact service core structure possible to ship on standard low trailers anywhere in the world.

Abstract: A baseboard assembly for indoor wiring and for the mounting of quick joint type receptacles, which includes a top cover board releasably retained with a front face board to define therein several stories of conduits for the arrangement therein of power cords, telephone cables, antenna conductors and other conductive wires. The top cover board and the front face board are respectively divided into a plurality of independent partitions having each a releasable strip corresponding to the conduits therein, such that either releasable strip can be removed for the mounting therein of a quick joint type receptacle.

Abstract: A protection canopy for an individual including a nonporous sheet, an inflatable tube about the periphery of the sheet and extending diametrically of the sheet and a compressed gas cartridge. The sheet is attached centrally to a pack and may be folded into that pack for ready use. The pack may be attached to the upper back portion of an individual in preparation for deployment. A lanyard is attached to a breakable closure and to the compressed gas cartridge such that one pull will open the pack and release compressed gas into the inflatable element.

Abstract: A portable collapsible enclosure that can be erected for use or collapsed for transport or storage quickly and easily by a single person exercising minimal effort and possessing minimal skill. The enclosure comprises a plurality of frame members for defining the shape of the enclosure and for supporting a covering for the enclosure, expandable and foldable linking members interconnecting the plurality of frame members and being expandable to position the plurality of frame members and the enclosure defined thereby in an erected state, and foldable to position the plurality of frame members and the enclosure defined thereby in a collapsed state; and actuator members connected to the linkage members for expanding and folding the linkage members to erect and collapse the enclosure. The actuator members preferably comprise fluid-driven linear actuators that once actuated, operate automatically to erect and collapse the enclosure.

Abstract: An umbrella includes a plurality of top ribs pivotally secured to a notch formed on an upper end of a central shaft and a plurality of stretcher ribs each pivotally secured between each top rib and a runner slidably held on the central shaft, each top rib being embedded with a reinforcing core rod for strengthening the top rib in order to resist an external force acting upon an umbrella cloth secured on the top ribs.

Abstract: An insulated structural wall panel includes a monolithic concrete shell poured to conform to a structural reinforcing grid embedded in the shell with insulation panels fixed within the grid spaces. The layers of concrete which sandwich the insulation panels are rigidly tied together by use of tie rods extending through the insulation panel. This monolithic construction results in a lightweight panel with superior structural qualities, the concrete, the reinforcing grid and the insulation panels having been blended together into one homogeneous member. The panel may incorporate extraneous assemblies including doors, windows, vents, pipes, electrical junction boxes and the like. The reinforcing grid may also include various adaptive devices for suitable attachment of the concrete wall panel to concrete footings, floor slabs, roof members, temporary supports and the like.

Abstract: A table cover includes a central post movably held in a collar, a plurality of top ribs for mounting a canopy screen thereon pivotally secured to an upper notch mounted to the collar, a plurality of stretcher ribs each pivotally secured to a lower runner fixed on a lower end of the central post and secured to a middle portion of each top rib, and a packing ring frictionally disposed around the central post within the collar so that the central post can be reciprocated along the collar for extending or retracting the ribs to obtain any desired opening diameter of the canopy screen for optionally positioning the screen, thereby suitably matching with a diameter of the table to be shielded.

Abstract: A portable shade structure includes a structural framework with space supports, and hook-receiving holes along some of the supports. A removable fabric cover fits across the structural framework, and has plural hooks attached at spaced locations dimensioned to removably fit into the hook-receiving holes of the support. Each hook has a curved return which permits the hook to be engaged within a corresponding hole, but which provides a smooth surface that reduces snagging when the hook is moved across, or is stored against the fabric cover.

Abstract: A frame structure which possesses portable readily assembled and disassembled standardized components for erection of a semi-permanent tent structure in a generally rectangular form and provided with at least one pair of opposing hip roof sections. The vertical legs, horizontal beams and the conventional cross and hip rafters are removably connected by hook-like ends mounted in open bracket receptors. The primary rafters are removably fixed via a tongue telescoped within a hollow end socket of the rafters to provide extra stability and strength. The components are standardized to allow use of the same components with or without extension members to erect frame structures having variable dimensions. At least one crown connector is included to conveniently removably connect the rafters to a common crown and adapted for use with at least two different hip roof designs.