Abstract: A screw threaded fastener (103) has an elongate shank (122) with a drilling tip (104) at one end and a head (123) at the other end. A screw thread extends along at least a part of the length of the shank (122). The trailing flank (116) of the thread subtends an angle (B) relative to the axis (117) of the fastener which approaches 90° and is greater than the angle (C) subtended by the leading flank (115). The screw is for use in fixing sheets of material a1 to thin metal battens (5) and the angle between the trailing flank (116) and the adjacent thin metal section (18) of the batten (9), being reduced in comparison to a conventional thread form, lessens the distorting effect of the thread on the batten (9) under relatively high pull-out loads.

Abstract: A multi-sheet glazing unit includes a closed spacer frame, the spacer frame has one side having a pair of legs joined to a base to provide the spacer frame with a U-shaped cross-section. An inner sheet has an edge mounted in an edge receiving member mounted between the legs of the U-shaped side of the spacer frame. The remaining edges of the inner sheet are within the interior of the closed spacer frame and spaced from the spacer frame. The inner sheet is held within the spacer frame by sheet retaining members mounted to the spacer frame. A sheet e.g. glass sheet is secured by a moisture-impervious adhesive to outer surface of each of the legs of the spacer frame. One type of sheet retaining members has a horizontal member and a vertical member, and a locking member. The locking member is mounted on the horizontal member spaced from the vertical member to form a groove to hold the inner sheet within the closed interior of the spacer frame.

Abstract: An existing tower has a set of legs and a large number of lacings which secure the legs to one another. An augmentation tower is located concentrically outside of the existing tower and also has a set of legs and lacings for joining its legs together. Each of the towers has its own foundation. Each of the legs of the augmentation tower is made up of a number of sections which are spliced together. Braces are spaced apart along the lengths of the legs and are used to fasten the two sets of legs together. After installation, both the existing and augmentation towers are maintained in upright positions with a single set of high-tension guy wires which are connected to the legs of the augmentation tower. The augmentation tower is installed on the existing tower like an exoskeleton and is installed in sections from the bottom of the existing tower upward. The operation of the tower is not impaired during installation.

Abstract: A bracket is provided for attaching an end of a first partition to a face of a second partition at a selected location intermediate vertical side edges of the second partition, where the second partition includes a horizontal frame member having a horizontal row of slots. The bracket includes an L-shaped rigid member stamped from rigid sheet metal having a first horizontal leg and a first vertical leg, with the first horizontal leg having hooks each with a notch configured to securely engage selected slots on the second partition. The bracket further includes an L-shaped interlock member stamped from spring steel having a second horizontal leg and a second vertical leg. The second horizontal and vertical legs lay on the first horizontal and vertical legs, respectively, and the second horizontal leg has an interlock tab that extends to and overlaps a rear of one of the hooks.

Abstract: Dividing element in panel form to produce partitions and presentation facilities for temporary displays.Dividing element in the form of a panel placed upright and intended to be detachably fitted to other elements to form a partition or division, specifically for temporary displays.The element is composed of a thin structure equipped with deformations (10, 11) emerging from the principal plane (P) of the panel in the thickness direction, having a repetitive shape in at least one direction of the principal plane (P), the tops of the deformations comprising elementary surfaces (202) situated at least partially in an auxiliary plane (PA1, PA2) corresponding to one face of the element and of a screen (12) in at least one auxiliary plane (PA1, PA2).

Abstract: A skirt guard for a mobile home skirt having a skirt track on the ground. The skirt guard comprises an elongated protective panel. A structure is for retaining the elongated protective panel to the skirt track in front of the skirt. The elongated protective panel will cover a lower portion of the skirt and the skirt track, to protect against the damaging effects of a string grass trimmer that trims the grass.

Abstract: A retractable weather shield for protecting an outdoor structure from the elements, comprising a base panel; a first telescoping panel slidably mounted and supported within the base panel, the first telescoping panel being stored substantially within the base panel when in a stored position and extending substantially outside the base panel when in a deployed position; mounting means for mounting the shield above the structure; and wherein the shield extends over the structure in a substantially perpendicular direction when the first telescoping panel is in the deployed position so as to protect the structure from the elements.

Abstract: A rodent barrier device for use on the ground engaging tires of a vehicle. A continuous wall barrier made of a weather resistant and low outer friction slippery material, such as the slippery plastic LEXAN material, having an upper concave surface rim encircles the tires of the vehicle to be protected from the rodents. Initially before made into a continuous wall, the material making up the wall barrier may be a single elongated flat strip that is processed and bent into a continuous tire encircling wall by having the two opposite ends of the strip meet at a common edge.

Abstract: The outdoor barbecue cooking grill cover of the present invention includes a free standing cover which is designed to fit over the grill with an air space between the grill and the cover. The cover is designed to rest on the ground or a platform sitting on the ground; and is intended to cover the entire grill including the legs of the grill, and prevent the effects of whether from attacking the grill. A presently preferred outdoor barbecue cooking grill cover is made of heat resistant molded rigid plastic, has integral handles, is weighted at the bottom, includes at least one horizontal surface which can be used as a counter, and is vented in a manner to allow air to circulate between the cover and the grill but will still keep out rain and snow. According to another embodiment of the invention, tie down loops are provided on the cover so that it may be tied down to a deck, retaining rings or the like.

Abstract: A portable garage assembly includes a floor member formed of three foldable sections having a plurality of peripherally disposed indentions on its upper surface. Received within its indentions are vertical support members that are secured thereto with quick release screws. A side, a rear and a front wall are removably secured to the support members. A plurality of directional and transverse beams are secured to the top ends of the support members for supporting a multi-section, laterally sloping roof. An opening on the front panel defines an entrance. The entrance is selectively enclosable with a garage door movable along a pair of tracks between a vertical, closed position and a horizontal open position. The device is designed to be quickly and easily erected or alternatively disassembled for transport or storage.

Abstract: In a sandwich structure having a honeycomb core between a pair of composite face sheets, an insert is provided that passes through such structure. The insert terminates in an opening, flush or below the top face sheet and has a flange which overlaps and contacts the face sheet from below. Such opening can receive attaching hardware and a fastener which clamps the attaching hardware against the face sheet and the flange below, for good thermal conductivity between attaching hardware and the face sheet and thus the core and the bottom face sheet of the sandwich structure. This permits a heat source mounted, e.g., in a spacecraft, to a sandwich wall by attaching hardware, to more readily discharge excess heat through such wall and to an exterior face sheet for improved heat conduction and radiation therefrom.

Abstract: A panel used for display purposes comprises a frame having corner members that are molded in identical halves and snapped together. The corner members are provided with T-slots along the outer edges that will receive slidable members. A detent extends into the T-slot to engage the slidable members slid into the T-slot to hold them in position. The corner members include tangs for receiving extrusions for forming edge frames for the panel, with the corner members holding the frame in an assembly. The corner members have receptacles for receiving pins or shanks that can be latched in place with a latch member sliding in the T-slot on at least one of the legs of the respective corner member.

Abstract: A drywall suspension grid system comprising a selection of various sized and specified pre-formed and pre-engineered "T" grid beams and components used to construct a grid having a grid face upon which drywall is mounted, thus creating a suspended drywall ceiling. The suspension grid system can be used to create flat ceilings, curved ceilings, soffits, fascia for floating edge ceilings, utility interfaces, or any combination thereof in a suspended grid drywall ceiling.

Abstract: A trim clip hooks onto a main frame of a window and positions wood or vinyl trim (i) parallel to a head, sill or a side jamb of the main frame, and (ii) extending outwardly from an interior wall of the main frame. The clip includes a hinged, outwardly extending base and an inverted J-shaped section that is perpendicular to the base and extends along the interior wall of the main frame. The trim is attached to the section of the base that rotates about the hinge. When the section of the base to which the trim is attached rotates in one direction, it draws the trim essentially parallel to the head, sill or side jamb of the main frame. When section of the base rotates in the opposite direction it orients the trim such that the trim extends outwardly from the interior wall of the main frame, and an end of the trim is held by the J-shaped section of the clip.

Abstract: A wall module has a first connecting portion with a non-symmetrical tongue with a tip at one end, an abutment near the opposite end, and a convex arcuate surface between them. The module also has a second connecting portion with a groove having a shape complementary to the tongue, including a blind first end, open second end with an abutment adjacent to it, and an arcuate surface between the ends. An intermediate portion connects the first and second connecting portions, and may be flat or define an open rectangle. Two modules are connected together by inserting the tongue of one into the groove of the other and rotating (e.g. about 90.degree.) until the abutments abut. The modules may be joined by bolts to other modules or an elevator cage.

Abstract: An internally mounted retractable weather shield for protecting the interior of an outdoor structure from the elements, comprising a base panel; a mounting hinge for hingably mounting the base panel within the structure at a mounting point proximate an upper portion of the structure; the base panel being hingably movable between a stored position wherein the base panel is stored within the structure and overlying the interior and to a deployed position wherein the base panel extends from the mounting point substantially perpendicular to the interior so as to shield the interior from the elements; and wherein the base panel is alternately biased in at least one of a first and second directions via the mounting hinge.

Abstract: The present invention is a prefabricated step and stairway system, where the prefabricated step is preferably a precast concrete step having an elongate body substantially triangular in cross-section having a first side as a tread, a second side as a riser adjacent the first side, and a third side, and the step further has a first and second end which preferably include an attachment member to attach the step between a pair of stringers. The attachment member is preferably integrated metal plates proximate to the first end and second end to facilitate attachment between a pair of stringers, and preferably includes one or more reinforcing members attached to the metal plates and integrated throughout the length of the body to strengthen the step. The prefabricated steps are rigidly secured either to intermediate runners between a pair of stringers, upon a brace, or directly to stringers to form a stairway.

Abstract: A door guard for protecting a door assembly including a door frame and moldings positioned about a door. Guide channels are provided on the base of the door guard for receiving tightening straps to secure the door guard to the door assembly. Raised ridges are provided on the outer side panels of the door guard to receive the tightening straps and communicate tightening pressure to the door guard. A raised block is provided on an inside surface of the door guard to maintain separation of the moldings in response to the tightening pressure. A pad is provided on an outside surface of the door guard to cushion the end of the door assembly.

Abstract: A seismic fixture clamp enables light fixtures and the like to be securely affixed to the T-bars of a suspended ceiling system, thereby ensuring that the fixtures do not separate from the T-bars in the event of an earthquake generating seismic shocks to the suspended ceiling system. The seismic fixture clamp, although easily and quickly installed, adds structural strength to the overall T-bar framework to reduce or prevent twisting and separating of the T-bars, and includes support lips configured to securely affix light fixtures to the T-bars, thereby strengthening the suspended ceiling system against seismic shocks without requiring additional wires or chains to secure the fixtures directly to an overhead structure.

Abstract: A cable braced, open air chapel or meeting hall is formed from a series of cables interconnected to each other in countertension to provide a rigid structural support to provide basic definition for the building structure. One set of cables is preferably tensioned through weights or spring assemblies imparting tension in the downward direction in turn transmitted to the second set of cables in countertension. The second set of cables may extend upwardly in a curved configuration for connection to the upper end of a support tower. The cables slidably pass through the tower through a series of passageways formed in a honeycomb-like mounting structure enabling the back ends of the cables to be anchored to the ground in a spread, fan-like configuration. The weighted or spring tensioned ends of the first cables and the ability of the second cables to pass slidably through the tower support enable the cabled arrangement to breathe as a result of thermally induced expansion and contraction.