Abstract: The invention relates to a device used by a skater for controlling speed and maintaining balance on wheeled skates. The device includes a molded elongate body with a fork for receiving a wheel at one end and a hand grip at the other end. The body includes a brake assembly for applying a braking force to the wheel or to the ground. The invention also relates to a brake pad and a wheel having corresponding tongues and grooves for frictional contact. The invention also relates to a method for learning to skate using the control device.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for braking a person wearing wheeled skates such as in-line skates, in which an elongated shaft has an arm clamp attached at its upper end to grip the user's arm, and a wheel rotatably connected to its lower end. A hand grip and braking handle near the upper end of the shaft can be grasped by the user's hand to activate a wheel braking mechanism. In use the shaft is attached to the user's arm and extends forwardly and downwardly from the arm, so that when braking is to occur, the user triangulates forwardly onto the shaft which supports the user's weight against falling and provides braking.

Abstract: A tool for clearing debris wedged between floorboards of a structure, such as a deck, has an elongated shaft, a tine and a gauge member. The tine is inserted into the space between floorboards to remove the debris. A gauge member attached to the tine prevents the tine from abrading the bottom of the crevice resulting in damage to the underlying structure by limiting the extent that the tine can be inserted into the crevice. The gauge member is attached to the tine by placing each of two sections of the tine through apertures in the gauge member. The gauge member includes a plurality of apertures located at various distances from one end of the gauge member. The location of the gauge member on the tine depends on which apertures are used. The different placements of the gauge member on the tine allows the limit on the extent of insertion of the tine below the floorboards to be varied.