Abstract: A battery box, particularly for use in toys, is capable of establishing electrical contact with battery terminals. The battery box includes a housing which bounds a compartment for accommodating at least one battery, but preferably a plurality of batteries therein. A pair of contact members is provided for the battery or each of the batteries, each of the contact members having a contact portion located in the compartment and adapted to contact one terminal of the battery. A mounting portion of one of the contact members of the pair is slidably received in an opening of an end wall of the housing and a leaf spring biases the contact member towards its extended position in which a contact portion of the contact member contacts and presses against one terminal of the respective battery. The leaf spring is located adjacent the surface of the end wall which faces away from the compartment. The slidably mounted contact member is plate-shaped and the opening of the end wall has a corresponding configuration.

Abstract: Apparatus for stacking layers of loads, e.g. on a pallet, comprises a stacking carriage and a transfer carriage each independently movable vertically on a main frame, so that the transfer carriage can receive each layer of loads at a low level and raise the layer to the level of the stacking carriage, the layer being then transferred to a stripping apron on the stacking carriage and deposited onto the stack of loads. The apparatus can be modified to act as a de-stacker for removing layers of loads successively from a stack, or to enable the apparatus to be operated selectively as a stacker or de-stacker.

Abstract: In a typewriter of the kind having a carriage movable vertically relative to the type bar assembly to provide three cases of type, the carriage rests on a shift member slidable vertically in guides formed in the body of the typewriter and a spring acts between the body and the shift member biassing the shift member to an intermediate position. One shift key moves the shift member to a lowermost position, overcoming the spring bias, and a second shift key moves the shift member to an uppermost position, overcoming the weight of the carriage.

Abstract: A toy house, such as a toy country store, formed by a plurality of interlocking panels which do not rely on separate pins, clips or the like for attachment together. The invention relies on plastic fittings on the panels to hold the panel edges together, and in addition bendable joints between panel sections are provided. The panel members in any case have slits or slots and/or joining edges so that the panels fit together to yield a toy house such as a toy store, or other structures. The panels may be of laminated cardboard with plastic covered surfaces and plastic fittings and may be printed with legends and pictures. Plastic films of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, mylar, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, nylon and acrylic resin may be used.

Abstract: A typewriter of the kind having an array of typebars each movable by means of a flexible tension element or string connecting the typebar to the shank of a corresponding key, is provided with improved means connecting each string to the associated key. The string has a spherical bead at one end which is trapped between the shank of the key and a part of the body of the typewriter against which the shank slides in such a manner that the bead is pushed down on depression of the key. When the key is fitted to the typewriter during assembly the bead is drawn between the shank and the said body part by the movement of the key into place in the typewriter body.

Abstract: A holder for dental floss to be used in conjunction with a disposable cartridge on which the floss is mounted. The holder in one embodiment is an oblong handle having two spaced apart resilient substantially parallel legs which depend from a junction at one end of the handle. The one end of the handle has a bifurcated extension beyond the junction, and portions of the two legs are adjustably engaged with each other so that when the two legs are moved towards each other, the arms of the bifurcated end of the handle are stressed and spread apart from each other. An element including a length of dental floss is mounted on the bifurcated end of the handle so that when the arms are spread apart, the length of dental floss becomes rectilinear. The element typically is a cartridge having a U-shaped resilient frame. The length of dental floss extends between the opposed ends of the frame.

Abstract: A doll with an intermittently movable limb, e.g. a leg that kicks when a trigger is pressed in simulation of a soccer player. The doll has a hollow torso and the limb extends from the torso. A toothed rack and at least one gear are mounted in the torso, with the gear being geared to the rack. The axle of the gear is connected to the limb at a pivot point, so that when the gear is partially rotated by motion of the rack, the limb, e.g. a leg, partially pivots about the pivot point, i.e. the leg kicks. External trigger means are provided to displace the rack within the torso transversely to the axis of the gear so that the gear is partially rotated.

Abstract: An undercutter comprising a slotted tubular body in which is mounted an extendable and retractable cutting head for undercutting a bore into which the tubular body is positioned and rotated. The cutting head includes a fluid-operated reciprocally movable piston, the reciprocating rate of which is determined by an annular liner positioned between the outer wall of the piston body and the inner wall of the piston cavity.

Abstract: A toy such as a doll which is capable of alternately emitting one of a plurality of different audible sounds, depending on the orientation of the toy, i.e., each sound corresponds to a different orientation of the toy. Typically when the toy is a doll, the doll emits the sound of giggling or laughter when in the upright vertical position and the sound of crying when in the reclining horizontal position. At least a portion of the interior of the toy is hollow, and an arrangement is provided within the hollow interior capable of alternately emitting at least two audible sounds. A pivoted weight and a switch arrangement are disposed in the hollow interior of the toy, the switch arrangement being connected with the pivoted weight and with the arrangement for emitting sound.

Abstract: A game which simulates the sights and sounds of vehicles such as automobiles racing on one or more tracks, in which a vehicle is steered to avoid simulated crashing into the oncoming vehicles on the tracks, thus completing one or more laps of the race within a fixed time interval. The game includes an enclosure and a transparent panel which is an inclined front part of the enclosure and is both light transmissive and light reflective. Light is admitted into the enclosure from above. A plurality of movable belts having a horizontal reach are mounted within the enclosure, together with means to move the belts along their reaches. At least one toy vehicle is mounted on each belt, so that the motion of the toy vehicles as the belts move is visible through the inclined transparent panel. Another toy vehicle is disposed below the inclined transparent panel so that its image is reflected from the panel in juxtaposition with the toy vehicles on the belts.

Abstract: A doll with a lock of hair of adjustable length and a torso which has upper and lower portions which are rotatable relative to each other. The internal doll structure at the waist of the doll which permits the lock of hair to be adjustable in length, so as to simulate growing hair, is integral with the means at the waist which permits the torso portions to be rotatable relative to each other, e.g. the tube which holds the wound-up cord which displaces the lock of hair into the upper torso, also serves to hold the upper and lower torso portions together in slidable engagement.

Abstract: The essence of the invention resides in the creation of a laser beam of a flat planar cross section. This function is accomplished by providing a dual surface concave lens and two parabolic reflection mirrors having predetermined focal points in a laser medium within a generally cylindrical tube. The tube is provided with a mirror at each end thereof and a lens having two concave surfaces is disposed in the approximate center of the tube. A medium is provided within the tube which permits the transmission of the laser beam therein and excitation means in communication with said medium for exciting the same.

Abstract: A doll with a simulated identity or plurality of identities. The simulation is attained by providing a transparent panel which is both light transmissive and light reflective and which is viewed by the child playing with the doll, which doll is mounted in front of the transparent panel. The transparent panel defines the front of an enclosure so that the movable panel, when in position, is generally parallel to and spaced from the transparent panel. The movable panel bears a recognizable portion of the identity desired. The balance of the surface of the movable panel is light absorptive, and the balance of the interior of the enclosure is also light absorptive. The doll is placed in front of the transparent panel and spaced therefrom by a distance generally equal to the distance between the two panels, so that the image of the doll reflected from the transparent panel appears to be coincident with the identity portion of the movable panel within the enclosure.

Abstract: The invention herein relates to an undercutting device which is provided with a substantially tubular body adapted to be placed within a parallel-sided hole. A rotary percussion head is provided at one end of the body and has one or more cutting tools which extend radially therefrom at an obtuse angle and which cutting tools are adapted to cut outwardly from the radius of the body, means are provided for rotating the head about the axis of the body and for operating the percussion head at one predetermined depth in the hole so that the cutting tools may act on the wall of the parallel-sided hole.

Abstract: A loom in which each warp yarn passes through a retraction region and a shedding region, and in which means are provided for creating gaseous fluid flow along each warp yarn so that the yarns, or those that are not otherwise restrained, are moved to form a loop in the shedding region, the loops, or selected ones of them, being separated from the warp yarn sheet by gaseous fluid flow to form a shed, and means are provided for mechanically displacing portions of the yarns in the retraction region to move the yarns longitudinally into a path of predetermined length so as to draw the yarns into tension in the shedding region to close the shed. The means for drawing the yarns into tension may also be employed to draw the fell of the woven fabric against a fixed reed to beat up the inserted weft yarn.

Abstract: A hand-held groove cutter, particularly for cutting grooves in concrete structures, comprises a movable carriage having wheels for rolling over the concrete structure, and a fluid-operated percussion hammer mounted on the carrier. The hammer includes a piston and a cylinder which is mounted for sliding movement in a housing, and a tool which is connected to the piston. An adjustment arrangement is operative for moving the cylinder relative to the housing to thereby adjust the stroke of the piston and the depth of stroke of the tool.

Abstract: Improvements are provided in the internal framework of a stuffed bendable doll. The improved bendable framework in at least a portion of the interior of the doll consists of at least one linear framework member consisting of flexible metal wire coated with an external annular layer of flexible resilient plastic. The combination of central metal wire and annular plastic layer is preferably formed by extrusion of wire stock with in situ deposition of the outer plastic layer. The linear framework member typically extends centrally and longitudinally through a limb of the doll, so that the limb is bendable, and the terminal end of the member at the outer terminus of the limb is retroflexed so that the terminal end of the wire portion of the member is bent away from direct contact with the outer terminus of the limb. An entire internal framework of specific configuration and held together by at least one metal clip is also provided.

Abstract: A game played by two persons, namely a player and an opponent player. Each player has an equal plurality of playing pieces, and each player has alternate turns at manipulating a plurality of discrete identification elements bearing symbols, e.g. a pair of dice, and continuing his turn as long as the symbols can be used, either separately or in combination, to move his or his opponent's playing pieces on a playing board in correspondence to the symbols on the identification elements. The object of the game is to get all the playing pieces of the player or opponent player into certain positions on the playing board, and the multiple choice strategy entails a player moving his own playing pieces either towards the preestablished finish position or positions, or moving his opponent player's pieces back from a final position or positions. The multiple choice strategy evolves from the novel method of steps and alternate choice involved in the game.

Abstract: A composition for the treatment of a fabric containing fibres which do not readily retain dyes imparted thereto by transfer printing, such as wool and cellulosic fibres e.g. cotton, the treatment being prior to transfer printing on the fabric and the composition comprising in combination(a) a coating material comprising a self-curing acrylic resin composition,(b) at least one of (i) an agent for softening the fibres of the fabric and (ii) a self-curing elastomeric polysiloxane composition, and optionally one or more of the following ingredients:(c) a curable amine-formaldehyde prepolymer containing free hydroxyl groups,(d) a polymer emulsion,(e) at least one humectant,(f) a wetting agent, and(g) a dispersion stabiliser for the composition.The resin content of the coating deposited from the composition on the fabric is preferably substantially completely cured prior to transfer printing.

Abstract: A film projection system includes a collection of cartridges each containing a film program. The cartridges are stored in a storage magazine. A selector system permits a particular film program, which may be identified by a code, to be chosen and displaces the storage magazine so that the cartridge containing the selected film program is positioned at a transfer point in which it is adjacent a transfer mechanism. A transfer mechanism is adapted to remove the cartridge from the storage magazine and position the cartridge in a film reproduction unit. Upon positioning of the cartridge within the film reproduction unit, the film will be displaced within the cartridge and will be reproduced by the unit. Upon completion of the film program, the transfer mechanism removes the cartridge from the film reproduction unit and returns the cartridge to the storage magazine.