Abstract: A sports equipment organizer provides a frame of rectangular elements including parallel top and bottom elements, parallel left and right vertical elements joining the top and bottom elements. The bottom element, the left element and the right element define parallel front and rear planes, and a rear element lies in the rear plane and joins and is perpendicular to the top element, the left element and the right element and has a lower edge parallel to and spaced a substantial distance above the bottom element, so that the frame is open from the front plane to the rear plane except for being closed at the rear plane by the localized presence of the rear element. The elements are provided with various configurations and devices for holding and storing sports equipment and related items.

Abstract: An end pin is used for repairing umbrella ribs. The end pin is of one piece construction having a shank and is designed to be easily installed and less prone to breakage than existing designs. This construction provides replacement end pins for repairing umbrellas. The end pins are packaged as a kit and are useful in performing a method of repairing an umbrella including the steps of withdrawing an end pin from a supply of end pins provided by the kit and inserting the shank of the withdrawn end pin through the cover of the umbrella or an attaching loop and into a stem of the umbrella, which stem is in need of repair. The shank passes into interference engagement with the stem into which it is inserted. The end pin has an end tip of larger diameter than the shank and the inserting step is continued until the end tip attains overlapping engagement with the umbrella cover or the attaching loop.

Abstract: A disposable article of bedding comprises a piece of non-woven foldable material which when flat is generally rectangular. A coating of mildly sticky material is adhered to one side only of the piece of material and may occupy the entirety or a portion only of the side to which it is adhered. In either event, the coating may be solid or in pattern form. A continuous method of making disposable articles of bedding comprises the steps of moving a web of non-woven material past a work station, and applying a coating of mildly sticky material to one surface only of the web at the work station.

Abstract: A riding capsule device comprises a capsule member and a base member. The capsule member includes a generally egg-shaped body having a convex exterior shape with a bottom configuration in the form of a convex spherical segment. The base member includes a flat bottom surface and a top configuration in the form of a concave spherical segment. The bottom convex spherical segment of the capsule member engages the top concave spherical segment of the base member, whereby the capsule member is tiltable and rotatable with respect to the base member while the base member confines the capsule to a limited horizontal location. In first and second embodiments, the radius of curvature of the convex spherical segment is the same as that of the concave engaging spherical segment while in a third embodiment, the radius of curvature of the concave spherical segment is greater than that of the convex spherical segment.

Abstract: A device for dissipating heat from a cylindrical object includes a heat dissipating element of thermally conductive material and at least a first spring for releasably and resiliently holding the heat dissipating element against the exterior of the object, in particular an automotive oil filter. In the disclosed examples, there are a plurality of like elongated heat dissipating elements each of which has a hole therethrough, and the spring is a coil spring which passes through the holes and its ends are fastened to each other. Each heat dissipating element has an inner flange providing the element with an inner face for fitting against the cylindrical object and a central portion projecting outwardly from a central location relative to the inner flange, and the spring-containing holes are located in the central portions of the heat dissipating elements.

Abstract: A walker has a basket, a handle for use in pushing the walker along an upwardly facing surface and a plurality of legs connected to the basket and to the handle. The legs have lower ends, and a wheel and a braking element are associated with the lower end of each leg. A braking mechanism is provided for automatically actuating the braking elements and causing same to engage the upwardly facing surface if a predetermined weight is applied to the handle or to the basket, thus to stop the walker. The walker also has a manually operable brake system whereby the user can deliberately bring the walker to a stop.

Abstract: An individualizable flossing mouthpiece for simultaneously flossing a plurality of spaces between adjacent pairs of a person's teeth is a channel shaped member with an outer wall portion, and inner wall portion having free edges and a gap therebetween. The mouthpiece can receive a set of teeth in the gap. The wall portions have outer and inner series of closely spaced slots to receive dental floss therein. The distance between adjacent ones of the slots is less than the average tooth width, and dental floss can be impositively trapped in selected ones of the slots. The material of the channel shaped member is such that it can receive and permanently retain markings identifying certain ones of the slots in the outer wall portion. The mouthpiece can be individualized by placing the same in the person's mouth with the person's teeth in the gap and identifying those slots (less than all) in the outer wall portion corresponding to the edges of the person's teeth.

Abstract: A multi-speed transmission has particular usefulness in bicycles, completely eliminating the use of the commonly used derailleur and the exposed flexible cable and the readjustment problems inherent with that prior structure. The transmission includes separate concentric gear rings which to a certain extent operate independently of each other. A shift mechanism for shifting the transmission is such the transmission can not be shifted from one gear to a non-adjacent gear without stopping at a gear therebetween. That is, no gear can be skipped. This is accomplished by a particular relationship of a pawl, a pusher, a shift segment plate and barrels mounted on the shift segment plate, among other parts.

Abstract: A drying device for use with a baseboard heater includes an upper member of heat resistant plastic or metal with an open rack portion on which items are placeable for drying, a heater engaging portion for interlocking engagement with the top of the heater. The device also includes a substructure witha plurality of legs spaced from the heater engaging portion and from each other for supporting the upper member while engaging a floor. The legs are of adjustable length so the rack portion can be set horizontally regardless of the height of the top of the heater above the floor. A drip tray is releasably held under the rack portion. The upper member also has a downwardly sloping closed portion between the rack portion and the heater engaging portion for directing hot air from the heater to the rack portion.

Abstract: An amusement system includes a riding capsule member and a base member. The capsule member engages the base member and is rotatable and tiltable with respect thereto. The system also includes a video screen and means for displaying scenes thereon, such as displays of outer space, whereby visual stimuli are provided to an occupant of the capsule member and the capsule member is rotatable and tiltable as the visual stimuli are observed. The capsule member may contain a cassette player or the like for providing audible stimuli in enhancement of the visual stimuli. The system may also include a computer. The rotating and tilting action will occur in a free rolling mode, as the occupant watches the video screen.

Abstract: A multi-speed transmission has particular usefulness in bicycles, completely eliminating the use of the commonly used derailleur and the exposed flexible cable and the readjustment problems inherent with that prior structure. The transmission includes separate concentric gear rings which to a certain extent operate independently of each other. A shift mechanism for shifting the transmission is such the transmission can not be shifted from one gear to a non-adjacent gear without stopping at a gear therebetween. That is, no gear can be skipped. This is accomplished by a particular relationship of a pawl, a pusher, a shift segment plate and barrels mounted on the shift segment plate, among other parts.

Abstract: A gas safety vent device for application to a service pipe of predetermined outside diameter prevents leaking gas from seeping along the exterior of the pipe and entering a building by diverting the gas away from the pipe and venting the same to the atmosphere. The device has a chimney extending from a lower end to an upper end and a lower portion providing a chamber in communication with the chimney and oppositely facing gas sealing and gas entering faces. The gas sealing face surrounds the pipe in gas sealing relationship therewith. The gas entering face has an opening and wire mesh material in the opening has an outer periphery secured to the wall of the opening and an inner periphery defining an inner circle of a diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of the pipe. The area of the wire mesh material is substantially greater than the area of the circle and the radial dimension of the wire mesh material is everywhere substantially greater than the radius of the circle.

Abstract: A learning game for a particular factual subject includes a spin wheel having a face bearing question-asking designators apporpriate to the subject. The game also includes a plurality of identical boards, one for each player. Each board bears correct answer designators corresponding to all of the question-asking designators of the spin wheel. Each display also bears at least one designator which is not the answer to any question-asking designator. The players first spin the spin wheel to randomly select a question, board markers are used to cover the corresponding correct answer designators on the board. The spin wheel also includes a non-question-asking designator which gives the player spinning the same the opportunity to freely place a marker on any board designator preferably a designator which is not the answer to any question-asking designator. The game continues until a player has covered all the correct answer designators on his or her board.

Abstract: A riding capsule device includes a capsule member, a base, and control mechanism. The capsule member has a bottom configuration in the form of a convex spherical segment. The base has a lower portion with a top configuration in the form of a concave spherical segment engaged by said bottom configuration of the capsule member and having a radius of curvature which is larger than the radius of curvature of the bottom configuration of the capsule member. The base further has an upper portion with an internal concavely arcuate surface that forms a smooth continuation of and overlies the concave spherical segment of the bottom portion of the base. The control mechanism includes a circular, tubular control member that is inflatable and deflatable and which when inflated is doughnut shaped, and which is attached to the concavely arcuate surface of the upper base portion, and which, when inflated engages and immobilizes the capsule member, and which, when deflated, goes limp and disengages the capsule member.

Abstract: Scaffolding structure includes first and second frame members with adjacent connected ends and remote free ends. The connected ends are hingedly connected for relative rotation of the frame members about a hinge axis between a closed position in which the frame members overlap each other and an open position in which the frame members are continuations of each other. A first leg member is mounted on the first frame member adjacent its connected end, a second leg member is mounted on the first frame member adjacent its free end, and a third leg member is mounted on the second frame member adjacent its free end. The leg members are positioned to extend in the same direction from the frame members when the frame members are in the open position and are movable between retracted positions in which they are generally parallel to the frame members and extended positions in which they are generally perpendicular to the frame members.

Abstract: A vehicle bumper for releasably holding an attachment comprises a first face facing upwardly, a second face facing away from the vehicle body, and first and second accessory engaging members including first and second cylindrical surfaces interrupting the first bumper face and spaced from each other longitudinally of the first bumper face. An accessory for releasably engaging the bumper comprises a base plate having a base plate face that faces downwardly and engages the bumper, and first and second bumper engaging elements including first and second cylindrical surfaces interrupting the first base plate face and spaced from each other longitudinally of the base plate face for releasably interengaging the first and second accessory engaging members of the bumper.

Abstract: There is provided a device useful for adjusting the main sail of a sailboat said device being equipped with apparent wind indicating means and color coded means for indicating desirable position for the boom of said main sail; said device being used alone or in combination with the main sail control sheet having color coded portions or with actual boom position indicating means having color coded sections; said color coded portions and color coded sections coinciding with the color coded desirable boom position indicating means.

Abstract: A device for changing the temperature of material placed therein by a user of the device comprises an inner member having an open end for receiving and containing the material the temperature of which is to be changed, providing the device with an outer envelope, and a multi-component temperature changing composition within the outer envelope and activatable by mixing. The inner and outer members are movable relative to each other to agitate and mix and activate the composition, thus to create an endothermic reaction or an exothermic reaction. In two embodiments, the members are rigid. In one of these two embodiments, the composition is activatable by rotational movement of the members, and in the other, the composition is activatable by telescopic movement of the members. In a third embodiment, the inner and outer members are flexible and the composition is activatable by squeezing the members together.