Abstract: A drill bit suitable for making holes in glass and ceramic structures has an elongated member with a cutting end and a retaining end with an axis passing through its ends. The portion of the member near the retaining end is formed as a shank which is capable of being suitably held and rotated by a chuck or the like. The shank distal to the retaining end terminates in a shoulder which tapers inwardly toward a pilot element which extends axially from the center of the shoulder coaxial with the shank. The pilot element terminates in a cutting surface with the cutting surface forming the forwardmost portion of the cutting end of the member. A cutting grit is permanently affixed at least to the cutting surface on the pilot element, the shoulder and the portion of the shank immediately adjacent to the shoulder.

Abstract: A container for use in growing plants--a flowerpot--can be effectively utilized to hide things or objects such as keys, notes, money and the like so that such things or objects can be retrieved as desired by modifying such container structures so as to include within their bottoms downwardly opening water impervious recesses. A holder or holding structure is preferably utilized in association with the recess in such a flowerpot for the purpose of supporting things or objects above the bottom of the receptacle so that such things or objects will not be damaged by water contacting the bottom of the pot.

Abstract: A toy capable of teaching certain information to a child includes a housing having an information display system located on the housing. Indicia is located on a portion of the information display system and is divided into units of information which are viewable one at a time from the exterior of the housing. A control mechanism is associated with the information display system. One of the members of the control system is capable of assuming a variety of positions on the housing with each of these positions coordinated with one of the units of information on the information display system. A test system is located in association with the control system and has at least a first and a second test element which are movable on the housing. The test elements interact with the control system such that they are capable of interacting either in a first manner or a second manner, which can be utilized to correlate a first and second answer with regard to the unit of information currently displayed.

Abstract: A game apparatus has a housing which includes a stationary element located on the housing and at least one movable element located on the housing in association with the stationary element. The stationary element includes members dividing the stationary element into a plurality of sections. The movable element includes members dividing the movable element into a plurality of sections, with the plurality of sections on the movable element equal in number to the plurality of sections on the stationary element. The movable element is movable with respect to the stationary element between three positions.

Abstract: A toy has a base with a surface thereon. A portion of the surface is movable with respect to the remainder of the surface. A target is mounted on a pedestal above the surface. A self-propelled object is associated with the surface. The object is of the type having a body section and a pedestal section, with a motor located in the body section which is capable of moving the pedestal section with respect to the body section. The object further includes a hand-shaped member which is capable of locking with a post which projects upwardly from the surface of the base near the movable portion of the surface. A moving member is associated with the movable portion of the surface for moving that portion. The moving member is utilized to move the movable portion of the surface such that when the object is located on that portion as the portion moves then the object is also moved.

Abstract: An obstacle avoidance driving type toy has a housing with a motor located in the housing. The output of the motor is fed to a switch member which, in turn, conducts the output to either a first transfer mechanism or a second transfer mechanism. The first transfer mechanism transfers output of the motor to a moving member which includes an encounter sensor located on it. An object, under the control of the operator of the toy, is maneuvered with respect to the movement of the moving member, and if the maneuvering of the obstacle is not coordinated with the movement of the moving member, the obstacle will encounter the encounter sensor. When so encountered, a signal from the encounter sensor is fed to the switch member, which switches the output of the motor to the second transfer mechanism.

Abstract: The utility of an expansion fastener including an externally threaded shaft having a head shaped so as to be capable of being engaged by a manipulative tool, a generally cylindrical longitudinally split sleeve located around the shaft, a nut threaded on the shaft, the sleeve and the nut including coacting surfaces capable of expanding the sleeve as the nut is moved on the shaft can be improved by utilizing coacting structures on the end of the sleeve remote from the head and on the nut for preventing relative rotation between the sleeve and the nut as the shaft is turned. Preferably the sleeve is twisted slightly in a spiral-like manner so that an end of the sleeve serves as one of the coacting structures which engages an adjacent ridged or other not smooth surface of the nut serving as the other coacting structure.

Abstract: A series of toys having unique motions are activated by a fluid propelled propulsion device. The propulsion device includes a housing with a cylinder located thereon. A pressurized fluid reservoir connects to the cylinder via a valve. The valve has provisions for introducing pressurized fluid into the cylinder and exhausting pressurized fluid out of the cylinder. A piston is located in the cylinder and in response to introduction of pressurized fluid into the cylinder, moves in a power stroke. This is followed by an exhaust stroke wherein the piston moves in the opposite direction. A piston output member is associated with the piston and extends out of the cylinder. The piston output member moves linearly in response to movement of the piston in its power and exhaust strokes. A connecting mechanism connects the piston output member and the valve. The connecting mechanism includes a first movable member and a second movable member and a biasing member.

Abstract: A small compact stove capable of burning a variety of carbonaceous fuels has a base and located on the base is a vertically oriented cylindrical wall. The wall is formed of a heat conducting material and has open bottom and top ends. The interior surface of a portion of the wall forms a combustion chamber. A grate is located within the wall at the bottom end of the combustion chamber. The primary air chamber is located at the open bottom end of the wall and primary air is conducted through it and then up through the grate into the combustion chamber. A secondary air chamber surrounds at least a portion of the wall such that the wall forms one of the surfaces of the secondary air chamber. The wall includes a plurality of air passageways between the secondary air chamber and the combustion chamber such that air can flow within the secondary air chamber in contact with the exterior surface of the wall and be heated by heat conducted through the wall from the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A toy vehicle which is capable of changing both its size and shape has a compound vehicle chassis having a first and a second chassis member. The chassis members are movable with respect to one another. The chassis members are connected together such that they can be moved with respect to one another reversibly between a first position and a second position. The body of the vehicle includes at least one movable member which is movably associated with one of the chassis members and is movable with respect to the chassis member with which it is associated with between two positions. The spatial relationship between parts of the body of the vehicle is changeable in conjunction with movement of the chassis members and the movable member between their respective positions.

Abstract: A toy game of skill has a housing and a plurality of members rotatably mounted on the housing such that they are in operative association with one another. One of the members is rotated, and in so rotating that member, the rotation is communicated to the rest of the members to simultaneously rotate them. Located on the members are a plurality of object repositories. A plurality of objects, at least one less than the number of object repositories, are positioned within the object repositories. As the members move with respect to one another, the objects are carried on the object repositories. The objects can be transferred from one repository to an empty repository when two of the members are in a position aligning their respective object repositories with one another. However, the objects are retained in any one object repository whenever the members are in a position with respect to one another such that the object repositories are not aligned.

Abstract: A toy which is capable of moving over a support surface includes a body having a first member. At least a portion of the body is capable of contacting a support surface. The member has ends and is pivotally mounted to the body about one of its ends. A driving mechanism is located in the toy with at least a portion of the driving mechanism located at the second end of the member. This portion of the driving mechanism is capable of moving the toy across a support surface. The member is movable with respect to the body by pivoting about its first end. The driving mechanism is activated upon pivotally moving the member with respect to the body. After being activated, the member is biased back to its original position and in doing so, that portion of the driving mechanism located at the second end of the member moves with respect to the member and engages the support surface to move the toy across the support surface.

Abstract: A protection device of the type useful for preventing access to a padlock or small combination lock as well as serving as a container for keys, incorporates a first and second half which are joined together along a junction to form a united body. The united body has a closed bottom wall and a substantially circular circumferential wall as well as a top wall. Locking means are adapted to the body to secure the first and second halves together. The top wall includes an essentially elongated opening formed partly in one of the halves and formed in the remainder in the other half. The opening is sized and shaped to allow exposure of the shank of a padlock or combination lock from the body while retaining the body of the padlock or combination lock within the hollow interior of the united body as well as retaining a bulbus member attached to an exposed U-shaped member.

Abstract: An electric soldering iron includes an elongated metal housing tube enclosing a metallic heat conducting member having a first zone snugly fit within the housing and having a portion projecting out of the front end thereof for removably receiving a soldering tip. A second zone of the member extends rearwardly from the first zone and has a smaller cross section than the interior of the tube to create an insulating space therebetween. The heat conducting member is formed with an opening sized and shaped to receive the end of an elongated flat ceramic heater having embedded therein an electric heating element. The portion of the ceramic heater not located within the heat conducting member is surrounded and positioned by a refractory heat insulating tube abutting the rear end of the heat conducting member.

Abstract: A wave energy harvesting apparatus includes a float which rises and falls with wave movements across the surface of a body of water. A hollow tube having a turbine located inside thereof is located vertically downward from the float and is connected to the float by connecting members. The hollow tube is positioned at a depth which is essentially displaced sufficient from the surface of the body of water so as not to be influenced by vertical water movement associated with the waves moving across the surface of the body of water. The tube, however, is moved upwardly and downwardly through the water at that depth in response to movement of the float by the waves on the surface of the water. Movement of the tube upwardly and downwardly at the depth causes rotation of the turbine located in the tube, with the turbine in turn rotating the connecting member to transfer the rotational motion to the surface, wherein this rotational motion is then utilized to drive a generator or the like.