Abstract: A collapsible basket for carrying side-by-side grocery bags or the like has a rectangular shaped, vertically-extending framework between the lower ends of which are pivotally secured inner end portions of a pair of opposed rectangular bottom panels the outer ends of which have pivotally secured thereto lower end portions of opposed side panels. The upper end corners of the side panels are linked to each other and to central portions along the length of the handle member at each side to provide substantially parallel guide mechanism operation of the side panels with respect to the axial plane of the handle, thereby to permit compact collapsing of the bottom and side panels against each side of the handle member. The lower end of the frame member is provided, centrally along its length, with an inwardly-collapsible handle for use in carrying the container in inverted position when collapsed.

Abstract: An electrical hair curling iron comprising an elongated, tubular heating member and a clamp bar pivotally arranged with respect to the heating member for receiving and clamping hair tresses to be curled against the heating member includes motor driven mechanism for automatically turning the clamp bar about the heating member in one direction or the other, selectively, as controlled by actuating means on the handle. A non-heated, tooth-like projection at the outer end of the heating member serves to facilitate the selection of strands of hair to be applied between the heating member and the clamp bar for curling, the clamp bar being provided with short comb teeth for uniformly distributing the hair strands along the length of the heating member during a curling operation.

Abstract: A conversion system for .30 caliber semi-automatic carbines permits selective use with .22 caliber ammunition. Modified barrel, bolt, operating slide and magazine sub-assemblies easily replace the corresponding original sub-assemblies to provide for direct blow-back operating slide actuation with .22 caliber ammunition. The replacement parts are of such simplified construction as permits manufacturing and sales as a conversion kit at a fraction of the original cost of the .30 caliber carbine to be converted. The conversion technique also provides for the independent manufacture of a unique .22 caliber semi-automatic carbine having the general appearance and "feel" of the standard .30 caliber M1 carbine.

Abstract: An elongated tubular handle and support member connectable at its upper end with a vacuum hose and at its lower end with a vacuum head having a perpendicularly extending, elongated suction opening and including a pair of spray nozzles fixed with respect to the vacuum head and adapted to spray, respectively and selectively, either carpet cleaning fluid or carpet dyeing fluid behind the vacuum head, supports along the length thereof an open-topped container for removably receiving a liquid dye container. The tubular handle and support member also has attached thereto a control valve assembly for directing fluid under pressure to either of said spray nozzles, selectively, from a single remote source.

Abstract: A portable self-supporting food service conveyor has an elongated rectangular table top supported at each end by box-like pedestal enclosures and in the top of which there is a circular tracking slot within which is removably received an articulated-slat conveyor belt. Centrally supported above the table top are a pair of vertically-spaced, rectangular shelf members for the temporary storage of condiments and other food portions to be placed on removable trays carried by the conveyor belt. One of the support pedestals houses electric drive mechanism for sprocket drive from underneath of a sprocket chain comprising the articulated conveyor belt and projecting through the conveyor tracking slot. The other pedestal houses a refrigerating compressor and evaporator system associated with a cooling coil serving to refrigerate a portion of one of the food holding shelves.

Abstract: A formed wire frame has secured against each side thereof a quantity of sphagnum moss of generally circular configuration one side of which is formed with shallow depression for the interfitting reception of the base of an air plant to be supported for growing. The frame has peripherally outwardly projecting loop portions to which hooks are attached for hangingly supporting or anchoring the assemblage after an air plant has been attached thereto for growing into the sphagnum moss. The sphagnum moss and plant are secured in place by an enveloping fabric sack having a draw-string adjustable opening for marginally securing the base of the plant in place.

Abstract: A flexible fabric camera bag having a central main bag portion and a pair of relatively short end bag portions is provided with a removable camera bag compartment insert for the main bag portion for protectively storing and carrying fragile cameras and photographic accessories. The insert is fabricated of flexible, padded, side and bottom walls, and is partitioned with displaceable divider walls to adapt to the sizes of particular articles to be carried, while at the same time permitting flexure of the camera bag assemblage to comply with the shape of the body portion against which the camera bag rests while being carried as a shoulder bag.

Abstract: A leaf spring integrally formed of resilient sheet material has a transverse, substantially tubular arcuate intermediate portion terminating in opposed, laterally outwardly-extending, substantially flat abutment leaf portions. The tubular portion of the spring is adapted to be circumjacently received about the pintle rod of the usual hinge mechanism hingingly interconnecting the seat with the cover of an ordinary toilet seat assembly, with one leaf member abutting a rear portion at the inside of the seat and the other leaf member abutting a rear portion at the inside of the cover, to resiliently constrain the seat in down position against the reactive force of the cover when in its uppermost or open position, so that the seat can only be withdrawn from bowl position by manual lifting against the reactive force of the spring.

Abstract: A soft panelled garment bag supports hangered garments in spaced relation along an interior slide support member having a front-to-back, T-shaped slot opening into which upwardly-extending T-shaped portions of closet rod to garment bag adjustable hangers can be hooked. A zippered front panel of the garment bag is fitted at the inside with a T-shaped keeper adapted to fit into the front of the slide support member to prevent the release of clothes hangers during transport, while at the same time facilitating closure and opening of the garment bag.

Abstract: A metallic valve body member adapted to be welded for secure attachment against the top opening of pressurized liquid and gas supply tank is so designed as to provide for the assemblage of all non-integral parts after the welding operation, thereby permitting such additional parts to be fabricated of comparatively inexpensive materials such as synthetic plastics. A valve stem seats at its lower end against a valve seat within the valve body. Outer and inner elongated spool valve members are fixed, respectively, to lower end portions of the valve body member and the valve stem member to project within the interior of the tank.

Abstract: A rake of the type having a fanned spring finger main raking head fixed at one end of a rake handle is provided with an auxiliary, complementary fanned spring finger rake head pivotally supported with respect to the rake handle and movable into clamping jaw-like relation with respect to the main raking head for picking up raked trash piles. The individual spring fingers of one rake head are receivable between the spring fingers of the other rake head to provide for raking with either rake head when they are held in relatively clamped together position.

Abstract: A portable grinder utilizing a standard electric hand drill as a source of mechanical power has a support base structure upon the upper surface of which is journalled a drive spindle one end of which is adapted to receive, in driving engagement, the chuck of the hand drill, and the other end of which serves to drive a grinding wheel and other rotatively driven tools selectively attachable thereto. Adjustable means is provided for supporting an electric hand drill in rotary alignment with the drive spindle; and a cover member removably attachable to the base structure renders the assemblage fully portable.

Abstract: A device for flush washing water base paint from paint rollers has an upstanding tubular member adapted to telescopingly receive, in surrounding relation, a paint roller to be washed. A water supply nipple communicating with a lower end portion of the tubular member connects with a source of running water which flows upwardly through the tubular member and its supported roller so as to cascade circumferentially about and through the outer nap thereof for flushing away water base paint. An increased-diameter peripheral shoulder near the lower end of the tubular member is provided with a sealing gasket against which the lower end of the paint roller seats while being washed.

Abstract: The device comprises a pair of locating pins extending outwardly of an edge surface portion of one of the cabinets and adapted to be received in complementary through openings in the corresponding edge of the adjacent cabinet to be connected, the outer ends of the locating pins being conically rounded to provide for horizontal and vertical alignment by cam action. An elongated, lever controlled interlock member serves to interclampingly engage turned down skirt portions of the thus aligned cabinet edges to retain the cabinets in interlocked relation.

Abstract: A portable cuspidor supplied with rinse water and vacuum drainage through ganged flexible hoses has a hollow, enclosed cuspidor cup or bowl provided with a cushioned side wall opening against which facial areas surrounding the mouth of the patient or user are placed for expectorating. Interior rinse water jet streams are so directed and distributed against the interior of the cuspidor cup or bowl that substantially all of the rinse water, together with expectorant, will flow down for withdrawal at a drain orifice at the base of the bowl, no matter at what angle the device is being held for use.

Abstract: A cushioned toilet seat assembly wherein the seat and cover members are each fabricated with a pair of upper and lower base members upholstered about the respective tops and bottoms thereof, and wherein the covering material overlaps and is affixed to relative marginal portions of the respective base members in such a manner as to minimize abutting interference upon final assembly interconnection. The upper and lower base member pairs are integrally molded of a tough synthetic plastic material, and are each formed with a plurality of symmetrically arranged, cooperative plug pins and through openings for a snap-fit interconnection upon interassembly under clamping pressure. Marginal recesses are formed along the outer or facing sides of the upper and lower base members, within which outer edge portions of the covering material are drawn and secured as by staples to minimize bunching and thereby to provide for close interconnecting assembly of the parts.

Abstract: A collapsible hand carrier for carrying one or two side-by-side grocery bags or the like has a U-shaped, inverted handle member between the lower ends of which are pivotally secured inner end portions of a pair of opposed rectangular bottom panels the outer ends of which have pivotally secured thereto lower end portions of opposed side panels. The upper end corners of the side panels are linked to each other and to central portions along the length of the handle member at each side to provide substantially parallel guide mechanism operation of the side panels with respect to the plane of the handle, thereby to permit compact collapsing of the bottom and side panels against each side of the handle member.

Abstract: A brake shoe assembly including a brake lining member and a backing plate or shoe have aligned rivet opening pairs for riveting together with the use of dead soft metal rivets having tapered shank portions the volumes of which are substantially equal to the combined volume of the openings through which they extend for riveting, the rivets also having tubular, cylindrical end or tip portions adapted to roll over the outside of the backing plate or shoe while the shank portions substantially completely fill their openings during setting of the rivets to provide for exceptional strength, both in shear and tension, of the assemblage.

Abstract: A shelving assembly with rectangular, formed sheet metal shelves horizontally supported by tubular corner posts has molded snythetic plastic corner block members operative to releasably grip any one of a plurality of peripheral zones spaced along the support posts for selective shelf height adjustment. Each sheet metal shelf is formed with a peripheral skirt terminating in a horizontally inwardly-extending flange portion and vertical corner cut-out portions defining together recesses for receiving the individual corner blocks in close-fitting embracing, relation, the corner blocks also being formed, at outside corners thereof, with vertically-extending, rounded projections receivable in the said skirt cut-out portions to define with said peripheral skirt, flush, rounded corner surfaces.