Abstract: Apparatus for fabricating three-dimensional structures for children is provided in which four-way, three-way and elbow fittings having opposing flat sides with orthogonally oriented sockets are used to interconnect cut-to-length tubular members. An end portion of a tubular member is connected to an end portion of a socket by a fastener having a pair of spring loaded opposing pins thereon. The fastener is positioned in a tubular member with its opposing pins protruding out of diametrically opposing holes on the end portion thereof. The end of a tubular member is inserted with a slip fit into a socket until it contacts an internal shoulder thereon and is then rotated until the opposing pins snap into diametrically opposing holes on the end portion of the socket.

Abstract: Marker devices, each comprising a base with an upright post thereon, are molded from an elastomeric material. A marker device is attached by adhesive on the base thereof to each paint striping on a worn down street and each maintenance cover mounted on the worn down street. Once the marker devices are in place on the worn down street, the posts thereof must withstand the punishment of not only being flattened by truck tires, and the tracts of a paving machine that is being used to lay down the new coating of hot asphalt on the worn down street, but also the hot asphalt, and still spring back to their upright position. Thus, when the stripings are to be repainted on the resurfaced street and when the maintenance covers are to be adjusted upwardly to the level of the new coating of asphalt on the resurfaced street their exact locations on the street are immediately indicated by the posts of the marker devices without having to make any measurements.

Abstract: A plug manipulator tool for closing off the suction outlet of a skimmer of a swimming pool comprises a threaded hollow plug body having a cap resiliently held on the top thereof. The cap is provided with an elongated handle on the top surface thereof which enables the threaded plug to be remotely engaged within the threaded opening of the suction outlet of the skimmer by an operator twisting the outer end of the elongated handle. In order for the operator to remotely remove the plug while the circulating pump for the swimming pool is running, the operator tilts the upper end of the elongated handle to thereby tilt the cap so that water in the skimmer can flow into the hollow plug body and down through the suction outlet thereby breaking the suction holding the cap on the top of the hollow plug body.

Abstract: A tool for remotely manipulating an auxiliary cuff provided on the end of a flexible vacuum hose of a portable pool cleaner residing on the floor of a swimming pool. The tool comprises an elongated handle having its lower end pivotally held on the auxiliary cuff so that it lies against the flexible vacuum hose when in a storage position. By rotating the elongated handle so that it extends forwardly of the auxiliary cuff, the operator can insert the end of the handle into the inlet of the skimmer so that it extends out of the top opening thereof. Then, by holding the upper end of the handle the operator can remotely direct and insert the auxiliary cuff down into the suction outlet of the skimmer. The operator can then remotely remove the auxiliary cuff from the suction outlet by reversing the procedure.

Abstract: A tool comprising an elongated handle on the upper end of a driver member for remotely changing the rotational setting of a diverter valve mounted in the suction outlet of a skimmer for a swimming pool. The diverter valve is provided with an adapter ring having a protrusion on the top surface thereof. The driver member comprises a skirt with an upper hub portion. The skirt is provided with a slot on the bottom edge thereof and openings on the sidewall thereof. The hub portion has the elongated handle extending upwardly therefrom and an axial projection extending downwardly therefrom. While the circulating pump for the pool is running, the axial projection enables the skirt to be readily positioned and seated over the upper end portion of the diverter valve and the openings on the sidewall of the skirt enable the driver member to be removed from the diverter valve by permitting water in the skimmer to flow into the suction outlet thereof to break the suction.

Abstract: A light weight, portable, gymnastic assembly made for children to climb on is fabricated of tubular members formed of cut-to-length standard plastic tubings and standard plastic fittings. The tubular members are releasably held within the sockets of the fittings by pairs of opposing spring-loaded pins that are carried in opposing holes on the end portions of the tubular members and engage within opposing holes on the end portions of sockets of the fittings when the tubular members are slipped into the sockets. Because of the mechanical connections used, such an assembly provides a flexible overall structure that can be readily modified from time-to-time by an adult to enable a number of separately assembled different types of accessories of interest to children to be mounted on the surface of the assembly or within the interior thereof.

Abstract: An edge finder held on the end of a spindle of a milling machine is provided with a flat on the outer cylindrical surface of the working end member thereof. When the edge of a work piece mounted on the table of the milling machine is slowly advanced by a machinist to contact the rotating end member, the flat thereon produces an audible clicking sound each revolution of the spindle. Moreover, upon contact, the flat on the rotating working end member causes it to vibrate radially thereby enhancing the sidewise jump thereof and making it easier for the jump to be observed by the machinist.

Abstract: An automatically operated soap dispenser for use in washing the hands of a user is provided in a housing. Enclosed in an intermediate portion of the housing is a horizontally disposed transparent cylindrical chamber having an open front end and an opening in the upper wall thereof. Residing in the upper portion of the housing is a disposable liquid soap container having extending from the bottom thereof a resilient elongated tubular member with a self-sealing nipple valve on the lower end thereof which is positioned in the opening on the upper wall of the cylindrical chamber. A cyclically operated actuating means located in the housing above the cylindrical chamber is controlled to automatically squeeze the tubular member and supply a single quantity of liquid soap through the nipple valve in response to an upturned palm of a hand of the user being inserted into the open front of the cylindrical chamber.

Abstract: An automatically operated soap dispenser and hand dryer are provided in a single housing. The housing encloses a horizontally disposed transparent cylindrical chamber having an open front end and an opening in the upper wall thereof opposite which a self-sealing nipple valve on the end of a tubular member of a disposable liquid soap container resides. A cyclically operated actuating means located in the housing above the cylindrical chamber is controlled to automatically squeeze the tubular member and supply a single quantity of soap through the nipple valve in response to an upturned palm of a hand of the user being inserted into the cylindrical chamber The automatic hand dryer located in the housing below the cylindrical chamber provides for automatically discharging warm air through an outlet thereof in response to the hands of the user being positioned adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A fine-pitch pin grid array for mounting an IC chip having a number of signal, ground and power contact pads thereon comprises a square as-fired ceramic substrate having a corresponding number of signal, ground and power metal filled vias located on the side portions of the surface thereof. Deposited on the surface of the substrate is a thin-film metallization which includes a corresponding number of signal, ground and power bonding pads located on the sides of the central portion thereof and further includes conductive traces which provide for connecting each signal metal filled via to a signal bonding pad. Deposited over the thin-film metallization is a multilayer circuit which includes a first dielectric layer having a low dielectric constant, a ground metal layer, a second dielectric layer having a high dielectric constant, and a power metal layer. The ground metal layer is used to commonly connect the ground metal filled vias to the ground bonding pads.

Abstract: An as-fired alumina substrate for a hybrid microcircuit formed of GaAs dies operating at gigahertz frequencies has a large number of about 0.013" diameter via holes drilled on the surface thereof by use of a laser. A metal filling in each via hole is formed with about 85% sintered tungsten and 15% copper reflowed into the pores thereof to provide a composition that has a thermal coefficient of expansion that substantially matches that of the GaAs dies and the alumina substrate and also provides for hermetically sealing the via holes. The alumina substrate is further provided with a ground plane by which it is mounted on a metal block serving as a heat sink. The high frequency GaAs dies mounted on the via holes use the metal fillings therein to carry their internally generated heat to the heat sink and to provide low inductance ground paths for the microcircuit.

Abstract: A V-shaped hopper is comprised of a pair of opposing linkages each formed of a lower angularly disposed rectangular plate hinged to an upper angularly disposed rectangular plate to form a hinged corner joint. Each linkage is mounted on a vertical sidewall of a rectangular opening with the bottom of its lower rectangular plate pivotally connected to the bottom thereof and with the top of its upper rectangular plate confined by retaining means thereon to move along the vertical plane thereof. Limiting means is also provided to limit the downward movement of opposing linkages when their hinged corner joints lie adjacent to each other. Upon dropping a plurality of dough balls into the V shaped hopper formed by the upper rectangular plates of the opposing linkages, one settles in the V bottom thereof and the others thereover.

Abstract: A two-wire structure for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack is formed by inwardly bending each of the end portions of a single straight length of wire such that each lies against the middle portion thereof with their terminal ends butt welded together and with an upwardly directed looped protuberance formed on each end of the two-wire structure. Each end portion of the two-wire structure so formed is then bent to provide cantilevered support arms extending at right angles from each end of the middle portion thereof which forms the back of the two-wire structure by which the cantilevered support arms are attached to a rack. Such a construction provides the upwardly directed looped protuberances for use as safety precautions on the ends of the cantilevered support arms and further assures that each of the cantilevered support arms is provided with a continuous surface throughout its length.

Abstract: A cover for the cab portion of an automobile is provided to prevent the interior thereof from heating up when left standing in the sun. The cover comprises a four sided structure. When the cover is placed over the roof of an automobile, a tubular member on the bottom of the front portion thereof which lies over the windshield has the windshield wipers placed thereover and pockets formed on either side thereof are snugly fitted over external side view mirror units typically provided on an automobile. A rear tubular member on the bottom of the back portion of the cover which lies over the rear window is inserted into the opening provided on the hinged end of the open lift door of the trunk of the automobile. Upon pulling the rear tubular member into the trunk and then closing and locking the lift door, the cover is tautly held over the roof in a secure manner.

Abstract: An illuminating device comprises a housing having a light compartment and an off push-button located on the front wall thereof. The housing encloses a battery powered electrical circuit including a normally-open motion detection switch, a light bulb, a latching circuit, a control gate, and a normally open, momentary-closing reset switch. The housing is adapted to be removably fastened at a convenient location on an internal wall of a home. When the wall is shaken by a major earthquake that is likely to knock out the electric service in the area involved, the initial closing of the motion detection switch latches the latching circuit to provide a high level signal that opens the control gate and completes the electrical circuit to ground, thereby turning on the light bulb. When the earthquake occurs during the night time, the housing can be removed from the wall and used as a portable flashlight.

Abstract: A two-wire structure for use in suspending plastic bags on a rack is formed by inwardly bending each of the end portions of a single straight length of wire such that each lies against the middle portion thereof with their terminal ends butt welded together and with an upwardly directed looped protuberance formed on each end of the two-wire structure. Each end portion of the two-wire structure so formed is then bent to provide cantilevered support arms extending at right angles from each end of the middle portion thereof which forms the back of the two-wire structure by which the cantilevered support arms are attached to a rack. Such a construction provides the upwardly directed looped protuberances for use as safety precautions on the ends of the cantilevered support arms and further assures that each of the cantilevered support arms is provided with a continuous surface throughout its length.

Abstract: A golf tee comprising a rotatable support member seated so as to be submerged within a hollow head portion of an elongated body with the side surface of the rotatable support member engaged by an O-ring to the internal side surface of the hollow head portion. A pointed bottom member is removably connected to the lower end of the elongated body. An elastic element extending through an axial hole in the elongated body connects the rotatable support member to the pointed bottom member. Manually rotating the rotatable support member provides for storing energy in the elongated elastic element such that when a golf ball is placed on the rotatable support member the golf ball can be made to slowly rotate about a vertical axis to thereby provide a moving object for holding the attention of a golfer as he addresses and drives the ball.

Abstract: A wheel shield is disclosed for covering the wheel of an automobile so that the sidewall of the tire carried thereon can be sprayed with a protectant solution. The shield comprises a frusto-conical body having a circumferential rim on the large diameter open end therof and a knob on the small diameter closed end thereof. On the top of the cylindrical rim a retainer member is provided having an angularly inwardly and outwardly extending free end portion. On the body adjacent the cylindrical rim and opposite the free end portion a reinforcing box structure is provided. When the shield is placed over the outer flange of the wheel, a manual push applied on the front surface of the box structure forces the free end portion into the crevice formed between the rim portion of the wheel and the tire to thereby detachably hold the shield on the wheel.