Abstract: An automotive decorative display panel is devised to provide a reflective black insignia on a bright field during daylight conditions and illuminated insignia on a dark field during night-time conditions. The illuminated display panel is comprised of a lens panel having a reflective, opaque field and a translucent insignia field. A screen is disposed behind the insignia field. The screen is characterized by being partially reflective and partially transmissive. During the day, light is reflected from the screen through the insignia portion to form a black insignia field against the bright reflective field. During the night the screen is back lit to form a bright insignia field against a relatively dark background. A solid state electroluminescent panel is used as the light source in a hermetically sealed package.

Abstract: A rod assembly for mounting a roll of sheet material within its own box including a rod member with a cylindrical bearing and an enlarged diameter end-cap which collectively form a first component, and a second component collectively formed by a matching bearing and end-cap having an axial slot for removably receiving the rod member. After initial perforation of the panels at the end of the box by the rod member, the two components are insertable through and mounted in such end panels so that both bearings are journaled inside the open ends of the roll when the rod member is received in the axial slot. When the roll becomes empty, the two components can be manually pulled apart and reused by being compressed together into mounting engagement inside a full roll of material in another box.

Abstract: This toy track is adjustable in its vertical contour, and holds itself in the vertical contour to which it is adjusted. The track is made up of numerous short sections. Each track section carries connectors that fixedly but releasably lock that section to an adjacent section, at a vertical angle selectable arbitrarily by the user of the toy.The connectors have mating pin-and-slot combinations for coupling adjacent track sections so that adjacent sections can rotate vertically with respect to one another. In addition the connectors have mating protuberance-and-groove combinations for locking the adjacent sections in particular vertical-rotation positions--that is, at the arbitrarily user-selectable angles.The connectors are secured at opposite sides (laterally, relative to vehicle motion along the track) of each track section, and the connectors extend longitudinally beyond that track section to engage like connectors of the adjacent section.

Abstract: Enclosures such as drawers and glove compartments are provided with a light that automatically turns on when the enclosure is opened and turns off when closed. This light has a lightbulb in circuit with batteries and a switching mechanism, including a spring and actuator for the spring which is mounted to rotate, move linearly outwardly and inwardly relative to the light's housing, or do both simultaneously. The actuator has a portion engaging the spring and an arcuate edge portion extending beyond the housing which engages a surface of the enclosure when the enclosure is opened or closed. During relative movement between the enclosure surface and the light, the actuator moves the spring between two positions, one of which opens the circuit to the lightbulb, the other of which closes this circuit.

Abstract: This invention relates to drinking vessels, such as cups, mugs, beakers, tumblers or glasses, whether of glass, plastics or other suitable material. The drinking vessels comprise an integral `straw` and base in the form of a hollow tube, which may be singly or multiply coiled and which is in liquid flow communication with the `glass proper`, herein termed a reservoir.Liquid in the reservoir can be sucked in the manner of a drinking straw or in the `normal` way by drinking from the rim of the reservoir.

Abstract: A clock mechanism displays the time by accumulations of counting tokens visibly within generally vertical but zigzag-shaped channels. A synchronously driven belt carries projecting pins which push the tokens along a path from an enclosure near the bottom of the mechanism to positions above the channels, whence the tokens drop into the channels that are not full. When a particular channel is full, a token bypasses that channel and caused tokens already within the channel to be released for return to the enclosure.Time indicia disposed in front of the channels and the push-path identify the times represented by the various possible accumulations of tokens in the channels and the positions of tokens along the push-path. The indicia are adapted to be relatively inconspicuous when not backed up by tokens, and to be made relatively conspicuous when they are backed up by tokens.Dynamic feed means such as a rotating sectored wheel feed the tokens one at a time into position for takeup by the pushpins on the belt.

Abstract: A holder for retaining sheet material such as a water bed liner against a surface such as a bed frame. The holder contains a head portion, a center portion and a leg portion. The head portion is biased to press against the surface to which the holder is attached. The center portion forms a space to hold a portion of the material. The leg portion includes a U-shaped portion insertable into a groove in the surface for removably securing the holder to the surface.

Abstract: A game-playing method and apparatus, which includes a frame, one or more sets of balls, and a series of at least three wheels rotatably mounted adjacent to each other on the frame in a common horizontal plane. Each wheel includes a plurality of peripheral ball-carrying pockets having outwardly facing openings. A mechanism mounted in the frame effects continuous rotation of the wheels automatically circulating the balls from wheel to wheel in continuous movement. In particular, the balls are retained in the pockets of a rotating wheel except at transfer zones to adjacent wheels. A ball tends to move out of its pocket whenever it comes to a transfer zone and to pass through that zone to a receiving pocket on the adjacent wheel. If the receiving pocket is already occupied by another ball, no transfer occurs. A manually-actuated stop-gate enables a player to directly control the transfer of balls by blocking or unblocking at least one transfer zone.

Abstract: A plastic container with a detachably connectable lid having the diameter and circumferential features of a conventional metal paint can is disclosed. The top section of the container includes a projection defining the top end of the wall of the middle section, a neck and an annular bead for engaging the lid. The lid includes an outer flexible leg that snaps over the neck and bead of the top section. The lid can be easily removed by inserting a screwdriver between the lid and the top section in a provided space and lifting the screwdriver. The bottom section of the container includes a projection defining the bottom end of the wall of the middle section, and with the lid are adapted to allow stacking of the container/lid combinations. The projection adjacent the top and bottom of the middle section of the container enable the container to be handled by labeling machinery used in conjunction with conventional metal paint cans.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for simultaneously teaching a plurality of students how to play a musical instrument including programmed audio-visual instruction by pre-recorded audio inputs, prearranged note combinations displayed on a student light strip, confirmation of right or wrong answers on periodic quiz questions, seqential pictures projected on a screen and correlated printed lesson materials, which programmed inputs may be stopped by the teacher in order to selectively instruct certain students by broadcasting oral instructions, and by playing a master keyboard which activates the student light strip. A teacher's console for collectively monitoring the student quiz results, and for selectively listening to individual student musical performances during the programmed instruction period.

Abstract: A contact lens insertion apparatus incorporating an illuminated target for guiding the lens into the proper position on the cornea of an eye. The lens is held in place on the apparatus by a flexible cup that maintains a vacuum between itself and the lens. A suction breaking assembly enables easy removal of the lens from the apparatus once the lens has been properly positioned on the cornea. Also included is a lower eyelid opener which not only lowers the lid for easy insertion of the lens but also provides a pivot arm enabling the user to swing the applicator up, and easily and correctly position the lens on the eye.

Abstract: A wheeled toy vehicle and launcher apparatus. The toy vehicle has: a drive mechanism including at least one drive-wheel, a flywheel and an air turbine operatively coupled to each other, and an air delivery tube having a mouthpiece for the user to blow air into to rotate the turbine. In one embodiment, the drive-wheel, flywheel, and turbine are in a single unit rotatably mounted on a rotatable carrier for causing a generally vertical movement of the drive-wheel toward and away from a supporting surface. The launcher, in a preferred form, permits the user to blow air into the mouthpiece while the drive-wheel is free to rotate. In another form, the launcher may include a biased propelling member.

Abstract: An aircraft having a fuselage and a pair of first airfoils in the form of wings extending outwardly from the vertical tail and a pair of second airfoils in the form of wings extending outwardly from the forward portion of the fuselage at a lower elevation than the first airfoils. The second wings extend rearwardly having a positive dihedral so that the tip ends of the second airfoil are located in close proximity to and may overlap the tip ends of the first wings. The pairs of wings along with the fuselage present a double triangle or diamond shape in both front elevational view and top plan view. A winglet structurally connects the tip ends of the corresponding first wings and second wings, and these winglets have airfoil surfaces which extend vertically substantially beyond the tip ends of the first and second wings in order to minimize the effects of induced drag and also to augment directional stability of the aircraft.

Abstract: An electronic game apparatus facilitates the playing of a parlor game. The game apparatus generates a series of player-interrogation signals, and defines a corresponding "correct" sequence of auditory and switch-closure responses by the players (or player). The correct sequence is defined in accordance with established game rules that are known to the player(s). The game apparatus receives actual auditory and switch-closure responses from the player(s), compares the responses with the correct sequence, and indicates visually and auditorily whether each response is correct.