Abstract: A toy vehicle playset includes a trackway having a vehicle launcher coupled to a looped track portion and a dual tank unit positioned within the travel path of the toy vehicle through the trackway. The trackway further includes an exit ramp on the opposite side of the dual tank unit from the track loop which is coupled to a toy vehicle catcher and a display area. The dual tank unit includes a pair of tank portions separated by an intervening wall. The dual tank unit is supported within the trackway travel path such that either tank portion is alternatively positionable within the travel path of the toy vehicle. The playset further includes a multiply articulated robot arm supporting one or more thermally conductive tools or stamps which are immersible within the proximate one of the dual water tanks and appliable to the surface of the toy vehicle when resting in the toy vehicle catcher.

Abstract: A product package includes a generally rectangular box having a front face which defines a viewing aperture on one side and an elongated aperture on the opposite side. A pivot pin is secured intermediate the two apertures and closer to the elongated aperture. A generally planar image support is pivotally secured within the package interior by the pivot pin and includes a pair of image areas movable into alignment with the viewing aperture in response to rotational position of the image support. A finger aperture is defined within the image support and is accessible through the elongated aperture to permit pivotal movement and control of the image support position. The images formed upon the image support depict alternative configurations of a multiconfiguration or transformable toy product packaged within the box.

Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a rear body having a rear chassis portion extending downwardly therefrom which supports a pair of rear wheels. A front chassis is pivotally secured to the rear chassis and extends forwardly therefrom supporting a pair of front wheels. The vehicle further includes a front body portion formed of a pair of pivotally coupled members commonly secured to an elongated rearwardly extending gear rack. A spoiler slidably supported within the rear body is coupled to a forwardly extending gear rack. A compound gear is rotatably supported within the rear body and engages each gear rack such that movement in the forward direction of the rear spoiler causes a multiplied distance movement of the gear rack supporting the front body portion. A resilient membrane partially encloses the gear racks and is stretched between the rear chassis and the front body portion.

Abstract: A play material shooting toy utilizes a housing supporting a face element having a mouth aperture formed therein. The face element is removable from the housing and may receive a plug of amorphous play material. The housing further defines a collapsible bellows portion which facilitates the creation of pressurized air within the housing as the bellows are collapsed by the user's hand. The play material plug within the face unit may be launched or shot from the housing by replacing the loaded face unit into the housing and thereafter rapidly collapsing the bellows to pressurize the air within the housing and launch the plug of play material.

Abstract: A game unit includes a pair of vertical slots within which a pair of toy vehicle carriages each supporting a toy vehicle are movable. An endless belt is supported beneath each of the carriages and secured thereto. The belt is driven by a reversible motor which in turn responds to an operator button to alternatively move the vehicle downward or stop the vehicle motion at a target point. A plurality of flashing lights and numeric scores are arranged in parallel columns adjacent each slot to identify a target zone within which the vehicle is to be stopped.

Abstract: A housing supports a seismically responsive switch mechanism having an annular contact ring defining a center aperture within which a contact weight is resiliently supported by a flexible spring rod. A silicon-controlled rectifier is operatively coupled to a DC power input and power output coupling to provide electrical power coupling therebetween when the silicon-controlled rectifier is triggered. The trigger voltage for the silicon-controlled rectifier is provided by a circuit path which includes the annular ring and contact weight. The contact weight defines a frusto-conical outer surface and a ring positioning apparatus supports the ring at different positions with respect to the contact weight to provide different distances between the contact weight and the ring. In one embodiment, the ring positioning apparatus includes a rotatable shaft and a gear coupling which drives a threaded support to raise or lower the contact ring with respect to the contact weight.

Abstract: A generally rectangular housing includes an elongated strap for attachment of the housing to the rear portion of an in-line skate. The housing supports a rearwardly directed lens and an internal battery power source for illuminating a plurality of rearwardly directed light elements. An elongated transparent tube supports a plurality of additional light elements and is operatively coupled to the power pack to provide illumination of the tube. A pair of clip fasteners are secured to the skate frame beneath the boot sole thereof to position the elongated tube in alignment with the in-line skate wheel arrangement. The transparent tube further supports a forwardly directed reflector and forwardly directed light element to provide frontal illumination ahead of the skate. Different color lenses are employed for the rearwardly directed light elements, the transparent tube, and the front light to provide directional and position information to an observer.

Abstract: A toy vehicle playset includes a trackway having a vehicle launcher coupled to a looped track portion and a dual tank unit positioned within the travel path of the toy vehicle through the trackway. The trackway further includes an exit ramp on the opposite side of the dual tank unit from the track loop which is coupled to a toy vehicle catcher and a display area. The dual tank unit includes a pair of tank portions separated by an intervening wall. The dual tank unit is supported within the trackway travel path such that either tank portion is alternatively positionable within the travel path of the toy vehicle. The playset further includes a multiply articulated robot arm supporting one or more thermally conductive tools or stamps which are immersible within the proximate one of the dual water tanks and appliable to the surface of the toy vehicle when resting in the toy vehicle catcher.

Abstract: A rolling shutter includes a plurality of elongated shutter elements each having a plurality of alternate ribs and valleys formed on each side thereof is pivotally coupled by a plurality of link elements interleaved between the shutter elements. The shutter element and link array thus formed includes a repeated subset combination of coupling links and shutter elements which facilitate the pivotal motion of a shutter element pair about a common link to form a reinforcing portion of the shutter element array. A tractor drive mechanism includes a plurality of drive belts having engaging teeth for coupling to the alternate ribs and valleys of the shutter elements to provide positive drive force in either direction. A spring-biased take-up roll is supported in proximity to the tractor drive to receive the portion of the shutter element array withdrawn into the tractor drive.

Abstract: An anchor body defines an open-end receptacle suitable for receiving the valve body of a quick coupling irrigation valve. The anchor body defines an end portion having a threaded aperture therein which receives a threaded bolt. The threaded bolt is adjusted to provide a captivating force upon the valve body and secure it within the open end receptacle. The anchor body further defines a pair of oppositely extending vertical vanes on each side of the open end receptacle together with a pair of horizontal vanes. The vertical vanes cooperate with the surrounding soil pack when the anchor is installed to resist torsional forces applied to the valve while the horizontal vanes cooperate with the surrounding soil to resist vertical forces upon the valve.

Abstract: A motorcycle utilizes a support frame upon which an engine and transmission are supported in an in-line front to back relationship. The engine and transmission cases are coupled by a primary engine case on one side. A torque resisting arm configured to be fitted to the opposite sides of the engine and transmission cases from that which the primary engine case occupies is secured to underlying faces of the engine case and transmission case to provide a torque resisting member therebetween. The torque resisting arm includes a generally planar engine attachment plate configured to be received upon the engine case and a generally planar spanning plate configured to be received upon the transmission case. The torque resisting arm further defines an offset wall and curved wall extending between the engine attachment plate and the spanning plate.

Abstract: A pair of elongated channel supports each defining inwardly open channels are secured to the undersurfaces of a parallel pair of ceiling rails. The channel supports are positioned on each side of a ceiling air flow vent. A pair of generally planar control panels are slidably movable within the channels and extend between the channel supports. The panels are movable between alternative positions within the channels to cover all or part of the air flow vent and thereby control air flow therethrough. In an alternate embodiment, the pair of generally planar control panels are replaced by a single larger panel which is similarly movable within the channels of the channel supports.

Abstract: A waist supported bow string steadying device for an archer includes a fabric envelope within which a resilient bladder is supported to provide a size variable somewhat resilient member for contact with the bow string of a drawn bow prior to release. In several embodiments, the resilient member includes an inflatable bladder having a captive air volume therein which inflates to various degrees to provide bow string arrow rests of varying sizes. In alternate embodiments, a portion of the steadying device is provided with a storage cavity in which articles of convenience may be stored. In still further embodiments, the interior of the fabric envelope is provided with one or more resilient foam pads to impart shape and size to the fabric envelope and the desired dimension to the bow string steadying device.

Abstract: A propeller launching toy includes a pistol-shaped housing having a movable trigger and a rotatable winding collar. A main shaft is rotatably supported within the housing and is operatively coupled to the winding collar. A main spring is coupled to the main shaft to provide stored energy for rotating the main shaft. A propeller toy having a plurality of propeller blades is releasibly secured to the forward end of the main shaft. A ratchet mechanism is coupled to the winding mechanism to provide single direction motion of the winding collar and main shaft. The trigger is coupled to a pivotable lever which responds to trigger movement to release the engagement of the main shaft and allow rapid spinning of the main shaft which in turn spins the propeller toy. As the propeller toy is rapidly spun, the propeller blades provide aerodynamic lift launching the propeller toy.

Abstract: A simulated eye for toys includes a convex generally tear-drop shaped lens formed of a clear material such as plastic and having a planar rear surface. A color layer having a plurality of color areas is formed upon the rear surface of the lens. An attachment post extends from the rear surface to provide for attachment of the simulated eye to a host toy figure. The convex lens cooperates with the color layer to provide a novel appearance in which the convex lens appears to be filled with the colors of the color area when the simulated eye is viewed.

Abstract: Described is a set of improvements and added features to the commercial article a nozzle to connect a pressurized fuel carrying hose to a standardized aircraft fueling adapter. The adapter has a spring loaded poppet located centrally in its entrance opening; when that poppet is pushed inward by a poppet on the nozzle fuel can flow into the aircraft tank through an annular opening around both. The nozzle's job is to be easily secured to the adapter in a leaktight manner, then to push the poppets toward the interior of the adapter, and finally to retract, all without any possibility of a fuel leak by mis-assembly or maloperation, in minimum time and often in darkness.