Abstract: A plumbing tool is constructed for installing and removing plumbing parts such as tub and sink drains that are engaged together by conventional right-hand threads, one within another. The tool can also be constructed to remove or install left-hand parts. The plumbing extraction and installation tool has an elongated core member with a stud at one end, a cylindrical intermediate section threaded with right-hand threads, and an outwardly flared frustoconical section at the end opposite the stud. A barrel member is internally threaded with right-hand threads at one end and a radial channel is defined in its inwardly facing wall. This channel is bounded by a radially inwardly directed annular lip at its lower extremity. A plurality of wedge members have hooks or tangs at their upper proximal ends that are captured between the barrel member and the core member.

Abstract: A method of reseating a toilet seat employs a flat, rigid member arcuately curved to conform to the outer circumference of a toilet sewage drain. The flat member has a plurality of anchor fastening openings therethrough as well as at least one elongated closet bolt slot. The member is utilized to reseat a toilet atop the upper extremity of a toilet drain when the closet flange originally utilized in seating the toilet has broken, deteriorated, or corroded. According to the method a closet bolt is inserted into the closet bolt slot in the flat member such that the closet bolt head bears against the structure of the flat member and the closet bolt shank projects upwardly therefrom. With the toilet removed from atop the drain, the flat member is placed on the floor adjacent the upper extremity of the drain and secured to the floor by means of a plurality of anchor fasteners. The anchor fasteners extend into the floor through at least some of the anchor fastener openings.

Abstract: An improved adjustable pressure relief valve having an adjustable biasing apparatus engaged thereto and exerting a biasing force on a fluid valving device. The valving device has a pressure bearing component that defines a fluid retaining boundary and is acted upon by a fluid under pressure. The fluid pressure exerts a force upon the fluid bearing component counter to the biasing force acting upon the fluid bearing component. The improvement comprises a pressure bearing component retaining device disposed within the pressure relief valve for presenting a barrier to the pressure bearing component, whereby the fluid retaining boundary defined by the pressure bearing component of the valve is maintained in the event of disengagement of the adjustable biasing apparatus from the fluid valving device of the pressure relief valve while the fluid under pressure is acting on the valving device.

Abstract: A garden hose reel is provided that is light weight, durable, and easily assembled. The reel is made of right and left, molded, synthetic resin halves that are easily joined together by complementary interlocking structures on the matable faces of each reel half and by screw fasteners. The complementary interlocking structures on the matable faces distribute the torque forces that would otherwise be concentrated at the screws. The reel halves each include an inwardly tapered hose support surface and inwardly biased opposed reel sides that promote centering of the hose as unwound hose is taken up on the assembled reel. The hose reel can be rotatably supported by either a wall mounted frame or a portable caddy frame. The frames include molded synthetic resin right and left side frame members that are coupled together by light weight metal tubular frame members.

Abstract: An improved garden hose reel caddy includes a lightweight, synthetic resin frame, a pair of front mounted transport wheels that are placed in noncontacting relationship with the ground when the caddy is at rest, a windable hose reel, an elevated hand crank for manually rotating the hose reel, and a gear drive mechanism coupling the hand crank to the hose reel. The hose reel is rotatably mounted on the support frame only a few inches above the ground so as to provide the hose reel caddy with a low center of gravity, while the gear drive mechanism enables placement of the hand crank at an elevated position to allow a user to rotate the hose reel without stooping to the ground level.

Abstract: The nut apparatus is formed by a body member having two ends with a threaded aperture extending therethrough between the two ends for receiving the threaded shank of a bolt or the like. The body member has a tapered portion at one end for partial insertion into an aperture formed through the structure of the toilet through which the bolt is to extend. An arm extends from the body member at a position between the base of the tapered portion and the other of the two ends of the body member transversely to the axis of the threaded aperture for engaging structure of the toilet to hold the body member stationary while the bolt is screwed into the threaded aperture or unscrewed from the threaded aperture. The body member, the tapered portion, and the arm are integral with each other and are formed of a suitable soft plastic material. A scored line extends across the width of the arm to facilitate breaking of the arm at the scored line to shorten the arm if desired.

Abstract: An automatic rewindable garden hose reel is provided that eliminates the need for an external power source. A flat spring is reversely biased as the hose reel is unwound, storing energy for hose retraction. The retraction is selectively activated by a ratchet mechanism. A hose guiding fairlead guides the hose onto and off of the hose reel.

Abstract: A garden hose reel is provided that may selectively be mounted on either a portable caddy or a fixed wall bracket. The garden hose reel hereof comprises a rotatable reel mounted on a U-shaped yoke. The yoke has a vertical arm depending downwardly from the midpoint of the yoke that is pivotally received by either a caddy supported bracket or wall mounted bracket. A latch assembly selectively holds the reel in a fixed position, and limits the angle through which the reel may be pivoted.

Abstract: The spray pattern of a shower head may be varied by threading the faceplate of the head axially relative to its housing to change the effective cross-sectional areas of tapered grooves in pattern control elements which project through openings in the faceplate and which rotate as a unit with the faceplate during its manipulation. One embodiment has a mounting ring for the control elements which is rotatably retained on the central arbor of the head by a collar bonded to the tip end of the arbor. A second embodiment has a mounting ring for the elements which is threaded onto the exterior of the arbor in a manner to provide relative linear displacement between the faceplate and the elements when the faceplate is threaded into or out of the arbor, and a third embodiment utilizes a threaded collar at the tip end of the arbor to retain the freely rotatable mounting ring for the elements in place on the arbor.

Abstract: A control for the outlet of a liquid supply tank such as, for example, the water tank of a toilet, utilizes the retention or escape of air trapped above a valve float of the control to seat and unseat the valve against the outlet respectively. One embodiment has a standpipe extending vertically and centrally through the upper air trapping housing of the control for supporting such housing while the float reciprocates slidably along the standpipe between its lowered and buoyed positions. A second embodiment is adapted for use in existing installations wherein the standpipe is offset laterally from the outlet, the standpipe thus extending outside of and supporting the housing while the float is guided in its vertical reciprocation by internal ribs on the housing.

Abstract: A support rod assembly may be mounted between a pair of opposed, spaced-apart surfaces without the use of mounting brackets, screws, nails, or other fasteners by manually rotating the rod relative to a threaded cap at one end of the rod so as to progressively extend the rod from the cap and wedge the assembly tightly between the opposed surfaces in pressure-mounted relationship therewith. The end caps of the assembly are each provided with a spike projecting in coaxial relationship with the rod for penetrating the surfaces during installation, thereby presenting fixed pivot points for the end caps should they tend to rotate with the rod during installation, to the end that "walking" of the rod out of position along the surfaces is eliminated. Components of the assembly are adapted to universally accommodate rods of more than one particular diameter.