Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing shingle is disclosed that includes a substrate including at least one composite having a scrim bonded to a mat, coated with filled asphalt and granules. The scrim has woven or non-woven fiberglass or polyester strands arranged in a crossing pattern, such as a 10.times.10 thread crossing pattern per square inch, and the mat has a layer of organic, fiberglass or polyester materials, the scrim and mat being joined together with a rubberized binder or other suitable bonding material. The shingle may be used, for example, in a residential roofing application, in which a portion of a roof deck is covered by providing the shingle including the substrate and a fastening device such as a nail having a head; positioning the shingle on the roof deck portion; and driving the nail through the shingle and into the roof deck to secure the shingle to the roof deck.

Abstract: To provide a turning up and down apparatus for telescopic tiered spectator's seats capable of preventing the foot members of a chair from being turned down forward, a turning up and down apparatus for telescopic tiered spectator's seats of the present invention is arranged such that the foot members of each of the chairs are pivotally supported at the lower ends thereof so as to rotate about a spindle as a fulcrum, a drive shaft is disposed to which transmitted is the rotation of an output shaft which is rotated by a forward and rearward rotatable motor disposed on each of the platforms, the rotation of the output shaft being reduced through the combination of gear trains, and the front ends of boomerang-shaped links are coupled with the foot members by a foot member coupling pin and the rear ends thereof are supported by a rear end coupling pin, wherein when the foot members are in a turned up state, since the links are pressed against the drive shaft and the center of the rear end coupling pin is located at

Abstract: A participatory water play system is provided incorporating a plurality of water play elements for creating various desired water effects. The participatory water play system comprises a plurality of multiple-order water effects. A first participatory water play element may be manipulated to create a first-order water effect. A second participatory water play element receives water from the first water effect to create a second-order water effect. Thus, play participants can observe and experiment with various cause-and-effect reactions involving multiple-order water effects.

Abstract: A waterplay structure is provided for home use which is easily assembled and which provides a variety of interactive water forming devices and adjustment valves for exciting backyard play. Play participants can assemble the play structure and then control the various water effects to cool and entertain the whole family.

Abstract: A new and useful anchor for use in the installation of a composite building panel. The anchor comprises a vertically upstanding wall mounting face and a spacer extending normal to the wall mounting face. Spaced outwardly from the wall mounting face by the spacer there is provided a first longitudinally extending flange-receiving groove opening in a first vertical direction. Adjacently deposed to the first flange-receiving groove with a common middle wall there is provided a second longitudinally extending flange-receiving groove opening in an opposite vertical direction. Fasteners mount the anchor means to the wall.

Abstract: A carpet layer's aid for protecting floor baseboards or walls during carpet installation, the aid including an elongated strip which can be separated into two portions. The elongated strip is separated into an edge portion, which is used to anchor the elongated strip, and a central portion, which is used to shield the baseboard or wall. Preferably, the elongated strip has perforations which allow the central portion to be detached from the edge portion of the elongated strip upon completing the carpet installation. The edge portion of the elongated strip is left behind under the tack strip and carpet.

Abstract: A rotary turntable for use in a building, such as in a residential or office environment, includes at least one door and at least one wall panel for cooperating with adjacent stationary building structures such as walls and a ceiling to define a variable floor plan. The turntable door and wall panel include expansion members for engaging and contacting adjacent building structures to provide an acoustic barrier between rooms. In the preferred form, the turntable door is powered for driven movement between open and closed positions which can vary according to the specific rotational position of the turntable.

Abstract: An automobile glazing pane, ready for installation, is pre-equipped with a mounting frame of an elastomer. The mounting frame is disposed only on the side of the glass pane facing towards the fixing flange of the window frame, without engaging around the edge of the glass pane and is bonded to the glass pane. It possesses a mounting groove for the clamped fixing of the pre-equipped glass pane to the fixing flange of the window pane.

Abstract: A domed ceiling structure for attachment to an elevated support. The ceiling structure includes a peripheral frame member which is attachable to the support frame, and a plurality of arcuate support members, each of which has first and second ends, an upper surface, and an under surface. The first ends of the support members are attached to the frame member in a manner wherein the second ends extend to a common area and the under surfaces collectively define a dome shaped support surface to which a layer of finishing material may be applied.

Abstract: A set of complementary block units suitable for wall construction includes a first block unit of cylindrical contour (e.g., circular, elliptical, hexagonal) and a plurality of interstitial block units for interfacing and supporting the circular or elliptical block units when arranged in a suitable pattern. Each block unit may include a peripheral groove or ridge suitable for receiving grouting. The blocks are formed with surfaces having complementary shaped edges, such that any one of a plurality of interstitial block units will interface with any cylindrical block unit of a set. Three configurations of interstitial units enable combination with cylindrical units in edge, corner and internal positions within a wall or window structure.

Abstract: Building walls are mounted to the frame of a building by using a plurality vibration absorbers, and therefore vibrations to the building are barely transmitted to the walls. The occurrence of cracks and breaks in external walls due to vibrations can be suppressed as much as possible, especially because the second vibration-absorbing material of the vibration absorber which is inserted into the mounting holes of the top and bottom mounting fixtures in the frame, and the first vibration-absorbing material which makes contact with the surface of external walls both have seismic isolation functions against vibrations from all directions such as horizontal, vertical, and diagonal. Secondary injury to persons and damage to objects due to breaks, and falling pieces, in external walls can be reduced. An independent seismic isolation function to each external wall mounted in each space of a frame is created.

Abstract: A ribbed metal floor deck for the erection of steel/concrete composite slabs has a cross-section with polygonal ribs. The polygonal ribs exhibit arrises. The ribbed metal floor deck includes non-stripping localized deformations, formed in the arrises of the polygonal ribs. The non-stripping localized deformations have a cross-section of a reentrant shape making the deck non-demolding when embedded in the concrete of the composite slab.

Abstract: A fire curtain has its top fixed to a top framework of a building, the frwork including arrangements for spraying a fluid onto the curtain having two walls fastened together along its bottom and its vertical sides. The fluid spraying arrangements spray at least one interior face of one wall with the fluid.

Abstract: A cabinet having a wall comprising an inner wall and an outer wall attached to the inner wall. A strengthening piece or material is positioned between the inner wall and the outer wall to provide strength and rigidity to the wall. Preferably, the strengthening piece or material has a honeycomb structure.

Abstract: The invention provides a building component including first and second high density foam panels each having inner and outer surfaces, top and bottom, and first and second ends, the panels arranged in spaced parallel relationship with their inner surfaces facing each other, and at least two bridging members extending between and through and molded into the panel members. Each bridging member includes a pair of elongated end plates oriented vertically and abutting against the outer surfaces of the panels; a thin narrow strip member joining the mid-areas of the end plates; a series of first narrow bracing members extending from positions adjacent a mid-point of the narrow strip member to positions spaced a short distance from the ends of the end plates; and a series of second narrow bracing members extending from positions on the first bracing members to positions on the strip member intermediate the plates and the mid-point of the strip member.

Abstract: A structural beam (10,20) including a plurality of transversely extending discrete timber pieces (12) arranged in alignment, each timber piece (12) having opposed parallel faces which abut with equivalent faces of adjacent pieces, aligned apertures being formed in the pieces and a longitudinally extending prestressing cable (14) passing through the aligned apertures under tension so as to press the aligned pieces together.

Abstract: A web-reinforced wood joist defines a top edge surface, a bottom edge surface opposite to the top edge surface, a first lateral web surface, and a second lateral web surface opposite to the first lateral web surface. A longitudinal metal reinforcement is applied to at least one of the first and second lateral web surfaces. This metal reinforcement includes at least one sheet metal strip formed with integral teeth distributed at predetermined intervals along the entire length thereof and driven into the wood to fixedly secure the metal reinforcement to the joist's wood. This web-reinforcing method is suitable to reinforce any type of elongated structural wood members to improve their strength in bending, direct tension, direct compression, direct shearing and any combination thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a soft and compliant spacer body wherein the body is provided with modified substrate engaging surfaces to accommodate transverse dimensional changes when the spacer is bent about a corner or otherwise flexed in an insulated assembly. In one embodiment, the corners are cut to reduce the thickness of the strip as the same is bent or flexed about a corner. Other embodiments are disclosed. The advantage is that when the transverse dimension is maintained relatively constant about the bent corner, the result is a more effective seal between the substrate engaging surfaces and the substrates. This is augmented by the use of cellular materials and selected sealants to provide multiple sealing surfaces in a high efficiency spacer body.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a block or brick drywall construction which simulates a mortared block or brick wall construction by the use of simulated horizontal mortar layer inserts between stacked rows of blocks and vertical inserts between abutting ends of blocks in each row, the horizontal layer insert being in the form of a belt provided with longitudinally spaced holes which coincide with vertical holes Provided in the blocks and the abutment spaces between blocks, there being short pins passing through the holes of the belt layer and penetrating into the coinciding holes in the building blocks lying immediately above and below the belt, each belt layer being used in conjunction with a separate set of pins, the belt layer being substantially non-compressible whereas the vertical inserts are somewhat resilient in order to facilitate some longitudinal adjustment in the placement of blocks in abutting relationship.

Abstract: Simulated beam construction which has a central elongated I-beam member having opposing ends for connecting to opposing side panel members. The side panel members each have opposing lateral ends and later elongate panels extending between the lateral ends so as to enclose the central elongate I-beam. Flanged grooves on the lateral ends for sliding attachment to the lateral panels. The simulated wood beam construction has an I-beam member which is an elongate member, that when viewed in cross-section, has flanges or flanged slots on each opposite end for co-operative engagement with the opposing panel member. As an alternate embodiment it may be preferable to construct the I-beam of two substantial identical elongate members, fastened one to the other.