Abstract: A wheeled triple-leg walker includes an upright tube, two F-shaped armrest frames respectively turned about the upright tube, a stretcher bar having a first end pivoted to one armrest frame and a second end adjustably connected to the other armrest frame to maintain the contained angle defined between the armrest frames, three wheel assemblies respectively mounted on the armrest frames and the upright tube at a bottom side for supporting and moving the wheeled triple-leg walker on the ground, and two armrest pads respectively mounted on the armrest frames at a top side for supporting the user's forearms when the user moves the wheeled triple-leg walker and walks.

Abstract: A seating system having a plurality of seating sections in which the slope of the understructure thereof can be varied, the treads of the seating sections being pivotable to permit the riser height to vary so as to enable a single seating system to provide varying slopes and sight lines depending on the stadium/arena configuration. The treads are pivotable between low riser and high riser positions by the provision of lever arms movable between angular and upright positions and extending between the treads and the beams for supporting the treads in the high riser position on the upper surface of understructure beams. In the low riser position ends of the treads opposite their pivotal ends are supported on an adjacent tread.

Abstract: An easily constructed, highly secure, walk-in vault uses pre-cast panels. A door frame is molded into one of the panels. The panels have interlocking joints with adjacent panels. The interlocking joints are protected with continuous, double burglary-proof seams situated in the interior of the vault. Abutting panels are securely held together by metal rods that penetrate the interlocking joints.

Abstract: An improved walking aid tip that is easy to use and provides for better support on smooth or slippery surfaces. The tip combines the features of an enlarged base for better stability on sand and gravel, a combination of convex and flat base to provide support for the user when the walking aid is positioned at a wide variety of angles with the ground surface, where the user is walking or standing still, a base made of a non-flexible rubber material so that the cane does not wobble and become unstable when in use and so that the base does not crack easily and have to be replaced frequently, an enlarged rigid support member that entirely covers and supports the rubber base so that the cane is less apt to wobble and so that the base is less likely to crack and have to be replaced prematurely, and a socket, a threaded screw, and a threaded screw hole to allow for easy installation of the tip. The enlarged base also allows people who would normally have to use a more cumbersome quad cane (e.g.

Abstract: A building structure which simulates the appearance of a traditional log structure while incorporating modern wood framing construction techniques is disclosed. A number of interlocking log heads form the corner of the structure. Each log head abuts against a stud or post displaced a distance from the corner. Wall boards are affixed to extend horizontally over sheathing attached to studs and abut each log head. Small spaces between the wall boards are filled with a chinking element, which may be a wood strip covered with a suitable surface material to simulate actual chinking.

Abstract: A base is provided for the installation of tiled coverings on unprepared underlying substrates and a method for using the base. The base has two substantially parallel surfaces, openings to permit the introduction of mortar between the base and the underlying substrate, fastening points for the use of mechanical fasteners to attach the base to the underlying substrate, and fixed or adjustable spacers to keep the base in proper alignment with the underlying substrate. One or more curved edges may be added to accommodate curved-edged tiled coverings, interlocking segments may be added to provide additional lateral support and a ledge may be added to assist in supporting the tiled coverings or for leveling purposes. Mortar may be introduced into the space between the lower surface of the base and the underlying substrate through openings in the base and the tiled coverings are attached to the mortar presented at the openings.

Abstract: A decorative face plate and modular retaining wall block combination is presented that allows the decorative face plate to be removably attached to a front face of the wall block. Each face plate is manufactured so that one or more face plates will cover the front face of the modular block. The block itself has a front face with at least one flat surface on which the face plates can be attached. Various mechanical attachment mechanisms for attaching the face plates to the modular retaining block are presented. In one embodiment, a matching pair of positive locking, reclosable fasteners are used, with one member of the pair attached to the block and the other member to the face plate. The reclosable fasteners preferably have interlocking stems with mushroom shaped heads. The reclosable fastener attached to the block can be situated in a recess found on the flat surface. Alternatively, the face plate can be attached to the modular wall block through a magnetic snap, interlocking clips or hook and loop tape.

Abstract: A retractable, stairs-like stand includes plural steps of floor-bases which are moved horizontally between the advanced position where the floor-bases are mutually shifted into a form of stairs and the retracted position where the floor-bases are mutually lined up along the vertical direction, and plural seats fitted onto the floor-bases. The front portions of the respective floor-bases are equipped with parallel link mechanism for parallel moving the seat sections of the seats back and forth between the use-position where the seat sections of the seats are spaced from the floor-bases and the descent position where the seat sections of the seats are adjacent the floor-bases. Fastening mechanisms are disposed for selectively fixing the seat sections to the use-position and the fastening position where releasing the sections from the use-position.

Abstract: A new and useful apparatus for use in the installation of a composite building panel. The apparatus comprises a corrugated member adapted to be adhered to the panel to form a back face of the panel when so adhered, anchor integral with the corrugated member and extending longitudinally from an upper portion of the corrugated member and lock integral with the corrugated member and extending longitudinally from a bottom portion of the corrugated member. The lock engageable with the anchor of an adjacent panel has the corrugated member as a back face.

Abstract: A hinged support structure (30) is employed between a stationary beam of a building structure and a hinged roof portion. The hinged support structure (30) includes two support legs (34, 36) hinged together by a double hinge center bracket (38). The other end of the support legs (34, 36) are each coupled to a respective end bracket (40, 42) that allows pivotal motion of the support legs (34, 36) about two axes. A horizontal force is applied at the double hinged center bracket (38) by a cable to thereby move the support legs (34, 36) vertically apart, thus raising the hinged roof. Each of a plurality of hinged support structures (30) are fixed in the fully deployed position to thereby form a part of the permanent support structure between the hinged roof and the fixed beam.

Abstract: A portable basketball goal support system having a base, a ballast tank, and an arm for supporting a basketball goal support pole can be assembled in a compact configuration for shipping or storage and an expanded configuration for use. The support pole is mounted at a rear portion of the base and angled forward in the expanded configuration. In the expanded configuration, the ballast tank extends at least partially behind the support pole, while in the compact configuration, the ballast tank may be nested within portion of the base, thereby occupying less space. The support pole may be formed with a generally "pear"-shaped cross section defined by large and small curved portions connected by relatively straight sections, such that the large curved portion readily adapts to existing mounting hardware. One or more of the base, ballast tank, and support arm may be formed from plastic with a printed graphics sheet integrally molded therewith.

Abstract: An adjustable, fastenerless modular shutter includes a pair of side rails, at least one shutter panel and a pair of end rails. A center rail can be provided. The side rails and end rails are mutually connected to form a frame for holding one or more shutter panels and center rails. Each end rails and the center rail has a front wall and a pair of runner portions having locking portions. The locking portions are slidably receivable in the pair of side rails and include interferingly, frictionally engaging projections for engaging the side rails to resist separation of the end rails from the side rails during assembly of the shutter. The side rails include front inwardly directed lips which assist in retaining the shutter panelis), the center rail and the end rails, particularly the runner portions. The end rails and the center rail include front surfaces raised from their respective runner portions to be planar with front surfaces of the side rails when the shutter is assembled.

Abstract: A tiered or platform-type seating unit which, when in a collapsed storage position, can be oriented in an upright position and is provided with support rollers which enable it to be moved about, including permitting passage through doorways. When in use, the unit is vertically rotated 90.degree. to position load-bearing rollers thereof in engagement with a floor. The platform unit includes a base platform having a first raised seating tier fixedly associated along one edge thereof. A second seating tier is positioned adjacent the opposite edge thereof. This second tier is movable from a lower position into an upper position so that this second tier is at an elevation above and spaced rearwardly from the first tier, there being an intermediate aisle therebetween. This aisle stores therein, when the unit is collapsed, a pair of removable platforms which are locked between the first and second tiers when the second tier is collapsed.

Abstract: A structural panel (20) for a prefabricated building includes a plurality of spaced, generally side-by-side tubular columns (22-28), a header and a footer (36, 38) each interconnecting the respective ends (30,32) of the columns (22-28), and a plurality of spaced, tubular cross members (40,42) interconnecting the columns (22-28) along at least one of the column sides (34). In preferred forms, the panel (20) has two end columns (22, 24) and two intermediate columns (26, 28), and the cross members (40, 42) are arranged in pairs positioned on opposite sided (34) of the columns (22-28) in registry with each other. Each cross member (40, 42) runs generally transverse to the columns (22-28) and presents a length that is not less than the distance between the two end columns (22, 24). Advantageously, the tubular columns (22-28), header and footer (36, 38) and cross members (40, 42) are comprised of sheet metal formed to present a generally rectangular cross section.

Abstract: An artificial shake type shingle is comprised of a molded composite of wood or cellulose particles and ground-up recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC) particles. The PVC particles are preferably formed from recycled water or garden hose, preferably those with reinforcing fibers therein, which composition helps to attain a strong building material product.

Abstract: An enlarged and weighted tip for replacing a multi-pod tip of a cane and for receiving a lower end of the cane and for allowing the cane to stand by itself. The tip includes a body portion that is shaped like a frustrum of substantially a pyramid. The body portion has a cavity therein that is disk-shaped and is disposed axially between the bore in the top surface of the body portion and the base of the body portion, parallel thereto. The tip further includes a plate that completely fills the cavity in the body portion and provides structural integrity, prevents rupturing of the base of the body portion caused by weight bearing on the cane tending to push it downwardly, and which adds sufficient weight to lower the center of gravity enabling the cane to stand by itself.

Abstract: A demountable floor-to-ceiling wall for subdividing a building work space comprises a first core panel including two parallel spaced-apart and substantially identical side faces in mutual horizontal registry. Each core panel has a panel periphery with a top edge, a bottom edge, and at least two side edges and an outwardly facing channel therein. A first core panel is vertically oriented and positioned to be supported by the building floor. A second core panel of substantially identical construction as the first core panel is vertically stacked upon and substantially co-planar with the first core panel. The first and second core panels extend from the floor toward the ceiling and are secured in a generally upright vertical orientation. A panel connector bar is interposed between the first and second core panels.

Abstract: A structural block has a body which is yieldable in a transverse direction; and a plurality of reinforcing elements provided on the body and extending in a vertical direction, so that loads applied in a vertical direction are adequately taken by said reinforcing elements, while under the action of transverse forces the body can yield and therefore the whole structural element can yield.

Abstract: A floor structure for a manufactured building is formed of a steel I-beam frame having a horizontal upper surface to which is secured a plurality of adjacent composite floor panels. Each panel is formed of a resin impregnated, kraft paper, honeycomb core or inner section having opposed faces and a continuous outer periphery; a wooden frame about the periphery of the honeycomb core; and full hard steel skins secured to opposite sides of the frame and across opposed faces of the honeycomb core. The floor structure can further polyurethane foam insulation panels spaced beneath, and parallel to, the floor panels, and supported by brackets attached to the steel frame and to floor panels, brackets to secure the structure to ground anchors, and conductive tape to ground the panel surfaces.

Abstract: A locking manhole cover which may be made of lighter weight material than conventional iron or steel manhole covers has a cover plate dimensioned to fit over a manhole opening. A cylindrical frame is attached to the underside of the cover plate and extends downwardly into the hole when the cover plate is in place. Diametrically opposed apertures are located in the side of the frame; and movable locking members are hingedly attached to the frame adjacent the apertures for pivotal movement through the apertures from a location within the frame to a location where a portion of the locking members engage the sides of the manhole in which the device is located. An operator is mounted inside the frame for effecting the pivotal movement of the locking members by means of an interacting cam or gear arrangement.