Abstract: The traditional method of framing energy efficient Southwestern custom built homes entails the framing of an exterior wall and a second wall which is inside the exterior wall. All of this framing is done on site, and most frequently, in less than ideal weather conditions. It is more efficient to erect wall unit assemblies built in the controlled and more productive environment of a shop. A wall unit assembly is built with a multiplicity of double stud units each unit having an interior load bearing vertical stud, and an exterior upright stud, an upper connecting member extending laterally between top end portions of the interior and exterior studs, and a lower connecting member extending laterally between bottom end portions of the interior and the exterior studs. The studs and connecting members preferably are made from dimension lumber, and fastened together by connecting plates.

Abstract: A concealed joint construction system for installing and securing sheet material such as laminated plastic wall boards, plywood and the like for finishing off bathtub and/or shower walls, counter-tops and back-splashes, and the like. The joint construction system includes an extending channel attached to one wallboard via multiple teeth sunk into matching grooves cut out of the wallboards edge. An adjacent wallboard can be easily and quickly inserted into the extending channel and is secured by pressure flanges perforated from the wall of the channel. The joint construction system is easily installed, secure, and compact, and is completely invisible after installation.

Abstract: A seismic resistant equipment platform is provided which may be used to stabilize equipment during a seismic event or to provide selective seismic stability within a conventional raised floor. The disclosed seismic resistant equipment platform has an array of pedestals interconnected by equipment mounting plates. Each pedestal includes a base which is mounted to a subfloor, a column which is mounted to the base, and a pedestal head which is mounted to the column. Furthermore, each pedestal head is configured to accept a portion of an equipment mounting plate as well as various stringers which may be used to support conventional floor panels. The pedestals are constructed to have sufficient stiffness to operatively transfer the stiffness of the subfloor to equipment mounting plates interconnecting such pedestals.

Abstract: The invention is a scent-free wildlife blind. The blind has a room-like shelter having a door, a plurality of windows, a small vent near ground level, and a flexible tube extending from the top of the shelter to a height of approximately 30 feet from the ground. When the wind hits the shelter, the windspeed will be higher at the top of the tube than at the bottom vent. The pressure exerted by the wind on the air inside the shelter is inversely proportional to the wind speed. Therefore, the pressure difference will force air in through the bottom vent and out through the top of the tube, carrying the scent of the occupants out of the blind high enough so that nearby animals will not smell the occupants.

Abstract: A connector having a concave seat member for connecting a first building structural member to a second building structural member in conjunction with fasteners and an anchor member to resist forces on buildings imposed by earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and other similar cataclysmic forces. A connector constructed in accordance with the present invention consists of a concave seat member, formed with an opening for receiving an anchor member therethrough to attach the connector to a second building structural member such as a foundation, a first side member connected to the concave seat member, a second side member connected to the concave seat member, and a back member connected to the first and second side members. The back member attaches with fasteners to a first building structural member such as stud in a framed shear wall.

Abstract: A safety hole cover particularly useful in providing temporary protection for drilled and augured holes has a flange portion which is placed on the ground surrounding the hole. This flange portion has a circular opening through it; and the diameter of this opening is at least as great as the diameter of the largest hole to be covered by the hole cover. A domed housing fits over the opening in the flange, and telescoping cylindrical sections are located within the housing. The external diameters of the telescoping cylindrical sections are selected to correspond to the internal diameters of different holes with which the device is to be used. The lowermost (and smallest) cylindrical section has retractable fingers or spikes in it for extension outwardly from the side of the section to engage the side walls of a hole when the device is in place over the hole. The housing provides a visible indication of the presence of the device; and by locking the device in place, removal by vandals is inhibited.

Abstract: A folding walker includes a pair of side frames each of which includes front and rear legs spaced from each other and held together by upper and lower connecting members. At least one lateral cross bar connects the front legs of the side frames, and the connections between the cross bar and the side frames is pivotable to permit the side frames to be pivoted from open positions in which the side frames are substantially perpendicular to the lateral brace and collapsed positions in which the side frames are substantially parallel to the cross bar. Latches hold the side frames in the open positions or in an intermediate position, between the open and collapsed positions, in which the side frames are at an acute angle to the cross bar so that the side frames and the cross bar form a generally triangular configuration to facilitate use of the walker on stairs.

Abstract: A structural member having an elongated front panel with lateral ends. Side panels extend generally perpendicularly from the front panel at the lateral ends. Each of the side panels has a generally Z-shaped portion therein with a flange at the end of each side panel having a portion thereof extending in the same direction and generally parallel to the front panel. Each of the flanges have another portion generally parallel to the adjacent side panel, so that adjacent cooperating structural members are nestable with each other at the Z-shaped portions thereof with the flanges of nested side panels cooperating to form an interlocking construction. Reinforcing members are provided at the top and bottom of a plurality of nested structural panels, along with top and bottom plates.

Abstract: A wall patch for covering and draining an area of an interior foundation wall. The patch comprises a base member including a waterway profile having a longitudinally extending drain surface with at least one open end. The waterway lies between a pair of spaced-apart, upstanding curbs coextensive with the length of said drain surface. It is also preferred to provide a coextensive groove on the exposed surface of each curb to retain caulking compound for sealing the patch to the wall surface. The patch may be attached to the wall surface by means of conventional concrete screws.

Abstract: A dust and debris disposal system is adapted to be mounted in an opening formed in a floor, and is used in conjunction with a dust a debris gathering device such as a broom or a mop. A housing is fixed to a flat upper surface of the floor and includes an inclined debris ramp, a raised support shell joined to the debris ramp and a downwardly depending neck extending through the opening in the floor. The debris ramp is defined by a ramp inlet formed by a peripheral edge of the housing, a ramp rim located inwardly from the ramp inlet and provided with a pair of ends, and a pair of spaced ramp curbs. Each of the curbs extends inwardly and upwardly at an inclined angle with respect to the ramp inlet and intersects with one end of the ramp rim. The support shell is formed with a sweep ridge extending opposite the ramp rim and at an elevation above the ramp rim. The ramp rim, the sweep ridge and the housing define a dust and debris orifice in communication with the tubular neck.

Abstract: A building has a support structure fabricated by anchoring light weight, hollow, vertical steel posts into a pre-poured foundation, and then strengthening the posts by filling the hollow cavities with concrete. The structure provides the framework around which straw bales are stacked to produce insulated wall cores for the building. The posts, which are sized to support the ceilings and roof trusses, are square in cross section and are positioned on a foundation so that the faces of the posts form 45 degree angles with the edges of the foundation slab. The center of the end faces of those straw bales that are in contact with a post are triangularly notched so that the corner of the post mates with the notch, allowing the longitudinal edge face of the bale to lie along the direction of the slab edge. Posts are not located at the corners of the building, but are spaced at least a bale's length away from a corner.

Abstract: The invention is a prefabricated door assembly for installation in a roughed-in door frame. The assembly includes a pair of vertically extending door jambs having interengaging casings and a header unit spanning the upper ends of the door jambs. The header unit includes a header board or jamb having interengaging horizontal casings. Both horizontal and vertical casings have pin nails protruding from their tongue portions which engage the jambs lightly during transport and installation prior to final nailing in place. The assembly also includes L-shaped brackets affixed to the upper outer corners which join and fasten the vertical and horizontal jambs together. The assembly may be packaged as a kit, which may include hinges, shims and/or shimming hardware.

Abstract: Elongated extruded thermoplastic hollows structural components of rectilinear cross section formed for interlocking assembly for use in erecting a modular building on a supporting base, characterized in that each said component being a coextraction of a substrate including reprocessed plastic material and a thin smooth protecting thermoplastic skin covering wall surfaces of said component which are exposed when same is interlocking assembled with mating components, each said component being cored to provide a predetermined pattern of spaced holes along the length of the walls thereof which become internal walls when same in interlockingly assembled with mating components and the holes of mating components being in registration to provide internal flow passages therebetween with the corings providing a source of substrate reprocessed plastic feed stock.

Abstract: A concrete or other roofing tile is provided which simulates wood shake roofing, and which may be used in either a direct deck or batten configuration. The simulated wood shake configuration includes an angled cut portion by means of a butt treatment, and also includes the use of an elongate medial slot which has a rectangular configuration.

Abstract: A system for joining a first panel (2) and a second panel (3) overlying a support structure (4) comprising a retaining member (8) fixable to the support structure (4) and having a portion adapted to retain a side (6) of said first panel (2) and a cap member (9) configured substantially to enclose said retaining member (8), wherein said cap member (9) has an inwardly directed projection (14, 15) for retaining the cap member and wherein said cap member (9) is perforated.

Abstract: A play structure is provided for use in a playground or park. The play structure includes a wading pool containing a swing with an overhead water spray, a slide, a roof structure over the slide, a waterfall originating on the roof structure and cascading downward onto the slide, a climbing structure to allow access to the slide, a tunnel on rollers underneath the climbing structure, swinging rings with overhead water sprays, water spouts, and faucets for activating the water sprays and spouts.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an end connector for a cross tee for use in a suspended ceiling grid system. The end connector includes a front portion adapted to be inserted by a stab in motion into a vertical opening in a web of a main tee and a rear portion adapted to be attached to an end of a cross tee. The front portion has front, bottom and top edges with a first lock arrangement provided on a top edge of the front portion, the first lock region providing a connection between the end connector and a web of a main tee when the connector is inserted into an opening in a web of a main tee. The first lock arrangement extends angularly outwardly of the end connector and has a forward portion resiliently deflectable from its rest position to pass through an opening in a web of a main tee and then spring back to its rest position. A web containing area is located rearwardly of the forward portion for containing a web of a main tee and a stop surface is located rearwardly of the web containing area.

Abstract: A panel for use in the construction of walls. The panel is preferably about 2' high and 10' long with a thickness of approximately 4". An upper pair of grooves is formed longitudinally near the top and another pair formed longitudinally near the bottom. A metal C-shaped reinforcing member is held by these grooves over the top and bottom of the rectangular panel to reinforce the same. Preferably the top and bottom are slightly beveled so that when one panel is placed with its top adjacent the bottom of a superior panel, a slight depression is formed which may be readily filled with a grout to provide a smooth upper surface. The panel is particularly useful in conjunction with spaced fence posts which have grooves to permit the panel to be slid in between two adjacent posts. After grouting, the entire fence or wall may be stuccoed to give it a smooth and attractive appearance.

Abstract: A window frame assembly including a weather resistant cladding structure having a telescopic expansion joint. The cladding, preferably made of PVC, has side jamb members which are hollow and which form telescoping members in conjunction with corner pieces or end caps which engage with the nose of the sill cladding. The window frame assembly is made up of wooden side jambs, a wooden upper jamb and a wooden sub sill to which the cladding structure is attached. The telescopic members having the expansion joint permit thermal contraction and expansion of the cladding structure relative to the wooden jamb and sill members.

Abstract: Cargo is covered by use of a tarp and a frame that extends over the tarp. A number of cords are connected to the tarp and a plurality of couplers interconnect the cords to the frame. The couplers releasably connect the tarp to the frame so that the tarp can be dropped onto the cargo once the frame is moved into a position over the cargo by, for example, a forklift. Preferably, the cords include free terminal end sections that can be pulled from ground level to disconnect the cords from the frame when desired, so that walking across the cargo can be avoided.