Abstract: A device for holding a flap door to a horizontal open position under a locked condition can reduce any undesired load that may be applied to the flap door when it is unlocked so that the latter can be opened softly and lightly to avoid tear and wear of the related components and prolong the service life. A bracket 6 is rigidly fitted to a cut-out section 5 of the front edge of the top plate 2 of a hollow body 1 and then the inner cylinder 9a of a damper 9 is rigidly secured to the bracket. As the outer sleeve 9b of the damper 9 is rigidly secured to the flap door 18 by way of a slide rail assembly 19, the flap door 18 is turned open as the outer sleeve 9a of the damper 9 is rotated until a roller pin 11 slidably fitted to the bracket 6 and urged forward by a spring 16 comes into engagement with an oblong notch 10 arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the outer sleeve 9b of the damper 9, when the flap door 18 is in the horizontal open position and locked there.

Abstract: A door hinge with an integrated locking device for yielding positioning of a door at predetermined angles relative to a frame of a motor vehicle comprising: a first hinge part having a base part, a bending spring with three U-shaped sections mounted on the base plate of the first hinge part, a second door-side hinge part having rotatably disposed rollers thereon and wherein the rollers deform the bending spring when the second hinge part is swivelled relative to the first hinge part.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a hinge assembly for pivotably interconnecting a frame and a glass door of a refrigerated display case. The hinge assembly is pivotable about a horizontal axis and includes a hinge movable between a first position and a second position. The hinge includes a spring biasing device for biasing the hinge to the first position or second position. A clamp is connected to the hinge and holds the glass door using only frictional force.

Abstract: A matclip for easily securing a floor carpet and for preventing displacement of a floor mat which is laid on the floor carpet. The matclip is comprised of a base plate mounted on a floor carpet laid on a vehicle floor panel; a foldable leg which extends from a lower surface of the base plate and which is inserted into a through-hole defined in the floor carpet so as to easily secure the matclip to the floor carpet; a connecting plate provided at the lower end of the leg; a projection extending vertically upwardly toward the base plate from the connecting plate; a pair of engaging devices provided at a base portion of the leg for engaging the projection when the leg is folded; and a cylindrical engaging column extending vertically provided upwardly from an upper surface of the base plate and fixedly engaging a hole of the floor mat to prevent displacement thereof.

Abstract: A fastening system for attaching handgrips to a household item, such as a piece of cookware. The handgrip includes a recess at one end into which a connecting spring is inserted. Apertures in the handgrip extend from the outside surface of the handgrip to the recess, and the spring is capable of being pre-assembled in the recess prior to attachment of the handgrip to the household item. Pre-assembly of the spring is achieved by lightly compressing the spring against sloping ribs formed in the recess, and engagement of the ends of the spring in the apertures. Attachment of the handgrip to the household item is accomplished when the spring is deflected into gripping engagement with a brace rigidly attached to the outside surface of the household item. By extending a tool through the apertures, the handgrip may be removed from the household item.

Abstract: A torque hinge 20 includes a shaft 14 surrounded with a coating 22 fixed to the shaft 14. The coated shaft 18 fits within a housing cavity 26 such that the coated shaft 18 is in frictional contact with the housing cavity 26. The frictional contact provides sufficient torque to torque hinge 20 to provide constant resistance through the torque hinge's entire range of motion.

Abstract: An articulated caster is described which provides a base having more than two casters attached thereto and disposed radially away from the approximate geometric center of the base. A pivot arm includes a pivot housing for receiving and maintaining a pivot ball therein. The pivot housing and pivot ball respectively each are provided with a pivot housing hole and a pivot ball hole which align together when the pivot ball is correctly disposed within the pivot housing. The pivot arm is pivotally attached to the base about a point that is disposed within the pivot ball by a shaft passing through the pivot ball hole, the pivot housing hole, and a pair of holes formed in opposing side walls of the base. According to a preferred modification, an angled slot is provided that is disposed in at least one side of the pivot housing having a width approximately equal to the diameter of the pivot ball hole.

Abstract: Apparatus for bending a lithographic plate having an image thereon, comprising an inspection system for (a) inspecting a plate held on a table at an inspection station, (b) determining the extent to which the plate needs to be adjusted relative to a predetermined reference position, and (c) generating a signal indicative of any such adjustment. A first positioning mechanism responsive to the signal automatically moves the table to position a plate on the table for a bending operation.

Abstract: A portable electronic apparatus of the present invention has a body portion with a keyboard on a front upper part thereof, and a display portion which is connected to a higher position at the rear of the body portion through a hinge portion such that the display portion is folded down and pulled up with respect to the body portion. The display portion is provided with a large-sized display screen such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) on a front surface thereof.

Abstract: A flush hinge for pivotally connecting a door to an adjacent wall wherein first and second hinge members are connected by a pintle to move about a pivot axis. The pivot axis is substantially centered in the width dimension of each of the first and second knuckle portions and an inside face of each knuckle portions forms a stop face for the door or wall to position them inside the pivot axis so the ends of the hinge members remain in close proximity as the first hinge member moves. The first and second hinge members have a tongue and groove fitting and stop faces that abut to hold the hinge member in both open and closed positions. In a first embodiment the pivot axis is substantially centered between adjacent edges of the door and walls with an inner face of the hinge being in the same plane as the door and wall to fill a gap therebetween. The first embodiment has a base portion that extends into a hollow wall support and fastens to the inside thereof.

Abstract: A refrigerator door hinge assembly including a refrigerator bracket and a door bracket, a first link pivotally connected to the refrigerator bracket and the door bracket, a second link pivotally connected to the refrigerator bracket and the door bracket, the distance between the pivot connections of the second link being greater than the distance between the pivot connections of the first link, each of the first and second links being located in different but parallel planes and include a surface which engages the inner wall of the door bracket when the door is in the closed position thereby maintaining the parallel relation between the door and the refrigerator.

Abstract: An extension pole is provided for use in handling and manipulating a tool head, such as a tree pruner or other selected implement. The pole comprises a base section and an extension section defining a mated pair of generally planar side faces retained in face-to-face relation by a first slide cuff secured to a distal end of the base section for slide-fit reception of the extension section, and a second slide cuff secured to a proximal end of the extension section for slide-fit reception of the base section. One or more lock keys are carried by one of the pole sections for key-lock engagement with a longitudinally extending pattern of detents formed in the side face of the other pole section. At least one band clamp is releasibly secured about the pole sections to retain the lock keys in engagement with the detent pattern, thereby releasibly locking the two pole sections in a selected position of longitudinal adjustment.

Abstract: A lighting fixture handle and adapter assembly for attaching a handle to a lighting fixture. The handle includes an elongate member and a shield having a central portion and two hinged side portions movable between a folded position and a use position in which the side portions are substantially aligned with the sides of the central portion. At least one of the handle and adapter includes a biasing element for biasing the shield in such a manner that side portions arranged in the folded position will be repositioned to the use position when the handle and the adapter are secured to one another.

Abstract: A hinge for mounting a door or like closure within a frame. The hinge comprises a first leaf pivotally coupled to a second leaf. The first leaf has a locating lug which interfits with a recess of the second leaf when the first and second leaves are at a predetermined angular disposition one to the other. This prevents a door mounted by the hinge from being removed from the frame even if the pin which pivotally couples the leaves together is forcibly removed. The first and second leaves are preferably coupled together by a coupling whereby the position of the second leaf relative to the axis of pivotal coupling can be selectively adjusted.

Abstract: A cabinet/furniture hinge with a snap-on device for quick assembly includes a hinge cup and a hinge arm, a cover clamp with an adjusting plate, and a fastening plate clamped on the base plate. Retainer surfaces formed on the front area of the fastening plate are releaseably engageable with corresponding surfaces of the base plate, and a resilient spring-biased tilted chute with a grip nose is located on a rear area of the fastening plate. For easy operation of the tilted chute, the grip nose of the tilted chute engages under a projection of the base plate and defines a space between the grip nose and a bottom edge of side projections formed on the base plate. In order to fix the fastening plate on the base plate, the fastening plate is provided with a centering socket which is closely fittingly engageable in a notch of the base plate.

Abstract: A handgrip for implements, utensils or tools, especially handtools and sporting implements, and particularly a screwdriver, has an elongated grip body formed at gripping regions engageable by the fingers or ball of a hand of a user with particles of inorganic or organic substances bonded to the grip.

Abstract: A hinge (1) for a door (6) of an electrical appliance, (for example a refrigerator, for use in particular where the appliance is built in) to be covered with a facing panel (7) is provided with structure for adjusting the position of the panel on the door. The hinge includes a first support member (2) attached to the body (4) of the appliance, a second support member (5) attached to the door (6) and the facing panel (7) and first and second connecting bars (9, 10) connecting said first and second support members to form a hinged quadrilateral therewith. The second support member also includes adjustment structure ( 16, 17) enabling adjustment of the horizontal and vertical position of the panel (7) relative to the door (6). The adjustable structure may be detachable from the hinge.

Abstract: A slide to be partially inserted under the floor contact portion of a heavy structure such that the structure can be easily slid a short distance. The slide is formed as a laminar assembly including a flat plate formed of an abrasion resistant lubric plastic material such as high molecular weight polyethylene and a non-slip pad formed of a natural or synthetic plastic material such as natural rubber. The rim of the slide not under the floor contact portion tends to bend upwardly so that the heavy structure slides easily over the floor while the pad keeps the heavy structure from sliding off the slide.

Abstract: A hinge includes a first hinge leaf unit which has a positioning plate secured to the upper housing of a portable computer, two pivot plates secured to two ends of the positioning plate, and two pivot holes formed through the pivot plates. A second hinge leaf unit is secured to the lower housing of the portable computer and has a pivot pin which extends through the pivot holes. A sleeve is sleeved tightly on the pivot pin and provide friction between the sleeve and the pivot pin to locate the upper housing at a selected position relative to the lower housing. A resisting unit includes first and second torsion springs which are sleeved tightly on the sleeve and which are connected respectively to the pivot plates. When the upper housing is turned downward, the first torsion spring provides a returning force to arrest downward movement of the upper housing and is tightened on the sleeve to allow the sleeve to rotate synchronously with the upper housing.

Abstract: A retainer for securing towels, garments, papers and the like to railings, fences, ground, etc. comprises two or more weight members spaced or separated by a generally flexible elongated connector which joins them together. Preferably, the weight members will be sac-like or pouch-like receptacles filled with loose pellets and connected together by nylon strap or webbing.