Abstract: A breakaway mechanism for supporting a non-contact tool to protect the tool in the event of an inadvertent collision includes a non-redundant locating system to establish precise tool repositioning and a magnetic holding device to retain the tool in its operative attached position. The non-redundant locating system assures initial mounting and relocating after breakaway which is immune from inaccuracies resulting from manufacturing tolerances and the magnetic mounting device permits breakaway separation free from any mechanical restraint. The invention is particularly suitable for use on an automatic metal cutting torch, but may be applied to many non-contact tools which are positioned and operated by computer or robotic control.

Abstract: A combination post card mailer and display easel formed from a die-cut blank. The card and easel have an easel portion, an address and message portion, and a display portion, the latter typically containing an attractive color photo. The address and message portion is separably attached to the display portion. The easel portion is foldable over the display portion, and the address and message portion is in turn foldable over the superposed easel portion and separably held thereon. The arrangement is such that the consumer can purchase the post card in a flat, folded condition which largely resembles the configuration of a conventional post card, but which has provision for enabling the recipient to easily tear off the message and address portion and retain the decorative display portion and attached easel portion. The latter in turn can be folded along pre-creased fold lines, to form a stand.

Abstract: A Christmas tree stand vertically mounts a cylindrical tube from the bottom of a water container and so that it extends from the top thereof. An inflatable cylindrical bladder is mounted lengthwise to the inside of the tube. The stand is mounted on the trunk of a horizontal tree by inserting its bladder thereon and then inflating the bladder to tightly engage the trunk and center on it. The tree is then uprighted. Leveling screws in the bottom of the stand permit compensating for unlevel room floors and crooked trunks. A container for water about the tube adds ballast and provides life sustaining liquid to the tree trunk through holes in the bottom of the cylinder and in an upwardly concave plate in the bottom of the cylinder supporting the trunk in spaced relation to the container floor.

Abstract: A pivoting mailbx post is provided having a mailbox support arm that can be pivoted 360 degrees and easily returned to its normal resting position. It has an adjustment nut that allows increased tension on mailbox support arm for various weather conditions. At all times the support arm is maintained in a horizontal position and does not tilt. The homeowner can swing support arm completely around to empty contents without venturing into the street and traffic. This invention can be easily assembled and transported by the majority of homeowners. The pivoting mailbox will also have the ability to have damaged parts replaced.

Abstract: An astronaut's work station for performing experiments or other work in space is designed for use under the conditions of open space on board space vehicles by an astronaut in a spacesuit, using a system of hardware, for instance electron beam, which it accommodates, as well as samples of materials to be worked on, located in a replaceable samples module. The work station is fastened on the outer surface of a long-term orbital space station of the MIR type, or in the cargo bay of a cargo reusable space vehicle of the Shuttle type. The work station comprises a frame containing a base with a foot rail, a hand rail with a holder, a seat with latches for locking-in the replaceable samples module, and an astronaut's sliding foot restraint which moves over the foot rail.

Abstract: A hold down incorporating a mounting plate configured with a downwardly opening recess and an elevated retainer collar configured with an aperture. A swivel is configured with an enlarged-in-diameter retainer head received in such recess and an upwardly projecting pivot shank configured with a cross bore which receives a circular retainer ring having an outside diameter larger than such aperture so that such ring and the retainer head cooperate to positively lock the swivel to the mounting plate.

Abstract: A hinge and a reconfigurable ladder having at least one pair of hinges is disclosed. The ladder has stile sections connected together by the hinges. The hinges consist of two hinge members mountable to ends of respective stile sections. A hinge cover extends over and receives the hinge members which are pivotally connected to the cover. The hinge members are linked to each other to control the pivotal movement of the hinge member so that they both pivot in unison and to the same extend relative to the cover. The hinge members have locating apertures. A locking mechanism is cooperable with the locating apertures for locking the hinge members in a desired relative position to one another.

Abstract: A rack for storing rolls of material and for facilitating the removal of a portion of material from the roll is described. The rack comprises a substantially rectangular frame comprising a top transverse member, a pair of substantially parallel vertical members, and a bottom transverse member; a number of paired sets of spindles mounting along the vertical members of the frame for mounting a number of rolls of material horizontally within the frame; a platform extending horizontally between the vertical members, the platform movably mounted to a front surface of the vertical members; and platform securing means to secure the platform at a vertical position adjacent to any one of the roll mounting means. The roll of material is mounted between the spindles. Typically, one of the spindles is spring loaded to facilitate the mounting of the roll material to the spindles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a retractable lifeline safety device in which the side of the housing thereof comprises at least two extruded metal housing member which are connected to form the side of the housing. The present invention also provides a retractable lifeline safety device comprising a roller disposed in housing to reduce friction and abrasion. The present invention further provides a retractable lifeline safety device comprising a pawl clip means for maintaining the pawl adjacent the drum flange. The present invention also provides a ratchet brake assembly comprising abutment means extending radially outward therefrom to abut the housing and prevent rotation of the ratchet brake assembly relative to the housing. The present invention also provides retractable lifeline safety device comprising a drum assembly in which the drum flanges are removable from the drum hub to facilitate changes in the lifeline type.

Abstract: The screen of a computer monitor is surrounded by a generally rectangular monitor housing frame portion having an outer peripheral side edge disposed generally perpendicularly to the screen, and a rear side edge area disposed generally parallel to the screen. A mounting groove is formed in and extends continuously around the peripheral frame side edge, and a spaced series of mounting holes extend around the length of the rear side edge area. A computer peripheral device has a body portion from which a spline outwardly projects, and a mounting flange portion with a spaced pair of holes formed therein and alignable with a selected pair of the frame mounting holes. The peripheral device may be removably mounted on a selectively variable position on the screen frame portion by inserting the spline into the frame groove and inserting suitable fastening members inwardly through the mounting flange holes and into the frame mounting holes aligned therewith.

Abstract: A product display grid system including a grid and various product hangers. The grid is comprised of spaced vertical and spaced horizontal members. The product hangers such as shelves, cups, hook and trays have attachment members that secure the product hangers to the horizontal elongate members of the grid. The product hangers support and display the products.

Abstract: A hand rest device having a horizontally oriented base and a hand rest surface supported above the base by a hole and peg arrangement. The peg, hole or both may be skewed from normal so as to allow the hand rest surface to vary its attitude by rotation of the rest about the base. The base is attached to a data entry device such as an electronic mouse or keyboard by a strap of adjustable length so that the space between the entry device and the hand rest device may be varied.

Abstract: Adaptors and devices for displaying decorative finials. The adaptors and devices of the invention include devices for engaging various table lamps and other utilitarian objects, including table lamps having clip-on lamp shades and European standard table lamps, to extend the visual benefits of decorative finials beyond the application of a single finial atop an American standard table lamp.

Abstract: A paralleling device comprises a thin sheet of material which is adapted to support a bubble level and be removably attached to a hanging wall article. The paralleling device can be used to parallel a wall article to be hung with the surface of an adjacent piece of furniture.

Abstract: An extension ladder comprises a base section comprising a first base rail, a second base rail in spaced relationship and in parallel with the first base rail, and at least a first base rung connected to the first base rail and the second base rail. The extension ladder also comprises a fly section slidably connected to the base section. The fly section comprises a first fly rail, a second fly rail in spaced relationship and in parallel with the first fly rail, at least a first fly rung connected to the first fly rail and the second fly rail, a first combination end cap/guide bracket connected to the bottom of the first fly rail, and a second combination end cap/guide bracket connected to the bottom of the second fly rail. Each end cap/guide bracket is one continuous piece. The first fly rail is adjacent to and in parallel with and in spaced relationship with said first base rail. The second fly rail is adjacent to and in parallel with and in spaced relationship with said second base rail.

Abstract: A sawhorse apparatus and a method of constructing a sawhorse is provided. The sawhorse apparatus comprises a horizontal top rail, support legs, lower leg members and a pair of diagonal brace members. The support legs may be notched at upper ends thereof to receive the top rail between opposing support leg members. The legs are firmly secured to the top rail. Opposing legs are interconnected at their lower ends by lower leg members. Diagonal braces extend from the top rail to the lower leg members to further support the top rail. The lower ends of the diagonal braces can be notched to receive the lower leg members. Additionally, the diagonal braces cross over each other, extending from one side of the top rail to the lower leg members at the opposite side of the sawhorse. The method includes appropriately notching the support legs to receive the rail and the diagonal brace members to receive the lower leg support members.

Abstract: A hanger assembly for suspending a wheelbarrow along a wall and above a floor includes a hook mounted on the wall at a height from the floor at which it will engage a lip on the wheelbarrow bed without the lip's being lifted manually which it will support the wheelbarrow above the floor when the wheelbarrow is tilted around he hook as a fulcrum toward the wall. An upper hook is mounted on the wall above the lower hook. The upper hook is mounted for rotation away from the wheelbarrow lip to permit the lip to move between the upper hook and the wall and for rotation toward the lip to engage the lip to retain the wheelbarrow in its wall mounted position until the upper hook is rotated manually to release the lip.

Abstract: A non-obstructive tool holder which holds tools on a free-standing ladder, e.g. a step-ladder. The tool holder is configured so avoid obstruction of normal use of the free-standing ladder. The tool holder has a skirt including a front side sheet, a rear side sheet, a left side sheet, and a right side sheet connected together at sides thereof to form a generally tubular structure having a top opening and a bottom opening. The skirt narrows towards the top thereof. The front side sheet, the rear side sheet, the right side sheet, and the left side sheet each are made of a substantially flat but flexible material. The sides include pockets, and/or other supports, for holding tools. The top opening exposes the top platform of the ladder. A handle extends across the top opening, the bottom of the handle rests on the top platform of the free-standing ladder so that the top platform will remain unobstructed in normal use of the free-standing ladder.

Abstract: An apparatus for counterbalancing equipment incorporating an internal spring counterbalancing mechanism housed inside a hollow vertical column. A pair of arms, pivotally attached to the column, and pivotally attached to a pair of L-brackets on the outer end, form a parallelogram. Equipment such as lights, cameras, industrial or medical devices, can be attached to a mounting platform at the L-brackets. The column is attached to a base equipped with lockable wheels.Equipment of varying weights can be balanced by connecting a wire from the spring over a pulley, placed on top of the column, to a slidable connection on the parallelogram. By sliding the wire connection along the parallelogram, varying loads can be easily balanced. The hidden, internal spring-balancing mechanism, eliminates the need for cumbersome external counterweights, counter-boom extensions, or sand bags.The parallelogram can be locked at any position with a clamping mechanism.

Abstract: A mountable holder for hair appliances comprising a base which may be mounted to a door or a wall, appliance securing members selectively mounted in discrete locking positions allowing access to the hair appliances to be personalized ergonomically to the characteristics of the user.The present invention discloses a novel connecting system comprising male connectors and complementary female means for receiving which allow for angularly distinct locking positions relative to a securely positioned base.Moreover, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides a heat resistant tube or inner sleeve employed for the tube of an appliance securing member to safely contain the heated barrel of a curling iron.