Abstract: A pipeline pig that is moved by pressurized gas flow and that provides for distribution of treating liquid subsisting in the lower portion of the pipeline, having a pig body with a nose cone at a foward end thereof, centralizers affixed to the pig body by which it is supported in the pipeline, a bypass passageway within the nose cone communicating with the pipeline interior, a siphon passageway within the nose cone communicating with a lower portion of the pipeline interior and therby with any liquid subsisting therein and having an outlet end, and a venturi in communication with the siphon passageway and the bypass passageway, gas flowing through the bypass passageway serving to draw liquid from the lower portion of the pipeline through the siphon passageway whereby the liquid is discharged form the siphon passageway outlet end onto ineterior surfaces of the pipeline.

Abstract: An applicator used to evenly apply liquid tire dressing to the entire outer sidewall of a tire. The applicator includes a pad that includes an elongated, concave, curved lower surface that is complementary in shape with a portion of the sidewall. The pad includes at least one beveled, concave lateral edge that enable the tire dressing to be applied evenly to the areas of the sidewall adjacent to the wheel hub and to the compressed shoulder area of the tire adjacent to the ground. The pad is attached to a rigid base that includes a rigid handle aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pad and rigid base and that allows the user to easily hold the applicator perpendicular to the sidewall and move the applicator in long broad strokes in a circular pattern around the sidewall of a tire. An optional holding tray is also provided that temporarily stores the applicator and prevents the tire dressing from drying out.

Abstract: An apparatus for assembling a post-CMP cleaning brush. The post-CMP cleaning brush is provided with a brush core and an outer brush, and the outer brush is provided with a hollow portion. The apparatus comprises a base, a fixed member, a sliding member, a plurality of posts, and an actuating device. The base holds the brush core and the outer brush, and the fixed member is disposed on the base. The sliding member is disposed on the base in a manner such that it is located at the opposite side of the fixed member relative to the outer brush disposed on the base. The posts, disposed on the sliding member, pass through the fixed member and the hollow portion of the outer brush so as to assist the brush core in passing through the hollow portion of the outer brush. The actuating device connects with the brush core so as to pass the brush core through the hollow portion of the outer brush and separate the posts, inserted into the outer brush, from the outer brush.

Abstract: A vehicle waxing/buffing appliance capable of having a removable/repositionable secondary handle. The appliance includes at least one adaptor to receive and hold the handle installed in the outer plastic molded housing. The user may install or reposition the handle as desired to help in both the efficiency of the operation and the comfort of the user.

Abstract: A windscreen wiper (14) assembly includes a wiper arm (12) and a windscreen wiper having a resiliently flexible elongate beam (18) which is curved in a plane. The assembly also includes a coupler (16) for coupling an end of the wiper arm (12) to the wiper (4) in such a manner that resilient bending movement of the beam in the plane of curvature along its full length is substantially allowed. The invention also relates to a coupler for a windscreen wiper assembly.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush is provided, which includes a first bristle part that can be made to execute a first, continuously repeating movement. An additional bristle part, connected to the first bristle part, can be made to execute a second, continuously repeating movement, which differs from the first movement of the first bristle part.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cleaning implement, preferably in the form of a roller mop, that includes a mop head, a shaft, and a wringer. The cleaning implement further includes a connecting link connected to the mop head and to the shaft or wringer. The mop head has a connecting side and a cleaning side thereby defining a mop axis, which axis is disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. The connecting link is positioned with respect to the mop head to permit the mop head to travel along a path substantially coextensive with the mop axis over at least a portion of the range of travel of the mop head.

Abstract: A cleaning and scouring brush generally made from a pair of twisted wire arms, each arm having a cleaning portion shaped to conform to the interior profile of an article to be cleaned. The portions are provided with a cleaning or scouring device such as a sponge, scrubber or bristles intended to clean or scour the interior surface of the article to be cleaned. The brush is also provided with a handle which rotates the cleaning portions with respect to one another about an axis in order to facilitate the entry and removal of the device from the article to be cleaned which generally has a relatively small opening into a relatively large interior volume.

Abstract: A brush for cleaning corrugated surfaces has a multiplicity of bristles extending across the width of an elongated body. The bottom ends of the bristles form a virtual surface complementary to the corrugated surface. The bristles include a first set of bristles positioned to engage the ridges of the corrugated surface and a second set of bristles positioned to extend into the grooves of the corrugated surface. The first set of bristles have a first hardness, and the second set of bristles have a second hardness harder than the first hardness. This provides greater cleaning action in the hard to clean bottom surface portions of the grooves.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating the surface of a floor includes a wheeled vehicle having a generally central vertical longitudinal plane. A lift unit is mounted on the wheeled vehicle and is capable of up and down movement in the central vertical longitudinal plane of the vehicle. A floor surface treating unit is carried by the lift unit generally underneath the lift unit and has an elongate head. The head has a pivotal connection with the lift unit for rotation of the head on a generally vertical pivot axis in the plane and generally at the center of length of the head for rotation of the head on the pivot axis to different angular positions with respect to the plane of the wheeled vehicle. A locking mechanism associated with the lift unit and the floor surface treating unit releasably locks the head in a selected angular position.

Abstract: The present invention is a personal hygiene device. Specifically, the invention is a back maintenance device comprised of a brush head attached to a variable length handle. The brush head is attached to at least one abrasive element. In an alternate embodiment, a second abrasive element is attached to the brush head. Abrasive elements include bristle and porous structures. The variable length handle is both extendible from and retractable into a storage cavity within the brush head. The variable length handle is telescoping. One embodiment consists of fixed length tubular members slidably disposed and extending to form a rigid handle structure. An alternate embodiment consists of a coiled member slidably disposed along its length and extending to form a rigid handle structure.

Abstract: Absorbent mop strands of a mop are held captive by a pair of walls in a sleeve at the terminal ends thereof after the sleeve is slid over a mop head. The mop strands are wrung dry by rotating the sleeve with respect to the handle of the mop. In another embodiment of the invention, a tubular member is disposed coaxially and rotatable about a sleeve. Mop strands caught in the passageway defined by a first pair of walls in the tubular member near the terminal ends of the mop strands are twisted with respect to the upper portion of the mop strands held captive by a second pair of walls in the sleeve near the distal end of the mop handle, resulting in a wringing action of the mop head. In another embodiment of the invention, a mop comprises a scrubber depending from a distal end of the sleeve mounted co-axially on the handle of the mop.

Abstract: The vibrating toothbrush includes a first arm portion with a brushhead mounted at a free end and a second arm portion joined by a hinge-like portion. The first and second arm portions have first and second natural resonant frequencies. A spring member connects the second arm portion to the first arm portion, and a solenoid actuator is also connected between the first and second arm portions. A contact switch assembly is responsive to a DC battery voltage such that when the switch is closed, the first arm portion is drawn in one direction by the actuator, which results in compression of the spring and opening of the switch, with the compressed spring moving the first arm portion in the opposing direction until the switch again closes, so that the brushhead moves back and forth with the opening and closing of the switch. A pressure feedback arrangement makes use of the spring element and a nodal mount which extends from the spring at a selected point therealong to the handle of the toothbrush.

Abstract: A system for determining when the brushhead portion of a power toothbrush should be replaced. The system includes a piezoelectric transducer for detecting oscillations of the brushhead. The piezoelectric transducer produces an output signal which is used to drive a counter which accumulates the total number of such oscillations. When the total number of oscillations reaches a preselected number, which is representative of typical use of the toothbrush for a predetermined amount of time, e.g. six months, a signal is produced which drives an alarm indicator, the action of which is recognizable by the user of the toothbrush.

Abstract: A copper pipe cleaning assembly has an interior cleaning member and an exterior cleaning member, which are easily joined or separated as required, depending on the area of the pipe to be cleaned.

Abstract: A soft soothing bath scrub is formed of a scrubbing layer, such as a a sponge layer, and a wash cloth layer. A stabilizing layer may be interposed, preferably by first attaching it to the underside of the sponge layer, and attaching the sponge layer to the wash cloth layer by intermittent fastening such as by stitches, through the wash cloth layer and into side edge of the sponge layer.

Abstract: A wheel cleaning apparatus for a wheelchair comprising a roller-assembly frame 50L which includes a first receiving roller 21L and a second receiving roller 22L which can do seesaw movement with respect to a rocking central axis shaft tube 53, and a restoring coil spring 68 for energizing the roller-assembly frame in a direction to relatively spring up the second receiving roller from the first receiving roller. When the front wheels T1 are to be separated from the apparatus, the second receiving roller 22L is pushed down and the first receiving roller 21L is sprung up, resulting in that it is easy for the front wheels T1 to climb over the step. Whereby the rear wheels are prevented from slipping off during cleaning, and it is easy for the front wheels to escape from the gap between the receiving rollers so that the load on the helper can be reduced.

Abstract: An automatic pool cleaner of the type having an elongated body (11) with an inlet, a flexible seal (32) mounted on an end of the elongated body to bear against the surface of the wall or floor of the pool, a flip-flop valve (25) positioned adjacent the inlet (21) of the elongated body (11) and capable of moving back and forth between two extreme positions for controlling the flow of water through the elongated body and in so doing producing a “water hammer effect” which acts on the automatic pool cleaner to propel it across the surface and wherein the flip-flop valve includes a substantially wedge shaped hammer (25) formed by two spaced substantially triangular sides interconnected by a central body narrower than the sides and a continuous end surface (61) connecting respective ends of the substantially triangular side pieces such that the hammer has continuous sides and cavities between the sides due to the central body being narrower than the sides, the continuous end surface (61) having indenta

Abstract: A wiper apparatus which sandwiches a strip plate 2 between upper and lower wiper rolls 3 and 4 to squeeze out a rolling oil adhering to the strip plate 2, wherein backup rolls 5, 6 for reinforcing the wiper rolls 3, 4 each have a single sleeve 14 rotatably supported by two bearings 13 on a roll shaft, and the bearings 13 on the upper and lower backup rolls 5 and 6 are disposed on the roll shafts with a shorter span than the barrel length of the sleeve, and in point symmetry. Thus, a contact linear pressure distribution of the wiper rolls 3, 4 on the strip plate 2 can be made uniform.

Abstract: An ergonomically-designed squeegee apparatus utilizes a substantially T-shaped body formed of a pair of hollow tube members, the laterally-extending tube member of the “T” frictionally mounting an easily removable and replaceable wiper blade member in substantially snap-fit engagement in an axial mounting slot, the longitudinally extending tube member of the “T” forming an arcuately curved handle member arranged for a comfortable and natural grasp by the hand of a user when the wiper blade member is positioned correctly for squeegeeing operations.