Abstract: So that in a tire cleaning apparatus for wheelchairs the tires of wheelchairs can be quickly and reliably cleaned without outside help, there is provided a cleaning apparatus which has at least two rollers which carry the wheelchair tires with the wheelchair, wherein at least one roller is drivable for rotating the tires or is switchable into a freewheel condition, and at least one cleaning device associated with at least one tire.

Abstract: A substrate supporting device has a turntable mounted on a rotary shaft for supporting a substrate and spinning the substrate about a vertical axis. The turntable is replaceable by a load measuring device including a load meter mounted on a support bracket having a tube attachable to the rotary shaft. The load meter receives a cleaning brush to measure a pressing load applied therefrom. The load meter has a pressure sensor with an upper surface thereof at an equal level to the surface of the substrate to be placed on the substrate supporting device. Thus, a pressure to be applied to the substrate is measured in the same position as where the substrate is actually treated.

Abstract: A novelty ice scraper has at least one beveled scraping edge and a serrated cutting edge. The device is about the size of a credit card but thicker to increase strength and durability. Preferably, the device is manufactured by laminating at least two plastic sheets together, cutting them to form, bevelling a scraping edge thereon, and providing a flattened tip along the beveled edges.

Abstract: The present invention is a cleaning device assembly for vehicle tires, including a disposable cleaning cartridge, a shell, a connecting arm, and means for securing the connecting arm to a vehicle. The cleaning cartridge fits snugly over a vehicle tires, and is adjustable to accommodate tires of various widths. The cartridge includes a bristle brush or sponge liner for removing debris from a tire, and is secured to the shell with an adhesive or other means. The shell is adjustable relative to the connecting arm, which is further adjustable relative to the vehicle on which the invention is mounted.

Abstract: Apparatus for the on-line treatment of chemical reagents, including a flow line for a reagent flow, a vortex mixer in the flow line for combining and mixing the reagent flow with at least one further reagent flow, a pulser in the flow line for causing the pulsing of the mixed flow from the vortex mixer, and a vessel having an array of vortex cells for receiving the pulsing mixed flow to cause development and growth of precipitate under narrow residence time distribution conditions. Flow lines mix a flow of reagents to initiate precipitation. The pulser pulses the admixed reagents and causes the pulsing mixed flow to swirl with a constantly reversing rotational flow to achieve development and growth of precipitate.

Abstract: This invention refers to improvements to an elastic plastic scrubber for the bath, which has one or more sections, each one being a tubular element, into which strings or pulls are inserted so that it is possible to rub one's entire back with little effort. A mop placed between two sections retains powdered soap, liquid soap or a tablet of solid soap, in such a way that the person using the scrubber can soap those areas of his body which are normally out of his reach. The method of manufacturing introduces a cylindrical post placed inside an elastic tube that will form the body of the scrubber. At the sides of the post and placed between the body and the post are one or two strings that when stretched out, will reduce the body's length and pleat the same to form a body called a "pumpkin".

Abstract: A woodworking tool includes an elongate hand grip. A scraper element is provided at one end of the hand grip and a spreader element at the other end of the hand grip. The spreader element is substantially more flexible than the scraper element so that each may alternatingly be used to prepare a wood surface for finishing by reversing the relative positions of the elements within the hand of the user.

Abstract: A device for the removal and controlled reduction of the amount of liquid remaining on a flat stock is provided. The device is provided for coacting with a moving section of elongated flat stock, such flat stock moving in a direction generally parallel to the opposing edges such as after rolling process. Liquid used for lubricating during forming of the flat stock is removed by a gas stream which flows across the film of moisture transverse to the direction of motion. The device comprises a plurality of exhaust chambers which are open toward the edge of the flat stock, each of the exhaust chambers always located between two adjacent rolls and formed jointly by the rolls in at least one housing unit. Included in the housing is an exhaust chamber and exhaust port for exhausting a stream of gas flowing across the direction of motion of the flat stock. The gas and atomized liquid caused by the gas is removed from the chamber through an exhaust port connection located opposite from the flat stock.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning the surface of a backing roll in a coater or a calender roll, wherein the roll is cleaned by spraying water on it and then scraping the water away from the surface or the roll with a doctor blade. Splashing of the water accumulating in front of the doctor blade is prevented by a rubber sheet extending down close to the tip of the blade, or alternatively, using a guide blade mounted in front of the doctor blade. The rubber sheet preceding the doctor blade isolates the water pond formed in front of the doctor blade from the surface of the roll, so that the rotational movement of the roll cannot induce turbulence and splashes.

Abstract: A sweeper device includes a rectangular head, a stick mounted on an upper surface of the head and a sweeping sheet detachably attached to cover a lower surface of the head. The head is provided along at least a pair of side walls extending transversely thereof with elastic side walls so that a sweeping sheet can be attached onto a bottom of the head in a tension state.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dual mode vacuum cleaner which can be used as both a canister mode cleaner and an upright mode cleaner. The cleaner can be easily converted from the canister mode to the upright mode or vice versa by simple handling. The cleaner has a body section including a pair of wheels, a dirt-collecting section for sucking air containing dirt, and a coupler assembly for detachably coupling the body section to the dirt-collecting section. In the cleaner, the conversion of the operating modes is achieved in the interior of the coupler assembly by the interaction of elements, so that elements do not protrude out of the coupler assembly, thereby giving the cleaner an improved external appearance. The coupler assembly has a firm internal structure so that the life span of the coupler assembly will be lengthened and its durability will improve.

Abstract: A toothbrush with a funnel-like catch basin that is coaxial in design and is mounted on the toothbrush's handle for capturing and trafficking excess water, toothpaste, and saliva into a hollow bore in the handle. A cap may be inserted in the hollow bore to temporarily confine the waste therein.

Abstract: A cleaning brush for scraping the interior of circular chimney flues and stove pipes. The brush has a central threaded rod from which blades radially project in a spiralled arrangement. The blades are just greater in length than the radius of the flue or stove pipe, and connect to the central rod by passing the rod through any one of a series of holes formed in the blade. The blades are adjusted for wear by passing the rod through a different hole. The blades are clamped into the spiral arrangement by being sandwiched between upper and lower washers secured by nuts to the rod. Each blade comprises two U-shaped thin metal members, which may be slats from a venetian blind, adhered back to back. The brush has a dust shield disposed beneath the blade assembly for suppressing passage of dust into living spaces. Optionally, the dust shield comprises a receptacle for retaining dislodged soot.

Abstract: A suction pipe assembly for a vacuum cleaner includes a suction pipe body and a brush member. The suction pipe body is provided with a distal open end portion. The brush member includes a brush base which has a generally U-shaped cross section, a rear section that straddles the distal open end portion of the pipe body and that has opposite lateral side portions pivoted respectively to two diametrically opposite positions of the distal open end portion of the pipe body, and a front section with a distal front end face. The brush member further includes a plurality of bristles provided on the front end face of the front section of the brush base. The brush base is pivotable with respect to the distal open end portion of the pipe body between a position of use, wherein the front section of the brush base extends frontwardly relative to the distal open end portion of the pipe body, and a storing position, wherein the front section of the brush base straddles the pipe body.

Abstract: A feed accelerator system for use in a centrifuge, the system comprising a conveyor hub rotatably mounted within a rotating bowl, the hub including an inside surface and an outside surface. At least one feed slurry passageway is disposed between the inside surface of conveyor hub and the outside surface of the conveyor hub, and at least one helical blade having a plurality of turns is mounted to the outside surface of the conveyor hub. A vane apparatus is associated with the passageway and is disposed between two adjacent turns of the helical blade. The vane apparatus may include an inwardly extending baffle and/or an outwardly extending accelerator vane. Alternatively, a U-shaped channel may be associated with the passageway, the U-shaped channel including a plurality partitions attached to the discharge end of such channel so as to form a plurality of discharge channels and a flow directing and overspeeding vane disposed within each channel, each vane having a different forward discharge angle.

Abstract: An ice scraping and snow removal tool that includes a cap shaped main body, a handle extending from an outwardly facing surface of the main body, a radially extending scraper edge portion that extends radially from an edge portion of the main body rim, and a plurality of serrated ice breaking teeth formed into the rim of the main body.

Abstract: A device for cleaning the tips of optical fibers which have been installed in a connector, such as a plug or a receptacle. The device includes a tool body having cleaning media therein, such as a strip of adhesive tape, and a latch for releasably attaching the connector to the tool body. The adhesive tape may be in the form of a roll on a supply spool. In the embodiment designed for a plug, the tool body has an appropriately shaped opening for receiving the plug, and push rods are provided with the tool body which contact the fibers and urge them towards a cleaning position. In the embodiment designed for a receptacle, the receptacle is modified by having a tilt arm which can move the fibers to the cleaning position, and the tool body includes features to actuate the tilt arm as the tool body is inserted into the receptacle. Alternate designs are presented in which the cleaning media is not located in the tool body, but is manually applied to the fibers.

Abstract: This invention relates to a soft/abrasive sponge, and more specifically to a sponge of the type that is used for cleaning any class of articles such as dishes, bathrooms, tiles etc., which combines in one body of any geometric shape one section of a soft surface, on the opposite section an extremely abrasive surface and on its peripheral sides a plurality of projecting salients which make up the rounded tips which provide the possibility to scrub places which only are penetrated with great difficulty by any other type of sponge when cleaning those areas.

Abstract: A shower back cleaner easily repositionable to optimally interface with the backs of each respective user of the shower, is composed generally, of a mounting rail, a mounting member for connecting the mounting rail to a shower wall, a base, a cleaning member (preferably in the form of a brush or sponge) which is connected with the base, and a cam means for connecting the base to the mounting rail wherein the base is slidable along the mounting rail and is affixable at any selected location along the mounting rail by a simple turn of the base in relation to the mounting rail The cam means is composed of a flanged slot formed in the mounting rail and a cam connected with the base. The cam is trappingly situated in the flanged slot.

Abstract: Improvement in a toothbrush (301), especially for the combined brushing of teeth and massaging of gums, comprising a plurality of toothbrush bristles attached at their one end to the head (302) of the toothbrush and having their other end extending freely from said head, the improvement comprising one or more inner rows or groups of bristles (303a, 303b) of ordinary cleaning quality in combination with adjacent outer rows or groups of bristles (304n, 305n) of smaller height than said inner rows of bristles, said outer bristles provided with free rounded end portions (306).