Abstract: A running member is attached rotatably to a body member, and a working member is attached movably to the body member. Therefore, in a large area, a work can be carried out efficiently even in a corner portion, and a desired work can be implemented even in a narrowed portion by shifting the working member to a working area and directly operating the working member in the narrowed portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting both bagged and loose waste. The apparatus includes a hopper which is in flow communication with a waste receptacle for collecting bagged or bundled waste. The apparatus also includes a suction mechanism which draws loose waste into the waste receptacle. The hopper and the suction mechanism are arranged on the apparatus so that the hopper and/or suction mechanism can be used to collect waste without having to modify the suction mechanism and/or hopper.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus having a housing, a motor, a battery, and a removable cleaning attachment. The housing comprising a rigid subassembly shell and a resilient cover. The cover is injection molded onto the shell to waterproof a majority of the shell. The shell has raised portions on its exterior that are used to position the shell in the injection mold. After molding is completed, the cover surrounds the raised portions, but does not cover them.

Abstract: A personal cleansing implement is made from a hydrophobic piece of tubular scrim. The piece of tubular scrim is gathered along a longitudinal axis thereof to form circumferential pleats. The circumferential pleats are permanently fixed in a gathered condition by bonding together a top surface and a bottom surface of them adjacent to their perimeter while they are maintained in the gathered condition. The tubular scrim have properties which result in a consumer preferred softness in the personal cleansing implement. The properties of the tubular scrim comprise a node width ranging from 0.18 mm to 0.56 mm; a strand length ranging from 1.78 mm to 3.68 mm; and a repeat unit average weight ranging from 1.0.times.10.sup.-4 gm to 3.4.times.10.sup.-4 gm. The tubular scrim is preferably made substantially of low density polyethylene.

Abstract: A horizontal top brush for a vehicle laundering or finishing plant wherein a brush rotated by an hydraulic motor is mounted between the free ends of pivot arms carried by spaced vertical stanchions flanking a vehicle treatment location. Counterweight arms on the left and right sides of the wash lane have an axis of rotation which is spaced from the axis of rotation of the brush pivot arms. The counterweight arms are mechanically interconnected with the brush arms by sector gears, an arrangement which permits all of the brush and counterweight arms to lie on one side of the vertical support stanchions. The brush arms are slotted to permit the counterweight arms to pass through them. Brush position relative to the vehicle is varied as a function of brush motor reaction which in turn is a function of brush contact pressure or depth.

Abstract: A bifurcated paint roller and painting method using such. The paint roller is a hand tool having two roller portions, which each of the roller portions having a nap for picking up and spreading paint. The roller portions are spaced transversely from each other and rotate independently of the other. A paint pan is provided with the bifurcated paint roller and is itself bifurcated. The paint pan includes two receptacle portions, each of which holds a paint having a different characteristic. A divider separates the receptacle portions such that the paints having the different characteristics are prevented from mixing. The distal end of the hand tool includes an open ended slot for reception of the divider such that each of the roller portions is dippable into their respective paints. Alternatively, the hand tool may include tubes mounted thereon and feeding paint to the roller portions.

Abstract: A hand held tool having a housing, a motor, a removable battery, a tool attachment connected to the motor, and a battery cap connected to the housing. The battery cap is frictionally connected to a ledge of the housing at the entrance to a battery receiving area. The housing and the battery cap have mating edges with cooperating cam surfaces. Axial rotation of the battery cap on the ledge causes the battery cap to be cammed off of the ledge by the cam surfaces.

Abstract: Disclosed is a generally elongated container of stiff, durable material, preferably hard molded plastic, adapted to store within the interior thereof relatively large and bulky personal items such as skis, snowboards, bicycles, golf clubs and the like. Located on one surface of the container are a multiplicity of spaced mounting assemblies each of which is manually activatable between a first inactive condition where it is recessed into the wall of the container, and an active condition where the mounting assembly is extended along an axis orthogonal to the sidewall of the container.

Abstract: A hand tool for scooping semi-viscous, viscous, and dry materials out of containers. Blade members are provided on the tool for scraping materials from the interior walls and bottom sections of various shaped and sized containers. The handle of the tool has a deflector plate, extending from the lower portion of the handle which prevents the materials in the container from contaminating the user's hands. The tool has a hook to hang the tool onto the upper lip of the container for temporary storage of the tool when in use.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaning device has a suction nozzle with a housing and an air guide chamber. The housing has an inflow opening. The suction nozzle further has a brush roller rotatably mounted adjacent to the inflow opening inside the housing. A bearing shaft is mounted within the housing. An air turbine is rotatably supported on the bearing shaft and driven in rotation by the suction air stream generated with the vacuum cleaning device. The bearing shaft has a longitudinal axis and the axis of rotation of the air turbine coincides with the longitudinal axis. The air turbine rotates at a different rpm than the bearing shaft. A planetary gear system is operatively connected between the air turbine and the bearing shaft. The planetary gear system is positioned at least partially within the air guide chamber within the vicinity of a first axial end face of the air turbine such that the air turbine at least partially axially overlaps the planetary gear system.

Abstract: A brush cleaning and disinfecting device, for cleaning a brush having brush bristles, comprising a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion having a cavity capable of retaining a fluid disinfecting solution. The upper portion having a top having an aperature for inserting the brush to be cleaned into the cavity. Cleaning elements are arranged circumferentially around the aperature for engaging the brush circumferentially. The cleaning elements are each mounted on a shaft extending through the top. A pulley is attached to each shaft. The pulleys are connected to each other and to a drive motor with a drive belt, for rotating the cleaning elements.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner with a floor traveling head having a housing, a rotatable brush, and two motors. The housing has a suction inlet with an entrance at its bottom and a separate pocket in the bottom of the housing for the rotatable brush. A wall of the housing separates the pocket from the suction inlet such that the entrance to the suction inlet has a relatively small area to maximize vacuum pull at the entrance. The suction inlet has a lower section with straight wall sections that are angled to form smaller areas at the lateral ends of the suction inlet. The suction inlet has an exit aperture directly into a collection assembly such that air velocity increases from the lower section to the upper section and then decreases from the upper section into the collection assembly.

Abstract: A brush-head assembly for a motor driven toothbrush including an elongated handle housing a motor with a primary drive shaft extending outwardly from one end of the handle, said assembly comprising a housing sleeve attachable at one end to said handle, said sleeve having a second end defining an inner cylindrical bearing surface and an annular end surface, a brush head including a shaft journaled in said second sleeve end and defining an outer cylindrical bearing surface juxtaposed with said inner cylindrical bearing surface and an annular shoulder juxtaposed with said annular end surface of said sleeve, and a soft resilient annular bushing positioned between said brush head shoulder and said sleeve end surface.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus having a housing, a motor, a transmission, an attachment stud, and a cleaning attachment removably connected to the stud. The stud has a leading section with a general triangular block shape and three generally triangular shaped cantilevered tips. The stud is received through a generally triangular shaped aperture in the cleaning attachment. The apparatus can reverse the normal rotation direction of the stud to allow the cleaning attachment to quickly disconnect from the stud without a user having to hold the cleaning attachment.

Abstract: A suction tube assembly for a wet/dry cleaner comprising a suction tube (60), a shampoo delivery conduit (44,45) extending along the suction tube, a valve forming a part of the conduit and operating means (50) for the user to operate the valve whilst manipulating the suction tube, the valve comprising a valve body (18) having a tubular portion within which is located a generally tubular portion of a valve piston (38), said tubular valve piston portion having a bore in its wall to provide communication between the interior and exterior of the tubular piston portion, means (37) biasing the piston towards a position in which sealing means (32,34) between the piston and the body prevent flow of fluid beyond said piston, said piston being movable axially by the operating means against said biasing means to release said sealing means and thereby allow fluid flow.

Abstract: A device for compressing tires and other compressible items in a shipping container comprises a support frame 22 attached to the lift end of a forklift. A fixture 20 is attached to and moves vertically with the support frame. The fixture comprises a horizontal compression platen 30. A vertical pusher plate 50 extends above and below the platen. The upper pusher plate 53, which is above the platen, can fold down so that the platen can be brought near the ceiling of a shipping container above a stack of tires. The fixture weighs enough to compress tires stacked below the compression platen. Additional tires are stacked above the platen and compressed tires. The upper pusher plate is then folded up, against the tires. Two hydraulic cylinders push the pusher plate away from the support frame to pull the platen from between the tires.

Abstract: A paint gun cleaner includes a spray unit mounted in an enclosure in spaced relation to an opening in the enclosure through which the paint gun to be cleaned is inserted. A ring shaped spray unit combines a solvent dispenser, which may be either a solvent knife generating a curtain of solvent in the central opening of the spray unit or a plurality of nozzles directing solvent onto the paint gun, with an air knife positioned between the solvent dispenser and the enclosure opening. The air knife directs air flow radially and axially inward to prevent escape of solvent, and to recirculate air mixed with solvent around the sides of the spray unit and through the space between the spray unit and enclosure opening to reduce the amount of ambient air which is drawn into and which must be separated from the solvent and dissolved paint before discharge.

Abstract: A bent wire serves to form a loop for assembly receiving a brush head of a toothbrush, the bent wire also forming a pair of shanks which are received in a handle holding the shanks together to close the loop and return the brush head assembly therein. At least one of the shanks has formations indexable in the handle. Between the end portions of the shanks and the loop, coil springs are formed in the wire to allow mobility of the brush head in all directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof.

Abstract: A centrifuge comprising a yoke element that rotates about a rotational axis and a processing chamber having an axis. The processing chamber includes a bowl element, a spool element, and a mechanism for joining the spool and bowl elements for relative movement between a mutually cooperating position for centrifugal processing and a mutually separated position for loading. A hinge attaches the processing chamber to the yoke element for pivotal movement between an operating position and an access position. In the operating position, the spool and bowl elements are in their mutually cooperating position and oriented for rotation with the yoke element about the rotational axis. In the access position, the processing chamber axis lies outside the axis of rotation and the spool and bowl elements are oriented for movement from their mutually cooperating position into their mutually separated position.

Abstract: An improved convertible electric blower/vac. The blower/vac includes an improved air inlet cover with an adjustable choke member. The air inlet cover also includes a pressure ring for increasing the efficiency of the blower/vac impeller when the unit is operated in the blower mode. The blower/vac also includes a blower tube and a vacuum bag collar, each with resilient tabs that engage receptacles on the blower/vac to retain the blower tube and vacuum bag collar on the unit. The housing outlet of the blower/vac includes guides that interact with longitudinal ribs on the blower tube and the vacuum bag collar to reduce unwanted rotational deflection of the blower tube and vacuum bag collar when either is engaged on the housing outlet. The blower/vac includes an improved vacuum tube for use of the blower/vac in the vacuum mode.