Abstract: A composite roofing system in which a layer of polystyrene or polyurethane foam insulation board is encased in layers of lightweight insulating concrete and the surface of the foam insulation board is roughened to strengthen the interfacial bond with the surrounding layers of concrete and provide increased resistance to wind uplift, seismic activity, and degradation of the roofing system caused by vertical loads. Moisture which might otherwise become entrapped in the roofing system by the impermeable insulation board is ventilated out of the system by a combination of openings through the insulation board which permit the migration of moisture between the layers of concrete, and a plurality of lateral slots cut in the insulation board to permit further migration of moisture out of the system.

Abstract: A structural member for a building includes a one-piece elongated support member having a pair of legs defining a trough therebetween and a projection extending into the trough from each of the legs. A one-piece elongated electrical raceway can be secured in the support member. The raceway includes a tubular housing having a pair of opposed side walls and open a pair of opposed end walls to define a channel extending between opposed ends of the housing such that an associated electrical conductor can extend through the housing. A first wing projects away from a first side wall of the tubular housing, and a second wing projects away from a second side wall of the tubular housing. The first and second wings flex to snap into a cooperating relationship with the projections of the support member to selectively secure the tubular housing in the support member trough.

Abstract: A dual handled walking-assist and uprisal-assist device is disclosed having the handles spaced at a predetermined distance to provide a stable structure for rising from and lowering to a seated position, in addition to serving as a walking aid. The walking- and uprisal-assist device has a structure having a first handle or first pair of handles which are useful whenever a user is in a standing position. A second handle or second pair of handles are spaced a preselected distance from the first handle or handles and at a preselected distance from the bottom of the device. An infirmed user can use the second handle or handles as a grip to push against when the user is rising from a chair. The second handle or handles are connected to one or more load-bearing shafts and the geometrical centers of the handles are positioned relative to the load-bearing shafts to provide a stable structure when used for uprisal and walking.

Abstract: A floor frame assembly for facilitating the construction of buildings including mobile homes and modular homes. The floor frame assembly includes longtitudinally extending structural support beams which are arranged side by side. The structural support beams are rigidly connected by a plurality of cross members extending therebetween. A plurality of one-piece outriggers are separately secured to the longtitudinal beams and transversely extend laterally outward therefrom The outriggers are substantially rectangular in shape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wooden log element which is intended to be stacked with similar log elements to form a wall structure while using a corner jointing technique. The log element includes surface parts having inwardly facing surfaces which are provided with grooves that extend in the longitudinal direction of the log element. It further includes spacers which function to hold the surface parts in a supported mutually spaced relationship. An empty space between the surface parts is filled with a thermal insulating material which when cured will fix the outer parts and the spacers in position. The log element has the form of a natural log in which the outer parts disposed on each side of the thermal insulating material have an arcuate cross-sectional shape and are formed by a plurality of mutually joined panel elements with the spacers disposed therebetween in a mutually spaced relationship along the full length of the log element and essentially enclosed by the thermally insulating material.

Abstract: A partition panel of the kind commonly used in "open office" systems defines an internal cavity which is used to house pieces of data processing or communications equipment such as a computer, a telephone, a modem and a facsimile machine. This equipment is manufactured using current miniaturization techniques to fit inside the internal cavity of the partition panel. As a result, significant space savings are realized, pilferage of the equipment is made much more difficult, and numerous other advantages are realized.

Abstract: The present invention provides a subfloor system for placement over a substrate. The subfloor consists of a base, a resilient pad, an upper member, and brackets. The resilient pad is positioned on the base, preferably within an elongated slot formed in the upper surface of the base. The upper member is operably connected to the top surface of the resilient pad. The upper member has a projection and two shoulders. The brackets have an upper and lower tab and are secured to the base and to the upper member. The lower tab is adapted to fit within the base and the upper tab rests on the corresponding shoulder of the upper member. When under load, the resilient pad compresses thereby causing the upper member to move towards the base. The brackets, however, limit vertical movement of the upper member relative to the base. The invention also includes a method of forming a resilient sports floor employing such a subfloor system.

Abstract: Ground anchors of the type which are attached to cables and rods and driven into the ground and tilted transversely by tensioning the cable. A ground anchor comprising a body portion having a generally triangular cross-section extending substantially along its length having generally concave sides and a continuous convex lower surface from one edge of the body portion where the sides and lower surface meet to an opposite edge.

Abstract: A cementitious structural member has a high volume of encapsulated captive air and has an unusually high compressive and shear strength.

Abstract: A height adjustable cane includes an upper tubular member configured to slidably receive a second tubular member in a telescoping manner. A plurality of apertures are formed in the first tubular member which allows a button of a snap button assembly to pass therethrough and lock the tubular members against relative movement. Using the push-button assembly and the telescopic feature, the length of the cane may be adjusted. Increased stability between the tubular members is provided by a cam locking assembly including a housing receiving a cam member. The cam member includes a lever and a raised camming surface that selectively engages an outer surface of the second tubular member.

Abstract: An underground construction has: a circumference wall forming therein a cone shaped space; plural support members located at the circumference of the cone shaped space at vertically the same height; floor construction bodies each having plural bed beams and a floor portion, the ends of the bed beams being supported by the support members, and the floor portions being disposed in the middle of the cone shaped space at a fixed interval from the circumference wall.No pillars for supporting the floors are needed, thereby leaving a maximum clear space on the floors for use.

Abstract: A deck fastening system includes an underdeck elongated fastening clip. Such clip is in the form of an elongated metallic sheet of a predetermined width. The clip has a profile defined by a fastening flange, and a depending facia projecting at right angles to the fastening flange from the leading edge thereof, which terminates in an intersecting valley. An angularly upwardly-extending track projects from the intersecting valley at the lower end of the depending facia. A washer flange extends outwardly from the leading edge of the angularly-upwardly-extending track.

Abstract: A suction chamber is provided in the rear portion of a pad body remote from an external pad supporting surface. The fore end portion of the pad body facing the pad supporting surface is divided into a plurality of sucking compartments for communication with the suction chamber. An air flow passage is provided for communication with the suction chamber. Valve mechanisms are provided in air flow paths between the respective sucking compartments and the suction chamber and are closable by a sucked air flow occurring during vacuum suction. Further, an automatic switching valve is provided in a part of the air flow passage in such a manner that the switching valve is caused to open in response to abutment against the pad supporting surface of the pad body. The air flow passage is formed in such a manner that a direction of force acting to cause the automatic switching valve to open differs from a direction of counteractive force against a spring structure that normally urges the switching valve to close.

Abstract: A shelter (1) comprising an array of substantially rigid panels (2, 3, 4) hingedly joined together, the arrangement being such that a central polygonal roof panel (2) is surrounded by a number of wall panels (3) equal in number to the sides of the polygon, each wall panel having an edge hingedly attached to an edge of the roof panel, and a tension element (20) being arranged to extend along the edges of the wall panels remote from the roof panel in such a way that by applying tension to the tension element, adjacent edges of respective wall panels can be brought together to form a three-dimensional structure.

Abstract: An attachment system, for erecting a tent having a flexible tent shell and a tent pole cooperating with the tent shell, includes a securing cord attached to a portion of the tent shell and a claw disposed at an end of the pole. The attachment system further includes an enlarged region disposed along the securing cord, which engages the claw, thereby retaining the tent shell in an extended position. The tent may also include a tent fly having an attached fly cord. An enlarged region disposed along the fly cord engages the claw to secure the tent fly.

Abstract: A sectional structure, comprising a galzier's strip section (1) with a first side brace flange (2) for bracing one side of the glass pane, and a casing section (3) comprising a second side brace flange (4) for bracing the other side of the glass pane, a bottom rest (5) which is positioned at substantially right angles against the second side brace flange (4), the glass pane being disposed in the gap defined by the first and second side brace flanges and against the bottom rest. On the glazier's strip section (1) and on the casing section 93) have being formed mutually interlockable fixing members (6, 7).

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting and holding an electronic organizer device for use in a vehicle, includes a generally rectangularly shaped cradle member for retaining the device. At least one pair of opposing jaw members are mounted on opposed peripheral edges of the cradle member for releasably holding the device in the cradle. The jaw members are biased toward one another by attached tensioned springs. An elongated stand member has on a first end a universal ball and socket joint assembly for attachment to the cradle, and can be releasably locked for holding the cradle in a spatial orientation selected by a user. The opposite second end of the stand member is adapted to releasably mate with a stand member for engagement with a surface for supporting the cradle member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a temporary corridor, to cover a walkway or the like, comprising easily transportable elements that can be quickly erected and disassembled on a selected site by one person.

Abstract: A fire barrier protected dynamic joint in a structure, and a method for installing the same. The fire barrier protected dynamic joint includes a flexible sheet of a fire barrier material and a adhesive material for bonding the sheet to an attachment area of the joint.

Abstract: A seismic isolation apparatus which has a composite multilayered member comprising a plurality of hard plates having rigidity and a plurality of soft plates having viscoelastic property which are arranged to form alternating layers between an upper flange and a lower flange; and satisfies the condition that the proper vibration to the horizontal direction of the seismic isolation apparatus which is represented by f.sub.H and obtained by the equation f.sub.H =1/2p.sqroot.K.sub.H M wherein K.sub.H represents a spring constant of the seismic isolation apparatus to the horizontal direction, M represents mass of a structure mounted on the seismic isolation apparatus, and f.sub.H has a value in the range of: 0.1 Hz.ltoreq.f.sub.H .ltoreq.2 Hz when the displacement of the seismic isolation apparatus in the horizontal direction is 2 mm or less, 0.1 Hz.ltoreq.f.sub.H .ltoreq.0.8 Hz when the displacement of the seismic isolation apparatus in the horizontal direction is equal to 100% shearing strain, and 0.9 Hz.ltoreq.