Abstract: A toe and finger guard includes a protective member bendable from an initial, generally planar shape to a curved shape when mounted on a digit to be protected. A foam member is secured to the protective member. An adhesive tape overlies the protective member and the foam member and secures them on the digit. Advantageously, the protective member is a plastic square that is initially rigid and generally planar. The square is deeply grooved to acquire the capacity to be bent from its initial planar, generally rigid shape to a curved, flexible shape when mounted on the digit to be protected.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing sheet material, particularly metallic foil, positions each successively leading end region of the foil, after a preceding length of the foil has been severed, to stand freely in a generally upright condition away from a severing means which is preferably provided without sharp serrated cutting teeth to protect a user from injury during use of the dispenser, and to provide the user with ready access to each upstanding leading end region of the foil.

Abstract: A free end portion of sheet wrapping material is grasped and pulled from a dispenser transversely past and spaced from a V-shaped serrated cutting element mounted on a housing.

Abstract: A frictional drag arrangement for a sheet material dispenser tensions the withdrawn sheet material during each withdrawal, particularly when the sheet material supply is almost completely removed from its supporting roll. The arrangement includes leaf springs mounted within stub shafts that are insertable into the supporting roll. The leaf springs exert drag forces on the material.

Abstract: A free end portion of sheet wrapping material is grasped and pulled from a dispenser transversely past and spaced from a cutting element mounted on a housing. The cutting element is displaced in response to the movement of the withdrawn material by generating a displacement force, latching the cutting element against displacement in a normally guarded position in which the cutting element is inoperative for cutting, and thereupon unleashing the displacement force in response to a further movement of the material to drivingly displace the cutting element from the guarded position to a cutting position in which the cutting element is in a position to sequentially pierce and cut the sheet material that is subsequently moved toward the same. Methods of dispensing the sheet material and of wrapping items also are disclosed.

Abstract: A free end portion of sheet wrapping material is grasped and pulled from a dispenser transversely past and spaced from a cutting element mounted on a housing. The cutting element is displaced in response to the movement of the withdrawn material by generating a displacement force, latching the cutting element against displacement in a normally guarded position in which the cutting element is inoperative for cutting, and thereupon unleashing the displacement force in response to a further movement of the material to drivingly displace the cutting element from the guarded position to a cutting position in which the cutting element is in a position to sequentially pierce and cut the sheet material that is subsequently moved toward the same. Methods of dispensing the sheet material and of wrapping items also are disclosed.

Abstract: A rockable toy with a reflecting mirror includes a body having a bottom surface which is outwardly curved in all directions, and a center of gravity which is situated within the region bounded by the bottom wall, so that the toy will have a tendency to oscillate about a stable position in which the center of gravity is situated above the point of contact of the toy with the underlying surface. The body carries a mirror which shares in the oscillatory movement of the body when displaced out of the stable position. The body carries, outside the periphery of the mirror, a head whose reflection can be seen in the mirror by the observer, together with a background which rapidly changes during the oscillatory motion of the toy. The head is connected to the body for movement relative thereto at least in two opposite directions. The body is of a rigid synthetic plastic material, while the head is of a flexible material so that it can be squeezed.

Abstract: A game whose object is the formation of words or groupings of symbols utilizing a plurality of multi-faceted playing pieces, such as cubes, each of whose faces bears a single symbol such as a letter. The playing pieces are positioned in a receptacle which is mounted for spring-loaded pivotal movement on a support structure. The receptacle is engaged in cocked position by a latching mechanism attached to the support, and when the latching mechanism is disengaged, the receptacle is rapidly rotated about a horizontal axis, causing the receptacle to forcefully strike an abutment mounted on the support, thus scrambling the pieces. The receptacle then is restored to the cocked position in which the playing pieces are so supported that a single upper symbol is displayed on each piece.

Abstract: A multi-game toy has a plurality of pinball-type games on a turnable disc which is mounted for turning movement on a housing. Each game has a set of balls, a playing field with designated scoring areas, and a movable firing pin on which the balls are respectively loaded. One of the games is selected and arrested in position at a predetermined game-playing location on the housing. A spring-actuated actuator is operative for propelling the firing pin to thereby launch the respectively loaded ball towards one of the scoring areas in order to play the selected game. A player looks through a magnifying lens which overlies the predetermined game-playing location in order to enlarge the view of the playing field of the selected game.

Abstract: Upper and lower casings, each provided with a dome and an annular portion, are fixedly coupled together. The coupling of the upper and lower casings is substantially water-tight. The upper casing is transparent. A disk is housed within the upper casing. A cut-out is securely fastened to the disk. Means for producing rotary motion of the disk and cut-out in response to movement of the upper and lower casings is suspended between the domes of the casings. One or more balls are located within the annular portions of the upper and lower casings and are freely movable therein.

Abstract: A housing is provided with a shallow recess having an animatable display positioned therein protected by a transparent shield. The animatable display includes a stationary fanciful representation of a character prominently displaying its teeth and movable representations of an arm and a hand carrying a replica of a toothbrush with its bristles adjacent the prominently displayed teeth. The character is standing in front of a sink on the stationary display. The movable representations of the animatable display are in operable communication with a spring driven musical movement within the housing and will be reciprocally translated in a generally vertical direction while the musical movement is playing. The musical movement is controlled by a blocking arm having a portion extending from the housing to form a control tab. The blocking arm is movable between two positions.

Abstract: A driven mobile having a plug secured to a shaft with a plurality of arms radially extending from the plug. Objects of interest are secured to each arm and the shaft is rotated by a magnetic escapement mechanism. The mobile further includes an audio signal generating device which operates in conjunction with the rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: A flexible arcuate rod is rotatably supported by a pair of elastic clips. Each clip slidably engages a crib wall or a crib headboard. One or more annular members are slidably mounted on the rod. Each annular member is provided with a tab from which a figure such as a paper or plastic cut-out or a painted decoration can depend. A pair of tubes is slidably mounted on the rod to prevent displacement of the annular members over predetermined portions of the rod.