Abstract: An improved water bottle design for use with a water cooler type bottled water dispensing apparatus is provided in which the water bottle includes a horizontal surface area positioned around the base of the neck of the bottle, where the bottle contacts an annular opening of the housing above an open end of a reservoir portion of the housing of the bottled water dispensing apparatus. This flat horizontal surface area results in greater stability for the water bottle on the housing than can be achieved with conventional bottles which engage the annular opening of the housing at a vertically curved surface of the bottle. Moreover, no special adapters or couplings are necessary to produce an interfit between the water bottle and the housing, and therefore, the improved stability is achieved in a very simple manner.

Abstract: A blow molded container is provided which includes a neck portion having locking teeth with features which ensure the proper formation of the teeth. Specifically, the container neck portion includes an annular inclined surface extending from both the upper and lower sides of the teeth, while all edges of the teeth are rounded. The annular inclined surfaces and the rounded edges ensure that the teeth are formed with sufficient material to ensure strong, sturdy teeth devoid of weak areas, holes or cracks. A method of forming the container is also provided which includes rounding all edges of the teeth as a parison abuts molds so as to inhibit undesirable stretching of the material forming the teeth. The method may also include forming the annular inclined surfaces to further inhibit undesirable stretching of the material forming the teeth thus ensuring proper formation of the teeth.

Abstract: A multi-functional hollow body for use as a boom rest or a boom and mast carrier for sailboats that is lightweight and may be positioned and secured to the boat without damaging the surface of its deck. The hollow body includes a neck and cap to allow it to also function as a liquid container. When the hollow body is sealed in an empty condition, it may also function as a flotation device, kickboard or a buoy.

Abstract: A spill-proof drinking mug for drinking using either left or right hands of the user in which a base part serving as a container for the liquid is provided with a shape designed to fit within conventional cup holders of vans and RV's as well as cup-holding attachment for automobiles, and which has a threaded top opening. A screw-on cap with a handle sealingly mates with the top opening of the vessel, and has a pair of drinking openings at opposite sides of the handle. One opening is used for drinking and the other serves as a vent. A spring-loaded valve is mounted on the cap and is operable by the thumb of the hand holding the handle to simultaneously displace the valve out of both openings.

Abstract: An extruder screw and a method for extrusion to achieve high output rates with thermally sensitive plastic materials and without thermal degradation problems involving the use of a single flight metering type extruder screw having an initial feed zone, distal metering zone, and a transition zone interconnecting the feed and metering zones. In particular, improvements in the extrusion of thermally sensitive plastics such as PVC are achieved through use of a compression ratio of approximately 2:1, a constant lead and pitch, and a proportioning of the length of the feed zone, transition zone, and metering zone relative to the total length of the zones of 27-33%, 23-25%, and 45-48%, respectively. To achieve cooler and more uniform mixing with rigid PVC, polyethylene and like materials, an improved arrangement for using rings of mixing pins is provided.

Abstract: An extrusion blow molding apparatus of the type having a parison tube extruder and at least one blowing station for producing a dual-compartment container as an improvement for increasing the rate at which containers can be produced, wherein a cooling liquid is circulated through a pair of blow pins in a manner creating a zone of highest cooling effect at a tip portion of the blow pins for internally cooling a portion of the parison formed into pouring openings of the dual-compartment container. The zone of highest cooling effect is produced, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, through the provision of a blow pin assembly having an inner tube through which inflation air is blown into a parison, an outer sleeve positioned around the inner tube, and a tip element mounted in a position overlying an air outlet end of the inner tube. A blow port in the tip element communicates with an air outlet of the inner tube.