Abstract: A snowball forming apparatus, and method of use, disclosed herein comprises: an elongated shaft and handle; a funnel shaped cover encircling and covering the shaft up to the handle, and the shaft is slide-able within the cover; and a plurality of grapples connected to the distal end of the shaft, and moveable between an open position to collect snow and release a snowball, and a closed position to form a spherical snowball. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of hinge mechanisms connecting the shaft to the grapples to open and close the grapples by pushing the shaft out of the cover (open grapples) and pulling on the shaft (close grapples). In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a shaft with a triangular cross-section, three concave grapples, and one spring-actuated hinge per grapple. The user is not required to significantly bend over or touch the snow in order to make snowballs.

Abstract: A snowball forming apparatus, and method of use, disclosed herein comprises: an elongated shaft and handle; a funnel shaped cover encircling and covering the shaft up to the handle, and the shaft is slide-able within the cover; and a plurality of grapples connected to the distal end of the shaft, and moveable between an open position to collect snow and release a snowball, and a closed position to form a spherical snowball. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of hinge mechanisms connecting the shaft to the grapples to open and close the grapples by pushing the shaft out of the cover (open grapples) and pulling on the shaft (close grapples). In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a shaft with a triangular cross-section, three concave grapples, and one spring-actuated hinge per grapple. The user is not required to significantly bend over or touch the snow in order to make snowballs.

Abstract: A Christmas tree stand, with a watering spout, comprising: a tree stand apparatus with a build-in tarp that is unrolled from the stand when the tree is to be discarded. The stand comprises: a hollow frusto-conical-like shaped housing covered with a hinged collar that is used to pivot the tree to the floor. The housing further comprises: a rotating wheel with spurs in the base; and a rotating cylinder with baffles connected on the cylinder's top edge. A cable lays on the top of the baffles and against the outer sidewall of the rotating cylinder. The cable also runs between three evenly spaced sets of restraints with screws aligned perpendicularly into the tree trunk. When a tree trunk is placed in the rotating cylinder, atop the wheel, and rotated clockwise, then cable pulls the screws against the trunk, and the tree is then locked into place with a foot pedal.

Abstract: A hand-sized, disposable device, and its method of use for bundling and transporting a stack of small consumer goods, such as boxes, newspapers and magazines for recycling. The method comprises dispensing a pre-cut loop of twine residing in a prefabricated device made of recyclable paper board or cardboard. The twine crosses itself in the cavity of the device and is free to slide in any direction via four total device corner holes for adjusting to a range of sizes of stacked goods. Bundling is completed by drawing two opposing ends of the twine loop from the device corner holes, passing the two ends perpendicularly and simultaneously over the four sides of a stack of goods, and forming a knot on the center of the bundle's top surface. The bundle may then be easily lifted, carried, dropped and disposed of via the knot, one-handedly, without slippage of items from the bundle.

Abstract: A Christmas tree stand, with a watering spout, comprising: a tree stand apparatus with a build-in tarp that is unrolled from the stand when the tree is to be discarded. The stand comprises: a hollow frusto-conical-like shaped housing covered with a hinged collar that is used to pivot the tree to the floor. The housing further comprises: a rotating wheel with spurs in the base; and a rotating cylinder with baffles connected on the cylinder's top edge. A cable lays on the top of the baffles and against the outer sidewall of the rotating cylinder. The cable also runs between three evenly spaced sets of restraints with screws aligned perpendicularly into the tree trunk. When a tree trunk is placed in the rotating cylinder, atop the wheel, and rotated clockwise, then cable pulls the screws against the trunk, and the tree is then locked into place with a foot pedal.

Abstract: A hand-sized, disposable device, and its method of use for bundling and transporting a stack of small consumer goods, such as boxes, newspapers and magazines for recycling. The method comprises dispensing a pre-cut loop of twine residing in a prefabricated device made of recyclable paper board or cardboard. The twine crosses itself in the cavity of the device and is free to slide in any direction via four total device corner holes for adjusting to a range of sizes of stacked goods. Bundling is completed by drawing two opposing ends of the twine loop from the device corner holes, passing the two ends perpendicularly and simultaneously over the four sides of a stack of goods, and forming a knot on the center of the bundle's top surface. The bundle may then be easily lifted, carried, dropped and disposed of via the knot, one-handedly, without slippage of items from the bundle.