Abstract: A fish tape reel has an ergonomic pistol grip and ergonomic hand grips at an inner periphery of a hollow housing. Fish tape is wound into the housing cavity by rotating the housing with respect to the pistol grip. This can be done manually by grasping the interior handle(s) or using a ratcheted winder that fits into the housing opening and has a lever handle for ratcheting the housing. The reel is held with the housing beneath the pistol grip which has a retainer shoe slidably sandwiched between halves of the housing. The pistol grip is positioned behind a vertical center line of the reel so that the weight of the reel is balanced in a neutral position in which the pistol grip can be grasped with the user's wrist being essentially straight and horizontal. A method of assembling the reel is also disclosed in which the fish tape is attached and wound after the housing is assembled.

Abstract: A fish tape reel has an ergonomic center handle disposed across the center opening of an annular, high-drop strength housing that defines a cavity containing a fish tape cassette. The interior of the cavity can have rib-like friction reducers against which the fish tape slides. Flat metal fish tape is wound around a hub of the cassette with one end secured to the cassette and the opposite end fed through an exit aperture of the housing. The cassette is rotatably mounted in the housing cavity by a retaining ring sonically welded to the housing. A handle mounted to the cassette facilitates rotating the cassette relative to the housing for winding and unwinding the fish tape. The ergonomic handle is positioned generally along a vertically center line of the housing in position for grasping with a straight wrist when winding and unwinding the fish tape.

Abstract: A fish tape reel has an ergonomic pistol grip and ergonomic hand grips at an inner periphery of a hollow housing. Fish tape is wound into the housing cavity by rotating the housing with respect to the pistol grip. This can be done manually by grasping the interior handle(s) or using a ratcheted winder that fits into the housing opening and has a lever handle for ratcheting the housing. The reel is held with the housing beneath the pistol grip which has a retainer shoe slidably sandwiched between halves of the housing. The pistol grip is positioned behind a vertical center line of the reel so that the weight of the reel is balanced in a neutral position in which the pistol grip can be grasped with the user's wrist being essentially straight and horizontal. A method of assembling the reel is also disclosed in which the fish tape is attached and wound after the housing is assembled.

Abstract: A fish tape assembly has a flat tape made of a hybrid composite of electrically non-conductive materials, preferably a fiberglass core surrounded by a nylon jacket. The flat tape has a rectilinear lateral cross-section with its width dimension being greater than its thickness. A non-conductive feed piece is bonded to the leading end of the fish tape. The feed piece has a wedged leading end. A non-conductive anchor piece is bonded to the trailing end of the fish tape to attach the fish tape to a reel assembly. The anchor piece is angled to mount the fish tape in a generally tangential direction relative to the reel.

Abstract: A cable fastener for stacking cables has a base that is positioned against the stud on a lower surface of the base, a spine that extends from the upper surface of the base and arms that extend perpendicularly from the spine and define slots between them. The slots have open ends that are closed by a separate L-shaped leg that is hinged to the base adjacent to the end of the lower-most slot so it can be pivoted to a position generally perpendicular to the base and adjacent to the ends of the slots so as to close the slots. The end of the leg distal from the base has a locking member for engaging the uppermost arm or another component of the fastener to lock the leg so as to block the open ends of the slots. The leg is hinged to the base by a living hinge that can be formed in the plastic molding process. On the side of the spine opposite from the arms, a nail guide member extends for nailing the fastener to the stud.

Abstract: A winder insert for a fish tape reel fits into a center opening of the fish tape reel and engages an inner periphery of the reel. The insert has an attachment member, which can be a multi-sided socket for example, that is engaged by a removable handle or lever member to rotate the insert and in turn the reel with respect to a reel handle grasped by the user so as to wind and/or unwind fish tape in the reel. In one preferred form, a roller clutch is pressed into a center opening of the insert about a drive shaft that is rotated by the handle. The handle and shaft can be rotated in one direction to engage the clutch and thereby rotate the reel. Rotating the winder handle in the opposite direction overruns the clutch so that the handle can ratchet back to the original position without unwinding the reel. The winder insert removably snaps onto the reel.

Abstract: A fish tape assembly has a flat tape made of a hybrid composite of electrically non-conductive materials, preferably a fiberglass core surrounded by a nylon jacket. The flat tape has a rectilinear lateral cross-section with its width dimension being greater than its thickness. A non-conductive feed piece is bonded to the leading end of the fish tape. The feed piece has a wedged leading end. A non-conductive anchor piece is bonded to the trailing end of the fish tape to attach the fish tape to a reel assembly. The anchor piece is angled to mount the fish tape in a generally tangential direction relative to the reel.

Abstract: A cable fastener for stacking cables has a base that is positioned against the stud on a lower surface of the base, a spine that extends from the upper surface of the base and arms that extend perpendicularly from the spine and define slots between them. The slots have open ends that are closed by a separate L-shaped leg that is hinged to the base adjacent to the end of the lower-most slot so it can be pivoted to a position generally perpendicular to the base and adjacent to the ends of the slots so as to close the slots. The end of the leg distal from the base has a locking member for engaging the uppermost arm or another component of the fastener to lock the leg so as to block the open ends of the slots. The leg is hinged to the base by a living hinge that can be formed in the plastic molding process. On the side of the spine opposite from the arms, a nail guide member extends for nailing the fastener to the stud.

Abstract: A winder insert for a fish tape reel fits into a center opening of the fish tape reel and engages an inner periphery of the reel. The insert has an attachment member, which can be a multi-sided socket for example, that is engaged by a removable handle or lever member to rotate the insert and in turn the reel with respect to a reel handle grasped by the user so as to wind and/or unwind fish tape in the reel. In one preferred form, a roller clutch is pressed into a center opening of the insert about a drive shaft that is rotated by the handle. The handle and shaft can be rotated in one direction to engage the clutch and thereby rotate the reel. Rotating the winder handle in the opposite direction overruns the clutch so that the handle can ratchet back to the original position without unwinding the reel. The winder insert removably snaps onto the reel.

Abstract: A plastic conduit bender comprises an integrally molded handle and head portion. A steel hook reinforcement is molded directly into the head portion to provide sufficient force for bending the conduit. Steel reinforcements can also be provided in a grip region of the handle. A plurality of vertical sight lines, indicating bend angles, are provided from an apex molded into the handle and extending to an arcuate shoe portion, allowing the user to gauge the approximate bend angle. A flat surface including rounded saddle portions for receiving the conduit is positioned on the handle to allow the conduit to be bent back or straightened, the rounded saddle contact surfaces preventing damage to the conduit as it is bent back.

Abstract: A plastic conduit bender comprises an integrally molded handle and head portion. A steel hook reinforcement is molded directly into the head portion to provide sufficient force for bending the conduit. Steel reinforcements can also be provided in a grip region of the handle. A plurality of vertical sight lines, indicating bend angles, are provided from an apex molded into the handle and extending to an arcuate shoe portion, allowing the user to gauge the approximate bend angle. A flat surface including rounded saddle portions for receiving the conduit is positioned on the handle to allow the conduit to be bent back or straightened, the rounded saddle contact surfaces preventing damage to the conduit as it is bent back.

Abstract: A lock mechanism has a cylindrical housing with an axial bore therethrough, and a key-controlled core rotatable within the bore between locked and unlocked conditions and removable from and installable in the bore in the unlocked condition. The core has a plug at its rear end which is mateably engageable in a socket on the front face of a shifter, for rotating the shifter within the bore in response to rotation of the core, and thereby operating a latch member coupled to the shifter. A radial tab on the housing is receivable in an arcuate groove formed in the outer surface of the shifter for limiting rotation of the shifter to facilitate retention of the shifter in the single rotational orientation upon removal of the core from the housing. An O-ring on the shifter frictionally inhibits rotation thereof.

Abstract: The latch mechanism includes a drawer pull at the front of the drawer. Under the top flange of the drawer pull is a channel in which a latch member is slidably movable from side to side. A hook is integral with one end of the latch member, which is spring loaded to its latched position. When it is desired to open the drawer, the user places his fingertips beneath the pull and against the latch member and moves the slide member to its unlatched position.

Abstract: A molded plastic utility cart includes a one-piece hollow molded frame filled with a foamed plastic material, the frame being generally I-shaped in configuration and including an upstanding wall with a generally horizontal base at its lower end and a generally horizontal top at its upper end defining an open-top receptacle. A plastic cover is slidably mounted on the top for movement between a closed position covering the receptacle and an open position extending laterally from the top and uncovering the receptacle. The cover itself defines additional receptacle compartments. Accessory article supports may be mounted on any of the upstanding wall portion, the base or the top, and may be in the nature of additional receptacles, tool hangers or the like. A plurality of caster wheels are mounted on the underside of the base and handles are provided at both ends of the top.

Abstract: A tool cabinet is formed without the use of fasteners or weldments by providing back and side panel sections in an integral unit having top and bottom flanges, and separate top and bottom panel sections having attachment flanges adapted to be interfitted with the flanges on the back and side panel unit to form an open-front housing. Three continuous loop frame members are spaced apart front-to-back inside the housing and are adhesively secured to the top, bottom and side panel sections and support drawer assemblies mounted in a front opening. A lock bar guide is adhesively secured to the back panel section and receives a lock bar which is inserted through a notch in the bottom panel section after the housing has been assembled. Adhesive or frictional interengagement may also be used to secure together the flanges of the panel sections. An internal framework comprising a single, wide loop frame member with spaced-apart ribs is also disclosed.

Abstract: A tool cabinet has rollers depending from a bottom wall for rolling engagement with an underlying floor. A retractable step has depending legs and spring-loaded casters which support the step so that it can freely roll except when weight is placed on the step driving the legs into engagement with the floor. The step has a vertical slot in which is received a depending arm of an angle bracket which is fixed to a roller slide assembly mounted on the underside of the cabinet so that the step can be horizontally rolled between a stowed position beneath the cabinet and an extended position extending from beneath the cabinet and can move between raised and lowered positions when extended.

Abstract: The open-end wrenching head includes two jaws and a throat interconnecting the jaws. The jaws include planar jaw driving surfaces each with a roughened region thereon adjacent to the throat and an unroughened region adjacent to the outermost end of the jaw driving surface, each of the roughened and unroughened regions being constructed and arranged to engage a portion of a selected side of a fastener. The throat may include either an arcuate surface or two planar throat driving surfaces. Each of the roughened regions has a coefficient of friction substantially greater than that of the unroughened regions and may be formed by deposition of an abrasive material by any of a number of processes or by deformation of the jaw driving surface by any of a number of processes.