Abstract: An apparatus is provided for polishing balls that comprises a cradle that is supported for rotation about a first axis. The cradle is shaped to support a spherical object and includes a ball spinner positioned and adapted to spin the spherical object in the cradle about a second axis that is oriented at an angle to the first axis. The apparatus also comprises a first drive operably connected to the cradle for rotating the cradle about the first axis at a first speed of rotation, and a second drive connected to the ball spinner to spin the spherical object about the second axis at a second speed of rotation.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for polishing balls that comprises a cradle that is supported for rotation about a first axis. The cradle is shaped to support a spherical object and includes a ball spinner positioned and adapted to spin the spherical object in the cradle about a second axis that is oriented at an angle to the first axis. The apparatus also comprises a first drive operably connected to the cradle for rotating the cradle about the first axis at a first speed of rotation, and a second drive connected to the ball spinner to spin the spherical object about the second axis at a second speed of rotation.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for polishing balls that comprises a cradle that is supported for rotation about a first axis. The cradle is shaped to support a spherical object and includes a ball spinner positioned and adapted to spin the spherical object in the cradle about a second axis that is oriented at an angle to the first axis. The apparatus also comprises a first drive operably connected to the cradle for rotating the cradle about the first axis at a first speed of rotation, and a second drive connected to the ball spinner to spin the spherical object about the second axis at a second speed of rotation.

Abstract: A roller skate includes a wheeled frame including aligned wheels, a shoe supported on the wheeled frame and including a cuff that can be flexed and moved relative to the wheeled frame, and a braking mechanism. The braking mechanism includes an extension frame movably supported on the wheeled frame, and further includes a braking member supported on the extension frame for movement between a ground-engaging position and a ground-clearing position, and still further includes a link operably connecting the extension frame to the cuff, so that a skater can flex the cuff to angularly move the extension frame to carry the braking member into contact with a ground surface.

Abstract: A braking system is provided for an in-line roller skate for skating on hard skate-supporting surfaces. The roller skate includes a shoe, a wheel-supporting frame attached to the shoe, and a plurality of aligned wheels operably supported by the wheel-supporting frame. The braking system includes a hub supported on the frame and a ground engaging braking wheel rotatably supported on the hub. The hub and the ground engaging braking wheel include friction-generating surfaces such that the ground engaging braking wheel causes a braking action with the hub as the braking wheel rollingly engages with the ground supporting surface. A variety of configurations of the hub are disclosed including cuff-actuated systems and frame-fixed systems, and including a plurality of hub configurations including one-piece, multi-piece and wrapped, multi-piece and levered, and spring-biased split hub versions.

Abstract: A braking system is provided for an in-line roller skate for skating on hard skate-supporting surfaces. The roller skate includes a shoe, a wheel-supporting frame attached to the shoe, and a plurality of aligned wheels operably supposed by the wheel-supporting frame. The braking system includes a hub supported on the frame and a ground engaging braking wheel rotatably supported on the hub. The hub and the ground engaging braking wheel include friction-generating surfaces such that the ground engaging braking wheel causes a braking action with the hub as the braking wheel rollingly engages with the ground supporting surface. A variety of configurations of the hub are disclosed including cuff-actuated systems and frame-fixed systems, and including a plurality of hub configurations including one-piece, multi-piece and wrapped, multi-piece and levered, and spring-biased split hub versions.

Abstract: A braking system is provided for an in-line roller skate for skating on hard skate-supporting surfaces. The roller skate includes a shoe, a wheel-supporting frame attached to the shoe, and a plurality of aligned wheels operably supported by the wheel-supporting frame. The braking system includes an extension connected to the wheel-supporting frame including a pair of opposing flanges, a brake pad operably supported on the extension, and a braking wheel positioned generally in alignment with and behind the plurality of aligned wheels. The braking system further includes an axle rotatably supporting the braking wheel. The axle is supported on the extension by a support mechanism for sliding movement between various braking positions such that, as the braking wheel engages the hard surface with increasing force, the braking wheel moves toward the braking pad and generates increasing braking force. Various support mechanisms for slideably supporting the braking wheel are disclosed.

Abstract: A shelf construction includes a pair of vertically extending end supports mounted in spaced parallel relationship to a rear support surface and including a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extending support rods extending between the end supports. Mounted to the support rods is a rod receiving integral shelf and bracket including a forwardly facing socket with a lower leg extending downwardly from the socket, an upper leg extending rearwardly from the socket, and a middle leg comprising the rear portion of the socket and extending vertically between the upper and lower legs. Both lower and upper legs extend rearwardly against a rear support surface to which the end supports are secured a distance such that the upper and lower legs force the socket into lockable engagement with the support rod. Integrally formed with the upper leg is a horizontally extending tray for holding objects on the integral shelf and bracket so formed.