Abstract: A system and method are provided for rolling up a tube of toothpaste and retaining the tube in the rolled-up condition as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube. The roll-up means is achieved by providing a bendable strip of material and integrally molding a pair of parallel spaced bendable wires with the bendable strip of material. This device is then attached to a bottom end of the toothpaste tube. The ends of the integrally molded bendable strip and wires extend past the bottom end of the toothpaste tube on both sides of the toothpaste tube, and these extending ends are foldable over the toothpaste tube end to maintain the toothpaste tube in a progressively rolled up condition as the toothpaste is dispensed from the tube.

Abstract: A new and improved brake shoe hold down mechanism for retaining a brake shoe to an inside surface of a backing plate includes a nail having a head disposed on an outside surface of the backing plate limiting axial travel of the nail and a barb-like tip adapted to pass through apertures in the backing plate and a web of the brake shoe. A wire spring is disposed on a first end against the brake shoe and has a coil on a second aligned with the tip of the nail. A cup shaped retainer cap is compressively seated against the spring coil and engaged by the tip of the nail at a bottom of the cap thereby biasing the brake shoe against the backing plate. The retainer cap has a slot from a first position at which the nail tip is received and which is offset from the bottom of the cap to a second position at a bottom of the cap to which the tip is biased by the compressive spring load. The tip engages the bottom of the cap independent of orientation to the slot.

Abstract: A bowling ball handling apparatus comprises a handle for a bowler to grip. A vacuum mechanism is attached to a first end of the handle for providing a vacuum to hold the bowling ball. A release mechanism is associated with a second end of the handle for releasing the vacuum when it is desired to release the bowling ball.

Abstract: An integral, removable walker seat is easily attachable and detachable by persons having limited dexterity, and can be folded and transported when not in use. The walker seat comprises a substantially rectangular sheet of flexible material on which the user can sit. The sheet is attachable to opposite horizontal frame members of the walker via two pairs of bars affixed to the narrow ends of the sheet. The sheet and the bars cooperate to form a seat when the sheet is suspended across and engaged to the opposite horizontal frame members of the walker.

Abstract: An anti-lock braking system system (ABS) pressure modulator is provided. The modulator includes a frame with a central bore fluidly exposed to a solenoid valve and to a vehicle wheel cylinder. A piston is slidably mounted within the central bore having a contact surface and a first predetermined position within the bore. A power device is actuated by a controller. A cam, moved by the power means, has a ramp surface in contact with the piston contact surface. The position of the piston within the wheel cylinder is determined by the position of the cam.

Abstract: A method is provided for rapidly solidifying rare earth-transition metal containing alloy. It entails introducing the alloy into the flame of a plasma torch and directing the torch flame onto the inside surface of a rotating quench cylinder. A non-oxidizing gas is also directed onto the quench surface so that the alloy solidifies at a rate such that a powder having a substantially amorphous to finely crystalline microstructure is obtained and such that the solidified alloy does not adhere to the quench surface and can be easily collected.

Abstract: A fluidization apparatus is adapted for use with a flask containing a particulate bed, for example, a foundry flask used in lost foam metal casting. The apparatus comprises a reciprocal plenum box defining a plenum having a gas outlet and receivable within the flask such that the plenum outlet registers with a perforated partition supporting the particulate bed within the flask. The plenum outlet is covered by an air filter suitable for removing contaminants from compressed air. The plenum box also carries a resilient seal member located about the plenum outlet. When the box is received in the flask, pneumatic lifts mounted upon the box raise the box to seal the box against the partition. Compressed air admitted to the plenum flows from the plenum outlet through the filter, which removes entrained contaminants that might otherwise plug the partition, and thereafter through the partition to fluidize the particulate bed.