Abstract: In a first embodiment an electric toothbrush having a housing containing an electric motor, the motor being drivingly connected to a first brush head rotatably mounted on an end of the toothbrush remote from the motor and adjacent to at least one other rotatable brush head. In a second embodiment a packaged electric toothbrush including a “try me” facility for remotely testing the operation of the toothbrush, which “try me” feature comprises a two-sided metal strip such as aluminum foil, separated by a dielectric material, respective sides of the strip being connected at one end to respective parts used to operate the electric toothbrush and the other end of the strip being folded over and including a centrally disposed aperture onto which is a bendable metal connector such that upon bending or pressing of the connector the two sides of the strip are electrically connected together to temporarily operate the toothbrush whilst still in its packaging.

Abstract: In a first embodiment an electric toothbrush having a housing containing an electric motor, the motor being drivingly connected to a first brush head rotatably mounted on an end of the toothbrush remote from the motor and adjacent to at least one other rotatable brush head. In a second embodiment a packaged electric toothbrush including a “try me” facility for remotely testing the operation of the toothbrush, which “try me” feature comprises a two-sided metal strip such as aluminum foil, separated by a dielectric material, respective sides of the strip being connected at one end to respective parts used to operate the electric toothbrush and the other end of the strip being folded over and including a centrally disposed aperture onto which is a bendable metal connector such that upon bending or pressing of the connector the two sides of the strip are electrically connected together to temporarily operate the toothbrush whilst still in its packaging.

Abstract: In a first embodiment an electric toothbrush having a housing containing an electric motor, the motor being drivingly connected to a first brush head rotatably mounted on an end of the toothbrush remote from the motor and adjacent to at least one other rotatable brush head. In a second embodiment a packaged electric toothbrush including a “try me” facility for remotely testing the operation of the toothbrush, which “try me” feature comprises a two-sided metal strip such as aluminum foil, separated by a dielectric material, respective sides of the strip being connected at one end to respective parts used to operate the electric toothbrush and the other end of the strip being folded over and including a centrally disposed aperture onto which is a bendable metal connector such that upon bending or pressing of the connector the two sides of the strip are electrically connected together to temporarily operate the toothbrush whilst still in its packaging.

Abstract: In a first embodiment an electric toothbrush having a housing containing an electric motor, the motor being drivingly connected to a first brush head rotatably mounted on an end of the toothbrush remote from the motor and adjacent to at least one other rotatable brush head. In a second embodiment a packaged electric toothbrush including a “try me” facility for remotely testing the operation of the toothbrush, which “try me” feature comprises a two-sided metal strip such as aluminium foil, separated by a dielectric material, respective sides of the strip being connected at one end to respective parts used to operate the electric toothbrush and the other end of the strip being folded over and including a centrally disposed aperture onto which is a bendable metal connector such that upon bending or pressing of the connector the two sides of the strip are electrically connected together to temporarily operate the toothbrush whilst still in its packaging.

Abstract: A circuit tester (1) and method of testing the integrity of a series-wired electrical circuit are disclosed, such as a string of Christmas fairy lights powered by domestic means electricity, through the use of a tester comprising a pair of matching AC current sensors (1, 2) adapted to be positioned adjacent to a pair of wires forming part of the circuit to be tested, such as between or around a pair of wires (29, 30) extending from a fairy light bulb socket (31), the tester then feeding the signals to a matching pair of signal amplifiers (3, 4) and thereafter to a logic gate (5) which provides an output signal to a first display (6) indicating the receipt of matching signals and hence a closed circuit between the wires, and in the event of receipt of mismatching signals from the amplifiers a different output signal is sent to a second display (7) which indicates a discontinuity in the circuit between the pair of wires being tested, such as by a broken fairy light bulb in the circuit therebetween.

Abstract: A battery operated lightweight display device comprises a housing (22) containing an electrically operable stepper motor (1), the stepper motor including a magnetic rotor (6), the rotor having single or multiple magnetic pole pairs, a bi-polarisable stator (3) and associated coil (8); a drive circuit (2) for driving the stepper motor at high speed by means of discrete electric drive pulses; a gear train (18,19,20 and 21) drivingly connected between the rotor and a rotatable display support element (16); the display support element being adapted to support an object to be displayed (24) and rotated relative to said housing when the drive circuit and hence the stepper motor is energized by a battery.

Abstract: In a decorative light string for Christmas trees the improvement comprising a plurality of light socket support members in the form of wands at spaced intervals along the string, each being adapted to support selected groups of light sockets and being insertable into the interior of a Christmas tree at spaced intervals. With this arrangement, the light string illuminates the interior of the Christmas tree via the light bulbs and light sockets supported on the wands, and illuminates the exterior of the Christmas tree via the remaining sockets and light bulbs on the light string. This allows the interior of the Christmas tree to be decorated and therefore illuminated by simple insertion of the wands at selected intervals around the Christmas tree.

Abstract: The invention provides in a first aspect a novel synchronous motor in which the rotor comprises a substantially solid multi-pole magnet axially displaced from the coil which, itself, is of substantially the same diametrical size. With this arrangement a very powerful motor can be provided for a relatively small size and is suitable for use in powering ornaments such as Christmas tree ornaments direct from a socket of a fairy light string or decorative lights. In a second aspect of the invention, reciprocation means are provided suitable for use with the synchronous motor of the first aspect which can automatically raise and lower ornaments and similar novelty items. In a third aspect of the invention reciprocation means is provided which may be used either with the synchronous motor of the invention or with a conventional D.C. motor to provide for winding and sudden unwinding of a cord and hence an ornament or a novelty item attached thereto.