Abstract: A multi-part article of furniture, such as a chair or table, capable of being assembled without tools or glue is disclosed. The legs of the table or chair can be rigidly, but removably, attached to the table top or chair seat by slideably engaging an elongated dowel protruding from an upper side surface of the leg into a mating slot formed in the end wall of an apron attached to the underside of the table top or chair seat. Alternatively, the elongated dowel may protrude from the apron and the upper side surface of the leg may contain a mating slot. Fastening clips may provide additional attachment between the legs and aprons and a separate dowel protruding from the upper end surface of the leg may mate with a bore in the underside of the seat or table top. In one embodiment, the length of the legs is varied either by replacement with longer-length legs or by the addition of leg-extension members.

Abstract: A rotatable platform having a relatively circular turntable top rotationally supported above a unitary base by a plurality of wheels which make tangential point contact with the underside of the turntable top. The base includes a raised rim portion that carries the rotationally mounted wheels. A step is formed between the raised rim portion and the remainder of the base that helps prevent food particles from contacting a gear train assembly contained within the base. A flat spiral spring is housed beneath the gear train assembly and cooperates with the gear train assembly to rotate the turntable top. A detent is provided on the base that engages an escapement blade for stopping rotation of the turntable top. The base is substantially square with rounded corners.

Abstract: A cooking utensil for use in a microwave or conventional oven is disclosed. The utensil comprises a metal baking pan of largely conventional design with a plastic ring or girdle fitted around the outside edge of the pan to space the pan from the oven walls. The girdle may be provided with an interior shoulder to accept a lip on the pan. A rib on the girdle extending above the shoulder may be used to capture the pan lip between the rib and the shoulder in a snap-fit arrangement. Additionally, the girdle may be used as a cool-to-the-touch handle with or without handle extensions.

Abstract: A self-inflating toy that provides amusement before and during inflation as well as after. The toy is formed from relatively flexible materials that define a sealed inner chamber which contains mixable chemicals that are separated by a membrane which is ruptured when the deflated toy is struck a firm blow. Upon rupture of the membrane, the chemicals mix and react to produce a gas that causes the toy to inflate as the sealed chamber becomes pressurized by the gas. In its deflated form, the toy is collapsed to assume a relatively flat, essentially two-dimensional state, thereby enabling it to fit inside an envelope or other essentially flat paper container in much the same manner as a greeting card. In one preferred form, the toy has three-dimensional outer surface portions that are printed and/or textured to provide features that attract attention such as a grimacing face that has expressions which change and are enhanced as the toy expands from a deflated state to its fully inflated state.

Abstract: A small, lightweight ornamental tape dispenser is adapted for hand held, desk top, or wall mounted use, and accomodates both right and left handed withdrawal of tape while remaining in a wall mounted position. A wall mounting means, a tape roll holding means, and a free standing base means are disposed at the rear side of an ornamental planar front wall member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the manufacture of molded plastic tape dispensers are convenient and efficient for the production of a plurality of tape dispensers having both common and differing design shape portions, and enable a simplified changeover between production runs of differing designs. A stationary mold plate is adapted to releaseably receive one of a plurality of inserts having differently designed mold cavities formed therein.

Abstract: An ice cream dispenser having a container for receiving and containing ice cream is disclosed. The container has a piston therein which is mounted on a threaded rod to move the piston upwardly in the container through a shearing device. The ice cream is softened by the shearing device and is dispensed from a spout at the top of the container.

Abstract: An ark toy comprising an ark including a hull, a deck releasably snap-locked to the hull, and a cabin releasably snap-locked to the deck. The cabin incorporates a handle for carrying the entire assembly. Animal units are releasably assembled companion animal members and are selectively mountable within deck compartments with access to and from the deck simulated by a removable inclined ramp.

Abstract: A hand tool (implement) such as a glue gun and a support for the hand tool. The support is designed for engaging the hand tool and supporting the hand tool in a manner that enables the hand tool to be conveniently removed therefrom. In the preferred embodiment, the support comprises an upstanding post adapted to engage a first portion of the hand tool. The support includes a special lever which is adapted to exert a prying force upon the first portion of the tool to disengage the tool from the upstanding post. The construction of the tool and the support allows the user to readily disengage and remove the hand tool from the support with a single hand simply by grasping the tool and imparting a slight rocking or rotational force thereto. The tool and support are particularly useful in constructing a cordless glue gun that is electrically energized while on the support and which is conveniently detached from the support and from the source of electricity.

Abstract: A coin sorting bank that sorts coins according to their diameters, and also provides a unique form of animation when a coin is deposited therein. A coin deposited in the bank moves under gravitational/inertial forces from an inlet to a coin storage area. As it moves between the inlet and the coin storage area, the coin is engaged by a sorting mechanism comprising a unique arrangement of ramps, wheels, levers and guide rails which directs the coin to a respective coin bin in the coin storage area. A particular feature of the invention is a part of the sorting mechanism comprising a pivotal ramp and a stop member associated with the ramp. The structure provides effective sorting between coins of different diameters, and also provides a way of readily changing the bank to sort coins of different currencies by simply changing the location of the stop member relative to the pivotal ramp.