Abstract: A novel piling comprises a tubular member containing a plurality of passages therein. The piling includes a first rod longitudinally placed within the inner diameter of the tubular member, with the first rod having a first plurality of blades attached thereon. The first plurality of blades will be aligned with the plurality of passages. The piling also includes a gripping member adapted for rotating the blades from the inner diameter of the tubular member to an extended position protruding through the passages. The gripping member consist of a first gripping surface formed on the first end of the first rod and a rod holder, operatively attached to the second end of the tubular member. The rod holder will contain the second end of the rod so that the first rod may be rotated by a turning of the first gripping surface. The novel piling may also include a second plurality of passages therein, along with a second rod longitudinally placed within the inner diameter of the tubular member and adjacent the first rod.

Abstract: The invention relates to hair rollers and provides for the use of a cylindrical tube rolled from a rectangular perforated sheet of flexible material, the sheet having an outer edge which overlaps a portion of the tube. The tube has a pair of opposing transverse edges, each of which is engaged within a spiral groove formed in opposing caps. The caps are rotationally mounted on an elongated shaft, such that rotation of the disks causes advancement of the transverse edges within the sprial groove, changing the diameter of the outer tube, as desired. An indicia on the outer surface of one or two caps allows to select the diameter of the tube when rotating the caps. The shaft has slotted projections on opposing ends with one or both of which an elongated resilient band is engaged.

Abstract: The invention relates to hair rollers and provides for the use of a cylindrical tube rolled from a rectangular sheet of flexible material, the sheet having an outer edge which overlaps a portion of the tube. The tube has a pair of opposing transverse edges, each of which is engaged within a spiral groove formed in opposing caps. The caps are rotationally mounted on an elongated shaft, such that rotation of the disks causes advancement of the transverse edges within the spiral groove, changing the diameter of the outer tube, as desired.

Abstract: A carpet cutter for concurrently cutting a pair of overlapping carpet portions lying on a floor, comprising a body, flat longitudinally extending base plate extending downward from the body and adapted to be drawn across the floor, and a handle extending upwardly from the plate for drawing the plate across the floor. Upper, lower and intermediate, elongated guides are spaced vertically below the handle and above the undersurface of the base plate forming a pair of vertically spaced, one-above-the-other, parallel, upper and lower, horizontally extending, longitudinal slots between the guides. A pair of overlapping carpet portions are respectively positioned in the slots.

Abstract: A video display system having two different selectable screen formats for displaying images in a display field is disclosed. The system includes circuitry for switching from a first screen format defining a display field of a first number of horizontal scan lines to a second screen format having a second number of scan lines, where the height and width of the display field remains the same for both screen formats. The first and second screen formats are generated, respectively, from first and second horizontal scan frequencies, which frequencies differ significantly from format-to-format. The system further includes adjustment circuitry for adjusting the height of the display field to remain the same for each screen format.