Abstract: Lock assemblies for ladders and other rail assemblies are provided. In some embodiments, a ladder section includes a first rail and a second rail with openings extending therethrough. A lock assembly is disposed between the first rail and the second rail to selectively engage the opening in the first and second rails. The lock assembly includes a first rod and a second rod. The lock assembly also includes a first pusher that engages the first rod and a second pusher that engages the second rod. A first lever extends from an outer surface of the first pusher. A second lever extends from an outer surface of the second pusher to create a pinch grasp portion with the first lever. The lock assembly has a locked position that secures the ladder section and an unlocked position that allows the ladder section to be reconfigured with respect to another structure.

Abstract: A ladder is disclosed which has a lockable pivot arrangement. The lockable pivot arrangement is located and connected between two elongate ladder sections. Inside each pair of end housings there are at least two receptacles. A pivot mechanism connects between the end housings and the end housings rotate in unison and also allow the pair of end housings to rotate relative to the housing. A lock mechanism within the housing has at least two lock members each with an actuator and each actuator having a free end. There is an elastomeric bias element acting to bias the two lock members and respective free ends and actuators away from each other, and the two actuators when biased apart are positioned so as to allow for one-handed actuation against the bias to unlock the rotation of the housing.

Abstract: Lottery tickets are printed and validated (“branded”) at a point-of-sale terminal by providing a stock paper to the terminal, the stock paper having a first defined inkjet printing section, and a second defined section having a thermally sensitive ink composition applied thereto. At the point-of-sale terminal, the individual lottery tickets are printed on the stock paper, including printing game data and related indicia on the first section with an inkjet printer. For each ticket presented as a winning ticket, a validation mark is formed on the ticket by exposing the second section of the stock paper to a heat source to activate the thermally sensitive ink composition.

Abstract: Lottery tickets are printed and validated (“branded”) at a point-of-sale terminal by providing a stock paper to the terminal, the stock paper having a first defined inkjet printing section, and a second defined section having a thermally sensitive ink composition applied thereto. At the point-of-sale terminal, the individual lottery tickets are printed on the stock paper, including printing game data and related indicia on the first section with an inkjet printer. For each ticket presented as a winning ticket, a validation mark is formed on the ticket by exposing the second section of the stock paper to a heat source to activate the thermally sensitive ink composition.

Abstract: Security can be provided for lottery tickets having data printed thereon in a bar code or other machine readable media by covering only a portion of the bar code with a scratch-off material. Removing the scratch-off material, or in some cases only a portion of the scratch-off material, can permit machine validation of the lottery tickets. For bar codes having a specified level of redundancy, it is desirable to cover at least enough of the bar code to prevent the machine reading of ticket validation data encoded in the bar code. Also, a lottery ticket can include a bar code printed on the ticket having both inventory and validation data along with a bar code printed on the front of the ticket including the validation data. All or part of the bar code printed on the front of the ticket can be covered by a scratch-off material.

Abstract: Described is a player activated game system, particularly adapted for playing instant lottery type games, that includes a game device having a computer containing at least one game, an electronic display and a card interface adapted to receive a game card having data that represents a particular game outcome such that connection of the card to the interface can result the game being played by the device with the particular outcome displayed on the display.

Abstract: Security can be provided for lottery tickets having data printed thereon in a bar code or other machine readable media by covering only a portion of the bar code with a scratch-off material. Removing the scratch-off material, or in some cases only a portion of the scratch-off material, can permit machine validation of the lottery tickets. For bar codes having a specified level of redundancy, it is desirable to cover at least enough of the bar code to prevent the machine reading of ticket validation data encoded in the bar code. Also, a lottery ticket can include a bar code printed on the ticket having both inventory and validation data along with a bar code printed on the front of the ticket including the validation data. All or part of the bar code printed on the front of the ticket can be covered by a scratch-off material.