Abstract: A sharpening device for a carpenter's pencil. A housing has a pivotable guide with a cruciform passage to receive the pencil in either of two positions. A pair of oppositely directed blades are mounted on opposed walls within the housing. The pencil is pivoted while sliding it through the guide to obtain a selected sharpened profile on the end of the pencil.

Abstract: A leash is provided for securing tools to a relatively fixed member to ensure against free fall of the tools in the event that they are dropped by a workman. Spring clips at the ends of the leash have arms that interlock, and respectively are receivable within an aperture in a tool and in clamping engagement around the periphery of a pole, tool, or other member, in order to tether the tool to a member capable of retaining the tool in the event of free fall of the tool.

Abstract: A container for two or more disks having a center hole, comprising compartments having gripping portions, support members, positioning members, and projecting members. The projecting members are of sufficient length to project into the opposing compartment and contact the disk contained in the opposing compartment in a non-information area of that disk. In other embodiments, the projecting members may contact opposing projecting members, or the floor, in the opposing compartment. The projecting members provide improved rigidity to the container and increase its resistance to compressive force. Also disclosed are finger-like gripping members having an angled projection or protuberance to retain the disk thereunder.

Abstract: An umbrella includes a hollow tubular handle, a hub slidably contained in the handle between an upper extended position and a lower stored position; a spider hinge mounted on the hub and including radially extending spider arms; a plurality of flexible struts, each having a fixed end and a free end, with each strut having a width which tapers from the fixed end to the fre end and with the fixed end being secured on each spider arm; a retainer bushing and plug which fixedly secures the spider hinge onto the hub; each strut further having a block thereon with an outwardly radially extending opening; a cord extending peripherally about the umbrella and connected within the openings of the blocks and thereby to the struts for applying a pre-loading tensioning force to the struts so as to bend the struts into a bowed configuration; and a one-piece web of flexible, water-resistant material connected to the ends of the tensioned struts.

Abstract: An emergency umbrella includes a hollow, tubular handle; a hub formed of an inverted cup-like section slidably contained in the handle between an open position at the upper end of the handle and a stored position at the lower end of the handle, the hub also including a piston secured to the inverted cup-like section; a sleeve slidably mounted on the hub between an upper position and a lower position, the sleeve including a central section slidably mounted on the hub and radially directed strut locking sections hingedly connected to the central section; a plurality of struts connected to the strut locking sections, each strut movable between an upright position substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle and a radial position substantially radially outward from the longitudinal axis; and a web of flexible, water-resistant material connected to the struts, such that opening and closing of the struts is accomplished by a snap action of the handle, whereupon the sleeve slides on the piston of th

Abstract: A fluid flow valve stem for a vessel, tire, or the like comprising a sleeve having an inner annular valve seat, an end cap secured to one end of the sleeve by a vacuum lock, and a captive plunger interposed between the valve seat and end cap, and having a seal member biased by a spring into engagement with the valve seat. The sleeve is encapsulated within a polymeric body which is securable to a vessel, tire wheel, or the like. Alternatively, the end cap may be directly secured to an inner tube or the like.