Abstract: The invention is for a handle body for a crutch used to aid a person in walking on a walking surface. The handle body includes a generally cylindrical palm grip about which a user wraps his hand to grip the handle assembly, a generally vertical front post, a generally vertical rear post, a web upon which the web of the hand of the person rests when the person grips the handle body, and a thumb rest upon which the person positions a thumb to more securely grip the handle body and to physiologically and psychologically encourage the person to refrain from engaging in twisting and rolling motions of the hands and wrist. The thumb rest is a contoured ridge integrally formed on a side of the handle body.

Abstract: The invention is for a foot assembly for a walking aid. The foot assembly is attached to a strut at a lower end of the walking aid. The foot assembly has a cylinder attached to a bottom of the strut and a foot pivotally attached to the cylinder by a foot bolt. The foot has a hemispherical portion and a flat ring portion. The foot bolt is positioned through a dome hole and a cylinder bottom opening, and the foot bolt is secured by a foot bolt nut that tightens on the foot bolt threads to attach the foot dome hemispherical portion to a concave cylinder bottom wall. A resilient foot pad is attached to a bottom of the foot. A spacer fits on the foot bolt and retains the foot bolt head inside the hemispherical portion.

Abstract: The invention is a shoulder support for a crutch having a pair of upper tubes that slide inside a pair of lower tubes. The shoulder support includes tube caps that are supported at a top of the upper tubes and a channel section positioned between the tube caps and attached to the tube caps by a bolt. A shoulder spring is bent into a bow-tie shape with two loops and a narrow portion. A crutch user positions his underarm atop the shoulder spring to support his weight, and the shoulder spring loops deflect outwardly when a user bears his weight on the crutch. The shoulder support includes a resilient shoulder pad that covers the shoulder spring to protect skin beneath arms of the user from scraping and chafing. Two rivets secure the narrow portion of the shoulder spring to the channel section at a top of the channel section.

Abstract: The invention is a shoulder support for a crutch having a pair of upper tubes that slide inside a pair of lower tubes. The shoulder support includes tube caps that are supported at a top of the upper tubes and a channel section positioned between the tube caps and attached to the tube caps by a bolt. A shoulder spring is bent into a bow-tie shape with two loops and a narrow portion. A crutch user positions his underarm atop the shoulder spring to support his weight, and the shoulder spring loops deflect outwardly when a user bears his weight on the crutch. The shoulder support includes a resilient shoulder pad that covers the shoulder spring to protect skin beneath arms of the user from scraping and chafing. Two rivets secure the narrow portion of the shoulder spring to the channel section at a top of the channel section.

Abstract: The invention is for a handle assembly for an adjustable crutch having two upper tubes each of which slides inside one of two lower tubes to adjust the height of the crutch. The handle assembly has a body, a lever attached to the outside of the body; and two locking pins positioned inside the body. Each locking pin is mechanically coupled to the lever and each locking pin is normally biased through tube holes formed in the upper tubes and through tube openings defined in the lower tubes to prevent the sliding of the upper tubes inside the lower tubes. The depression of the lever causes the locking pins to retract from the tube holes and the tube openings such that a user may slide the upper tube inside the lower tube to change the crutch height.

Abstract: The invention is for a handle body for a crutch used to aid a person in walking on a walking surface. The handle body includes a generally cylindrical palm grip about which a user wraps his hand to grip the handle assembly, a generally vertical front post, a generally vertical rear post, a web upon which the web of the hand of the person rests when the person grips the handle body, and a thumb rest upon which the person positions a thumb to more securely grip the handle body and to physiologically and psychologically encourage the person to refrain from engaging in twisting and rolling motions of the hands and wrist. The thumb rest is a contoured ridge integrally formed on a side of the handle body.

Abstract: The invention is for a handle assembly for an adjustable crutch having two upper tubes each of which slides inside one of two lower tubes to adjust the height of the crutch. The handle assembly has a body, a lever attached to the outside of the body; and two locking pins positioned inside the body. Each locking pin is mechanically coupled to the lever and each locking pin is normally biased through tube holes formed in the upper tubes and through tube openings defined in the lower tubes to prevent the sliding of the upper tubes inside the lower tubes. The depression of the lever causes the locking pins to retract from the tube holes and the tube openings such that a user may slide the upper tube inside the lower tube to change the crutch height.

Abstract: The invention is a shoulder support for a crutch having a pair of upper tubes that slide inside a pair of lower tubes. The shoulder support includes tube caps that are supported at a top of the upper tubes and a channel section positioned between the tube caps and attached to the tube caps by a bolt. A shoulder spring is bent into a bow-tie shape with two loops and a narrow portion. A crutch user positions his underarm atop the shoulder spring to support his weight, and the shoulder spring loops deflect outwardly when a user bears his weight on the crutch. The shoulder support includes a resilient shoulder pad that covers the shoulder spring to protect skin beneath arms of the user from scraping and chafing. Two rivets secure the narrow portion of the shoulder spring to the channel section at a top of the channel section.

Abstract: The invention is for a foot assembly for a walking aid. The foot assembly is attached to a strut at a lower end of the walking aid. The foot assembly has a cylinder attached to a bottom of the strut and a foot pivotally attached to the cylinder by a foot bolt. The foot has a hemispherical portion and a flat ring portion. The foot bolt is positioned through a dome hole and a cylinder bottom opening, and the foot bolt is secured by a foot bolt nut that tightens on the foot bolt threads to attach the foot dome hemispherical portion to a concave cylinder bottom wall. A resilient foot pad is attached to a bottom of the foot. A spacer fits on the foot bolt and retains the foot bolt head inside the hemispherical portion.

Abstract: An inventive stepladder of tripod structure with an actuating mechanism that extends the rear legs and front step assembly in a coordinated manner to assume the tripod footprint. The actuating mechanism may include a vertical center post; a sliding collar journaled on the center post to coordinate the extension and retraction of the rear legs and step assembly; an A-brace for extending and retracting the step assembly and further serving as an auxiliary work platform for the uppermost step in the step assembly; leg braces for extending and retracting the rear legs, and a stop block attached to the lower end of the center post. A locking pin may be provided to secure the position of the sliding collar along the center post. The stop block may function to relieve shear stress on the locking pin and to provide support for a user's weight on the A-brace.

Abstract: A perimeter skimming gutter for a swimming pool includes a gutter having a gutter wall preferably formed of sheet material and arranged for disposition toward the interior of the swimming pool. The gutter wall includes a fastener receiving member. A wall covering preferably including either a tile or vinyl surface facing is attachable with a fastener that extends through the wall covering to the gutter wall and is releasably received in mating relation by the fastener receiving member. The fastener thereby retains the wall covering in abutment with and in covering relation to the sheet material of the gutter wall.

Abstract: A perimeter skimming gutter for a swimming pool includes a gutter having a gutter wall preferably formed of sheet material and arranged for disposition toward the interior of the swimming pool. The gutter wall includes a fastener receiving member. A wall covering preferably including either a tile or vinyl surface facing is attachable with a fastener that extends through the wall covering to the gutter wall and is releasably received in mating relation by the fastener receiving member. The fastener thereby retains the wall covering in abutment with and in covering relation to the sheet material of the gutter wall.

Abstract: A perimeter skimming gutter and retaining wall of a swimming pool comprises an elongate open first gutter conduit extending about the periphery of the swimming pool for receiving water from the swimming pool; an elongate closed second gutter conduit extending about the periphery of the swimming pool adjacent the first gutter conduit and in fluid communication with the first gutter conduit for receiving water from the first gutter conduit for water flow in a direction toward a filtration and circulation system; and a plurality of water-spray tubes disposed within the second gutter conduit and extending transversely to the water flow through the second gutter conduit. Each water-spray tube includes a plurality of jet spray openings arranged to direct a spray of water within the second gutter conduit only in the direction of water flow toward the filtration and circulation system to propel and thereby increase water flow within the second gutter conduit.

Abstract: A valve linkage comprises valve arrangements each comprising a valve disc disposed in its respective conduit, a valve shaft attached thereto and extending therefrom, and a lever arm attached to the shaft. In one preferred embodiment, certain valve arrangements have an actuating plate attached to their shaft with two adjustable actuating members selectively placeable thereon for selected actuation, and the lever arm is rotatably attached to the shaft adjacent the actuating plate and is further rotatable about the shaft between engagement with the two actuating members, the lever arm adjusts the valve when the lever arm is moved in engagement with an actuating member. A linking rod is pivotally attached to each lever arm of all valve arrangements, and a manually operated handle or a hydraulic cylinder is pivotably mounted to the linking assembly and is movable to simultaneously adjust actuated valve arrangements.

Abstract: An adjustable flooring structure for a pool includes a platform and three groups of hydraulic cylinders. The first group of cylinders is vertically mounted to the platform and is extendable between a minimum first length and a maximum first length for lifting the pool from a minimum height to an intermediate height. The second group of cylinders is pivotally mounted to the platform and movable between a horizontal disposition and a vertical disposition for lifting of the platform. The second group of cylinders is extendable between a minimum second length and a maximum second length for lifting the platform from the intermediate height to the maximum height when the second group of cylinders are vertically disposed. The third group of cylinders are pivotally mounted to the platform and are pivotally mounted to the second group of cylinders for moving the second group of cylinders between the horizontal disposition and the vertical disposition when the platform is at the intermediate height.

Abstract: A modular perimeter skimming gutter and retaining wall unit for swimming pools with exposed exterior longitudinal welds, for pool construction by simple bonding together of a plurality of modular units in the shop or on-site, disposed about the perimeter of a swimming pool as the retaining wall of the swimming pool,the modular unit comprising three bonded-together metal sheet portions:The first sheet being bonded in an exterior bond to the second sheet along a wall of the open first conduit; and to the second sheet along a wall of the closed second conduit, thereby completing the walls of the closed second conduit;the third sheet being bonded to the second sheet in exterior bonds along a wall of the open first conduit, thereby with the first sheet completing the walls of the open first conduit; and along a wall of the closed second conduit, thereby completing the walls of the closed third conduit.

Abstract: A printer 20 for imprinting data on a variety of multi-dimensional media 62 has media based registration and can accomplish free edge printing for printing data adjacent edges. The printer 20 includes a transport mechanism 52 for accurately transporting and positioning the media 62 before a print head 102. Further, the printer 20 includes a carriage mounted sensor 144 for media edge detection, registration and media size determination. A media presentation mechanism 96 ensures that the media 62 is appropriately presented and maintained at the optimal distance from and orientation with respect to the print head 102.

Abstract: A suction control filter system for swimming pools is provided, in which the vacuum filter of the water recirculation system features positive suction backwash of the filter during cleaning.

Abstract: An electrically groundable swimming pool deck anchor of plastic material is provided, which has a resilient member for engaging in electrical grounding contact a swimming pool component to be held in the anchor.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for foam fluxing and tinning the solder pads of a plurality of leadless ceramic chip packages wherein each package is held by suction on a carrier surface such that the pads are exposed to solder as the carrier is passed over a jet of solder. The devices are oriented on the carrier such that the leading edge of the devices is inclined at an angle to the direction of conveying. The conveying system includes an endless chain for passing the carrier in an endless loop through the various stations of loading, fluxing, tinning, cleaning and unloading.