Abstract: The present invention relates to a reel for a plaster strip roll with one or two side discs and/or a cover/protective ring for a plaster strip roll, which optionally has a tear-off edge, as well as the production thereof. The reel or the cover/protective ring, respectively, comprises an antimicrobially effective substance, wherein, on the outer surface of the reel or of the cover/protective ring, respectively, there is contact between the antimicrobially effective substance and the environment.

Abstract: A flexible line storage device with a case bounding a storage space for a supply of flexible line. The case has a peripheral wall extending around a central axis and first and second axially spaced walls. The peripheral wall has a radially inwardly facing surface that, in conjunction with axially oppositely facing surfaces on the first and second walls, bounds the storage space. The first wall has a first opening through which the central axis extends. An adaptor on the first wall at least partially blocks the first opening and defines a passage through which line in the storage space moves as the line is drawn out of the storage space.

Abstract: A container for storing and dispensing continuous lengths of chain includes a base having a hollow interior for storing the chain. The base has an open end defined by a top edge. The container also includes a lid that has a storage orientation and a dispensing orientation in which the lid is inverted relative to the storage orientation. The lid includes a first opening for dispensing the chain from the hollow interior. A coupling member of the lid is configured to attach the lid to the open end of the base in each of the storage and dispensing orientations. The coupling member can be configured to produce a releasable snap-fit between the lid and the base.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing one or more yarn sources are disclosed. Namely, several embodiments of containers are disclosed, in which the container can be custom-configured to dispense yarn from one or more yarn sources with reduced tangling or knotting.

Abstract: A twine box is provided for an agricultural baler. The twine box permits ready access to twine balls housed therein because all twine balls are located on a single row or tier. The twine balls are not compartmentalized and thus relocation of twine balls within twine ball groups is facilitated. Twine ball separators are employed to secure, locate and separate twine balls when the baler is operating. The twine ball separators may serve to maintain twine balls in a staggered configuration whereby it is possible to house a greater number of twine balls in a given space. The twine ball separators do not interfere with the movement of twine balls within the twine box during reloading of twine. The single row twine box allows the baler operator to access the twine balls from the ground and permits moving of twine balls without the need to cut and retie twine.

Abstract: A floating liner for a container of welding wire which floating liner includes a tube having two ends and a passageway extending between the two ends. The floating liner is unsupported between the top of the container and the retaining ring. The floating liner is designed to provide structural support to the wire and added stiffness or rigidity to the wire to inhibit buckling of the wire, knot formation in the wire that can form between the retaining ring and the top of the container. The floating liner has a weight profile that causes one end of the tube to at least partially float above the top surface of a layer of welding wire or retaining ring in the container as the welding wire is paid out of the container.

Abstract: A yarn storage container 10 including a generally rectangular container member 20 divided into an upper 28 and lower 29 main compartment which are further divided by permanent 30 and removable 31 partitions into enlarged sub-compartments 40 and smaller compartments 41, 42 respectively provided with spaced rows of apertures 34, 35 for dispensing strands of yarn 100 from the respective compartments 40, 41, 42.

Abstract: A packaging system comprises a rack for bundable material and a twine dispenser. The rack has a transverse slot open at one end through which twine may depend from the twine dispenser for tying in a loop around the bundable material without the necesscity of lifting or disturbing the material in the rack.

Abstract: A wire dispensing apparatus which comprises a housing adapted to receive a spool or coil of electrical wire. In one embodiment, the wire dispensing apparatus comprises a housing which is provided with a cylindrically-shaped container sized to receive spools of wire. One end of the wire is trained through an elongate slot on the housing so that the wire may be pulled from the spool through the elongate slot. The housing may be designed to mount on a conventional wire rack or so-called caddie. In another embodiment, the housing may be constructed in the form of a suitcase in which a plurality of different spools of wire may be located and which is provided with elongate slots for pulling coils of wire therefrom. The device is also capable of dispensing heavy insulated wire, such as Romex or the like.

Abstract: The invention is for an improvement in a payout tube for container-packaged coiled wire in which the tube in use is in the container which has in a wall thereof a hole comprising a circular main aperture and a pair of notches projecting from such aperture. The tube is secured to the container by passing an end of the tube through such aperture, and radial projecting tabs on the tube at that end through such notches, so as to locate such end and tabs on the wall's outside while radially projecting lugs on the tube remain on the tube's inside, and by then angularly turning the tube to insert sections of such wall bordering such hole between such tabs and such lugs. The improvement constitutes providing on the tube a pair of movable fingers and associated resilient hinges by which those fingers are hingedly coupled to the rest of the tube.

Abstract: A fiber optic bundle is wound for inside payout and is provided with a housing, with flanges, which maintains compressive force on the windings, and the payout of optical fiber is controlled by a substantially cylindrical mandrel placed in the interior of the inside payout spool. The mandrel supports a small-diameter tube through which the optical fiber pays and places drag on the optical fiber. The drag placed on the optical fiber passing through the small-diameter tube may be increased by slightly bending the tube. The combination of mandrel and small-diameter tube combine to hold the fiber coils in place and supply a certain amount of payout tension on the optical fiber.

Abstract: A helium balloon is attached to, and in communication with a helium bottle and has attached thereto four guide lines so that selected lines can be pulled as needed to guide the balloon through clearings in overhead foliage. When not in use the lines are wound on a spindle to be packed with the deflated balloon. The spindle carries an arrowhead to be extended from one end thereof and driven into the ground to anchor the guide lines.

Abstract: A dispensing package for a fiber-optic cable comprised of two mating members and a separator disposed therebetween. The two mating members have centrally located openings and are joined at their mating edges and define a cavity therebetween. The separator is secured between the mating members to divide the cavity into first and second cable receiving chamber. Each cable receiving chamber accommodates a circularly coiled cable portion. A fiber-optic cable passes through the separator and opposite cable ends exit respectively from the central apertures of each mating member to allow cable to be payed out from opposite sides of the package. A series of apertures in the mating members and separator define a plurality of flow passages through the package for sterilization purposes.

Abstract: This device relates to a yarn containing and dispensing device adapted for dispensing axially-winding and peripheral-winding skeins of yarn. This device includes a container having mating longitudinal top and bottom members with end members at each end. When closed, the top and bottom members define a longitudinal gap therebetween for dispensing yarn from a peripherally-winding skein. Further, when closed, the end members define an aperature for dispensing yarn from an axially-winding skein. Alternatively, the aperture retains a spindle for supporting a peripherally-winding skein.

Abstract: A personal, oral hygiene instrument is provided that incorporates a replaceable tooth engaging element and a dental filament dispenser into a single, hand held instrument. The instrument includes a hand graspable base member having an internal chamber for storing and dispensing dental filament from one end of the base member. A replaceable tooth engaging cleaning element is detachably received at the opposed end of the hand graspable base member.

Abstract: For sequentially dispensing individual closed loops of a narrow, easily tied, flexible material, such as dental floss, a chain having such closed loops as respective links thereof is made up by pressing a loop length of the flexible material into substantially rectilinear formation, loosely forming a knot in an end thereof, inserting a loop end of another so-pressed loop length into the loosely formed knot of the first loop length, tightening the knot to provide a slip-free-until-pulled-to-separate-loops joinder between the thus formed loop links and repeating this with additional loop lengths at either or both ends of the first-joined loop length until a chain of desired length is formed. Individual loop links are dispensed by grasping a terminal loop link of the chain and pulling it free of the chain while holding the knot that embraces the unknotted end of the next loop link of the chain.

Abstract: An improved coil package comprises a closable carton formed from a folded blank of cardboard and having a pair of oppositely disposed major side walls, each of which has an aperture in axial alignment with the aperture of the other major side wall and, removably housed in the carton, a reel on which is carried a coil of wire. The flanges of the reel have apertures of diameters less than the apertures in the major side walls of the carton and end parts of a rigid hollow hub formed of a transversely folded metal strip protrude from the reel flanges and are so rolled radially outwardly that their extreme edges bite into the outer faces of the reel flanges, no portions of the rolled over end parts of the hub protruding beyond the planes containing the outer faces of the major side walls.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dispensing facility for differently colored skeins of yarn featuring a yarn tender operable to retain the yarn ends loosely captive and free of entanglement while being inverted as a group as a patterned crocheted workpiece is inverted at the end of each row of stitches. The yarn tender and the crocheted workpiece are both inverted in the same direction through one half a revolution preparatory to starting the next course of stitches. In one embodiment, the facility includes a compartmented storage receptacle for multiple skeins of colored yarns.

Abstract: An arrow locating device for use with archery equipment which includes a hollow spool of line for dispensing the line axially from internally of the spool. The spool is fastened to a bow and has the free end of the line attached to the arrow so that upon shooting the arrow, the line is unwound from the spool making it easier to trace the arrow. The spool is provided with an attaching arrangement making it possible for the spool to be carried directly on the arrow until the arrow is noched in readiness for shooting and makes it possible to rapidly reload for subsequent shots.

Abstract: A free standing yarn holder and dispenser comprising a floor contacting base, an upstanding stem supporting a capital with outstanding, spaced apart circumferential hooks, and one or more bags each adapted to contain a skein of yarn and to be held generally vertically by one of the hooks. The bags are each preferably proportioned to retain the skein with its longitudinal axis disposed generally vertically, so that the yarn strand may be withdrawn freely as required by the knitter through an upwardly disposed perforation provided through the wall of the bag. The dispenser relieves the knitter of vexatious tangling of the individual yarn strands and jumbling of the skeins.

Abstract: A container of the type known as a station wire box, from its application to dispensing wire for installation of telephone equipment on a user's premises, or station, is provided with an insert centrally located in one face of the box, for smooth manual dispensing of the wire, and perforations on the reverse side of the box. The perforations define a first area removable to form a combined access opening and carrying handle opening. The access opening allows access to ties binding a coil of wire, to remove the ties, and lead an end of the coil of wire through the insert. The reverse side also includes perforations defining areas adjoining the access opening which can be removed to form a circular opening in the box, equivalent in size to the circular opening in a conventional station wire box, so that the box can be used as a conventional station wire box.

Abstract: An archery bow with a game finder attachment enables game shot with an arrow to be located over 1200 feet from the point of shot yet does not effect the flight of the arrow at reasonable distances. In the preferred embodiment the attachment includes an elongated tubular canister which is easily mounted to the bow and disposable prepackaged string, wound in a manner that causes the inner wound end of the string to be fed first and the outwardly wound string last so as to substantially reduce the amount of drag imposed upon the arrow to which it is attached, which can simply be dropped into the elongated canister.

Abstract: In a package having a wound body of strand having an outer cylindrical portion and an elastic membrane convolutely wound about the cylindrical portion in a plurality of plies, the membrane being of a sufficient thickness and being stretched sufficiently to partially collapse as the strand is withdrawn from the interior of the body, such that the membrane mechanically captures the strand of the outer cylindrical portion to retain such strand along said membrane until said strand is withdrawn from the package wherein the improvement comprises: a control layer of material having different physical characteristics than said membrane, said control layer being positioned between the plies of said membrane to control the collapse of said membrane to a predetermined amount.

Abstract: An upwardly opening generally rectangular receptacle including two pairs of opposite side walls is provided and a plurality of side-by-side upwardly opening generally semi-cylindrical bottom wall portions extend between and are supported from lower marginal portions of one pair of the side walls. A cover is removably secured over the top of the receptacle and adjacent portions of the semi-cylindrical bottom wall portions merge into upstanding partitions whose upper marginal edges are abutted by the top wall. The side walls project downwardly below the bottom wall portions and the latter define a false bottom, a bottom structure being removably secured under the lower marginal edges of the side walls defining a storage area between the upper side of the bottom structure and the under surface portions of the semi-cylindrical bottom wall portions.

Abstract: For guiding flexible material wound in a figure-8 package with inner end feedout, a coil is enclosed in a container with walls of corrugated cardboard. The payout of the material is guided by a tube having a flange adjacent the outer end, and two outwardly extending projections between the flange and the outer end, leaving a space therebetween. The inner edges of the projections are slanted in opposite directions. The tube is inserted into a coil, which is then inserted into a container formed of corrugated material. The corrugated material has an opening equal in diameter to the diameter of the tube and notches on either side of such opening extending in the direction of the corrugations. The outer end of the tube is brought through this opening, with the projections extending through the notches, and is then turned by 90.degree.. The thickness of the cardboard is slightly less than the space between the projections and the flange.

Abstract: A threaded material dispenser having first and second substantially identical contoured members, hinged together to fold into overlapping position with said second member supported by said first member; each member preferably being pliable and having a depressed central region surrounded on at least three sides by raised portions, so that at least one skein of yarn positioned between said members in the central region thereof may be dispensed between said raised portion of said two members without pulling out the skein of yarn, said raised portions and the walls of one of said central regions preferably enclosing granulated material.