Doskocil Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Other

Benjamin L Doskocil

Douglas J Sharp

Guy C Clapp

A waterproof cover having special utility for a flat or low-slope roof for a building. The roof includes a structural part comprising beams, joists, rafters, etc., as well as a substrate in the form of plywood panels, metal decking, etc. A waterproof cover is secured over the substrate. The cover is formed by placing a plurality of waterproof sheets loosely over the structural substrate, and connecting the abutting edges of adjacent sheets to one another, much like an old-fashion quilt is assembled. The preferred sheets constitute lightweight, thin but relatively stiff sheets of resin-impregnated fiberglass having a thickness of about 0.065 inch; and the joints between adjacent sheets are formed in situ by a mixture of fiberglass fibers and cured resin. The plurality of sheets are joined to one another (along their abutting edges) to form one giant waterproof cover. To accommodate dimensional changes that will inevitably arise during the life of the cover, there is deliberately built into the cover an excess of material that can compensate for anticipated contractions and expansions due to thermal changes, foundation shifting, etc. This excess of material is created by placing a plurality of removable supports under the sheets before they are mechanically anchored to the substrate. The preferred supports are ropes which can be strung out both longitudinally and transversely on top of a substrate before the sheets are initially put into position; after the sheets have been securely anchored to the substrate, the ropes are then pulled out.

Waterproof coverings for generally flat or low-pitch roofs on buildings

Hand-held trotline holder

A hand-held trotline holder adapted for safety accumulating, storing, and dispensing a trotline having a main line with spaced drop lines carrying hooks. The trotline holder includes an arcuate handgrip and spool-like member that rotates with respect to the handgrip. The spool-like member comprises a hollow cylindrical hub with two circular flanges; one of those flanges is attached at each of the two ends of the hub. The trotline is accumulated around the hub and contained between the two flanges. The hub is adapted to rotate about its central (longitudinal) axis, and the two flanges (which are preferably formed integrally with the hub) therefore rotate in planes perpendicular to the hub's central axis. Rigidly affixed to the outer face of the first flange is a series of peripherally and outwardly opening compartments; each compartment has at least one radially extending slot for storing one or more hooks attached to the drop lines. The second flange has affixed thereto an external knob which is adapted to be grasped for turning the spool about its central axis. Permanently mounted within the cylindrical spool hub is a handgrip which is adapted for rotatably supporting the spool. A portion of the handgrip acts as a guard or shield between the user's hand (which hand is supporting the spool) and the points and barbs of hooks that are captured within the compartments. The handgrip also preferably includes a structure which permits control of the rotation of the spool with respect to the handgrip. In one embodiment of the invention, a handgrip is configured so that the user's thumb may extend over the top of the handgrip for a short distance in order to bear against a portion of the spool in such a way as to inhibit rotation thereof. This is done by sizing the shield so that the end of the thumb may engage a side wall of one of the adjacent compartments (thereby preventing the compartment from rotating with respect to the user's hand). In another embodiment, a protuberance carried by a flexible portion of the handgrip may be moved to a position where it interferes with free rotation of the spool. By flexing the handgrip portion so as to force interference between the protuberance and one or more side walls of the compartments, rotation of the compartments about the central axis can be selectively retarded and/or prevented. A typical embodiment of the invention will have first and second flanges about 10 inches in diameter, and will have some 23 compartments with associated slots, each of which may conveniently hold up to 5 or 6 substantial hooks. Such a holder can accommodate over 250 feet of main line and about 50 drop lines with their associated hooks. All of this can be accomplished with a holder that is relatively compact (i.e., capable of being placed in an envelope of about 165 cubic inches) and which will weigh only about 41/2 pounds.

Growing community of inventors

Arlington, TX, United States of America

Benjamin L Doskocil