Discovery Toys, Inc.

Other

Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. Corp.

Chevron Research Company

Anthony Manufacturing Corp.

Rain Bird Sprinkler Manufacturing Corporation

William J Wichman

Frederick G Mackay

Roy K Fujitaki

David Eugene Robertson

Rudolph M Gunzel, Jr

Edward M Troup, Deceased

John D Beamer

Max A Graham

Richard A Vander Ploeg

Robert W Patterson

A collapsible portable framework is expanded to an open position forming a long, narrow, column-like structure for a folding display frame, in which generally rectangular frame-like cubicles are aligned serially and are pivotally joined at common ends of the cubicles. Each cubicle has hubs at its corners pivotally joined to ends of rigid rods interconnected at pivot points forming a pair of scissor members along opposite sides of each cubicle. End braces releasably interlock as a rigid box frame to support the ends of the scissor members and the hubs at the corners of the cubicles in rigid spaced-apart positions. A diagonal cross-brace extends from a lower front corner to an upper rear corner of each cubicle, and another diagonal cross-brace extends from an upper front corner to a rear lower corner of each cubicle. Disconnection of the end brace members permits the frame to be collapsed by folding the scissor members so the cubicles are collapsed into a compact side-by-side form. Preferred end support members comprise a pair of rigid U-frames affixed to corresponding hubs at the ends of the cubicle so that base portions of each U are movable adjacent to one another. A pin and socket affixed to the base portions of the adjacent U-frames are interlocked to hold the U-frames in a rigid supporting position at each end of the cubicles and are released to pivot the U-frame away from one another during folding of the scissor members to the compact form of the frame structure.

Folding display frame for forming column-like structures

A collapsible framework is constructed of rods pivotally joined at their ends to hubs to form a self-standing unit when expanded and to fold into a small set of nearly parallel rods when folded. In one embodiment in which the expanded frame forms an array of cubicles, the hubs are designed to pivotally join the ends of four rods, with the plane defined by the pivot axes of one pair of opposing rods being offset from the plane defined by the pivot axes of the other pair of opposed rods attached to the same hub. One pair of rods attached to each hub can pivot on one of several pivot points on extended hub flanges to thereby provide expanded frameworks of various arcuate configurations. A stab-connection latch locks two hubs together and secures the framework in the expanded position. Folding channel bars are attached to knobs on vertically aligned hubs by keyslots. The keyslots of one channel bar are of progressively shorter length going from the topmost to the bottommost of the vertically aligned hubs to which the bar is attached. The folding channel bars have adjustable friction-type hinge pins for controllably folding sections of the channel bars.

Display frame with folding display attachment devices

Folding display frame with offset hub configuration

Plastic sunglasses comprise a transparent lens piece, a pair of temple pieces attached to the ends of the lens piece, and an opaque visor which snap-locks onto the top of the lens piece. The visor has a long curved front face with L-shaped ends, an angular top face for projecting inwardly across the top of the lens piece, and separate hooks projecting inwardly from the inner ends of the visor behind corresponding L-shaped shoulders. A visor connector at the top of the lens piece includes a curved upright wall with generally L-shaped ends. The wall is recessed from a curved ridge with generally L-shaped ends extending across the front of the lens piece. The opposite ends of the visor connector include L-shaped slots in its bottom front face which interlock with the L-shaped shoulders on the bottom inside face of the visor. The visor is interlocked with the visor connector by engaging the shoulder at one end of the visor with a corresponding slot on the lens piece, engaging the hook at the opposite end of the visor with a rear edge of the lens connector wall, and pressing down on the opposite end of the visor so the hook and shoulder move downwardly and apply tension to the end of the visor until the shoulder in front of the hook snap-locks into the slot at the opposite end of the visor connector.

Sunglasses with visor

A folding display frame comprises a grid of horizontal and vertical rod members forming an array of three dimensional cubicles. The cubicles have eight corners with a separate hub at each corner of the cubicle. The framework forming each cubicle has a top frame section, a bottom frame section, and two side frame sections. Each frame section is formed by two rods intersecting and pivotally join to each other midway between their ends. The ends of the rods in each cubicle are pivotally attached to corresponding hubs located at each of the corners of the cubicle. Adjacent cubicles in the array share common rods and hubs. Separate diagonal stabilizing members are located within bottom cubicles of the display frame to prevent the cubicles from being distorted into a parallelogram shape when the frame is erected in its fixed position and weight is supported on the front of the frame. Each diagonal stabilizing member comprises a telescoping brace comprised of inner and outer rod members slidable relative to each other to adjust the length of the brace. The rod members have means for restricting their maximum length, and the diagonal braces are mounted within the bottom cubicles so that they act as a restraint in the tension direction to restrict the bottom cubicles from distorting into a parallelogram shape.

Diagonal assembly for folding display frames

Collecting base for a marble game ramp

Marble game ramp

A marble race game includes a number of different, interconnected marble race toys so that a marble passes from the exit of one to the entrance of another, downstream race toy. All the toys keep the marble moving fast enough along their paths to be visually appealing and yet increase the time it takes to course the toy paths compared with conventional marble race toys. Several different marble race toys are used, including a funnel toy, a zig-zag toy, a J-loop toy, a paddle wheel toy, a serpentine toy and a pin deflect toy.

Marble race game

A hose-end sprayer includes a linearly actuated valve such as a poppet valve that is opened by means of pressure applied thereto from a pivoted lever. The lever and valve provide instant on and off action and one-handed control over the water flow. Pressurized water containing a mixed chemical is supplied to a spray defining nozzle in a closed system that maintains the water under full pressure until after it emerges from the nozzle. By preventing contact between the water and air until the spray pattern is formed, better definition of the pattern is obtained and nozzle drip is eliminated.

Hose-end aspirator sprayer

Toy chain link

Growing community of inventors

Glendora, CA, United States of America

William J Wichman