A retaining wall for supporting and stabilizing cut or fill areas of excavation and a method of constructing a retaining wall. The wall is preferably constructed by applying the concrete pneumatically. The method comprises installing a backing board while the vertical wall is pneumatically constructed. The backing board may be selectively removed after application of concrete. The footing and vertical wall can be constructed monolithically utilizing this method. This method of construction yields a high strength wall with very few construction steps and uses materials efficiently. The flexibility in the design and advantages regarding accessibility, along with needing fewer workers for construction, are also a large benefit.

A magnetic wallpaper system designed to easily install and remove wallpaper without damaging either the wallpaper or the surface of the wall. Such magnetic wallpaper may be printed for personally customized designs or images. Also such magnetic wallpaper may be printed to reflect a season, holiday, event, etc., and be easily changed according to the desired theme for a room. Further, the magnetic wallpaper system comprises a magnetic wallpaper communication system providing patterned wallpaper with non-patterned voids for writing notes and other indicia on a dry-erase surface of the magnetic wallpaper onto walls of a metallic locker.

A portable system for preventing the "track out" of dust, mud, and similar debris by vehicles leaving a construction site. The system provides a plurality of rollers in combination with vibratory structures designed to rotate and vibrate the vehicle tires in order to dislodge debris from the vehicle.

A portable system for preventing the "track out" of dust, mud, and similar debris by vehicles leaving a construction site. The system provides a plurality of rollers in combination with vibratory structures designed to rotate and vibrate the vehicle tires in order to dislodge debris from the vehicle.

A magnetic wallpaper system designed to easily install and remove wallpaper without damaging either the wallpaper or the surface of the wall. Such magnetic wallpaper may be printed for personally customized designs or images. Also such magnetic wallpaper may be printed to reflect a season, holiday, event, etc., and be easily changed according to the desired theme for a room.

An umbrella system relating to the general protection of fixed outdoor umbrellas, especially during windy conditions. The umbrella system uses a supportive shaft equipped with a resiliently deformable region allowing omni-directional bending under wind loading. A preferred embodiment of the deformable region comprises a helical spring.

A strap system for selectively and independently binding and/or releasing at least one sets of essentially longitudinal objects, such as wires, from one another. A continuous strip of such two-sided material may be stored on a reel and is designed so that a user may select a preferred length and configuration for a particular use by making a single cut of the material strip from the reel-strip end. Each system includes at least two attached straps which each independently of the other may be used to loopably bind objects. Apertures between the straps permit cinching of each strap.

Manufacturing methods and systems providing continuous rolls of polyvinyl materials printable on one side and 'sticky'- adherable on the other side. Such continuous rolls may be thereafter cut into sizes appropriate for signs, bumper stickers, and other information and/or design objects which are affixable to appropriate surfaces for a variety of advertising and/or design uses.

A cover plate system for making custom natural stone cover plates for electrical outlets, wall switches and other outlets and openings over which it is desired to place a natural stone cover plate. The natural stone cover plates are made from quarried stone, cultured stone, and natural rock materials such as terrazzo, marble, and granite preferably supplied by the homeowner, or end user, to a central factory, then manufactured, then shipped back to the end user to match other such material being used in the end user's building.

Systems for stabilizing combustion while minimizing NOx generation by using high-flame-speed additives to stabilize the flame front in combustors operating at relatively low temperatures and/or under oxygen constraints. The system is adapted for use in coal-fired boilers, oil-fired boilers, and gas turbine engines. The methods stabilize the flame front to permit stable combustion under an expanded range of part-load conditions. The system provides substantially complete combustion of coal in coal boilers resulting in ash saleable for use in concrete manufacturing.

Systems for stabilizing combustion while minimizing NOx generation by using high-flame-speed additives to stabilize the flame front in combustors operating at relatively low temperatures and/or under oxygen constraints. The system is adapted for use in coal-fired boilers, oil-fired boilers, and gas turbine engines. The methods stabilize the flame front to permit stable combustion under an expanded range of part-load conditions. The system provides substantially complete combustion of coal in coal boilers resulting in ash saleable for use in concrete manufacturing.

A fire-control riser system that provides a multi-function unitary valve system including providing pressure test, pressure relief, and drain/test fluid flow capability for fire-control sprinkler systems. Furthermore, the fire-control riser system comprises an enclosure that provides for easier installation, pre-assembled components and protects such riser systems from damage during the construction process. Additionally, the fire-control riser system may be substantially comprised of plastic material. The system utilizes an improved flow switch coupling-attachment system that includes no-thread attachment or threaded attachment. The system also provides for multi-function components as well as reduced ports for component installation thereby reducing potential leak areas.

A system for capping the upper opening of a well having an accommodation for a remotely-located control device. More specifically, a well cap system for a water-well having a pipe casing that permits one or more well control apparatus to be located within the well cap. The system is a two-part assembly, comprising a base and hollow cover, both arranged to be supported by the pipe casing. Further, a constant pressure well system utilizing the water-well cap system

A container system for organizing items that makes use of wasted space in or around cabinets, for use in organizing items such as spices or items used in construction and repair. The system comprises a substantially linear holder with apertures, containers that fit into the apertures, and caps that close the containers and stop the containers from going all the way through the apertures. The holder provides removable access of containers. The containers may be labeled for easy identification and organization. The holder may have a cover with hinges and a latch. The system may be sold as a kit. The kit may be designed to match the cabinet it will be installed on. The apparatus, kit, and methods of installation and use are disclosed.

A modular-grid fence system that comprises integral connectors on each end that allows each respective grid to be connected to each other grid and form a fence. The connectors also provide that the modular-grid fence system may be utilized in angles from near zero degrees, to an in-line angle of 180 degrees. This connecting feature provides that the modular-grid fence system may be used to augment and provide additional restriction to an existing fence, or be used as a freestanding fence. In addition, the modular-grid fence system is stackable, easily assembled without tools, and storable or shippable in a flat container.

An improved shutter and frame system for reducing light passing through and around a shutter. The system incorporates improved shutter manufacturing and a light blocking element along the sides of the louvers to block light from passing between the shutter frame and the louvers. The shutter utilizes a louver which never extends beyond the plane of the rear face of the shutter frame.

Shown is a clamping system with multiple clamps that work in combination with each other to support a load attached to an open web joist. This clamping system is typically used to clamp a piping system, of the type commonly used to suspend a basketball backboard and basket, to an open web steel joist of a gymnasium. The clamp combines a prior art "horizontal" clamp subassembly, which clamps to the opposed "lips" of the open web joist, with a second clamp subassembly which provides a "vertical" clamp centered within the horizontal clamp, supported above the open top portion of the open web joist and extending through the open middle portion of the open web joist.

This invention provides for a valve system for use in fire suppression systems that provides pressure relief, pressure testing, and drain/test fluid flow capability. The valve system consists of a valve body with an attached riser. Adjustably attached to the riser is a rotary handle for raising and lowering a spring loaded valve stem. A blocking plug is provided for attachment to the handle which operates to block the movement of the valve stem during pressure testing of the fire suppression system. A tension disk is adjustably attached to the inside of the riser to manually adjust the spring tension. In addition, a means is provided for preventing system fluid from contacting the spring.

A system for sealing the gaps that occur along the perimeter of a building envelope, particularly along with installation of an exterior finish system channel, or screed, as occurs in the installation and application of stucco. It is common to have gaps occur between the channel, base plate, and foundation of the building envelope. The system utilizes a foam sealing element in combination with the channel, caulking, a fiberglass netting that is installed along the bottom of the channel and the face of the foundation, and, an adhesive sealant that seals and adheres the fiberglass netting to the foundation. The system includes several embodiments for use in either new construction or as an aftermarket product.

Several matching exterior lighting systems for use on property having electrical service wiring. Lighting fixtures are made of pipe or wood, preferably PVC pipe or redwood. Several embodiments can be installed directly in the ground, while other embodiments can be installed on the vertical exterior surface of a building, or on the top of a wall. In all embodiments, the lamp and electrical connections are housed within the same enclosure, and no separate electrical box is needed. The embodiments made of pipe are coated with stucco, brick, stone, tile, wood, aluminum sheet, or copper sheet, to protect the pipe from environmental degradation. The preferred coating is stucco, and the invention includes a new method of applying stucco to a circular cylinder and manufacturing an article. All embodiments have elongated rectangular windows parallel both to the florescent light bulb, and to the axis of the cylinder, with translucent lenses to allow light to escape. The circular embodiments each have a single lens that covers all of the windows. In several embodiments, the florescent light and light bulbs can be accessed by removing the top of the light and lifting out the lamp which is hung from the top.

A hammer-ripper system for use with the mounting on the boom arm, of an excavator/backhoe, of a conventional hydraulically-operated hammer fitted with a "shortened" chisel. A "ripping-type" device like a chisel tooth mounts to a lever with its pivot point attached to the side of the hammer. One end of the lever extends to be impacted by under the shortened chisel, while the other end extends inward. Thus, the tooth end can be placed under embedded boulders and used to hammer (using the transmitted reciprocating action of the hydraulic hammer), and pry or break up the boulders from underneath with the combined hammering and ripping action.

A pipe connection system has a non-threaded, quick-pipe connection for connecting pipe in a pressurized system, for connecting piping components within a fire sprinkler system, including a flow switch to a fire sprinkler system riser port. A male and female member are attached through the use of a through-slot in the female member that aligns with a groove in the male member such that a locking clip may be inserted through the female and male members when they are joined, thereby blocking the members from being dis-joined. An O-ring seal in a groove on the male member and sealable bore on the female member allow for a sealed and pressurized piping system.

A system for covering drain pipe outlets, particularly, as they exit a building. The system includes a band that is tightened around the exterior of a pipe as it protrudes through the side of a building. Attached to the band is a hinged cover which is sized to entirely cover the pipe and hidden hinge. The cover may be covered with material to match or complement the building exterior surfacing, such as paint or stucco. In addition, the band portion may also include one or more restictors, such as bars, to prevent unauthorized access or debris from entering the pipe. The system provides for multiple size covers and bands for a wide variety of pipe sizes.

This invention provides an overhang support system for gable roofs which eliminates any need to put a notch in the gable end truss top chord member. It utilizes a novel unitary connector device for improved support of overhang structures in a gable roof of the type including an overhang member, a gable end truss top chord member, and a first adjacent truss (to the end truss) top chord member. The rigid connector provides some holes for nailing to an intermediate support member, situated between the first adjacent truss top chord member and the gable end truss top chord member, or, optionally, in one preferred embodiment, if no intermediate support member is used, these holes are used for nailing to an overhang support member; and it provides some holes for nailing to an overhang support member, situated between the gable end truss top chord member and the overhang member; and also holes for nailing to the gable end truss top chord member. The connector is channel-shaped to fit snugly over, e.g., the overhang support member; and the connector enhances the strength of cantilever support of the overhang support member.

This invention provides a fire-control sprinkler system riser for a residence, including a unitary manifold for porting to system components. The longitudinal manifold has pipe threads on its ends to connect to an inlet water pipe and an outlet sprinkler system; and it has ports all to one side of the manifold for mounting the riser system components in the following order from inlet to outlet: flow switch means; test and drain valve means; pressure gauge means; and relief valve means. On the other side of the manifold are support connections, as for attachment to a beam of the residence. The manifold may be connected facing either way, i.e., left support or right support, and it has indicia on both manifold facing sides for indicating flow direction and port identifications to a user from either side. Dimensions provide high efficiency in use of space, etc.

Improved sprayable roof coating systems which provide immediate waterproofing of a newly-sprayed latex-based ionic roof coating by applying to the upper surface of such roof coating an ionic catalyst having a pH opposed to the pH of such roof coating, whereby such upper surface of such roof coating coagulates immediately to form a thin waterproof surface layer on such roof coating and the bottom portions of such roof coating are permitted to coagulate and bond to the underlying roof normally. Also, latex-based sprayable roof coating systems permitting use in roof mastics of recycled rubber and spray equipment for such systems which do not clog up when air spraying such recycled-rubber-containing roof mastics.

Improved sprayable roof coating systems which provide immediate waterproofing of a newly-sprayed latex-based ionic roof coating by applying to the upper surface of such roof coating an ionic catalyst having a pH opposed to the pH of such roof coating, whereby such upper surface of such roof coating coagulates immediately to form a thin waterproof surface layer on such roof coating and the bottom portions of such roof coating are permitted to coagulate and bond to the underlying roof normally. Also, latex-based sprayable roof coating systems permitting use in roof mastics of recycled rubber and spray equipment for such systems which do not clog up when air spraying such recycled-rubber-containing roof mastics.

A manual screeding system for use in leveling freshly poured concrete which includes a frame for providing structural integrity to the screed. The screeding system includes handles, attached to the frame, for manually holding and manipulating the screeding system during the screeding process. A support, attached to the frame, is provided for preventing the screeding system from rotating about the handles during the screeding process. The support is structured to engage the forearms of the user when the screeding system is in use. A pair of bracket assemblies are provided for securely holding a screed board to the frame.

Improved sprayable roof coating systems which provide immediate waterproofing of a newly-sprayed latex-based ionic roof coating by applying to the upper surface of such roof coating an ionic catalyst having a pH opposed to the pH of such roof coating, whereby such upper surface of such roof coating coagulates immediately to form a thin waterproof surface layer on such roof coating and the bottom portions of such roof coating are permitted to coagulate and bond to the underlying roof normally. Also, latex-based sprayable roof coating systems permitting use in roof mastics of recycled rubber and spray equipment for such systems which do not clog up when air spraying such recycled-rubber-containing roof mastics.

This invention provides a premanufactured portable concrete house and efficient systems for making such a house and for providing portability to a housing site. Floor, roof, and wall components are made by casting concrete in molds with features such as electrical and water conduits being concrete-embedded during the casting. Also concrete-embedded in the various house components are steel plates used for welding to secure the components to each other during assembly of a portable house. Spaced core holes for holding lift rods are cast into the periphery of the floor/foundation component; and these are used as lift points in lifting the house onto a truck for transport to a housing site.