Abstract: A monocoque bicycle frame having a body defined by right and left side panels, top and bottom panels, and a bifurcated rearward portion defined by such panels and also by a rear wheel well insert. The body panels and insert completely enclose a continuous internal space which is compression loaded or tensile prestressed with a rigid foam plastic for increased torsional rigidity and resistance to impact distortion. The pedal sprocket and chain are both external of the hollow frame so as to not interrupt the continuity of the body cavity and its compression loading, and also enabling the body to have minimal weight and an optimum aerodynamic configuration. The frame is diamond-shaped in side profile enabling the monocoque to be constructed as a pair of triangles connected back-to-back for optimum strength, both torsionally and against vertical loading.

Abstract: According to the invention, a downhole anchor assembly is employed for absorbing reaction torque from a downhole mud motor in a directional drill string so as to minimize azimuthal deviation from such reaction torque. The anchor assembly has as its main structural basis an elongated, generally cylindrical housing with upper and lower ends formed as tool joints for coupling the body into a directional drill string. Three elongated chain support bodies are longitudinally mounted in the housing, evenly circumferentially spaced about the periphery, and each support body supports an endless anchor block chain so that elongated portions of the chains are longitudinally arranged and generally radially exposed externally of the bodies. The chain support bodies are radially shiftable under the influence of hydraulic drilling fluid pressure from retracted positions in the body to extended positions in which the exposed chain portions grip the well casing against twisting of the drill string.

Abstract: A glider comprising a pair of wings having overlapped forward, inner root portions that are freely pivotally connected and tailfins on rearward, outer portions of the wings. The tailfins are angularly offset from the general longitudinal axes of the wings so as to have an airfoil liftout angle of attack to the relative wind during flight which causes the wings to swing out to an extended configuration.

Abstract: A tibia-referenced system for objectively testing the integrity of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments of the knee with passive drawer, active drawer, and end point tests. Two simplified forms of the invention embody an elongated reference arm with a distal end pad that is fulcrumed against a distal region on the tibia and a proximal reference pad that rests on either the tibial tubricle or patellar bone structure, while a displacement indicator rod slidably mounted on the arm carries another proximal reference pad that rests on the other of these two bone structures adjacent the knee joint.

Abstract: A nasal dilator compatible with conventional illuminating devices whereby the nasal passage may be symmetrically dilated allowing for even illumination for inspection of the nasal cavity or the insertion of a specimen collection probe. Two symmetrical lever arms are spring-urged together and connected to a common base by a pair of wing-like arc springs. Compression of these springs by an inward force on the proximal ends of the lever arms urges their distal ends apart expanding the nasal passage by means of two symmetrically projecting dilating members.

Abstract: A urine specimen collection system wherein a collection funnel and attached collection lid are first releasably connected to a specimen cup by structure of a first peripheral connection between the collection lid and the cup; and then after a urine specimen has been collected this first connection is released and a storage lid is releasably connected to the cup by structure of a second peripheral connection. The first connection is more easily releasable than the second one, and need not be water-tight; while the second connection is more secure and is preferably substantially water-tight for transport and storage of a collected specimen.

Abstract: Continuous process apparatus and method for treating food products with ozone gas, primarily for sterilization. The food products, which may be delicate vegetable products such as potato chips, dehydrated onions and other dehydrated vegetables, are continuously conveyed through a treatment zone filled with ozone, and oxygen that is a by-product of the ozone treatment, and also air unavoidably entering the treatment zone with the food products, are gravity separated from the ozone in a separation zone located above the treatment zone.

Abstract: A method for providing corrosion protection with the use of a corrosion protection product for protecting an outer covering on a metal body from corrosive undermining. The corrosion protection product is an inner protective material used in connection with a metal body having an outer surface, pores communicating with the outer surface, and a covering of outer protective material that is bonded to the outer surface and bridges over the pores. The inner protective material is a liquid medium, preferably oil, which is substantially impervious to atmospheric corrosive agents, having therein a suspension of finely divided particulate material, preferably paint pigment. The inner protective material is introduced into the pores, and any of the inner protective material that may remain on the outer surface is selectively removed, leaving bodies of the inner protective material in the pores.

Abstract: A system for actuating a normally engaged clutch of a manual transmission type vehicle in which clutch re-engagement is sequenced in a plurality of steps or stages. A source of a first pressure level is employed to operate a clutch servo, and a clutch re-engagement control chamber having a second pressure level therein is employed in the stepped clutch re-engagement cycle. A solenoid valve, when energized, connects the source of the first pressure level to the servo to operate the servo and disengage the clutch, and at this time isolates the re-engagement control chamber from the servo. Then upon de-energization of the solenoid valve the source of first pressure level is isolated from the servo and the control chamber is substantially simultaneously connected to the servo so as to allow partial release of the first pressure level from the servo and thereby effect a first stage of clutch re-engagement.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for converting components of natural gas liquids to aromatic compounds by certain pyrolysis and recycle steps wherein the ultimate yield of light aromatics is maximized while the compression and other costs are minimized.

Abstract: An opener for assisting in the opening of beverage cans of the type having a pull-up tab which levers a scored closure segment of the lid down into the can and beverage bottles of the type having a twist-off cap. The opener has an elongated body with a can tab actuator at one end and bottle cap torqueing structure at the other end. The tab actuator is bent or inclined relative to the main body of the opener so that the main body provides a down-turned handle for operating the tab actuator, while the tab actuator provides a down-turned handle for operating the cap torqueing structure. The tab actuating structure has opposed, open-sided lower and upper jaws, with a longitudinally arranged rib on the upper jaw defining both a narrow, tab-gripping notch between the jaws and a lead-in ramp for guiding a tab into the notch.

Abstract: A notch filter system for eliminating a specific "stop" frequency from an AC electrical input signal, such as 60 Hz "hum" from an audio program signal. An L/C tuned circuit that is tuned to the stop frequency is used to develop a modified input signal that is in phase with the input signal only at the stop frequency. The two signals are amplitude-balanced and fed to the respective inputs of a balanced differential amplifier which is responsive to both input signal phase and amplitude differences so as to cancel the signals at the stop frequency where they have the same phase and amplitude but not at frequencies above and below the stop frequency where they differ in phase and amplitude.

Abstract: A stabilizer to support and stabilize the knee joint of the wearer having a thigh shell and calf shell formed of high impact resistant plastic. The shells are removably mountable adjacent to the knee and conform to the contours of the leg, supporting the knee joint on both sides. The shells are joined together at their lateral and medial sides by polycentric selectable arc hinge assemblies to provide support and permit controlled natural flexion and extension of the joint. Each hinge assembly has a pair of parallel links connecting corresponding sides of the shells and rotatable about pivot pins which form the points of attachment. Meshing hinge gears positioned between the links rotate with their respective shells about the pivot pins to integrate the independent rotational movement of the shells about their pivot pin axes. A pinion stop gear meshes with and is selectably rotatable about the periphery of each hinge gear.

Abstract: Highly saline geothermal brine, such as that produced from the lower geothermal reserve of the Salton Sea geothermal field, is diluted with non-geothermal water of much lower salinity in a mixing zone proximate the high temperature end of a geothermal power plant, and preferably down in the production well just above the production zone, so as to reduce the chloride salt content of the production brine to a level that is at or below the saturated level at reinjection temperatures, thereby preventing any material chloride salt scaling at any location in the plant through reinjection. The permanent cemented-in production casing in the well is protected against the corrosive effects of the hot production brine by means of a removable production liner that is generally coextensive with the casing.

Abstract: A string instrument pickup system sensitive to 360.degree. of transverse string movement, which is substantially immune from microphonics, and which has a substantially equal or balanced response to all of the strings. In one form of the invention a piezoelectric transducer is compressively associated with vertical movement components of each string of the instrument, but is laterally offset from a centered position under the string for compressive association of the transducer also with the horizontal string movement components; and halves of the total piezoelectric transducer area are oppositely polarized so as to cancel out microphonics.

Abstract: A system which corrects for adverse characteristics such as reactance, inertia and resonances of a power amplifier driven load such as a speaker or multiple speaker system. Program voltage is applied to a reference load which has electrical characteristics that simulate characteristics of the driven load, and the response of the reference load to the program is used to develop a correction voltage signal for the driven load. The program and the correction voltage signal are simultaneously applied to the power amplifier to simultaneously reproduce the program and correct for the adverse characteristics of the load.

Abstract: A system for reducing silica scaling in a geothermal power plant energized by high temperature, high silica content geothermal brine from a source such as the Salton Sea geothermal field or the Brawley geothermal field. Particulate material capable of seeding silica precipitation thereon is injected into one or more zones in heat extraction equipment such as steam separators where substantial temperature drops occur, so as to seed the precipitation of dissolved silica from the brine in suspended, particulate form rather than as scaling in the heat extraction equipment. The silica precipitation seeding may be accomplished in flash crystallizer type steam separators, and the particulate seed material may be silica particles recovered from a reactor clarifier downstream of the heat extraction equipment.

Abstract: A system for extending the operational life of the reinjection system of a geothermal power plant energized by high temperature, high silica content geothermal brine from a source such as the Salton Sea geothermal field or the Brawley geothermal field. The stream of geothermal brine which flows through the plant is passed slowly through a zone of particulate material having a large cumulative surface area in contact with the brine to seed the precipitation of dissolved silica from the brine onto the particles so as to reduce the amount of dissolved silica available for precipitation in the reinjection system. The zone of particulate material may be established as a floating silica sludge blanket in a reactor clarifier which also has a reaction zone in which silica precipitation is initiated.

Abstract: A reed construction for a musical instrument fabricated from a plurality of fibers combined with a binding agent and a filler material of lower density than the binding agent, so as to produce an acoustic impedance comparable to that of the natural cane reed.