Abstract: A system and method for adhering and aligning a generally flat, planar object to an adhesive layer, and for facilitating the mounting of the generally flat planar object, such as a printing plate, in near perfect alignment in a cylindrical manner. The method includes providing a generally flat, planar object such as a printing plate and an adhesive member having an adhesive layer at least on one surface. The adhesive member is preferably approximately the same size as the printing plate. The printing plate is mounted to the adhesive member such that there is one edge of the adhesive member which is not initially covered by the printing plate and one edge of the printing plate which overhangs the adhesive member. The combined adhesive member/printing plate structure is next rolled into a cylindrical form and held in place on a device which allows alignment marks on the printing plate to align the two ends of the printing plate prior to the printing plate being fully adhered to the adhesive member.

Abstract: An intelligent directional fire alarm system is disclosed. The intelligent directional fire alarm system identifies a threat such as a fire, and the location within a building relative to the known exits for building occupants, and indicates the closest exits in each area of a building relative to the location of an identified threat, and the path towards the exit for evacuees throughout a given building, relative to the detected fire location(s).

Abstract: An exemplary Electronic-component housing may be placed onto a carrier rail with two interlocking spars extending longitudinally at a distance from each other and opening toward the longitudinal sides of the rails. An interlocking profile firmly affixed to the housing is positioned on the underside of the housing and across from the interlocking profile. A displaceable securing lock that is spring-loaded toward the interlocking profile. The securing lock may include on its end away from the interlocking profile a shaped drawbar eye for engagement with an actuation tool. The housing side wall above the securing lock and extending upward extends at least with its lower area in a plane perpendicular to the displacement direction of the securing lock and includes in this area a shaped tool-guide channel with its mouth pointed toward the drawbar eye on the securing lock.

Abstract: A system and method for computing mortgage amortization so as to allow the borrower to pay down the principal portion of his or her mortgage faster includes calculating traditional and modified principal and interest repayment amounts and calculating a baseline or average principal and interest amount payable over the life of the loan. An interest Index rate is established. Principal payments are placed in an interest-bearing account administered by the lender. Changes in interest rates are computed on a monthly basis. When the current monthly interest rate is less than the initial Index rate, the difference in interest payments received needed to fund the loan and the amount paid by the homeowner are split between the homeowner and the lender. When the current monthly interest rate is greater than the initial Index rate, additional funds must be withdrawn from one or more established accounts or collected directly from the homeowner to fund the loan for that month.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for launching spheres into a gas riser in order to reduce the risk that the output from the riser is lost. The apparatus comprises a rotatable body that is rotated to a first position to receive an object from an object storage means in an aperture and the rotatable body is then rotated to a second position such that the object received in the aperture is received within a riser.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus for manipulating and cleaning of contact lenses, together with methods for same. The apparatus comprises at least one eyepiece, at least one body and a cleaning housing. The at least one eyepiece is attached to the at least one body and defines an opening in the body. The at least one eyepiece comprises a head for engaging a contact lens and an eyelid opening mechanism. The at least one body includes a contact tens manipulation device. The apparatus is arranged such that when the at least one eyepiece is attached to the body and the face of the user is in contact with the eyepiece, the eyelid opening mechanism engages the upper and lower eyelids to retain them open while a retractable mechanism removes the contact lens from the eye of the user. The cleaning housing is engageable with the eyepiece and can effectuate cleaning of the contact lens once removed from the eye of the user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a paper-breaker supporting framework structure, including the paper-breaker head and the wastebin, characterized in that the paper-breaker supporting framework structure further includes a profiled supporting framework, the supporting framework includes an upper frame and a lower frame, the upper frame and the lower frame are connected with a movable connector, the upper frame is movably located under the paper-breaker head, the wastebin is located between the interval of the supporting framework, the top of the wastebin is movably mounted under the paper-breaker head.

Abstract: An exhaust manifold is provided with a plurality of branch pipe parts and a collecting pipe part. The plurality of branch pipe parts are respectively connected to a plurality of exhaust ports of a multicylinder internal combustion engine. The collecting pipe part is formed by merging the plurality of branch pipe parts. The plurality of branch pipe parts and the collecting pipe part are formed by an upper shell member and a lower shell member superposed on each other. A partition plate is attached to at least one of the upper shell member and the lower shell member. The partition plate separates between exhaust gases flowing into the collecting pipe part from two of the branch pipe parts respectively connected to adjacent two of the plurality of exhaust ports.

Abstract: A fire resistant, self-adhesive rolled roofing membrane is used on low sloped roofs for insulating a surface from weather. The roofing membrane includes an asphalt-saturated fibrous material having a roofing surface area, for example, roofing granules on a portion of the top surface and a clean surface area on another portion of the top surface. The roofing membrane includes an adhesive surface area on a portion of the bottom surface opposite the roofing surface area and a parting agent covered surface area on another portion of the bottom surface generally opposite the clean surface area to prevent adhering to the clean surface area when rolled. The adhesive surface area includes a layer of self-adhesive material, such as rubberized asphalt, capable of adhering to the clean surface area when strips of the roofing membrane are overlapped. The adhesive surface area is covered with a release backing to prevent adherence to the roofing surface area.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel technique separating two mixed signals. The method is particularly useful for fetal electrocardiogram estimation. A maternal electrocardiogram signal recorded at the thorax area is nonlinearly mapped onto an electrocardiogram signal recorded at the abdomen using polynomial networks. The fetal electrocardiogram component is then estimated by subtracting the nonlinearly mapped maternal electrocardiogram signal from the abdominal electrocardiogram signal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a speed monitor apparatus for monitoring speed and acceleration of rotating turbine equipment (turbomachinery) and for operating an overspeed trip to shut down the equipment in the event that the speed or acceleration exceed predetermined thresholds. The invention provides a speed monitor module having an input conditioner comprising: a multiplexer; an amplifier; and a comparator; in which the multiplexer selects an input signal from the sensor, or an input signal via a feedback loop from the comparator in dependence upon a test input, such that the input circuit may be tested by confirming that the amplifier oscillates when the feedback loop is enabled by the test signal.