Abstract: A portable, self-enclosed reed case that maintains the environment most conducive to woodwind reed maintenance. The reed case comprises a main enclosure that is divided by an aerated partition into a reed chamber and a hygrostat chamber, a reed slide adapted to receive and releasably secure a plurality of reeds, and a hygrostat container adapted to receive a hygrostat that maintains a constant relative humidity. The reed slide and hygrostat container, when assembled into the reed chamber and hygrostat chamber, respectively, form an interaction unit that maintains the reeds in a "ready-to-play" state.

Abstract: An improved electrical outlet is described which simultaneously accommodates more than one three prong plug of any shape. The electrical outlet has two receptacles and each receptacle has a pair of contact apertures and a ground aperture for accommodating the corresponding contacts of an electrical plug. The orientation of the pair of contact apertures of one receptacle is offset from the orientation of the other pair of contact apertures of the remaining receptacle by at least 30.degree.. The offset angle caused by the difference in orientations allows space for the use of more than one plug at a time.

Abstract: A process for dielectrically heating and thermoforming a non-polar thermoplastic material by electromagnetic field energy is accomplished by the addition of a polar domain-containing material having at least one nitrile group to the thermoplastic material. Compositions comprising thermoplastic material and a polar domain containing material useful in this process are also described.

Abstract: A container closure comprising a cylindrically shaped, resilient, distortable membrane having a first terminal end fully affixed to the periphery of a first closure body providing a discharge aperture of predetermined size and a second terminal end fully affixed to a second coacting closure body coaxially disposed about the outside periphery of the first closure body and adapted for relative bi-directional rotation with respect to the first closure body. Relative counterrotational movement of the membrane terminal ends in one direction causes closure and sealing of the annular throat inherently created and disposed within the membrane while relative counterrotational movement in a second direction causes the previously closed annular throat to open.

Abstract: A medical pouch comprised of two separate web materials, one web material being notched and cut at an openable pouch end and the second web, along a line aligned essentially with the cut line of the first web, being cut in the line portions overlying the unnotched portions of the first web and serrated in the line portions overlying the notched portions of the first web. The pouches are manufactured by a process including the steps of removing at least one notched zone from one of the webs prior to sealing the two webs together and then cutting through both webs along a transverse line passing through the center of the notched zone, such cutting occurring only in the line portions corresponding to the unnotched areas of the first web and simultaneously serrating the second web along a line essentially conforming to the aforementioned cut line only in the line portions corresponding to the notched zone of the first web.

Abstract: A ceramic product having an expansion coefficient from about 1.0.times.10.sup.-6 .degree.C. to about 2.5.times.10.sup.-6 .degree.C. containing a sintered mixture of spodumene and clay is described. The sintered mixture also includes iron oxide in an amount from about 1.0% to about 7.0% by weight of the total sintered mixture. The final product includes a .beta. spodumene solid solution and mullite, and has a mullite content of less than 10% by volume. The presence of iron oxide in the sintered mixture reduces the formation of mullite during the formation of .beta. spodumene and thus reduces the expansion coefficient of the final product. The process for preparing the ceramic products described herein includes providing an intimate mixture of 40% by weight to 60% by weight of spodumene and 40% by weight to 60% by weight of clay and heating the mixture in the presence of iron oxide at a suitable time and temperature, within a range from cone 5 to cone 10 and preferably within a range from cone 6 to cone 9.

Abstract: A high protein, low fat foodstuff which is comprised of a protein curd product and the process for its preparation are described.The protein curd product is prepared under carefully controlled process conditions. It is light in color, bland in flavor and has an elastic body which provides a smooth texture, tender and rich mouth feel. These properties render it extremely suitable as a supplement to or substitute for a meat, cheese, egg or other type of foodstuff. The process for preparing the protein curd product of this invention includes extracting protein from a defatted soy bean material such as a defatted soy bean flake with water. After an aqueous protein extract containing at least 2.0 weight percent protein is separated from the residual defatted soy bean material, protein is coagulated from the aqueous extract to produce a protein curd product and a whey. The coagulation is accomplished by adjusting the pH to within the range from about 5.4 to about 8.

Abstract: An electronic tuning device provides four different modes of operation. In a first mode, the device sounds one of a plurality of internally generated audio frequency pitch standards that is manually selected by an operator for audible comparison with a note played on the instrument to be tuned. In a second mode, the manually selected, internally generated frequency pitch standard is compared with the note played on the musical instrument to be tuned and any deviation in frequency is visually displayed by a beat frequency indicator. In a third mode, the device automatically tracks an incoming note played on the musical instrument, compares such note with the internally generated frequency pitch standards and sounds the pitch standard that is closest in frequency to the incoming note.

Abstract: An improved heating system for a building structure is described. The improved system utilizes heat generated by an enclosed natural fuel burning device such as an auxiliary furnace as a supplemental source for a standard (primary) furnace heating system. The auxiliary furnace is used to heat water or another heat exchange medium in a heat exchange member situated within the auxiliary furnace. When the water reaches a predetermined temperature, a first pump is activated and causes the water to be pumped throughout the radiators within the building and subsequently returned to the auxiliary furnace. When the temperature of the water falls below a certain level, a thermostatic switch deactivates the pump. When the temperature in the building declines below the thermostat setting for sensing the ambient building temperature, the primary furnace and a second pump are activated which in turn heat the water and circulate it throughout the structure.

Abstract: A novelty button is provided with electronic circuitry comprising an oscillator, a switch and a battery connected to the input terminals of the oscillator and two (2) light-emitting diodes connected to the output terminals of the oscillator. The circuitry is enclosed within a housing having apertures therein through which the light-emitting diodes and the switch extend. The two (2) light-emitting diodes form the eyes of a facial design provided on the housing which when activated by the circuitry appear to repeatively wink or blink.

Abstract: Novel ceramic whiteware bodies, glazes and compositions for the bodies and energy efficient processs for the fabrication of the bodies are described.The whiteware bodies contain a matrix of a low melting alkali phosphate frit having quartz particles dispersed therein as a filler material. Typically, a composition comprising from about 50% by weight to about 80% by weight of particulate quartz filler and from about 20% by weight to about 50% by weight of an alkali phosphate frit is heated to within a temperature range from about the softening temperature of the alkali phosphate frit to about 600.degree. C. Thereafter, the body is fabricated either by sintering the composition within the indicated temperature range for a period of time from about 0.1 hours to about 10 hours or by hot forging the composition within the indicated temperature range.The novel glaze of the invention comprises an alkali phosphate frit and optionally modifying materials such as opacifiers, pigments and the like.

Abstract: Thermoplastic resin is converted to void free billets and preforms, by techniques including: compaction of heated thermoplastic powders: compactionof heated extruded strands: rolling of heated ingots of plastic: simultaneous extrusion and combining of two or more groups of strands: coextrusion of two or more resin formulations: sequential compaction of dual powders: extrusion with differentially heated dies. The billets may be non-homogeneous in response to dielectric heating, to produce controlled temperature zones within the heated polymers, when used as billets and preforms.

Abstract: A device for automatically lifting a phonograph stylus from a record after the end of the sound groove has been played includes a pedestal base mounted on a support plate adjacent the turntable and provided with a cavity adapted to receive one end of a boom arm, the free end of which extends to a position over the record run-out groove. The vertical distance between the free end of the boom arm and the record can be adjusted by means of a setscrew. After the stylus has passed the end of the sound groove and entered the run-out groove, a small, thin metal disk located on the top surface of the stylus cartridge receiving shell is attracted to a magnet mounted on the lower surface of the free end of the boom arm and lifts the stylus off of the record.

Abstract: A novel coin operated ultrasonic device for cleaning jewelry and other small household items is described. The device is designed for usage in public places and has a cleaning chamber, a cover for the chamber and a basket. When not in use, the cover remains in a locked position by an electromagnetic latch which is responsive to coin actuated circuitry. Upon insertion of a coin, power is supplied to the device for a given period of time. The power supplied causes the electromagnetic latch to become activated thereby permitting the cover to be opened. A hook is attached to the underside of the cover and is designed to suspend a workpiece such as a ring, necklace or bracelet in a cleaning solution disposed in the cleaning chamber while the cover is closed. A porous basket is situated within the chamber to insure that the workpiece is retrievable from the cleaning liquid in the event it should become disengaged from the hook.

Abstract: An audio-visual apparatus is disclosed which includes a projection screen having indicia thereon representative of a note play marker, means for successively projecting onto the screen adjacent the note play marker a plurality of visual images of a musical composition recorded on a film strip, means for providing a sound recording of the musical composition and control means for relating the projection of the visual images with the playing of the sound recording.

Abstract: An audio speaker system designed to achieve multidirectional sound characteristics which includes an enclosure body having a base, front wall, two angled, forward sound directing side walls, at least one angled, inclined rear wall and a top wall which slopes downward from the rear wall to the front wall. At least one acoustic speaker is affixed to the top wall and to each of the front, side and rear walls of the enclosure body.

Abstract: An improved heating system for a building structure is described. The improved system utilizes heat generated by a fireplace as a supplemental source for a standard furnace heating system. The fireplace heat is used to heat water or another heat exchange medium in a heat exchange coil situated within a fireplace. When the water reaches a predetermined temperature, a first pump is activated and causes the water to be pumped throughout the radiators within the building and subsequently returned to the fireplace. When the temperature of the water falls below a certain level, a thermostatic switch deactivates the pump. When the temperature in the building declines below the thermostat setting for sensing the ambient building temperature, the furnace and a second pump are activated which in turn heat the water and circulate it throughout the structure. A system of one way check valves prevents the water from flowing in the furnace leg when the fireplace leg is operating and vice versa.

Abstract: A novel wall hanging which is a three-dimensional facsimile of a fruit bowl and kit for its fabrication are described. The hanging itself contains a backing board having a face side and a back side. A background burlap cover is tightly stretched over the front side of the backing board and the leftover edges of the background burlap cover are securely attached to the back side of the backing board by either glue, tape or other suitable means. A pocket is situated on a portion of the background burlap cover. The face of the pocket is attached to the background burlap cover and is a woven embroidered Strawtex in the shape of a fruit bowl. The back of the pocket is the portion of the background burlap cover underlying the face of the pocket. The pocket itself represents the inside of a fruit bowl into which various types of pieces of artificial fruit are disposed. Each piece of artificial fruit is individually made to the approximate three-dimensional size of the corresponding real fruit.