Abstract: An electrically powered device for tossing and catching a ball includes a cup portion configured to receive the ball and having an internal push member which can be reciprocated within the cup portion. Both the push member and the ball preferably are coated with Velcro material to hold the ball to the push member, and a coil spring is provided between the push member and the bottom wall of the cup portion to urge the push member in an upward position adjacent the open end of the cup portion. A solenoid or other electrically-powered device is provided for retracting the push member within the cup portion to enable a user to catch the ball within the cup portion, and a latching bar is provided to hold the push member in its retracted position. Additionally, a switch is provided to withdraw the latching bar from its engagement with the push member after catching the ball so the ball can be forcibly ejected from the cup member by the action of the coil spring.

Abstract: A direction indicator is mounted on a steering column having a steering wheel shaft for use with a turn signal switch for turning on and off direction indication lamps.

Abstract: A pen recorder comprising a pen which is adapted to be placed in contact with a recording paper, a return spring which is capable of energizing a pen so that it is separated from the recording paper and a push-out means which pushes the pen so that it can be placed in contact with the recording paper. This push-out means includes a push-lever urging the pen towards the recording paper against a spring force larger than that of the return spring. During the printing operation, this push-lever is separated from the roller, while during the waiting condition, it engages the roller. Accordingly, stabilized pen feed rate and contact pressure of pen can be realized during printing operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a slide-type variable resistor assembly which comprises a block of a synthetic resin material, a plurality of insulation bases integrally molded in the block, a resistor element fixedly provided on a surface of each of the insulation bases, a collector member fixedly provided on the surface of each of the insulation bases, a frame member provided on each of the insulation bases, and a slider member slidably provided between the resistor element and the frame such that the slider is slidably contacted with the resistor element as well as the collector member.

Abstract: An X-Y input device comprises a rotatable ball, a first driven roller held in contact with the rotatable ball and rotatable in response to rotation of the rotatable ball, a second driven roller held in contact with the rotatable ball and rotatable in response to rotation of the rotatable ball, the second driven roller having an axis of rotation extending perpendicularly to that of the first driven roller, first angle detector means for detecting an angle of rotation of the first driven roller, second angle detector means for detecting an angle of rotation of the second driven roller, and a casing housing the rotatable ball, the first and second driven rollers, and the first and second angle detector means. The casing has a lower opening with the rotatable ball partly projecting downwardly therethrough for rolling movement on a base. The casing has at least one annular projection on a lower surface thereof for rejecting foreign matter.

Abstract: A serial printer having a carriage adapted to be shifted transversely of a paper and a type cylinder carried by the carriage in such a manner as to be able to be shifted up and down and to be rotated, so that the printing is effected by pressing the desired type character against the paper. The improvement comprises that the vertical shifting of the type cylinder, rotation of the type cylinder, driving of the hammer, shifting of the carriage and other kinds of operation are performed by the force derived from a single motor, and that operation such as spacing and back spacing of the carriage, paper feeding and so forth is achieved when the type cylinder selects a visible position.

Abstract: A rotary type illuminated variable resistor wherein a light source is disposed in a case, and first and second optical guide members for guiding light from the light source are respectively disposed in a hollow shaft and a hollow knob. When the knob is rotated, the second optical guide member is also rotated, so that the rotational position of a variable resistance portion mounted on the hollow shaft can be indicated on the end face of the knob by the light.

Abstract: A sliding rheostat includes two slider supports mounted to a support member between a pair of resistance base plates and in the direction that the slider supports move. Screws are mounted between the corresponding sliders and the support member to adjust the positions of the sliders relative to the support member, thus permitting the points at which the sliders are in contact with their respective resistance base plates to be placed in a line.

Abstract: A transformer is disclosed. The transformer consists essentially of first and second conductors, each having at least three overlap portions, terminals at one end each of the overlap portions and a connecting portion for connecting the other end of each of the overlap portion; an insulating member interposed between the first and second conductors, thereby forming an electromagnetic coupling; and two cores mode of a magnetic substance, at least one of the cores having three grooves; the overlap portions of the first and second conductors being placed in the grooves of the core while being electrically insulated from one another by the insulating member; the two cores being bonded to each other with the overlap portions between them.

Abstract: A switch capable of individually switching two circuits through a double action of an actuator. The switch comprises: an actuator adapted to slide in a casing by a given stroke; a spring for energizing the actuator toward an initial position; a locking mechanism for preventing the actuator from returning toward the energizing direction by the spring at an intermediate position in the stroke; primary-side contacts adapted to be switched by means of the actuator in the course of movement thereof from the initial position to the intermediate position in the stroke; and secondary-side contacts adapted to be switched by means of the actuator in the course of movement thereof where the actuator further reciprocates against the spring from the locked state at the intermediate position.

Abstract: A sheet pressing mechanism in a pen type recording device including a rotatable platen and a pen adapted to move in the axial direction of the platen while contacting the platen, in which pressure rollers are brought into contact with outer peripheral surfaces of end portions of the platen, the pressure rollers being rotatably mounted on a support shaft extending in parallel with the axis of the platen, and in which the said outer peripheral surfaces of the end portions of the platen are formed of a soft material capable of being depressed by the contact pressure of the pressure rollers.

Abstract: A multi-color pen recorder comprises a platen rotatable about its own axis, a pen carriage mounted on the platen and movable axially therealong, a pen holder removably mounted on the pen carriage for removably supporting a plurality of pens on the pen holder, and a hammer mounted on the pen carriage for pushing one of the pens in a position on the pen holder toward the platen.

Abstract: Disclosed is an illumination type rotary variable resistor, in which a hollow shaft rotatable and displacable in the thrust direction and is coupled to a rotatable knob, in which a photo-conductive element is disposed within the hollow shaft and the knob, in which one end of the photo-conductive element is exposed at an end surface of the knob, in which a light source is provided close to the other end of the photo-conductive element, in which a driver member is placed in contact with a forward end of the hollow shaft to cause a switch to perform its switching operation, and in which a reflex surface is formed on the driver member to reflect light from the light source towards the photo-conductive element.

Abstract: A dual shaft rotary electric device comprises inner and outer concentric shafts, slider supports attached to the inner and outer shafts respectively, sliders attached to the slider supports respectively, and insulating substrates stacked in the longitudinal direction of the dual shaft arrangement and respectively correspondingly to said sliders. An insulating spacer is inserted between the insulating substrates, and is held in place by opposite arms of a front side plate.

Abstract: A distance measurement system for measuring distance to an object by emitting light to the object and measuring the intensity of light reflected from the object.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling glow plug energization for use with a diesel engine having at least one glow plug energized by actuation of an ignition switch. The circuit has a simulator for producing a simulation signal indicative of glow plug temperature, a generator for generating a reference signal with a level which is determined in relation to a desired glow plug temperature and which is changed in magnitude in response to the change in the voltage of said voltage source and the temperature of the engine coolant, and a switch responsive to the result of comparing the simulation signal with the reference signal for controlling the flow of the current from said power source to the glow plug to energize the glow plug, whereby the glow plug is energized so as to be heated to said desired glow plug temperature.

Abstract: In a pay television channel selector, a reception contract selecting portion comprises parallel circuits which are disposed in correspondence with channels and whose impedances are made different between the contracted and uncontracted channels, and a control circuit device whose output level changes depending upon the impedances of the parallel circuits, so that the scrambled broadcast of the contracted channel is descrambled on the basis of the output control signal of the control circuit device. The tapping of the uncontracted channel ascribable to the imperfection of a double lock preventive mechanism of multi-throw switches used as channel selecting switches can be prevented.