Abstract: A method for manufacturing products with a blown foamy structure, starting from a mass comprising at least natural polymers such as starch and fibers, in particular natural fibers, wherein the mass (M, S) is passed under pressure into or through a mould (23, 63) and the mass (M, S) is heated in the mould (23, 63) in a manner such as to give rise to gelatinization and cross-linking of the natural polymers, with the fibers extending through the product, while the mass prior to the introduction into the mould has temperature which is below the gelatinization temperature and in the mould is brought at least to the baking temperature.

Abstract: A microplate assembly comprising a multi-well microplate, a plurality of vent caps and a porous vent film. The microplate includes a frame that houses a plurality of open wells in a rectangular array. Vent caps mount on the microplate to seal and vent the wells. When the vent caps are coupled to the wells, an interior volume is formed in each well. The wells function as a vessel for liquid samples that occupy predetermined spaces within the interior volumes. Each liquid sample remains within its predetermined space for all orientations of the microplate assembly. The vent cap comprises an array of well inserts. Each well insert comprises a sealing plug and a vent tube. A flexible perforated web interconnects the well inserts to each other. The vent tubes are fixed to the sealing plugs and terminate in a vent. A barrier formed from a plurality of nested flaps resiliently mounts on the vent tube to partially cover the vent and help inhibit the evaporation and loss of the liquid samples.

Abstract: A musical keyboard instrument comprising an electronic keyboard and a control panel. The keyboard is composed of black and white keys arranged in a conventional pattern. A keyboard display made up of LED displays and red-green illuminators inform a user of the proper finger and hand positions to be used on the keyboard. To view the keyboard display when it is activated, the user simply looks directly at the keys. Each red-green illuminator mounts on the interior of a housing such that a pair of red and green lights extend into the hollow interior of one of the keys. Normally, the keys appear to a player as conventional black and white keys. However, the upper surfaces of the keys are made partially transparent and light dispersive such that its apparent color to a player will change when properly back lit by the red-green illuminators. The illuminators and the LED displays are controlled when a user makes selections from a bank of pushbutton switches.

Abstract: A distributed data processing system is provided in which two computers, each running under a different operating system, are coupled so that jobs initiated by a first one of the computers can be executed on a second computer by using the resources of the second computer. This enables the user of the first computer to use the second computer under the environment of the first computer. The first computer acts as the interface between the user and the data processing system. Service programs running on the system can handle or provide for input/output operations during the execution of jobs on the second computer so that the jobs seem to the user of the first computer to be executed on the first computer. The system has means for creating a dummy file in the file system of one operating system which is used as a place holder for a corresponding file in a storage device attached to the other operating system, and accessed by programs controlled by that other operating system.

Abstract: An improved memory system and memory controller which permits simplified memory upgrades in the field. The system includes a memory board with multiple card sockets. As additional cards are added the data cables are distributed among the cards and the memory controller is programmed to coordinate the sequencing of the memory in the cards. Data is transferred between the cards and memory controller via distributively coupled cables. Control and address signals are provided to cards via wires embedded in the memory board from the memory controller. A repowering circuit on each card makes copies of the control and address signals which are sent to other cards through the embedded wires in the board. Data received by a card is stored in memory through steering logic and buffers.

Abstract: A musical instrument training system for a stringed musical instrument having a body, a fingerboard, a plurality of strings, and an electric pickup. A fingering display (left hand) and a playing display (right hand) are mounted on the fingerboard. A control circuit, mounted on the body, receives input signals from one channel of a stereo for controlling the fingering and playing displays. The fingering and playing displays comprise an array of LEDs and LCDs that indicate the strings to finger, the fingers to use, the strings to play and the direction of play. A freeze control permits the user to "freeze" a section of the input signals in a buffer for repetitive practice. A tuning circuit permits the user to compare the tone of a string with a stored tone via a tuning display to help tune the instrument.

Abstract: An I/O request time limit value is set in a request-based, device-based, data-set-based, or workload-based time limit field, for transactions performing I/O operations to I/O devices in a data processing system. A scan routine compares the total time for the I/O request (including waiting time and retry time) against the appropriate time limit(s), and terminates the I/O request if the time limit is exceeded. If an active I/O request is interrupted as a result of an I/O error, retry is prohibited if the total I/O request time (including retry time) exceeds the appropriate time limit, or is within a threshold value of the appropriate time limit.

Abstract: A rotary die-cutting apparatus having cylindrical rollers mounted for rotation on spaced parallel axles. Die plates are mounted on the rollers in tight surface-to-surface contact with the outside surfaces thereof. Each roller has a body with a generally cylindrical outside surface and two longitudinal channels formed therein. The die plates are formed as thin flexible sheets of metal having their ends welded to one of the bars for mounting the sheets on the outside surface of the rollers. A wedge-shaped bar is slideably mounted in the other channel. After the ends of the die plate are welded to the weld bar in butting relation, the die plate is mounted on the roller with the wedge bar removed from its associated channel. After the plate is mounted on the roller, the wedge bar is slid into the channel and gradually forced against the die plate to bring it into surface-to-surface contact with the roller.

Abstract: A swimming pool with a convertible hot tub that may be easily installed or removed by a user. A barrier system, having a removable partition formed from a flexible sheet of material, is placed in the pool tank near an area that includes a hot water inlet nozzle. The partition has fasteners formed as peripheral ribs that slide into slotted channels secured to opposite sides of the tank. A water drain is located in the pool area. A water processing system, having a pump and a water heater, is connected between the drain and the inlet nozzle to remove warm water from the pool area, heat the water and supply hot water to the inlet nozzle to increase the temperature of the water in the hot tub. At equilibrium, the partition permits water to flow from the hot tub into the pool area at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which water is supplied to the hot tub via the inlet nozzle.

Abstract: For use with apparatus of the type including a power supply, means operated by the power from the power supply and means operably connected between the power supply and the means operated thereby for applying power of a predetermined magnitude for operating said operated means circuitry and method wherein a resistor is connected to the apparatus and cycling limiting circuitry is connected across the resistor and is responsive to the voltage drop thereacross when the operated means cycles, i.e. turns off and then on. The cycling limiting circuitry counts the number of cycles and after a predetermined number of cycles occurs provides an output which is effective for interrupting power from the power supply, whereby the operating means is removed from the circuit to protect the latter from damage due to unlimited cycling.

Abstract: A locking apparatus for securing adjacent articulated members such as a toilet seat and lid mounted on a bowl. Included is a plate for mounting the apparatus to the bowl and a locking arm movable with respect to said plate to a position where the leg of the locking arm overlies the lid.

Abstract: A hard seated globe valve assembly for use in servicing high and low temperature fluids. The valve includes a moveable stem attached at one end to a tapered plug of hard material. An equally hard seat having a tapered surface is mounted for mating engagement with the plug when the valve is closed. The seat is located in a partition that separates the globe-shaped body into two chambers having fluid inlet-outlet orifices. An annular ring is mounted between the bearing end of the stem and the plug so that the plug is resiliently engaged in the seat when the valve is closed. It has been found that hard seated valves tend to be difficult to open or lose their sealing abilities when servicing extreme temperature fluids due to the expansion and contraction when the valve is heated and cooled. The resilience of the annular ring prevents this problem by permitting the plug to adjust during expansion and contraction, thus making it easier to open the valve after cooling and precluding loss of sealing during heating.

Abstract: A security seal having a tag attached to a flat strap at the central portion by a pair of flexible members. The seal is adapted for sealing a box structure or container having a strap in one surface thereof and a hasp attached to the container. The tag extends upwardly so as to be visible against the surface of the hasp and container. Formed in the label and the tag surface, such as by stamping or the like, are a plurality of circular scores randomly positioned. The random positioning may be recorded to provide a means for verification. Any attempt to remove the label from the tag will result in destruction of the label.

Abstract: Locking seal including a rod which is spring-locked within a lock body includes channel structure within the lock body and in the rod surface to preclude removal of the rod even during relative rotation between the rod and the lock body.

Abstract: A security seal having a plastic body including three elongated parallel chambers. Mating with the body is a U-shaped resilient shackle having a pair of legs each having a reversely bent end portion terminating in a sharp edge for insertion in two of the chambers. The third chamber in the body contains a frangible ampule containing a liquid dye. When used to seal a structure, the shackle is threaded through the structure, and the legs are inserted into the chambers. The sharp edges of the reversely bent end portions are flexed into tight engagement with the interior walls of the chambers.

Abstract: An improved electrolyte is provided in a lithium/sulfur dioxide rechargea cell, the electrolyte comprising a solution of a stable, highly conductive liquid electrolyte complex LiAlCl.sub.4 --3SO.sub.2 and up to about 50 percent by weight of sulfuryl chloride as a cosolvent.

Abstract: A cathode suitable for use in a lithium electrochemical cell is made from a ixture of active cathode material, carbon, and non fluorinated linear chain polymer by a method including the steps of(A) dissolving the non fluorinated linear chain polymer in a non polar solvent at a temperature near the melting point of the polymer,(B) adding the active cathode material and carbon and evaporating the solvent, and(C) grinding the dried mixture into a fine powder and making it into a cathode by pressing the powdered mixture onto both sides of an expanded metal screen and then cutting to the desired dimensions.The cathode can be combined with lithium as the anode and a solution of 0.8 mol dm.sup.-3 LiAlCl.sub.4 in a mixed organic solvent of 24 mass percent 4-butyrolactone in 1,2 dimethoxyethane as the electrolyte to provide a mechanically stable, relatively inexpensive lithium electrochemical cell having good cell performance.

Abstract: Overcharge protection is provided for a rechargeable lithium-organic eleclyte battery by including lithium bromide in the electrolyte.