Abstract: A finish topper for bulb crops having a plurality of longitudinal, parallel, generally horizontal, spaced-apart moving belts for conveying bulbs through the apparatus. Adjacent belts are driven at different linear speeds. In a preferred embodiment, alternate belts are replaced by stationary rails to maximize the speed differential. Below and adjustably close to the belts is a driven rotating blade for cutting the bulb stems and also exerting a downwards draft of air through the belts. Onions introduced onto the belts are conveyed through the apparatus by the belts, and the differential in speed between the moving belts and stationary rails causes the bulbs to rotate and gyrate randomly as they are being conveyed. Because the belts are spaced apart, the bulbs assume momentarily an attitude to permit the uncut stems of bulbs to extend downwardly between the belts. The bulbs are retained on their shoulders on the belts in inverted posture.

Abstract: A spectrophotometer which is highly manufacturable at minimum cost nevertheless provides precision of measurement of spectra components of light which is projected therein by maintaining precise optical alignment of optical and electrical components thereof. These components are mounted in a module which is contained in a housing having an entrance aperture which defines an object area for light the spectrum of which is measured by a photodetector in the module at an image area. The module has a base plate provided by a printed circuit board on which a closed wall encompasses an area (a corral) on one side of the circuit board. The wall is a one piece structure which extends to the vicinity of the edge of the board. It is assembled with the board as a unitary structure so that the assembly is made torsionally rigid and resists bending in the plane of the board. The module may be of sufficiently small size so as to be located in a housing which is hand held, thereby providing a hand-held spectrophotometer.

Abstract: In order to preclude unreliable or inaccurate spectrophotometric measurements which can be caused by thermal effects (expansion/contraction) of components of the spectrophotometer, such as the dispersive element, the arm or mounting for changing the orientation of the element to scan the spectrum and produce spectral measurements, the element, and also displacement of the photodetector, lenses and other optical elements which can caused thermal effects, and also to reduce temperature-related errors in the photodetector or other electronics of the spectrophotometer, a temperature sensor is disposed in thermally coupled relationship within the spectrophotometer housing. A motor, which is coupled to the arm to change the orientation of the element and to the motor controller, is programmed to utilize the motor as a heat source in response to the temperature of the spectrophotometer detected by the sensor when the motor is not actuating the element grating to provide spectral measurements.

Abstract: A latch (48) for securing a pivotable portion (34) of a foldable corn head (10) to a fixed portion (32) thereof, the latch being actuated to close or open by the folding action of the corn head portions. In closing the latch, a slidable pin actuator (50) on one of the frame portions, which extends beyond the frame is engaged by the other frame portion. The motion of the pin rotates a crank (56) connected by a connecting link (64 to a rotatable overcenter catch (62) extending through a slot (69) in the other frame portion. The crank rotation causes the catch to rotate to engage and secure the other frame portion on its rear surface (70). Opening of the latch is the reverse of closing. Preferably, the lengths of the crank arms (58 & 60), connecting link, catch shaft (67), and the angles therebetween are selected such that the motion of the catch mimics in synchrony the motion of the pin.

Abstract: A labyrinth shaft seal for preventing the migration of gear lubricant from a mixer drive assembly into a batch of process materials being mixed. In the preferred embodiment, a portion of the gearcase outboard of the upper quill bearing, preferably the actual bearing mount, is provided with an axially-directed circular face, the mount being formed of relatively soft material such as ductile cast iron. A disc-shaped seal element having a central aperture and supporting an axially-directed peripheral cylindrical flange is sealingly mounted on the quill above the quill bearing and extends radially from the quill and generally parallel to the circular face. The flange is formed of material substantially harder than the circular face.

Abstract: A cleaning system for removing contaminants from the surface of a roller. A stationary cleaning pad is forced at a first urging force against a roller to be cleaned, and the roller is driven in rubbing contact with the pad. Preferably, the pad is supplied continuously with a cleaning liquid. An actuator disposed against a portion of the back of the pad urges that portion against the roller at a second, greater urging force to accelerate the rate of cleaning. A control loop between the roller motor drive and the actuator responds to a signal from the drive indicative of the magnitude of frictional resistance between the roller and the pad and increases or decreases the second force furnished by the actuator to provide a predetermined constant frictional resistance during cleaning. If flow of cleaning liquid to the pad is lost, friction can build up quickly and the roller surface can become damaged.

Abstract: A system for optimizing the flow of air through a fume hood by dynamically controlling the air flow to provide a stable vortex in the vortex chamber of the hood, the optimum condition for minimizing backflow of fume-laden air through the hood doorway. A highly-sensitive pressure sensor disposed at a critical location in the vortex chamber sidewall senses minute variations in vortex pressure indicative of turbulence and sends signals via a transducer to an analog controller which uses proportional integral and adaptive gain algorithms to formulate output signals to an actuator which adjusts dampers in the hood to change the airflow into the vortex. The system operates in feedback mode and seeks a minimum in the amplitude of the sidewall pressure variations, indicating that turbulence has been eliminated and that a stable vortex exists. The pressure sensor signals can also be directed to an alarm to signal an off-standard and potentially dangerous condition.

Abstract: A glass channel insert to guide, support, and seal a slidable window in a supporting channel window frame. The channel insert includes a centrally disposed durable plastic strip to bear the weight of the window and side sealing or glide members, preferably a laterally disposed pair of opposed pile weatherstrips to seal the inner and outer window surfaces from wind and water. The bearing strip and the weatherstrips are adhered to a common surface of a flexible backing web, preferably by simultaneous ultrasonic welding, providing a substantially planar glass channel element which can be wound as a roll. In installation, the planar element is folded longitudinally to form a U-shaped glass channel insert, which can be sliced transversely at intervals along its back side to permit bending of the insert to follow the curved edges of windows.

Abstract: A custom-fitted economical eyeware frame constructed at the site of dispensing from a minimum inventory of parts includes lenses of predetermined size and power encompassed by appropriate eye wires, and a bridge assembly, temple end pieces and temple ear stems. Upon selection of an appropriate bridge assembly, any, or all, of the remaining parts may be individually adjusted to custom fit the individual's interpupillary distance requirement. The construction of the eyeglass frame may be readily accomplished by an eyewear professional at any location.

Abstract: A low cost, self contained endless conveyor belt assembly includes a flat conveyor bed, an endless conveyor belt and a plurality of frame members mounted thereto. The bed mounted frame members support and house a drive shaft which includes sprockets for engaging the front inside radius of the endless conveyor belt and a remote mounted drive motor. The self contained conveyor belt assembly is adjustably mounted to complemental frame rails, one of which includes the drive motor to which can be coupled the drive pulley of the endless conveyor belt.

Abstract: A robust spectrophotometer (also known as a color spectrometer or colorimeter) is self contained in a housing which is adapted to be held-held and has all of the electrical, optical and electro optic elements mounted on a board captured within the housing at one end of which light from a sample is restricted to an object area and projected after being dispersed spectrally, as with a reflection grating, to an image area at a photodetector via a lens which has an optical axis and converges the dispersed light at the image area. The dispersive element is mounted on an arm having a pivot laterally offset from the dispersive element's surface where a diverging beam of light from the object area is incident and is deflected to the image area. The geometry is such that the dispersive element may be rotated to a position where the beam is specularly deflected (zeroth order diffraction), and the spectrometer calibrated when the dispersive element is in the specular reflection/deflection position.

Abstract: Parallelogram linkage apparatus for slidably shifting stripper plates in a corn head of a corn harvesting machine to widen or narrow the gap between opposed plates in a row harvester. Each slidable stripper plate has a parallelogram linkage which slidably connects the plate to a supporting frame. The linkage includes two bell cranks pivotably mounted in spaced apart relationship on the frame and connected by an interconnecting arm and having an actuation shaft extending upward from a lobe of each bell crank to engage motion-transforming members at the stripper plate for transforming the arcuate motion of the bell cranks into linear motion of the stripper plate. The upper ends of the actuation shafts are guided in guide elements at the stripper plate elongated in the direction parallel to an edge of the stripper plate.

Abstract: Cracker apparatus has a feedstock vessel for gaseous crackable substances, a dispenser which receives the gaseous crackable substances from the feedstock vessel and a cracker which receives the gaseous crackable substances from the dispenser. The vessel surfaces, dispenser surfaces and cracker surfaces that contact the gaseous crackable substances are suitably inert and can be made of quartz.

Abstract: A foldable corn head having separable, matable auger sections which are cantilever suspended from the ends thereof to provide an obstruction-free path for harvested ears of corn being transported by the auger. Outer sections of the corn head are foldable vertically about horizontal hinges to reduce the width of the head for over-the-road travel. Stub auger sections are cantilever mounted from end plates in the pivotable outer corn head sections, at least one of the stub sections being driven by an actuator, such as a hydraulic motor means. The stub sections are provided with coupling elements at their inner ends which are matable with coupling elements in the ends of the main auger section. The elements have non-symmetrically disposed mating pins and bores to form the couplings and to align the ends of the helical auger flanges.

Abstract: A hair forming device for arranging a pony tail or braid. The device comprises a series of rings disposed serially, and overlapping one another just enough to form a junction connecting adjacent rings. The rings may be arranged linearly, or in a matrix forming two series of rings abreast of one another. Teeth project outwardly from the rings, preferably located at the junctions between adjacent rings. The device is essentially planar, although having a nominal material thickness. Hair is preferably divided into two braids, each braid being passed through each ring. The novel device secures the braids in this manner, and is worn as long as the hair style thus achieved is maintained.

Abstract: A mixer seal assembly for a closable vessel having a dynamic mixer shaft seal in a bore in a vessel flange and a static seal for vessel transport formable by insertion of a disconnected lower portion of a fast connect coupling which is fast to install on the mixer shaft into the flange bore above the dynamic seal. The resulting seal assembly can seal the vessel for over-the-road transport. The dynamic seal includes a circular lip which sealingly engages the surface of the mixer shaft. The static seal includes an O-ring disposed in a first annular groove in the coupling portion. A shaft bushing disposed adjacent to the shaft seal in the flange bore minimizes shaft runout in the shaft seal and permits use of relatively rigid and dry running materials such as fluorocarbon polymer in the shaft seal.

Abstract: In a temporal sequence of digitized image frames of video signals, the spatial and temporal image gradients and the pixel-to-pixel motion vectors (dense motion vectors) are obtained between two consecutive image frames. A shape-adaptive triangular patch mesh model overlay is provided on the first image frame such that the location of node points of each patch is determined by the spatial image gradients of the first frame and the pixel-to-pixel motion vectors. A priority ranking of patches is established before determining the node point motion vectors. The node point motion vectors, representing the motion of each of the node points of the triangular mesh patches, are estimated by a linear least-squares solution to an affine transformation of the mesh overlay on the first frame into the second frame. Failure regions are identified and are revised in accordance with a data bit budget. All data are coded prior to transmission at a constant data bit rate by a sending unit to a receiving unit over a data link.

Abstract: A hand held microsurgical instrument for applying laser energy to selected locations (sites) in an area under the skin (or other exposed translucent tissue) to provide localized photothermolysis of underlying tissue at these sites, is described. The laser energy is focused into a spot within the tissue. This spot is of sufficiently small size so that the energy density is sufficient to provide surgical or treatment effects within the tissue without damaging the surface tissue. In dermatology, for example, the technique can be used to destroy endothelial cells in blood vessels which are desired to be removed, such spider veins (nevi) in the skin, hair follicles to prevent hair growth therefrom, or other microsurgical procedures. The area is visualized while the laser beam is steered, using a deflection system, in X and Y coordinates.

Abstract: A pneumatic gun having a fast-acting sliding sleeve valve member reciprocating between two axial positions, first to open an exhaust port for the explosive release of gas from a pressurized charge chamber in a stationary housing while simultaneously closing a pressurized intake port to said chamber, and then to close said exhaust port while simultaneously opening said pressurized intake port for recharging said charge chamber, all for the purpose of generating repetitive trains of impulsive sounds at a rapid rate with increased efficiency. The sliding valve member comprises a sleeve and may include a piston in a cylinder within the housing. The sliding valve member has a sealing flange which forms a lip seal with a stationary annular mating surface of the gun to close an exhaust port. A wall of the charge chamber is provided with an intake port in communication with a source of high-pressure gas.