Abstract: A reference display system that receives information from an imaging system (e.g., a CT scanner or the like), that extracts or derives three-dimensional anatomical and/or pathological information about a part of a body (e.g., the brain or other organ) of a patient. The information is digitized in the imaging system and is introduced to a computer that is programmed to reformat the digitized information to provide as output electric signal representative of the digitized information. An optical display system (e.g., a cathode ray tube, CRT, and related circuitry) is connected to receive the output of the computer and is operable to present the reformatted information at a determined plane during an operative procedure. An operating microscope is freely located in the operative location relative to the patient during the operative procedure, the focal plane of the microscope establishing the determined plane.

Abstract: A machine to mold and flange the heel region of an upper whose heel region has been heated to soften the same. The heel region includes a thermal plastic material which softens when heated and is fairly rigid at and below room temperature. The machine includes a mold to receive the heated upper, the mold being cooled to reduce the temperature of the upper during the molding or forming operation. The machine further includes pincers to draw or stretch the upper about the mold, the direction of stretch being variable, a pad to wrap about the heel region of the upper and wipers. An equalizer mechanism centers the pad with respect to the mold to equalize pressure and the pad has a quick change mechanism associated therewith, as do the wipers. A height gage is provided to assure proper heightwise positioning of the upper on the mold.

Abstract: A machine to form an end of a unit of a box from a flat box blank that includes two sides, a bottom, and, at each end, an end flap supporting a cantilevered sealing tab, and two side tabs supported by the two sides. A planar movable table receives the box blank and a planar folding table receives the end flap and the sealing tab. A pair of side guides secures the two sides of the box blank and guide the box blank in its rearward travel. An end flap folding mechanism serves to fold the two side tabs attached to the box sides inward through ninety degrees to a position essentially parallel to the fold line. An adhesive applicator applies an adhesive ribbon in a predetermined pattern to the sealing tab and, sometimes, to the end flap.

Abstract: Apparatus (and method) for parts sorting and the like wherein parts and the like are transported into an interaction region and irradiated with wave energy which interacts with the parts and the like to provide wave energy that emits from the interaction region. The positions of the parts and the like as they move through the interaction region are detected at spaced locations along the path of travel therethrough. The wave energy that emits from the interaction region is sensed to derive a characteristic of the parts and the like at each of the spaced locations to provide signals from which the characteristic can be determined. The signals are analyzed for each spaced location to derive data representative of the characteristic which serves as the basis for sorting.

Abstract: A system to maximize the probability of preserving living tissue separated from its host organism. The system includes a bag or other container to receive a liquid solution plus a biscuit that supplies both nutrients and other materials ordinarily supplied to the tissue by the host, as well as additional material helpful to the tissue during the sub-acute postraumatic period. The nutrients and other materials are introduced to the solution by a biscuit that is formed of the various necessary ingredients. The biscuit introduced to the solution containing the living tissue slowly dissolves therein. An outer housing receives the bag or other container with its contents. The outer housing, by use of ice or other heating/cooling measures, serves to maintain the tissue and its supporting mechanism at between about 2.degree. C. and 20.degree. C.

Abstract: A pulse generator for outputting a train of electric pulses with a controllably constant period (i.e., the reciprocal of pulse rate) between pulses of the pulse train. The generator includes electrical circuitry which produces an internal train of pulses some of whose periods vary an unacceptable amount from one another. Further, modifying circuitry is connected to receive each pulse of the internal train of pulses, the further circuitry being operable to modify the period of each pulse, when necessary, to an acceptable period with respect to the immediately preceding pulse.

Abstract: A heel lasting machine to receive a footwear upper assembly that includes a last, an insole on the last bottom and an upper draped about the last with a margin extending upwardly from the insole, the last having a spindle hole. The machine includes two stations; each station includes a heel post or spindle having a last pin to insert into the spindle hole and a toe rest to receive the toe of the upper assembly. A single adhesive applicator applies adhesive to the heel region of the upwardly directed insole of both upper assemblies. All operations of the machine are computer controlled. A mechanism is provided to locate the nozzle of the adhesive applicator in its rest position relative to the heel region, despite variations in the placement of the spindle hole. A mechanism to assure a snug fit of the heel of the upper about the heel of the last is also provided. Once the upper is fitted about the last the upper assembly is pressed onto the toe rest.

Abstract: A system for achieving inspecting and/or positioning of an object that includes: an array that is operable to generate acoustic or low-frequency electromagnetic wave energy of a single or narrow band of frequencies, to transmit the wave energy to an interaction region where it interacts with the object and to transmit the wave energy, after interaction, to sensing means, sensors of the array being disposed to receive the wave energy and being operable to convert the wave energy to electric signals representative of the received wave energy; a processor connected to receive the electric signal and adapted to process the signals into amplitude and/or phase information for each sensor; and an analyzer to interpret the amplitude and/or phase information to derive therefrom a characteristic of the object, e.g., a geometric characteristic or an electromagnetic characteristic.

Abstract: A system to move an object in space. The system includes a structural mechanism having interconnected structural beams for applying translational forces and movements to position an object held by the structural mechanism. The system has a measuring mechanism to determine, with precision, the actual position and orientation of each structural beam with respect to its attached neighboring structural beam. The structural mechanism includes at least one structural beam and an associated measuring beam. The measuring beam is in contact only with its associated structural beam, the contact being effected through support devices that provide the only physical contact between the structural beam and the associated measuring beam.

Abstract: An activator for shaping the heel portion of a footwear upper to provide an upper whose heel is shaped approximately to the shape it will ultimately take in the fabricated shoe or other footwear. The activator includes a mold to receive the upper; the mold has a back portion contoured to the required shape of the heel portion of the upper. The activator further includes a pad having a bight region and legs extending from the bight region, which pad has an inner contour that approximately matches the outer contour of the back and adjacent portions of the mold and both can be replaced to fit requirements. The pad has an open position to receive the mold with the upper thereon and a closed position to squeeze the upper between the pad and the mold. A mold drive mechanism is provided to move the mold from a location spaced from the pad to receive the upper to a nested location within the bight region and the legs of the pad. Then the pad is moved around and about the upper and heat is introduced to the upper.

Abstract: A system and method to achieve gasification of bark pieces, that includes a vessel to receive the bark pieces which are introduced at an upper region of the vessel and are burned at a lower region, which bark pieces settle from the upper region downward to the lower region in the course of burning and bridge as they settle to leave one or more bypass holes in the bulk thereof. A mechanism is provided to apply angular impelling reciprocating forces to the bark pieces or the like to revolve individual pieces through acute angles, first in one direction and then in the other, to disrupt the bridging and hence the bypass holes.

Abstract: A side and heel lasting machine that serves to adhere the upstanding unwiped side and heel margin of a shoe upper assembly, which assembly includes a last with an insole on the last bottom and an upper draped about the last. The toe portion of the upper assembly has previously been wiped to the periphery region of the assembly insole. A pair of pincers, one disposed at each side of the upper of the assembly, grasps the upstanding unwiped margin and draws it upwardly, inwardly and forwardly (i.e., towards the toe thereof) to fit it snugly about the last. Lasting pads are employed to keep the unwiped margin in position during application of adhesive from nozzles that are spring loaded to press outwardly and track the upstanding unwiped margin when adhesive is applied in the region between the insole and the margin. The upstanding side and heel margin is then wiped onto the insole.

Abstract: A method (and system) to achieve automatic language recognition that includes the steps of introducing language in the form of strings to a mechanism that converts the language to electrical signals derived from the strings introduced, which electrical signals are the electrical analog of words in the strings; analyzing the electrical signals to achieve automatic recognition of the letters in a word of the text on the basis of an integration of (a) channel characteristics in the form of probabilities that the particular letter is a corruption of another letter, (b) the probabilities of the letter occurring serially with other recognized letters that precede the letter being analyzed, and (c) lexical information in the form of acceptable words represented as a graph structure and presenting as output a reproduction of the text introduced and analyzed.

Abstract: A method of (and apparatus for) extracting the fundamental pitch period of a complex electrical signal V.sub.2 (t), that includes the serial steps of deriving a time varying reference signal V.sub.ref (t) from the complex electrical signal V.sub.2 (t), which reference signal V.sub.ref (t) adapts continuously (i.e., each cycle of the complex electrical signal) to peak amplitude excursions of the complex electrical signal V.sub.2 (t); sensing ascending values of the signal V.sub.2 (t) to a first point at which the maximum magnitude of the signal V.sub.2 (t) of one polarity is reached and reversal of direction thereof occurs; storing the first substantially instantaneous difference in magnitude between the complex electrical signal V.sub.2 (t) and the time varying reference V.sub.ref (t) at the point of maximum magnitude of the signal V.sub.2 (t); thereafter sensing a point at which the magnitude of the signal V.sub.

Abstract: A steam press for steaming the toe region of a footwear upper, that includes a contoured activator to receive the toe portion of the upper and operable to heat and apply steam to moisturize the toe portion. The contoured activator includes a contoured silicone cushion and a felt-covered contoured steam pad to engage the top part of the upper and a lower heated activator housing contoured to the contour of the contoured steam pad and positioned to mate with the contoured steam pad and press the upper therebetween. The contoured steam pad is mechanically interconnected to move away from and toward the heated activator pad respectively to receive the upper and then press the upper between the contoured steam pad and the heated activator housing. A steam generator is connected to receive water in the liquid state and is operable to convert the water to steam.

Abstract: A mechanism to determine position and orientation in space of a robot linkage or the like. The mechanism typically includes a plurality of structural beams that form the linkage and each structural beam has an associated measuring beam which, in the preferred embodiment, is housed within the structural beam in a way that deflection of the structural beam does not impose loads on the measuring beam. Angular measuring devices and linear measuring devices serve to locate endpoints of the measuring beam and the information derived serves to locate the free end or endpoint (typically a gripper or the like) relative to an anchor to establish position and orientation at the endpoint.

Abstract: A system for sorting parts wherein a part to be sorted is irradiated with wave energy of a single frequency (or very narrow band of frequencies) which interacts with the part. Wave energy emanating from the part is sensed at many spatially separated places to generate an electric signal representative of a characteristic of the amplitude and phase of the detected wave energy at each place. The electric signal so generated is compared with a pre-established signal and any differences therebetween are determined to establish whether the part is within acceptable limits in terms of geometric characteristics, e.g., size, material characteristics and orientation. The part is then acted upon on the basis of the comparison.

Abstract: A machine for lasting sides and heels of a shoe assembly having a last with an upper mounted thereon and an insole at its bottom, the assembly being one whose toe portion has already been wiped and whose side and heel portions are to be wiped. Nozzles serve to apply adhesive as a ribbon into the region between the insole and the unwiped margin at and near the insole periphery. A lasting mechanism provides backup to the margin to permit the nozzles to press outwardly against and track the margin. Later the lasting mechanism applies inward and downward pressure onto the margin. The lasting mechanism includes a lasting instrumentality at each side of the shoe assembly. Each such instrumentality includes an inner, an intermediate and an outer flexible lasting pad; each pad has relatively rigid segmets at its top edge; and each is moved by air cyliers to perform its function. The inner lasting pad performs a backup function during application of adhesive and a wiping function.

Abstract: A system for noninvasively sensing ocular pulses of a mammal, which pulses serve as a basis for indicating presence of a disease or malfunctioning body part such as, for example, a condition of arterial occlusion. The system employs piezoelectric transducers to sense the ocular pulses which are analyzed, also, in the case of arterial occlusion with simultaneously obtained ECG signals.

Abstract: A machine for automatically roughing the cement margin of a footwear upper assembly. The machine includes means for supporting the footwear upper assembly by a mechanism capable of applying to the upper assembly rocking movement, translational movement and rotational movement. A roughing tool is provided, as well as means for applying a combination movement to the upper assembly. Simultaneously, roughing is effected along the shoe margin by the roughing tool. The combination of movements serves continuously to present a new roughing surface to the roughing tool in the course of roughing, resulting in uniformity of roughing. The rotational movement serves to cause the roughing tool to track the cement margin with a determined orientation therebetween as the cement margin moves past the roughing portion of the roughing tool.