Abstract: This invention relates to an indicating instrument for a vehicle or the like in which a pointer-indicated driving condition such as vehicle speed and rotation speed of an engine is formed by light, and to an indicating instrument system having the above indicating instruments. The structure of the indicating instrument is that a front surface having graduations is spherical such that the front surface sticks out forwardly as it is far from the rotation shaft and a light source is disposed in front of the dial and out of the graduations. Further, the indicating instrument system of the present invention indicates a cylindrical lens for converting beam from a point light source to a substantially linear beam; first and second reflecting plates for dividing the substantially linear beam into divided beam; and third and fourth reflecting plates for reflecting the divided beams each to a dial as a pointer indicating the graduations on the dial to a plurality of pointer forming portions.

Abstract: An improved structure of reflective warning triangle which has many holes inside the triangle for plugging in the bright red LED's, said reflective warning triangle having a reflecting plate and a transparent plate together. Said reflective warning triangle has tight washers to seal the holes containing the LED's to achieve the goal of a water-proof device. The LED's are series-parallel connected six by six so as to keep the reflective warning triangle of the present invention shining even when part of the circuit is short-circuited.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for indicating a level of a fluid in a reservoir and comprises a first multi-strand fiber optic cable with one end of the strands being disposed for receiving light from a light source for transmission to the second ends. A second multi-strand fiber optic cable having the same number of strands is disposed for receiving light from the second ends of the strands in the first cable. The second ends of the second cable are arranged for indicating the presence of light received by respective ones of the first ends of the second cable. A detector detects the level of the fluid in the reservoir, and an interrupter is disposed between the second ends of the first multi-strand fiber optic cable and the first ends of the second multi-strand fiber optic cable for interrupting the transmission of light between corresponding pairs of strands of the first and second fiber optic cables.

Abstract: A portable tennis score keeper designed to keep the set score in the game of tennis. The set score is most often the most disputed score in the game. This invention allows any one of the players to simply flip over numbered plates to reflect the progress of each team's set score. The score keeper is simple in design, and is small enough to allow every tennis player to have it as a standard item in their sports bag. The two sets of plates suspended from notches on both sides of an elongated support member have inverse color combinations to identify each of the teams. The numbers zero through six reflects the number of games each team can win in each set. The number six is the last plate and is the total number of games required to win a set. The first numbered plate bears the word "love" inside the zero, an indicia in historical tennis score keeping terms for zero.

Abstract: An improved bathtub or shower enclosure designed to prevent injury to the user in the event of a slip and fall accident or the like. The tub or shower stall floor and walls and water control fixtures are constructed or lined with a thin exterior layer of a resilient material to absorb the shock of a person falling and thereby preventing injury to that person. The floor of the tub or stall includes non-slip material on the surface of or formed into the resilient material. For an initial installation, a shell of the resilient material with non-slip material on the exposed floor or bottom surface is supported by a frame work constructed of rigid material such as wood or the like. For the after market, a liner of resilient material with non-slip material thereon is fitted over the existing bathtub or shower stall surfaces and over the water control fixtures and is fixedly attached thereto.

Abstract: A bookmark for making a page and line in a book. The bookmark includes an elongated planar body having an upper terminal portion that provides a relatively large flat surface for the display of matter such as decorative and whimsical designs each of which includes a dominant design element. The bookmark further includes a finger engaging indicator piece that substantially corresponds in size and shape with the dominant design element of the imprinted design and is slidably movable along a slit provided in the body from a first position overlying the design element to a second line marking position.

Abstract: A method for calibrating at least one temperature sensor. A wafer (30) having calibration structures of a material having a melting point in the range of 150.degree. to 1150.degree. C. is provided. The temperature sensor is operable to detect a temperature dependent characteristic of the wafer and output a signal corresponding to the temperature depending characteristic. The power input is selectively varied and the wafer temperature is ramped for a calibration run. A wafer characteristic, such as wafer reflectance, radiance, or emissivity, is monitored. A first step change in the wafer characteristic corresponding to a wafer temperature equal to the melting point of the calibration structures is detected and a set of calibration parameters for each temperature sensor being calibrated is calculated.

Abstract: A triangular warning sign (1) is mounted in a rotatable manner via a shaft (3) in a foot (2), in that two side edges (4) on the sign (1) facing away from the foot (2) are bent to provide flanges (5). The flanges (5) face in mutually opposite directions, whereby the sign (1) when used outdoors can be influenced by the wind and rotate. The sign (1) thus becomes visible from all sides.

Abstract: A steam flow meter provided with a steam flow rate detecting device and a steam pressure and temperature detecting device.

Abstract: A self-contained system for measuring forces applied to the foot of a user includes a force sensor array positioned within the user's shoe between the foot and the inner sole of the shoe, the force sensor array including a multiplicity of individual force sensors arranged in a pattern that covers the entire area of contact between the sole of the user's foot and the inner sole of the shoe, an electronic circuit module removably attached to the side of the shoe, and a flat interconnecting cable for electrically coupling the force sensor array to the electronic circuit module.

Abstract: A sight glass placed between two spaced apart confronting fittings and connected to a vessel to show the level of liquid in the vessel is shielded by a novel transparent plastic enclosure. The enclosure is in the form of a polygon and is made from a sheet of impact resistant plastic. The enclosure includes an elongated main body member having a U-shaped front member that is removably attached to a rear closure member. Upper and lower end members are removably secured to each opposed end of the main body member. Each of the end members have an outwardly opening slot formed therein for slidably receiving and capturing the spaced apart fittings therewithin. The transparent plastic material preferably is polycarbomate which exhibits high impact resistance and thereby offers great protection to the sight glass.

Abstract: A mechanism for measuring the running time of an internal combustion engine includes a numerical display of the engine running hours, such that the owner of the engine can better determine the appropriate time for changing the engine lubrication oil. A chronometer is controlled by a switch responding sensitively to engine temperature or vibration, so that the chronometer is actuated only while the engine is working. The mechanism is incorporated into the handle of an oil dipstick, which enables the engine owner to check the chronometer at the same time as he/she is checking the engine oil level.

Abstract: A water closet with a tilting cover acting as a bowl includes one mobile portion forming a bowl for receiving solid and liquid matter and pivoting around a horizontal axis and able by rotating through approximately 180.degree. to occupy two positions, namely one position for the bowl receiving the matter and the other position when the bowl is upturned and with one fixed portion disposed under the bowl and into which the contents of the bowl is emptied when the latter passes from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A calorimeter for determining the calorific value of a sample on the basis of the difference in temperature, measured on a real time basis, between the temperature of the water in a bucket containing the sample in a conventional calorimeter bomb and the temperature of the water in a reservoir maintained at substantially ambient temperature. The water from the reservoir is circulated by a pump through a heat exchanger, a water jacket surrounding the bucket and back to the reservoir in an effort to maintain the water in the system at ambient temperature. A method for calculating the corrected bucket temperature rise on the basis of Newton's Law of Cooling and for calculating the gross calorific value of the sample is also disclosed.

Abstract: A pointer for use in an instrument panel, such as a speedometer, in a vehicle. According to one embodiment, the pointer includes a conically shaped pointer body to which a pointer base is secured. A light source is disposed within the pointer base and a slit is provided in the body. The inner surface of the pointer body is reflective such that light directed from the light source is reflected off of the reflective surface and through the slit. In another embodiment the light source is disposed externally of the pointer and a reflecting member is provided in the pointer for reflecting the light towards the distal end of the conical body. The reflecting member can include a reflecting mirror or, alternatively, a prism.

Abstract: A non-contact pyrometric technique is provided for measuring the temperature and/or emissivity of an object that is being heated by electromagnetic radiation within the optical range. The measurement is made at short wavelengths for the best results. The measurement may be made at wavelengths within those of the heating optical radiation, and the resulting potential error from detecting heating radiation reflected from the object is avoided by one of two specific techniques. A first technique utilizes a mirror positioned between the heating lamps and the object, the mirror reflecting a narrow wavelength band of radiation in which the optical pyrometer detector operates. The second technique is to independently measure the a.c. ripple of the heating lamp radiation and subtract the background optical noise from the detected object signal in order to determine temperature and emissivity of the object. Both of these techniques can be combined, if desired.

Abstract: This invention refers to an apparatus for determining the sag of a running web of material transversely to its longitudinal direction. For this purpose according to the invention a carrier of a web sensing roller is guided in a housing to be movable against spring force transversely to its rotational axis and apparatus is provided for measuring the displacement distance of the roller. The roller is replicated in triplicate across the width of the web. In other embodiments web sag is measured by roller rotation and by web force respectively on the three rollers.

Abstract: An immersion well construction including a rigid, heat conductive elongate member having (a) a threaded outside surface portion for threading into a preexisting fluid vessel wall threaded opening, (b) a wrench flat portion disposed proximally of the threaded outside surface portion and (c) a longitudinally extending cavity. The cavity has a main cavity body portion and an adjacent and smaller diameter distal cavity pocket. An inwardly disposed groove is formed on and extends longitudinally along the cavity, such that one or more wires of an electrical sensor held in the cavity pocket can pass in and along the groove and out the elongate member and to an electrical system, such as a remote computer control system.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the volume of an electrically conductive liquid held in a confined area includes a tank constructed of electrically conductive, fiber-reinforced composite material having an inside surface and an outside surface. An electrically insulative liner is disposed in the tank against the inside surface thereof to receive and hold the liquid. A voltage source supplies an electrical charge to the tank walls, with ground potential being supplied to the liquid, to thereby develop a capacitance between the tank walls and the liquid. The capacitance varies with variation in the volume of liquid and thus by measuring the capacitance, a measure can be made of the volume of liquid in the tank.

Abstract: An isoperibol calorimeter type laser power meter including a laser beam energy absorber, apparatus for measuring the change in temperature of the absorber, electronic timing apparatus for defining a period of time over which a change in temperature of the absorber takes place and apparatus operative in response to a measured change in temperature over the period of time to provide an output indication of laser power.