Abstract: A method of accumulating products traveling in a conveyor system according to system conditions including: receiving products from an infeed conveyor onto a first conveyor in an accumulator; transferring by a carriage products from the first conveyor to a second conveyor in the accumulator; moving products from the second conveyor to an outfeed conveyor; detecting a density of products moving on the second conveyor; and moving the carriage with along the first and second conveyors if the detected density is above a certain density value.

Abstract: A method of accumulating products traveling in a conveyor system according to system conditions including: receiving products from an infeed conveyor onto a first conveyor in an accumulator; transferring by a carriage products from the first conveyor to a second conveyor in the accumulator; moving products from the second conveyor to an outfeed conveyor; detecting a density of products moving on the second conveyor; and moving the carriage with along the first and second conveyors if the detected density is above a certain density value.

Abstract: A pallet stacking assembly line having at least two pick-and-place robots are used. The first robot has a relatively low position. The second robot is in an elevated position. A pallet dispenser dispenses a first pallet onto a pallet conveyor The pallet conveyor moves the first pallet to a first build position in front of the first robot. The first robot picks products from a first pick position and stacks them on the first pallet. Once the stack of products on the first pallet reach approximately half the finished stack height, the pallet conveyor carries the first pallet to a second build position in front of the second robot. At the same time, the pallet dispenser dispenses a second pallet which is carried to the first build position. The second robot picks products from a second pick position and places them on the upper portion of the stack on the first pallet to complete the stack. Meanwhile, the first robot is picking and placing products on the lower portion of the second pallet.

Abstract: A new type of pallet stacking assembly line. Two pick-and-place robots are used. The first robot has a relatively low position. The second robot is in an elevated position. A pallet dispenser dispenses a first pallet onto a pallet conveyor. The pallet conveyor then moves the first pallet to a first build position in front of the first robot. The first robot then begins picking products from a first pick position and stacking them on the first pallet. Once the products on the first pallet reach approximately half the finished height, the pallet conveyor carries the first pallet over to a second build position in front of the second robot. At the same time, the pallet dispenser dispenses a second pallet which is carried to the first build position. The second robot picks products from a second pick position and places them on the upper portion of the first pallet in order to complete the stack. Meanwhile, the first robot is picking and placing products on the lower portion of the second pallet.

Abstract: An inert practice round has an elongated, solid body of aluminum having an external outline with the contour and size of a live round of a predetermined caliber. In one embodiment, the round comprises a unitary, one-piece, cavityless body. In another embodiment the body has an axial cavity formed centrally in the base end thereof and receives a cushioning structure, which may be all-plastic, plastic with a headed rivet embedded therein or a stack of O-rings or a coil spring with a rivet inserted therethrough.

Abstract: An inert practice round has an elongated, solid body of aluminum having an external outline with the contour and size of a live round of a predetermined caliber. In one embodiment, the round comprises a unitary, one-piece, cavityless body. In another embodiment the body has an axial cavity formed centrally in the base end thereof and receives a cushioning structure, which may be all-plastic, plastic with a headed rivet embedded therein or a stack of O-rings or a coil spring with a rivet inserted therethrough.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a data communications device such as a modem (100, 101) to determine transmit power levels for data transmission and reception, from a received probe signal. The various embodiments utilizing a processor (108) or a digital signal processor (106) receive a probe signal, transmitted at two different power levels, which also typically contains noise and other distortions. The various method and apparatus embodiments then determine average signal levels (501), average noise levels (503), and a set of signal to distortion ratios corresponding to combinations of symbol rates and carrier frequencies. Parameters such as the receive signal power (509), the harmonic content (507), the proportional noise (511), and a signal to distortion ratio threshold (513) are utilized to determine a transmit power level (515).

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for a data communications device, such as a modem (100, 101) or facsimile machine, to detect and discriminate various amplitude modulated signals, such as an ANS signal of the ITU V.25 protocol and an ANSam signal of the ITU V.8 protocol, which may be subject to impulse distortions (FIG. 5B). The apparatus and method embodiments band pass filter (204) an incoming signal at a first frequency, and dynamically limit (208) any impulse distortions of the incoming signal to a limit threshold (211). The limit thresholds may be dynamically determined by rectifying (209) and low pass filtering (210) the band pass filtered signal to determine a low frequency average magnitude level of the incoming signal, with the limit thresholds set as a predetermined variance from this low frequency average magnitude level.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a data communications device, such as a modem (100, 101), to determine a symbol rate and carrier frequency combination, from a received probe signal, for optimizing a bit rate for data transmission and reception. The various embodiments utilizing a processor (108) or a digital signal processor (106) receive a probe signal, which also typically contains noise and other distortions. The various method and apparatus embodiments then determine signal to distortion ratios for a plurality of symbol rate and carrier frequency combinations (820), and other optimization parameters, such as channel characteristics and attenuation distortion parameters (830). These optimization parameters are then utilized to determine an optimal symbol rate and carrier frequency (840).

Abstract: A microscope includes an objective lens and a pair of zoom lenses arranged in series along an optical path from the objective lens to a video camera, which converts the output of the second zoom lens to a video signal for display of a magnified first image on an associated monitor. A portion of the output from the objective lens is split to a second video camera which generates a second video signal to display a second image on the monitor, of a different magnification from the first image. The objective is fixed on a holder which can be removably mounted in a receptacle on the microscope housing and retained therein by a manually releasable latch. An optical binocular eyepiece assembly has a prism which is selectively movable into the optical path to intercept the output of the second zoom lens. Illuminating visible light is transmitted from a remote source into the optical path and through the objective lens to illuminate the object viewed. A polarizer/analyzer unit is provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a data communications device such as a modem (100, 101) to determine carrier frequency offset and timing frequency offset, from a received probe signal. The various embodiments utilizing a processor (108) or digital signal processor (106) receive first and second sets of a transmitted probe signal having known characteristics, and determine a set of phase differences for the tones comprising the probe signal (702, 703, 704, 705). The various method and apparatus embodiments then form a linear approximation from the set of phase differences to determine the carrier frequency offset and the timing frequency offset (706). In the preferred embodiments, the linear approximation is formed from a minimization of a least square error estimate proportionally weighted by either signal to noise ratios or normalized, average amplitudes of the set of tones of the received probe signal.

Abstract: A laning conveyor is provided which may be used as an infeed for a packer. The laning conveyor comprises a central lane guide and a movable lane guide unit including at least two lane guides connected thereto spaced apart a first lane width. The unit is mounted adjacent the central lane guide to form a lane therebetween having the first lane width. The unit is movable to provide the lane with a second lane width. A method of laning articles is also disclosed.

Abstract: An improved tray packer-shrink wrapper is provided in a preferred embodiment with a computer control to permit relatively efficient changeover from processing a batch of one product size to a batch of another product size. A servocontrolled pin grouper is provided wherein at least two sets of pins such as pins A and B are mounted on corresponding endless chains such as chains A and B, which endless chains are independently cyclable by corresponding independently controlled servomotors A and B. The pin sets are inserted into a row of articles positioned on a stationary deadplate, with one pin set leading a trailing pin set, and the leading pin set is accelerated with respect to the trailing pin set to separate articles downstream of the leading pin set into an article group, which separation operation is continuously carried out in a cyclical fashion to group articles from the row.

Abstract: An improved palletizer is provided for receiving successive groups of articles in a pattern forming area and transferring the groups in succession to a stacking area on a pallet. A servocontrolled sweep system transfers article groups from the pattern formings to the stacking area for stacking one group on top of the other as the pallet is indexed downward by a hoist system after each successive group, and a carriage system interleaves separator sheets between successive groups. A programmable logic controller controls the servocontrolled sweep system in accordance with a velocity characteristic designed to increase machine speed and efficiency.

Abstract: A chuck assembly is adapted to be mounted on the positioning assembly of a microscopic test device for effecting precise repeatable vertical movement of the object under test with negligible incidental movement of any other type. A triangular member fixed with respect to the positioning assembly is received in a circular recess in the upper surface of a housing. An annular projection on the bottom of the triangular member is disposed in an annular cavity in the housing, with a sealing gasket therebetween. The bottom of the cavity is coupled to an associated source of compressed air. A thin flat flexible metal disc overlies the triangular member and is fixed thereto centrally thereof, the periphery of the disc being fixedly clamped between the housing and a retaining ring. A top plate is secured to the housing.