Abstract: A chair measurement device includes a base configured to stably engage a chair seat in a manner simulating a person sitting on the chair, and further includes an upright member pivotally mounted on the base for simulating the person leaning against the chair back. The upright member includes an upper section having an arcuately shaped rear surface, and an elastic member is extended between the upper section and the base for engaging the chair back to facilitate positioning the device on a chair. The upright member is lockable on the base to facilitate initial positioning of the measurement device on the chair, but is releasable and movable against the chair back to facilitate taking measurements. The base and the upright member include planar surfaces for supporting measurement taking tools, and further include slots for locating the tools in square and predetermined positions on the measurement device.

Abstract: A power-supply and control circuit is provided for driving a fluorescent lamp from a low-voltage DC power source such as a battery. In typical lamp-driving circuits, a step-up transformer is used to apply well known magnetic techniques to achieve the low-to-high voltage conversion required by the lamp. The present invention uses a new approach, applying piezoelectric characteristics of certain ceramic materials to replace the magnetic transformer. Resonant characteristics of such ceramic materials permit them to be self-resonated. A DC-to-AC converter coupled to a switching regulator converts low DC voltage into a higher AC voltage for driving the fluorescent lamp. In one embodiment, the lamp is included in a feedback loop which includes a circuit for producing a feedback signal indicative of the magnitude of current conducted by the lamp. The feedback signal is applied to the switching regulator to produce in the lamp a regulated current and, hence, a regulated lamp intensity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for facilitating scanning of radio control channels where a plurality of communication systems conjunctively cover the same area. A subscriber unit receives an overhead message train on a control channel which includes a channel count representing the number of control channels of a communication system. Subsequently, the subscriber unit scans a channel count number of control channels to tune to a control channel being used by a communication system having coverage for the subscriber unit. This scanning of control channels starts with a predetermined start control channel which corresponds to the logical number of the control channel in a sequence of control channels which is after the channel count control channel. In addition, an apparatus may be provided to transmit, in the overhead message train, a subscriber unit control message with an address indicating that a communication system is operating within a coverage area.

Abstract: Mobility is provided for wireless local loop radiotelephone systems by providing the home access network of a subscriber unit with a home access number. Upon registration of the subscriber unit with its home access network, the home access number is transmitted to the subscriber unit for storage there. When the subscriber unit moves to a visited access network and registers there, the subscriber unit transmits the home access number to the visited access network, which uses the home access number to contact the home access network. Since all call originations and terminations by and to the subscriber unit occur via the individual subscriber line appearance at the PSTN, a minimum of special network elements are required for subscriber unit mobility when the home access number is stored at the subscriber unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for enabling RT subscribers (15, 25 and 35), in radio service areas (1, 2 and 3) serviced by a radio telephone control system (11, 21 and 31) (RTCS), to receive calls originally presented to non-servicing RTCSs (11, 21 or 31). In this effort the RTCS (11) currently serving the RT subscriber (15) receives information and a callback number indicating that a call, placed to the RT subscriber (15), is in progress at a remote RTCS (21 or 31). In response, the currently serving RTCS (11) pages the RT subscriber (15). Thereafter, upon receipt of the RT subscriber's page response, the currently serving RTCS (11) calls the callback number so as to connect the RT subscriber (15) to the call in progress.

Abstract: A power supply and control circuit is provided for driving a fluorescent lamp from a low voltage DC power source such as a battery. A DC-to-AC inverter coupled to a switching regulator converts low DC voltage into a higher AC voltage for driving the fluorescent lamp. The lamp is included in a feedback loop which includes a circuit for producing a feedback signal indicative of the magnitude of current conducted by the lamp. The feedback signal is applied to the switching regulator to produce in the lamp a regulated current and, hence, a regulated lamp intensity. The magnitude of the lamp current can be adjusted to enable the intensity of the fluorescent lamp to be smoothly and continuously varied (without "dead-spots" or "pop-on") over a chosen intensity range, including if desired, from substantially full OFF to full ON. A method for driving a fluorescent lamp from a low voltage DC power source is also provided.

Abstract: In a process of downhole drilling in an open hole, where the drill bit has struck a lost circulation zone in the wall of the formation, and mud circulating through the annulus during drilling has been lost into the zone and therefore circulation of the mud has been lost, the process for locating the depth of the lost return zone would include the steps of (a) detecting a drop in the mud level within the annulus of the drill casing to a central depth; (b) introducing a quantity of lighter fluid such as 8.

Abstract: In a process of downhole drilling in an open hole, where the drill bit has struck a lost circulation zone in the wall of the formation, and mud circulating through the annulus during drilling has been lost into the zone and therefore circulation of the mud has been lost, the process for reestablishing circulation downhole would include the steps of (b) closing off any flow of mud out of the annulus substantially at the level of the earth's surface; (a) introducing a quantity of lighter fluids such as salt water into the annulus so that the annulus becomes filled with the lighter fluid; (c) pushing a quantity of the mud in the annulus into the formation by the weight of the lighter fluid in the annulus, thus lowering the weight of the column of fluid in the annulus; (d) in calculating the mud weight necessary to circulate out the heavy mud with the lighter fluid; and introducing the lighter weight mud into the hole and into the drill pipe, for allowing the heavier mud to circulate up through the annulus to be

Abstract: Adjacent cellular systems (101-103) are interconnected to form a network providing telephone coverage to mobiles located throughout their combined coverage areas (111-113). Each networked cellular system (101-103) includes base sites (412, 414, 416) located in cells (402, 404, 406) and a control terminal (420) coupled by data and voice lines to the base sites, a telephone central office (422) and the other cellular systems. Each base site (412, 414, 416) includes a base site controller 950, a scanning receiver 910, signalling transceiver 912 and up to eight voice channel transceivers (901-908). As mobiles move about the networked coverage area (111-113), intrasystem handoffs are provided between cells of the same cellular system, and intersystem handoffs are provided between border cells of adjacent cellular systems. Mobiles are paged throughout the networked coverage area (111-113) in the paging area (121-136) in which the mobile last registered.

Abstract: A substantially torus-shaped chamber is refurbished by installing partitions about the chamber to create isolated compartments within the chamber, and by sandblasting, painting, and curing the paint in the compartments and exhausting air from the compartments so that the dust and fumes from the compartments are not spread to adjacent ones of the compartments. In the curing process a plurality of insulated panels are installed in juxtaposed relationship with respect to the painted surfaces, and high velocity air is moved between the panels and the painted surfaces in closed paths. The recirculating air is heated to approximately 200.degree. F. and the hot air is confined substantially to the space immediately adjacent the painted surface.

Abstract: To control a motor, a pulse width modulated signal from a computer is fed to a capacitor which stores each pulse as a voltage proportional to the width of the pulse, the capacitor being reset to zero by a leading edge reset circuit. The voltage on the capacitor is sampled by a sample/hold circuit the output of which is fed to a converter which converts the voltage signal to a frequency signal exponentially related to the voltage, and hence to the pulse width. The converter then powers a driver which drives the motor. The exponential relationship between the pulses and the signal fed to the motor permits a large variationin the frequency signal based on a small variation in pulse width and hence permits accurate control of the motor.

Abstract: A typewriter is described which has an electronic keyboard utilizing a timed delay to determine whether a depressed key is indicative of the desire to print or display repetitive letters represented by that key. The typewriter is provided with a technique for automatically adjusting the length of the delay such that a slow typist with sluggish finger movement will automatically cause the extension of the delay time and thereby prevent unwanted repetitive characters while a fast, very rhythmic typist will not cause the automatic extension of the delay time and thereby will benefit from a shorter delay time and will have a higher output or productivity as a result thereof.The automatic extension is accomplished by timing the period of time that keylevers are held depressed and when that time approaches but does not exceed the preset automatic delay time, the delay time is then extended a predetermined amount.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel agents for increasing the basipetal translocation of agricultural chemicals such as plant growth promoters, inhibitors, fungicides, insecticides or herbicides hereinafter referred to as "bioactants". The present agent comprises a mixture of N-heterocyclic amide and a haloethyl phosphonic acid in a mole ratio of between about 5:1 and about 1:10, employed in an inert carrier at a concentration between about 25 ppm to about 10,000 ppm which mixture can be applied to a plant prior to, or simultaneously with, the bioactant.The translocating agent may be a mixture of the N-heterocyclic amide, e.g. N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, and the haloethylphosphonic acid, e.g. 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid, it may comprise a mixture of said components with the complexed compound derived from the addition of said components or it may be the complexed compound per se.

Abstract: The suspended modular floor assembly includes a plurality of modules of similar size and shape positioned in abutment with one another at their edges and suspended from an overhead ceiling support truss of an industrial building. Each module includes parallel side beams and parallel end beams joined at their ends to form a rectangular frame, with the beams each including external tongue and groove surfaces to mate with the tongue and groove surfaces of the adjacent modules. A plurality of elongated cross braces extend parallel to one another across the rectangular frame, a corrugated support sheet is mounted on the cross braces, and a flat sheet is supported by the corrugated support sheet.

Abstract: Shot moves from the shot propelling device against articles to be cleaned and then falls through the floors of the blast housing and vestibules and accumulates on a canopy over a central auger conveyor. The shot moves about the canopy to the central auger conveyor, and then is conveyed upwardly to the shot separator where it falls in a cascade downwardly to the shot hoppers which feed the shot propellers. Air is directed through the entrance and exit vestibules and then through the cascading shot to a filter, thereby removing the debris from the shot. A roller conveyor assembly has entrance and exit portions which can be detached from a central portion and extended through the blast housing and vestibules for storage.

Abstract: An electronic switch keyboard for typewriters or office machines includes a multiple switch at selected key positions to provide two signal inputs to a utilization device. A first capacitor switch is actuated to provide a first signal upon initial key depression and a second contact switch, common to all selected key positions, is actuated to provide a second signal upon further key depression at the selected key positions. A ground plane forms a portion of the contact switch and further serves to reduce parasitic capacitance and to shield the capacitive switches from stray electrical noise occasioned by the contact switch or other electrical inputs. A dielectric material is used to accurately separate the ground plane from the capacitive switch and further serves as a force spreading device for the contact switch.

Abstract: A force-moment compensating apparatus, particularly adapted for use with load handling apparatus, including stabilizing means, sensing means for sensing a change in value of a force-moment acting on the apparatus, and actuator means responsive to the sensing means for restoring the force-moments acting on the apparatus to a stable condition.

Abstract: A portable automated coating plant is formed in sections that are transported individually to various work sites and the sections are assembled in end-to-end relationship for progressively cleaning and coating steel members, or the like. The members are passed in sequence through a shot blast machine a coating system, and a dryer.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising a conveyor adapted to move a plurality of test receptacles along a given path. Spaced along the path are means for adding a test fluid to the receptacles; first means for checking a desired parameter of the test fluid; means for inserting a cell; second means for checking the fluid for changes after a sufficient digestion period; means for comparing the two readings; and means for removing the cell. Additional means can also be provided for emptying the test fluid and rinsing the receptacles.