Abstract: In overview, the described system provides a mercury-free gas discharge UVC lamp system and in particular a liquid purification system including a treatment container, a treatment volume, and one or more UVC lamps as described hereinafter configured to irradiate the treatment volume. In an embodiment of the invention, the UVC lamp system includes a tubular glass or quartz envelope, evacuated to approximately 200 Torr and slightly backfilled with a noble gas such as Xenon, Argon, or Nitrogen. For end emission, the cylindrical opening in each electrode assembly may be a through-hole capped externally by a quartz window. The radiation flux and dwell time may be adjusted to the type and degree of contamination in the water.

Abstract: A comb suitable for use as a teasing comb in hair styling is motor-operated so that consistent, high quality results are obtained without tiring the service provider. The motor is light-in-weight and is electrically-powered so that it can be housed in the comb handle. An elongate rocker arm is mounted for pivotal movement so that a leading end of the rocker arm is oscillated when the motor oscillates the trailing end of the rocker arm. The teeth-carrying part of the comb is mounted to the leading end of the rocker arm. At the trailing end of the rocker arm, rotary motion of the motor's output shaft is translated into an oscillating, arcuate motion and at the leading end of the rocker arm, the oscillating, arcuate motion is translated into a straight back-and-forth motion having no arcuate component to simulate a manual teasing motion. In one embodiment, the comb is made of a deionizing material that inhibits the buildup of static electrical charges on the comb as the comb strokes the hair.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electronic system and a method for storing and distributing audio signals over existing communication lines. The system comprises a compressor for compressing in a predetermined manner the waveform amplitude of an input analog signal, thereby forming a compressed analog signal. The compressed analog signal is then converted into a digital signal by an analog to digital converter. A digital interface subsystem stores and retrieves selected ones of the digital signals for transmission over a communications line. At a remote end of the communications line the digital signal is converted back to its analog compressed signal representation by a digital to analog converter. The compressed analog signal is then expanded in a manner complimentary to the compressor operation, thus reconstructing the analog signal.