Abstract: A lining for a bottom of a metallurgical vessel, comprising an impact pad having a plurality of close-packed, pre-formed, high-temperature, high-density refractory bricks, the pad having an upper impact surface, and a monolithic slab of a high-temperature refractory material encasing the pad, the slab encasing the pad wherein the upper surface of the impact pad is exposed.

Abstract: An impact pad for receiving a stream of liquid metal having a bottom wall with an upper surface against which said liquid metal is intended to impact, a side wall extending in an upward direction along the periphery of the bottom wall, and an annular wall extending inwardly from the side wall. The annular wall, together with the bottom wall and side wall define a metal receiving chamber having an opening through the annular wall. An upward extending collar wall extends along the periphery of the impact pad above the throat opening. The collar wall has a contoured inner surface merging with an upper surface on the annular wall.

Abstract: A lining for a bottom of a metallurgical vessel, comprising an impact pad having a plurality of close-packed, pre-formed, high-temperature, high-density refractory bricks, the pad having an upper impact surface, and a monolithic slab of a high-temperature refractory material encasing the pad, the slab encasing the pad wherein the upper surface of the impact pad is exposed.

Abstract: A method and garment aid to facilitate and induce the use of a condom for safe or safer sexual acts are disclosed, wherein a pocket containing a condom is carried, for example, at the inner forward waistband region of underpants, such that a potential participant, when removing such underpants, as a general precondition to engaging in the sexual act, will invariably touch or be conscious of the pocket-and-condom, thus providing a warning and a reminder of the proximal presence and readily accessible convenience of the juxtaposed condom that may serve to induce use of the same and thereby increase the chances of the enactment of safe or safer sex. Novel pockets including modified condom-package-pockets are disclosed.

Abstract: A precision remotely-switched active attenuator comprises a differential amplifier configured with a pair of operational amplifiers that stabilize bias voltages in the differential amplifier and cause more or less signal current to be diverted from an output in accordance with the value of a selectable resistor. Circuit gain can be varied from unity to zero, depending upon the value of the selectable resistor.

Abstract: A junction field effect transistor circuit is used to detect the power level contained in radio frequency signals over a wide range of frequencies and signal levels. The radio frequency signal is coupled to the drain of a junction field effect transistor, the gate of which is biased at a d.c. potential equal to the pinch off voltage. The radio frequency signal is also coupled to the gate. The resulting current from the source contains a d.c. term proportional to the square of the magnitude of the radio frequency signal, as well as time varying signal components. A low pass filter is employed to remove the time varying signal components from the resulting source current to produce a D.C. output current which is proportional to the power level of the input signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for restoration of teeth using light curable restoratives while assuring interproximal contact between the restored tooth and an adjacent tooth. The apparatus is in the form of a triangle-like block defining two arms converging at a common point and which are of a different length. The longer of the two arms is provided with a camming surface on the end thereof opposite from the common pointed edge whereas the shorter of the two arms is provided with an abutment surface on the end thereof opposite from the common pointed edge. A tooth cavitation opening through a vertical tooth surface about which a matrix band has been tightened is filled by alternate deposition and curing of successive layers of the light curable restorative to a level at or below the plane of the maximum circumference of the tooth.

Abstract: A buffer amplifier input circuit includes both field-effect and bipolar transistors arranged in conjunction with an operational amplifier to provide very stable operation over a wide frequency range.