Abstract: A cigarette making machine includes a channel (10; 100; 204) through which tobacco is pneumatically conveyed to form a cigarette filler stream (15; 209) on a conveyor (12; 130; 200) at the outlet of the channel, a first louvre (20; 110; 214) through which some of the air entering the channel through its inlet end is drawn from the channel while tobacco continues towards the conveyor, and a second louvre (22; 120; 216), closer than the first louvre to the outlet end of the channel, through which an additional amount of the air entering the channel is drawn while the tobacco continues towards the conveyor. The channel (202) may be arranged to extend around a cylinder with an inclined axis (208) so that upward movement of the tobacco is converted into approximately horizontal movement with a substantial component in the direction of movement of the conveyor (200) on which the tobacco collects to form a cigarette filler stream (209).

Abstract: Method and apparatus for optically detecting information from a recording medium in which pits are formed by thermal energy of a light spot to record the information. A reproduction spot is irradiated onto the recording medium to produce a detection signal. From a differential signal of the detection signal, a signal indicative of zero points of the differential signal and a signal indicative of the presence of the pits are detected, and both the signals are used to detect positions of the pits. For stable and accurate detection of the pit position, the relation between pit size W and reproduction spot size W.sub.s is prescribed and the pit size and reproduction spot size are so set as to satisfy 0.45.ltoreq.W/W.sub.s .ltoreq.0.75.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of air-conditioning which forms, in a space to be air-conditioned, a plurality of circulating flows of air respectively blown through air outlets of an air-conditioning system disposed at predetermined positions within this space and which successively repeats two steps: a first step of changing the effective range of at least one of the circulating flows; and a second step of returning that circulating flow or flows as effected in the first step to the effective range thereof which obtained before the first step, and an air-conditioning system for carrying out this method, which forms, in a space to be air-conditioned, a plurality of circulating flows of air respectively blown through air outlets of an air-conditioning system disposed at predetermined positions within the space and which comprises: a means for changing the effective range of at least one of the circulating flows and returning that circulating flow or flows as changed to the effective range thereof whic

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium according to this invention comprises an electrically conductive underlayer formed on a non-magnetic substrate, in the case where no high permeability magnetic film is deposited, and a magnetic thin film having a perpendicular magnetic anisotrophy is formed thereon. In the case of a so-called double-layer structure including a high permeablilty magnetic film, on the non-magnetic substrate are formed the high permeablilty magnetic film, an intermediate film, and a magnetic thin film one on another in this order. The nearest neighbor's distance of atoms of the underlayer and the intermediate film is not smaller than 0.25 nm (2.5 .ANG.) and not greater than 0.32 nm (3.2 .ANG.) and they are made of at least one selected from the group consisting of V, Ru, Zn, Os, Rh, Ir, Mo, W, Re, Pd, Pt, Nb, Ta, Sn, Al, Au, Ag, Ti, nitrides and oxides of these elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing printed wiring patterns for use in combination with an apparatus including a plurality of dedicated pattern generators for generating arcuate wiring patterns. In contrast to the conventional LSI pattern inspection effected with design data being inputted, the apparatus can inspect the pattern including curved portions peculiar to the printed wiring pattern. Although the conventional LSI inspection technique involves an impracticably increased amount of design data, the invention allows the test or inspection to be performed at a high speed with an improved reliability and can be applied to the inspection of any pattern including arcuate patterns. By inputting graphic data in conformance with the order for generating patterns, pattern generation can be accomplished not only through ordinary raster scan but also by other various scanning methods.

Abstract: An LED driver circuit including a current source for generating constant drive current to a plurality of series connected LEDs, circuitry for selectively enabling and disabling predetermined ones of the LEDs and further circuitry for disabling the current source in the event none of the LEDs are enabled. The LED driver circuit is of simple design and low cost, and is characterized by low power consumption due to the current source being disabled in the event none of the LEDs are enabled.

Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus of an air mix type for automotive vehicles includes a casing formed therein with an air passageway, a heating device mounted in the air passageway and an air mix door mechanism for suitably regulating air flowing through the heating device and air bypassing the same, and is adapted to provide an air mix or conditioned air by mixing warm air with cool air in suitable proportions so as to release the conditioned air of desired temperature through air outlets formed in the casing. The air passageway in the casing is divided along the direction of flow of the air to define a cool air heating passageway in which the heating device is disposed and a cool air passageway which is connected to the air outlets to directly lead the cool air thereto. The cool air passageway is equipped with a door mechanism for opening and closing the cool air passageway.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit with a nonvolatile memory has a plurality of nonvolatile data memory elements arranged in a matrix and a means for reading data from the memory elements in accordance with an address signal which specifies a position in the matrix. A protecting data memory element for storing at least one-bit protection data is disposed in the matrix. Whether operations such as programming (i.e., writing), erasing or reading with respect to the data memory elements will be allowed or inhibited is determined in accordance with the contents of the protecting data memory element. In other words, data security in an arbitrary area of the matrix can be accomplished based on the content of the protecting data memory element.

Abstract: A variable field imprinter is provided including a platen carriage adapted to be reciprocated over an imprinting surface and then locked in a position to one side of the imprinting surface by a releasable blocking system. The blocking system consists of (i) a platen carriage blocking mechanism and (ii) a digit wheel sensing mechanism these two mechanisms must be interconnected by a credit card. Resetting of at least one of the digit wheels provides a force from the digit wheel sensing mechanism which is transmitted by the credit card to the platen carriage blocking mechanism to disarm the blocking system so that the platen carriage can be moved for imprinting.

Abstract: A centrifugal compressor for use in turbo-refrigerators, for example, has a motor casing frame section in which a drive motor is accomodated and a gear casing frame section in which a multiplying gear mechanism is accomodated. The multiplying gear mechanism is connected at its input side with the drive motor and at its output side with an impeller. The mechanism has a first shaft including a rotor shaft of the drive motor and a gear shaft carrying a multiplying gear and separably connected directly with the rotor shaft, a second shaft mounting the impeller and having a pinion meshing with the speed multiplying gear, and bearings mounted on bearing casing frame sections for supporting the first and second shafts at their opposed ends, respectively. The motor casing frame section, gear casing frame section and bearing casing frame section are integrally formed as a unitary body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprises a probe means for transmitting an ultrasonic pulse beam toward an internal moving part of a living body and receiving the reflected wave therefrom, and a plurality of phasing circuits for simultaneously receiving and phasing the received signal in parallel in a plurality of channels. The received signals of plural channels are mixed with a set of complex reference signals having a complex relation therebetween, thereby converting the received signals into complex signals. Autocorrelators delay the complex signals computes the autocorrelation of the complex signals. Speed operators compute the speed of the internal moving part of the basis of the computed autocorrelation. The result of measurement of the distribution of the speed of the internal moving part is displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: An improved emission spectrochemical analyzer is disclosed in which light from a sample in high-temperature plasma is led to an absorption cell, a magnetic field is applied to the absorption cell to utilize the Zeeman effect, the absorption cell is further pressurized to make the width of the absorption line of a desired element equal to the width of the resonance emission line of the element, and only the resonance emission line of the element is selected by appropriate modulation means and detected at high sensitivity.

Abstract: A fault current circuit breaker for monitoring electrical circuits having a total current converter with a primary circuit including supply and return leads which are to be monitored and a secondary winding acting upon an electronic limiting value circuit which controls an electromagnetic retaining device. Switch contacts are provided for switching the circuit to be monitored when a predetermined fault current is exceeded. In order to enable self-monitoring, a current is briefly and periodically fed into an additional winding of the total current converter, with the current simulating a fault current, and a pulse voltage which appears at the output of the electronic limit value circuit due to the current in the additional winding is fed to an evaluation circuit, which causes the switch contacts to open in the absence of periodic pulses coming through the electromagnetic retaining device.

Abstract: Rigid polyurethane foams produced by reacting a polyol component having a special composition with an isocyanate component in the presence of a blowing agent, a reaction catalyst and a foam stabilizer with a mold release time of as short as 5.5 minutes or less, have remarkably low thermal conductivity of 12.5.times.10.sup.-3 Kcal/m.hr..degree.C. or less and a low density and are suitable as heat insulating materials for refrigerators and the like.

Abstract: An apparatus for mixing solids with one another and with liquids, particularly for producing moulding sand mixtures, comprises a circular, fixed trough and at least two groups of mixing tools engaging with different spacings from the trough axis and trough bottom, which revolve about the trough axis and set with opposite angles with respect to the tangent of the circular path thereof. In order to obtain both a horizontal and vertical movement of the material being mixed in the case of maximum throughput, the mixing tools are formed in paddle-like manner from part cylindrical circumferential segments with roughly horizontal axis of curvature, the mixing paddles of the outer group point inwards with their concave side, while those of the inner group point outwards. There are also separate, revolving wall strippers for the inner and outer trough walls.

Abstract: A focus error detection apparatus and an optical disk apparatus comprising a focusing lens for focusing reflected light coming from a light reflecting surface which is to be adjusted at the focal point of a projected light beam; a beam splitter means for dividing the output light of said focusing lens into a first and a second focused light beam; a first and a second photo-detector disposed respectively on the optical paths of said first and said second focused light beam, one of which is located behind the convergence point of said first focused light beam and the other of which is located before the convergence point of said second focused light beam, each of them generating outputs proportional to the amount of light within a predetermined region of the received light image, when it varies so that it is enlarged; and a circuit generating a focus error signal by using the difference between the outputs of said two photo-detectors.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rotary magnetic head device for a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus including image signal transmitters. A dynamic pressure type bearing is provided on one of a rotary member and a stationary member, for generating a dynamic pressure to maintain a gap between the signal transmitters constant.

Abstract: Bracket-style support elements (10) to be mounted subsequently to a building wall (14, 15) for a curtain facade (13) consist of a horizontal support (2) with at least two associated, bolt-like wall mounting elements. In order to make it possible also to use normal facing stones, to be able to anchor the support element securely in the foundation masonry (14, 15), and to ensure reliable protection against wetness as well as good insulation, the wall mounting elements are constituted by grouting anchors (4) surrounded up to the support (2) by a sleeve (7) and exhibiting respectively a central anchoring bolt (5) with a barbed disk (6) arranged at the insert end (22), and the support (2) is constituted by an L-shaped rail (3), the grouting anchors (4) projecting from the vertical leg (8) of this rail on the side facing away from the horizontal leg (9).

Abstract: A magnetron includes inner and outer strap rings for providing a linkage among vanes which are disposed inside of an anode cylinder. The inner and outer strap rings have their diameters determined such that their algebraic mean is 1.75-1.95 times the diameter of an interaction space defined by the inner tips of the vanes. The magnetron structure achieves a significant leakage supression effect against spurious microwaves, particularly the fifth harmonic.

Abstract: A light signal transmission/reception system which is provided, at the side of a transmitter for converting an electrical signal into a light signal and transmitting the converted light signal, with an inserting unit for inserting reference pulse signals onto the electrical signal; and is provided, at the side of a receiver, with a unit for deriving the amount of change in the reference pulse signals; unit for compensating for the magnitude of a received signal in accordance with the amount of the change; and a unit for removing the reference pulse signals from the compensated and received signal.