Abstract: A material handling system for dispensing and recovering particulate material, such as, packaging material, known as “Peanuts”, includes a supply container for the material having a valve for controlling the dispensing of the material into shipping cartons positioned below on a work table. The work table is formed with openings through which packaging material may be dumped from incoming cartons by upending same allowing the material to fall into a collection container and thence into a transition chamber, such as a trap container. A vacuum system including pipes is arranged to draw out material collected in the transition chamber and convey the material back to the supply container for reuse. A hose may be selectively connected to the vacuum system for use in recovering loose material falling outside of the material handling system.

Abstract: The golf club according to the invention consists, besides a grip and a head, of a compound shaft which has at least an outer shaft defining a hollow portion, a head end, a head end section, a grip end section and a butt end; and an inner shaft partially disposed within the hollow portion of the outer shaft, wherein the inner shaft has a fixed first end region, a second end region, and an intermediate section. During bending of the golf club shaft, at least the second end region of the inner shaft engages the inner surface of the outer shaft, and that at least a portion of the intermediate section has clearance with the inner surface of the outer shaft when the outer shaft is not in bending. A higher frequency mode of vibration is formed when the shaft is in bending.

Abstract: A sports racket, particularly a tennis racket, comprises a handle and a frame, including a head part, a middle part, a throat element and a shank element, and a string system composed of a lateral string segments and a longitudinal string segments, wherein the majority of the longitudinal string segments pass through the openings in the throat element, enter and anchored at the shank element; and at least for two longitudinal string segments, one on each side of the longitudinal axis, which are anchored at the shank element, there is no structural member of the frame standing between said string segment and the outboard space beyond. The frame, which surrounds the string network, is essentially not continuous.

Abstract: A surveillance system is disclosed for preventing violence which may occur during attempts of armed robberies or acts of terrorism, thereby improving the security of persons within public buildings, governmental and industrial facilities. The system utilizes one or more optical imaging device(s) strategically located throughout the facility under surveillance, and in particular the entry ways therein for detecting potentially armed individuals or intruders entering or moving about the facility. The optical imaging devices operate in conjunction with a computor system having one or more databases containing information indicative of the presence of weapons and representing the types thereof which may be brandished by one or more persons entering the area under surveillance, and data indicative of the spectrum of human pre-aggressive movements, postures and gestures. The databases enable the system to differentiate between law enforcement personnel and their weapons from potential intruders and their weapons.

Abstract: In a golf club an outer tube is installed between the soft grip and the shaft. The outer tube is a rigid, hollow tubular structure, which covers at least partially the handle portion of the shaft, the improvement comprising a provision of space for bending movement and structural support between the shaft and the outer tube such that when the shaft is bent during impact of the head with a golf ball, the outer tube does not interfere with the bending movement of the shaft.

Abstract: A conventional sports racket is disclosed as having interwoven string systems in its string network whose midplane coincides with the midplane of the frame of the racket, wherein strings of one system which are approximately parallel among themselves are meshing with strings of other systems in large oblique angles at respective string joints where one string in one string system crosses over a string of another system under axial tension force. The invention includes at least having one string fixer, installed in a string joint, having interlocking legs arranged to exert compressive force to the strings from either side of the string network towards the midplane, or other ring typed device based on the same principle, which reduces sliding between the contacting strings from the impact of the ball on the string network of the racket. Also, is a string fixer which does not contact the ball when it hits the joint.

Abstract: In a golf club having a shaft with one end for the hand to hold and the other end leads to a head, the shaft is equipped with a sleeve unit comprising a rigid sleeve member and an elastic media element, covering the shaft end, wherein the inner surface of the sleeve member and the outer surface of the shaft is at least partially filled with elastic media element material. Said inner surface of the sleeve element is preferably curved and the sleeve member and the elastic media element may extend into the hollow end of the shaft for improved control. Means is provided in the sleeve unit so that the rocking movement between the sleeve member and the shaft is made different in the plane of swing and in the plane normal to the plane of swing. The sleeve unit may be detachable and reattachable to an existing golf club as a stand-alone replacement unit.

Abstract: The invention is for an improvement of a conventional sports racket, especially the tennis racket, and is directed to the end cap on the racket handle. The end cap is made into two parts, one an end closure fixed at the butt end of the handle of the racket. The other part becomes an abutment device which is made from rubber-like material, having a profile similar to the conventional end cap but its inner circumference is less than the circumference of the handle, so that after it is stretched and installed over the handle at a desired location along the axis of the handle, the friction is sufficient to effectively fix the abutment device on the handle. This arrangement provides the support for the hand of the racket user.

Abstract: An arrangement was devised for the delivery of stereophonic soundwaves through the mastoid bone structure of the human skull. The system allows for the partial bypassing of the use of the auditory canals, and for the conduction of audio output signals generated in a stereo radio, tape player or other audio device, leaving the auditory canals unobstructed and able to receive airborne sound waves. The system includes one or more accoustical transducers applied to the sides of a person's head adjacent each of his ear canals and in accoustical conduction with the mastoid bone structure thereat.

Abstract: A sports racket having a top portion, two lateral portions connecting the top portion to a throat, a shank portion, a handle, and a string network of longitudinal and cross strings defining a string network, is disclosed as having a frame structure with a T-shaped cross-section of a central member and a vertical member, the former having a plane of symmetry coinciding with the plane of the string network. The central member is arranged so that the strings wrap around the same as the strings enter and exit the frame. The improvement includes damping strips fastened to upper and lower surfaces of the central member positioned on either side of the plane of the string network to be engageable with the strings as they enter and leave the frame during vibration thereof.

Abstract: A sports racket having a handle comprising a shaft with an end cap at its butt end and a gripping device wrapped spirally over the shaft. The gripping device contains a grip strip which has multiple raised ridges embossed at the surface of the grip strip, in a repetitive pattern, protruding outward above the general plane of the surface of the grip strip, thereby to improve gripping quality of the handle. In another embodiment, the gripping device further comprising an insertion device to be inserted in the gaps between side edges of spirally wound adjacent grip strips along the length of the handle.

Abstract: A countersteering system is disclosed for a road vehicle including sensors arranged to sense the speed of steerable wheels in response to changes in road surface texture, the lateral movement of the wheels in response to skid movement, and the rotational motion of the steering wheel for the vehicle, and to produce respective signals according therewith. A control system is devised to receive these signals and to produce a control signal in accordance therewith as a corrective routine and to impress this control signal in a force producing mechanism to impart movement of the steerable wheels for corrective purposes. The control system is devised to differentiate time lags between occurrances of repetitive sequences of at least one of the signal in its production of the control signal.

Abstract: A golfclub is disclosed as having a shaft connecting a golf head at one end to a handle at the other end. The golf head has a hitting face arranged for contact with a golfball, and is connected to the end of the shaft by a hinge having its pivot axis arranged so that the hitting face is always perpendicular to the direction of movement of the golf head during swinging of the golfclub. A wire is arranged within the shaft being connected at some point within the handle of the golfclub and to the golf head adjacent the pivotal axis therefor. The neutral axis of the shaft and the wire define the two long legs of a four-bar linkage formed as a parallelogram which includes as the short legs, the distance between the hinge axis and the connection of the wire to the golf head, and the distance of the connection of the wire at the other end thereof to the handle and the adjacent end of the neutral axis.

Abstract: An improvement for application to the string network of a sports racket in the form of an elastic band held in moving contact with one or more strings in the network for damping the shock produced on the network by a ball coming in playing contact therewith. The band may take various forms and be held in moving contact by various arrangements. The band may be rectangular, semi-circular or round in cross-section, or may be hollow. For moving with a string, the band may be glued to the same along most of the band or at certain points. In the alternative, the band may be spirally wound around a string to effect a tight fitting contact therewith. Still another alternative is to utilize a hollow band which has been slipped over one or more strings during the stringing of the network. To apply a hollow band after the network has been strung, the band may be slit longitudinally and then slipped over one or more strings.

Abstract: A damping assembly for a sports racket is disclosed as being applied between a grommet or grommet strip associated with the racket and the racket frame to which the grommet or grommet strip is attached. The damping assembly includes a layer surrounding the outer surface of the frame preferably to at least 25% of the circumference. The layer is applied to the frame by adhesive material which allows the damping material to restrict frame vibration by shear-damping which resists shear deformation across the thickness and not along the length. The damping layer may be formed from a composite plate consisting of a number of plies of different grain orientation to optimize the shear-damping characteristics.

Abstract: A passive optical system (POS) is disclosed for detecting the presence of an object, such as a vehicle, in one or more areas of surveillance. The system includes one or more sensor tubes, each having one or more photosensitive devices arranged interiorly at one end and an opening in a wall at the other end, capable of focusing light rays emanating from a specific area of surveillance. Variations in the light rays caused by an object moving into or out of the area of surveillance cause corresponding fluctuations of the light rays impinging on the photosensitive devices, which, in turn, produce variation in a signal. The signal may be utilized to inform the driver of the host vehicle of a nearby vehicle or, when the POS is connected into a cruise control system, to manipulate the host vehicle, accordingly.

Abstract: A sports equipment having a shaft connected between a handle for gripping by a user during play and a working end such as a head against which a ball may be impacted wherein the handle is formed with a rigid sleeve member adapted to encircle one end of the shaft and an elastic media element positioned between the sleeve member and the applied end of the shaft. Gripping and swinging of the sports equipment by the user when grasping the handle effects longitudinal rocking movement of the sleeve member relative to the applied end of the shaft and thereby provide integrated force of the fingers of the user of the equipment upon the working end thereof.

Abstract: An improvement for application to the string network of a sports racket is disclosed as being in the form of an elastic band held in moving contact with one or more strings in the network for damping the shock produced on the network by a ball coming in playing contact therewith. The band may take various forms and be held in moving contact by various arrangements. The band may be rectangular, semi-circular or round in cross-section, or may be hollow. For moving with a string, the band may be glued to the same along most of the band or at certain points. In the alternative, the band may be spirally wound around a string to effect a tight fitting contact therewith. Still another alternative is to utilize a hollow band which has been slipped over one or more strings during the stringing of the network. To apply a hollow band after the network has been strung, the band may be slit longitudinally and when slipped over one or more strings.

Abstract: A frame is disclosed for use as a sports racket, the frame being closed to surround and support a string network comprising longitudinal and cross strings to define a ball hitting region. The midplane of the frame or that plane which extends through the center thereof whereby one closed side of the frame is symmetrical with the other closed side is in coincidence with the plane of the string network as is typical with sports rackets. The frame structure is formed by an outer wall and an inner wall spaced inwardly from the outer wall toward the string network, with both walls being perpendicular to the midplane of the frame. A multiplicity of plate-like panels arranged perpendicular to the midplane of the frame are connected to and between the walls to provide a unified frame structure. The panels are spaced from each other and the walls to define open spaces which extend through the frame from one side thereof to the other and without obstruction therein.

Abstract: A sports equipment having a shaft connected between a handle for gripping by a user during play and a working end such as head against which a ball may be impacted wherein the handle is formed with a rigid sleeve member adapted to encircle one end of the shaft and an elastic media element positioned between the sleeve member and the applied end of the shaft. Gripping and swinging of the sports equipment by the user when grasping the handle effects longitudinal rocking movement of the sleeve member relative to the applied end of the shaft and thereby provide integrated force of the fingers of the user of the equipment upon the working end thereof.