Abstract: A cash register hood comprises a front panel 110, two side panels 112 and an overhead panel or tray 116. The hood is fitted to a base board 118 which is fixed to a counter-top. The hood may be assembled using keys 125 and slots 126 integrally formed on the panels. The cash register hood also includes a product display panel 116 and a shelf 117. Trays 32,33 and product dispensers 50 may be attached to the hood as required.

Abstract: An acoustic coupling medium for transmitting ultrasound is disclosed. The medium, which is of use in ultrasonic visualization of the human body, comprises a sheet of hydrogel containing over 90% water, preferably over 95% water. The hydrogel preferably comprises agar, the chains of which are interspersed with chains of polyacrylamide.

Abstract: Homogenous blends of polyetherimide polymers and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers prepared by solution blending techniques or melt blending are characterized by high impact strengths. Further disclosed are laminates of polyetherimide and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers that are characterized by strong bonding strengths between the layers of the laminates.

Abstract: The method of measuring an electric energy supplied to a load comprises sampling the value of a load voltage or current a desired number of times, converting each of the sampled analog values to a digital value by an A/D converter, accumulating the digital values obtained correspondingly to the number of times of such sampling actions, dividing the accumulated value by the said number to calculate an average value per sampling, and correcting the offset in the A/D converter by the average value thus obtained.

Abstract: A novel asphaltic composition consisting of from about 2% to about 10% w/w of a hydrocracking residue which is the distillation residue obtained from a hydrocracking process of heavy crude oil in admixture with from about 98% to about 90% w/w of a conventional asphalt. These asphaltic compositions are especially useful when mixed with mineral aggregate to provide road mixes which lead to improved road construction or road paving.

Abstract: An enclosure for an optical disk or the like in which the main element thereof is preferably formed of a one-piece structure and which is adapted to accept a cover element. The one-piece structure is formed of a pair of substantially flat wall elements which are spaced apart and enclosed at the lateral edges and preferably also at one end to form a flat, elongated cavity open at one end for storing and positioning the disk within the cavity. The disk is positioned within the cavity by internal positioning means which hold the disk by its edges in spaced apart relation to the walls of the cavity. A cover element closes the open end of the cavity and is used to assist manual insertion and removal of the disk.

Abstract: Measurement apparatus and method utilizing microwave energy. A symmetric microwave cavity is excited to oscillate in at least two identical resonant modes having substantially the same resonant frequencies but different field orientations relative to each other. A sample to be measured is caused to interact with the identical resonant modes and the difference in the frequencies of oscillation of the modes is determined in order to measure a property of the sample.

Abstract: A control method for shearing bars in a bar steel line provided on the final end side of a bar steel production line so as to shear collectively and simultaneously to desired lengths a plurality of bars obtained by dividing a bar steel blank and arranged in parallel with each other, which comprises the steps of obtaining a minimum number of times for shearing the plurality of bars in a minimum time, shifting the order of different shearing lengths in each of the plurality of bars so as to minimize the time required for shearing on the basis of the minimum number of times shearing is performed, and shearing the plurality of bars simultaneously to the different equal-length bar steels in the minimum number of shearings and the minimum shearing required time.

Abstract: A pair of bus controllers are connected to a common bus and operated by high speed video digitizing timing signals for passing, in real time, the digitized data from incoming digitizing circuitry to output circuitry which converts the digitized data into video signals. A memory is connected by another bus to a computer, and a bus interface or selective dual ports of the memory selectively connect the memory to the common digital data bus so that digitized signals are written to and read from the memory in real time in accordance with the high speed timing signals and corresponding address signals.

Abstract: A process for preparing N-alkyl substituted nitrophthalimide by the nitration of N-alkyl substituted phthalimide using only nitric acid, said nitric acid having a concentration of at least about 95%, and then recovering N-alkyl nitrophthalimide from the nitric acid solution.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting and measuring acetaldehyde-protein condensates. An antibody is produced to an antigen, the antibody being cross-reactive with acetaldehyde-protein condensates, these condensates including protein moieties corresponding to or different from the protein moiety of the antigen. Detection and measurement of acetaldehyde-protein condensates may be performed by reacting the antibody with the acetaldehyde-protein condensate to form a complex and measuring the complex.

Abstract: A transfer machine has at least one station at which a stationary clamping device is provided to which workpieces can be transported on pallets by a feed device, wherein the pallets are constructed as clamping shoes, and the clamping device includes a lifting arrangement and a clamping holder against which the workpieces can be clamped via the pallets through the lifting arrangement.

Abstract: Inner and outer layers of a braided body portion of an intravascular catheter as well as a soft tip portion are formed from different proportioned blends of nylon and copolymer of ester linked polyethylene and polyamide to produce optimum mechanical properties in the catheter. One or more surfaces of the catheter are coated with a hydrogel containing a copolymer of polyurethane and polyvinylpyrrolidone to provide improved lubricity and antithrombogenicity.

Abstract: In the method for measuring cell counts or methane producing activity of Methanogens according the present invention, an extracted liquid is prepared by adding an addition solution for extracting a particular fluorescent substance inherent to Methanogens, for example, F.sub.420 exciting in the energy metabolism system of Methanogens in the object for examination and functioning as the electron carrier in the electron transport system or by heating the first object for examination. Since a particular fluorescent substance existing in the Methanogen cells in the first object for examination has been extracted out of the Methanogen cells, the intensity of fluorescence is increased upon measurement thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coding and decoding method, in which a certain promised nonzero symbol is appended for coding and decoding, thereby disallowing the presence of a codeword with all-"0" data after coding. The method enables the detection of a fault in an external circuitry by checking the occurrence of an all-"0" received word attributable to the external circuitry.

Abstract: A twisting machine for use in simultaneously imparting a twist to two or more wires while coiling the twisted wires on a drum, or for imparting twist to one or more wires as they are fed from off the drum, is provided with a reel support frame, preferably having retractable pintles, by which a reel is secured in the machine. The frame has a first reeling location within the machine positioned within a circumscribing orbital wire path provided by a wire guide that rotates about the frame and reel so as to twist the wires as they are reeled. The frame is displaceable from a first in-board position within the orbit of the wire guide to a second, reel transfer position, while at standstill, in which the reel is deposited outboard beside the machine while still supported by the frame pintles or a shaft. An interlock system controls the locking, unlocking and displacement of the frame, to ensure absolute safety.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of interfacing a ligament substitute within a channel of resected bone with a sleeve of soft biological tissue. The sleeve of tissue has overall external dimension sufficient to extend through at least a portion of the resected bone channel and internal dimensions sufficient to receive a ligament substitute therein.

Abstract: A mechanism for the reception and collection of coins in coin-operated machines includes a frame that can be moved along guides, located immediately beneath the coin selector or entry, which frame is divided into a series of identical vertical chambers, open at the top and bottom and on one of their transverse walls, with apertured plates for opening and closing the bottom and the side wall. The mechanism can be moved along the guides so that the open tops of the chambers are successively positioned under the exit of the selector. The mechanism for driving the frame, as well as the mechanism that drives gates that open and close the chambers, are controllable by a microprocessor, based on the information provided concerning the chamber in which each coin is located and the position of the frame at any given moment, which is provided by a decoder that is part of the frame and a reader that is stationary with respect to the frame.

Abstract: A plastic conveyor belt is formed of a plurality of non-reversible modules having inter-fitting link ends connected together and hinged by pivot rods having a rod capturing arrangement at each end of the outermost link ends of end module assemblies which is a blocking member insertable into a slot in the widest and outermost link end with the flat surface of the blocking member facing the rod and a projection for cooperating with the rod hole for holding the blocking member in place but allowing it to be removed. The belt also has internal modules in addition to end modules and all modules are constructed such that the narrowest link ends of unequal width link ends are adjacent sprocket cavities but are offset in a direction of another link end to provide additional strength and rigidity.