Abstract: A garment hanger construction wherein a hook is adapted to be releasably secured to a hanger body in a first locked position and a second swivel position, is provided. The hook includes an elongated shaft having at least first and second projections. The hanger body includes a bearing sleeve for receiving the elongated shaft, the bearing sleeve having a projection receiving slot and a projection receiving groove. The hook is coordinately axially displaceable between a first locked position wherein the first projection is disposed in the slot in the bearing sleeve to thereby prevent the hook from rotating and a second swivel position wherein the second projection is disposed in the groove to permit the hook to freely swivel with respect to the hanger body.

Abstract: A device is provided for forming aspheric surfaces in an optical lens by distorting the lens blank in a predetermined manner and forming spherical surfaces in the distorted lens. One or both surfaces of the lens may be formed with an aspheric surface. The resultant lens may include a cylindrical correction also produced by distortion or may include substantially continuous bifocal lens. The lens is particularly adapted for application as a contact lens.

Abstract: Parts pick-up and manipulating devices are provided which are especially suitable for use with small or easily damaged or difficult to pick up parts. A device is provided with a handle portion and a pick up portion with the pick up portion being coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. The pick up portion has a contact area sufficient to be able to securely pick up and manipulate parts which have a generally planar contact surface. The pick up portion is constructed so as to be easily flexed or maneuvered in order to reduce the contact area in order to release the part from the pick up device.

Abstract: A camera incorporating a light-meter and a battery-powered lamp for indicng when the level of incident light is so low as to be unsuitable for photography also includes means for determining the state of charge of the battery. The possibility of making an erroneous determination of the state of charge of the battery as the result of failing to cover the photosensitive element during the determination of the state of charge is eliminated.

Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting the wearer's voice is mounted inside a breathing mask and includes a microphone and a protective sheath substantially encasing the microphone. The protective sheath includes a thin, pliable wall which is kept in contact with the sensing diaphragm of the microphone so that, when the wearer speaks and sets the sheath wall into vibration, the vibration is directly communicated to the microphone diaphragm. In one illustrative embodiment, the sheath is formed as an integral, continuous pocket in the mask body which extends inside the mask and has an opening out of the mask.

Abstract: A heating control system for automatically controlling the temperature within a space is provided. The heating control system includes a temperature sensor for detecting changes in temperature without the space and in response thereto producing a control signal having a substantially linearly variable potential, the increase or decrease in the variable potential being directly varied in response to changes in temperature without the space. A heat supply includes a control valve adapted to be selectively opened to increase the rate at which heat is supplied to the space and be selectively closed to decrease the rate at which the heat is supplied to the space. A rheostat having a shiftable contact is coupled to the control valve and is disposably controlled thereby to produce a variable reference feedback signal having a substantially linearly variable potential in response to the selective opening and closing of the control valve.

Abstract: A ruffler attachment for a sewing machine, the operation of which is synchronized with the main sewing machine driving mechanisms, and facilitates adjustment of the size of the ruffle, and the number of ruffles to be formed, is provided. The ruffler attachment is characterized by a stiffener blade disposed to permit a body material to be introduced thereunder into the sewing displacement position of the needle to effect sewing of the body material. A feeder is provided for feeding and guiding a trim material to be ruffled into contact with the stiffener blade. A ruffler blade is coordinately displaceable from a first position wherein the ruffler blade is in contact with the stiffener blade to a ruffle forming position proximate the needle sewing position.

Abstract: An enzyme referred to as carbon monoxidase and referred to hereinafter as CMase is present in red blood cells and in various bacteria and plants, including algae and fungi. The enzyme is effective for the conversion of carbon monoxide in a gas stream. Where the conversion is the step of oxidizing CO to CO.sub.2, the enzyme can be used for detection of CO. The procedure lends itself to quantitative determination of CO in a gas stream. The production of CMase can be accelerated by growing bacterial cultures or plants in an atmosphere containing an increased concentration of carbon monoxide. Increasing the concentration of oxygen simultaneously is also beneficial to the process.A filter medium including CMase can substantially decrease the concentration of carbon monoxide in a gas stream, the gas stream of particular interest being tobacco smoke. Combining the CMase in a filter with copounds which bind CO reversibly presents advantages.

Abstract: A camera is provided with an objective supported by a housing of the camera or movement along its optical axis. A movable member is guided by the camera housing for movement transversely with respect to the optical axis, and this movable member has a pair of inclined surfaces. These inclined surfaces are inclined both with respect to the optical axis and with respect to the direction of movement of the movable member. A pair of pressing members respectively press against the inclined surfaces of the movable member, a pair of springs acting on the pair of pressing members for urging them against the inclined surfaces, respectively, so that the latter surfaces are slidable with respect to the pressing members engaging the same.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in detecting conditions related to a plant are disclosed. More particularly, in accord with the invention, in the method and apparatus are provided a first sensing means for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the light level in the area surrounding a plant, an indication means comprising a meter for providing an indication or reading corresponding to the electrical signal generated by the sensing means, and a reference source in the form of a chart or table for relating the aforesaid indication or reading to a preselected reading associated with the particular plant.In a further aspect of the invention, a second sensing means is additionally provided for sensing another condition of the plant and a coupling means is provided for selectively coupling the first and second sensing means to the meter of the indication means.

Abstract: In the present apparatus, the removal of a dental handpiece from its holder opens a pilot-operated valve for supplying air or both air and water to the handpiece in conjunction with the usual foot pedal-operated valve.Preferably, the holder has aligned, narrow air passages on opposite sides of a recess which receives the handpiece, and the handpiece blocks these passages when it is in the holder. Upon removal of the handpiece, the flow of air from one of these passages across the recess and into the other passage supplies the pilot pressure for opening the pilot-operated valve. The pilot-operated valve may be separate from the holder or contained within it.In another embodiment, the holder has a reciprocable valve member controlling the application of pilot pressure to the pilot-operated valve. This valve member is depressed to a closed position by the handpiece when the latter is in the holder and is biased to an open position when the handpiece is removed from the holder.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed quartz crystal vibrator assembly having a flexible mounting plate for mounting a flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator adapted to vibrate in a first vibratory direction on a reference member. The mounting plate includes a first portion for supporting the vibrator and a second portion for coupling to the reference member. The mounting plate further includes a resilient portion between the first and second portions, the resilient portion being adapted to vibrate in the first vibratory direction and to further vibrate in a vibratory direction defining an angle of about 90.degree. with respect to the first vibratory direction. The resilient portion of the plate includes a stepwise bend to thereby define a gap between the vibrator and the resilient portion of the mounting plate overlapping the vibrator.

Abstract: A variable capacitor is provided wherein a reinforcing plate is utilized in the rotor assembly in order to increase the range of the capacitor. The capacitor includes the stator plate and first electrode, the stator plate supporting a lead pin and a rotor positioning member, the rotor positioning member being rotatably mounted thereon. The rotor positioning member rotatably supports a uniformly thick rotor assembly in rotatable friction contact with the stator plate and first electrode. The rotor assembly includes a dielectric, a second capacitor electrode and a reinforcing plate, the thickenss of the dielectric determining the minimum value of capacitance of the variable capacitor. The rotor assembly also includes a fixed spring secured to the positioning member, the lead pin and fixed spring being adapted to facilitate use of variable capacitor in small-size electronic instrumentation.

Abstract: A sea terminal having compartments for storage of fluids at sea and piping connected to each compartment so that fluids may be transferred between the compartments and a ship. The compartments can rotate with respect to portions of the sea terminal which are moored to eliminate the need for swivel hose connections as the ship swings in relation to the sea terminal. In another embodiment, the sea terminal may be sufficiently large to include drilling apparatus thereby providing a self-contained terminal which can drill into a sea bed, pump sub-sea oil into compartments in the terminal and transfer the oil to a cargo ship. Alternatively, the sea terminal may be transported to a discharge point for discharging the oil.

Abstract: This invention concerns a tension relieving device to be used in conjunction with a sewing machine in a tape edge closing machine for making mattresses and includes a wheel in advance of the sewing machine to bear against a surface of the mattress to relieve tension in the material of the mattress in order to facilitate feeding the material to the sewing machine and may include a second wheel to assist in maintaining the tension relief.

Abstract: An improved hearing aid utilizing integrated field-effect transistors to reduce the size and power consumption thereof is provided. The hearing aid includes a microphone input device for producing signals representative of sound, an amplifier circuit for amplifying the signals produced by microphone input device, and a loudspeaker output device for producing sound representative of the sound sensed by the microphone input device at an amplified level. The invention is particularly characterized by a portion of at least the microphone input device, amplifier circuit and/or microphone output device being formed of MOS field-effect transistors.

Abstract: A high performance rotor for an electronic wristwatch step motor and method of forming same is provided. A rotor pinion has a high performance permanent magnet rotor mounted thereto. The permanent magnet rotor includes a brittle permanent magnet core, and a reinforcing plate, the combination of the permanent magnet core and reinforcing plate allowing the high performance magnetic rotor to be interference fit upon the rotor pinion to effect an improved rotor construction.

Abstract: Heparin in the blood is determined over a wide range of concentrations by measuring the clotting time of serum derived from a test specimen of blood when combined under standard conditions with thrombin and plasma solutions. The clotting time is then determined from an experimentally-established functional relationship between clotting time and heparin concentration.

Abstract: A body which is adapted to be attached to a single-prong support hook so as to render the latter less hazardous as well as to facilitate the supporting of packages for display purposes. The body is made of a substantially rigid material such as a suitable plastic and has a length sufficient to enable the body to rest on the single-prong hook while the latter is connected to and projects forwardly from a carrying structure, the body being sufficiently long to cover almost the entire hook. This body is preferably of a substantially rectangular transverse cross section and is adapted to be received in elongated slots formed at the upper portions of packages which are to be placed on the body and hang therefrom for display purposes.

Abstract: Ceramic products composed essentially of a novel silicon nitride solid solution, which have high heat resistance, high abrasion resistance and low thermal expansion are obtained by sintering mixed powders of silicon nitride, alumina and aluminum nitride. The sintering includes heating said mixed powders at a temperature between 1650.degree. C and 2000.degree. C under a high pressure or no pressure. During the heating most of the alumina and aluminum nitride are occluded in silicon nitride and said ceramics products composed of silicon nitride solid solution are formed.