Abstract: An alignment bracket assembly for holding and aligning a fire sprinkler supply pipe in a horizontal or vertical orientation relative to a pair of spaced apart building members such as joists, studs or T-bar suspended ceiling frame supports comprises a central member of non-circular cross-section, preferably square, and a pair of end members in telescoping sliding engagement at opposite ends of the central member. The end members each have attachment devices at their free ends for securing them to respective spaced building members. A pipe holding bracket is slidably mounted on the central member and has a pair of arms projecting from the central member for engaging opposite faces of the fire sprinkler pipe between them. The arms can be urged towards one another to grip the fire sprinkler pipe to maintain it in a vertical or horizontal orientation and reduce the risk of displacement or misalignment of the fire sprinkler head during ceiling installation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for high-speed processing of video images of objects in a scene. Each pixel, in lines of bicolored pixels of a raster scanned video image containing at least one object, is identified as to the object of which the pixel corresponds. Adjacent bicolored pixels of the same color across a line are grouped into corresponding numbered pixel groups. Pixel groups of the same color are downwardly grouped into numbered blobs of pixel groups. When a next line pixel group occurs which is of the same color with more than one previous line pixel group, the next line pixel group is grouped as part of first occurring previous line blob. Additional pixel group matches occurring between pixel groups of a previous and next line are upwardly grouped to provide a common ancestor blob number to each blob of the pixel group in each additional pixel group match.

Abstract: A control system for operating at least two electrical appliances, such as a combination ceiling fan and light assembly, from a remotely located multi-position manually operated switch assembly. The system responds to a series of different control signals actuated by the different switch positions to switch either one of the appliances on or off, to control the intensity of the light or the speed of the fan, or to initiate any one of a series of pre-programmed sequences of operations of the appliances.

Abstract: An apparatus for AC line voltage regulation has an input port for connection to an AC source, an output port for connection to a load, and a transformer assembly connected between the input and output ports. The transformer assembly comprises a buck/boost winding and a primary winding wound about a common transformer core, and a switch arrangement for controlling the connection of the primary winding in circuit with the buck/boost winding. The switch arrangement is controlled by switch actuators responsive to a voltage sensor assembly to connect the primary winding in either of two possible conditions when the voltage is outside predetermined limits. The transformer assembly comprises either a step down transformer for reducing or bucking the output voltage or a step up transformer for boosting the output voltage according to the condition of the switch arrangement. The primary may comprise separate windings controlled by the switching assembly for connection in different configurations.

Abstract: An attachment structure for securing a denture in an oral cavity comprises an insert member for securing to the denture and a retainer member for mounting in a cut-out in an existing tooth. One of the members has an elongate channel and the other member has a corresponding elongate tongue for sliding engagement in the channel in the direction of insertion of the denture in the oral cavity. The channel and tongue have cooperating interengageable snap-fit formations at their lower end which are elongated in a direction transverse to the tongue and channel.

Abstract: A composition is described comprising naturally-derived carotene dispersed in a non-petroleum, naturally-derived edible oil. The carotene may be in form of its mixed isomers, or one or more of the individual isomers may be present to the exclusion of the others. Of the isomers the beta-carotene isomer is preferred, although others, notably the alpha- and gamma-carotene isomers, are also desirable components. Naturally-derived stabilizers may be present in the composition. The carotene content is 0.5-7.5 weight percent of the composition. The carotene is preferably obtained from algae. No petro-chemical residues are present in the composition since the formulation is produced at all stages without use of petrochemical contact.

Abstract: A gaming device employs a plurality of video displays, each presenting an output consisting of gaming symbols which are scrolled to simulate the effect of a revolving mechanical reel. The device includes electronic circuitry effectively storing, for each video display, an electronic signal sequence corresponding to a sequence of gaming symbols which is scrolled on the associated video display. Each electronic symbol sequence consists of a series of separate, sequentially-addressable sectors of electronic data storage, each sector containing a sequence of symbol addresses which access a single, common symbol signal storage space containing the symbols which occur in all of the presented sequences. A symbol sequence is scrolled by randomly selecting a starting symbol, sequentially addressing, from the starting symbol, the symbols defined by the symbol addresses in the reel for a predetermined period of time during which the reel rotates, and then halting the rotation at a stopping symbol.

Abstract: A tapered plug valve containing a tapered plug surrounded by a sleeve of elastomeric material which deflects upon high fluid pressure applied through the valve inlet port, leakage which might otherwise occur due to such deflection being absorbed by `O` ring seals. The plug may also be urged into the valve body by hydraulic pressure from the inlet port, and this maintains a sealing contact between the elastomeric material and the valve body surrounding the ports.

Abstract: A protective device for removable attachment to the side of vehicle which includes an elongated strip of a semi-rigid material having front and rear surfaces. The strip is removably attached to the side of the vehicle to protect the vehicle side from contact damage caused by the opening of adjacent parked vehicle doors. The protective device may further include a retainer strap coupled at one end of the strip for securing the strip to the interior structure of the vehicle.

Abstract: A coaxial, spacially gated, range gated, pulsed-beam, scanning system for use in turbid media, such as seawater, fog, snow, rain, blowing dust or sand. A laser emits a pulsed beam of light which travels to a beam splitter where part of the beam is transmitted and part is deflected. The transmitted beam is then deflected by an x-y scanning element such that a target is sequentially illuminated in a point-by-point manner. Light refected from the target travels back along the same path as the transmitted beam and is deflected by the beam splitter to a light sensor, such as photomultiplier tube.

Abstract: An electrochemical system includes a sensor module suitable for implantation in the body to monitor glucose and oxygen levels therein. The module has two oxygen sensors situated in an oxygen-permeable housing, arranged in a tandem relationship, and recessed in the housing, one sensor being unaltered and the other contacting glucose oxidase allowing for differential measurement of oxygen content in bodily fluids or tissues indicative of glucose levels. The module includes a communication capability for transmitting measurement information to an external recording device outside the body.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing and issuing tickets has a circular ticket guide in which a drive cylinder is disposed to selectively rotate in a forward or reverse direction. A ticket magazine feeds a blank ticket into the ticket guide in the forward direction and the cylinder rotates, driving the ticket in the forward or reverse direction in order to execute a series of process steps involved in issuing the written ticket. Arrayed in an arcuate sequence adjacent the ticket guide in the forward direction are a printing and reading apparatus, a ramped impound aperture, and a ramped issue aperture. A ticket is fed from the hopper in the forward direction and the drive cylinder is rotated to carry the ticket past the printing and reading apparatus where information is written and verified on the ticket. The drive cylinder continues to rotate in the forward direction, carrying the ticket past the impound, and then the issue aperture.

Abstract: A golfer wishing to know the distance to a specified feature on a golf course, operates a portable interrogation unit, to enter a request for the distance to the location of the feature. Transmitters located to define a triangle encompassing a substantial portion of the course transmit ranging signals, which are received by the portable interrogation unit. The portable interrogation unit includes a memory which stores the locations of the transmitters and the locations of predetermined features on the course and a CPU which processes the ranging signals received from the transmitters to determine the location of the portable interrogation unit and further to determine the distance from the portable unit to the specified feature. The portable interrogation unit then displays the determined distance. To survey the locations of the various predetermined features on the course, a portable survey unit is substituted for the portable interrogation unit.

Abstract: The control utilizes sensed gas pressure downstream of the thermostat controlled valve as an indication of heat demand. A low limit transducer is placed at 50 to 90 percent of the tank height to maintain adequate heated water for casual uses without excessive burner cycling. A flow transducer is integrated with a heat trap. The control uses output of the flow transducer (combined with the timing out of an interval timer) to enable an excursion from the low limit set point to the thermostat high limit.

Abstract: A clock phase discriminator measures phase difference between a pair of digital clock signals to produce phase error signals used to adjust the frequency of one clock so as to reduce the phase difference. The discriminator includes a latch circuit that responds to successive transitions of the clock signals by undertaking a multistate phase measurement transition path in which only one state variable changes at a time. The latch circuit reduces the exposure of the phase discriminator to race conditions while measuring the phase difference and producing the error signals.