Abstract: A golfer wishing to know the distance to a specified feature on a golf course, such as the pin on the next green, operates a portable interrogation unit, which transmits an interrogation signal including a request for the distance to the location of the specified feature. Three remote stations located to define a triangle encompassing a substantial portion of the course receive the interrogation signal and communicate interrogation information signals to a central station. The interrogation information signals include the interrogation signal data, remote station identification data, and pertaining to the location of the source of the interrogation signal relative to the remote station.

Abstract: Heat storage and transfer system and method in which a liquid-solid phase change material and a liquid-vapor phase change material selected for coaction with each other are disposed in a container with a body of the liquid phase of the liquid-vapor material in continuous contact with a body of the liquid phase of the liquid-solid material for superior heat transfer between the materials for giving up and transferring sensible heat and liquid to solid phase change latent heat to vaporize liquid-vapor phase change material and vapor to liquid phase change latent heat to a condenser/heat exchanger and also for superior heat transfer from a heat source such as a solar or electric heater by giving up the heat of condensation of a vapor phase to a solid-liquid material which accepts the heat as sensible heat and as heat of melting.

Abstract: A moisture-actuated apparatus for controlling the flow of water by expandingly absorbing moisture from and contractingly emitting moisture into a moisture-conducting medium. The actuation is binary, with one state resulting from the expansion of an actuating element when it absorbs moisture from a water-conducting medium having a higher concentration of moisture than the element. The second state results from the contraction of the actuating element when the medium contains a lower concentration of moisture than the element, causing the element to emit moisture into the medium. The actuating element includes a thirotropic hydrophilic expandite material disposed in a matrix of wicking material. In one embodiment the absorptive expansion is used to provide a high-moisture signal in the same embodiment, contraction of the element produces a low moisture signal for opening the valve. In other embodiments, the expansion and contraction of the actuating element is used to directly actuate a valve.

Abstract: A device for self-administered treatment of hemorrhoids and other rectal disorders generally comprises an outer vessel including a hollow, thin-walled, flexible elongated tubular body portion having an inner closed end and an outer closed end and dimensioned for manual rectal insertion of the inner end, and having an enlarged stop portion at the outer end to prevent rectal insertion of the outer end and to insure proper positioning during use. The inner end has a portion of larger circumference to prevent expulsion of the device during use by anal spincter action. Chemical components within the outer vessel produce an exothermic reaction. An inner vessel, disposed within the outer vessel, contains at least one of the chemical components, and being facturable upon flexion of the outer vessel, provides for mixture of the chemicals. The device is intended for insertion into the anal canal to raise the temperature of the wall surface to approximately 45.degree. C.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a frequency selective output pulse from a carrier frequency signal pulse of a predetermined duration. Included are pulse means for generating at least one modulating pulse of predetermined amplitude, duration, and frequency content; filter means responsive to said modulating pulse for removing selected frequencies from the frequency content of said modulating pulse, said filter means having a predetermined transfer function so as to provide a modulating signal varying in amplitude as a function of time; and modulator means responsive to a carrier frequency signal pulse and said modulating signal for modulating the amplitude of the carrier frequency signal pulse and providing a frequency selective output pulse having a predetermined frequency content centered about the carrier frequency in the carrier frequency signal pulse.

Abstract: A spectrum analyzer subsystem for analyzing the frequency content of an RF signal including an optical source means responsive to an RF signal for generating a plurality of intensity modulated optical signals and a filter means responsive to each one of the intensity modulated optical signals for providing a plurality of output optical signals each corresponding to a respective one of the intensity modulated optical signals. Each output optical signal corresponds in intensity to the frequency content of an RF signal within a different predetermined frequency bandwidth. Detector means, which is responsive to each output optical signal converts each output optical signal into a corresponding electrical signal.

Abstract: The laser printer controller for accepting a page of data to be printed in ASCII character format converts the data into a dot-by-dot character pattern for packing in a vertically scrolling partial page bit map. The alignment device within the laser printer controller provides the means for effectively aligning the randomly positioned dot-by-dot character patterns having a first word orientation with respect to its storage boundaries with a second word orientation necessitated by the fixed word storage boundaries of the partial page bit map. The alignment device includes means for partitioning two adjacent words in their first word orientation of the character pattern for alignment with the second word orientation of the page bit map, packing the two respective portions of the adjacent words into a one word format, rotating or manipulating the two word portions within the one word format for proper bit sequence for a single print data word of the second word orientation.

Abstract: An improved tip for a phacoemulsification needle having a lumen and a wall; wherein the improved tip comprises an oblique, generally concave face in side view and concentrates the majority of the effective cross-sectional area of the lumen toward the rear. An exemplary embodiment employs a maximum total face angle of 40 degrees with the face further comprising in side view from top to bottom: a first lead-in angle; a second horizontal section at a height of approximately 20-25 percent the needle diameter; and a third section defined as an arc of a circle extending tangential to the second horizontal section and extending to the top wall of the needle wherein the radius of the circle is approximately the distance between the second section and the upper wall. The improved tip is for use on hollow, ultrasonically vibrated needles of the type used for the surgical removal of cataract, abscess, hemorrhage, or other unwanted material.

Abstract: A system for encoding consecutive parallel bytes of source data into an RLL (1,7) output symbol string and decoding an input RLL (1,7) symbol string to produce an output sequence of parallel bytes of data. The system accepts an input sequence of parallel data bytes occurring at a byte rate and provides, in response, the output RLL symbol string at a symbol string rate which is twelve times the byte rate. Similarly, the output byte sequence has a byte rate which is 1/12 of the input RLL symbol string rate. The system performs RLL encoding and decoding at the byte rate, thus eliminating the odd 2/3 f.sub.C source clock required in systems performing RLL coding and decoding functions on a bit-by-bit basis.

Abstract: An interconnection system for an electronic equipment rack containing a plurality of electronic equipment units mounted in drawers or slides slidably mounted in spaced parallel relationship on the rack. The system includes a rigid backplane panel for mounting across one wall of the rack and a plurality of spaced parallel conductors extending across the panel in a direction transverse to the equipment units. A plurality of mating connector assemblies are provided for signal communication between the electronic equipment units and the backplane conductors, and are mounted to extend transversely to the backplane conductors in alignment with the equipment units. The mating connector assembly is connected to the aligned equipment unit and includes signal conditioning devices for predetermined conditioning of electrical signals in the system, and conductors for connecting the signal conditioning devices to preselected ones of the backplane conductors.

Abstract: An irrigation ditch gate, comprising port means for defining a passage for conduction of water, configured for mounting in a wall of an irrigation ditch and attached to a frame. A plate means comprising a generally circular plate is pivotally mounted on the port means, for being pivoted transverse to the passage, between a closed position to cover the passage and prevent the flow of water therethrough, and an open position to substantially uncover the passage to permit the flow of water therethrough. A handle lever moves the gate between the closed and open positions being pivotally attached on a first end to the plate. A moving fulcrum is provided for the handle by a second lever having one end pivotally attached to the frame and a second end pivotally attached to the handle. A retention means exerts a retaining force on the handle so that the plate is urged into close wiping engagement with the port means.

Abstract: A catalytic composition useful for producing amides and primary alcohols from nitriles and alkenes respectively, comprising in the first instance water, a suitable nucleophile, and MHCl[P(R).sub.3 ].sub.2 wherein M is platinum, palladium, or nickel, and R is CH.sub.3, CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2, or i-Pr and in the second instance comprising the same reagents but limited to R being CH.sub.3. The addition of a phase-transfer catalyst facilitates both reactions where the aqueous solubility of the nitriles or alkenes is limiting in the reaction.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing, from four consecutive unconstrained data bits in a bit string, a run-length-limited (RLL) encoded symbol consisting of three coded data bits. The internal state of the encoder is described by one state bit. The encoder performs RLL (1,7) encoding on a bit-by-bit basis, and can be cascaded in parallel to perform encoding on sequential, equally-sized groups of unencoded data bits. An attractive feature of the encoder is that it can be cascaded to simultaneously encode consecutive bytes of data.

Abstract: A car door opening tool for opening a car door of the type having a locking bar located within that functions to open the car door in response to the application of an unlatching force thereto. A shaft of sufficient length to access the locking bar through the car door's window slot from a position outside of the car door is provided with coupling device at its gripping end for both engaging the locking bar and for gripping it in response to a force-couple applied to the handle end of the shaft. By inserting the gripping end of the shaft through the window slot to engage the locking bar and then applying a force-couple to the handle end while simultaneously impressing the unlatching force to the shaft, the car door is caused to open.

Abstract: A novel translator for translating linear logic signal levels to TTL-compatible levels in an integrated logic device having an I/O section including a mix of ECL and TTL circuit. The translator includes a resistive circuit connected to a current mirror and a linear buffer circuit connected between the resistive circuit and current mirror. The linear buffer responds to a linear logic signal by switching a current into and out of a portion of the resistive circuit which is added to or subtracted from the current mirror current flowing through the resistive network. The resulting variable current causes the resistive network to produce a TTL-compatible control voltage signal which drives a TTL buffer, causing it to produce standard TTL signals in response to linear logic signals applied to the linear buffer.

Abstract: A multi-part mailer form assembly comprises a series of superimposed continuous sheets each having spaced transverse tear lines for separating the sheets into individual multi-part forms. Opposite marginal edges of the assembly have superimposed pin feed perforations and the sheets are adhesively secured together along one marginal side edge and are separable from each other by means of tear lines. The front sheet is of paper and the rear sheet is of card and the intermediate sheets include at least one paper sheet with copy producing layers or means provided for reproducing information imprinted on the front sheet on the paper and card sheets. The sheets each have a designated address area in registry with corresponding designated address areas on all the other sheets.

Abstract: A low-loss, underwater-mateable optical fiber connector is provided which permits connection between a pair of optical fibers through a fiber-to-fiber butt junction effected by a pair of connector units. Each connector unit houses a fluid-tight interior chamber. A fiber junction contained in one chamber includes an alignment device holding the terminal end of one fiber. The other interior chamber contains a fiber guide and transport mechanism which, when actuated by the joinder of the connector units, provides a fluid-resistant, pressure compensated channel between the chambers and advances the terminal end of the other fiber through the channel to the junction where it is guided into the alignment device to be butt-joined with the one fiber.

Abstract: A phase discriminator and data standardizer apparatus measures phase difference between a data signal obtained from a magnetic disk device and a variable-frequency reference data clock. From the measured phase difference, the apparatus develops a phase difference signal used to adjust the frequency of the reference data clock in order to reduce the phase difference. The apparatus includes a multi-state latch circuit that responds to the input data and clock signals by measuring the phase in a phase measurement transition cycle in which only one state variable changes at a time and producing the phase difference signal based upon the measurement. A gate responds to the measurement transition cycle by producing the phase difference signal. The apparatus further standardizes the input data so as to provide the data in a format that is predictably standardized in its time relationship to the reference data clock signal.

Abstract: A child restraint bassinet assembly comprising a support base and a bassinet which hinges in the support base upon release of an inertia responsive trigger latch which has sufficient inertia to move to a release position upon impact, the assembly being retained in a vehicle by a base strap of a tether strap assembly, which is located sufficiently high that the center of gravity of the bassinet is below the base strap and tilting is thereby limited to downward movement of the rear end of the bassinet within its base.

Abstract: A golf club head for impacting a golf ball is disclosed. A wooden club body has a phenolic insert embedded in the center of the body ball striking face. The insert is secured in place in a vertical channel in the body striking face by solidified epoxy which interlocks communicating passages formed in the sides of the body channel and cavities in the insert. A metal honeycomb structure is supported in a central slot in the insert. A resin compound fills and covers the honeycomb structure. The exterior surface of the resin covering the honeycomb structure provides the intended golf ball impact surface of the golf club head.