Abstract: A unique method of marking individual consumable articles such as tablets, pills, and the like on the fly, without the deposition of ink or other marking materials on their surfaces, without degrading the articles, and without precise positioning and holding of the articles. Titanium dioxide is provided in a visible layer of the consumable articles in an amount that is effective to provide a mark when exposed to an effective amount of ultraviolet laser energy. The energy is emitted in a predefined pattern on the surface of the articles so as to define the desired marking pattern. Marking is effectively instantaneous, thereby permitting the target articles to be marked while in motion to efficiently and inexpensively provide marking rates that are as much as twenty times more than those provided by prior art ink deposition systems. Marking can be accomplished even when the articles are encapsulated in ultraviolet transparent packaging.

Abstract: A bearingless pivot cartridge for an actuator arm of a hard disk drive assembly having no moving contact points while providing precise rotational movement of the actuator arm about an axis within an axial region and within a limited angular arc range. The actuator arm is mounted to the frame of the hard drive assembly through a cantilever member that is capable of flexing through a limited arc of approximately 20 to 50 degrees along a hinge line, but without stretching or warping.

Abstract: An improved plastic elongated hinge having an open spine and being adapted to replace a conventional piano hinge at a significantly reduced cost. The plastic elongated hinge includes at least two spaced apart pivotally pinned connections. The open spine permits the elongated hinge to be produced using substantially less plastic material. The hinge is preferably injection molded, and the pivotal connections are short in order to reduce the throw of the mold pins and thus maximize the production cycle time. An entirely integral snappedly engaging pivot connection is provided when more than two pivot connections are required. The entirely integral snap engagement connections require no moveable mold pins. This further reduces the costs of the hinge. Preferably, the elongated hinge is solvent bonded to plastic hinged members.

Abstract: A muzzle flash and blast suppressor comprising a body of reticulated refractory foam generally surrounding the projectile path adjacent the muzzle of a device. One side of the body of foam is exposed to the pressure within the projectile path just behind the projectile, and the other side is exposed to the unconfined ambient pressure. The foam is required to be possessed of sufficient structural strength to permit its exterior side to be exposed without confinement to the ambient environment. Hot exhaust gasses flowing laterally of the projectile path pass through the body from the high to the low pressure side. In such passage the gasses are cooled by expansion and by contact with the interstices of the body. Debris is filtered out and the pressure is substantially reduced. Typically, the refractory foam has from approximately 30 to 100 pores per inch and is from approximately 90 to 50 percent void volume.

Abstract: A side mount hoist ring assembly adapted to swivel through a full 360 degrees and pivot through a full 180 degrees that is more economical and simple to fabricate since the pivot axis is offset a distance from the swivel axis. The lift comprises a body, a cylindrical bushing, a load bearing flange, a closed lifting loop, and a threaded mounting member. Lifting loads exerted on the lifting loop induce bending stress on the mounting member which are compensated for by the load bearing flange.

Abstract: An electronic scoring process which comprises assigning a smart card to a player, and opening an electronic record for that smart card at least one a master facility. The master facility is adapted to receive, store, calculate and report play related data. At the initiation of a round of play, a player presents the smart card to a site specific smart card imprinter. At that time the status of the smart card is determined, and it is imprinted with current site specific information. The smart card is again presented to and read by a mobile score keeping unit. As play progresses, data is fed into the mobile unit on a real time basis, and an electronic recording of play related data is generated by the mobile unit. At the conclusion of play the electronic recording is imprinted onto the smart card. The smart card is read by a card reader and the electronic recording is transmitted to one or more master facilities where it is added to the electronic record for that smart card at that facility.

Abstract: An improved springless engine compensator comprising a first load bearing flange, a compensator bushing member, an output ring member threadably mounted on the compensator bushing member, a second load bearing flange. The flanges and the compensator bushing are fixedly mounted to an input shaft. The output ring member is mounted between the flanges for limited axial and rotational movement relative to the input shaft. The compensator absorbs rotational shock loads while transferring rotational loads from an input shaft to the output ring member. Compensating rotation is easily and precisely adjustable with the use of shims. Uniquely, the output ring member simultaneously compensatingly rotates and moves; axially on the compensator bushing member, and is captively restrained by the bearing flanges. Buffer members can be provided if desired between the mating faces of the flanges and the output ring member.

Abstract: A moisture containing wooden core substantially fully encapsulated within a formed in situ substantially non-wetting water impervious thermoplastic envelope. An effective amount of an insect and fungi controlling water soluble reagent is provided within the envelope. Preferably, there is sufficient moisture in the envelope so that the reagent will migrate substantially throughout the wooden core. The encapsulated workpiece is preferably formed by dipping or spraying the moist wood core with the aqueous reagent, and encapsulating the resultant treated core before it dries out so that the core remains moist throughout its expected life span. Green freshly harvested wood can be treated, coated, and used in direct competition with dried wood, without risk of its warping, splitting and checking during its expected useful life. Boron containing compounds are preferably used as the infection controlling reagents.

Abstract: A high precision composite optical mirror substrate comprising a lightweight reticulated foam core which is less than about 25 percent dense, an initially separate dense or small pore size faceplate mounted to the core, and a continuous formed in situ encapsulating coating. The coating fully encapsulates the ligaments throughout the reticulated foam core, the juncture between the core and the faceplate, and the faceplate, including the exposed face of the faceplate (the mirror surface). The exposed face of the dense faceplate is shaped to about the desired mirror surface shape. The deposit of coating material on the exposed face of the faceplate is near net shape to the desired mirror surface. The physical characteristics of the composite substrate are dominated by the properties of the coating material. When the coating material is a chemical vapor deposit of silicon carbide, the interlayer is preferably graphite with a thermal expansion coefficient that closely matches that of the silicon carbide.

Abstract: A high load capacity hoist ring assembly that can be installed to achieve the required tensile value in the mounting shank member without the use of a torque multiplier or hydraulic tensioning device. The assembly comprises a shank member, a compression member, a lifting loop having a transversely disposed pivot structure captively engaged by a retainer flange. Uniquely the retainer flange includes a plurality of threaded holes adapted to accept bolts which when torqued with a conventional torque wrench combine to achieve the required tensile value in the mounting shank. Load Capacity ratings start at about 10,000 lbs and can well exceed 100,000 lbs.

Abstract: A two way operated storage system including a container storage area in the form of a multi-rack, multi-tier rotary storage carousel, a vertical lift for transporting containers vertically to a shuttle that transfers containers to and from the storage carousel. Storage carousel is supported on two straight tracks separated by a non-supporting distance. The rotary storage carousel and the shuttle are mechanically and synchronously interlocked such that the storage system can be operated in two different directions.

Abstract: A process for forming a thin blue colored gold deposit, which transmits substantially more visible light than infrared energy. A suitable substrate, usually transparent, is selected and aggressively cleaned to such an extent that water will sheet rather than bead on the surface. The surface is sensitized with a solid phase sensitizing agent such as tin chloride. The surface is either rubbed with a slurry of the solid phase sensitizing agent or it is or it is dipped into an agitated slurry of the agent. Two very dilute reagent solutions are prepared; a reducing solution, and a gold ion containing solution. The reagent solutions are co-mingled and simultaneously projected onto the cleaned surface. The reagent solutions react to form a blue colored gold deposit on the surface. This blue colored deposit passes more visible than infrared energy by a factor of approximately two.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing and the resultant reticulated open cell carbon foam with a controlled aspect ratio between 0.6 to 1.2 throughout the body of the foam billet by controlling the exothermic reaction of the resin system below the decomposition temperature of the foam.

Abstract: A thin walled finger groove adapter for a handgun comprising a very thin ductile metal reinforcing plate encapsulated with thin front and back layers of elastomeric material. At least one finger groove projection is provided on the front surface of the adapter in registry with a hole through the reinforcing plate so that the projection is integral with both the front and back layers of encapsulating material. The finger groove adapter is substantially no greater than 0.040 inches thick with the metal plate being no more than about 0.015, and preferably about 0.010, inches thick. It is well suited for handgun users who have small hands. The finger groove adapter is molded in a flat condition and may be trimmed in the flat configuration to a variety of final shapes so as to accommodate mounting to a variety of different handgun handles. The finger groove adapter is sold in the flat or only slightly bent configuration, and is deformed into the appropriate shape for mounting to the handgun by the user.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fiber optic light fixture which can generate a thin sheet of incoherent light with sharply defined surfaces that, when projected on the face of an object, produces a line or band of light with sharp, crisp edges. The light fixture elongates the light in the direction of the thin sheet and condenses the light in a direction normal to the thin sheet. One characteristic of the fixture is that objects placed within the beam of light near the fixture do not cast shadows on objects off in the distance.