Abstract: A combustion air vent for use with an extension wall of a building includes a louvered panel substantially in the plane of the stucco wall surface. Top, bottom, left and right side panels extend from the edges of the louvered panel for a distance substantially commensurate with the thickness of the stucco wall externally of the supporting wall framing. One or more bendable tabs are disposed in selected ones of the panels and adapted to be bent to secure an insect screen adjacent the interior surface of the louvered panel. Flanges extend from one or more of the top, bottom, left and right side panels. Fastening means secure selected ones of the flanges to the framing to retain the vent in place.

Abstract: A gas mass flow meter includes an elongated channel extending through a high thermal mass body and a critical flow nozzle in a downstream portion of the channel. A heat exchanger is provided upstream in the channel. Gas is forced through the heat exchanger and the critical flow nozzle at a flow rate of up to 5000 slm and at sufficiently high-pressure to ensure critical flow of the gas through the critical flow nozzle. The heat exchanger brings the gas close to the temperature of the high thermal mass body. The pressure of the gas is measured upstream and downstream from the nozzle and the temperature of the gas emerging from the heat exchanger is measured. The mass flow rate of gas through critical flow nozzle is computed from the upstream pressure, downstream pressure, temperature of the high thermal mass body, density of the gas, and a dimensional characteristic of the critical flow nozzle.

Abstract: An apparatus inserts a reference guide pin having a reference end surface into a guide pin receiving hole in an endface of a fiberoptic connector to prepare the fiberoptic connector for interferometric profiling of the endface. The reference guide pin has an end portion on which the reference end surface is located. A connector support mechanism supports the fiberoptic connector. A reference guide pin support mechanism receives the end portion to hold the reference guide pin in axial alignment with the guide pin receiving hole as one of the connector support mechanism and the reference guide pin support mechanism is moved toward the other to insert the reference guide pin into the guide pin receiving hole.

Abstract: A device to be detachably attached to a mechanical substructure includes rails on opposed sides joined at the front by a cross member. A pair of guides mounted on the substructure slidably receives and retains the rails upon attachment of the device. An alignment pin extending from a rail mates with a hole in one of the guides to insure alignment of an electrical connector of the device with an electrical connector mounted on the substructure. The cross member includes screws for securing the cross member to the substructure. A spring extending from a rail makes electrical contact with an adjacent guide and an electrostatic discharge contact plate to discharge any existing static charge.

Abstract: A device for accurately measuring the pressure (Pg) of very highly pressurized gas includes a cylinder (16) having a cylindrical outer surface (16A) and a bore extending through the cylinder and an elongated piston (23) rotatable and vertically movable in the bore, and supporting calibration weights by means of the piston. An internal reservoir (32) is formed by providing a housing (31) to support the cylinder, the housing including a lower portion engaging a bottom portion of the cylinder and a lower peripheral portion of the cylinder and an upper portion engaging an upper peripheral portion of the cylinder, an inner portion of the housing (31) and a portion of the outer surface (16A). An interior of the reservoir (32) is pressurized through a passage (30A) extending from the reservoir to pressurize gas inlet. A passage (34) conducts pressurized oil from the reservoir into a gap between the piston (23) and the bore.

Abstract: A proportional flow control valve, for controlling fluid flow through a flexible tube, includes first and second jaws on opposing sides of the tube. An actuator drives one of such jaws for adjusting the separation distance therebetween. When the valve is open, the separation distance is small enough to partially deform the tube without significantly restricting fluid flow. When the valve is closed, the separation distance is just small enough to essentially block fluid flow. A control system controls the actuator to determine such separation distance. Such valve can be used within a level control system for controlling the thickness of a work material in a slurry form cast upon a moving belt. A fluid reservoir is disposed above the belt, and the control valve adds slurry to the reservoir. A lens disposed near the moving belt and above the reservoir is coupled by fiber optics to a remote sensor for detecting the height of the slurry.

Abstract: Apparatus for ablating organic material, such as tissue, during an EP procedure generates a monitor signal to provide unambiguous indicia of real time characteristics of the ablation site prior to, during and subsequent to the EP procedure by providing indicia representative of the impedance of the tissue along with indicia of the resistive and reactive components of the impedance. Inorganic materials, such as plastic, can be analyzed, welded or otherwise acted upon and the monitor signal will provide indicia representative of the real time characteristics of the material and change of character thereof. Application of the monitor signal alone can be used to determine the real time characteristics of either organic or inorganic materials to distinguish between healthy and abnormal or diseased tissue and to distinguish between similar inorganic materials having been subjected to different environments or conditions.

Abstract: A method and system for mass-generating new or modified designs of products and other items over a communications network, such as the Internet. Users in the public may remotely access and run a computer design program on a remote host system where they may select and manipulate product parts for designated products, in order to create a new design for planned or existing products. Additionally, an award incentive is preferably provided to winning designs. In this manner, the remote host computer system may collect a multitude of design submissions from a great number of users.

Abstract: A cushion, preferable of a buoyant material, includes a layer of threat-resistant material for precluding penetration by a projectile from a firearm or sharp edged or sharp pointed instrument and serves in the manner of a shield to prevent injury to a person's shielded body parts. The threat-resistant material may envelope the cushion, be disposed on either the front or the back side or be interleaved between the front and back sides. One or more straps may be disposed on a side to facilitate manipulation in positioning of the cushion to render it most effective to ward off an attack.

Abstract: A differential amplifier circuit receives full range differential input signals, and produces a full range output signal, using CMOS transistors designed for one-half such operating voltage. The positive and negative input signals differentially drive first and second CMOS transistors. The source terminals of such first and second CMOS transistors are coupled to a current steering circuit by a pair of lower protection transistors; the gate terminals of such lower protection transistors are driven by level-shifted counterparts of the positive and negative input signals. The drain terminals of the first and second CMOS transistors are coupled to a common node via a pair of upper protection transistors, the gate terminals of which are also driven by the level-shifted counterparts of the input signals.

Abstract: A disposable, expandable/collapsible medication inhalation apparatus for use with an MDI inhaler includes an elongated housing for receiving a plume of medication particles ejected by the MDI inhaler, a mouthpiece, and an inhalation valve disposed between the mouthpiece and the housing. A pair of foldable side sections are pressed together to expand the apparatus. An exhalation port in the mouthpiece allows exhalation through the mouthpiece. A collapsible boot adapter receives a mouthpiece of the MDI inhaler. The inhalation apparatus is constructed from a single sheet of foldable sheet material.

Abstract: A high-density pull-out drawer assembly for telecommunications wiring includes a support frame and one or more pull-out drawers. Each pull-out drawer includes a series of fuse protection blocks for receiving removable fuses, and a series of terminal pin blocks for allowing a technician to configure incoming-lines with outgoing lines in order to provide customers with desired levels of service. A wiring raceway is provided for guiding configuration wires extending between the pins of the terminal pin block.

Abstract: A holder secured to the tip of a cutting torch supports a guide about which a hole is to be cut in a steel pipe or sheet. A fixture, magnetically attached to the pipe or sheet supports a magnetically retained fitting to be tack welded to the cut hole at the desired angular orientation relative to the pipe or sheet. After the fitting is tack welded, the fixture is removed and the weld is completed.

Abstract: A retaining wall, supported by a footer, foundation or conventional retaining wall, includes a plurality of post-tensioning rods anchored in the underlying support and extending through the cells of blocks forming the courses of the retaining wall. An elongated apertured plate or a plurality of individual plates rest upon the next to last course to penetrably receive the threaded ends of each of the rods. Nuts engage the threaded ends of the rods to draw the rods to the plate and place them in tension. The top course rests upon the plate or plates and may be constructed as a bond beam. The rods extending from the support may be located adjacent the said side of the retaining wall and bent away therefrom to penetrate the plate or plates at the lateral midpoint of the plate or plates and thereafter extend essentially vertically upwardly. To add an extended wall supported on the bond beam, couplings may be threadedly engaged with the rod ends. Further rods threadedly engage the couplings and extend upwardly.

Abstract: A vent assembly for mounting in a passageway extending through an exterior wall to provide ventilation to the space bounded by the exterior wall includes an apertured panel exteriorly juxtaposed with a security grate to prevent unauthorized intrusion through the exterior wall. Carriage bolts extend through the apertured panel and security grate into engagement with an anchoring element, such as a pair of L-shaped brackets disposed on opposed sides in the passageway. The smooth surfaced head of the carriage bolts, coupled with the square cross-section of the shank adjacent the head mating with square apertures in the apertured panel and in the security grate prevent turning of the carriage bolts from a location external to the exterior wall. Air through the passageway may be filtered with an air filter supported by bolts extending from the security grate.

Abstract: A safety valve limits but does not curtail flow of fluid from a source through the body of the safety valve upon release of a handle. A pivotable vane disposed within the body is urged to pivot from a first state not restricting fluid flow to a second state restricting fluid flow in response to the force of the fluid flow. A shaft supporting the vane is connected to the handle. Retaining the handle in a position commensurate with the first state of the vane will permit fluid flow through the safety valve, which fluid flow will become limited upon release of the handle due to a change in state of the vane.

Abstract: A barrier device (1) and technique for use in the plumbing during construction of a swimming pool includes a tubular cylindrical section (2) having an open first end. A pop-out barrier (12) is integral with the cylindrical section, and is disposed to cover a second end of the cylindrical section. In one embodiment, an annular water barrier flange (3) is integral with the cylindrical section, and is disposed about a mid portion of the cylindrical section to prevent water leakage around an outer surface of the cylindrical section (2) when the barrier device is installed on the end of a water return pipe or drain pipe extending through the a wall surface of a swimming pool.