Abstract: An apparatus for storing and dispensing a continuous band of medical reagent test strips is disclosed which includes chambers for the storage of used and unused portions of the continuous strip separated by barrier member to prevent cross-contamination there between. A substantially flat interim space is provided between the accesses to the chambers wherein tests may be run utilizing the samples in conjunction with the strips. Mechanical means is provided for advancing the band of medical test strips as necessary. The apparatus may be fabricated of suitable, moldable plastic material which may be discarded after the band of unused medical reagent test strips is exhausted.

Abstract: An apparatus for introducing a gaseous sample into a mass spectrometer is disclosed which includes a hollow antechamber or cavity disposed between the sample stream and the high vacuum enclosure. Orifice openings are provided in the antechamber which allow the antechamber to communicate both with the high vacuum enclosure and the sample stream. An electrically operated pulsed valve is used to admit a series of small volumes of sample by pulses of controlled duration and frequency such that the sample flow from the antechamber into the high vacuum enclosure can be made to resemble one of essentially constant flow.

Abstract: A method of low temperature energy storage and utilization is disclosed which can be used in conjunction with low temperature heat sources such as solar energy flat plate collectors. Input heat energy is utilized to sustain the endothermic dissociation of ammonium carbamate produced from a reaction between urea and water. The energy is retained in the form of the higher energy containing dissociation products ammonia and carbon dioxide. The dissociation products are separated by liquifying and draining off the ammonia and are held under pressure. The stored heat is extracted in the form of output heat energy for an end use by reversing the dissociation reaction and combining the ammonia and carbon dioxide to form ammonium carbamate which becomes urea and water and is recirculated as a slurry. Closed-loop, fluid-medium heat exchange systems can be used both in the input and output sides of the energy system. The entire system operates at temperatures of less than 250.degree. C.

Abstract: A solar flat plate absorber panel is molded from a laminate consisting of a suitable web material impregnated with a thermosetting phenolic resin. The absorber plate is pressure formed from superimposed layers of material and mold-cured to produce a unitary structure having a first or solar radiation absorbing surface on one side and an integral closed hollow lattice work of fluid heat transfer passages on the other or reverse side of the panel. The laminate web may be made from any suitable material such as paper, cloth, canvas or wire mesh which is easily impregnated with a thermosetting phenolic resin. In the preferred embodiment a B-stage phenol-formaldehyde resin is used. The two superimposed sheets of impregnated material are molded between heated platens of an hydraulic press to form an integral structure and fluid pressure between the sheets is utilized to mold the desired passage shape 5.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for mixing fluids in sealed containers, such as blood samples in test tubes or the like, is disclosed which includes a support structure on which a motor-driven rotatable mixing disc is mounted. The disc is provided with integral recesses in the shape of the sealed containers to be agitated and is disposed at an angle such that the containers are retained in the recesses by gravity. In the preferred embodiment, the recesses are radially disposed on the disc and are so designed as to receive interchangeably a plurality of lengths of test tubes.

Abstract: A method of making a solar absorber panel is disclosed in which mild steel sheets are provided with a pattern of recesses such that when the sheets are superimposed, an internal hollow fluid heat transfer passage system is formed thereby including inlet and outlet manifolds joined by connecting passages. A metallic sealing material having a lower melting point than the sheets is placed in the recesses, the sheets are superimposed and the structure is peripherally welded to form a gas-tight envelope. The envelope is purged of air, partially internally evacuated and the edges of the internal passages sealed by heating the assembly above the melting point of the sealant material. The vacuum drawn on the envelope insures a tight seal between all passages as it allows external ambient air pressure to force the sheets together.

Abstract: A solar absorber panel and method of making is disclosed in which a fluid heat transfer system of elongated hollow passages connecting inlet and outlet headers is fabricated of an array of two layers of strips of thin gauge stainless steel superimposed upon the reverse side of a mild steel absorber plate. The array of strips of thin gauge stainless steel is seam welded about the periphery of the strips and inflated to produce the hollow fluid passage system. The peripheral seam welding fixes the edges of the superimposed strips both to each other to seal the lattice fluid passage system and to the mild steel absorber plate. Inlet and outlet connectors fixed to the appropriate openings in the upper stainless steel lattice layer are also used for the inflation of the passage system.

Abstract: A low-cost solar air heater is disclosed which utilizes an array of jets to produce impingement of the air on the lower surface of the absorber plate which enhances heat transfer efficiency.

Abstract: An improved low-cost solar air heater is disclosed which utilizes an array of holes or jets in an intermediate solar window to produce impingement of the air on the upper or solar energy absorbing surface of the absorber plate to enhance heat transfer efficiency and reduce convection losses from the system.

Abstract: An improved, self-contained, remotely controlled color television system is disclosed. The system utilizes a small head mounted television camera which is adapted to transmit a picture of the operations carried on by the wearer of the camera to be remotely viewed and/or recorded by a third party. The focusing and aiming of the camera is remotely controlled from a console equipped with controls and a television monitor. An illumination system is provided which utilizes a dual beam, the convergence and elevation of which is controlled by the wearer. The illumination is fixed to the head mounting so as to follow the head movements of the wearer. The dual beam of the illumination system enables the area desired to be illuminated by the wearer to be so illuminated virtually without shadows and without interference to his field of view.

Abstract: An integral, automated hematology slide preparation station is disclosed which includes assemblies for sample mixing, automated smearing and staining in a single unit. A rotary mixing sub-assembly is provided which interchangeably mixes vials of several sizes and requires no clips or auxiliary holding devices for the vials to be mixed. The pushbutton operated smearing or wedging sub-assembly includes a pivotally mounted, self-leveling counterbalanced reciprocating smearing arm which cams the wedging member and which, with a precise drive control produces highly repeatable blood smears containing substantially a monolayer of blood cells. The smearing sub-assembly operates in conjunction with a manually operated slide dispenser and automatic smear dryer. The staining sub-assembly is completely automatic and includes a conveyer system consisting of three synchronized, intermittently driven, conveyer sections.

Abstract: A molded transparent plastic specimen slide for use in the microscopic examination of biological samples such as blood includes a molded slide having a pattern of micronsize projections extending from the surface which support a glass cover plate in spaced parallel relation to the slide to thereby precisely control the specimen thickness and facilitate the examination of uniform, extremely thin samples. The slide is molded of an optically clear, readily wettable rigid plastic material such as an acrylic resin. The optical clarity of the slide and cover plate materials coupled with the extremely thin cover plate and sample layer enables accurate viewing of the sample specimen on any interference phase contrast or bright field microscope.

Abstract: A precision slide positioning system is disclosed which is particularly adapted for rigid and repeated positive location of a microscope object specimen slide relative to the movable stage of a scanning automated microscope such that a predetermined field of view based on perpendicular axis in the plane of the slide carrier tray can be automatically recalled after removal and subsequent replacement of the slide on the slide carrier plate. A pair of oppositely disposed, resiliently held slide retainers are provided which, operating on the slide, urge the slide against fixed alignment registration guides on the slide tray to retain the slide in a predetermined fixed parallel relation thereto. The slide is, in turn, held in adjustable fixed alignment with the traverse plate of the microscope stage. A release mechanism mechanically linked to both of the retainers is provided to withdraw the resiliently held retainers for ease of slide removal and insertion.

Abstract: An automatically controllable microscope stage positioning system capable of repeatable, precise adjustment for use in an automatic scanning microscope is disclosed. The system includes a slide tray in which an object slide is mounted and which is adjustable in the x--y plane and along the z axis to achieve automatic scanning and focusing functions in the automated microscope system. The positioning is achieved by using x, y and z axially adjustable lead screws which operate through non-rotating contact nuts to apply a force to move the stage in one direction along each of said x, y and z axes. Return springs which apply a force vector opposite that of the lead screws maintains the stage against the reversible lead screws at all times. Guide means are also provided for maintaining the alignment of the slide tray in both the x--y plane and along the z axis. The drive is controlled by means of signals generated by the automatic microscope signal processing system.

Abstract: A non-dispersive infrared correlation spectrometer for determining the presence of a gas having a known characteristic infrared absorption spectrum in a gaseous mixture is disclosed which utilizes a unique combination filtering system in cooperation with a highly sensitive solid state detector which provide a highly selective and sensitive instrument.

Abstract: An improved filtering technique in the detection by infrared absorption of a weak infrared absorbing gas in the presence of a strong infrared absorbing gas in a common sample involves providing a bandpass filter having a passband centered on a strong absorption line of the weak absorbing gas of interest to enhance the absorption due to the presence of that gas in the sample and providing a bandpass filter having a passband offset from any strong absorption line associated with the strong infrared radiation absorbing gas of interest to thereby decrease and linearize the amount of absorption caused by the presence of that gas of interest in the sample.

Abstract: A continuous-flow method and apparatus for the determination of alcohol in a biological fluid such as blood is disclosed. A packed column containing the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase physically entrapped in a acrylamide gel together with other special ingredients which extend the active life of the enzyme in the test environment is provided. Downstream of the packed column a transparent measurement cell is provided in conjunction with a fluorescence spectrophotometer which is utilized to measure the fluorescence of the effluent which is directly related to the amount of ethyl alcohol in the original sample. The fluorescence measurement is electrically transformed by conventional means into a direct readout of the alcohol content of the sample. This obtains from the fact that alcohol dehydrogenase catalyzes the oxidation of ethyl alcohol in the presence of non-fluorescening NAD to produce acetaldehyde and fluorescing NADH.sub.2.

Abstract: A continuous method and apparatus for the determination of urea in a biological fluid such as blood, for example, is disclosed. In a continuously flowing system, the biological sample is introduced into a buffered carrier solution of low electrical conductance and is caused to flow into a chamber containing an immobilized enzyme which catalyzes a specific reaction which changes the electrical properties of the solution by increasing the dissociated ion concentration therein. This increase in dissociated ion concentration is directly proportional to the original concentration of urea in the biological sample; and any one of the several conventional electrical measurements may be made to determine the increase in such concentration or the rate of increase in such concentration and thereby determine the concentration of urea in the original biological sample.

Abstract: Helmet mounted display apparatus in which a reflective inside surface of a partially transparent visor is used as the primary optical element. A paraboloidal inside visor surface coated with a metallic film may be used. A light source image or a virtual image is positioned at the focal point of the inside surface of the visor. The outside surface of the visor may be coated with an anti-reflective coating.