Abstract: A propellant with a long shelf life that is smoke-free when combusted. The propellant may have the following composition when the propellant includes a reinforcing agent.______________________________________ Approximate Percentage Material Range by Weight ______________________________________ Ammonium nitrate 40-85 Binder (with curvative) 4-40 Energetic plasticizer 0-40 Reinforcing agent 0.1-8 ______________________________________When the reinforcing agent is included in the propellant, a desiccant in the range of 0.02-6% may or may not be included in the propellant. The binder is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic material such as Finaprene.RTM. or Kraton.RTM. (e.g. thermoplastic elastomers) or a cure-hardening material or a combination thereof. Examples of the energetic plasticizer are trimethylolethane trinitrate, triethyleneglycol dinitrate, and butanetriol trinitrate.

Abstract: A tube dispenser, sponge applicator and cover assembly including a tube dispenser having a main body portion, an upper neck portion extending from the main body at an upper end and an upper circumferential portion at the upper end of the main body portion adjacent to the-neck portion. A sponge applicator for attachment around the neck portion of the tube dispenser for applying any substance contained in the tube dispenser. A cover member having an upper portion for covering the sponge applicator and the neck portion of the tube dispenser and a lower circumferential portion to mate with and seal to the upper circumferential portion of the main body of the tube dispenser.

Abstract: A first voice channel transmits voice signals into a second voice channel through a plurality of network nodes and data links. Preferably the voice signals are in packets each having a plurality of bits containing voice information and each having at least one additional bit to indicate whether a congestion has been encountered at any of the nodes. Preferably the voice signals in each packet have a particular bandwidth and a particular compression. When a congestion of a packet is encountered at one of the nodes, the node produces at the additional bit in the packet an indication that congestion has occurred. The packet with this indication then passes through the nodes to the second channel. The second channel then produces and sends to the first channel signals acknowledging the reception of the packets and the encountering of congestion. The first channel then reduces the bandwidths of the signals in the packets transmitted to the second channel and increases the compression of the signals in the packets.

Abstract: A thermoplastic resin defines a core of a thermoformable thermoplastic composite material. The core is sufficiently thick to provide for a shaping of the composite material at an elevated temperature to any desired configuration. First and second layers of fabric material are disposed on opposite sides of the core. The fabric material may be formed of glass, carbon or aramid and may be formed from woven fibers, unidirectional or chopped fibers or random strand mats. The fabric layers have a thickness sufficient to impart strength and rigidity to the fabric material. Layers of a thermoplastic thermoformable resin material may be disposed on the layers of the fabric material. The thermoplastic layers impregnate the fabric layers, bond the fabric layers to the core and provide a smooth external surface to the composite material.

Abstract: A plurality of binary signals each having first and second logic levels respectively representing a binary "1" and a binary "0" and each indicating a binary digit of an individual binary significance cumulatively represent an adjustable delay to be provided by a plurality of delay elements. A first particular number of the binary signals of greatest binary significance are decoded to provide, in a thermometer code, a plurality of signals each having first and second amplitudes. The signals in the thermometer code control the operation of individual switches each having first and second operative relationships to provide respectively for a maximum delay or a minimum delay in an associated one of the delay elements. The binary signals of least binary significance are decoded to produce an analog signal variable between the first and second amplitudes.

Abstract: A wood sill reinforcing plate for use with anchor bolts embedded in a concrete foundation and extending upward and a wood sill having openings which receive the outwardly extending anchor bolts. A plate member having an opening extending through the plate member and with the opening having a dimension slightly larger than the diameter of the anchor bolt. A plurality of gripper prongs integral with the plate member and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plate member for embedding the gripper prongs into the wood sill to lock the plate member around the anchor bolt with the anchor bolt extending through the opening in the plate member.

Abstract: A digital value represented by binary signals is converted to a corresponding analog value by three (3) current cells, preferably C-MOS p-type, in a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The three (3) transistors, preferably disposed on an integrated circuit chip, comprise (a) an input switch transistor receiving a digital input signal at its gate, (b) an output transistor providing an output current at its drain and (c) a current bias transistor. The switch and output transistor sources and the bias transistor drain are common. The output transistor gate is biased by a substantially constant voltage. The bias transistor source receives a supply voltage through a bonding pad on an integrated circuit chip and a bond wire extending from the pad to a pin on the chip package lead frame. At low frequencies (e.g. 100 MHz), the wave shape of the output transistor drain current is flat. At increased frequencies (e.g.

Abstract: Raster display memories are often arranged to output groups of pixels in progressive blocks, each having a plurality of pixels and each pixel having a plurality of fields. The fields in each pixel may provide color, overlay and cursor information for an individual position on a video screen. The numbers of bits in each pixel and in each field may be variable in different applications. In this system, control information indicates the starting position of each block, the location of each pixel in each block and each field in each pixel and the width of each pixel and each field in number of bits. Using this control information, the system recovers the pixels in each block and the fields in each pixel and processes such information to provide a display of the pixel information on a video screen. The number of bits contained in each field may be expanded to a width (e.g. 8) when the field width is less than eight (8) bits.

Abstract: A heating block made from a heat conductive material has a passage through which a fluid heated by the heater can flow. A groove preferably having a looped configuration extends into the block from a peripheral surface in the block. A heater made from an electrically conductive and heat conductive material is disposed in the groove, preferably in a looped configuration corresponding to the looped configuration of the groove. A heat conductive member disposed in the groove is provided with a hole to receive the heater in an enveloping relationship. The member may be defined by a pair of separable portions. The member is preferably disposed in the looped relationship in the groove. Localized deformation of the heating block holds the member and the heater in a fixed relationship with the block. The heater may deteriorate or become defective with extended usage and may have to be replaced. To accomplish this, the heater and the member may be removed as a unit from the block after removing the deformation.

Abstract: A thermoplastic composite material may be formed by supplying the thermoplastic material to the opposite surfaces of the fabric material and by then passing the resultant material through the spaces between progressive pairs of rollers. The rollers in each progressive pair have a decreased spacing relative to the rollers in the previous pair so as to squeeze the thermoplastic material into the interstices between the fabric threads without compressing the fabric material. The resultant material may also be moved in a tortuous path, such as formed by a pair of rollers defining an S-configuration relative to the resultant material, to engage the opposite surfaces of the resultant material and squeeze air from the resultant material without compressing the fabric.

Abstract: Slave cassettes each including a slave tape and having a peripheral groove are stacked in a first station. Gripping fingers movable into the grooves in the forward cassette and the next cassette grip the forward cassette. During the pivoting of the cassette to a second station, a cover on the cassette is pivoted to expose the slave tape. At the second station, threading arms are moved from retracted to extended positions. The cassette and the threading arms are then moved to a third station planar with a pinch roller which is displaced from the capstan. The threading arms are then retracted to dispose the slave tape on the capstan. With a master tape on the pinch roller, the pinch roller is moved to a position abutting the capstan. The pinch roller and capstan are then rotated to transfer the image on the master tape to the slave tape such that the image beginning is at the slave tape beginning.

Abstract: A thermomagnetic layer on a slave tape has a Curie temperature above which it loses, and below which it stores, an image. Such layer is heated above the Curie temperature just before such layer records an image. To compensate for image stretching in such layer by the heat, the lines in a raster scan on the mirror-master tape are lengthened relative to such lines on a master tape during an image transfer between the tapes. To accomplish this, a rotary member holding the mirror-master tape has a larger diameter than, and rotates at the same angular speed as, a rotary member holding the master tape. To inhibit the slave tape separation from the heater by water vaporization in the thermomagnetic layer, (1) the heater heats such layer while the slave tape moves in a direction opposite to its movement during the image transfer or (2) a microwave oven heats such layer.

Abstract: A thermoplastic resin defines a core of a thermoformable thermoplastic composite material. The core is sufficiently thick to provide for a shaping of the composite material at an elevated temperature to any desired configuration. First and second layers of fabric material are disposed on opposite sides of the core. The fabric material may be formed of glass, carbon or aramid and may be formed from woven fibers, unidirectional or chopped fibers or random strand mats. The fabric layers have a thickness sufficient to impart strength and rigidity to the fabric material. Layers of a thermoplastic thermoformable resin material may be disposed on the layers of the fabric material. The thermoplastic layers impregnate the fabric layers, bond the fabric layers to the core and provide a smooth external surface to the composite material.

Abstract: Master and slave tapes respectively move on a pinch roller from a first supply reel to a first take-up reel in a first cassette and on a capstan from a second supply reel to a second take-up reel in a second cassette. The pinch roller locked in a first position abuts the capstan to transfer to the slave tape the image on the master tape. After such transfer, a signal sensing the slave tape end causes the pinch roller to be unlocked and to be moved to a second position displaced from the first position. In this position, the second cassette is replaceable by another cassette for an image transfer from the master tape. The rotations of the supply reel produce eccentricities which vary tape tension. These tension variations are compensated at positions before the pinch roller and the capstan by springs guiding the tapes and by damping members attached to the springs. The damping members are pre-stressed to provide damped compliances in accordance with the tension variations.

Abstract: First and second complementary input voltages control current flow through first and second switches (e.g. semiconductor devices) each respectively connected in first and second control circuits with a first constant current source. When the input voltages change, current starts to increase through one control circuit to produce increases in the voltage drop across an impedance (e.g. resistor) in such circuit. When a particular voltage difference is produced between the impedance voltage and an adjustable biasing voltage, a third switch (e.g. semiconductor device) closes to produce a first resultant voltage. The resultant delay in the third switch closure is dependent upon the adjustable magnitude of the biasing voltage. As the voltage increases across the impedance in the one control circuit, the voltage decreases across an impedance in the other control circuit, causing a second resultant voltage to be produced at a fourth switch (e.g. semiconductor device).

Abstract: An interstitial X-ray needle includes an elongated X-ray tube coupled to an electron emitter at one end of the tube, with a converter element being disposed at a tip of the other end of the tube for converting emitted electrons into X-ray; a solenoid coil wound around the tube for providing a magnetic field that confines the emitted electrons within a narrow beam; an elongated outer casing enclosing the tube and coil; and a pipe coaxially disposed between the casing and the tube for defining an inner annular flow chamber between the tip of the tube and a coolant inlet in the casing and an outer annular flow chamber between the tip of the tube and a coolant outlet in the casing.