Abstract: Water penetration of bituminous pavement is measured by a conduit comprising a cylindrical tube having a flat outwardly extending lower flange and a closed top having a circular center opening into which is engaged an upwardly extending graduated cylinder open at both ends having a diameter significantly smaller than the cylindrical tube. The flat lower rim is adapted to hold a sealant on its lower surface and a weight having a central opening fitted around the cylindrical tube on its upper surface. The weight causes the sealant to seal the apparatus to the pavement in a fluid tight relationship and when the apparatus is filled with water the degree of water penetration into the pavement can be determined by the change of water volume in the graduated cylinder.

Abstract: A pendulum-actuated drawing instrument having at least two pendulums mechanically coupled with a scribing device by means of interconnected arms extending parallel to and above a support. The arms are universally pivottably connected and attached to the pendulums by means of nonextensible resilient rods.

Abstract: An implantable catheter system includes an elongated hollow casing which is reinforced to maintain a predetermined attitude and made of a material penetrable by a needle, and a tube extending laterally of the casing so that when the casing is implanted subcutaneously in a person, the tube may extend into the person's peritoneal cavity. The tube is coupled into the casing to enable communication therebetween. The free end of the tube includes a plurality of openings to enable the flow of fluid therethrough into or out of the tube. When the catheter system is implanted in the body of a person, fluids may be introduced into and withdrawn from the peritoneal cavity by inserting a hypodermic needle through the epidermis of a person into the casing which is implanted subcutaneously in the person. Fluid is then injected into or withdrawn from the casing to thereby respectively force fluid through the tube into the peritoneal cavity or withdraw fluid from the cavity via the tube.

Abstract: In a handgun having a spring biased breech locking mechanism and pistol grip handle, a breech release device mounted at the butt of the pistol grip handle to provide breech release access without disturbing the grip of the shooter's hand grasp. The device includes a base member which is fixed within the handle to the handgun receiver. Linkage means are attached at the remote end of said base member to permit coupling thereto of a lever means located at the butt of the handle. A connecting rod extends from a remote end of the lever means and engages the breech locking mechanism of the handgun. Contact between the connecting rod end and breech locking mechanism is maintained by the spring biasing force applied to the breech locking mechanism. By displacing the lever means, the connecting rod is extended and disengages the spring biased breech locking mechanism.

Abstract: An artificial tree limb having openings for direct emplacement of light bulbs or other electrical devices within the trunk section of the limb to obtain electrical contact. Two conductive wires are contained within the trunk structure, a portion of each being exposed at each opening to enable direct physical and electrical contact therewith by electrical contacts of the light bulb or electrical device.

Abstract: A transient voltage suppression system for use in an electrical power distribution system which includes at least one power line and a neutral or ground line. The system includes a suppression circuit for each power line of the power distribution system, with each suppression circuit being coupled between a corresponding power line and the neutral or ground line. Each suppression circuit includes a first metal oxide varistor coupled in series with a switching resistor and thermally coupled thereto, and a second metal oxide varistor coupled in parallel with the series connection of the first metal oxide varistor and switching resistor. The breakdown voltage rating of the second metal oxide varistor is greater than that of the first metal oxide varistor. A capacitor is coupled in parallel with the second metal oxide varistor. Coupled between each suppression circuit and a corresponding power line is a fuse for protecting the components of the circuits from current surges.

Abstract: Apparatus for simulating the playing of golf includes a tee area from which a player may drive a golf ball toward a curved target screen in front of the tee area. Three arrays of optical sensing devices are positioned to gather data as to the time and horizontal location at which a driven ball passes through each of three corresponding planes spaced apart between the tee area and the screen, and the horizontal location at which the ball rebounds from the screen through the plane closest to the screen. The sensing devices detect the passage of balls through the planes by detecting the reflection of infrared light from the balls. The infrared light is produced by an infrared light source and directed through the space through which the balls travel. A first and second ones of the planes are vertically disposed between the tee area and the screen and a third plane is disposed to extend from near the top of the second plane to near the bottom of the screen.

Abstract: A solid state timer device useable for security purposes in homes, offices and other buildings. The device is engineered to plug into a conventional wall socket and to receive the inlet plugs of appliances such as lamps and radios. The device is programmed to connect intermittently, in the desired sequence and for desired periods, power from the wall plug to the electrical appliance in question so that the same will go on and off automatically over a period of time and then will remain off for another period of time before resuming the said subsequence of operation. Such switching of lamps and radios on and off, for example, will create the illusion of occupancy and is intended to discourage would-be burglars and prowlers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for flow field-flow fractionation involving the application of a lateral cross flow superimposed on a channel fluid flow in a field-flow fractionation system. The cross flow is developed by applying a pressure across semipermeable plates which substantially define a narrow channel region carrying a fluid substance to be subjected to the influence of the cross flow. This cross flow causes differential migration of solute material carried by the channel flow, thereby providing application to numerous processes such as separations, fractionation, solute exchange, purification, dialysis and ultrafiltration.

Abstract: An attachment for a powered hedge trimmer for enabling a user to reach difficult trimming locations for cutting hedge, grass, weeds, etc., without excessive bending or reaching. The attachment is connected directly to the trimmer body and forms either a telescoping, elongate handle or a short, single handle for one-handed use. With the elongate handle attached, a sliding, adjustable brace permits selection of different cutting angles to meet the needs of various hedge trimming sites. With the elongate handle removed, the brace can be attached to the trimmer body to form a handle adapted for one-handed use.

Abstract: An improved iontophoresis device for topical administration of ionic drugs or chemicals through epidermal tissue for anesthetizing or sterilizing local tissue or for applying various medicaments without mechanical penetration. An ionic form of drug is conducted through the epidermal tissue by means of direct current generated from a battery powered current source. Pulse-width modulated DC current is regulated by feedback circuitry which varies the pulse duration and adjusts and stabilizes the average current at a desired level. A high voltage capability together with feedback control enables maintenance of a constant current through the highly resistive epidermal tissue. To prevent excessive voltage buildup and the accompanying dangers of shock and burns, a comparator circuit monitors current flow and voltage across the electrodes and automatically triggers an SCR shutdown circuit when impedance readings are outside predetermined limits.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for preparing a dense, B"-alumina-containing ceramic body exhibiting an electrical resistivity for sodium ion conduction at 300.degree. C. between about 3 and about 20 ohm-cm, by sintering a green ceramic body formed from a composition comprising at least about 90 weight percent of aluminum oxide, about 8.7 to 9.4 weight percent of sodium oxide, about 0.7-0.9 weight percent of lithium oxide, and from 0.0 to about 4.0 weight percent of magnesium oxide at a temperature between about 1400.degree. C. and about 1600.degree. C., for between about three (3) minutes and about 180 minutes to obtain a body containing both B and B"-alumina crystalline forms. The sintered body exhibits a density greater than 90% of theoretical for polycrystalline B"-alumina and a uniform grain size between about 20 and 100 micrometers. All of these compositions were prepared by using either a binary liquid forming mixture between sodium aluminate (NaAlO.sub.2) and lithium aluminate (LiAlO.sub.

Abstract: A geometric image comprising both a nonreflective material and a metalized plastic film capable of dispersing visible light into its component colors, which colors may change relative to the angle of the light being dispersed and reflected back to the viewer.

Abstract: Protective coverings for growing plants, food storage shelters, greenhouses and other structures provided by creating a relatively dead air space around the protected object with a device for deploying a canopy of water over and around said object.

Abstract: A fluid bed reaction apparatus for providing separate reaction sites for segregated reactions in processes such as coal gasification, wherein the respective gasification and subsequent combustion reactions are separated within a single stage reactor. The fluid bed reactor comprises a shell or housing for containing a shell side fluid bed and one or more vertical standing tubes located within the shell side which form the segregated tube reaction sides. The open lower ends of the standing tubes are displaced a short distance above a distributor plate which operates as the base of the shell side fluid bed column. A Venturi nozzle coaxially oriented below the standing tube mouth provides a high velocity fluid flow into the tube side of the reactor. Carbonaceous particles are first reacted as they travel down the shell side reaction chamber.

Abstract: A rotary blender rotating about a horizontal axis having an elongate opening and a gate which may be hydraulically operated to open or close said opening. The blender may be loaded through the opening from the top by a hopper or front loading machine and the blended material may be discharged from the opening when the blender is stopped with the opening in an inverted position. Lifting vanes fastened to the inside of the blender in an offset V position rapidly mix particulate material as the blender is rotated.

Abstract: A process for reducing the amount of catalyst required for coal hydrogenation-liquefaction reactions involving dry fed, short-residence coal reaction systems. Coal particles are mixed with dry catalyst material having a vapor pressure of 1 to 1000 mm Hg at reaction conditions. Catalysts having such high vapor pressure have demonstrated greatly improved ability to establish the required intimate contact for efficient catalysis when dry mixed and enable significant reduction of amounts of catalyst material required. In systems utilizing ZnCl.sub.2 as the catalyst material, reductions in percent weight concentration to the range of 1 to 2% are accomplished.The invention disclosed herein was developed in part under contract funding provided by the Energy Research and Development Administration of the United States Government.

Abstract: A game for indoor or outdoor use comprising a hollowed out hand held club having a notch on top for a thumb hold. A series of markers numbered from one to eighteen are placed about the legs of furniture. The object is to hit a golf ball with the hand held club until it strikes a leg in sequenced number. The player having the lowest number of strokes wins.

Abstract: A device for continuously monitoring oxygen consumption and anesthesia gas uptake of surgical patients, having servo-controlled replenishment mechanisms to automatically maintain preset levels of oxygen and anesthesia gas for inhalation. A closed, recirculating delivery circuit is utilized to adminster an appropriate volume of oxygen and anesthesia gas to a surgical patient. An oxygen sensor monitors decreases in oxygen concentration within the recirculatory system and triggers restoration to the preset concentration by means of feedback comparator circuitry. With the oxygen held at the desired level, any volume changes in the system are caused by uptake of anesthesia gas, which is monitored by detecting variations in the expansion of a respirator bellows. The desired amount of anesthesia gas is preset and maintained by a potentiometric monitoring device which produces a voltage proportional to the peak expansion of the bellows.

Abstract: Methods of preparing a dense and strong polycrystalline .beta."-alumina-containing ceramic body exhibiting an electrical resistivity for sodium ion conduction at 300.degree. C of 9 ohm-cm or lower obtained directly after sintering and having a controlled fine microstructure exhibiting a uniform grain size under 50 micrometers. The invention more particularly relates to methods of uniformly distributing selected metal ions having a valence not greater than 2, e.g. lithium or magnesium, uniformly throughout the beta-type alumina composition prior to sintering to form .beta."-alumina. This uniform distribution allows more complete conversion of .beta.-alumina to .beta."-alumina during sintering. As a result, the polycrystalline .beta."-alumina containing ceramic bodies obtained by methods of this invention exhibit high density, low porosity, high strength, fine grain size (i.e.