Abstract: A trailed skidder vehicle driven from the power take-off of a tractor or other power driving vehicle performs the operations of a conventional skidder. The trailed skidder vehicle has an elongate structural frame supported by an axle and set of wheels at the rear end of the frame. The axle includes a differential drive for coordinated drive of the set of wheels. A load bearing superstructure arch-like support extends above the frame adjacent to the rear end. The arch support is constructed with braces on the frame for transmitting forces from a load applied at the top of the arch support to the axles. A superstructure cable bearing such as a cable roller arrangement or fairlead is mounted on the arch support for guiding and bearing a timber skidding cable. A winch is mounted on the frame forward of the superstructure arch support for extending and retracting a timber skidding cable over the cable bearing or roller arrangement.

Abstract: An improved desiccant air conditioning system includes at least one heat exchanging desiccant bed having desiccant material surfaces defining air passageways through the desiccant bed. The desiccant material surfaces adsorb moisture from building air during an adsorption phase and desorb moisture into exhaust air during a desorption phase. The heat exchanging desiccant bed is formed with refrigerant circulating channels or tubes in heat exchange relationship with the desiccant material surfaces. A heat pump system is also provided including an evaporator, compressor, condenser, and metering device operatively coupled by a refrigerant circulating line for evaporation of refrigerant and transfer of heat to the refrigerant from air in the evaporator air passageways during a coincident adsorption/evaporation phase and for condensation of refrigerant and transfer of heat from the refrigerant to air in the condenser air passageways during a coincident desportion/condensation phase.

Abstract: A desiccant air conditioning system incorporates a desiccant material structure in the form of a heat exchanging desiccant bed. The heat exchanging desiccant bed is formed by granular desiccant material defining air passageways and liquid circulating channels for circulating heat transfer liquid in heat exchange relationship with the desiccant bed. The desiccant bed may include at least one stack of substantially parallel spaced-apart thermally conducting fins or plates with the granular desiccant material intimately bonded to the surfaces of the plates. The plates are provided by tube sheets or tube fins which include the tubes or channels for circulating heat transfer fluid. The method of air conditioning contemplates drawing building air to be conditioned through an adsorb air passageway; preconditioning the air by initially moisturizing or humidifying the air to substantially 100% relative humidity and adding heat to the moisture-laden air extracted from the air exiting from the desiccant bed.

Abstract: Flute attachments are provided for metal flutes to facilitate more favorable positioning of the flute player's hands. A resilient elastic clamp or clip in the configuration of an open circular arc greater than a half circle is constructed and arranged for clipping onto the round tubular body of a metal flute where the digit of a flute player normally rests against the flute body. The resilient clip includes a digit rest surface and a spacer element or portion spacing the digit rest surface from the body of the flute. The spacer is formed with a thickness to offset the digit of a flute player in the radial direction from the flute body a sufficient distance for minimizing cramping or fatigue of the digit and wrist of the flute player.

Abstract: A transistor logic device uses a signal from a transducer responsive to the centrifugal force experienced in or near the strike zone of a baseball bat during the swing to digitally process and numerically display numerals representative of the maximum centrifugal force experienced during the swing. Knowledge of the maximum force during the swing is useful on a comparative basis in improving batting performance and the speed of the swing can be computed or the displayed numbers can be converted into numbers revealing swing speed in miles per hour or other units. The use of digital data, dealt with digitally, and displayed digitally simplifies, and reduces the cost and size of the apparatus to allow it to be integrated within an actual baseball bat.

Abstract: In a machine for manufacturing multi-layered decorative ice cream cake and pie products. The machine frame supports a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations including ice cream dispensing stations. A conveyor simultaneously conveys products between the respective stations for indexing and positioning the products. The ice cream dispensers are mounted on lift positioning devices for lowering and raising the ice cream dispensers between a raised standby position and a lowering dispensing position. Ice cream dispensing valves on the ice cream dispensers open and close between a valve open position for flow of ice cream through an ice cream dispensing head from a continuous pressurized source of ice cream and a valve closed position for blocking the dispensing flow of ice cream. An index timer actuates the conveyor to convey products between stations and index products at each station for a selected dwell period.

Abstract: In a machine for manufacturing decorative ice cream rolls, an elongate frame supports a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations including ice cream dispensing stations arranged along the frame. An ice cream manifold is mounted on the frame for coupling a continuous flow source of pressuized ice cream through ice cream distribution lines to ice cream dispensing stations. A conveyor conveys a continuous ice cream roll body along the frame and along the respective ingredient dispensing stations. A support tray dispensing station delivers successive adjacent support trays onto the conveyor at the upstream end to support the continuous ice cream roll body extruded through a roll forming head. At least one ice cream dispensing ice cream wave forming station is provided along the frame with at least one ice cream dispensing tube or nozzle and motor for generating the wave form pattern through an eccentric slide coupling.

Abstract: A swinging-weight seismic vibrator is driven by the energy stored in a flywheel. Since the sweep rate is large near the resonance of the vibrator-ground coupling, and small away from resonance, a measure of compensation of the resonance is automatically obtained. Weights of variable eccentricity may be provided. Multiple vibrators may be used, provided that no two vibrators generate the same frequency at times separated by less than the maximum reflection time of interest.

Abstract: A portable, battery powered elongate strip is provided for deployment at the boundary of an area to be protected from crawling slugs and pests. The strip is formed by an elongate base of dielectric insulating material for placement on the ground or other boundary surface. Electrical conductors are mounted in parallel spaced apart relationship on the base in the elongate direction. The upper surfaces of the conductors are exposed for contacting a crawling slug or pest passing over the strip. Odd number conductors are electrically connected together through a first coupling and even number conductors are electrically connected together through a second coupling to provide parallel open circuits which are closed by crawling slugs or pests passing over the strip. The end of the strip is secured to a reel hub which rotates within a portable reel and reel housing for storage of the strip in rolled up position in multiple turns around the reel hub inside the reel housing.

Abstract: A portable intrusion detection, monitoring and alarm system is housed in a portable carrying case in the configuration of a briefcase with handle for convenient portability and inconspicuous placement at a desired location near a space to be monitored. Intrusion detectors are removed from the carrying case and placed in the space to be monitored. The intrusion detectors may include infrared motion sensors and radio transmitters for transmitting detection signals to a radio receiver in the carrying case. An electronic controller receives the detection signals from the radio receiver and delivers actuating data signals to a digital communicator and digital dialer with a telephone line output. The digital communicator captures a telephone line with dialing signals and sends further coded signals corresponding to different monitored spaces and intrusion detectors from which detection signals are received.

Abstract: An image projection system is provided for projecting and displaying images at billboard or signboard scale in which a building display window defines the display aperture or viewing aperture of the image projection system for viewing projected images from outside the building. A deployable and retractible rear projection screen is positioned for deployment in the display aperture adjacent to the display window. A first timer is adjusted to actuate a screen motor and deploy the screen after daylight hours and actuate an image projector. Optical elements establish the focal plane of the projector at the display window aperture. A second timer sequentially advances the image projector for projection of sequential still images on the rear projection screen during selected time intervals of sufficient duration to avoid objectionable or distracting motion effects to viewers outside the building.

Abstract: A safety and security locking device is described for use with pneumatic brake air couplings to prevent access to the air coupling opening for applying air pressure to release the brake. First and second elongate arms are pivotally joined at a pivot access between the ends for pivoting motion between an open position and a clamping locking position. One arm is formed at one end with a flange or cover for covering engagement over the air coupling opening. A locking guide or projection extends from the flange within the perimeter of the flange and is inserted in the opening for guiding the flange or cover over the air coupling opening or other inlet orifice. The second arm is formed with a brace at the same end for engaging the air coupling or orifice on the opposite side from the opening in clamping opposition with the flange.

Abstract: A new method for solder finishing the leads of an integrated circuit package such as a DIP having two parallel rows of leads along the sides of the package. The method contemplates establishing two vertical columns of falling molten solder and spacing the columns apart a distance substantially the width of the package. The package is passed between the vertical columns of falling molten solder immersing the two parallel rows of leads along the sides of the package in the respective columns of molten solder, washing the leads and depositing a finishing layer of solder over the surfaces of the leads. The method further contemplates directing hot nonreacting gas over the leads of the package as the package passes from the columns thereby eliminating excess solder and bridging of solder between the leads. A monorail track system and a new solder bridge for implementing the method are described. The invention may be applied for column fluxing as well as for other column liquid treatments.

Abstract: An improved desiccant air conditioning system includes at least one heat exchanging desiccant bed having desiccant material surfaces defining air passageways through the desiccant bed. The desiccant material surfaces adsorb moisture from building air during an adsorption phase and desorb moisture into exhaust air during a desorption phase. The heat exchanging desiccant bed is formed with refrigerant circulating channels or tubes in heat exchange relationship with the desiccant material surfaces. A heat pump system is also provided including an evaporator, compressor, condenser, and metering device operatively coupled by a refrigerant circulating line for evaporation of refrigerant and transfer of heat to the refrigerant from air in the evaporator air passageways during a coincident adsorption/evaporation phase and for condensation of refrigerant and transfer of heat from the refrigerant to air in the condenser air passageways during a coincident desorption/condensation phase.

Abstract: A coil form bobbin (20) for winding coil winding wire is a flat disk (22) formed with a plurality of peripheral radial slots (24,25,26) comprising at least one set of n slots spaced around the periphery of the flat disk dividing the bobbin into a respective set of n segments. The slots extend from the outside perimeter part way the flat disk. A method for winding flat coil windings on the coil form bobbin is described. The coil winding is in flat configuration for rotor and stator applications. Each winding phase (44,45,46) of multiple turns of coil winding wire is wound in the configuration of a flat substantially regular polygon. The multiple turns of coil winding wire turn in the same direction for conducting electrical current in the same rotational direction around the phase.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for maintaining and delivering a slack reserve length of lead wire between a spool or other source and the wire bonding tool of a lead wire bonding machine. A slack chamber or wind chamber comprised of a housing enclosure, an inlet guide on one side for guiding lead wire into the slack chamber from a spool, an outlet guide on the other side for guiding lead wire out of the slack chamber towards the wire bonding tool maintains the reserve length of lead wire in untangled condition. A source of pressurized dry air or other gas directs a gaseous flow into the slack chamber so that the lead wire is maintained suspended in the gaseous flow in an offset configuration. Wire sensors are operatively positioned in the slack chamber for sensing the offset of lead wire in the wind stream. The wire sensors are coupled to sensor and control logic for controlling the delivery and feeding of lead wire from a spool into the slack chamber.

Abstract: A low inductive impedance dual in-line package for an integrated circuit die incorporates a lead frame formed with a central opening without a die attach paddle. A ground plate forms the die attach plane spaced from and parallel with the lead frame. A dielectric layer is formed between the lead frame and ground plate. The lead frame is formed with a ground lead finger electrically coupled in parallel with the ground plate thereby providing a ground path through the ground plate with planar configuration to minimize inductive impedance to ground current and to minimize cross coupling between the electrically active lead fingers of the lead frame. In the preferred embodiment, the lead frame and ground plate are initially supported in a spaced parallel plane relationship by complementary spacing tab elements. During encapsulation, the encapsulation molding compound is introduced between the lead frame and ground plate to form the dielectric layer.

Abstract: An emitter coupled logic (ECL) to transistor-transistor logic (TTL) translator is provided with a transistor clamp operatively coupled in at least one of the alternate transistor collector paths of the ECL input gate for clamping the voltage applied through the transistor collector path by the ECL current source to a level below saturation of the ECL input gate. The source current generated by the ECL current source may therefore be increased for accelerate turn-off of the TTL output gate of the translator without saturation of the ECL input gate. The transistor clamps are also applied in an ECL to tristate TTL translator in which the TTL output gate is a TTL tristate output device or buffer with dual phase splitter transistors. A dual transistor clamp arrangement in at least one of the ECL input gate transistor collector paths also provides separate clamped base drives to the dual phase splitter transistors for eliminating "current hogging" or base drive preemption.