Abstract: A point of sale terminal includes a computer, a keyboard, and a key-controlled prompting display for eliminating a need for the attendant to memorize sales information. The keyboard has a set of first item keys each of which corresponds to a different first item. The prompting display lists a large number of second items. The keyboard includes a set of category-representing keys each of which corresponds to a different category of second items available for sale. A selected category of items is displayed when the attendant actuates a category key. The display shows prompting indicia associated with each item. The keyboard includes a set of keys having indicia associated with the indicia displayed by the prompting display.

Abstract: A turbomolecular vacuum pump utilizes a virtually zero power magnetic bearing assembly with a single axis sevo control and has an optimized L/D ratio and an optimized number of pole faces. In such a structure, radial stiffness is low and radial damping is high so that single axis control is possible. A frusto-conical mechanical bearing structure is shown as a fail-safe back-up for the magnetic suspension system taught.

Abstract: A point of sale system includes at least one computer, a keyboard, and money receiving, dispensing and storing mechanisms. The keyboard has item keys corresponding to an item for sale, category keys, function keys and a numerical pad.A bill tendered as payment is detected when it enters an opening and, is drawn into a money belt device and to a viewing window. The bill can be accepted or rejected by an operator visually examining the tendered bill. A signal produced by acceptance of the tendered bill is received by the computer to produce change-due data. Each money belt device detects each bill dispensed as change and causes a feedback signal to be produced to dispense another bill as change or to discontinue payment. The money handling mechanisms are placed in a disarmed mode, under control of a computer, at the completion of each sales transaction, and in an armed mode, under control of a computer operated through the keyboard.

Abstract: An automatic money handling device for receiving bills and coins and for dispensing bills and coins as change. The device has a storage reel, first and second bill belts extending from a first and supply reels around a first and second entrance rollers at an opening to the housing then to the storage reel. The two belts converge at the entrance rollers and then extend in superposed relation from the entrance rollers to the supply reel. Reversible drives can cause the belts to travel toward and away from the opening for receiving, dispensing and storing bills. A first sensor outside the opening senses the presence of a bill and can control the operation of the drive motors. A second sensor inside the housing adjacent the entrance rollers senses if and when the bill has been drawn far enough into the webs and halts operation of the forward drive, thus positioning a tendered bill at a viewing station for inspection.

Abstract: A check has first and second coatings one of which is electrically conductive and the other electrically non-conductive. The coatings are of contrasting colors and one of the coatings is electrically vaporizable for exposing the underlying coating during a "write" operation. The coatings may overlay a base material to form a three layer structure or the base material itself may function as one of the coatings of appropriate color and conductivity. The check is composed of at least two segments, a negotiable segment which may be fed back to a terminal device for a machine "read" operation. The memory segment may be formed into one or more memory parts on the negotiable segment, the stub portion and on the memory segment. One or more of these memory parts may be easily detached. The check described above combines uniquely with an input-output device which can read from it and write on it.

Abstract: A combination electrosensitive reader-printer able to perform both functions by sensing the condition of a recording medium in the read mode and by altering the condition of the recording medium in the printing mode. The change of mode is accomplished manually or automatically. The data to be read or written may be coded optically or digitally for interpretation by a processor. The recording medium is a metalized paper or similar material with an ink under or over lay. The resistivity, conductivity or capacitance change of the medium is sensed or altered by the reader-writer. Appropriate timing tracks and registration marks are normally placed to enable reading and writing by different devices. The styli for reading and writing normally are disposed in an array, straight or angled relative to the paper path. The styli have tips which are cylindrical, rectangular or oval in cross section. Control circuitry, including an analog to digital converter, control input to and output from the reader-printer.

Abstract: A business form has first and second coatings one of which is electrically conductive and the other is electrically non-conductive. The coatings are of contrasting colors and the second coating is electrically vaporizable for exposing the underlying coating when selectively removed during a "write" operation. The coatings may overlay a base material to form a three layer structure or the base material itself may function as one of the coatings of appropriate color and conductivity. A third coating overlays the second coating to form a matrix or array thereby organizing the document into sections. At the same time the third coating is put down, a light coat of a contrasting color can be overlaid the second coating. These two operations can be performed separately and in either order. The business form may be composed of first and second sections in which the second section may be a repeat of the basic information contained in the first section.

Abstract: A training device for teaching individuals the proper positioning of a sailboat's boom relative to the boat in a given wind. The device has three planar members, a front (base) member indicating wind position and having sailing terms printed therein, a second planar member representing the boat and a third planar member representing the boom of a sailboat. Three axis members interconnect the planar members for proper relative rotation. The first axis member secures the free end of the boom to the base member. The second axis member fixes the second planar (boat) member for rotation about the base member. The third axis member fastens the front end of the third planar (boom) member to the second planar (boat) member and allows some relative rotation.

Abstract: A conveying device having a flexible member with inside and outside surfaces and first and second end positions forming inlet and outlet orifices. Support mechanisms disposed intermediate the inside and outside surfaces and a drive mechanism for engaging the flexible member and propelling it in a continuous closed loop such that the inside surface becomes the outside surface and the outside surface becomes the inside surface; that the relative shape and orientation of the first and second end portion is not altered; and, that the inside surface and the outside surface move in substantially opposite directions.

Abstract: A mixture for cleaning ears of pets, especially dogs, containing a mixture of alcohol, acetic acid, peroxide, soap in a water base.

Abstract: A portable calculator is adapted to provide a time billing function and a calculating function. A "stop watch" function is actuated to start the billing period and stop the billing period attributable to a particular account. A memory stores the accumulated billing time for the particular account until properly cleared.

Abstract: A wide variety of lightweight, simple to assemble furniture items are formed from rigid load bearing (normally vertical) members, rigid cross rods (normally horizontal) fastened to the rigid load bearing members and flexible sheet material. The sheet material interconnects at least two rods to form a shelf, ledge, seat or other holder or support. The flexible members have spring-locking engagement with the rod members and a frictional engagement with the load bearing members. These three elements form a rigid unit when fastened together.

Abstract: A class of snap fasteners is described each of which includes at least one male and at least one female member. The female members have at least one socket portion which may be in the nature of a cavity in a hollow housing accessible by a fenestration in a face wall which is normally exposed or accessible, or may be in the nature of a through-hole in a substantially solid elongate bar member. The male members have at least one insert portion configurated and dimensioned to be receivable within an associated socket portion with relatively little clearance. Retainers are provided which limit free movement of the insert portions into and out of the socket portions. In the preferred embodiment, the retainers are in the nature of at least one protuberance or nipple at the fenestration or access opening to the socket portion which forms a local constriction of the fenestration area to provide an interference fit when the insert portion passes through the fenestration.

Abstract: A multiple product folder in a high speed rotary web printing machine for the production of signatures with various folds has a plurality of various operating cylinders, such as a pair of web cutting cylinders, a signature collecting cylinder, signature transfer and folding cylinders for one transversal and for a second parallel fold and signature delivering cylinders, wherein certain cylinders are driven by gear trains for accomplishing more than one slow-down speed, which gear trains have shiftable couplings for changing the speed of the transfer cylinders from a full speed to a slow-down speed according to the requirements of forwarding and delivering of certain signatures, whereas a shifting from a slow-down to a full speed can be performed for a certain folding action and the slow-down delivery yet can be maintained.

Abstract: A pocket-sized microform reader is realized by employing a unique lenticular (screen) assembly and a projection lens assembly, the latter permitting a fold in the middle of an optical path allowing the size requirements of such a reader to be met. The cooperation between the lenticular screen and the projection lens assemblies permits sufficient brightness to be obtained and the lenticular screen assembly defines a non wasteful exit pupil of limited dimensions consistent with a pocket-sized reader.

Abstract: A machine for performing certain operations in the production of endless business forms has a plurality of cross-perforating knife blades for perforating the endless paper webs at predetermined increments, whereby the perforating knife blades are mounted in slots in the surface of rotating cylindrical bodies and are cutting through the paper webs with their spaced apart perforating knife edges against a rotating "anvil" cylinder which has a hardened, smooth surface. The cyclic impacts of the perforating blades on the anvil cylinder can become resonant with critical frequencies of the anvil cylinder at certain speeds of the latter and with a certain number of inserted perforating blades causing the destruction of the cutting edges of the former, and therefore the structure of the anvil must be such that no resonances will occur between the cyclic impacts of multiple perforating blades at high speed production operations of the machine.

Abstract: A cabinet having at least two sections, one rotatable with respect to the other, and an upper section having a top slidable in two directions.

Abstract: The preparation of a semiconductor substrate for epitaxial deposition and the deposition of a solution from which the epitaxial film is formed is carried out at room temperature. The solution is deposited on the condensing surface in two discrete layering operations, the first of which ensures complete wetting of the condensing surface, the second of which ensures junction formation at a prescribed depth. The procedure is particularly useful in forming P Type epitaxial films on N-Type gallium phosphide substrates.