Abstract: A high temperature resistant flotation core and a high temperature resistant oil containment boom which allows for the in-situ burning of spilled or leaked oil during offshore oil spill cleanup operations are disclosed. The boom can also be used for precautionary fire containment during non-burn oil spill cleanups and can be easily recovered and redeployed.

Abstract: Improved microfibrous filtration laminate comprising a highly permeable layer of a self-supporting nonwoven fabric which provided support for a layer of a randomly intertangled nonwoven mat of electret-containing microfibers of synthetic polymers are disclosed. The filtration laminate, which is particularly useful as disposable filter bags or as a lining material for disposable paper filter bags for vacuum cleaners, is characterized by thickness and handling characteristics approaching that of paper filter material typically use in disposable vacuum clean bags but having improved performance in the areas of an immediate, high particle capture efficiency, minimal flow restriction and long service life.

Abstract: A development apparatus is provided with a flat or concavely curved, endless belt development electrode to conform to a flat or cylindrical electrographic record member, respectively. Such a configuration provides increased toned quality as compared to conventional cylindrical development electrodes.

Abstract: This invention consists of a Fresnel lens having focusing grooves on both sides of a single element. The relative frequencies of the grooved surfaces are controlled such that Moire fringe patterns between the two grooved surfaces are reduced. Specifically, the frequency of the Fresnel elements on one surface of the element is at least four times that of the Fresnel elements on the other surface and not a integral multiple thereof.

Abstract: Digital videocassettes are encoded by punching out breakaway tabs to permit a sensing mechanism on a recorder to identify key characteristics of each cassette. The encoding can be changed when the breakaway tabs are carried by an insert that can be remvably affixed to the cassettes. By employing such an insert, a number of problems are avoided such as possible contamination of the cassette and/or recorder by loose tabs. The tabs of the insert do not need to be breakaway when the inserts are initially formed to provide desired codes.

Abstract: A generally square disk cartridge for a recording disk includes at least one air filter in a corner of the cartridge and a circular rib adjacent the disk and between the disk and the filter. The cartridge may also include a radial rib connected to the circular rib to enhance air flow to the filter. Air filters may be located in each of the corners of the cartridge with associated circular and radial ribs to induce air flow to each.

Abstract: A cartridge enclosing a disk-shaped magnetic recording medium is provided with a disk restraint disposed between the disk and the cartridge for sliding movement in the plane of the disk. A camming surface is provided on the cartridge which forces the restraint downwardly to restrain the disk when the cartridge is not in use. In use, the restraint is slid out of engagement with the camming surface to release the recording disk.

Abstract: A development apparatus in association with an electrostatic record member is provided with a shroud surrounding a development electrode and a toner return including a vacuum source to increase circulation of the toner. The vacuum source also draws air around the shroud to strike the record member and remove excess toner.

Abstract: A flexible filter bag, the filter element of which is seamless and avoids prior leakage problems, is made by wrapping a flexible, preferably perforated, filtering fabric and a flexible nonfiltering transport material together onto a cylindrical mandrel to provide a tube. A thin metal ring is fitted into the tube, and the portion of the filtering fabric which extends beyond the edge of the transport material is folded inwardly around the ring to provide a cuff. A sleeve of a length about twice that of the tube is inserted into and pulled over the tube until the free ends of the sleeve are approximately coterminous with the ring-free end of the tube. The free ends of the sleeve and tube are gathered in the manner of a sausage casing and then subjected to pressure to form a seal, but the convolutions of the transport material terminate just short of the seal so as to avoid bunching at the seal.

Abstract: A recording cassette has a latch that pivots between two positions. A plug at one extremity of the latch either blocks or unblocks a record/not record opening at an under wall of the cassette while a relatively large flange at the other extremity of the latch can either be seen or unseen at the label wall to indicate the record/not record status. By making the latch of a color that contrasts with the label wall, mistakes in observing the record/not record status are virtually precluded.

Abstract: A disc cartridge including a shell, a disc within the shell, a disc restraint for selectively restraining the drive may be inserted to move the restraint is provided with a cover attached to the restraint for engaging the release pin, moving the restraint in response to movement of the release pin and closing the opening to prevent the entrance of contaminants into the shell.

Abstract: Catalytic converters for automotive exhaust systems wherein thin, resilient, flexible, intumescent sheet materials are utilized as mounting mats for catalytic monoliths are disclosed. Multiple wraps of such sheet materials have been found particularly useful and cost effective for positioning and supporting ceramic catalytic monoliths which have a large cross-sectional dimensional tolerance within the metallic casing of the converter.

Abstract: Disposable filter element, adapted for use in a high-pressure filter housing, has a plurality of layers of flexible filtering material, some layers being formed with openings through which a portion of the fluid can flow without being filtered, and at least one downstream layer of the filtering material being free from such openings. When all of the layers of filtering material have the same pore size, the total area of the openings in each layer is larger than that of the openings of any downstream layer. Each opening-containing layer of the filtering material removes part of the contaminant in the fluid. Interposed between adjacent opening-containing filtering layers is a layer of flexible transport material, and there is a layer of flexible prefiltering material positioned upstream of said filtering layers.

Abstract: A data cartridge includes a length of magnetic tape which is formed at each end with a first pattern of holes to enable identification of the end of the tape and a second pattern of holes located within the first pattern of holes and configured to provide a binary code to enable automatic identification of the cartridge type or tape type. The first pattern of holes is different at each end of the tape to further enable the automatic differentiation of one end of the tape from the other end.

Abstract: A film handling system which permits industrial X-rays to be made on site comprises a film cassette having an area for a supply of film and an exposure area and the cassette after exposure of a film is placed in the throat of a processor. Upon placing the cassette in the throat of the processor a rack and pinion dispenses an exposed film from the cassette and upon removal of the cassette a film is moved from the storage area to the exposure area. The exposed film is processed in the processor.

Abstract: A hunting decoy which may be either a single silhouette figure or a full three dimensional figure consisting of a number of assembled silhouette portions is manufactured of a flexible, thermoformable, closed-cell expanded polyethylene foam which is cross-linked by an irradiation process. The decoys are light in weight, collapsible, impervious to weather and life-like in appearance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing multi-color, continuous tone images on a photographic element sensitive to radiation outside the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum includes at least two laser diodes which may be simultaneously modulated, beam combiners to combine radiation emitted by the laser diodes into a single colinear beam and a rotating polygonal mirror for scanning the combined colinear beam across the surface of the photographic element.

Abstract: A slack limiter for a tape cassette which is tubular in cross-section and mounted to engage and bias a tape against a support surface and prevent slack or looseness of the tape.

Abstract: An image mask assembly for a microfilm roll handler includes an insert having an opaque area which can be slid relative to a frame of microfilm to block light through a portion of the film and thereby mask selected portions of an image projected by the film.

Abstract: For use with a stretched surface recording disk, a recording head having a spherical surface and a series of parallel grooves adjacent the disk and a support arm assembly which maintains the recording head in proper attitudinal relationship to the disk.