Abstract: A method and apparatus to prevent fraud in a bill acceptor system utilizing a lockable, removable cassette is disclosed. A security arrangement including a security sensor and a microprocessor monitors the attachment of the cassette for proper installation, and monitors the bill pusher cycle when an accepted bill is loaded into the cassette. If the cassette is not properly installed or if a bill pusher cycle fails to complete, indicating a possible fraud attempt, then the bill validator is disabled.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a lockable, removable cassette for attachment to a bill validator is disclosed. The cassette is removed from a bill validator by service personnel and transported to a central office, where an authorized person unlocks a hinged door with a separate key to remove stored bills. A lever is turned to a predetermined position which unlocks the cassette from the bill validator, and locks a pusher plate to prevent unauthorized bill removal. The lever is prevented from being turned clockwise and from further rotation past the predetermined position. When the hinged door of the secured cassette is opened by authorized personnel, the lever is released from its locked position arming the cassette. The emptied cassette can now be returned to the service person who can now reconnect it to a bill validator by further rotating the lever, which locks the cassette in place and unlocks the pusher plate to prepare the cassette to receive bills accepted by the validator.

Abstract: In a coin testing apparatus, the front face of an inductive coil, the front fact of a high-permeability core for the coil, and a structural part of the apparatus, are all accurately located relative to each other by having the coil wound on a former having a front flange which determines the relative positioning of those features.

Abstract: A mixing apparatus for mixing two or more fluids into a homogeneous mixture. A rotor is mounted on a drive shaft coaxially within a cylindrical casing. Bores run the length of the rotor. Mixing conduits lead from the bores to outside the rotor. A cylindrical sleeve with slots is mounted coaxially within the casing and encloses the rotor. The fluids to be mixed are introduced into one end of the casing within the sleeve while the rotor is rotating. The fluids are sheared as they enter into the bores. The combined fluid either passes out of the mixing conduits near the front of the casing where it is sheared again or passes further along the bore to exit mixing conduits near the rear of the casing. The fluid then passes through the slots in the sleeve, where it is sheared again. Finally, the mixed fluid exits the other end of the casing.

Abstract: In a plate evaporator of the falling film type, every second plate interspace constitutes an evaporation space (28) in which evaporation liquid is distributed across the width of the plates in order to run downwardly on the plates, whereas the rest of the plate interspaces constitute condensation spaces (30) for a heat emitting vapor. The invention concerns a particular arrangement for supplying evaporation liquid to the evaporation spaces (28). According to this arrangement, a distribution chamber (27) is delimited within the uppermost part of each plate interspace constituting an evaporation space (28). This distribution chamber extends across the whole width of the plates and communicates with an inlet channel for liquid, extending through the plate package and formed by aligned openings (16) in the plates. In the upper part of each condensation space (30), several sealing means (25) are arranged horizontally spaced from each other.

Abstract: A laminated fabric suitable as a thermal insulator or fire barrier. The fabric comprises a layer (10) of a knitted glass fabric, to provide flexibility, and layers of heat reflecting materials (11), to reflect the heat, and woven glass fabric (12) to provide an effective thermal barrier.

Abstract: A folding walker with side frames rotationally mounted on both ends of a front frame such that the side frames can rotate independently from a closed position where they are parallel to the front frame to an open position where the side frames are perpendicular to the front frame and parallel to each other. The side frames are locked in the open position by fixed plates that are mounted on the front frame. Detents with lever releases are mounted on the side frames. The detents releasably engage the fixed plates when the side frames are in the open position.

Abstract: An improved trephine instrument for use in bone surgery comprises a tubular casing, an annular cutting face disposed on one end of the casing, and a cannulated piston mounted on a spring in the housing. The cutting face comprises a plurality of prongs spaced from each other, with thickened cutting edges at their tips. The head of the piston exends beyond the cutting face in the forward position. A flange is formed at the head of the piston. In use, a Kirschner wire is attached to the bone and inserted into the cannulation in the piston. The trephine instrument is then rotated and pressed foward to cut a bone plug.

Abstract: Spin castable mixtures are provided which are useful for applying onto photoresist surfaces to produce a contrast enhancement layer employing .alpha.-alkyl-N-alkyl nitrones in combination with an inert organic binder and solvent. The .alpha.-alkyl-N-alkyl nitrones can be used with 200-300 nanometers UV light.

Abstract: An analog to digital converter circuit and technique including a peak detector circuit for generating a reference potential corresponding to a peak amplitude of the analog signal to be converted, a level shifting circuit for shifting the dc level of the analog signal in response to the reference potential, and an analog to digital converter for converting the shifted analog signal relative to the reference potential to provide automatically high bit resolution digital signals, independent of the magnitude of the input signal. Preferably, the level shifter sums one half the analog signal and one half the reference potential to produce the shifted signal, and the shifted signal is converted using a ratiometric analog to digital converter having a reference signal input of one half the reference potential. The reference potential is periodically updated by detecting a new peak.

Abstract: A pedicle screw or hook has a slotted head for receiving a support rod. A support element in the head transverse to the slot provides limited pivotal movement for the support rod.

Abstract: A method for producing a flexible polyurethane foam by the reaction of an active-hydrogen-containing component composed of an active hydrogen compound, a blowing agent, and an additive with an organic polyisocyanate compound: said blowing agent being carbon dioxide which is generated by the reaction of water with free isocyanate groups, said organic polyisocyanate compound being a mixture of diphenylmethane diisocyanates and polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate, which the mixture contains said diphenylmethane diisocyanate and said polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate in a mixing ratio of not more than 1.0 and 4,4'-MDI in a ratio of not more than 60% by weight based on the whole isocyanate mixture, and said polyphenylmethane polyisocyanate having an average functionality (hereinafter referred to as "f") of not less than 2.9 and containing diphenylmethane diisocyanate in an amount of less than 35% by weight.

Abstract: A bone screw (1) has a screw head (2), a screw tip (11), and a shaft (5) with a thread (8,14). The threaded segment (6,7) of the shaft (5) has a head-end, essentially cylindrical first shaft section (6) with minor diameter d.sub.1 (16), and a tip-end second shaft segment (7) that is connected with the first shaft segment (6) and which has a smaller minor diameter d.sub.2 (17). The thread (8,14) in the two shaft segments (6,7) has the same pitch (10,12).

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the state of charge of a battery having a shunt resistor connected in series with a battery and an integrating circuit connected across the terminals of the shunt resistor. The integrating circuit includes a memoriode having a large capacitance and the capability to store charge for long periods of time, so that the integration can be performed along the same curve even if power to the integrating circuit is interrupted.

Abstract: In a plate heat exchanger a stack of double-wall elements (23-26) is included, which between themselves form flow passages (32-34), and each one of which comprises two heat exchange plates, each having a heat exchange portion and a sealing portion surrounding the same and via said portions abutting directly against corresponding portions of the other heat exchange plate. Sealing members (28-31) abut sealingly against adjacent double-wall elements (23-26) along the sealing portions and delimit the flow passages (32-34). Joining means press the double-wall elements against each other. To enable a quick indication of a possible leakage through a heat exchange plate at least one channel (40, 41) is arranged between the plates in each double-wall element. The channel (40, 41) is designed between opposite parts of sealing portions of the respective heat exchange plates and extends across the latter.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a flexible sheet workpiece is disclosed. The apparatus includes workstations arranged in at least two parallel series. Each workstation is adapted to carry out at least one operation on the workpiece, which can then be transferred to the next workstation in the series or, if desired, from a workstation in one series to a workstation in an adjacent series across an interchange area between the two series.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a plate heat exchanger for the evaporation of a fluid which is comprised of a plurality of heat transfer plate pairs. Each plate of the pair has a ridged and grooved corrugation pattern. Between adjacent plates are flow spaces, each having an inlet and an outlet. The ridges of each plate of each pair abut the ridges of the other plate in the pair to form a plurality of supporting points. The flow spaces between alternate plates form passages for the fluid, and the remaining flow spaces form passages for a heating fluid.The importance of the invention is that at least alternate heat transfer plates have a plurality of zones with different corrugation patterns arranged sequentially in the direction of fluid flow in the passages. The ridges and grooves of each plate in the pair are arranged to provide a flow resistance which gradually decreases in the direction of fluid and generated vapor flow.

Abstract: A method for producing a flexible polyurethane foam by the reaction of a mixture of an active hydrogen compound, a blowing agent, and an additive with an organic polyisocyanate, where water is used for generating carbon dioxide as the blowing agent; and the organic polyisocyanate is a mixture of(a) an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer prepared by reacting, with diphenylmethane diisocyanate, one or more of alkylene-polyols constituted of ethylene oxide units and an alkylene oxide units of three or more carbon atoms in an addition-polymerization molar-ratio of from 40/60 to 0/100, having an average functionality of three or more, and having an average molecular weight of from 9000 to 30000, and(b) a polyphenylmethane-polyisocyanate, in a mixing ratio of (a) to (b) in the range of from 20/80 to 80/20 by weight.

Abstract: A stackable modular unit for a storage structure for flat objects, having two lateral, mutually distanced, wall members to which are attached or with which are integral at least two bottom members and at least one top member. The bottom and top members define supporting and guiding surfaces for the object, the lateral walls are provided with cut-outs in their lower portions, the upper edges of the walls and the cut-outs so configured as to permit, in the stacked state of the units, the nesting of the upper portion of each lateral wall of each unit in the cut-out of the corresponding wall of the next-higher of the stacked units. Any one of the objects, when introduced into, and slid onto the bottom members of, the nth of the stacked units, mechanically joins the nth unit to the (nth-1) unit.