Abstract: A portable scatterometer and/or an angular radiated light measurement instrument that uses a measurement head which includes a double tapered fiber optic bundle with a concave front face to simultaneously collect partial or full hemispherically scattered light reflected from a point on a surface illuminated by a depolarized, telescopically focused, laser diode source, the light rays being received by each fiber normal to its face. The image of the collected light beams is minifled and coupled by the fiber optic bundle into an anti-blooming CID camera with an x-y scanning area array which converts the light beams to electrical signals. In a unique real time, 486-computer-controlled, data acquisition and reconstruction process, a frame grabber and a unique algorithm are used to collect over 200,000 points of light, reconstruct the data into a 2D or 3D scatter profile, and display the results, all within one second.

Abstract: An elapsed time hour meter for measuring and indicating an amount of elapsed time used in many types of applications. The elapsed time hour meter has a cylindrical rotating counter indicator that indicates the amount of elapsed time, and it is driven by an electrically powered watch movement. The gear work of the elapsed time hour meter couples the watch movement to the rotating counter whereby the watch movement drives the counter indicator to measure and indicate the actual amount of elapsed time. The watch movement is a reliable production wrist watch without battery, face and hands and to the minute stem of which is affixed a minute gear coupled to an intermediate gear supported on a lower housing half which couples to the counter indicator. The power supply elements and external terminals are supported in the upper housing half. The elapsed time hour meter is versatile and reliable and has the advantages of being small in size, low in cost, and low in power consumption.

Abstract: A continuous process for making fat-free potato chips without using any cooking oil whatsoever. Chipping potatoes are prepared, sliced, continuously monolayered onto a conveyer and squeegeed to remove the excess starch and moisture. The slices are initial cooked on independently controlled conveyers in a primary 3-zone oven where they are first radiant heated and then subjected to two stages of forced air convection heating by driving the air into both surfaces of the slices simultaneously as the moisture content is reduced to 15%. The slices are then final cooked in a dielectric heater where an even controlled heat is applied in two tandem drying zones where the potato slices are subjected to long wavelength (65.8 ft.) radio frequency (15 mhz) waves from two 20 kw transmitters which reduce the moisture content of the finished slices to 7%. The finished potato chips are seasoned and packaged and have the texture, appearance and mouthfeel of deep-fat fried potato chips.

Abstract: About 1/2 cc of a sterile composition (5) dropped into the rotor drive air feed line (11) of a dental handpiece (10) while holding the handpiece upside down protects and lubricates the handpiece bearings and turbine during the subsequent auto-clave sterilization process. An additional dosage inserted into the bur hole after the auto-clave process further lubricates the handpiece and inhibits rust from forming on the handpiece bearings and turbine during use. The pre-sterilization dosage and post-sterilization dosage of measured amounts may be separately packaged in disposable capsules (20, 30). The composition (5) is made by heat mixing until sterile about 10% by volume of a sterile solution of Power-Up.TM. NNL-690, which is a liquid hydrocarbon boundary lubricant; and corrosion inhibitor, with 90% by volume of pharmaceutical grade mineral oil.

Abstract: A portable scatterometer and/or an angular radiated light measurement instrument that uses a measurement head which includes a double tapered fiber optic bundle with a concave front face to simultaneously collect partial or full hemispherically scattered light reflected from a point on a surface illuminated by a depolarized, telescopically focused, laser diode source, the light rays being received by each fiber normal to its face. The image of the collected light beams is minified and coupled by the fiber optic bundle into an anti-blooming CID camera with an x-y scanning area array which converts the light beams to electrical signals. In a unique real time, computer-controlled data acquisition and reconstruction process, a frame grabber and a unique algorithm are used to collect over 200,000 points of light, reconstruct the data into a 2D or 3D scatter profile and display the results, all within one second.

Abstract: A continuous process for making fat-free potato chips without using any cooking oil whatsoever. Chipping potatoes are prepared, sliced, continuously monolayered onto a conveyer and squeegeed to remove the excess starch and moisture. The slices are initial cooked on independently controlled conveyers in a primary 3-zone oven where they are first radiant heated and then subjected to two stages of forced air convection heating by driving the air into both surfaces of the slices simultaneously as the moisture content is reduced to 15%. The slices are then final cooked in a dielectric heater where an even controlled heat is applied in two tandem drying zones where the potato slices are subjected to long wavelength (65.8 ft.) radio frequency (15 mhz) waves from two 20 kw transmitters which reduce the moisture content of the finished slices to 7%. The finished potato chips are seasoned and packaged and have the texture, appearance and mouthful of deep-fat fried potato chips.

Abstract: A plurality of cards, usable as both coupons and playing cards. Each card has a playing card indicia and a coupon message printed on one of its faces. The set of cards is a compilation of coupons in which each coupon is redeemable for valuable goods or services. The coupon playing cards may have a round, casino chip design. The design of the card aids in the promotion of the set of cards and the discounts offered in the cards to a number of consumers.

Abstract: An improved plunger apparatus used in a resin molding device for encapsulating electronic components. At least one annular recess is located in the bottom side of the plunger. The annular recess redirects the plasticized resin to flow towards the mold cavities in the molding device and away from the interface between the plunger and the cylinder of the molding device, thereby optimizing the flow of resin to the cavities and reducing the tendency of excess gas and resin to flow away from the cavities. At least one flat side is located in the lengthwise surface of the plunger. The flat side forms an enlarged clearance in the interface between the flat side and the cylinder of the molding device. The enlarged clearance receives and provides an outlet for any excess gas or resin that flows in the interface. The improved plunger still stably guides within the cylinder, and the improved plunger allows the molding apparatus to encapsulate electronic components more economically, efficiently, and effectively.

Abstract: A multiple compartment box for use in sterilizing and segregating small parts, such as orthodontic bands. The box is shaped as a cassette and is divided into a plurality of small compartments by a plurality of dividers, which include at least one intersecting divider mutually perpendicular to the other dividers. The entire cassette including dividers and lid is preferably made of a material which is resistant to repeated sterilization processing, such as, a metal. Each compartment is identified with respect to an orthodontic band associated with a particular jaw, quadrant and tooth of a patient's mouth to assist is segregating and differentiating the band. The dividers have substantially flat edges which closely abut the inner adjoining surfaces of the sidewalls, endwalls, base and lid to prevent passage of bands identified for one compartment to another compartment. The box incorporates a sliding lid which can be opened or closed without interfering with the divider edges or the contents of the compartments.

Abstract: An outside STYROFOAM.upsilon. polystyrene plastic wall or fence is constructed by anchoring each of at least two styrofoam H-columns to a concrete base in the ground supporting a steel reinforcing bar which extends up into a hollow of the column by filling the hollows with concrete. A STYROFOAM.TM. polystyrene plastic panel is supported within the grooves of juxtaposed columns. The fence may have any desired length. The panel is secured to the two columns by L-shaped rebars or a continuous length of rebar laid in a recessed groove atop each panel and column and anchored in the concrete in the column hollows. An exterior mesh-stucco or paint finish covers the wall. Columns--in--line, L, T--and panels--square or T--enable making walls of any shape or configuration.

Abstract: A mobile apparatus and method for weighing bales on an electronic scale in a field. Fixedly supported on the rear end of a mobile crop baler are two load cells from which is pivotably suspended the inboard end of a bale-receiving-structure. The outboard end of the bale-receiving-structure is adjustably supported by a tether from at least one other load cell fixed to a rearwardly extended portion of the baler which allows the outboard end to swing upwardly as the underside of the bale-receiving-structure encounters berms in the field thereby preventing damage to the electronic scale components. The weight of each bale produced by the baler is digitally readout in the baler cabin where, by comparison to a predetermined weight, real time adjustments are automatically or manually made to adjust bale weight to the predetermined weight, thereby achieving greater weighing accuracy and enhanced overall output from the field. The scale may be used on original equipment balers or made to retrofit existing balers.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for playing a CASINO dice game with a set of six identical dice in which each die has a different symbol on each face. The symbol may be one of the letters of the same six lettered word CASINO or one of six different colors. A scoring system assigns a predetermined point value to individual symbols or combined symbols. A player must reach a threshold level of 1000 points and surrender his turn before rolling nothing of value for that player's points to count, failing which he loses his turn and all points accumulated during that turn. The players then continue to play until one player ends the game by reaching 10,000 points. That player may choose to surrender his turn and establish his final score as the winning high score or continue his turn to establish an even higher score, at the risk of losing his turn, his points for that turn, and the established winning score if he rolls nothing of value.

Abstract: A swing training and exercise apparatus used by a swinger for practicing and exercising swing motions. The swing training apparatus has a tubular, generally rectangular framework (10). A first handle (30) is on the inboard end (11a) of the upper member 11 of the framework (10), and an end of a second handle (40) is attached at an obtuse angle to framework (10) between the horizontal upper member (11) and a vertical inboard member (13) of framework (10). The area enclosed by the framework (10) is covered by an air resistant material (20) attached thereto for providing drag that opposes the swing motion. The amount of drag is dependent on the material chosen, the percentage of the enclosed area covered by air resistant material (20), and the aspect ratio of the plane of the framework (10) and material (20) to the path of the swing enabling the swinger to practice and build up muscles and muscle memory needed to effect a good, proper swing.

Abstract: A vending machine (10) includes three individual vendors (28), each of which dispenses cigarettes (20) one at a time. Cigarettes (20) are loaded into a holding bin (50) via a loading box (30) having a removable, horizontal floor (62). The cigarettes (20) reside in the holding bin (50) in a horizontal orientation. The holding bin (50) feeds the cigarettes to a slot (102) in a cylindrical, horizontally disposed dispensing member (52). The dispensing member (52) rotates in a single direction under the control of a coin mechanism (22). As the coin mechanism rotates, an agitator (124) cooperates with dimensioning in the holding bin (50) to prevent arches or bridges from forming and to insure that a cigarette (20) is fed into the slot (102). Continued rotation of the dispensing member (52) causes the cigarette (20) contained within the slot (102) to pass out of the holding bin (50) and fall into a dispensing tray ( 54).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for protectively stabilizing and securing a intravenous device to a patient's body member. The method and apparatus comprise the use of a tubular sleeve made of stretchable fabric having two open ends. The intravenous device is attached to a patient's particular body member. The sleeve is stretched to encircle and elastically retain to the body member, and the sleeve has a plurality of spacings for ventilating the body member. The intravenous device is thereby secured between the sleeve fabric and the body member. The stretchable fabric is an elastic, soft, resilient material through which the body member is easily insertable while allowing the body member to easily and fully move therein.

Abstract: A negation circuit (28) generates a two's complement negation by inverting only those bits of an incoming number which have a level of significance greater than the significance level at which a transition bit resides. The transition bit and all bits of the incoming number having a significance level less than the transition bit are reproduced at the output (32) of the negation circuit (28). The transition bit is the least significant bit in the incoming number to exhibit a logic one. A negation selector circuit (40) selectively overrides the negation so that a negation is generated only when a select negation signal (34) is active. When a transition detected input signal (38) is active, all bits of the incoming number are inverted- A transition detected output signal (36) provides a signal which activates to indicate that the circuit (28) has detected a transition bit. The negation circuit (28) may be coupled to an adder (66) to form a direct subtractor or a direct adder/subtractor (64).

Abstract: A golf putter having a CORIAN putterhead [10] and a handle [110] affixed thereto. The putterhead is a three layer [20, 30, 40 ] hollow, [31], ear-shaped methacrylate sandwich fixedly encapsulating a variably sized lead shot weight filler [60, 70] in the hollow. Putting alignment inlays [50] are affixed in the top surface. The sandwich has a flat putting face [80] and a curvo-linear shaped body [90] the top edge of which is slanted [120]. The different colored CORIAN layers and alignment indicators add to the aesthetics of the putterhead. The CORIAN putting face [80] reduces the tendency of the golf ball to skid when it is contacted. The sandwich is made by adhering a hollowed [31] middle layer [30] to a flat end layer [20], inserting the lead shot [60] and resin filler [70], closing with a flat end layer [40 ] and shaping. The sandwich is then provided with the alignment inlays [50 ], final shaped [120], finished to a high luster and provided with a handle [110].

Abstract: A portable scatterometer and/or an angular radiated light measurement instrument that uses a measurement head which includes a double tapered fiber optic bundle with a concave front face to simultaneously collect partial or full hemispherically scattered light reflected from a point on a surface illuminated by a depolarized, telescopically focused, laser diode source, the light rays being received by each fiber normal to its face. The image of the collected light beams is minified and coupled by the fiber optic bundle into an anti-blooming CID camera with an x-y scanning area array which converts the light beams to electrical signals. In a unique real time, computer-controlled, data acquisition and reconstruction process, a frame grabber and a unique algorithm are used to collect over 200,000 points of light, reconstruct the data into a 2D or 3D scatter profile and display the results, all within one second.

Abstract: A viewing screen protective shield is set forth removably securable in association with a viewing screen, such as LCR screens, as found in fish finders and the like, which are typically exposed to adverse weather conditions. The protective shield is readily removable and replaceable and include convex peripheral edges to conform the shield to the convex screen with an outwardly extending tab formed outwardly of a single corner of the shield to enhance manual grasping thereof. To enhance securement of the shield to the associated screen, a plurality of transparent adhesive strips may be secured to an interior surface of the shield to enhance securement of the transparent shield to the associated screen.