Abstract: Apparatus and method of lubricating leads for installation of a component on a circuit board. In the process, a strip of conductive foam is compressed and inserted into a solution of solvent and lubricant operation. The compressed form is permitted to expand within the solution thereby resulting in the foam being saturated with the solution. The saturated foam is air dried to remove the solution and produce a foam that is impregnated with the lubricant. The leads of the component are inserted into the impregnated foam thereby resulting in each component lead being covered with a thin coat of the lubricant.

Abstract: Apparatus for enabling a telephone network to establish connections between calling and called telephones in accordance with called telephone numbers identified with ones of a plurality of calling party credit cards. The apparatus is connected by data links with data bases maintained by each of the credit card companies and each credit card company is identified by a credit card number received from a calling party. The received credit card number is transmitted over a data link to a data base maintained by a credit card company identified as having issued a credit card assigned the received credit card number for an on-line determination of the calling party credit card.

Abstract: Connector apparatus for coupling an optical fiber cable with laser devices. The apparatus comprises a receptacle terminating aligned fibers of the optical cable in a planar surface perpendicular to a central axis of the receptacle. A plug mounts a plurality of laser devices each having an electrical terminal for connecting a laser device to an external source and an optical terminal aligned in a planar surface perpendicular to a central axis of the plug with each optical terminal positioned to correspond with one of the receptacle fibers. The plug slidably engages the receptacle and is affixed thereto to position the receptacle planar surface adjacent to and aligned with the plug planar surface to optically couple each laser device with a corresponding fiber of the optical cable.

Abstract: A node for use with asynchronous and synchronous communication networks to interconnect data systems with networks having transmission paths interconnecting network nodes. Apparatus interconnects pulse controlled components of the node with network transmission paths and synchronizes a flow of data incoming to and outgoing from the node on the network transmission paths within the node at an unsynchronized clock pulse rate independent of the data transfer rate on the transmission paths and independent of a master network clock.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of controlling a telephone network to establish connections between calling and called telephone stations in accordance with dialed telephone numbers identified by ones of a plurality of calling party credit cards. The apparatus responds to the receipt of a telephone number and a credit card number from a calling telephone by identifying a company having issued the credit card assigned the received credit card number. A data link connection is established with a data base maintained by the identified company and the received credit card number is transmitted to the identified company during the call sequence for a determination of the validity of the received credit card number.

Abstract: Apparatus for retaining a threaded device in association with an article when the article is disengaged from another. The apparatus is intended for mounting on the article and has a center section formed with a center aperture sized for receiving the threaded device. A pair of elongated arm members each extend from opposite edges of the center section and are formed over onto a surface of the center section with an inner edge thereof configured to extend into the center aperture and engage the threaded device when the threaded device is inserted into the center aperture. The elongated arms are in compressed engagement with the surface of the center section when the threaded device secures the article to another article and expand when the threaded device is disengaged from the other article to cooperate with each other in securing the threaded device to the article.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling concurrent process access of infrastructures comprising tree structures of complex object nodes. Apparatus associated with each complex object node records an accumulate count of each type of lock applied by concurrently running computer processes against each infrastructure complex node. The apparatus and method respond to lock application and removal requests of concurrently running computer processes for incrementing and decrementing an accumulative count of locks currently pending against a process selected complex node and accumulative counts of locks currently pending against ancestral complex nodes located in a tree structure of the process selected complex node to maintain a current record of selective locks applied to each infrastructure complex node thereby enabling read and write of information into and from complex nodes of the infrastructure.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling process operations against conceptual structures formed of entities embodied on a complex infrastructure comprising tree structures of complex object nodes. The apparatus and method responds to a process request by selectively locking an entity to lock the entity and a structure of entities dependent on the locked entity. The requested entity lock is implemented on an infrastructure node embodying the entity to enable process access to the locked entity and dependent entities thereof.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling concurrent process access of infrastructures. The apparatus and method selectively locks nodes and tree structures to reserve lock a node and tree structure for subsequent exclusive and share locking by a process. Currently running processes have share read only access to the reserved locked node and tree structure until a subsequent exclusive lock is applied by the process to the reserve locked node and tree structure.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling concurrent process access of infrastructures comprising tree structures of complex object nodes of information. The apparatus and method respond to a request of a computer process by selectively applying a tree lock to a node to lock the node and child nodes located in a tree structure of the tree locked node. Subsequently, the process transports the applied tree lock from the node to selected child nodes located in the tree structure of the node thereby freeing the unlocked node and child nodes thereof for subsequent access by concurrently running ones of the processes.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling concurrent process access of infrastructures. Apparatus and method responds to a process request by selectively locking ones of the nodes and enables other processes to concurrently lock ancestral and child nodes located in the tree structure of the locked node independent of the lock applied to the selectively locked node thereby enabling concurrently running processes to write into and read information from the locked nodes.

Abstract: A voice capture system for use with a telephone switching system and transcribing terminals to record calling party generated information in predefined formats. The system digitizes and records messages generated by calling parties served by the telephone switching system and records recognized terminology occurring within the calling party voice messages as file records. The transcribing terminals are enabled to display the file record terminology in predefined formats and the recorded digitized calling party messages are transmitted as audio messages via a telephone coupled with the telephone switching system to operators of the transcribing terminals so that the operators may enter information contained within the recorded messages into the transcribing terminals to complete the predefined format that are subsequently recorded in the voice capture system.

Abstract: A high capacity information forwarding system for use with originating screening offices of a telephone network. Apparatus periodically accesses a centralized data base within the telephone network and translates a predefined telephone number dialed by a calling telephone station into a destination telephone number of a called telephone station. The apparatus, upon determining the information forwarding service capability of the called telephone station, stores the predefined and translated destination telephone numbers at the originating screening office. Upon subsequent receipt of the dialed predefined telephone number, the originating screening office accesses the information stored therein and establishes a telephone connection between a calling telephone station and a called telephone station identified by the stored destination telephone number and forwards information of the calling telephone station thereto.

Abstract: A component insertion machine having apparatus for mounting component magazines and arranged for loading components therefrom into the component insertion machine. Shuttle apparatus transversely positioned on th e mounting apparatus is arranged to receive ones of the component magazines and is slidably operable for laterally displacing one received component magazine with other received component magazines to maintain a continuous supply of components to the component insertion machine.

Abstract: A key telephone management controller system enabling telephone customers to control and implement changes to customer key telephone systems served by a telephone switching system. Apparatus and a method interactive with telephone customers records customer-selected key telephone button and line features and controls the telephone switching system to assign the customer-selected button and line features to telephone sets of the customer key telephone system.

Abstract: A password controlled switching system and method of operation for enrolling and storing passwords identifying lines and trunks of the switching system denied access thereto by other lines and trunks and which is operable upon a match of a calling party command with an enrolled and stored password for selectively interconnecting the calling party via a line with ones of the restricted lines and trunks.

Abstract: An electrical fuse for mounting on a circuit board. The fuse has a housing member with terminal members engaging a fuse element intended to interrupt an external electrical circuit coupled with the terminal members upon an occurence of a fault condition in the electrical circuit. The housing member has internal arc-suppressant structure supporting and deflecting the fuse element to shield the terminal members from arcs occurring upon a failure of the fuse element in response to the fault condition.