Abstract: A catadioptric imaging system for an interferometer includes a beamsplitter plate for reflecting a beam of light to a concave mirror for transmitting reflected light from the mirror. The beamsplitter reflections and transmissions produce opposite sign spherical aberrations. A refractive optic is located between the beamsplitter plate and a convex test surface for removing residual spherical aberrations and for permitting more variability in the positioning of the beamsplitter plate. Design variables for both the refractive optic and the position of the beamsplitter plate can be used to adjust a numerical aperture of the beam approaching the test surface. The refractive optic can also be used as a Fizeau objective to further reduce errors in the imaging system.

Abstract: The illumination of a photolithographic projection imager is given a variable annular intensity profile by using diverging and counter diverging elements that are movable relative to each other in the illumination path. An upstream element diverges the illumination into an annular configuration, the radius of which is set by the distance downstream to the counter diverging element. Convex and concave conical surfaces on the movable elements can accomplish this.

Abstract: In a process for the electroless plating of nickel onto a substrate made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, an aqueous acidic solution containing as an essential component a palladium salt is used as an activator of the substrate prior to the nickel plating of the substrate. The activating solution contains a palladium salt, an alkali metal fluoride or hydrofluoric acid, a carboxylic acid complexing agent, an alkali metal salt of gluconic acid, an iron salt, a nickel salt, and deionized water.

Abstract: A crystal-pulling apparatus incorporates a temperature sensor and an adjustable radiation shield. The temperature sensor measures temperatures of a melt surface adjacent to a solidification interface between a crystal and the melt. The radiation shield regulates radiational cooling of the melt. A control system adjusts the radiation shield in response to changes in the measured temperature of the melt for enhancing dislocation-free growth of the crystal.

Abstract: A printing station conveys a supply of molten lithium from a heated tank to a nozzle within a protective shroud. A web traverses a chiller also within the shroud. The nozzle dispenses discrete amounts of the molten lithium onto successive portions of the web in contact with the chiller. The chilled lithium solidifies into solid lithium patterns. A sealer also within the shroud prevents exposure of the solid lithium patterns to ambient air. The station can be incorporated into an in-line press for forming a succession of electrochemical cells.

Abstract: A label stock includes a thermal transfer facestock and a thermal transfer ribbon that are laminated together. The face stock has a front face for receiving thermal transfer ink and a back face covered by an adhesive. The ribbon has a front face covered by thermal transfer ink and a back face covered by a release. The facestock and ribbon are laminated and wound together into a roll so that the ribbon also functions as a conventional release liner.

Abstract: A parallel-axis torque-proportioning differential has four pairs of planet gears arranged symmetrically-but-non-equiangularly about a common axis in two mirror-image gear sets separated by angular spacings adequate to permit access for C-clip assembly. A thrust-block, positioned between the opposed end faces of the sun/side gears, is not supported in a housing window but rather is supported on the outer circumferential surfaces of four planet gears, two from of each set, so that the housing window can be significantly larger than the thrust-block, thus increasing lubrication and lessening the cost and weight of the housing and reducing the weight of the required thrust-block. Also, the thrust-block may include two side-by-side mating members separated by a spring element to exert a preload force between the opposed end faces of the side gears.

Abstract: Health care services are made more efficient by comparing health care services from different providers independently of the clinical complexity of treating the diseases of the patients involved. This is accomplished with a computer-aided system using outpatient and inpatient claims data bases containing indicators of clinical conditions, such as age, gender, diagnoses, and procedures used, and including comparison criteria such as utilizations and indicia of quality. The diseases of the patients of the population are grouped by clinical complexity, and the extent of the systematic relationships between the clinical complexity groups and the comparison criteria are analyzed, preferably by regression analysis. With the extent of the systematic relationships to clinical complexity being known, the health care services of different providers are compared for utilization of procedures and indicia of quality, independently of the differing clinical complexity of the patients receiving the services.

Abstract: An object fringe pattern is distinguished from other fringe patterns in an interferogram produced by an interferometer using a pair of diffraction gratings for separating and recombining test and reference beams. The object on which a test beam is grazingly incident is moved in X and Y directions in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the interferometer to change the brightness regions of the object fringe pattern. A computer identifies pixels whose irradiance changes in response to object movement, and then only irradiance data from the identified pixels is used in analyzing the interferogram to produce a measurement of a surface of the object.

Abstract: Test surfaces are measured at grazing incidence with an interferometer using diffractive optics for manipulating reference and test beams. A leading diffractive optic separates the reference and test beams, and a following diffractive optic recombines the beams after the test beam is reflected from the test surface. Extraneous light, including light from other orders of diffraction, is isolated and blocked from combining with test and reference wavefronts.

Abstract: An overhead bridge crane truss having a channel connected to a support beam by vertical connectors is improved in strength by adding wide braces at end regions of the truss, without significantly increasing truss weight or cost. The wide braces are rectangular box beams welded around their upper and lower peripheries respectively to the bottom of the support beam and the top of the channel.

Abstract: A coupling between a twisted rod and a torsion spring of a spiral counterbalance is found to be subject to deformation against the twisted rod from compressive force of the grip of the terminal convolutions of the torsion spring. This problem is solved by using a metal cylinder in the rotation transmission sleeve of the coupling to resist the compressive force and prevent deformation so that the twisted rod can move freely within the coupling. This solution also allows the use of a stronger torsion spring to exert a larger counterbalance force.

Abstract: A lightweight, self-supporting filter housing is disclosed. The housing is economically and simply manufactured by being die cut from flat sheet material to create (a) a plurality of panels serially interconnected at respective scored fold lines and (b) a pair of oppositely disposed holding-frame portions, each of which is interconnected at a scored fold line that is shared with one end of a respective one of the panels. When the sheet material is folded along the scored fold lines, it forms a structure with a tunnel-like passageway open at both ends, and the oppositely disposed holding-frame portions are positioned within the passageway to support the filter media element diagonally along the length of the tunnel-like passageway. The filter media is held in place and sealed within the housing by being pressed between the holding frames when the two outermost panels of the one-piece housing are fastened in superimposed alignment with each other.

Abstract: An object fixturing system applies to an interferometer having a pair of diffraction gratings arranged to produce and recombine test and reference beams. The fixturing system positions an object between the diffraction gratings so that a test beam is incident on a surface of the object at a grazing incidence angle. A positioning fixture engages the object and a reference surface of the interferometer in moving the object to a measurement position on a window platform that transmits the test and reference beams. The fixture is then removed for a simultaneous measurement of an entire surface of the object, which can be clamped in place if necessary by a clamping window that also transmits the test and reference beams.

Abstract: A thermometer stem is inserted into a thermally controlled receptacle housed by the calibrator to bring the thermometer to a calibration temperature. A socket in the housing engages and holds the adjustment nut of the thermometer so that the casing of the thermometer can be adjusted while the thermometer remains inserted in the calibrator. A wrench can be attached to the calibrator for rotating thermometer casings, enhancing ease of use of the device. An adapter can be placed over the socket to allow use with adjusters of various sizes and shapes.

Abstract: A traction control system combines a power limiting system having multiple operating modes with a power distributing system that resists differentiation between drive wheels. Sensors monitor vehicle turning, differentiation between the drive wheels, and wheel slipping of at least one drive wheel. The operating mode of the power limiting system is changed to reflect additional traction information available from monitoring the state of differentiation through turns.

Abstract: The disclosed document feeder apparatus includes a document drive that comprises only a single line of feed rollers with a simple skew adjustment system. This drive is shown incorporated in a cassette-loaded automatic document feeder ("ADF") that is attachable to an existing independent engineering document copier in a non-intrusive manner. The cassette can be loaded, either when positioned in the ADF or at a location remote from the ADF, with a stack of large engineering documents of mixed media and varying sizes; and it is even possible for the cassette to carry a document several yards (meters) long. Documents are fed serially from the top of the stack through the ADF's document flow path by the document drive which is centered for alignment along a line positioned parallel to the document flow path.

Abstract: A self-wound label stock includes a thermal paper substrate. One face of the substrate is coated with a primer layer having ultraviolet light blockers and a release layer having a smooth surface finish. Another face of the substrate is coated with an adhesive layer. Non-thermal printing is applied between the substrate and the primer layer. Thermal printing is applied to the substrate through the primer and release layers. A separator divides the label stock into individual labels.

Abstract: A direct thermal printable facestock has an adhesive-coated back surface and a release coat applied over a layer of thermal imaging material on a front surface so the facestock can be wound and unwound without using a separate release liner. The release coat is composed of two release agents. One of the release agents is a solid such as tetrafluoroethylene ground into specifically sized particles, and the other release agent is a curable liquid such as silicone within which the particles of the solid release agent are embedded for mechanically cleaning the thermal print head.