Abstract: Disclosed are two separate leg supporting members which are independently pivotally connected to a base assembly. At their pivotal connection with the base assembly they are further provided with a disk assembly having a cable attached thereto. The cable from each leg supporting member is attached through guide means to a crank assembly which, during operation, forces the leg supporting members apart stretching the legs of a user of a device into a "split" position. The crank assembly housing is pivotally mounted such that when the housing is moved forward and/or rearward, the cable path of both cables is lengthened a small amount, providing the user with a controlled minute additional stretching movement. The leg supporting members during non-use are retractable partially into the base assembly and a torso retaining seat back assembly can be folded flat. The crank housing assembly can also be folded down on top of the seat back assembly providing a very compact storage configuration.

Abstract: A cathode assembly for use in conjunction with an internal fracture fixation device for the purpose of stimulating osteogenesis (bone growth) within a fracture site. The assembly is comprised of a carrier made from an implantable non-conductive material containing a cathode with a conductive cable leading from the cathode to the patient's electrical bone growth stimulating apparatus. The carrier is mountable on the fixation device for maintenance at the desired location. In a preferred embodiment, a sleeve carrier contains a plurality of ports which allow the current generated by the stimulating device to flow through the cable to the cathode where it is evenly distributed through the ports to the bone tissue. The sleeve can be slipped onto a fracture fixation device, such as a compression hip screw, and is located on the device such that the sleeve containing the cathode lies across the fracture site.

Abstract: A bidet of small size, that can be mounted on a toilet bowl of any conventional structure without preliminary adjustment. This bidet whose function is to spray one or two water streams of adjustable temperature toward the anus or the genital parts of the toilet's user when seated onto the toilet bowl, then to dry the so sprayed parts of the body by means of a reversible fan blowing air at an adjustable temperature, and to drive out of the room the polluted air and vapor structurally comprises a thin oval-shaped element that can be fixed to the toilet bowl between the upper periphery of the bowl and the toilet seat, and a casing of very small dimension that is rigidly fixed by its upper wall to the rear of the thin element and that extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the toilet bowl without overheighting the plane in which extends the toilet seat.

Abstract: A pipe coupling includes a nut in which a collet, a back-up member and an anti-extrusion washer are retained by means of an axially split ring which is detachably engageable in a peripheral groove in the back-up member and engaged in a recess in the nut. The anti-extrusion washer has an extrusion press fitted into the member. This construction permits the various parts to be easily assembled into the nut without the risk of damaging the ring or the screw-threading in the nut.

Abstract: A switching system for sequential connection of a plurality of loads to an alternating current supply comprises a computer for generating switch selection data in the form of serial bits along a single line to a distributor arrangement which decodes the selection data and provides control signals to switch devices which connect the loads to the supply. The distributor arrangement includes a circuit for inhibiting supply of the control signals to the respective switch devices unless the voltage of the supply phase connected by the device is substantially zero. Additionally the control signals are time-advanced with respect to the zero voltage conditions so that the switch devices can be placed in states in which they can connect a load before disconnection of a preceding load.

Abstract: A battery powered electric vehicle d.c. motor control includes a first potentiometer actuable by an accelerator pedal and a second potentiometer actuable by a brake pedal. The motor current is controlled in accordance with the signals at the sliders of these potentiometers and contactors determine the connection mode of the motor under the control of a comparator which is sensitive to the signal at the slider of the first potentiometer only. This causes braking mode to be selected except when the accelerator pedal is depressed. A resistor is connected in series with the second potentiometer to ensure that a minimum braking demand signal is always present, but means is provided for cancelling this minimum braking demand signal in certain vehicle operating conditions and further means is connected to the comparator for overridingly selecting motoring mode in these conditions.

Abstract: A fuel system includes a known hydromechanical governor fuel control, which has an electromechanical trim device. The trim device is controlled by a circuit which includes an error signal generating means for producing an error signal representing the difference between the desired and actual values of an engine parameter a proportional-plus-integral controller circuit, a trim datum signal generator and a differentiator which connects the generator to the integrator of the controller, so that in transient conditions the integrator output will ramp to a new value required for a new steady state condition.

Abstract: An electronic security device includes a memory and a card reader which reads a combination code and calculation data from a key card. An electronic circuit compares the content of the memory with the combination code and enables the lock device if a match is found. If the key card is a new one the circuit calculates a new combination code by applying the calculation data to the memory content and, if this new combination code matches that on the key card the memory is loaded with the new combination code.

Abstract: A combined ignition control and injection valve operating circuit has an inductor connected in (series or) parallel with the ignition coil so that it carries current whenever an output transistor of an ignition control circuit is on.A thyristor connects the inductor to an energy storage capacitor and turns on each time the transistor turns off to create an ignition spark. The capacitor is thus charged up and the stored energy is discharged through a triac into an injection valve solenoid to speed up current growth in the latter on each energization thereof.

Abstract: A device and method for measuring the rate of change of a pulse train from a transducer includes first counter which counts the number of pulses in a first fixed frequency of pulse train during each interval between the signal pulses. A divider receives the count generated in the preceding interval and divides the frequency f.sub.1 of a second fixed frequency pulse train by this count. This divided pulse train is counted by a second counter for the duration of each interval to provide a ratio of the change in duration to the preceding interval's duration.

Abstract: A ball or plug valve comprises a ball or plug having a through bore which is rotatable in a metal body to control the flow of fluid through a passage in the body. The ball can be rotated from the exterior of the body by means of a metal stem which is rotatably received in an opening in the metal body. The opening is stepped so as to define a first shoulder which faces the passage in the body, and the stem is correspondingly stepped to define a second shoulder which faces the first shoulder. Under normal operation of the valve, the shoulders are spaced apart slightly and a sealing ring is interposed therebetween. In the event that the sealing ring fails, the pressure of fluid in the passage presses the shoulder on the stem into contact with the shoulder on the body to create a metal-to-metal seal which prevents the escape of fluid to atmosphere through the opening. To make the seal reliable, the shoulders are shaped so that they contact each other only over the outer periphery of the stem shoulder.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pyroelectric anemometer capable of providing an accurate indication of fluid flow rate. A pyroelectric substrate has a heater element located essentially transverse to the fluid flow direction. Sensor electrodes also transverse to the fluid flow direction are located upstream and downstream of the heater electrode. A fluctuating power supply is connected to the heater electrode which results in a fluctuating voltage at each sensor electrode. The amplitude of the fluctuations at the electrodes are compared and the difference in amplitude of fluctuations is indicative of the flow rate of fluid flowing thereover. Preferred embodiments utilize a differential amplifier to compare the fluctuating amplitudes and provides an output to a lock-in-amplifier which provides a fluid flow rate indicator output.

Abstract: An i.c. engine fuel control system includes a closed loop roughness control, utilizing a roughness sensor circuit, an integrator which integrates the error between the roughness signal and a reference signal and modifies the fuel flow to the engine via a main fuel control with a variable frequency clock. During acceleration and deceleration the closed loop is interrupted by means of a circuit including two differentiators which are sensitive to throttle opening (speed demand) and actual speed respectively, and switches controlled by these differentiators.