Abstract: A system is disclosed for retail display of a cassette in a box and for storage of a cassette at home or in an automobile using a flat plastic holder having a window and four protrusions into the window. These protrusions fit into holes in the box. A pair of protrusions on one side, which are longer than on the other side, are inserted into matching holes in the box. As the other side is then moved into the window, the other (shorter) pair of protrusions snap into the remaining holes in the box. The holder has an extension at one end with a hole for receiving a rod of a display rack. For storage, the holder slides into slots on the inside of a case. The extension then seves as a tab for lifting the holder out of the case.

Abstract: A simple flexible magnetic disk memory system is provided which enables precise positioning of a read/write head to follow a data track, despite non-uniform expansion or contraction of the disk. Several positioning sectors of the disk are formed which have positioning tracks recorded thereon, and several corresponding holes are punched in the disk to enable an optical sensor to determine the sector locations. Although a step motor positions a head at the approximate middle of a selected data track, an analog circuit repeatedly adjusts the head location as each positioning sector passes the head. Four positioning sectors can be used which are each aligned with or angled by 90.degree. from the direction of machining of the sheet material of which the disk was made, to minimize track run-out in each data region that lies between positioning sectors.

Abstract: A production method and structure for a thin-film GaAs crystal for a solar cell on a single-crystal silicon substrate (10) comprising the steps of growing a single-crystal interlayer (12) of material having a closer match in lattice and thermal expansion with single-crystal GaAs than the single-crystal silicon of the substrate, and epitaxially growing a single-crystal film (14) on the interlayer. The material of the interlayer may be germanium or graded germanium-silicon alloy, with low germanium content at the silicon substrate interface, and high germanium content at the upper surface. The surface of the interface layer (12) is annealed for recrystallization by a pulsed beam of energy (laser or electron) prior to growing the interlayer. The solar cell structure may be grown as a single-crystal n.sup.+ /p shallow homojunction film or as a p/n or n/p junction film. A Ga(Al)AS heteroface film may be grown over the GaAs film.

Abstract: The break-even point of any enterprise is quickly calculated on a Cartesian coordinate system for plotting receipts versus costs by entering in the coordinate system the fixed costs, and pivoting a cursor to extend from the origin of the coordinate on receipts at the fixed costs to the point of fixed cost plus variable costs and receipts anticipated from a selected volume of sales. The break-even point is then read from the coordinate system where the cursor intersects a line on the coordinate system having a slope of unity from the origin of receipts and costs.

Abstract: A flexible buckle arrestor (20) is provided at somewhat regular intervals (l) along the length of a pipeline (10) as it is being laid underwater for arresting the propagation of any buckle (22) that may occur in the pipeline during or after pipeline laying operations. The buckle arrestor is comprised of a rod (20a) tightly wound around the pipe to form a number of spaced apart turns, the ends (20a and 20b) of which are secured either to the rod itself, to the pipe, or to the rod and pipe to prevent the turns from expanding while a buckle propagating in the pipe is arrested. The turns may be individual and unconnected, with each turn welded to itself, to the pipe, or itself and the pipe. The rod may be wound on the pipe as it is being payed out from a reel, or may be wound on the pipe before it is placed on the pipe laying vessel, particularly when a concrete coating (24) is applied to sections welded together as the pipe is laid.

Abstract: A system is described for use with a platform structure which is anchored at a fixed location and orientation in deep water, to hold a supply boat at a substantially fixed location and compass heading so that cranes or the like on the platform can reach the boat to lift off cargo, which is of the type that utilizes a pair of hawsers to tie the stern of the boat to the platform and another hawser to tie the bow of the boat to a buoy anchored far from the platform. A long underwater beam structure is utilized which lies under the boat, has an inner end pivotally connected to the platform structure, and has an outer end which anchors the buoy in position, so that the buoy does not have to be separately anchored to the sea floor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for comparing internal voltage potentials of first and second operating electronic components such as large scale integrated circuits (LSI's) in which voltage differentials are visually identified via an appropriate display means. More particularly, in a first embodiment of the invention a first and second scanning electron microscope (SEM) are configured to scan a first and second operating electronic component respectively. The scan pattern of the second SEM is synchronized to that of the first SEM so that both simultaneously scan corresponding portions of the two operating electronic components. Video signals from each SEM corresponding to secondary electron signals generated as a result of a primary electron beam intersecting each operating electronic component in accordance with a predetermined scan pattern are provided to a video mixer and color encoder.

Abstract: An apparatus for mixing a bathing liquid into shower water, of a type that includes a reservoir assembly for holding the liquid and a mixer coupling connected between a water outlet and shower head to mix bathing oil from the reservoir with water flowing towards the shower head. The reservoir assembly includes a reservoir that can hold a small quantity of bathing liquid, a container which can hold more than the reservoir to repeatedly fill it, and a housing that pivotally supports the container to flow bathing liquid into the reservoir until the liquid reaches the level of the opening in the container. The mixer coupling includes a venturi to pass shower water and draw in bathing liquid, a chamber between the venturi inlet and the shower water entrance, an air vent leading to the chamber, and a diaphragm freely movable in the chamber against and away from the air vent to permit the outflow of liquid from the coupling when the shower is turned off.

Abstract: A digital phase lock loop system used in conjunction with a flexible disk drive controller for recovering data information from either single density or double density serially encoded data. More specifically, a phase lock system is disclosed in which data bit windows and clock bit windows are defined by a plurality of phase clock cycles. A circuit is provided for determining during which phase clock cycle a bit occurs, an adjustment being made to the duration of its corresponding bit window and thus to the initiation time of a subsequent bit window which will tend to position the window so that it will be centered about its corresponding bit. In a specific embodiment for double density encoded data, a circuit is provided whereby the subsequent bit window is positioned in accordance with the position of the current bit within its corresponding window and the position of a preceding bit within its corresponding bit window.

Abstract: A merchandising terminal is provided for recommending a product, such as a lipstick of appropriate color, which matches the needs of a particular customer who is unskilled in the selection of the product. The terminal includes a projector that displays a succession of images on a console screen, such as groups of questions related to the facial and body characteristics of the customer. A switch apparatus is operable by a person viewing the screen, to select which of several conditions most closely corresponds to that person, such as which of several skin colors most closely matches that of the viewer and which of several other conditions such as hair color most closely corresponds to that of the viewer. A logic circuit receives signals representing the various individual characteristics specified by a person, and generates an output indicating the particular products, such as a particular lipstick, facial cream, etc., which are most appropriate to the characteristics of that person.

Abstract: Solid state electro-optical devices are formed on a semi-insulating substrate, with all contacts of each device being on the same side of the substrate. These devices include two types of lasers, one operating on current crowding effect and the other by lateral diffusions. Either type laser is integratable with an electronic device e.g. a Gunn oscillator or an FET on the common semi-insulating substrate to form a complex monolithic electro-optical device.

Abstract: A device for holding a heartbeat sensor in a relatively fixed relationship with respect to the end of a user's fingertip. More particularly, a device is disclosed wherein a single sheet of resilient material is formed into a base portion for holding the heartbeat sensor and three resilient bands that extend upwardly therefrom. The bands are adapted to grip the user's fingertip. In one embodiment of the invention, the bands and base portion define a U-shaped channel of constant cross-sectional area. In this embodiment a holding structure for the heartbeat sensor is wedge-shaped, the wedge-shaped holding structure being adapted to be held by the base portion so that the cross-sectional area defined by each band and the wedge-shaped holding structure decreases along the longitudinal length of the base portion. In another embodiment of the invention, each band defines a smaller cross-sectional area with respect to the base portion.

Abstract: Apparatus useful in combination with a sailboat boom for forming a basket-like structure positioned to catch a sail as it is being lowered. More particularly, the sail catching apparatus disclosed comprises two arm pairs pivotally mounted to the boom, the arms of each arm pair being on opposite sides of the boom. The arms on each side of the boom are interconnected by the flexible line segments and pivot outwardly from the boom to a predetermined angle. The end of each arm closest to the outer end of the boom is connected to a securing line which, when tension is applied thereto, causes each arm to pivot outwardly to the predetermined angle defined by a stop, this arm then drawing the other arm out to its associated stop. The securing lines are then tied to cleats provided on the boom. The outwardly extending arms and their associated line segments form a basket for catching a sail as it is lowered.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for injecting fluid into a patient over an extended period of time, such as in intravenous feeding of a patient. The apparatus enables close control of injection quantity and rate while assuring an even flow into the patient. The apparatus utilizes relatively simple disposable parts. The apparatus includes an air-operated peristaltic pump which pumps a controlled amount of fluid in each cycle of operation, and a pressure moderator which receives the liquid pulses and supplies an even flow to the patient. The moderator includes a closed chamber, and a resilient tube connected to the pump and having slits that permit the escape of pumped liquid into the chamber. The peristaltic pump includes a flexible but nonresilient tube connected to the container, the nonelasticity assuring that the tube does not expand beyond a predetermined dimension when a vacuum is applied to it.

Abstract: A hand-held instrument is provided to compare information from selected infrared and visible bands in the 0.4 to 2.5 micrometer range, to perform ratioing via a dividing circuit (17) and to directly read out, via a display system (18), ratio values in a continuous digital display. The dual-beam, ratioing radiometer contains two optical trains (10, 12), each having two repeater lenses (L1a, L1b and L2a, L2b) and a cooled lead sulfide detector (D1, D2). One of the trains (10) is pivotal to facilitate measurements at distances ranging from about 1 meter to infinity. The optical trains are intersected by a set of two coaxially-mounted filter wheels (F1, F2), each containing up to five interference filters and slits to pass radiation filtered by the other. Filters with band passes as narrow as 0.01 micrometer are used in the region 0.4 to 2.5 micrometers. The total time for a calibration and measurement is only a few seconds. It is known from previous field studies using prior art devices, that materials, e.g.

Abstract: In order to verify the authenticity of the signature of an individual, first a sample signature is written with a pen which can generate electrical signals representative of the forces exerted in the plane of the paper in the process of writing. These signals are sampled and then scaled so that the signature when displayed, can be fitted within a predetermined display area. The scaled signals generated from the sample signature are then stored. When it is desired to compare the sample signature with a signature which is subsequently written, called a specimen signature, the specimen signature is written and is processed for display in the same manner as was the sample signature. The scaled sample signature signals are then called out of storage and displayed, as are the scaled signals generated in the course of writing the specimen signature. Any deviations between the signatures are very readily detectable by observing the display.