Abstract: A disk assembly which is normally fixed on a disk drive, but which can be removed in the field from the disk drive spindle and replaced on the spindle with extreme precision so that pre-recorded tracks are concentric with the axis of the spindle within extremely small tolerances. The disk assembly includes a mounting ring which fits around the drive spindle, the ring having three resilient centering flexures extending slightly radially inwardly of the rest of the ring to engage the drive spindle, and all being outwardly deflected substantially the same amount to center the ring on the spindle.

Abstract: A myocardial transducer for simultaneously measuring force and displacement within a very small area of myocardium comprising an elongated body forked at one end to form an inverted Y-shaped beam, each branch of the beam constituting a low-compliant tine for penetrating the myocardium to a predetermined depth. Each tine has a transverse indentation formed around at least a part of it. When the tines are inserted into a heart, the surface membrane of the myocardium closes around the indentations to hold the tines in place. Bonded to one of the low-compliance tines is a small piezoresistive element for converting a force acting on the beam into an electrical signal. A third high-compliant tine of the transducer, which measures displacement of the myocardium in a direction in line with the two low-compliant tines, is of a length that just pierces the surface membrane. A small piezoresistive element is bonded to the third tine at its upper end where its bending is greatest.

Abstract: A self-service, wet-vacuum cleaning machine for carpets, upholstery, and the like, utilizes a hand-held tool attached to both a vacuum hose and a hot water hose. A motor driven pump operates for a metered time to provide hot water under a high pressure in a direction that closes a valve in the hand tool to prevent spraying until it is called for by manually unseating the valve, thus allowing hot water to be sprayed on an area to be cleaned by wet-vacuuming. A spring in the valve housing exerts a force against the valve in a direction to unseat it, but not with sufficient force to do so against the hot water pressure. When the hot water pump is turned off, cold water under line pressure enters the hot-water hose through a T-fitting at a controlled low rate and passes through the valve now opened by the spring. This flow at a low rate prevents freezing in the hot water hose or spray valve.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for frequency modulating radiation, such as from a laser, for optoacoustic detectors, interferometers, heterodyne spectrometers, and similar devices using two oppositely reciprocating cat's-eye retroreflectors to Doppler modulate the radiation. By reciprocally moving both retroreflectors, the center of mass is maintained constant to permit smooth operation at many Hertz. By slightly offsetting the axis of one retroreflector relative to the other, multiple passes of a light beam may be achieved for greater Doppler shifts with the same reciprocating motion of the retroreflectors. A Doppler shift of 2(v/c).nu. occurs for each pass where v is the velocity of each retroreflector, c is the speed of light, and .nu. is the frequency of radiation.

Abstract: Cleaning devices are described which include a vacuum cleaner wherein electrostatically charged brushes that brush dirt off a floor, are electrically grounded to remove charges that could tend to hold dirt to the brushes.

Abstract: In a tape cartridge of the type wherein a motor-driven endless belt bears against the supply and take-up rolls of tape to move the tape, and wherein the belt extends about a pair of guide rollers that hold it in tension, the improvement of a drag washer for applying drag to the guide rollers to assure tension in the belt. Each drag washer is bowed, with a central portion having a hole receiving the roller shaft and bearing against an end of the roller, and with a pair of arms bearing against the cartridge frame.

Abstract: A fiber optic device consists of bundles of fiber optic rods which extend from an input face of the device, to which images of a spectrogram are directed to an output face. The input and output faces of the bundles are corrected so that images of a spectrogram, which are either tilted with respect to the spectrogram's height axis or are curved due to Berry curvature, pass through the device and appear at its output face in directions perpendicular to the spectrograms length axis and parallel to its height.

Abstract: In an implantable human tissue stimulator with a volatile memory an arrangement is provided to protect against the stimulating circuitry producing pulses as a function of unknown parameters in the memory, as a result of inadequate power to the memory from a rechargeable power source, e.g. a rechargeable battery. The arrangement includes voltage sensors, so that when the voltage from the battery drops below a selected level the stimulating circuitry is disconnected from the battery and only the memory is powered. If the voltage from the battery first drops, so that insufficient power is supplied to the memory and thereafter rises, as a result of recharging, to a level sufficient to power the memory, the memory is first reset with known parameter values. Only thereafter when the voltage level reaches the selected level, is the rest of the circuitry, including the stimulating circuitry, reconnected to the battery.

Abstract: An automatic memory-trainer presenting problems to a trainee in a sequence controlled by the trainee's success in answering correctly. The sequence adapts itself to concentrate practice on those facts with which the trainee is having greater difficulty. Repetitive practice is such that difficult problems are interspersed with easier ones in a manner planned to continually test and expand the trainee's ability to recall the difficult facts.

Abstract: A miniature guitar amplifier, having at least one very small (13/4 inch) speaker driven by complementary transistors connected in an emitter-follower push-pull arrangement, is made to sound very much like a large guitar amplifier having one or more large (12 inch) speakers by providing negative feedback to an operational amplifier that drives the power transistors. The operational amplifier has a differential input stage to provide a noninverting input terminal for the signal from a guitar pickup and an inverting input terminal for the feedback signal.

Abstract: A unity power factor converter capable of effecting either inversion (dc-to-dc) or rectification (ac-to-dc), and capable of providing bilateral power control from a DC source (or load) through an AC transmission line to a DC load (or source) for power flow in either direction, is comprised of comparators for comparing the AC current i with an AC signal i.sub.ref (or its phase inversion) derived from the AC ports to generate control signals to operate a switch control circuit for high speed switching to shape the AC current waveform to a sine waveform, and synchronize it in phase and frequency with the AC voltage at the AC ports, by selectively switching the connections to a series inductor as required to increase or decrease the current i.

Abstract: A character belt for use in a high speed impact printer comprises an endless band having an outer surface on which equally spaced cylindrical sleeves are formed so as to surround central portions of cylindrical slugs extending across the width of the band. Each slug has a raised type character on at least one end face thereof. The band and sleeves are integrally formed in a molding operation which yields a band which is relatively flexible about an axis extending parallel to the band's axial direction and relatively rigid about a line coincident with the circumference of the band. The plastic material selected to form the belt preferably exhibits good elastic damping characteristics and high abrasion resistance along the band inner surface. A high tensile strength core material is embedded in the band for dimensional stability.

Abstract: A roof flashing system providing first and second parallel troughs for containment of a caulking compound. More specifically, the invention provides a first reglet which is attachable to a wall and which forms a longitudinally extending trough in conjunction with the wall for containment of a caulking compound and a second reglet attachable to the first reglet and forming a second longitudinally extending trough in conjunction with the wall for containment of a caulking compound, the second trough being located above and substantially parallel to the first trough. Thus, upon attachment of the first reglet to the wall, a first caulking bead is formed in the first trough providing a seal between the first reglet and the wall, the bead being shaped and inspected as it is formed. The second reglet is then attached to the first reglet and forms the second trough. A second caulking bead is then formed in the second trough, the second bead being substantially horizontal and parallel with the first bead.

Abstract: A wire divider for installation on a shelf, between the front and rear rows of holes therein, which can be installed on a variety of shelves with slightly different spacings between their front and rear holes, utilizing a divider construction which enables low cost production and reliable installation. The divider includes a plurality of wires forming a gate, including a heavy outer wire extending in a closed path with overlapping ends extending parallel to one another, and a foot which slides along the parallel wire portions and has hooks for reception in the shelf holes.

Abstract: When trains of signals, derived from a written template signature, are to be compared directly with trains of signals, derived from a written specimen signature, because no two written signatures are identical, there is a requirement for providing a certain degree of "rubberiness" between the specimen and template signals. Previously, such rubberiness was achieved by breaking up the trains of signals into fixed portions and then conducting translation, stretch and contraction between these fixed portions in the course of the comparison. In this invention, advantage is taken of the existence of prominent landmarks in the trains of signals of the template and specimen signatures. The trains of signals are broken into segments by these landmarks. Segments of the specimen are stretched or contracted and translated to match corresponding segments of the template, to greatly simplify and enhance correlation process.

Abstract: A mass data storage arrangement such as for books, is provided, by recording the data in the form of one micron pits in radial rows within spiral grooves of a disc. A reading element comprises a CRT providing a light beam output, which is focused down to one micron in size. The spot output of the CRT is scanned across each row having the presence or absence of pits. The light reflected from the disc is modulated by the presence or absence of pits and is reflected to a photomultiplier. The output of the photomultiplier is decoded and then displayed in human language form.

Abstract: A pipe coupling which includes a continuous ring-shaped gasket that can be fitted around the abutting ends of two pipes and a clamp that can be fitted around the gasket and around flanges of the pipes. The clamp includes a grease fitting, while the gasket has a pair of upstanding flanges or ridges near its axially opposite ends, to form a grease reservoir that can hold grease under pressure. The grease applies pressure that helps seal the gasket against the pipe ends. The grease leaks out especially when the pipe carries pressure pulses, to lubricate the coupling so as to facilitate the turning of one pipe relative to the other with minimal wearing of the gasket. The gasket has a pair of inwardly-directed flanges that can rest upon the pipe flanges at the ends of the pipes and that are of greater height than the outer gasket flanges. The gasket can be easily turned inside-out, so that the thick flanges form a grease reservoir to enable more grease to be held in heavy duty and repeated rotation applications.