Abstract: A mechanical vehicle positioning device provides a visible guide to the operator of a vehicle while that vehicle is being positioned. An indicator suspended at a desired vehicle locating position while a vehicle is being positioned can be retracted when not in use, for example, through a connection to the garage door or by motorized means.

Abstract: A magnetically-powered linear displacement device is disclosed which can be used as the highly efficient pollution-free prime mover. The linear displacement device utilizes a permanent magnet whose flux density can be readily shifted from one of two parallel magnetic paths within the displacement device. A pair of pole pieces made of magnetically soft material abuts portions of the permanent magnet and conducts the magnetic flux in two different magnetic circuit pathways such that the permanent magnet's flux can flow in either direction, and if the magnetic flux is travelling along a first of these parallel paths through a movable armature, that armature will be attracted toward the ends of the pole pieces. If the magnetic flux is then shifted to the second path of these two parallel paths, then that movable armature will not be attracted to the pole pieces, and a compression spring can be used to push that movable armature away from the pole pieces.

Abstract: A catamenial device in the form of a menstrual cup. The menstrual cup is an integral one-piece structure formed of soft, resilient, fluid-proof material. The menstrual cup comprises a hollow body having open upper and lower ends. The body is symmetrical about its long axis, is of circular transverse cross-section throughout its length, and is approximately parabolic in cross section taken along a plane in which its long axis lies. The body, adjacent its open upper end has an external, outwardly extending, annular, rim arrangement adapted to engage the vaginal wall to prevent by-pass leakage. The device has a plurality of small pressure equalizing perforations formed in and evenly spaced about the body adjacent the rim arrangement. A tubular withdrawal extension projects from the lower end of the body and is substantially coaxial therewith. The withdrawal extension has a closable drainage passage therethrough communicating with the open lower end of the body.

Abstract: A drive belt take-up system for a live roller conveyor. Live roller conveyors are made up of one or more curved and/or rectilinear segments. Each segment comprises a pair of spaced side frames which support the live rollers. The live rollers carry and transport the articles being conveyed. The live rollers are driven by frictional contact with the upper flight of a continuous drive belt. At one end of the conveyor segment one of the side frames (the one with a smaller radius of curvature in the case of a curved segment) supports a powered sheave which drives the belt. The same side frame supports a plurality of idler wheels therealong and a first idler sheave at its other end, all of which maintain the upper flight of the drive belt in frictional contact with the live rollers. From the first idler sheave the drive belt passes about an adjustable take-up sheave. Thereafter the belt passes about a second idler sheave located near the first idler sheave.

Abstract: A control system for a conveyor system of the type having a first constant speed conveyor with a drop-out zone and a second variable speed downstream conveyor receiving products from the drop-out zone. The drop-out zone comprises a plurality of conveyor rollers driven by a drive mechanism operated by a constant speed prime mover assembly. An actuator engages and disengages the drive mechanism with the drop-out zone rollers. The control system has a processing circuit configured to ascertain the velocity of the downstream conveyor and configured to match the effective velocity of the first conveyor drop-out zone to that of the downstream conveyor by use of a periodic varying duty cycle signal that controls the actuator via an output device in communication with the processing circuit. The processing circuit also varies the ON-time and OFF-time of the varying duty cycle signal to automatically control energizing of the output device to accomplish the velocity match.

Abstract: An improved surgical gown is provided which has, at its central operative field and the operative zones of the sleeves, a liquid repellent, moisture vapor transmitting material, an inner layer of a breathable material, and an intermediate layer of a liquid proof material interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A plug and switch assembly wherein the switch assembly is connected to a cable assembly provides convenient handling of electrical cables to supply electricity, for instance to airplanes on the ground.

Abstract: A sensor for detecting the presence of lightweight objects being conveyed on a conveyor of the type having conveyor rollers. Each conveyor roller is rotatively mounted on a shaft fixed between the conveyor side frames. A selected conveyor shaft has non-rotatively mounted thereon a pair of fulcrum bearings, each located between a conveyor side frame and the adjacent end of the roller mounted on the selected shaft. A pair of sensor arms are provided, each rockably mounted on one of the fulcrum bearings. The sensor arms are substantially identical elongated members having upper ends joined by a shaft on which a plurality of sensor rollers are rotatively mounted. The sensor arms are rockable between a normal position wherein the sensor rollers are elevated above the adjacent conveyor rollers, and a fully depressed position wherein the uppermost surface of the sensor rollers are co-planar with the uppermost surface of the adjacent conveyor rollers.

Abstract: A method of setting terminal state and assigning ID number for stack network concentrators, and a device executing the method are provided. A terminal state setting is executed when a concentrator detects that there is no electric signal, through one of it's I/O ports, coming from its adjacent counterpart. A device for implementing such execution includes a first power source generator, a first power source detector, a second power source generator and a second power source detector. Steps for implementing the ID number assignment includes: a) causing two I/O ports of each concentrator in an open state, b) sequentially assigning distinctive ID numbers respectively for the concentrator, and simultaneously causing two I/O ports of the one concentrator having been assigned ID number in connecting state, and c) reiteratively executing step b) until all concentrators have been assigned ID numbers respectively.

Abstract: A mechanical seal 30 is disclosed comprising a sleeve 32 which is adapted to be affixed to the shaft 34 of a item of mechanical equipment, together with a rotary component 42 which carries a rotary seal face 44. Two O-ring grooves 46, 48 are provided on the sleeve 32, the first 46 being remote from the rotary seal face 44 and cut somewhat deeper into the sleeve 32 than the second 48. The rotary component 42 has a first region 50 remote from the rotary seal face 44, the inner surface of which has a relatively small diameter and a second region 52 between the first region 50 and the rotary seal face 44, the inner surface of which has a larger diameter. A pair of O-rings 54, 56 are located in the O-ring grooves 46, 48 and seal against the inner surface of the rotary component 42. The net thrust, if any, acting on the rotary component 42 and hence on the rotary seal face 44 tends to close the seal face irrespective of whether the barrier fluid pressure is in excess for less than the product pressure.

Abstract: A thrust balanced turn base for changing the direction of a fluid flow containing entrained abrasive media is provided. The turn base includes an elongated member having an inlet for the fluid flow with the entrained abrasive media. The turn base further includes a first internal passageway that extends in a downstream direction from the inlet. The first passageway includes a first throat, a converging portion between the inlet and the throat, a diverging portion extending downstream from the throat, an additional converging portion downstream from the diverging portion, a turning portion downstream from the additional converging portion that converges to a second throat and that leads to a nozzle that conducts the fluid flow containing the entrained abrasive media in an angled direction relative to the long axis of the turn base.

Abstract: The invention relates to postcondensed paper machine felts comprising a polyamide base fabric and a polyamide coating needled thereon, the paper machine felts having a relative solution viscosity in sulfuric acid in accordance with the DIN 53,727 standard of 5 or more.The invention further relates to a method of increasing the molecular weight of paper machine felts which comprises impregnating the paper machine felts with a solution of postcondensation catalysts, followed by drying and thermally postcondensing the felts below the melting point of the polyamide in a solid phase by the exclusion of oxygen.

Abstract: An improved collapsible sectional rod for cleaning firearms is provided. The cleaning rod includes a plurality of hollow tubular elongated sections which are preferably metallic and of substantially equal lengths. Each section includes a tapered end and a socket end configured so as to selectively receive a corresponding tapered end of an adjacently disposed elongated section. The collapsible rod further includes an elongated tubular handle having an internal volume and a plurality of internal threads. Preferably, the handle has a knurled outer surface. The collapsible rod further includes an elongated tubular tensioner having a substantially hollow internal volume. The tensioner includes an end that is substantially slidably disposed within the internal volume of the tubular handle. This slidably disposed end includes a threaded portion that is capable of selectively engaging the internal threads of the tubular handle.

Abstract: A motor driven eccentric vibrator with a spring isolated biasing mass for applying force to an earth penetrating device to cause the device to penetrate into the earth. The vibrator is rigidly attached to a housing which is rigidly attached to the earth penetrating element, which may be a sampling/core tube, while the biasing mass is suspended from the housing by a suspension that allows relative motion between the housing and the biasing mass in a vertical direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the earth penetrating element. The biasing mass serves to apply a down force on the housing while not significantly reducing the amplitude of the vibrational displacement of the housing in a vertical direction. This mass also reduces the vibrational displacement of the housing in a horizontal direction caused by a single eccentric vibrator.

Abstract: An integral, one-piece, metallic chord for use as the top and bottom chords of a roof truss. The chord comprises an elongated member of generally U-shaped, singly symmetric cross-section, having a base terminating at its longitudinal edges in mirror image legs. The base portion is planar with a central depressed rib formed therein and extending the length thereof. Each leg comprises a first planar portion perpendicular to and extending from its respective longitudinal edge of the base, followed by an inwardly sloped planar portion leading to a planar attachment portion which is perpendicular to the base portion and which terminates in a flange portion extending outwardly of the attachment portion and then upwardly and inwardly, ending in a longitudinal edge facing the attachment portion. The flange portions form semi-closed reinforcement members. The legs and their flange portions constitute the sides of the chord.

Abstract: An improved filter assembly is provided using a bag-type vessel shell and a removable adapter assembly that contains multiple filter cartridges. The invention can be used with both double-open-end filter cartridges and single-open-end filter cartridges. In either case, both ends of the filter cartridges are held in place by individual positioning guides, so as to maintain a perpendicular orientation and seal integrity. In all cases, a knife-edge end seal is provided to be forced into the end surfaces of the filter cartridges. In one embodiment, a compression plate is provided with a single coil spring to force the multiple knife-edge end seals against their respective filter cartridges. In a second embodiment, individual floating end seals are provided at the compression plate to provide good seal integrity regardless of variations in length of the individual filter cartridges.

Abstract: A pre-twisted cable pair and a method for processing such pairs into an electrical cable having improved electrical and mechanical properties is disclosed. At least one insulated wire for transmitting electrical signals is pre-twisted prior to pairing with another insulated wire. As the pre-twisted wires are paired by a conventional double-twist machine which imparts back-twist, the detrimental electrical effects caused by irregularities in the individual wires are cycled over a very short distance, resulting in a cable pair having lower structural return loss, near-end crosstalk, and insertion loss than wires paired without any pre-twist. These pre-twisted wires may be united into a jacketed electrical cable by a continuous-extrusion jacketing process in which an optimal dielectric constant is maintained around each individual cable pair.