Abstract: High surface area electrodes for use in electrical and electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices comprise conductive transition metal nitrides, carbides, borides or combinations thereof where the metal is molybdenum or tungsten. Disclosed is a method of manufacturing such electrodes by forming or depositing a layer of metal oxide, then exposing the metal oxide layer at elevated temperature to a source of nitrogen, carbon or boron in a chemically reducing environment to form the desired metal nitride, carbide or boride film. Also disclosed is an ultracapacitor comprised of the new high surface area electrodes having a specific capacitance of 100 mF/cm.sup.2 and an energy density of 100 mJ/cm.sup.3 with improved conductivity and chemical stability when compared to currently available electrodes.

Abstract: A tracking device for a golf club, which requires no electrical power source, is comprised of a body of fiberoptic material which is affixed to an exterior surface of the golf club. The fiberoptic material gathers ambient light along its length, and directs that light, through internal reflection, so as to cause it to exit at an end. The illumination provides a bright spot on the head of the golf club which traces the path of the moving club. The fiberoptic material may include a fluorescent dopant which absorbs light of short wavelength and converts that absorbed light to emitted light of a longer wavelength. Use of the fluorescent dopant enhances the intensity of the light emitted from the device.

Abstract: A child restraint seat assembly is provided for use in securing a child within a safety seat which is secured to the seat belt of a seated adult. The adult is a seated passenger in an airplane, or other type of vehicle in which it is desirable to keep the child on the lap of the adult. The child restraint seat assembly includes a seat having a bottom and a back, the bottom having a front end and a rear end, and the back having a top end and a bottom end. The bottom end of the back is joined to the rear end of the bottom. Additionally, the child restraint seat assembly includes at least one elongated strap adapted to secure the body of a child to the seat. This strap further includes a plate attached to the strap which can be removably attached to a plate receiving member attached to a post. The post is secured to the front end of the bottom of the seat assembly. The plate receiving member further includes a plate release.

Abstract: A combination magazine and changer for use with a machining head of an electrical discharge machine for rapidly changing a tool. The magazine includes a plurality of separate housings, each of which supports a tool. A retaining means is provided for each housing and creates an attracting force for holding the tools in place. The changer includes a robot arm arranged in proximity to the magazine and which is capable of linear motion relative to the magazine. A mechanical clamping member is mounted to an end of the arm and removes a given tool from the magazine for use in the machining head in a first linear motion and replaces the used tool on the magazine in a second reverse linear motion.

Abstract: An exercising device is provided for use with a baby stroller of the type having a housing secured to the frame of a stroller, and an elongated arm pivotally attached at one end of the arm to the housing. The invention may further include an apparatus for preventing pivotal movement of the arm relative to the housing until a torsional force greater than a predetermined amount is applied to the other end of the arm. The housing is secured to the stroller frame by a pair of plates, each having a channel in one side. With the channels facing each other, the plates compressingly engage a portion of the stroller frame. The elongated arm is pivotally attached to the housing by a fixed cuff interposed within a movable cuff. The movable cuff further includes a driven member including an aperture through which the elongated arm is attached.

Abstract: A trash bag dispenser in the form of a pouch is disclosed. The pouch has an adhesive strip on the bottom for mounting to the interior of a trash container and an opening to provide access on the top to provide access to a continuous strip of trash can liners which are folded in an accordion like manner within the pouch. The pouch is thinly formed of a plastic film.

Abstract: An inpavement light fixture for mounting in an airport runway or a taxiway having a cover with a flat surface and one or two windows for the passage of a light beam. An optical prism is detachably mounted in a cavity formed in the cover beside and beneath each window. The prism has three flat sides forming an equilateral triangle with two of the sides sloping upwardly to a top edge positioned at a top of its window. A special sealing member fits over the prism and preferably covers one of the two sides which slope upwardly. This member extends about a lower portion of the prism and forms a water tight seal. An electric light is mounted in a bottom receptacle on which the cover is supported. A light channel is formed in the top of the cover and extends from each window towards an edge of the cover. This channel has a bottom which slopes at a small angle to the flat top.

Abstract: A high resolution exposure mask suitable for x-ray lithography is described in the present invention and a method of manufacturing the same. Nanocrystals of electron dense materials, preferably as a colloidal solution are applied to a surface of a low electron density substrate, so as to form features as fine as about 10 nanometers. The reduced melting and sintering temperatures associated with nanocrystals, compared with the bulk material allows for the use of more moderate processing conditions. Lessened interfacial stress between dissimilar layers results.

Abstract: A vending apparatus for printed publications includes a programmable announcement capability which permits audio messages to be played in response to a customer stimulus. Programming is conveniently carried out through the connection of a portable programming unit to the vending apparatus to download a message stored in the programming unit. Such programming may be done frequently, such as daily, or at such time when the rack is refilled with printed publications. The announcement capability within the vending apparatus is preferably triggered when a customer opens an access panel on the rack, which then plays the message downloaded through the portable programming unit.

Abstract: A portable fan device for use with a spray misting bottle which is capable of being mounted atop a spray applicating head portion of the misting bottle so that a fan blade unit of the fan device is positioned forwardly and in communication with an atomized spray nozzle of the spray head and cools and atomizes the mist spray issued by the nozzle. Releasable securing means such as an attachment bracket or contoured gripping tabs extending from the fan underside are employed for securing the fan body in a generally horizontal fashion atop the spray head. A stand member is held within a recessed cavity in the fan underside and can be rotated downwardly to support the fan device in an upright position for use as a portable fan once the fan body has been detached from atop the spray head. In a further embodiment, a gripping tab which forms part of the releasable securing means can provide the dual function of gripping part of the spray head and supporting the fan body in an upright position.

Abstract: Circuitry and methods multiply the number of pixels in a television image without the need for changes in current transmission standards. One memory array or storage buffer is used to store one image, while data is being read from another memory or array storage buffer. The role of the two memory arrays changes with every incoming image, the memory array that was in the read mode is switched to the write mode, and vice-versa. The image read is interpolated through pixel replication in two-dimensions, followed by a square symmetrical two-dimensional low-pass filter, which provides interpolation based on the Sampling Theorem. This may be a two-dimensional (2-D) circularly-symmetrical high-pass filter for image enhancement. Interpolation may alternatively be carried out through a one-dimensional (1-D) filter, or through the Discrete Cosine transform.

Abstract: A holder for use with a razor blade having a scraping edge and an opposite supporting edge. A body is constructed of a durable and flexible material and has a first face and a second face spaced a predetermined distance from the first face. A substantially straight edge and at least one additional edge connected to opposite sides of the straight edge defines an outline of the body. The straight edge includes an aperture which defines a cavity within the body for inserting the razor blade a predetermined distance. The cavity provides a friction fit between inwardly facing edges of the body and the razor blade upon insertion of the razor blade. A recess is formed along the straight edge of the first face and the second face for removing the blade from the holder and for rotating the blade from a working position to a storage position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of determining two-dimensional nuclear- or rotating frame-Overhauser effect spectroscopy intensities for a ligand-enzyme system having flexible active cites, wherein the ligand-enzyme system has at least 3 conformational states. The first step is inputing data into a modeling computer of coordinates for each molecule on the enzyme and ligand, kinetic data, correlation times, and concentrations of ligand and enzyme. Next, a K matrix is created from the kinetic data, and an an R matrix is derived from the correlation times and the coordinates. A dynamic matrix D is created by summing the K and R matrices. This D matrix is symmetrized and diagonalized. Spectroscopy intensities are then derived from the symmetrized and diagonalized D matrix.

Abstract: A female electrical connector includes a housing defining a generally cylindrical bore therewithin. The connector includes a contact cage disposed, and retained, within the housing. The contact cage includes a number of contact blades disposed so as to provide a radial resilience. In some embodiments, an environmental seal is retained within the housing. The connector provides a high current capacity, low insertion force connector which may be readily fit over post-type electrical terminals.

Abstract: A photoelectric switch having a rectifier for converting a received AC voltage to a DC voltage, a transparent cover having a user friendly finger rest surface, means for generating a pulsed infrared beam across the finger rest surface, means responsive to the breaking of the pulsed infrared beam by an operator placing at least one finger on the finger rest surface to actuate a relay to generate an output signal, and means for disabling the actuation of the relay in response to the operator removing his finger from the finger rest surface restoring the continuity of the pulsed infrared beam. The photoelectric switch includes fault protection circuits which disable the relay when the AC voltage is below a predetermined voltage, when the ambient infrared background illumination exceeds a predetermined value, or when the means for generating a pulsed infrared beam fails to generate the beam.

Abstract: A positive pressure operated control apparatus for lateral alignment of a continuous web of paper, plastic, textiles and other materials which are being processed at windup, unwind, printing, coating, folding and slitting stations, or other intermediate points in the machine process. The apparatus includes an air source communicating with a combination sensor and controller which regulates a double-acting air actuator having an output member to move a web positioning assembly. The controller is regulated by a sensor paddle which is spring loaded to be maintained in engagement with the web edge. As the web wanders or becomes misaligned, the paddle moves in proportion to the misalignment and results in movement of a valve element relative to two orifice openings to provide differential air pressure proportional to error to operate the actuator to produce actuator movement proportional to the error to correct the position of the web.

Abstract: Metal inking rolls, particularly for flexographic printing, having: A roll structure composed of an ammonia hardenable steel, in particular stainless steel, the selection of a roll wherein the minimum thickness of the wall, if tubular, is a direct function of the diameter and an inverse function of the length of the roll, so that, when the roll is supported at its ends and stressed in the middle, on a surface relatively distributed, it may be permanently distorted in the axial direction but without distorting its cross-section; a post-engraving ionic nitriding treatment to increase the surface hardness of the screen to at least 60 HRC and a final straightening step, to reduce the screen eccentricity at least 0.02 mm.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improved tree guard for protecting the bark of young trees and shrubs from mechanical damage caused by landscaping and lawn maintenance equipment. The tree guard includes at least one generally rectangular, flexible sheet which may be temporarily or permanently bent into a cylindrical shape sufficiently large to encircle a tree at ground level. Longitudinal releasable locking strips are provided to attach the ends of the sheet together to hold the sheet in the desired shape. The locking strips incorporate a tab and groove attachment system with each tab and groove having retaining beads running therealong to hold each tab within a cooperating groove. Preferably, the tab and groove of each locking strip are oriented perpendicularly to the plane of the sheet at the point of attachment of the strip to the sheet. The cooperating strips may be identical in shape so that the tab of one fits into the groove of another and vice versa.

Abstract: Wires made of copper-based compositions are disclosed, in which the compositions preferably contain aluminum, tin, and silicon. Formulations containing solely tin and aluminum, and solely tin and silicon are also disclosed. By practice of the invention, substantial improvements in bond strength and quality of the surface finish are achieved, as compared with prior art wire compositions.