Abstract: Condiment grinder and dispenser in which the usual shield for protecting the adjustment screw on the end of the drive shaft is replaced and the screw is secured against accidental removal and loss by providing a stop structure which is attached to or integral part of the end of the drive shaft. This structure, unlike a shield, does not interfere with the adjustment of the coarseness of the grind produced by the grinding dispenser, and yet maintains the integrity of the device without undue complexity or manufacturing expense.

Abstract: The high-altitude balloon has a skin made of nearly evacuated electrostatically inflated cells which provide thermal insulation to minimize heat loss from the gas in the balloon, while transmitting heat from the sun to heat the gas. The lower surface of the balloon is reflective to microwave or laser beams. A stable array of the balloons is maintained at a high altitude and is used to facilitate communications in a world-wide communications system. Ascent of the balloon is well controlled and weight is minimized by starting with lighter-than-air gases in liquid form, releasing a lifting gas into the craft, and then using the empty containers to store the remaining gas when the balloon is aloft.

Abstract: One embodiment of the carrier has a central vertical support panel structure with two foldable receptacles extending outwardly from the vertical support panel structure. The outside wall of each receptacle is extended upwardly and bent over to cover the receptacle, and the top portions of those walls are joined together to form a carrying handle structure, either with or without the upper portion of the vertical support panel structure. The portions of the outside walls forming the covers can have openings to receive the necks of bottles such as wine and beer bottles to give added lateral support for the bottles. A simplified embodiment uses only one of the foldable receptacles and has two lateral side walls which extend upwardly and join together to form a handle structure.

Abstract: The carrier has a vertical support structure, a pair of foldable receptacles extending from opposite sides of said vertical support structure. The receptacles have automatically unfolding bottom walls. Each receptacle has at least one divider member extending upwardly and laterally from the upper edge of one side-wall of each receptacle to a reinforcing panel secured to said vertical support structure. The dividers and reinforcing panels are formed in a foldable blank from a single sheet of material and need no gluing to secure them to the carrier structure.

Abstract: The carrier has a central vertical support panel structure with two foldable receptacles extending outwardly from the vertical support panel structure. The outside wall of each receptacle is extended upwardly and bent over to cover the receptacle, and the top portions of those walls are joined together to form a carrying handle structure, either with or without the upper portion of the vertical support panel structure. The potions of the outside walls forming the covers can have openings to receive the necks of bottles such as wine and beer bottles to give added lateral support for the bottles.

Abstract: Substantially cylindrical condiment container with a vertically sliding cap to cover and uncover a dispensing outlet opening in the top portion of the container. Preferably, the outlet opening is in the side wall of the container body and the cap slides up to unblock the opening and down to block it. Optionally, a rotary pre-measuring dispense structure can be located at the lower end of the container to dispense condiments in pre-measured increments through an outlet in the bottom of the container.

Abstract: The carrier has a folded-panel central vertical support structure with a handle and a pair of trays or receptacles attached to the central support structure, and an optional auxiliary tray with a slotted bottom which can be fitted onto the central support panel. A folded side-wall structure can be unfolded to start the formation of the trays, and a plurality of folded flanges unfold to form a bottom for each receptacle. Dividers separate each receptacle into the three compartments to hold six beverage or other containers in the trays or receptacles. The carriers can be made from a single sheet and advertising printed entirely on one side to facilitate efficient fabrication at a moderate cost.

Abstract: Peppercorns and coarse salt are selectively stored, ground and dispensed. Two squeeze-levers are provided for actuating the grinder, with a lock for selectively disabling one of them so that only one condiment is dispensed at a time. Means is provided for increasing the quantity of condiment ground for each stroke of the grinder lever.

Abstract: The heat exchanger is made economically by pressure-forming cavities in relatively thick thermo-plastic panels, interleaving them with other thermo-plastic panels having separate gas flow conduit structures, and securing the panels together. Preferably, the heat exchanger is an opposed-flow-heat-exchanger giving improved heat-transfer efficiency.

Abstract: A cutting board is fitted with a removable cup, preferably adjustable, which is positioned so as to receive cut food particles swept off the board into the cup. A barrier is provided on the board surface to prevent spillage of food which misses the cup. The cup is semi-cylindrical and fits into a recess in the board.

Abstract: The food carrier has a central vertical support panel with a handle and a pair of trays with beverage cup holders attached to the central support panel. A folded side-wall structure can be unfolded to start the formation of the trays, and a folded bottom panel or two-panel structure unfolds into the side-wall outline to stabilize the side-wall and hold the carrier erect while it is resting on a flat surface thus to make unfolding and loading the carrier quicker and easier. An auxiliary tray can be slipped into the central vertical support to hold solid foods, and both beverages and solid foods can be carried. Advantageously, the auxiliary tray can have substantially the same structure as the first carrier unit, except it has no beverage-receiving holes. It can be mounted to ride “piggyback” on the first carrier, or it can be used alone.

Abstract: The carrier has an automatic self-locking bottom construction which is actuated simply by placing a beverage or other container onto a bottom panel which traverses the whole width of the bottom and causes one or more tabs to snap into slots to perform the locking function. Special covered auxiliary containers which slip down over the upstanding handle of the carrier are provided for carrying donuts, rolls, pizza slices, sandwiches, or other food items, together with beverages in the carrier. Preferably, the container is made to be oven-proof so that the food items can be heated in the trays before mounting the trays on the carriers. The food items can be stored in the covered trays safely before distribution so as to speed the distribution process.

Abstract: The heated exhaust gases of a fueled turbine are used to heat a high-temperature-resistant heat transfer liquid, which is used first to generate steam, and then as a heat source for an absorption chiller, and then to heat hot water, thereby maximizing heat transfer from the exhaust gases. Steam is used to drive a steam turbine, and another absorption chiller is connected selectively to use the exhaust steam from the turbine as a heat source to produce refrigeration. Chilled water from the chiller(s) can be used for space cooling in buildings, and/or to cool the fueled turbine inlet air in hot weather.

Abstract: A central dictation system includes a central server computer and a plurality of voice input stations connected to the server computer. Speaker-dependent speech recognition capabilities are provided at each voice input station, and any authorized user may use any station. When a user logs on to one of the stations, acoustic reference files to be used in recognizing the speech of the user are downloaded from the server to the station onto which the user has logged on. The down-loaded acoustic reference files are used to perform the speech recognition at the voice input station. A high bandwidth signal generated at the voice input station and used for speech recognition processing is transcoded at the input station to form a low bandwidth speech signal. The low bandwidth speech signal and the text document resulting from the speech recognition process are uploaded to the server computer.

Abstract: A rotary stepped storage and display unit is placed on shelves in cabinets and other locations above eye level to store and display items such as spice jars etc. on a stepped surface so that items can be seen easily from below. Preferably, the device comprises a circular stepped pyramid on a rotary base. The device is provided in separate sections which are small enough to pass through the access opening to corner cupboards in kitchens or similar places where the access openings are considerably smaller than the inside dimensions of the cupboard. Easy-to-use snap fasteners are integral with the sections and are used to fasten the sections together inside the cabinet to form a structure which is too large to pass through the access opening but utilizes the space efficiently in the cabinet. The device either can rotate on its own rotary base, or can be mounted on one or more of the upper shelves of a series of rotary shelves mounted to rotate on a vertical axle in a corner or similar cupboard.

Abstract: The container has a generally pie-shaped cross section and is adapted to fit on a turntable with a number of other containers of the same shape. To facilitate molding, the container consists of at least two separate molded parts, one including the angular side walls and bottom wall of the container, and the other including the front wall of the container. One molded part includes a portion of the top wall of the container, and the other molded part includes the other portion of the top wall, which preferably is sloping and has a large opening. A second opening in the top, preferably grilled, is provided as a shaker outlet. Mounting structures are provided in each molded part for supporting an internal rotary dispenser mechanism.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding video signals for identification, editing, modifying, cuing, routing, distributing, switching, activating and controlling the video signals. One of the many applications is a television program distribution system including a plurality of units through which the television programs flow, by operating a first signal processing unit connected within the system for adding signal elements to the video signal of a program in order to add patterns of symbols to the television picture such that the symbols are disposed at predetermined locations of the television picture and a plurality of successive patterns constituting a code uniquely identifying the program; and a second signal processing unit connected within the system for detecting signal elements previously added to a video signal and for producing, in response to such detection, an identification of the program which included the video signal.