Abstract: A locking apparatus is operative to selectively prevent the folding of a wheelchair of the type having a pair of centrally pivoted cross braces under the wheelchair seat. A bracket member is provided at each end of a pin which is adapted to constitute the pivot for the cross braces. An elongate bar is hinged at one end to one of the brackets and is adapted to be swung into a position between the cross braces so as to obstruct folding. A locking device operates between the other end of the bar and the other of the brackets for selectively retaining the bar in obstructing position.

Abstract: The speech recognition system disclosed herein operates to select, from a collection of tokens which represent vocabulary words, those tokens which most closely match an unknown spoken word. The collection of tokens is divided into partitions, each of which is characterized or identified by a representative one of the tokens. Both the tokens and the unknown speech word are represented by a sequence of standard data frames which may, for example, define characteristic spectra. In operation, the system computes the distance from the unknown to each of the representative tokens and then, starting with the partition having the nearest representative token and proceeding through partitions represented by successively more distant tokens, examines the other tokens in that partition while keeping a list of predetermined length identifying the examined tokens which thus far provide the best match. This process is continued until the number of distance calculations performed reaches a preselected level.

Abstract: In the ultrasonic bone testing apparatus disclosed herein, a pair of ultrasonic transducer assemblies are brought into contact with opposite sides of a patient's foot and each of the transducer assemblies includes, as an acoustic waveguide, a liquid filled bladder. The foot engaging end of each bladder is formed as a laterally projecting rounded cone so that, as the transducer assemblies are brought into contact with the foot, air is progressively and totally excluded from an enlarging area of contact. One or both of the transducer assemblies can be scanned with a small circular motion so that a variety of locations of the patient's foot can be sampled and the response can be analyzed.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of removing binder material which is non-sublimable at room temperature and pressures greater than 1 Torr from a binder and particulate mixture. The binder and particulate mixture is formed into a shaped article and placed in a closed furnace. The closed furnace is then adjusted to a pressure and temperature sufficient to effect transformation of the binder material from a solid to a vapor and diffusion of the binder material as a vapor through, and from, the binder and particulate mixture without formation of a liquid phase of binder material on the binder and particulate mixture surface. The shaped article is held under these processing conditions until substantially all of the binder material transforms to its vapor state and diffuses through, and from, the mixture into the closed furnace. The binder material vapor is then evacuated from the furnace through conventional means.

Abstract: The apparatus disclosed herein utilizes ultrasound to characterize the flow of fluid material containing suspended particles. Energy scattered by particles in the moving fluid from a brief emitted burst is detected to obtain a return signal and this return signal is compared with a preselected amplitude at a preselected time interval after each burst. Preferably the amplitude threshold is an integrated or filtered value corresponding to the amplitude of the return signal over some earlier time. A binary output signal is generated which continues from each comparison to the next at a level corresponding to the result of the comparison. Accordingly, the output signal includes frequency components representative of Doppler shifts occasioned by the movement of fluid.

Abstract: The spinnaker pole disclosed herein is adapted to be attached at one end to the mast of a sailboat and provides, at the other end, an end fitting which is freely rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the pole and which provides, on opposite sides of that axis, first and second fairleads for freely passing guys to the clews of a spinnaker. The free rotation of the fitting allows a tensioned guy to align the respective fairlead thereby to avoid twisting of that guy and, since both guys pass through the fitting, detaching and re-attaching of guys to the pole during jibing is avoided.

Abstract: The mount disclosed herein facilitates the mounting of a radar antenna on a sailboat subject to heeling. A pivotable bracket providing a single horizontal axis of rotation only is supported on the upper end of a tube which surrounds the lower portion of the usual sailboat backstay, the tube preventing rotation around the backstay. The antenna is mounted with its center of gravity below the pivot axis and viscous damping is provided to prevent uncontrolled swinging of the antenna.

Abstract: In the distance and tilt sensing apparatus disclosed herein, an image of a light source is projected by a lens obliquely onto a surface to be sensed. A ring reticle is interposed in the optical path between the light source and the lens at a distance from the lens substantially equal to its focal length. A second lens projects a remote image of the first object image onto a detector. The light projected from the second lens is split into two paths. An aperture reticle is interposed in one of the paths at a distance from the second lens substantially equal to its focal length, an image of the center of the ring reticle being formed on the aperture reticle. A position responsive optical detector aligned with the aperture reticle senses the position of the image of the center of the ring reticle relative to the center of the aperture and that position is indicative of the tilt of the surface around an axis essentially perpendicular to the axis of the incident light.

Abstract: A report generation method and apparatus automatically bind and capitalize text strings provided, for example, by speech recognition systems as text to be inserted into a report form. The method and apparatus associate with each text string, text string signals representing instructions for binding and capitalizing the text strings. Spaces, if any, are then prepended to the next string in response to the text string signals and the first alphanumeric letter of the text string is capitalized in response to the text string signals. The text string signals include left and right codes or instructions describing the beginning and ending of the text material and can include either preset or machine-generated action instructions designating the binding and capitalization requirements for the text string. The apparatus and method preferably employ a look-up table for associating the binding and capitalization requirements of the text string with the text string code types.

Abstract: A battery terminal device to be connected to a first pole and a second pole of a battery includes a first connection member which is capable of being electrically connected to the first pole of the battery, a second connection member which is capable of being electrically connected to the second pole of the battery, a first strip member which is capable of being fixed at one end portion by solder to a first wiring pattern section disposed on a printed wiring board, and which is conductively coupled at the other end portion to the first connection member and has a plurality of through holes along the longitudinal direction, and a second strip member which is capable of being fixed at one end portion by solder to a second wiring pattern section disposed on a printed wiring board, and which is conductively coupled at the other end portion to the second connection member and has a plurality of through holes along the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: In the signal acquisition system disclosed herein, frequency, phase and time uncertainties are resolved essentially simultaneously by including a preselected code group in the transmitted signal and by applying the received signal to a differential detector and then to a passive differential matched filter, the parameters of which are selected in correspondence with a code group, thereby to generate a corresponding series of complex match values. The absolute magnitude of the complex sum of the match values is maximized when the received signal is modulated by the preselected code group. When the presence of the code group in the received signal is detected, the phasing of the complex sum is detected thereby to determine carrier frequency offset. A directly detected version of the received signal is applied to a corresponding masking filter and the phase of a resultant sum signal is detected to determine carrier phase offset.

Abstract: The flexure stage disclosed herein is useful in aligning a semiconductor wafer during microlithographic exposure to define circuit elements on the surface of the wafer. The stage is a unitary structure which permits essentially lossless small angle relative rotation of a central portion of the stage with respect to an outer, annular portion of the stage. Three pairs of slots define three links extending radially with respect to the axis of rotation and, radially outwardly from each pair of slots, a respective transverse slot in the outer portion provides radial compliance for the outer end of the respective link.

Abstract: The eddy current separator apparatus disclosed herein employs first and second cylinders, each of which is provided with means for generating a circumferential series of radially directed magnetic poles of alternating polarity. The cylinders are mounted for rotation around parallel axes with an essentially vertical gap between them. A mixture of electrically conductive and non-conductive particles can be fed into the gap from one side. The cylinders are rotated synchronously in opposite directions with poles of opposite polarity facing across the gap, at a speed substantially higher than the speed of mixture feed. Electrically conductive non-magnetic particles are impelled by eddy currents generated by the magnetic flux projected across the gap by the faacing moving poles and can be received or collected separately from free falling non-conductive particles.

Abstract: The method of exposure control disclosed herein is particularly applicable to the pulsed laser illumination of photosensitive resists. The relative illuminating energy provided by successive laser pulses is measured and the successive measurements are accumulated. When the accumulated value appraoches the desired exposure level within a preselected difference, an attenuator is inserted in the optical path between the laser and the resist thereby to reduce the exposing energy provided by each pulse to a value below the acceptable deviation. The exposure is terminated when the accumulated value effectively reaches the desired exposure level.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multiprocessor computer system including a plurality of processor modules with each of the processor modules including at least one processor and a cache memory which is shared by all of the processors of each processor module. The processor modules are connected to a system bus which comprises independent data, address, vectored interrupt, and control buses. A system memory which is shared by all the processor modules is also connected to the buses, and the cache memories in each processor module store those memory locations in the main memory most frequently accessed by the processors in its module. A system control module controls the operation and interaction of all of the modules and contains the bus arbiters for the vector, data and address buses. The system control module also controls the retrying of requests which are not completed and should any requester fail to obtain access to a bus, the system control module also unjams this deadlock.

Abstract: Rows of wood fillets are assembled into panels by step-wise advancing the rows through two stages of wedge-shaped heating and gluing blocks where the edges of the fillets are pre-heated and then coated with a hot melt adhesive before being brought together with a strip of polyethylene foam between the edges of the fillets. The first stage assembles selected groups of the rows and the second stage joins the several groups so that the entire assemblage is accomplished over a relatively short distance and time. The resultant assembly exhibits improved flexibility and cohesiveness.

Abstract: The mortar dispenser disclosed herein utilizes a rotating auger extending through a feed barrel at the bottom of a supply hopper to force mortar through a nozzle attached to the barrel for use in tuck pointing. Formation of a rotating plug which would obstruct flow is prevented by an auger construction in which a single helical flute divides into a pair of flutes which, in the nozzle region, extend in opposite directions from the auger axis to provide two channels. The pair of flutes are apertured to permit mortar flow between the two channels and a slender elongate spring scraper prevents mortar from sticking to the nozzle. An agitator extending into the hopper is driven by a cam rotating with the auger so as to work mortar in the hopper and cause it to flow into the auger.

Abstract: The lamp ballasting apparatus disclosed herein is of the high-frequency switching type which operates from a DC supply and effects pulse-width modulation to control the level of energization of the lamp. A common mode choke interposed between the lamp and the modulating means provides a series inductance opposing rapid common mode changes in the currents flowing through the lamp leads. A fast semiconductor switch is interposed in the lamp circuit. A current transformer inductively linked to the lamp leads generates a control signal having an amplitude which is a function of the difference of the current flowing in the leads and this control signal operates the switch when the current difference rises above a preselected level indicating an arcing condition.

Abstract: The refrigeration system disclosed herein operates at least one evaporator in a low temperature environment. A condenser is provided for rejecting heat into the environment. Refrigerant from the condenser is provided to a refrigerant processing vessel which allows a mixture of gas and liquid phase refrigerant to separate. A heat exchanging conduit is submerged in the liquid phase refrigerant in the lower portion of the processing vessel and the outlet of a compressor serving the low temperature evaporators is connected to the inlet end of that conduit. Liquid phase refrigerant from the processing vessel is provided to the low temperature evaporators. An intake is provided in the upper portion of the processing vessel for drawing off gas phase refrigerant and that intake and the outlet end of the heat exchanging conduit are connected together and to the inlet side of a compressor driving refrigerant through the condenser.

Abstract: In parallel processing computational apparatus, a switching network employing both routing switch elements and concentrator elements efficiently couples bit serial messages from a multiplicity of processors to a multiplicity of memory modules. The apparatus operates in a highly synchronous mode in which all processors issue memory requests only at essentially the same predetermined time within a frame interval encompassing a predetermined substantial number of clock periods. The routing switch elements and concentrator elements incorporate circuitry for comparing the addresses of requests which may be blocked at any element with requests which get through and, if the addresses are the same, returning the memory response to all processors seeking the same memory location.