Abstract: In a new method of manufacturing eddy-current probes, particularly such probes for the scanning of a test surface generated by a non-flat profile, a thin, flexible support layer is laid against the test surface so that it conforms exactly thereto. One or more test coils have a sector thereof laid against the back face of the support layer so that the coil sector also conforms to the same profile in the plane of the coil and the profile. A plurality of separate ferrite core elements are now laid inside the loop of the coil, or the loops of the coils, and pressed against the coil so as to form a core that also conforms to the profile to be scanned. The remainder of the coil (or coils) is pressed against the backs of the ferrite elements and the assembly is encapsulated to make it rigid enough for mounting in a test apparatus for scanning over the surface to be tested. The front face of the support layer is the "active" surface of the probe and conforms precisely with the profile, since it was generated thereby.

Abstract: A toner feeder is provided for use with a magnetic roller to tone electrostatic images. The feeder includes a doctor blade attached to an adjustable block for varying the gap between an edge of the blade and the magnetic roller. The block and blade combine to define a recess above the blade and toner builds up in the recess to present a living wall of toner. This reduces agglomeration and build up of toner lumps. The invention is particularly useful with toners requiring relatively low fusing pressures.

Abstract: The invention provides processes and apparatus for the controlled addition of conditioning (polymer) material to sewage sludge to improve its dewaterability. These materials are expensive and overdosage is to be avoided, while underdosage causes difficulty in sludge handling. The principal problem has been the absence of a system capable of continuous determination of proper dosage. It has been found that shear stress tests with a viscometer result in characteristics that exhibit a unique peak when dosage is adequate or above. A control system controlling the rate of pumping of the polymer to mix with the sludge is operative by measuring the shear stress and increasing the dosage in the absence of a peak. Upon detection of a peak the rate of decrease after the peak is also measured and used to resolve the potential ambiguity of whether dosage should be increased, decreased or remain steady.

Abstract: A table covering particularly useful when picnicking comprises a generally planar sheet to be lain on a table top with an integrally formed bag-like structure secured at one edge of the sheet. The bag-like structure constitutes a garbage bag in which the sheet and the remains of the meal can be placed for proper disposal. Methods of making the covering from tubular stock are also disclosed.

Abstract: A humidifier pad for use in humidifiers suitable for adding moisture to the air circulated by a forced air furnace is described together with its method of manufacture. A slab of open-cell foam is stamped using a reciprocating cutter to form humidifier pads which are seamless. These seamless pads are adapted to be fitted onto the cylindrical support frame of the humidifier and the pad is especially useful in a combination with a type of frame which is collapsible cylindrical and which facilitates removal and replacement of the pad.

Abstract: A duct jointing system has frame members each with a channel portion for engaging an end of a respective duct wall and an outwardly projecting portion. L-shaped connectors engage in openings in the outwardly projecting portions for securing the frame members together as frames and adjacent frames are connected by cleats engaging projections on the outwardly projecting portions and reinforcing flanges on the connectors, the flanges being cut-away to allow the cleats to be driven longitudinally into position.

Abstract: A collapsing frame for collapsing an extruded tube of plastics material to flattened form employs two converging frame members each having a large number of parallel rows of rollers mounted with their axes of rotation transverse to the direction of movement of the tube. Each row consists of a large number of small diameter, short length rollers of low density material mounted closely side-by-side to provide a continuous engagement surface, but freely rotatable independently of one another on the common axle. The rollers are of low friction, high temperature resistance material such as polytetrafluorethylene or nylon. The new frame results in better surface appearance owing to absence of scratches and reduction of wrinkling, and better tracking of the tube through the frame. There is also an unexpected improvement in flatness believed due to better support of the tube.

Abstract: Labelling equipment is provided for applying wrap-around labels to cylindrical containers. The equipment includes a label carrier having a wheel rotatable about its axis, a vacuum system coupled to the wheel to retain labels on the wheel, a feeder for directing containers individually to the wheel adjacent the periphery of the wheel to receive a label, and a drive system for receiving containers from the bottle feeder and for rolling the containers upon receiving the label from the label carrier. The drive system includes at least one belt engaged about the wheel in slipping relationship therewith to permit the belt to move faster than the periphery of the wheel and including a portion for moving in contact with the container immediately after the container leaves the feeder to both carry the label off the wheel and to engage it on the container. A cutter arrangement is provided with a lobe which removes tension from the label as it is severed from the strip of labels.

Abstract: A material for use as a core in panels or structural members includes a longitudinal and transverse axis which lie in a common plane. The material includes alternating first and second strips that are interconnected at spaced intervals along the longitudinal axis by lands lying in the common plane. Each of the first strips is formed to have portions lying to one side of the common plane and each of the second strips has portions lying to the other side of the common plane. The interconnected lands define webs extending along the transverse axis to provide inherent stiffness to the material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drying towel which incorporates a thin sewn-in or unitized layer of slippery material which lines the two inner surfaces when the towel is doubled-over. When applied to a wet surface the hand pressure and combined lateral hand movement causes the top layer of the doubled-over towel to slide over the lower layer of the towel (along the two inner slippery surfaces) which is in contact with the wet body thereby producing a roll-blotting action. Drying of the body is effected without producing any lateral movement of that part of the towel which is in contact with the body. As a consequence the wet body is dried with no rubbing or abrasive action of the skin surface.

Abstract: An adjustable stablizing device which is attached to an extension ladder having hollow rungs without requiring modification of the ladder structure or affecting normal operation of the ladder is described. The device has two stabilizing elements made of aluminum which are located at different side of the ladder. Each stabilizing element has an upper and a lower bracket which are connected together by two rigid pivotably-linked longitudinal members. The stabilizing elements are connected to each other by rods which extend through the hollow rungs of the ladder and which connect the upper and the lower brackets. The lower bracket and the lower longitudinal member are pivotably connected, and the upper bracket has a number of apertures spaced lengthwise of the ladder. By choosing the aperture to which the upper longitudinal member is connected, the attitude of each of the lower members is varied via the pivotable connection so as to lie on the surface adjacent the ladder side.

Abstract: A furnace using pelletized wood as a fuel and a system for controlling the operation of the furnace are described. Pelletized wood stored in a hopper is fed into the combustion chamber of the furnace from an elevated position; and combustion of the pelletized wood is controlled by microprocessor-based circuit which receives input signals representative of the interior and exterior temperatures of the building, the air flow and the level of fuel in the combustion chamber and processes this information in accordance with a predetermined program to switch the furnace into one of two modes. In the `low` mode, the exterior temperature is below a certain value for example, 0.degree. C., but the interior temperature is above it. In this case a fire is maintained in the combustion chamber in anticipation of the interior temperature falling beneath this value.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for printing on a receptor such as paper. An electrostatic image is formed on a dielectric-coated drum in a controlled environment to minimize the creation of chemical contaminants. The image is then toned by wiping toner over the image from a toner delivery system which includes a mouth shaped to cause a vortex in the toner to improve toner flow. After toning the image is transferred to the receptor under pressure from a roller which is skewed with reference to the drum. The pressure in the nip is sufficient to also cause the toner to be fused to the receptor. An image eraser is also provided in the controlled environment.

Abstract: A wheel to provide an adjustable track for a vehicle comprises a wheel disc and a rim interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced connections. The connections each comprise a channel member spaced about the rim and receiving a connecting block attached to the periphery of the disc. The channel members are orientated to be parallel to the rotational axis so that forces transmitted from the disc to the rim do not induce forces along the rotational axis. Releasable stops are provided to allow the blocks to be displaced along the channel members and vary the track of the vehicle.

Abstract: A dereefing cutting includes a knife actuated by a spring which is held in a preloaded condition by a latch mechanism. The latch includes a detent which is held in place by a timer mechanism. Upon partial opening of the canopy, the timer mechanism is actuated and, after a predetermined delay, releases the detent. The knife is urged by the preloaded spring to cut the reefing line and fully release the parachute canopy.

Abstract: The invention provides a support member which carries at least one axially aligned corona electrode, and a conductive biasing member wrapped around both the support member and the electrode. The biasing member is preferably a wire wrapped about the support and electrode to form a coil and preferably there are four electrodes. A conductor extends the length of the coil to ensure continuity should the biasing member fail locally.

Abstract: A heat recovery system recovers heat from flue gases from a furnace or the like and a hot water cylinder. Flue gases are passed through series of chambers in which coils are located. Water is passed through the coils in a direction opposite to flue gas flow to maximize heat transfer and the heated water is passed to either a heat radiating system or into preheater tank for the hot water supply. The coils for the heat radiation and water heating are in separate circuits and the flue gases from the hot water is passed only over the coil used for water heating. Pumps are used for water recirculation in both the heat radiating circuit and the water heating circuit. The system has application to domestic and industrial furnaces which provide gaseous combustion products with recoverable thermal energy and permits the use of a small diameter exhaust vent without adversely affecting the ignition and combustion system of conventional furnaces.

Abstract: Silicon-based solar cells devised hitherto have used crystalline silicon because of its acceptable electrical characteristics. Amorphous silicon is much cheaper and has better optical absorption characteristics, but its electrical characteristics are so poor that it cannot be used, without some additional treatment such as hydrogenation. The invention provides a method of production of solar cells using amorphous silicon in which the silicon is evaporated in a suitable vacuum onto a substrate in the presence of a positive field which opposes the migration of the positive silicon ions toward the substrate. The resulting devices are found to have much improved electrical characteristics while retaining a good absorption characteristic. A tentative hypothesis is given for the unexpected improvement.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing a digital raster scan signal for use by an electrostatic printer having a print cartridge with an ion deposition matrix composed of sixteen drive electrodes intersected by 128 finger electrodes is described. A digital input signal, representing a line of raster scan data, is reformatted to be compatible with this print cartridge. This is achieved by reformatting the signal into sixteen data groups, each containing 128 bits and storing at least sixteen data groups at any one time in a memory. A motion control circuit responds to signals from the memory circuit, from the rotation of the drum and from paper sensors to effect scanning of the ion deposition matrix in a timed sequence. One of the drive electrodes and all 128 finger electrodes are energized by one data group at any one time to effect ion deposition as the drum rotates, then the next drive electrode and the next data group are energized. This is repeated until the entire matrix is scanned.

Abstract: A new orthodontic bracket comprises a bracket body with a mesial-distal slot for the reception of an arch wire and a resilient retainer member for retaining the arch wire in the slot, the retainer member being movable on the bracket body in the occlusal-gingival directions between a slot-closed position and a slot-open position. When in the slot-closed position the end of the part of the retainer member which closes the slot extends into a mesial-distal extending retainer slot in the gingival wall of the arch wire slot so that movement of the retainer member end in the labial direction is limited by its engagement with the lingual wall of the retainer slot. The wall that is engaged by the retainer member end preferably in narrower than the bracket body and may comprise a small piece of the spring material used for the retainer member welded to the bracket body. The engaging faces of the retainer member and the retainer slot may be inclined to retain the retainer member in the slot-closed position.