Abstract: Systems which have an integrated unit that allows both television signals and information retrieved from an onboard information storage device to be presented in visual, audio, or visual/audio form via output devices such as television screens and audio speakers. The operating mode--television or stored information retrieval and display--is selected by the user. The user is coached through steps leading to retrieval and presentation of the wanted information if the information retrieval mode is selected. A novel remote control allows the system user to choose the mode of operation and to navigate the steps needed to reach the wanted information from a location convenient to the user.

Abstract: A method of entombing a nuclear reactor where the reactor with its bio-shield remains intact. An access shaft, several lateral adits, and several chambers below the reactor location are excavated to provide access at underground locations below the reactor. A main cavern is excavated and lined with a lower base, surrounding sidewall, and a roof structure which has thermal plate at its lower surface. Freeze/thaw pipes are erected vertically in the cavern, and these extend through the earth strata below the cavern into a lower operating chamber. The cavern is filled with water which is then frozen, and the earth strata immediately below the reactor and are isolated from the surrounding earth strata and structure. The upper surface of the ice block is melted by the thermal plate in a controlled manner to lower the reactor, after which concrete and other material is used to fill all of the man made cavities and thus entomb the reactor.

Abstract: A cable TV distribution system in which an AC power signal is generated according to the following steps: (a) generating an AC power signal having at least a positive half-cycle, where the positive half-cycle comprises a rising portion, a falling portion, and a central portion; and (b) limiting the slew rate of the AC power signal within the rising portion to a range of 30 V/ms and 50 V/ms inclusive. Preferably, the slew rate of the AC power signal within the falling portion is limited to the range of -30 V/ms and -50 V/ms inclusive.

Abstract: A power supply system that allows a user to standardize on one or two battery types and use these supported types to power electronic devices designed to use other, non-supported battery types. A battery sleeve is provided to convert the form factor of one battery to that of another battery. The system may also include a battery pack assembly that allows batteries of a supported type to be used to power electronic devices designed to use a conventional, proprietary battery pack design. Such battery pack assemblies allow dedicated, single use battery chargers sold with a given electronic device to be used to charge consumer capped batteries that may be used in other electronic devices. A universal charger/power supply unit may be provided that can used to charge a variety of rechargeable batteries and provide power to a variety of electronic devices.

Abstract: A fluid dispensing device having a housing assembly, a conduit assembly, and a shut-off valve assembly. The conduit assembly engages the housing assembly to form a first valve assembly that prevents fluid material from reaching a mixing location in a closed configuration and allows fluid material to reach the mixing location in an open configuration. The shut-off valve assembly comprises a valve housing and a valve member disposed within a valve chamber defined by the valve housing. When the conduit assembly is in the closed configuration, pressurized air within the valve chamber forces the valve member into a closed position against the valve housing to prevent pressurized air from reaching the mixing location. When the conduit assembly is in the open configuration, it displaces the valve member into an open position in which pressurized air can flow from the valve chamber, through the conduit assembly, and to the mixing location.

Abstract: Systems which have an integrated unit that allows both television signals and information retrieved from an onboard information storage device to be presented in visual, audio, or visual/audio form via output devices such as television screens and audio speakers. The operating mode--television or stored information retrieval and display--is selected by the user. The user is coached through steps leading to retrieval and presentation of the wanted information if the information retrieval mode is selected. A novel remote control allows the system user to choose the mode of operation and to navigate the steps needed to reach the wanted information from a location convenient to the user.

Abstract: Pulse propagation analysis to ascertain whether an anomaly such as surface corrosion exists on a section of conductive member such as pipe. Anomalies such as surface corrosion result in localized velocity changes of pulses, due to inherent nonlinearities, propagating along a conductive member. These localized velocity changes exhibit themselves in changes in waveform, rise and fall time, amplitude, and time delay of a pulse with respect to a fixed time reference. To allow such anomalies to be located, two pulses are generated such that they intersect at intersecting locations along the conductive member. The resulting modified pulses are analyzed for perturbations indicative of localized velocity changes.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying spray texture to a wall or the like. The apparatus comprises an aerosol can containing pressurized spray texture material. The spray texture material is released from the can by a valve and passes through a nozzle passageway, out of a discharge opening, and on to a surface to be textured. The apparatus further comprises an outlet member that can be placed over the discharge opening to vary the effective cross-sectional area thereof. This outlet member can be in the form of a straw or tube that is inserted into the nozzle passageway or a disc or other member having a plurality of outlet orifices formed therein. The outlet member having a plurality of outlet orifices can be attached directly to an actuator member in which the dispensing passageway is formed.

Abstract: A process for fitting stretchable labeling sleeves on bottles or the like, according to which at least one pair of stretchers is introduced into the sleeve, the stretchers are moved apart in order to stretch the sleeve, and the bottle and the stretchers are displaced relative to one another in order to postion the stretched sleeve on the bottle, which process is characterised in that, during relative displacement of the attached sleeve and the bottle, suction is effected in the area of contact between the sleeve and the stretchers in order to maintain the sleeve on the stretchers while it is being fitted on the bottle.

Abstract: A method of providing a book/sleeve/computer disc product, where the disc is inserted into an open end of a pre-made sleeve to form a sleeve/disc package, which is then directed through a conventional binding operation to form the book/sleeve/computer disc product. More specifically, a sleeve blank is provided, and is then folded and glued to form a pre-loaded sleeve into which the computer disc is inserted. The sleeve/disc package is placed into a gathering line along with signatures or page groups which are assembled into a book block, with the sleeve/disc package being part of the book block. This is bound (either glued or stitched), and trimmed to form the finished product.

Abstract: Gas analyzer systems which include: (1) a transducer for outputting a signal indicative of the concentration of a specified gas in a sample which may contain that gas, and (2) an airway adapter or cuvette with a flow passage for confining the sample to a particular path traversing the transducer. The cuvettes feature radiant energy transmitting windows which are flush mounted in apertures on opposite sides of the cuvette flow passage and are fabricated from a polymer such as biaxially oriented polypropylene which is malleable, yet resistant to wrinkling, warping, and other forms of distortion. Retainer rings keep the windows flat and distortion free with an accurately reproducible spacing between the windows.

Abstract: A system for motion control in which an application is developed that is independent from the actual motion control hardware used to implement the system. The system comprises a software system that employs an application programming interface comprising component functions and a service provider interface comprising driver functions. A system programmer writes an application that calls the component functions. Code associated with the component functions relates these functions to the driver functions. A hardware designer writes driver code that implements the driver functions on a given motion control hardware product. The driver functions are separated into core and extended driver functions. All software drivers implement the core driver functions, while the software drivers need not contain code for implementing the extended driver functions.

Abstract: Bagel cooking apparatus which has a casing and a bagel boiling section provided by a water-containing component removably supported from the casing. An oven section in which boiled bagels are baked is located beneath the bagel boiling section. Independently controllable heaters may be provided to boil the water and to bake the bagels or a single heater may be employed for both of those purposes. In the latter case, the removable, water-containing component is constructed so that it can be associated with the casing in two different orientations in which that component respectively directs heat primarily to the bagel boiling section of the apparatus and to its oven section.