Abstract: To reduce the force necessary to anchor the double "T" bar attachments, the filament of each attachment is made longer than the shortest (perpendicular) distance between the "T" bars to avoid the necessity of stretching the filament beyond its original length as it is dispensed. The filament lies in the same plane as the "T" bars to permit it to be fabricated on conventional stretching equipment. Preferrably, each end of the filament is formed at an acute angle relative to a line perpendicular to the "T" bar to which it is attached. The attachments can be supplied in continously connected ladder stock form or in a clip of parallel spaced attachments, situated between connector bars. In clip form, the attachments are fed along a correspondly shaped channel through the housing. In order to reduce the peak force necessary to sever the "T" bars from the respective connector bars, blades are located within the housing such that they cut at different times during the trigger stroke.

Abstract: An annular base carries a moveable cam member. Downwardly extending circumferentially arranged arcuate blades are mounted along the outer edge of the base to form a circle. Downwardly extending circumferentially arranged arcuate blades are pivotly mounted along the inner edge of the base to form a circle within the circle of fixed blades. Springs are interposed between radially aligned pairs of blades. The apparatus is positioned over the bagel such that the blades enter the interior of the bagel. The cam member cooperates with the moveable blades to move each blade in a substantially radial direction, against the intervening spring. The blades move from a position spaced from the aligned fixed blade to a position proximate to the aligned blade, as the cam member is moved, causing the dough to be pinched between the aligned blades. The dough is extracted as the apparatus is removed from the bagel.

Abstract: First and second oppositely oriented, spaced apart tandem printers are simultaneously computer controlled to print both sides of labels on a continuous web of blank labels. The front and back designs, the number of labels to be printed and the number of labels on the web between the printers are each entered into the computer and stored. The first printer is actuated to print label fronts and the web is advanced. The second printer is not actuated to print label backs until the first printer has printed the fronts of a number of labels equal to the number of labels between the printers. After the first printer has completed printing the fronts of the required number of labels, the second printer will continue printing an additional number of label backs equal to the number of labels between the printers. Sets of different labels can be printed sequentially.

Abstract: Within a rigid housing cavity, freely moveably received members respectively support oppositely oriented spaced needles. Double "T" bar end type attachments situated between parallel connector bars are dispensed through the needles to attach buttons. Depressing protrusions accessible from the exterior of the housing moves the needle support members to alter the needle spacing to accomodate buttons with a variety of thread hole spacings. In order to reduce the peak force necessary to sever the attachments from the connector bars, the connector bars are severed from the ends of each attachment at slightly different times during the trigger stroke. A triangular linkage associated with the trigger provides a mechanical advantage which increases at an increasing rate, transmitting maximum force towards the end of the stroke, as the filament connecting the "T" bars stretches around the portion of the button between the thread holes.

Abstract: One or both ends of the connector bar is extended outwardly beyond the main section of the bar to which the attachments are mounted. The extended end provides access to the clip from the exterior of the attacher housing, permitting the clip to be manually advanced if the feed mechanism fails. An element may be situated on one extended end to facilitate grasping. In a clip having two connector bars, the ends of both bars extend in the same direction. The extended ends may be bent towards each other and may be connected to form a bridge. A second aspect of the invention relates to a connector bar which has an element designed to cooperate with the housing to prevent advancement of the clip all the way through the housing channel, thereby requiring the operator to remove the empty connector bar from the device for better control of disposal.

Abstract: The functional portion of the instrument includes a pin and lever assembly. One end of the pin is received in an opening in the handle. The other end of the pin is bent into a "U" shape to form a plunger. The lever, which carries a cylinder, is mounted on and moveable relative to the pin. As the lever is moved relative to the pin, the plunger moves within the cylinder to dispense the amalgam. The lever is held on the pin by a bias spring which extends from the handle. A flexible element within the handle normally engages the pin end to retain the assembly on the handle. Depression of a button on the exterior of the handle causes the internal element to flex to disengage the pin end. The assembly may then be easily removed from the handle as a unit by disengaging the bias spring from the lever. This facilitates thorough cleaning of all parts of the instrument and reassembly thereof.

Abstract: Within a rigid housing cavity, freely moveably received members respectively support oppositely oriented spaced needles. Double "T" bar end type attachments situated between parallel connector bars are dispensed through the needles to attach buttons. Depressing protrusions accessible from the exterior of the housing moves the needle support members to alter the needle spacing to accomodate buttons with a variety of thread hole spacings. In order to reduce the peak force necessary to sever the attachments from the connector bars, the connector bars are severed from the ends of each attachment at slightly different times during the trigger stroke. A triangular linkage associated with the trigger provides a mechanical advantage which increases at an increasing rate, transmitting maximum force towards the end of the stroke, as the filament connecting the "T" bars stretches around the portion of the button between the thread holes.

Abstract: The elongated, substantially flat base has a gripping portion and a second portion. The second portion of the base has first and second oppositely oriented surfaces. A first fabric section, treated with jewelers' rouge, is adhesively affixed to the first surface and used for cleaning. A second fabric section is adhesively affixed to the second surface and used for polishing. The fabric sections may be felt or cotton and are visually distinguishable for ready identification.

Abstract: The vessel includes a fluid container or conduit. First and second magnets are situated on opposite sides of the vessel wall and are encircled by a metallic band or collar. The vessel may have an open mouth defined by a rim. In one embodiment, magnets are suspended by hangers form a rim of a cup. The cup and magnets are received in an exterior container with a removable lid. Other embodiments include oxygen tanks, oxygen tubes and containers for intravenous liquids.

Abstract: A method and system for updating a database stores billing rate parameters for call rating devices associated with a calling station. The calling station calls at a predetermined date and time a rate provider, which includes billing rate parameters for a plurality of calling stations. The call rating device transmits over the telephone network to the rate provider the phone number of the calling station, and the date and time of the last updated database. The rate provider verifies that the billing rate parameters of the calling station should be updated, then transmits back over the telephone network to the calling station the updated database. The rate provider also sends data as to the new date and time for the call rating device to place a call to the rate provider.

Abstract: A banding assembly has a needle at one end, a long thin band, and a buckle at the other end. The buckle is provided with upstanding elements on either side of a channel which receives the band. The elements have openings adapted to be engaged by a towel clamp to retain the buckle as the band is drawn through the channel and locks into position. The elements are normally spaced apart by a distance slightly less than the width of the band. Once locked into place, the band is trimmed, leaving a tail extending from the buckle. The tail is bent backwards and "snap fits" between the elements. The elements are then crimped over the tail to retain it on the buckle and to cover any sharp edges. A dome-like member is provided to guide the band into the channel. The buckle is attached to the end of the band by spaced tabs which extend through openings in the band and are crimped toward each other.

Abstract: An all epitaxial process performed entirely in a CVD reactor is employed to grow epitaxial layers with accurately controlled successively low and high dopant concentrations over a heavily doped substrate, eliminating the need for a separate diffusion, even for high purity concentrations. After purging the reactor system, the heavily doped silicon substrate is "capped" by growing two successive very thin silicon sublayers of the same conductivity type. The reactor chamber is subjected to a hydrogen purge to deplete any contaminents after each sublayer is formed. The cap sublayers form a narrow, abrupt intrinsic transition region with the substrate and become an active part of the device structure. A lightly doped epitaxial layer is grown over the "capped" substrate so that a depletion region can be formed in the device under suitable reverse bias. A heavily doped epitaxial layer is then grown over the lightly doped epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A device interconnects within the phone line coming from a first phone and routes telephone calls along a least cost route originating from the first telephone to a second telephone via the network. A housing forms an enclosure and has a first jack for interconnection to the phone side of the phone line and a second jack for interconnection to the network side of the phone line. The housing forms an enclosure which includes a switch for disconnecting the first phone from the network. The device generates a source of current through the switch to the first phone corresponding to the amount of current provided by the phone network. A database stores billing rate parameters for determining various communication paths of different carriers based on parameters such as the time and date of the call. Phone calls from the first phone are detected and stored. The database is addressed and a plurality of communication switch paths are identified as well as the cost rate of each path.

Abstract: One or both ends of the connector bar is extended outwardly beyond the main section of the bar to which the attachments are mounted. The extended end provides access to the clip from the exterior of the attacher housing, permitting the clip to be manually advanced if the feed mechanism fails. An element may be situated on one extended end to facilitate grasping. In a clip having two connector bars, the ends of both bars extend in the same direction. The extended ends may be bent towards each other and may be connected to form a bridge. A second aspect of the invention relates to a connector bar which has an element designed to cooperate with the housing to prevent advancement of the clip all the way through the housing channel, thereby requiring the operator to remove the empty connector bar from the device for better control of disposal.

Abstract: One or both ends of the connector bar is extended outwardly beyond the main section of the bar to which the attachments are mounted. The extended end provides access to the clip from the exterior of the attacher housing, permitting the clip to be manually advanced if the feed mechanism fails. An element may be situated on one extended end to facilitate grasping. In a clip having two connector bars, the ends of both bars extend in the same direction. The extended ends may be bent towards each other and may be connected to form a bridge. A second aspect of the invention relates to a connector bar which has an element designed to cooperate with the housing to prevent advancement of the clip all the way through the housing channel, thereby requiring the operator to remove the empty connector bar from the device for better control of disposal.

Abstract: An improved apparatus particularly well adapted for installing a liner within a service pipe having an access end and a terminal end, the liner having a part which is everted and then inflated by the insertion of a fluid thereinto, the fluid being thus inserted by way of a conduit movable into the everted liner part by sliding through the eversion apparatus, the apparatus being further provided with appropriately located winches for controlling the movement of that part into and out of the service pipe.

Abstract: The assembly includes first and second parallel connecting bars between which individual attachments are situated in parallel, spaced relation. Each of the attachments includes first and second T-bar ends with a flexible filament extending therebetween. The attaching device includes a housing with a recess having a first and second sections adapted to receive the first and second connecting bars, respectively. First and second hollow needles extend from the housing. The T-bar ends are pushed through needles by simultaneously actuatable ejector rods after each is severed from the associated connecting bar. The assembly of the attachments is advanced through the housing to align the T-bars with the needles by simultaneously actuated indexing gears. The gears cooperate with the elements which join the T-bar ends and the connecting bars.

Abstract: Double "T" bar fasteners are dispensed through spaced needles which extend from different portions of the attacher housing. To attach a button, the needles are inserted through the thread holes of the button as it is held adjacent to the material to which it is to be attached. The housing portions are resiliently connected so that the portions can be moved relative to each other to vary the needle spacing and thus accommodate buttons with different hole spacing. The portions are biased to return to the original position. The portions may be halves of the housing connected by a living hinge. Internal compartments within each housing half enclose portions of fastener feed mechanism. The compartments are accessible when the housing is open to permit insertion of the parts and close when the housing halves snap-fit together. Each feed mechanism portion includes a spring loaded pawl with a tooth which normally engages an index wheel.

Abstract: The assembly includes first and second parallel connecting bars between which individual attachments are situated in parallel, spaced relation. Each of the attachments includes first and second T-bar ends with a flexible filament extending therebetween. The attaching device includes a housing with a recess having a first and second sections adapted to receive the first and second connecting bars, respectively. First and second hollow needles extend from the housing. The T-bar ends are pushed through needles by simultaneously actuatable ejector rods after each is severed from the associated connecting bar. The assembly of the attachments is advanced through the housing to align the T-bars with the needles by simultaneously actuated indexing gears. The gears cooperate with the elements which join the T-bar ends and the connecting bars.