Abstract: A new control circuit for firing an ultrasonic vertical anti-hail cannon on a repeated basis from a remote location. The control circuit employs a micro-controller with electrically erasable programmable read only memory and random access memory. When main power is provided the program is read from memory and several safety tests are run before the program goes into a routine that provides for repeated cannon firings. In the preferred embodiment a telephone pager is employed in the control circuit to enable repeated cannon fire by merely paging the cannon from a remote location. Likewise, the repeated cannon fire can be halted by paging the control circuit. The control circuit employs certain safety protocols to minimize the likelihood of inadvertent cannon fire and to permit manual firing and servicing of the cannon.

Abstract: A transducer for measuring the amount of lateral deflection taking place at the tip of a core-pin inside a mold or die cavity. Non-uniform cavity pressure and cooling patterns make core-pins prone to deflection resulting in out-of-tolerance thin and thick wall sections of the finished part. The transducer provides a means of determining deflection as it occurs during the molding process for statistical quality control. Real time measurement of the core deflection allows discrimination of unacceptable and reject parts for an automatic part sorting process. In the preferred embodiment a plurality of strain gauges mounted on the core-pin outside of the mold cavity provide real time electric signals of lateral deflection that can be used to automatically segregate reject parts and provide for statistical process control.

Abstract: A brushless AC servo motor control and modified motor to minimize the rotational acceleration and deceleration of a semiconductor wafer during processing steps where fluid is applied in a thin coating on the wafer. The control utilizes sine and cosine encoder outputs of single cycle and multiple cycle per revolution to calculate motor shaft position by an inverse tangent calculation of sine and cosine ratios. Resolution of motor shaft position is greatly improved as is rotational velocity control. In response to a prediction of desired shaft position in comparison with actual position the three field currents are adjusted to change the torque applied to the rotor and shaft. In the semiconductor wafer manufacturing application the motor shaft is modified to permit vacuum attachment of the wafer to the disc that rotates with the shaft.

Abstract: A new power plug retainer comprises a cubical or rectangular parallelepiped box having an open side and open end. Opposite the open end is a slot terminating at the open side. Outwardly extending to either side of the open end are a pair of flanges upon which a permanent or semi-permanent adhesive is coated. Optionally, a double adhesive sided foam tape may be attached to each side flange. A third outwardly extending flange may also be added to the open end adjacent the third side. This flange may also be coated with adhesive. The adhesive attachment is specifically directed to obviating the need for any mechanical fastening of the retainer to a plastic or metal cabinet or enclosure. Adjustability for different lengths of plugs is provided by an alternate version of the retainer comprising an open ended box telescopically engaging a second box with a partially closed end. The engagement includes retention means to positively retain the telescopic engagement of the two boxes.

Abstract: A new helmet mirror comprises an articulated two-piece body having the mirror on one piece and an attachment device on the other piece. For most applications the attachment device comprises an adhesive for attachment directly to the clear face shield of a snowmobile helmet. The mirror and the adhesive are on the back of the respective pieces and the fronts of the respective pieces are smoothly contoured to reduce wind resistance and aerodynamic forces applied to the mirror body at high speeds. In an alternative embodiment a third piece comprising a link joins the mirror piece to the attachment piece with two articulation joints. The link is aerodynamically shaped to substantially reduce vibration of the mirror at high speeds and thereby reduce the forces applied to the articulation joints which retain the mirror in the proper viewing position.

Abstract: A device for altering the effective mass of a stringed instrument employs a movable mass such as an adjustable calibrated weight affixed to an accessory or member on the body of the instrument. The adjustable weight is a known weight and in the form of a movable mass clamp that can be externally mounted on the endpin of a cello or bass. The adjustable weight can be a "C" shaped body or a split collar style body with either one employing a threaded fastener to hold the body on the endpin. A variation encompasses a mounted adjustable weight in the form of a clamp affixed to some portion of an instrument. The clamp has a flexible interface or pad between the clamp and the instrument. A series of varying weights can be selected to be applied to the clamp. Another variation employs the endbutton on a violin. The endbutton has an opening disposed therethrough with threads provided therein.

Abstract: A ventilated insulation bat having longitudinal channels formed in the top of the bat. The channels are resiliently compressible and flattenable when the bat is rolled, but the channels resume their depth when the bat is unrolled. The channels are manufactured by means for forming such as by molding or melting the channels into the bat or by affixing a flattenable perforated corrugated device to the bat. The transverse distance across the flattenable perforated corrugated device extends less than the width of the bat. The flattenable device when flattened is smaller than the bat to prevent the device from extending beyond the width of the bat when the bat is compressed and rolled into a roll for storage or transportation.

Abstract: An innovative method and apparatus for synchronizing the flows of molten polymer or similar materials in molding systems which utilize manifolds to direct flow into one or more cavities of an injection mold. The apparatus utilizes intermeshing positive displacement, interconnected gearing systems similar to positive displacement gear pumps in hydraulic systems. These positive displacement gear mechanisms are placed in each parallel flow channel such that all flow in each channel passes through a gear mechanism. Each of the parallel pumps are connected together directly via a shaft or indirectly using hydraulic motors, stepper motors, or other motors to synchronize the parallel flows. Each flow can be different to allow the directing of flows in complex tools or when molding parts in family molds.

Abstract: A new billiard cue bridge comprising a roughly H-shaped base which supports a generally upside down U-shaped vertical standard attached at the cross-bar of the base. The attachment is hinged at the cross-bar in a manner that permits the vertical standard to be latched in the vertical position and to fold down substantially flat with the base in the horizontal position. Mounted on the vertical standard are upper and lower slidable members. The upper slidable member includes a hole through which a pool or billiard cue may be passed and supported. Located in the upper portion of the hole is a small friction pad that permits the bridge to be lifted and repositioned by the cue. The lower slidable member functions as an optional positive lock to assure that the vertical standard remains in the latched vertical position when in use.

Abstract: A device for an automotive vehicle to signal braking, deceleration, turning of the vehicle or an emergency situation. The device has two bodies facing rearwardly, mounted near the top of the back or the highest point of the vehicle adjacent the sides of the vehicle. Each body has a base and a cover with translucent lenses. Light sources and reflectors are disposed on the base for illuminating the lenses to create the signaling as required. Lighting one or more lenses in the cover indicate braking while lighting an arrow shaped lens in the cover and a side lens facing out from the vehicle indicate intended turning. The light transmitted through the lenses in the cover is directed downwardly either by a downward tilt to the cover or by directional configurations formed on the lenses. The lenses signifying braking are formed from red material while the arrow shaped and side lenses signifying turning are formed from red or yellow material.

Abstract: A transducer for measuring the amount of lateral deflection taking place at the tip of a core-pin inside a mold or die cavity. Non-uniform cavity pressure and cooling patterns make core-pins prone to deflection resulting in out-of-tolerance thin and thick wall sections of the finished part. The transducer provides a means of determining deflection as it occurs during the molding process for statistical quality control. Real time measurement of the core deflection allows discrimination of unacceptable and reject parts for an automatic part sorting process. In the preferred embodiment a plurality of strain gauges mounted on the core-pin outside of the mold cavity provide real time electric signals of lateral deflection that can be used to automatically segregate reject parts and provide for statistical process control.

Abstract: A method of real-time high resolution imaging through the atmosphere is presented. This technique is based on knowledge of average atmospheric Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) at the time the image is received. Atmospheric effects are characterized by a noise spatial frequency filter including an average component described by the average atmospheric Modulation Transfer Function, and a noisy component modeled by the atmospheric Point Spread Function's power spectral density. The noisy component represents random changes in atmospheric MTF. The new method of image restoration results in significant image quality improvement based upon knowledge of average atmospheric MTF which includes both turbulence and aerosol MTF components. This method can be used to help overcome the jitter characteristics of turbulence, and is capable of yielding real-time image restoration with resolution limited essentially only by the hardware itself.

Abstract: In an injection blow-molding process the preform is purposely formed as a smooth walled tube closed at one end and without any thread or other cap attachment configuration about the mouth of the preform. The preform is moved to the bottle mold which completely forms the cap attachment configuration with the bottle in the blow-molding step. A processing dome is also formed from the preform in the blow-molding step to provide means to transfer the bottle to the trimmer which removes the dome. By using the smooth walled preform (without threads or any other cap fastening features), the bottle mold may utilize only a portion of the vertical height of the preform for the bottle. Bottle molds for a variety of bottle volumes and heights may employ the same preform and preform injection mold. The smooth walled preform also permits bottle molds with a variety of mouth diameters to be employed with the same preform injection mold.

Abstract: An orthotic boot device fittable about an appendage such as a foot to allow support and protection to the skin and underlying tissues covering bony protuberances of the appendage. The device surrounds the appendage and has tapered apertures into which the bony protuberances extend. The tapered apertures fit about the bony protuberances. The thickness of the device body exceeds the extent of the protuberances thereby reducing the likelihood of abrasion or ulceration to the skin covering the bony protuberances.

Abstract: A device and method for cutting, removing and inserting adjustable depth plugs of square straight edged turf. Square straight edged turf is readily positionable and makes a clean patch where a straight edge must be maintained. The device has a square frame in plan view with the four sides having openings and an open top and bottom. The square frame allows for the storage and easy transport of the square cut turf plugs to the insertion location, while the openings in the frame allow access to the stacked plugs. A cutting edge is provided on the open bottom with adjustable stops positioned near the open bottom. The adjustment of the stops allows the depth or thickness of the turf plug to be varied as needed. Consequently, the plugs can be varied as to depth to be cut. Angle irons comprise the adjustable stops, and the frame may be of welded steel or aluminum.

Abstract: A new capture device comprising a plurality of axially extending tangs (42) on one (10) of a pair of complementary fittings (10, 14) in a fluid coupling and a polygonal circumferential groove (20) on the other fitting (14) adapted to engage the tangs. Upon rotational engagement of the fittings the tangs (42) engage the polygonal groove (20) and "ratchet" about the junctures between the flats (22) until the coupling is tight. Although not limited to particular materials, the new capture device is particularly suited to very tough, strong and hard materials such as titanium, stainless steel and Inconel alloy because the effectiveness of the capture device is dependent upon the stiffness of the tangs (42). The new device prevents vibrational disassembly of the complementary fittings without preventing disassembly solely with wrenches. Moreover, the complementary fittings and capture device can be repeatedly assembled and disassembled without any damage to the threads (12) or capture device.

Abstract: The generation of skewed hypercardioid sound energy fields (in polar diagrams) from right front and left front "surround" loudspeakers with the principal nulls directed at the expected listener location produces the effect of sidewall and rearwall loudspeakers in a home theater setting without any actual sidewall or rearwall loudspeakers. The effect is enhanced by secondary nulls that are directed so as to "reflect" off the front wall of the room toward the expected listener location. Each surround loudspeaker contains an antiphase driver and circuitry including a delay network that powers the drivers to create the skewed hypercardioid sound energy field. The invention is independent of electrical mixing and interaction of two or more input channels. Rather the channels are assumed to be independent and the invention concerns the unique directional sound energy radiation pattern generated from each channel considered independently.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to restore images degraded by motion or vibration as characterized by the measurement of the relative motion between the object and the imaging device, calculation of the Optical Transfer Function (OTF) from the Line Spread Function (LSF), and applying a restoration filter M according to the following rule ##EQU1## where H is the image motion OTF, C is the discrete Laplacian operator which is used to minimize the error and .gamma. is the convergence parameter of an iterative algorithm.