Abstract: An air-bearing gage tip or pad for a gage head is mounted on a swivel and closely follows the surface of a non-porous material without touching the surface and accommodates undulating surfaces which approach the pad at an angle and also small errors in mounting the pad normal to the surface, and additionally accepts small imperfect, surface perturbations without loss of air. The air-bearing pad features advantages in respect of increase in bearing stiffness and increase in mechanical response of the gage head and improvement in freedom from adverse effects encountered in the prior art and tending to be caused by thermal shifts and inherent hysteresis.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a construction element, in particular containing plaster, in a plate which includes reinforcements distributed throughout the greater part of its thickness, such that along lines parallel to the sides of the plate, the reinforcements are concentrated in predetermined zone of the thickness and the plaster is removed plumb with these lines which may thus become folding lines to achieve a non-planar element. The invention also concerns a process and apparatus for manufacturing these construction elements. The invention applies, in particular, to the manufacture of U-shaped plasterboard panels for use in ceilings and in building structures.

Abstract: A nest-or-stack, lidless, open-stacking container for handling and storage of bulk material such as food products features a seamless, one piece plastic construction with channels formed into the bottom to permit the use of a forklift truck for moving, lifting and stacking of the container, and with stacking surfaces for stacking filled containers and nesting stop surfaces for nesting empty containers.

Abstract: A self-contained system embodying the principles of the radiometer, the otheoscope, and the dynamoelectric machine is provided to derive an output of electrical energy from an input of radiant energy, and in particular infra-red energy, from the surrounding environment, and for amplifying that output. The system is suitable for airborne and space as well as terrestrial applications.

Abstract: A light weight heavy duty, inexpensive and portable stackable assembly for storing and dispensing flowable materials such as capsules and other drug products includes a plastic hopper bin and a plastic base, the surfaces of both hopper and base being smooth, having minimal tendency for the adherence of bacteria, and being easily cleaned. The base construction provides a relatively large area of support for the hopper thus eliminating or minimizing any tendency for the hopper walls to sag and to cause unevenness in the hopper inner surface that could interfere with the flow of the flowable materials out the discharge outlet of the hopper. The assembly is characterized that when stacked the weight of the stack is carried by the base, each of the hoppers being required to support the weight only of its own contents.