Abstract: A hand tool firmly grips an electrician's fish tape and allows an electrician to use both hands to pull the tape in an ergonomically correct manner. The fish tape is gripped between opposing jaws attached to the inner ends of pivotably connected handles. The handles are substantially parallel to one another when the fish tape is gripped between the jaws, thus allowing the electrician to pull equally on the two handles in a balanced manner when pulling wire. At the conclusion of a pulling stroke, the handles are pivoted to an open position to release the grip on the fish tape. A closed channel, formed when the handles are pivoted to the open position, maintains the fish tape in contact with the hand tool as the handles are pushed forward along the fish tape in preparation for the next pulling stroke. Upon reaching the starting point of the next pulling stroke, the handles are pivoted from the open position to the substantially parallel position to again grip the fish tape.

Abstract: A battery holder retains and electrically connects a battery to electrical contacts contained within a housing of an electrical device. The battery holder includes a battery drawer which receives the battery and positions the battery within the housing of the electrical device. The battery drawer includes a rear end wall defining apertures for receiving the terminals of the battery. Pivotable connecting means allow the battery drawer to move within an opening defined in the housing between an open position for receiving the battery and a closed position wherein the drawer and battery are received within the housing. A cam surface within the housing contacts the battery as the drawer is closed and biases the battery against the rear end wall of the drawer to effect engagement of the terminals with the electrical contacts in the housing through the apertures in the rear end wall of the drawer. The apertures are adapted to prevent the battery terminals from being connected to the incorrect electrical contact (i.

Abstract: Both blow-and-blow and press-and-blow plunger mechanisms for use in forming a parison from a gob of fluid glass in a individual section (IS) of a glassware forming machine are fully pneumatically controlled. Plunger and thimble pistons affirmatively position a thimble and a plunger in consistently repeatable positions during loading of the gob, counterblowing or pressing an initial opening in the parison, and transferring the formed parison. No springs or other mechanical components which are prone to cause inconsistencies or failures are employed. The plunger mechanism is preferably suspended from the frame of the IS by a plunger case assembly to avoid the problems associated with a support foot. The plunger case assembly allows the plunger mechanisms to be easily interchanged or replaced, to be adjusted to accommodate different types of operation and sizes and configurations of glass article produced, while still communicating pressurized air to the plunger mechanisms to achieve these effects.

Abstract: A communicator station wirelessly transmits frames to and receives frames from a least one additional communicator in a Group in accordance with a MAC protocol. One of the communicators functions as a hub and the remaining communicators function as remotes. The hub sends control information to the hubs to establish repeating communication cycles, each of which has intervals during which the hub and the remotes transmit and receive frames. The intervals allow the hub and the remotes to anticipate transmitting and receiving frames, thereby allowing the remotes to power off their receivers and transmitters to achieve a considerable savings in power consumption without degrading communications. Other improved features include adjusting the intervals and the durations of transmission opportunities in the communication cycle to obtain the beneficial aspects of TDMA and PRMA for LAN-like communication without also incurring most of the undesirable aspects of such MAC techniques.

Abstract: A reel brake of a magnetic tape single-reel cartridge is released by a contact member positioned in non-rotational contact with the reel brake release button to prevent wear, vibration and noise in the mechanism. One embodiment places a spindle in a centering cone of a hub which operatively engages the tape reel. The centering cone rotates relative to the spindle which is in stationary contact with the release button. A second embodiment involves use of a non-rotating center shaft of a motor which has a rotor that rotates about the shaft. The stationary shaft contacts the release button. A third embodiment extends a stationary post through a hollow rotating motor shaft to contact the release button.

Abstract: A battery pack is effectively transferred between a battery powered vehicle and a cart in order to replace the battery pack with a freshly charged pack. The transfer is facilitated without dropping the battery pack by using a locking mechanism which is operative between a tray which supports the battery pack and a cart upon which the battery pack is transported to the vehicle. The locking mechanism holds the tray in place on the cart until the transfer occurs. The locking mechanism is also operative between the vehicle and the tray to hold the tray and battery pack in place on the vehicle. In order to release the tray from either the cart or the vehicle manual action is required. An attachment mechanism automatically attaches the cart to the vehicle during the transfer to prevent the battery pack from dropping due to unanticipated movement of the cart relative to the vehicle. The attachment of the cart to the vehicle is established upon positioning of the cart in the transfer position.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive (MR) device and barrier formation process is disclosed in which a barrier layer of an aluminum-titanium oxidic compound of approximately 35 .ANG. thickness is formed between a first alumina film and an overlying material of iron bearing content, such as nickel-iron. The aluminum-titanium oxidic compound layer serves as an etchant barrier for the alumina film in a subsequent etching process to reduce or eliminate "rosette" formation otherwise occurring when etchant is trapped within pores of a porous substrate such as ferrite, ceramic or other polycrystalline material. The barrier layer also serves as a passivation layer to prevent the surface of the underlying alumina film from being modified by the transfer of ultrasonic energy during subsequent wirebonding processing which would otherwise result in film delamination at the nickel-iron/alumina layer interface.

Abstract: A fuse holder retains and removably connects a fuse to fuse clips within an electrical device. The fuse holder includes a fuse drawer having an open top to hold the fuse. Openings in the fuse drawer are adapted to receive the fuse clips. A guide within the electrical device facilitates sliding the fuse drawer between an open position outside of the electrical device and a closed position within the device. In the closed position, the fuse clips extend through the openings in the fuse drawer and engage the fuse within the fuse drawer to close the electrical circuit within the electrical device. An individual is unable to contact the fuse when the fuse drawer is closed within the electrical device. Similarly, the fuse is disengaged from the fuse clips and the electrical circuit is broken when the fuse drawer is opened so that it is not possible for an individual to contact the fuse while the fuse is connected to the electrical circuit.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing rigid disk substrates wherein the conventional process is modified to include a hot press function performed at the end of the fabrication process. The hot press function is performed so as to produce a flat substrate by causing the blank to yield, avoiding flow of either the blank or its overlay coating. The hot press temperature is coordinated with subsequent user process thermal cycle to avoid annealing by that cycle. The platens of the hot press are renewable with exact replacement replicas of master surfaces exhibiting a precise texture pattern ranging from an exact character down to a visibly featureless surface. That precise texture is embossed into the surface of the overlay without modifying that surface's epitaxy character. The process is extended beyond what is normal, by providing compliant platens having replica faces for removing asparity defects from post memory film deposition surfaces, restoring the substrate surface character to the finished disk.

Abstract: Lubricant is applied to a lubrication point by moving an emitter in a first portion of a movement path through lubricant in a reservoir and then moving the emitter through a second portion of the movement path. The emitter is loaded with lubricant in the first portion of the movement path and is drained from a drain port during the second portion of the movement path. The lubricant drained from the emitter is distributed to the lubrication point. A distribution device may be positioned below the emitter to collect the lubricant drained from the emitter and to distribute the collected lubricant to a lubrication point or position other than a position below the emitter during the second portion of the movement path.

Abstract: A bridging apparatus provides the capability of transparently and unambiguously communicating LAN packets between two separate LAN segments which have nodes with duplicate IDs. A communicator connected to each LAN segment includes a controller which aliases the source identification (SID) of remotely originated or sourced LAN packets with an unused ID which is an alias (AID) before sending the LAN packet with the AID as its SID on the local LAN segment. The reverse occurs in response to locally sourced LAN packets containing the AID as the DID. The ID of the remote node which correlates to the AID is substituted as the DID before the LAN packet is transmitted to the remote LAN segment. By aliasing in this manner LAN packets are communicated by use of the AIDs between the nodes having the duplicate IDs on the two LAN segments without changing the LAN protocol. Each communicator preferably includes a transmitter and receiver by which to communicate bridge packets between communicators.

Abstract: A clip supports an elongated electrode within a nozzle of an electrosurgical handpiece used in gas electrocoagulation. The clip is preferably formed from a cylindrical tube which has been deformed into a configuration which has a central conduit-like section which engages and supports the electrode and two opposed conduit-like lobe portions which extend outward and slightly compress against the nozzle to hold the electrode and clip in place in the nozzle. The clip is formed by deforming a segment of a cylindrical tube into the clip around the tube. The clip and the attached electrode are inserted into the nozzle by resiliently compressing the clip by inserting a narrow end of the clip into a rear end of the nozzle and pushing the clip and the nozzle together, thereby resiliently compressing the clip as it slips into the nozzle.

Abstract: The intensity of initial agitation of blood and an activating reagent affects the contribution of platelets to clotting in an activated clotting time (ACT) test. An improved ACT test accommodates the effects of platelet activation by incorporating a platelet activation phase. In the platelet activation phase an activating reagent is mixed with a sample of blood to be tested at a controlled point in time followed by gently agitating the mixture in such a manner and for a period of time sufficient to establish a predetermined and predictable contribution to the ACT from platelet activation. The platelet activation phase is followed by a clotting test phase of the ACT test. A platelet functionality test provides information regarding the functionality of platelets in a sample of blood.

Abstract: A clock, a lamp, an alarm, a motion detector and a smoke alarm are advantageously combined in a travel device which provides the user with both convenience and security when travelling. The motion detector detects motion and controls the delivery of an alarm signal and/or the delivery of light from the lamp. If motion occurs under circumstances suggesting that an intruder is present or if smoke is detected, the alarm signal and the degree of illumination alert the user to a potential security concern. If motion occurs under circumstances indicating the user is present and engaging in normal activities, the illumination is sufficient for those activities. If motion is not detected during a predetermined time period, suggesting that the user has gone to sleep, the illumination is ended. The alarm and the illumination may also be activated by clock functions, thereby achieving alarm clock functionality.

Abstract: A converter power supply uses a resonant primary circuit connected to a transformer and switches driving current pulses to the resonant primary circuit in phase with and substantially over the duration of the positive and negative half cycles during drive conditions, and clamps to allow the natural resonant current to decay in magnitude substantially over the duration of the positive and negative half cycles during clamping conditions. The decisions to drive or to clamp are made on half-cycle of the naturally resonating current. An algorithmic relationship creates the maximum alternation of drive and clamp conditions to achieve the desired level of power regulation. A configuration of current switches drives the primary winding and charges a resonator capacitor during one half cycle of the resonant current, and during the other half cycle the capacitor is discharged to drive in the other direction. The power supply is particularly useful for energizing an x-ray tube.

Abstract: An improved logic module comprises integrated circuit chips located in channels. The channels convey a flow of a cooling fluid or a combination of cooling fluids, bringing the cooling fluid into contact with the integrated circuit chips. Flow blockers and power blades form boundaries of the channels and substantially exclude the undesirable entry or exit of cooling fluids at the boundaries. A support frame holds the logic modules of a cluster of logic modules in a generally parallel relationship. Sealing plates between logic modules and an assembly gasket substantially prevent flow short circuiting. The power blades mate sealably with a horizontal buss to conduct electric power to the module.

Abstract: An electrosugrical unit for conducting a predetermined ionizable gas in a jet stream to the tissue at a predetermined flow rate sufficient to clear natural fluids from the tissue and to substantially expose the tissue stroma and for exposing the gas to an electrical radio frequency energy to ionize the gas in conductive pathways in the gas jet stream. The unit includes a nozzle which is releasably connected to a handle for easy manipulation by a surgeon with the nozzle including means for supporting an electrode in an optimal position for initiation of the ionization of the gas. Also, a connecting system is disclosed for connecting the hose on which the handle is mounted to a gas delivery apparatus and supply or electrical energy which permits the hose to rotate while maintaining a positive hermetic seal to prevent the hose from kinking during use by a surgeon.