Abstract: An ankle brace for therapeutic and preventive treatment of ankle sprains including a foot shell having upright medial and lateral sidewalls and a curved posterior wall, medial and lateral upright members hinged to the sidewalls, an anterior band formed integral with and connected to the upper ends of the upright members for positioning across the tibia crest of a wearer, a leg strap connectable around the leg of a wearer and the anterior band for holding the band against the leg of the wearer, a foot strap connectable between the medial or lateral sidewall near the posterior wall at an angle across the top of the foot of the wearer to a forward portion of the opposite sidewall, and an ankle strap connectable from the same medial or lateral sidewall as the foot strap and around the ankle of a wearer above the medial and lateral melleoli of the wearer and around the opposite upright member.

Abstract: A dual bin envelope tray is adapted to support, in a side-by-side relationship, two stacks of envelopes which may be of different sizes. The envelope tray is configured to be interchangeable with the conventional paper supply tray of a printing device, such as a printer, copier or the like, and may be inserted directly into the printing device housing opening from which the paper tray is removed. Cooperating driving and driven structures, respectively disposed within the housing and on the envelope tray, function to sequentially feed the envelopes in either stack thereof into the printing device housing for passage through its existing printing and paper exit paths.

Abstract: A high density electrical connector comprised of a block of insulative material having a plurality of electrical contacts for providing plural electrical connections and an electrical conductor for providing electrostatic discharge protection for the electrical contacts mounted thereto. The electrical conductor is positioned forward of the electrical contacts relative to the leading edge of the insulative material, thereby protecting the electrical contacts from electrostatic discharges. In alternate embodiments of the invention, the electrical connector may be a plug type electrical connector with the electrical conductor mounted on the leading edge of the projecting blades or may be a receptacle type electrical connector with the electrical conductor mounted to the leading edge of the insulative insert.

Abstract: A method and system for producing a toll ticketing record for a call with a mobile subscriber moving within the cells of at least two exchanges and generating a toll ticketing record of the call which includes sections which are related to the intersystem legs of the call.

Abstract: A sound mixer processor and related system and methods employs an fiber optic line; optical interfacing means; and, in some embodiments, logic circuitry to contol and monitor multiple input and output allocations.

Abstract: An improved panel mounting system for curtain wall construction of the type comprising a plurality of transparent and non-transparent panels secured to structural millions and disposed adjacent each other wherein the panels are constructed with an outer hollow region integrally formed with structural interconnection means.

Abstract: A shearing device for tendons such as wire, rope or cables. The device incorporates a shear block and clamping system having a first cylindrical block adapted for engaging an eccentric recess formed in a housing. Both the housing and the block are constructed with apertures therethrough adapted for receiving the tendon therein. Eccentric misalignment of the apertures is provided by relative rotation between the housing and the block to therein provide the shearing action. A clamp is disposed outwardly of the block for securing the tendon to be terminated. In this manner, a post-tension tendon of the type utilized in concrete construction or the like, can be safely terminated and controlled within a recessed region with efficiency and dimensional control.

Abstract: A system for the synchronization of encryption devices in a digital cellular communications system. Each of the encryption devices includes a multi-bit counter and generates a pseudo-random keystream which is combined with the data to be encrypted. The keystream is a function of the multi-bit counter value which is periodically incremented in response to a series of clock pulses. To allow proper decryption of the encrypted data, the system of the present invention provides continuous or very frequent updates of the transmitter counter value which may be used to reset the receiver counter and to resynchronize the system without the necessity of reinitialization and repetition of the intervening clock pulses.

Abstract: A substantially improved table soccer/fussball game playing ball is fabricated by molding an oversized spherical blank entirely from a single thermoplastic material, preferably a urethane material having a hardness within the approximate range of from about 50 Shore D to about 60 Shore D. The oversized molded blank is then subjected to a precision surface machining process, preferably using a centerless grinding machine, to reduce its diameter to a desired finished magnitude and to provide the resulting finished playing ball with a very precisely spherical shape. Compared to conventionally fabricated table soccer playing balls, the machined, single thermoplastic material playing ball provides a variety of advantages including a truer playing roll, considerably more durability and resistance to surface wear, and the desirable ability to retain its "like-new" playing characteristics for a much longer period of time.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for vapor-liquid contact utilizing louvered structured packing. The packing is provided in corrugated sheets and between the fold lines of the corrugations, a plurality of large louvered openings are disposed in generally parallel spaced relationship. An array of small louvers is disposed across the sheets, and each of the louvers is oriented for selectively vectoring the flow of liquid and/or vapor around and through the corrugated sheets when disposed within a chemical process tower.

Abstract: A floating point processor for performing arithmetic operations on floating point numbers includes a first arithmetic operation unit configured to operate on normalized numbers and a second arithmetic operation unit which includes a denormalizer for denormalizing normalized numbers and a normalizer for normalizing denormalized numbers. Each arithmetic operation unit has first and second inputs for receiving first and second operands, respectively, and an output for transmitting a result of the arithmetic operation. When an denormalized operand is presented as an input to the arithmetic operation unit configured to operate on normalized numbers, the denormalized input operand is redirected through the second arithmetic unit for normalization of the denormalized operand. The first arithmetic operation unit then performs its arithmetic operation using the normalized input operands. The result of the arithmetic operation is then analyzed to determine whether it has a zero or negative exponent.

Abstract: A tracheal T-tube stent is formed from a flexible, resiliently yieldable material and has a hollow, open-ended tubular body portion which is coaxially insertable into the trachea through a suitable neck incision, and a transverse tubular portion which projects outwardly through the incision and has a small side wall opening therein. The distal end portion of a small inflation lumen having an air inlet check valve fitting at its proximal end is extended inwardly through the side wall opening, runs inwardly along the interior side surface of the transverse tube portion and upwardly along the interior side surface of the top end of the body portion, and is connected at its distal end to an inflation balloon disposed within the top end of the T-tube body. With the T-tube in place within the trachea, and the balloon deflated, the T-tube functions as an ordinary tracheal stent to hold the trachea open and permit normal patient breathing.

Abstract: An improved automatic feed drill including a housing, a rotatable tool spindle located for reciprocating movement in the housing, driving means located in the housing operably connected with the spindle for rotating and reciprocating the spindle in feed and retraction movements, and structure for supporting the spindle including a nose assembly secured with the housing around the drilling end of the spindle having a telescoping section with a bore concentric with the spindle, and a bearing on the spindle drilling end fitted in sliding relation in the nose bore for piloting the spindle and a drill connected thereto during reciprocating movement of the spindle.

Abstract: A phosphorescent vehicle part identification accessory comprising an article or molded plastic having formed therewith a phosphorescent compound adapted for glowing for a period of time following exposure to light energy. The phosphorescent article is secured to the vehicle in a location thereon for receiving illumination from other vehicles and external light sources and providing a decaying glow therefrom. The phosphorescent article may comprise a vehicle wheel valve stem cap, a strip, or a tab adapted for positioning about a vehicle keyhole.

Abstract: A floating point processor for pipelining a series of calculations of simple and compound arithmetic operations includes at least one arithmetic operation unit for performing arithmetic operations on input operands provided to the arithmetic operation units and at least one accumulator for storing the results of the arithmetic operations performed by the arithmetic operation unit. The results stored in the accumulators are then provided to the arithmetic operation units. Arithmetic operations are pipelined through the floating point processor by a series of latches which sequence the input operands, results produced by the arithmetic operation units using the input operands, and results produced by the arithmetic operation units using the input operands and the accumulated operands.

Abstract: An improved liquid flow distributor assembly for a process column of the type wherein the distributor is positioned above a packing section for the distribution of liquid downwardly therethrough. The improvement comprises a plurality of distributor troughs constructed with a series of internal distributor channels having stilling plates depending therefrom. Each channel is constructed of a generally U-shaped cross section, aligned with and affixed to the distributor trough for providing primary liquid flow to intermediate regions thereof. In this manner, liquid gradients between opposite ends of the troughs are eliminated and a uniform quiescent liquid level is maintained.

Abstract: A balance, which is virtually insensitive to angular deviation and to the presence of additional accelerations of the base, has two dynamometers (2, 3) each having a parallel guide (26). The parallel guides are mutually parallel and their degree of freedom coincides with the direction of gravitational acceleration when the balance is horizontal. The dynamometer (2) measures the weight (M) of the object to be weighed, and the dynamometer (3) measures that of a reference mass (8, 22,24). The balance also has a computer (4) which, from the signals emitted by the two dynamometers (2,3), accurately determines the mass of the object to be weighed independently of the angular deviation of the instantaneous total acceleration. During calibration, which can be carried out only by the manufacturer, the dynamometer (3) determines the weight R.sub.1, R.sub.2 of the reference mass (8, 22, 24) at two different inclinations of the balance and the dynamometer (2) determines the weight (N.sub.1, N.sub.

Abstract: An earth boring bit utilizing thermally stable polycrystalline diamond material having a row of closely spaced sharp cutting elements, following by a row of widely spaced, blunt or rounded cutting elements, each cutting element extending from a supporting matrix a predetermined amount to allow the sharp cutting elements to form small relief kerfs in a geological formation, after which the blunt or rounded cutting elements dislodge material between the kerfs. Additionally, cylindrical cutting elements are positioned near the gage or outermost portion of the matrix to enhance gage bore cutting.