Abstract: A method of static perimetric examination of the visual field of a subject involves presenting to the subject a plurality of spots of light of predetermined stimulus values which constitute a group of statistically ascertained mean thresholds for the age group of the subject. Such light spots are presented in a test field in accordance with a randomly selected pattern which is determined by a computer. The computer records the threshold value of each spot and modifies the corresponding stimulus value of the group by replacing it with the threshold value. The modified group is used for presentation of light spots to the same subject during a future test.

Abstract: An apparatus which subdivides an adhesive-coated web of paper or imitation cork into a succession of uniting bands which are draped around groups of coaxial cigarettes and filter plugs to form filter cigarettes has two drums rotating in opposite directions about parallel axes. One of the drums is a suction drum and serves to advance the leader of the web toward the nip of the two drums where the leader is severed to yield successive uniting bands. The suction drum has a number of equidistant axially parallel peripheral grooves each disposed in front of a cutting edge. The other drum carries detachable knives with cutting edges extending beyond the periphery of the other drum so that they can penetrate into the oncoming grooves during travel past the nip. The drums are rotated by mating gears and the radius of the cylinder which is formed by the cutting edges of the knives exceeds the radius of the pitch circle of the gear which drives the other drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for transporting stacks of paper sheets in a spiral binding machine has a hollow frame with a forwardly and downwardly sloping front panel which is provided with a horizontal slot extending between a first station where fresh stacks of paper sheets are placed onto the exposed side of the panel and a second station where the stacks are subjected to one or more treatments, such as making of perforations, breaking up into smaller stacks, introduction of spiral binders, or looping of end portions of the outermost convolutions of inserted spiral binders. A tongs in the interior of the frame is mounted on a reciprocable carriage which is rigid with one jaw of the tongs and supports the other jaw through the medium of a pivotable lever which is pivotably connected with the other jaw.

Abstract: Threshold values which are ascertained during successive static perimetric examinations of the visual field of a subject by presenting variable-intensity stimuli to selected points of a test field are permanently recorded in the form of a single graphic display. The printer which makes the permanent record is connected with a computer which controls the sequence of presentation of stimuli during each examination. If the points of presentation of stimuli overlap, the computer ascertains the arithmetic mean of corresponding threshold values which are ascertained during successive examinations or subtracts one threshold value from the other (corresponding) threshold value. Such modified threshold values are also displayed on the record, together with threshold values which are interpolated by the computer between those threshold values which are ascertained during perimetric examination.

Abstract: An arrangement for directly transporting manganese nodules obtained in ocean bottom mining, entrained in carrier water, to a ship includes a riser conduit and a submersible motor-pump arrangement located at the ocean bottom and discharging into the riser conduit in continuous operation. The motor-pump arrangement is so designed and operated that the highest possible pressure reduction therein due to changing consistency of the respective flowable medium minus the pressure differential along the characteristic curve of the pump arrangement at most equals, for all operating points along a characteristic control line, the pressure differential between a continuous operating point and the lowest pressure of the corresponding characteristic curve of the riser conduit at the operating limit.

Abstract: A testing apparatus for filter cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped articles has a drum-shaped conveyor with a smooth or fluted cylindrical surface and with radially inwardly extending suction slots which are connected to the intake of a fan. Each slot is disposed between two cradles which support the articles to be tested in such a way that the wrappers of the articles remain spaced apart from the periphery of the conveyor. The cradles engage the articles close to the respective ends of the articles and have small article-engaging surfaces to thus insure the detection of all or nearly all leaks during testing with a fluid medium which is introduced into the interior of a wrapper during travel past the testing station. The streams of air which flow into the slots of the conveyor hold the articles against ejection under the action of gravity and/or centrifugal force.

Abstract: An electronic organ, piano or accordion has a transposing apparatus wherein a voltage-regulated high-frequency oscillator transmits high frequency signals to the input of a 12-tone divider circuit whose outputs transmit tone frequency signals to the tone generator of the musical instrument. The oscillator receives regulating signals from a switching unit, such as a multiplexer or a battery of integrated circuits, and the intensity of such signals is a function of addressing signals which are transmitted to the switching unit by an addressing unit having a keyboard with keys which are actuatable by the player to initiate the generation of different addressing signals as a result of closing of electric switches which are associated with the keys. The distribution of keys in the keyboard is the same as the distribution of playing keys in the keyboard of a piano, organ or a like musical instrument.

Abstract: A cassette for X-ray film has a first chamber for the film and a relatively narrow elongated second chamber for the major part of an elongated data-carrying card a portion of which extends outwardly through a window in the cover of the container. The two chambers are separated from each other by a partition which has a sealable aperture in register with the window.

Abstract: Cigarette packs which leave a packing machine by moving sideways so that one of the major surfaces of each pack faces forwardly are monitored for the presence of defective envelopes during travel between two endless belt conveyors. When the monitoring system or systems detect a defective pack, such system or systems generate one or more signals which are used to expel the defective pack from the path between the conveyors. The ejection is effected by changing the orientation of defective packs relative to the conveyors so as to reduce the frictional hold of conveyors upon the relatively narrow lateral faces of the defective packs with the result that the thus released defective packs can descend by gravity. The orientation of defective packs can be changed by discrete pins which move into the path of the packs from above, from below or from one side so as to be nearer to the one than to the other conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus for winding webs of photographic film like onto the hub of a reel in a cassette has a flexible band one end of which is secured to the hub and the other end of which is connected to a coupling unit having a normally closed clamping mechanism for the leader of a web. The leader can be threaded through an inlet opening of the cassette and into the coupling unit when the clamping mechanism is held in open position by a permanent magnet which is installed in the cassette adjacent to the opening. When the hub is rotated in a direction to convolute the band and thereupon the web therearound, the coupling unit is withdrawn from the field to the permanent magnet and is confined in a peripheral recess of the reel. If the web is thereupon unwound, the coupling unit is withdrawn from the recess and is advanced toward the opening so that the magnet opens the clamping mechanism and the latter permits withdrawal of the leader of the web therefrom.

Abstract: The remnants of film units which are withdrawn from a cassette in the housing of a camera for instant photography are reintroduced into the cassette subsequent to development of images and separation of image-bearing sheets. The reintroduction can be effected by a manually operated yoke, by the pressure applying rolls which serve to spread a fluid processing agent between the positive and negative sheets of an exposed film unit, by an additional roll in cooperation with one of the pressure applying rolls, or by a separate set of advancing rolls.

Abstract: Apparatus for subdividing a web of wrapping material into sections of predetermined length has a reciprocable carriage for a pair of grippers which are pivotable into engagement with the web to thereby clamp the web against the carriage while the latter moves forwardly. This advances the web through a distance which approximates but is less than the distance necessary to advance the web by the length of a section. The grippers are thereupon disengaged from the web while the carriage continues to move forwardly, and the web is braked by one or more brushes so that two pawls whose pallets are biased against the web can catch up with a pair of marginal notches in the web. The pallets enter the respective marginal notches and complete the forward movement of the web. A mobile knife cooperates with a stationary knife to sever the web and to thus separate a section from the leader of the web while the carriage moves rearwardly.

Abstract: A rotary pressure applying roll which defines with a parallel complementary roll a nip for a running web of paper, textile or other flexible sheet material in a calender or the like has a cylindrical shell surrounding a stationary carrier in the form of a rigid shaft. A bearing element is installed between the shell and the carrier and several hydraulic pressure generating devices are mounted between the carrier and the bearing element to urge the latter against the internal surface of the shell. The pressure generating devices are spaced apart from each other, as considered in the circumferential direction of the shell, and the cylinder chamber of each such device can receive pressurized hydraulic fluid at a different pressure. The axis of a main pressure generating device is normally located in the common plane of the axes of the shell and of the complementary roll.

Abstract: A tool which loops the end portion of the outermost convolution of a spiral wire binder around the neighboring next-to-the-outermost convolution while the convolutions of the binder extend through the perforations of a stack of paper sheets and the binder is located in a preselected position has a knife which trims the outermost convolution and thereupon bends the end portion of the outermost convolution to a position of parallelism with and proximity to a stationary surface. A looping device which is mounted at the forward end of a rotary reciprocable shaft is thereupon caused to engage the bent end portion in response to forward movement of the shaft and to loop the bent end portion by moving it along the surface and around the neighboring convolution in response to rotation of the shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for wet treatment of sheets or strips of photographic material has a small-volume treating chamber bounded by pairs of advancing rollers at its inlet and outlet ends. A lower wall of the chamber extends between the lower rollers of the pairs of advancing rollers and sealing lips bridge the gaps between such lower wall and the respective lower rollers. Treating liquid is admitted laterally into the chamber, transversely of the path of advancement of photographic material and at about the level of such path.

Abstract: A motor vehicle roof carrier for the affixation of skis and other ojbects to be transported, consisting of a carrier tube which is constituted by two pieces (1, 1') shiftable for width adjustment, and clamping parts (3, 6) shiftable relative to one another by means of a spindle (4) for the affixation of the roof carrier at the rain channels of the vehicle roof.

Abstract: Stacks of paper sheets wherein a first marginal portion of a relatively large second sheet extends beyond the corresponding first marginal portions of two piles of relatively small first sheets, wherein the second sheet is disposed between the two piles of first sheets and wherein at least some first sheets are often out of exact alignment with the remaining (aligned) first sheets are treated in an apparatus wherein an inclined first surface supports one side of a stack and a second surface at the lower end of the first surface is provided on a stop for those (second) marginal portions of the sheets which are remote from the first marginal portions. The misaligned first sheets are moved into exact register with the remaining first sheets by shifting them toward the second surface so that their second marginal portions contact the stop.

Abstract: Apparatus for filling containers whose upper ends are open and which are moved seriatim and stepwise to a filling station has a receptacle which is disposed at a level above a container at the filling station and below a metering device whose lower end can be opened to discharge a metered quantity of flowable material onto a normally horizontal bottom wall of the receptacle. The receptacle is thereupon pivoted to move a discharge opening thereof into the open end of the container at the filling station and to incline the bottom wall to such an extent that the metered quantity of flowable material slides off the bottom wall and enters the container by way of the opening. The opening is normally sealed by a flap which is opened when the opening extends into the open end of a container at the filling station.

Abstract: A device for confining liquid metals comprises a coil which surrounds a jet of liquid metal to be confined and means for causing an alternating current to flow through the coil. These means cause an alternating current to flow through the coil at a frequency which is less than the inverse of the product of the magnetic permeability of the liquid metal, the electrical conductivity of the metal and the square of the radius of the jet of the metal after confinement, in coherent units.The invention applies to the casting of steel, aluminium, copper and alloys thereof.