Abstract: Method and apparatus for analyzing the deformation of an object resulting from the application of stress. A novel optical element is used to perform shearometric analysis upon a test object. The novel optical element has an overall pattern of first and second pluralities of regions having significantly different indices of transmissivity. The pattern of variations causes pairs of light rays which are reflected from two distinct points on the test object at a divergent angle to emerge from the optical element so that they are nearly parallel. The nearly parallel rays are then received upon a photoelectrical sensing means such as a video camera or photoelectric array. Because the rays impinging thereon are nearly parallel, they may be adequately resolved by the photoelectric sensing means, thus enabling shearometric analysis to be performed electronically in a rapid and cost-effective manner.

Abstract: A distributed facsimile information system for providing information subscribers with documents and other requested information. The system includes a central processing unit in communication with a central data base and a number of satellite data bases at remote locations. The central data base includes a plurality of data files containing digitally stored documents and other information, and each of the satellite data bases includes some of the data files contained in the central data base. A terminal including a touch-tone phone and a facsimile machine is situated at the location of each information subscriber. A request for information is made via the touch-tone phone, and the system prompts a user through a series of menus for input of information identifying the particular document requested. The central processing unit then determines which of the data bases contains the document and is closest to the requestor's terminal for transmission of the document.

Abstract: A modular harness device for supporting fish hooks and the like from a fishing line such that fish are prevented from swallowing the hook more than mouth deep. The device includes a vertical support shank suspended from the fishing line, at least one tubular lateral support connected to and extending laterally from the shank, and fish hook attachment structure for attaching a fish hook spaced a fixed distance from the vertical support. In one embodiment, there are two spaced coaxial lateral tubular supports with a removable guard wire or connector bar bridges the space between the supports upon insertion through the tubular lateral supports. In a further embodiment, the invention includes one or more rigid extension members removably connected to the harness for supporting a plurality of fish hooks or lures a fixed distance from the vertical support, the extension members engaging the connector bar to provide a built-in swing limit function.

Abstract: A golf club head is formed with a ball impacting face having an outer layer of wood veneer bonded to an inner layer of synthetic resin reinforced fibers by a synthetic resin which impregnates both layers. In a wood-type version of the club head, the outer shell is formed over a molded foam plastic core by covering the core with a flexible woven resin reinforced fibers sock, impregnating the sock with an uncured synthetic resin, covering the impregnated sock with a pair of shaped wood veneer matched halves so that the wood veneer is impregnated with resin, and curing the composite in forming molds.

Abstract: This invention provides automatic and reliable determination of the touch point of a clutch controlled by an automatic clutch actuation controller. This invention determines the touch point while idling the engine, with the transmission in neutral and an inertial brake applied. The clutch actuation controller engages the clutch so that the measured transmission input speed matches a reference speed signal preferably between 40% and 60% of the idle speed. This reliably provides the degree of clutch engagement at a small torque matching the braking torque. When the transmission input speed is within a predetermined amount of the reference speed signal, such as 4%, this invention determines the clutch touch point corresponding to the degree of clutch engagement. This degree of clutch engagement may be a clutch position signal or a clutch pressure signal produced by an existing sensor used in the automatic clutch control.

Abstract: A method for recognition of an unconstrained written character image employs at least one non-character recognizer in addition to character recognizers for each candidate character. The input image is rejected if any of the non-character recognizers produces a match. The input image is recognized only if a) a character recognizer produces a match, and b) none of the non-character recognizers produces a match. The non-character recognizers are preferably trained on a) images which are not recognized by the set of character recognizers, B) images which are misclassified by at least one of the set of character recognizers result, and c) incorrectly segmented images. In the preferred embodiment of this invention individual segmented digit images are recognized for automatic sorting of mail by ZIP code. In the preferred embodiment plural character recognizers and at least one non-character recognizer are embodied in a neural network using a place encoding output.

Abstract: An organically modified clay is manufactured by a process wherein a clay having an exchangeable, cationic species therein is combined with a cationic organic material, subjected to a high confining pressure and mixed while under pressure so as to promote an ion exchange reaction whereby the cationic species is incorporated into the clay.

Abstract: A Verres needle suturing device. The spring loaded probe of a Verres needle assembly is modified to include an angled guide for guiding the end of a piece of suture material from the channel of the probe out of the opening of the probe so that it can be snared by a snare introduced into the surgical site. The invention is particularly useful for relatively inaccessible surgical sites, such as result from endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery.

Abstract: A connector assembly for connecting a bicycle seat to a bicycle seat post. The assembly includes a housing defining a hollow opening downwardly to allow the upper end of the bicycle seat post to be passed upwardly into the hollow; a generally horizontal bore in the housing opening in the opposite side faces of the housing and sized to pass a fastener to facilitate fastening of the connector member to the frame of the bicycle seat; a circumferential array of serrations on each of the opposite side faces of the housing concentric with the bore for coaction with circumferentially arrayed serrations on the bicycle seat frame to allow adjustment of the angular position of the seat relative to the seat post upon loosening of the fastener; a vertical clamping surface defined in the housing in confronting relation to the hollow; and a clamping jaw slidably mounted in the hollow of the housing and having a vertical clamping surface coacting with the housing clamping surface to clamp the bicycle post therebetween.

Abstract: A pneumatically-powered battering ram for striking objects quickly and effectively with an initial high striking velocity resulting in an increased peak force effective in breaking the target object. The battering ram includes an elongated hollow housing containing a mass to be propelled, preferably a piston, and a supply of compressed gas, preferably carbon dioxide disposed within the housing. A valve mechanism releases a portion of the compressed gas into a charge cavity located between the piston and the supply of compressed gas. A sear mechanism holds the piston in place against the pressure of the compressed gas in the charge cavity. When the battering ram is swung at an object such as a door, a trigger mechanism releases the sear mechanism which in turn releases the piston. The piston is then accelerated forward by the compressed gas charge. Consequently, as the ram reaches the door, so does the piston which is traveling at a much higher velocity than could be obtained solely by manual swinging.

Abstract: A modular connector for establishing multiple electrical connections through an opening in a vehicle body panel. A frame member, having opposite sides and mountable to the panel opening, has a means for sealing the body panel opening. The frame member has a plurality of connector module apertures. A cover, which is securable to one side of the frame member, has a plurality of connector module receptacles which correspond to and align with the connector module apertures. One or more female connector modules, each providing multiple terminals, mount in a receptacle in the cover and align with a frame opening. One or more male connector modules, each providing multiple terminals, aligns with a frame opening and mating to a corresponding female connector module. A means is provided for securing the female connector module to the male connector module.

Abstract: A digital signal processor optimized for synthetic aperture radar image formation provides two separate stages of arithmetic processing along independent in-phase and quadrature channels. The first stage accepts a first reference input and integrates a multiplier/accumulator for each channel, and the second stage accepts a second reference input and includes a multiplier and an adder for each channel. In addition to hardware to select and route data in accordance with a desired operation, a hold register is incorporated prior to input-selection logic to facilitate complex-by-complex multiplications of data derived from either input in the first stage. Hold registers are also included before the second-stage adders to permit a complex multiplication with magnitude weighting to occur during the zero-th stage of a fast Fourier transformation, effectively hiding the time to perform one FFT stage.

Abstract: A video field-production control system is adapted for use with video cameras supplied by various manufacturers, including cameras that utilize cable-oriented remote-control units associated with electronic news gatherings (ENG). An industry standard mounting frame holds a central control unit with interface modules dedicated to each camera to be used by the system, as well as a power supply, master synchronization generator and production switcher, all common to each installed interface module. In addition to providing customized connecters and cables to the attached equipment, each module provides for cable compensation and gain adjustment of composite and component video signals from the camera to the switcher plus phase adjustment of the master sync signal to the camera through an adapter further capable of providing the voltages necessary to power the camera.

Abstract: A handwritten character image normalization technique provides predetermined pixel dimensions and a normalized skew. The skew slope of the input image is calculated. This skew slope is employed to determine the bounds of the smallest parallelogram which completely encloses all of the stroke pixels of the input image. This parallelogram has a first pair of opposed horizontal sides and a second pair of opposed sides having the skew slope. The stroke pixels of this parallelogram are then mapped into the standard size horizontal row and vertical column pixel dimensions using horizontal and vertical scaling factors determined from the parallelogram dimensions and the standard dimensions. This mapping employs a subpixel grid of the normalized pixels. Candidate stroke pixels are identified which correspond to any part of a stroke pixel of the input image.

Abstract: A bathtub scrubbing implement for efficiently and effectively cleaning the interior surface of a bathtub providing a scrubber head having at least one substantially planar side conformable to the planar surfaces of a bathtub interior and at least one curved side conformable to the curves of a bathtub interior. In the preferred embodiment, the scrubbing implement includes a base, an elongated handle, and a trapezoid-shaped scrubber head encased in a scrubber material. The scrubber head is detachable and interchangeable with other scrubber heads constructed in accordance with the present invention to provide choice of scrubber materials. The scrubbing implement improves reach during use without compromising appropriate leverage and stable thrust, thus providing greater manipulability. The scrubbing implement may be used swiftly and reliably, and is easily guided even in aggressive operation. Optionally, the handle may also provide a hook for convenient storage over a shower head, curtain rod, or wall-hook.

Abstract: An optical gauge for measuring the dimension of a hole in a workpiece employs an interferometric technique using a partially coherent radiation source. A beam of the radiation is directed to a beam splitter positioned a known distance from one of the known surfaces to produce a first sub-beam extending to a mirror and a second sub-beam along the axis of measurement. The mirror is adjustably positioned along the first sub-beam axis by a micrometer head. A radiation detector positioned on the opposite side of the beam splitter from the mirror receives light reflected by the second workpiece surface and light reflected by the mirror. Interference between the numerous wavelengths in the two beams results in a mixture of constructive and destructive interference at all positions of the mirror except that position where the path lengths are exactly equal.

Abstract: An infant bath chair adapted to be positioned in a bathtub to facilitate bathing of the infant. The chair includes a base adapted to be positioned on the bottom of the bathtub and defining a seat; a seatback having a lower end pivotally mounted on the base proximate the rear edge of the seat; a U-shaped cage having a pair of arm portion pivotally mounted at their rear ends on the base rearwardly of the seatback pivot axis and a forward bight portion embracing an infant positioned on the seat; and a latch assembly interconnecting the seatback and the cage arm portions and releasable in response to upward pivotal movement of the cage to allow adjusting pivotal movement of the seatback relative to the base. The latch assembly includes an arcuate slot on each of the arms centered on the pivot axis of the seatback and a plurality of notches positioned serially along each arcuate slot on the side of the slot remote from the seatback pivot axis and opening in the respective slot.

Abstract: A tool holder assembly for connecting a tool to a spindle. The tool holder assembly defines a conical envelope for seating in a conical seat defined by the spindle and an annular clamping surface in surrounding relation to the conical envelope for seating against an annular clamping surface defined by the spindle. The conical envelope is resilient so as to allow simultaneous seating of the conical envelope in the conical seat of the spindle and seating of the clamping surface on the clamping seat of the spindle irrespective of the tolerances between the conical seat and the clamping seat. Several embodiments are disclosed for providing the resiliency to the conical envelope.

Abstract: A resistive strain gauge pressure sensor including upper and lower housings coacting to define a pressure chamber within the housing. A board member assembly is clamped between the housings and defines a diaphragm portion which extends across the pressure chamber to divide the pressure chamber into upper and lower chamber portions. The board member assembly includes a relatively thin plate member, including a diaphragm portion, and a relatively thick support member bonded to the upper face of the thin plate member and including an annular portion positioned in surrounding relation to the diaphragm portion. The circuitry of the sensor is screen printed onto the lower face of the plate member and includes the various resistor elements of the strain gauge assembly, the various elements of the conditioning circuit receiving the output of the strain gauge assembly, and the various further leads required to connect the circuitry elements to the terminals of the sensor.