Abstract: A fence tensioner has a frame which may be rigid or articulated. The tensioner carries on each end thereof a rotatable cylindrical member which is provided with an axial slot to accommodate the profile of a section of fence. The cylindrical member is provided a ratchet and a pawl to lock the cylinder against loosening rotation. The pawl has a square end to lock the ratchet and eliminate any backlash and any slack in the fence members. The frame of the device is articulated so that each end of the device may accommodate the angle of the fence relative to the post. The vinyl fencing fits into the tensioner and locks itself therein as the cylinder rotates.

Abstract: This device is advantageous for connecting an electronic circuit card to a test system to inspect the assembled electronic circuit card without damage to the mating connector thereon. A toggle actuated pressing member supports an electrical connector and a flex cable which, in turn, is connected to an electronic device. The pressing member or slide member may be moved toward a mating electrical connector attached to an electronic circuit card, aligned with the connector on the slide member, and forced into a connected condition therewith. The controlled action of the slide block and the connector supported thereon effect connection of the connectors without creating stresses that may damage the electronic circuit card or the connector thereon. A connector supported by the slide block is disconnected by moving the slide block away from the electronic circuit card and, by permitting spring-biased foot blocks to hold the electronic circuit card against movement until after disengagement occurs.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive is provided with clamping rings that whenever nested will form an annular chamber to accommodate a toroidal ring which is deformable. As the clamping rings are progressively forcefully engaged by the clamping rings, the chamber is reduced in height and transmits the force of the top clamping ring to the bottom clamping ring in a uniform distribution and prevents the force of the bottom clamping ring from having non-uniformity of distribution. This action prevents magnetically recordable disks of the disk drive from being subjected to point loading and consequential warping. The uniform distribution exerted on glass disks also prevents cracking or shattering of the glass disk and prevents warping of non-glass disks.

Abstract: An attachment mechanism for retaining expansion circuit boards in the mounting panel of a computer is disclosed. The attachment mechanism comprises a span extending between two displaced fastener openings on the mounting panel of the computer and depending therefrom a plurality of the fingers or tabs to engage the mounting bracket of the expansion circuit boards. By engaging a plurality of the expansion circuit boards with the fingers or tabs, all of the circuit boards may be clamped and reliably retained in position with substantially uniform force and the use of a minimum number of fasteners. The tabs or fingers extend generally perpendicular to the span of the bracket such that the span of the bracket provides substantial rigidity and insures substantially equal force being exerted by the tabs or fingers onto the mounting brackets of the electronic circuit boards. The use of a minimum number of fasteners shortens the time necessary for assembly and reduces the part count.

Abstract: A combination or hybrid connector, for connecting both an electrical connection and an optical signal connection simultaneously, incorporates a fiber optic conductor aligned with and contained within the ground pin of an electrical power plug. A fiber optic conductor is contained within a mating receptacle unit to which the electrical power is plug connected. The fiber optic conductor of the plug extends beyond the ground pin to enter, be aligned and interface with a fiber optic conductor within the receptacle unit. The end of the fiber optic conductor in the plug is shielded and the shield is retractable upon engagement with the alignment device. The alignment device is fabricated to have a converging interior space which receives the fiber optic conductor of the plug and gently bends the plug fiber optic conductor to an aligned position to place the end thereof closely juxtaposed with the end of the fiber optic conductor of the receptacle.

Abstract: This transformer test control device permits testing of an electrical transformer as installed on a power pole without connecting any high voltage of the power distribution line to the transformer, thereby significantly enhancing the safety of the lineman during the testing procedure. A test control device for controlling the testing of an electrical transformer combines a visual indicator acting as both a power-on indicator and a fuse tester, a voltmeter, a voltage adjustment control, an operator control switch and a fuse as well as terminals for connecting both to an alternating current electrical supply and to the terminals of the primary coil of a transformer to be tested. Additionally, the test control device includes terminals for connecting the device and a secondary circuit to selected output terminals of the secondary coil of the transformer and additional terminals for receiving and retaining the contact portions of voltmeter test probes.

Abstract: Mounting the cursor actuator control or mouse buttons on the keyboard portion of a portable computer in a manner to permit the translation of the cursor actuator control across the keyboard portion of the portable computer, thereby allows the positioning of the cursor actuator control for comfort and convenience of the operator. The ability to relocate the cursor actuator control further allows any operator of the portable computer to minimize inadvertent operation thereof by the accidental and unintentional contact of user's thumb with the cursor actuator controls.

Abstract: A light pipe or illumination distributor of a backlit liquid crystal display panel in a hinge or tilt-up display for a laptop computer is coated with a highly reflective coating to control and eliminate the escape of light except through the front or exit face of the illumination distributor which is juxtaposed with the back side of a liquid crystal display panel. The highly reflective coating is further coated with a highly abrasion and shock resistant coating, such as an epoxy paint, to serve as the exterior of the computer display, thereby eliminating the need for a cover for the back of the display.

Abstract: A bar coded magnetic recording pattern uniquely identifying the disk of a disk drive is disposed, at the time the disk is single disk tested and accepted, in a reserved area that is not used for data recording by the disk drive assembly. The identifying recording is disposed in a reserved region that is accessible by the magnetic transducer of the disk drive. The identifying recording may be read to determine the orientation of the disk in the disk drive and may be read to positively identify the disk to permit repair, recall or data transfer from specifically identified disks without shut down and/or disassembly of the disk drives incorporating the designated disks.

Abstract: The design of an electro-magnetic radiation suppression shield and cooling housing for a computer, server or other electronic device having a computer processor may be greatly enhanced and expedited by a test apparatus that permits the placement of electro-magnetic radiation suppression plates at differing locations, spacings and alignments, which allows a variance in positioning the electro-magnetic radiation source. The test apparatus not only has an air flow cooling opening in which an electro-magnetic radiation suppression panel forms cooling air flow holes but also a fixture for disposing a second similar electromagnetic radiation suppression panel at a distance from the first electro-magnetic radiation suppression panel. Each of the panels may be substituted to test various designs.

Abstract: A latch mechanism using a natural unlatching, releasing, pull movement has a slidable latch release which is carried on a device being latched, such as an electronic module. This slidable latch release has a pair of recesses or cavities at least partially defining cams that engage and displace a latch member from engagement with a latching surface on the device being latched. A latch release member is provided with a pair of wing members that are resilient and are deformed as a result of movement of the latch release relative to the latched device. Deformation provides a bias to restore the latch release member to a position capable of permitting latching upon the reinsertion of the device into a host device, such as a computer or the like.

Abstract: A retainer screw for maintaining a retained device such as a cable connector in a connected condition with a host device is provided with a torque disconnecting mechanism that responds to the axial movement of the retainer screw and disconnects the drive of the screw before the screw bottoms in the receiving nut. Disconnecting the drive not only prevents undue torque from being applied to the screw but also prevents seizure of the screw by the nut, preventing easy removal. Also, the disconnecting mechanism continues to provide connection of the drive torque in an unthreading direction notwithstanding the inability of the screw to be driven in the threading direction. The drive member of the retainer screw is allowed to ratchet relative to the screw to relieve the torque.

Abstract: An easily removable modular optical signal transceiver unit for conversion between modulated light signal transmission and electronic data signals and which conforms to the Small Form Factor standard for transceiver interfaces is disclosed. The structural details of its chassis include aspects which insure the proper positioning of electronic circuit boards of a transmitter optical subassembly and a receiver optical subassembly as well as the positioning of electromagnetic radiation shielding on the chassis. In conjunction with an interface device on an electronic circuit board of a host device, the chassis supports electromagnetic radiation shielding which substantially encloses the sources of electromagnetic radiation within the module and suppresses the escape of electromagnetic radiation, thereby preventing electromagnetic interference with sensitive components and devices in proximity to the module.

Abstract: A lever and latching arrangement having a pair of camming surfaces disposed on one end thereof is attached to one end of a tailstock member of an electronic memory book or central electronic complex book of a computer. This lever arrangement, as rotated about a pivot axis, engages one of the camming surfaces with a portion of the computer frame; the mechanical advantage of the lever system overcomes the large forces required to connect or disconnect the electronic book from the computer connectors. The pivot axis is positioned between the side rail of the book and the computer frame and between the tailstock and the connectors of the book to afford a low profile relative to the tailstock, permitting a more efficient use of available volumetric space within the computer.

Abstract: A dressing disk for dressing and reconditioning the polishing pad of a planetary disk polishing machine is fabricated by plating a nickel/diamond matrix layer onto a stainless steel disk wherein the matrix layer thickness is developed or plated to a thickness which leaves exposed about 25 percent of the fine diamond particles, thereby forming a surface that has the look and feel of medium to coarse sandpaper. The dressing disks are inserted into the holes in a disk carrier of a planetary polishing machine and driven by its central rotary drive.

Abstract: Circuit boards are formed within the boundaries of an insulative sheet or panel such that the panel may be automatably processed. The periphery of each printed circuit board is defined by at least a plurality of score lines which do not extend to the edge of the sheets and may include also uncut and/or unscored areas to provide stability to either the sheet or segments of scrap material, lending rigidity to the sheet. Following complete fabrication of the printed circuit board, the sheet is cut by a routing process to extend selected score lines to the edges of the sheet to destroy the integrity of the frame of scrap material surrounding the printed circuit boards.

Abstract: Inorganic crystals having one or more species of dopant ions which are photo-reactive are used as visible and or infrared light optical limiters to protect against laser radiation exposure while permitting passage of the visible and or infrared light spectrum at least until exposed to high energy laser radiation. The dopant ions are selected from ions of transition metals. The exposure of these ions within the transparent crystalline matrix either photo-ionize or are elevated to an excited state and thereby absorb or otherwise attenuate the passage of the laser beam radiation sufficiently to protect human eyes or photo-sensitive equipment. The crystals may be fabricated into such items as lenses for use in eyeglasses or on shields of flight helmets to protect the eyes of aircraft pilots.

Abstract: A bar coded magnetic recording pattern uniquely identifying the disk of a disk drive is disposed, at the time the disk is single disk tested and accepted, in a reserved area that is not used for data recording by the disk drive assembly. The identifying recording is disposed in a reserved region that is accessible by the magnetic transducer of the disk drive. The identifying recording may be read to determine the orientation of the disk in the disk drive and may be read to positively identify the disk to permit repair, recall or data transfer from specifically identified disks without shut down and/or disassembly of the disk drives incorporating the designated disks.

Abstract: A collapsible shipping container is provided with channels formed into the interior surface of the top frame of the collapsible shipping container to accept support rods and interior dunnage which depend from the support rods. The interior dunnage preferably is fabricated of flexible or foldable material which may be gathered and positioned such that the collapsible shipping container may be collapsed while the dunnage remains at all times within and associated with the collapsible shipping container. The dunnage may be in the form of hanging pouches supported by support rods and may further include hanging curtains supported by support rods orthogonally intersecting the pouch support rods. Whenever the hanging curtains are utilized, the hanging pouches are made of material which permits and forms a gap between adjacent pouches to accommodate the curtains.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the elimination of color from a multi-color image document is described. All color information for every picture element of the image of the document is provided concurrently and for every picture element PEL the image signal of all provided colors are analyzed and for every picture element that image signal of that color is selected which has the minimum contrast relative to the background of the image document.