Abstract: A boom socket in which the gooseneck assembly and cross pin are supported in rolling contact bearings and in which the construction and materials eliminate free play and minimize corrosion and otherwise reduce maintenance to a minimum.

Abstract: A flexible flying disc toy having a flat, flexible body of fabric material, whereby an advertising message or the like may be printed thereon, and a shape defining and retaining, flexible peripheral ring and rim integrally formed of vinyl or the like so that the disc toy may be folded or crumpled for storage, the toy assuming its original shape after storage and before use.

Abstract: An electronic closed loop servomechanism for sensing a physical force such as ambient pressure and electronically powered means for performing useful work controlled by said servomechanism. The servomechanism may be used in a breathing gas system such as scuba employing a demand regulator wherein conventional mechanical control components of the demand system are replaced with the servomechanism, including differential pressure sensing and electronically driven components. Also, the servomechanism may be used in a breathing gas system employing a pressure step down, datum input type of regulator, as in a scuba first stage regulator, wherein conventional components of the first stage system are replaced with the datum-input controlled servomechanism, including differential pressure sensing and electronically driven components.

Abstract: An electronic hybrid for coupling a two-wire line to a four-wire line and having a two-wire port adapted to be connected to the two-wire line, separate receive and transmit ports adapted to be connected to said four-wire line, means for coupling signals received at said two-wire port to said tramsmit port, and a circuit connected to said receive and two-wire ports and including a pair of constant current sources for driving the two-wire line that is connected to said two-wire port in response to a signal imposed on said receive port.

Abstract: An anti-fouling overcoating composition for watercraft or stationary underwater structures precoated with hard-surface leaching-type anti-fouling paint consists essentially of an aqueous solution or dispersion of a carboxylated hydrophilic acrylic copolymer, a cross-linking agent for the carboxylated hydrophilic copolymer, a polyalkylenepolyamine or a hydrophilic polyalkylenepolyamine derivative and an effective amount of an ultraviolet-absorbing agent.

Abstract: A low pressure container for dispensing a product, even products of high viscosity, namely about 10,000 cps. or higher, at pressures of only about 6-40 lbs. per sq. in. gauge (psig). The low pressure reduces the safety hazard to practically zero, reduces the cost of the container very substantially and minimizes the use of metals, plastics and other scarce container materials. The container is provided with an internal barrier in the form of a piston, bag, disc, or the like, to separate the product from the propellant.The container side wall is thinner than the container ends and may be relatively thin, for example in the order of 0.0015" to 0.0045" times the diameter in the case of aluminum or steel cans. The necessary thickness of other materials (such as plastic, paperboard or laminates of metal, plastic and paper) will depend on their relative tensile strengths.

Abstract: Tombola or bingo tickets and booklets of tickets are manufactured in continuous strip form which is concertinaed or fan-folded at intervals of every six or twelve tickets; the strips form caters for the differing ticket or booklet requirements of different players and reduces the high wastage rate which arises when the common demand of three or four tickets or booklets is met by suppliers whose stock is in the form of tablets containing strips of six interconnected tickets or booklets. The continuous strip is weakened transversely between every ticket or booklet to aid detachment thereof from the strip. The number combinations are printed on tickets which are so organized that all the numbers which may be called during a game will be found once, twice, thrice or four times in the tickets located between each pair of adjacent folds in the strip.

Abstract: Froth flotation apparatus with mechanical agitation and aeration. Impeliers and diffusers therefor which are more durable and less expensive than the state-of-the-art components.

Abstract: A picture plate changer for changing pictures projected with a large scale picture projector, e.g., overhead type projectors projecting a single picture from an entire picture plate. A magazine stores the picture plates as a stack of flat plates or plexiglass each placed in horizontal slots or tracks in the changer. The stack of plates are vertically shiftable to selected disposition so that a desired entire picture is accurately indexed to a location just above the level of the projector plate and interconnectors on each frame selectively cooperate with a mechanism which can engage and shift a selected picture and frame from the magazine to the projector and back. Power mechanisms and control means are shown to enable selection and operation of the changer in a pre-determined manner. Devices on the changer and the picture plates assure accurate positioning for projectors.

Abstract: A sterilizable holder for a fiber optic surgical unit or similar delicate medical instrument including a base, an outline of the instrument formed on the base, pairs of retainer pegs located about the outline on the base and elastic bands engaging the pegs to secure the instrument on the holder. The instrument outline may be etched on the base or printed onto the base. The base may be made of transparent plastic and all parts may be conventionally gas sterilized at temperatures of 135.degree. F. or less.

Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator for air cleaning wherein the air passes through in two steps: first passing through a charging portion and next through a separation portion. The charging portion includes wires positioned parallel to and between parallel metal sheets, the wires having an electric potential other than that of the metal sheets. The separation portion includes plural parallel metal sheets, each of which has an electric potential other than that of adjacent metal sheets. The charging portion includes two or more wires between each pair of metal sheets, and the metal sheets of the charging portion extend through and constitute some of the metal sheets of the separation portion, between which are disposed addition metal sheets of an odd number.

Abstract: An information collection and storage system and method wherein pulses representing sensed information are counted and wherein resulting pulse counts are written into a volatile random access memory which forms a part of a detachable battery powered memory pack. The memory pack is selectively removable from the system and has a rechargeable battery which supplies the sole source of operating power for preserving the data stored in the volatile memory both when the memory pack is connected in the system and removed from the system for transit to a data read-out center.

Abstract: A treatment to alleviate the symptoms of psoriasis consisting of topical application of a cream, lotion, ointment or gel containing as the principal active ingredient one or more nicotinamide analogues is disclosed. The therapeutic composition may include a single member of the above active ingredients present in a total amount of from 0.01 to 5 percent by weight of the total composition or a plurality thereof present in a preferred concentration range of from 0.02 to 2 percent by weight of the total composition. Topical application of the therapeutic composition in a cream, ointment, lotion, water or gel has been found to achieve from substantial to complete remissions of psoriasis in humans.

Abstract: Polyimide fibers which have a porous, microcellular structure. Methods of making such fibers from a precursor under conditions which cause the precursor to foam and undergo imidization.

Abstract: A method of beneficiating coal in which the coal is conditioned by agitating it in the presence of a dense halogenated hydrocarbon and a surface active agent to effect a transfer of surface water from the coal to mineral matter associated therewith and an agglomeration of the mineral matter and to envelop the coal in a film of the surface active agent. The conditioned coal is then introduced into a halogenated hydrocarbon bath having a specific gravity intermediate those of the coal and the mineral matter. The agglomerated mineral matter sinks to the bottom of the bath in the region of feedstock introduction, and the coal disperses in and migrates to the top of the bath.

Abstract: A coaxial dye laser flashlamp, each electrode of which is made of spaced rings joined by several molybdenum strips evenly spaced about and between the coaxial quartz tubes of the flashlamp. The coaxial quartz tubes are then fused together in the regions of the molybdenum strips.

Abstract: A bin for the transportation of citrus fruit comprises a rigid fabricated frame having a substantially continuous top rim and an integral shape retaining tub of molded synthetic plastic mounted within and attached to the frame with the upper edges of the tub extending around substantially coextensively within the rim. The tub retains its shape even with a full load of fruit and has a bottom wall formed with an intermediate upstanding conical portion that is provided with perforations for promoting aeration of the fruit in the bin.

Abstract: Polyimide foams derived from mixtures of aromatic diamines and partial esters of a benzophenonetetracarboxylic acid. The precursors are converted into polyimide foams by the application of heat; and the foams are then compressed, yielding dense, rigid, and structurally strong, intumescent materials.

Abstract: An inoculator wherein a multiplicity of small volumes of an inoculum are picked up on pins depending from an inoculator head and deposited in separate areas according to a pattern, such as in the wells of a microtitration tray. The instrument includes a control circuit for automatic cycling, and a sterilization furnace is provided that may be included in the operational cycle.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing thin-walled articles from crystalline thermoplastic material comprising the steps of extruding a continuous web of hot crystalline thermoplastic material at an extrusion temperature above the crystalline melting temperature range of the material, substantially immediately rapidly precooling the opposite surfaces of the web to form therealong thin supportive layers having a temperature in the range wherein the said material is not further plastically deformable and wherein further growth of crystals is essentially avoided, while the hotter core material between said layers is cooled to a temperature adjacent to but above the crystalline melting temperature range and is held in a substantially crystal free condition, transporting the so precooled web into a thermoforming station within a sufficiently short time period to essentially maintain over the web thickness the above mentioned temperature profile produced by precooling, and then thermally forming at a rapid cooling rate said we