Abstract: A snowmobile ski suspension of the type that utilizes a long leaf spring to support the snowmobile frame on each ski, wherein the shock dampener extends primarily vertically, with the piston of the dampener passing through a hole at the middle of the leaf spring. The cylinder of the shock dampener connects the steering linkage to the middle of the leaf spring, to transmit steering torque.

Abstract: A device for simply attaching a stone or rock to a fishing line to function as a casting or sinker weight. The device includes a flexible elastic strap capable of encircling a stone or rock and conforming to its peripheral surface. The device further includes means for securing the strap to a fishing line.

Abstract: A device is presented for coupling either a coaxial cable to a coaxial plug or two coaxial cables to one another, requiring a presetting, or activation operation to occur prior to making the coupling or the device will not permit electrical coupling to occur. Also, once the coaxial cable coupling to the device is removed, the device is inactivated so that the electrical connection cannot be made again unless a new presetting operation is performed.

Abstract: A proximity coupler is provided for high frequency circuits wherein conductors are deposited on a substrate in the shape of a hollow dumbbell intersected by an X. Coupling is provided primarily across sawtoothed shaped gaps in the dumbbell center section and secondarily across a gap formed by spaced parallel connectors in said center section. The parallel conductors have phase delaying loops at opposite ends, and the resulting coupling characteristics of the proximity coupler can be modified by dimensional changes of the loops.

Abstract: A trailer adapted to be towed by a prime mover supports at least one batting platform adapted to be stood upon by baseball players, one in each of a plurality of batting areas. A plurality of pitching machine, supported by the prime mover positioned a distance from the batting areas, the prime mover being positioned to project a plurality of baseballs into the batting areas to permit hitting of the baseballs by the players. A structure including poles and cables supports a flexible material around at least the batting areas to provide an enclosure for restraining to a limited area the baseballs pitched by the machine and hit by the players. The batting areas can be transversely aligned at one end of the trailer in which case the pitching machine is positioned in proximity to the other end of the trailer. The batting areas can also be aligned along the length of the trailer in which case the pitching machine is positioned laterally of the trailer.

Abstract: This invention provides a system for maintaining hoses and mooring lines extending outwardly from a single buoy mooring terminal, in a desired direction. Also provided is an arrangement for directing the mooring line and hose to move to a ship.

Abstract: An impact printer including a type bearing drum mounted for rotation about the axis of the drum and including a plurality of hammers mounted with the impact faces thereof opposed to the drum and aligned in a direction extending parallel to the drum axis. Raised characters formed on the drum surface are oriented so that a line extending from top to bottom of the character is parallel to the drum axis. As a consequence, as the drum rotates through one revolution, the hammers can be selectively impacted against the drum to print a complete column of text on a paper web therebetween. Since the characters move past the hammers along a horizontal line of text, excellent vertical registration of the characters in a line is assured.

Abstract: Apparatus for crimping a fitting onto a hose or the like, including a ram with a slideable piston for moving a set of crimping dies together, wherein the piston has a central passageway extending along its entire length so that a hose can extend through the back end of the machine.

Abstract: A fire extinguisher fluid comprising an aqueous gel containing as gelling agent a combination of polyacrylamide and bentonite, particularly a mixture of 0.5 parts polyacrylamide and 2.7 parts bentonite, per 100 parts of water, by weight. The gelling components are incorporated in water in the proper proportions, and a stream of the resulting aqueous gel is applied to a burning area, to form a wet cool blanket thereover and inhibit further burning.

Abstract: A coating is disclosed herein together with a method of forming that coating on metal surfaces of an internal combustion chamber. The coating is deposited for example, on the combustion surface of a piston to form a thermal barrier and thus enable higher temperatures to be sustained within the chamber. Combustion at higher temperatures achieves a more complete fuel burning thus increasing performance and reducing emissions. The coating is formed on the combustion surface by successively depositing layers of different materials preferably applied utilizing a plasma flame spray process. More particularly, the formation of the coating on the combustion surface involves preparing the surface as by grit blasting and then initially depositing a thin (approximately 0.001 - 0.003 inches) nickel aluminum alloy layer. Thereafter, a second thicker layer (approximately 0.003 - 0.

Abstract: In an ink drop writing system a vibrating nozzle is used to form drops which are thereafter deflected electrostatically whereby characters or wave forms are written on paper by the deflected drops. In order to minimize the variations in drive voltage requirements for the transducer that vibrates the nozzle, caused by changes in ink parameters which cause variations in the velocity of sound through the ink that is used, and in order to minimize variations in the drop separation time from the ink stream, with drive frequency variations, the length of the nozzle is selected so that its mechanical resonance frequency is very much higher than the frequency at which the nozzle is used. As a result, the length of the nozzle is considerably shorter than the nozzle lengths which have been used heretofore.

Abstract: An automatic swimming pool cleaner comprised of a car adapted to travel underwater along a random path on the pool vessel surface for dislodging debris therefrom. The car wheels are driven by a water powered turbine to propel the car in a forward direction, along the vessel surface. In order to prevent the car from being driven into a position, as for example against a vertical wall, from which it cannot emerge, a wheel geometry is employed which, upon contact, develops a horizontal force component parallel to the vertical wall, to thus enable the car to spin off. Alternatively, or in combination, a water flow produced reaction force can produce a torque to turn the car with respect to the engaged wheel to enable the car to spin off. The car is designed with a low center of gravity and a relatively buoyant top portion so as to produce a torque which maintains the car correct side up when on the pool bottom.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for scanning a keyboard and detecting any depressed key during each scan cycle, and for filtering out any bounce in key contacts closing and opening with a filtering up-down counter that counts up each scan cycle that the same key is found, down each cycle that a different key is also found or that no key is found, and requiring that the filtering counter reach a selected maximum before finding that a key is depressed and that the filtering counter reach zero before starting to filter another key detected to be depressed.

Abstract: A system for driving a flexible magnetic disk including a direct current stepper motor having a shaft directly connected to the disk drive hub. Motor controller means activate the motor to bring it from rest up to a desired speed, e.g., 360 rpm, and thereafter maintain the speed constant. The motor controller initially provides a detent pulse to move the rotor to a starting position and then provides pulses of decreasing duration and increasing frequency to accelerate the motor to the desired speed.

Abstract: A wedge lock unit is disclosed for clamping a subsystem chassis with two outwardly extending spaced apart flanges to a system main frame, from which a single flange or tab extends outwardly. The wedge lock unit includes a stationary member which is fixedly attached to one of the flanges of the subsystem chassis. The stationary member has two opposite wedged or sloping sides along which two movable wedging members with mating sloping sides rest. A drive mechanism, in the form of a rotatable screw, is used to apply a force, resulting in a clamping force, which urges the movable wedging members toward the tab of the main frame, which is inserted between the wedge lock unit and the other flange of the subsystem chassis, until the tab becomes clamped between the movable wedging members of the wedge lock unit and the other flange of the subsystem chassis. Spring means are provided which produce a reaction force on the movable wedging members. The reaction force direction is opposite the clamping force direction.

Abstract: There is provided a method and means for establishing storage sites in photodichroic materials using ion implantation.

Abstract: A coupling for unthreaded pipes of a sprinkler system, which permits the replacement of a small damaged pipe section without bending the pipes already emplaced in the ground. One coupling includes a short pipe section having an enlaged tubular portion fixed at one end thereof adapted to be fitted over and adhered to a first open end of the pipe in the ground. A slidable sleeve on a second end of the pipe section has an enlarged tubular portion adapted to be fitted over and adhered to a second open end of the pipe in the ground.

Abstract: An indicator of the presence and changes in the carbon monoxide content of the air is provided by this invention. It operates by measuring the change in resistance of a silver oxide when exposed to carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A mooring and cargo handling system for difficult-to-handle cargo such as liquified natural gas (LNG), is provided, which includes a swivel unit mounted on a mooring station and having rotatably connected sections respectfully coupled to a shore installation and to a ship that is moored to the mooring station. The swivel unit sections are connected by a rotary bearing and rotary outer seal, and the unit has a wall forming an auxiliary chamber extending along the bearing and seal, so that evaporating LNG must pass through the auxiliary chamber before it can escape through the bearing and outer seal. A gas pipe connects the auxiliary chamber to the ship or the shore installation where the evaporated gas can be flared or reliquified.

Abstract: An ear protector assembly which can be mounted on a protective helmet, including a mount which can be attached to the side of the helmet, a linkage pivotally connected to the mount, and an earplug mounted on an end of the linkage. The linkage includes a pair of pivotally mounted bars that enable adjustment of the earplug position into alignment with the ear canal of the wearer, while resisting outward deflection so the earplug can be pressed against the ear canal. The linkage can be resiliently deflected outwardly so the earplug can move around the rim of the helmet and rest upon the rim for stowage out of the way of the wearer.