Abstract: A device for enabling call forwarding instructions to be given from any telephone need be connected only to the phone line for which call forwarding service has been procured and does not require another phone line to communicate with the device. The device stores the call forwarding instructions in a recorder. The device detects the short ring that occurs on the procured service phone line when a call is forwarded and detects the long ring that occurs when call forwarding is not in effect. Upon detection of a short ring, the device seizes the procured service phone line and places a phone call to the phone line to which the previous call was forwarded. In an alternate embodiment, the device places the phone call to its own procured service phone line. In both embodiments, the device is reset to its stand-by state upon detection of a busy signal. Where a busy signal is not detected, the device transmits a signal that cancels call forwarding and triggers a timer.

Abstract: An improved suspended ceiling of the type having ceiling panels resting on a support framework employs shape-memorizing metal alloy members to hold the panel in place on the framework in the event of fire and causing the panels to rest freely on the framework at normal temperatures to enable the panels to be easily removed or pushed up for access to the space above the panels. At a critical temperature, the memory members revert to their memorized shape and in so doing cause retention members to move and extend over the panels to hold those panels in place.

Abstract: A double-action belt intended for use with speed varying devices of the type having pulleys of variable diameter is constructed of many rigid trapezoidal elements that are articulated one to another at their bases. The rigid elements all have a central opening through which an elastic member extends. The rigid elements are strung in a closed loop along the elastic member with each element being held captive by the stretchable elastic member. The sides of the rigid trapezoidal elements which are opposite the articulated base carry protruding flanges. Those protruding flanges abut when the rigid elements are pressed together and cause the central portions of contiguous rigid elements to be spaced apart to accommodate those segments of the elastic member situated between contiguous rigid elements.

Abstract: An installation for monitoring combustion to control pollution and retard other deleterious effects of improper combustion employs a smoke sampling duct to draw off a portion of the smoke emanation from the combustion chamber. The smoke in the sampling duct flows past a probe and is then vented from the duct. The probe senses oxygen or other substances in the smoke and emits signals to a device which analyzes the quality of combustion. A gas inlet in the sampling duct is situated upstream of the probe and gas is intermittently discharged into that duct to ascertain whether the probe is operating properly.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing cylindrical articles such as kegs from a pallet on which the articles lie on their sides in a plurality of rows, has a pusher member which moves behind each row of articles in turn and pushes the row from the pallet to an adjacent discharge conveyor. The pusher member is suspended from a carriage that is movable horizontally in a sub-frame. The sub-frame is pivoted so that the pusher member can be raised to enable it to clear the remaining rows of articles on the pallet when it is moved back to its initial position after pushing one row of articles from the pallet. A pallet conveyor extending beneath and at right angles to the discharge conveyor moves the pallet after each row of articles has been removed so as to position the next row of articles for engagement by the pusher member.

Abstract: Slicing device for breads, having a plurality of endless slicer bands which extend substantially parallel to each other and which are passed over drums. At least one of the drums is automatically adjustable and acts as a tensioning means for maintianing a substantially constant tension in the slicer bands. The adjustable drum is supported by cylinder-plunger assemblies one at each side of said drum. The cylinder-plunger assemblies are operable independently of each other. The supports of both drums are connected to each other by a bracket which is mounted to a stationary frame on one side of the respective drum. Both brackets extend in between both parts of the slicer bands.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensing transducer which converts magnetic field intensity into a magnetostrictive strain and transfers that strain to an optical fiber employs a thin wall, hollow, cylindrical shell around which is wound a ribbon of an amorphous metallic magnetostrictive material. In another embodiment, the entire shell is formed by turns of the ribbon of magnetostrictive material. The optical fiber is coiled around the magnetostrictive cylinder formed by the wound ribbon and at both its ends, the optical fiber is affixed to the shell. The shell is covered at both its ends by caps and forms a thin wall resonator having three normal axisymmetric modes of vibration. The torsional vibratory mode is here of no interest because it does not appreciably couple to the optical fiber. Any one of the other two axisymmetric modes of vibration can be made dominant by selection of the appropriate length to radius ratio of the cylindrical shell.

Abstract: A tape driving apparatus is disclosed which is operable to shift all of tapes simultaneously so as to position items recorded on the tapes in a predetermined position or to record informations on the tapes. The tape driving apparatus includes a plurality of pairs of first and second rollers and associated tapes, the first and second rollers having a polygonal cross section, each tape being wound on the corresponding first roller from its one end with one face thereof inside and on the corresponding second roller from the other end thereof with the other face thereof inside.

Abstract: The porosity of a strip of material is continuously computed by causing air to be drawn through the material as the strip moves across a perforated head situated atop a chamber in which the pressure is reduced by suction. In one embodiment, the reduced pressure is held substantially constant while the amount of air drawn through the chamber is measured and the porosity is determined by a computer whose inputs include the measured volume of air flow through the chamber and the speed at which the strip moves across the head, in addition to other inputs. In another embodiment, the volume of air flowing through the chamber is held substantially constant while the pressure in the chamber is measured and used as an input to the computer. In both embodiments, the speed at which the strip moves across the head is employed as a factor in the porosity computation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring head for measuring the porosity of a moving strip of porous material. The measuring chamber of the measuring head is covered by a measuring plate in which measuring openings are provided. For porosity measurement, air is sucked in through the porous strip and the measuring openings into the measuring chamber. The amount of air flowing into the measuring chamber is measured by a measuring arrangement connected to the measuring air connector and serves as a measure of the porosity of the strip. The measuring plate is surrounded by a guide plate which partially overlaps a blowing ring. The guide plate and blowing ring together form a blowing slot surrounding the measuring plate, the blow-out opening of which is directed outwardly and tangentially to the lower surface of the moving strip. The necessary blowing air is introduced via a connector into an annular channel, which is formed from a semi-circular groove in the blowing ring and merges into the blowing slot.

Abstract: A device for enabling call forwarding instructions to be given from any telephone in the system or in any connecting system need be connected only to the phone line for which call forwarding service is provided and does not require another phone line to communicate with the device. The device employs a ring detector to detect the short ring that occurs when a call is forwarded and to detect the long ring that occurs when call forwarding is not in effect. Upon the detection of one or more short rings, the device seizes the phone line, transmits a "73" signal that cancels call forwarding, and triggers a timer that starts upon a timing interval of preset duration. If another phone call is received at the device within the preset timing interval and an authorization code is transmitted within that interval, the device enables the call forwarding instructions stored in a recorder to be changed.

Abstract: A method of detecting an object that may be coated with material for preventing or attenuating reflections of incident electromagnetic waves is disclosed in which pulses of electromagnetic wave energy are generated with a large relative bandwidth in the band from about 0.1 GHz to about 12.0 GHz. Preferably, the generated pulses have a pulse duration in the range from 0.1 nanosecond to 1 nanosecond. Those pulses of electromagnetic wave energy are directed toward the object and reflections of those pulses of electromagnetic wave energy which are incident on the object are detected by receiving apparatus. The method enables coated objects to be differentiated from uncoated objects.

Abstract: (a) Hydraulic servo motor comprising a jack (1, 14) intended to be connected by its rod (3.sub.1, 3.sub.2, 15.sub.1) to a moving member to be displaced and accurately positioned, said jack being completely filled with liquid;(b) Servo motor characterized in that the displacement of the piston (2) is implemented by direct liquid transfer from one chamber to the other chamber of the jack by at least one electric vibrator pump (6) supplied by an alternating current power source and in that a so-called electro valve (7), normally open when not in operation, is connected in order to make the two jack chambers communicate;(c) The invention relates to hydraulic servo motors.

Abstract: A vision system for a mobile robot employs at least two arrays of sensors for obtaining data on the position and distance of objects in a workspace. One of the sensor arrays is used principally to see near objects and the other array is used principally to see far objects. The two arrays are symmetric about an axis that extends through the body of the robot. The robot carries a computer which controls the sequence in which the sensors are serially polled for information. Data received from the sensors is stored and provides a representation of the space and objects seen by the sensors. A software program causes the computer to manipulate data from the sensors to simulate rotation of the robot around the axis of symmetry and control behavior of the robot to complete goals set by input commands from a natural language processor.

Abstract: A meter prover employs a piston arranged to slide in a bore within a proving cylinder which is coaxially disposed within a surrounding cylindrical shell. The effective area of the upstream face of the piston which can be acted on by fluid pressure is less than the effective area of the downstream face of the piston. In a proving run, fluid flow to the meter to be proved is diverted to an inlet in the shell upon closure of a bypass valve. The diverted fluid then flows through an annular space between the proving cylinder and the shell, enters the upstream end of the bore through openings in the cylinder, and drives the piston downstream along the cylinder in synchronism with the flow. Upon reopening of the bypass valve, equal fluid pressures act on the upstream and downstream faces of the piston and the difference in effective area of those faces causes the piston to return to the position it had at the start of the proving run.

Abstract: A flowing gas laser of the kind normally operating in the glow discharge mode and having a glow discharge region through which the gas flows while the glow discharge occurs, employs one or an array of flow smoothing screens disposed in series in the gas flow path in a manner that enables the input power loading to be increased without causing arcing in the electric discharge of the lasing gas. The screens are disposed upstream of the glow discharge region and cause smoothing of small scale turbulence in the gas flow. The screen closest to the discharge region is spaced from the beginning of that region by a distance not less than ten times the distance between adjacent holes of the screen. Successive screens in the series array are spaced at intervals sufficient to enable the requisite flow smoothing by each screen to occur before the flow encounters the next screen of the array.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading cylindrical articles, such as kegs, onto a pallet so that the articles lie on their sides in a plurality of rows, has an assembly station at which rows of the articles are assembled at a level higher than the surface of a pallet at an adjacent loading station. A ramp extends from the assembly station to a pallet at the unloading station. A pusher mechanism pushes each row of articles at the assembly station onto the ramp so that the articles roll down the ramp under their own weight onto the pallet. A transfer member engages each row of articles on the ramp and controls the movement of the articles down the ramp. The transfer member is suspended from a carriage that is movable above the ramp. The carriage is movable vertically to enable it to engage each row, in turn, of articles pushed onto the ramp.

Abstract: A method of sludge concentration comprises forming a froth in the foaming zone by mixing a foaming agent, air and water, mixing the sludge feed with said froth and a polymeric flocculant in a mixing zone, and introducing the resulting mixture of sludge and flocculant into a flotation zone for separating the mixture into a concentrated sludge and water is disclosed.

Abstract: An optical retrieving system comprising a light source and a lens means for receiving a light from the light source, wherein the lens means is held stationary, the light source being movable, a flexible optical fiber means being provided between the movable light source and the stationary lens means for always maintaining the optical alignment between the light source and the lens means even during the movement of the light source.