Abstract: A facility which, in its most preferred method and apparatus embodiments, enhances facsimile communication through a public switched telephone network between a sender at a transmitting facsimile machine and an intended recipient at a receiving facsimile machine by providing sender-based store and forward services which help ensure confidential, timely delivery of facsimile information through, for any particular facsimile transaction, analyzing sender facsimile bitmapped image data to confirm billing availability and recognize a notification facsimile telephone number and a confirmation facsimile telephone number, transmitting generated notification facsimile data to a facsimile machine at the notification facsimile telephone number to produce a notification report providing notification of pending, available confidential facsimile data, transmitting sender facsimile data to a receiving facsimile machine during a telephone call from an intended recipient at the receiving facsimile machine upon receiving a va

Abstract: A method for detecting both separated and non-separated edge cracks on a travelling product, such as a continuous paper web, and the like, and an apparatus for performing the invented method. The method includes directing air onto a travelling product with sufficient force to separate non-separated edge cracks and utilizing an optical signal device to detect edge cracks in the travelling product. A preferred embodiment of the method includes directing two streams of air toward opposite surfaces of the travelling product to effectively separate the non-separated edge cracks and orienting the optical device so that the direction of emitted optical signals forms an angle other than a right angle with the direction in which the product is travelling. The air used to separate the non-separated cracks is also directed across the optical signal device to prevent the build-up of foreign particles, thus improving the integrity of the method.

Abstract: A modular plug and cover therefor includes a plug body having an insert portion and a rear portion having an indentation. The rear portion receives a cable for connection to the insert portion. A cover for the modular plug is of a substantially rectangular configuration having an open end fitting over the rear portion of the plug body. The cover portion is engageable with the plug body such that an enclosed space is defined between an end of the rear portion of the plug and an opposing inner wall of the cover. The cover is further provided with a tapered projection on an inner surface thereof which corresponds to the location of the indentation and an access opening through which a cable connected to the modular plug is passed. The cover portion may also be engaged with the plug in an inverted state to change the direction in which the cable is oriented.

Abstract: A Quick Muzzle Loading Rifle is provided that consists of a barrel extension that is threaded into a frame and a short barrel that is pivotally attached to the frame and can pivot between a position in-line with the barrel extension and a position to the side of the frame. When pivoted to the side of the frame, the short barrel is loaded. Once loaded, the short barrel is placed in-line with and forced toward the barrel extension which causes the short barrel to contact a gas seal that ensures leak-tight communication between the short barrel and the barrel extension. While in this configuration, the Quick Muzzle Loading Rifle is capable of being fired. A Quick Loader functions to load the Quick Muzzle Loading Rifle and consists of a main cylinder, a cylinder top, and a cylinder base. The main cylinder bounds, in its interior, a plurality of cylindrical storage cavities.

Abstract: A cottage with a rear framed section that is adjacent to a front framed section, wherein the cottage functions to position the roof completely over the rear framed section or the front framed section, and in positions therebetween. A pair of winches are mounted adjacent to one another and act upon cables which are directed by pulleys to facilitate movement of the roof in opposite directions. A pair of track members are positioned along the top of the framed sections and a pair of track engaging members depend from the roof and engage the track members to facilitate movement of the roof. The track members define track channels and the track engaging members include a plurality of wheels that are rotatably attached to a roof engaging member. The wheels partially extend into the roof engaging member and depend partially therefrom to engage and travel within the track channels. The winches, pulleys, cables, track members, and track engaging members are designed to facilitate easy movement of the roof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring feet for fitting shoes which utilizes matrixes of pressures sensors and optical sensors connected to a controller and a monitor. An apparatus of the invention includes a housing which houses a controller and a monitor and defines left and right foot wells for receiving left and right feet, respectively. The floor of each foot well includes a pressure pad assembly which includes a matrix of pressure sensor contacts covered by a variably resistive pressure pad to form pressure sensor matrixes. A digital signal processor normalizes and smooths the pressure data for display on the monitor. Infrared LED's and phototransistors are located around the perimeter of each foot well and are utilized to measure the length, width, and heights of a foot. A microprocessor addresses each LED and phototransistor separately. The controller reads data created by the DSP and IR microprocessor, calculates additional data, and displays the resulting data on the monitor.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for reclaiming substantially pure sand from a heat treating furnace; wherein a casting with sand core and/or sand mold, comprising sand bound by a combustible binder, attached thereto is introduced into the heat treating furnace; or, wherein portions of sand core and/or sand mold that are not attached to a casting are introduced into the heat treating furnace. Wherein, the reclaiming within the furnace is carried out, in part, by a fluidizer that promotes binder combustion by one or more process of agitating, heating, and oxygenating. Wherein, the characteristics of tile reclaimed sand are selectively controlled by controlling the dwell time of tile sand within the heat treating furnace.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing customized, billing-controlled call bridging services through a bridging node which includes a node interface for connection through incoming and outgoing telephone trunks to a carrier switch of a public switched network, an audio peripheral for recording, playing, and analyzing audio signals, and a node controller for controlling operation of the node interface and the audio peripheral.

Abstract: A putter having a putter head that includes a forward portion and a tail portion extending opposite from the forward portion. The forward portion includes a laterally extending, rounded, forward top surface to which a shaft is attached, and a laterally extending, rounded striking surface that extends forward and downward from the forward top surface. The forward portion further includes a laterally extending, planar, forward bottom surface extending rearward from the striking surface. The tail portion is generally coextensive with the forward portion and includes a laterally extending, rounded, tail top surface, and a laterally extending, rounded, tail bottom surface, which terminates in a rearmost tail tip. The putter forward portion defines a forward cavity and the tail portion defines a tail cavity, each of which are filled with lead so as to add weight to the putter head.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for heat treating metal castings with sand cores provides for removal of the sand core and recovery of the sand core material for reuse. The method and apparatus eliminate the need for removing the sand core from the casting prior to heat treatment and thus eliminate the labor, expense, and possible damage to the casting incidental to conventional core removal techniques such as chiseling and shaking. The method involves heating the casting with sand core therein to a temperature sufficient to burn off the binder component of the sand core. The sand comprising the sand core is then blown out of the casting by directing a flow of air over the workpiece. The sand thus dislodged is then collected for reuse. According to the disclosed apparatus, the castings are heated in a furnace having fans for directing a flow of air over the workpieces.

Abstract: A discriminating humidification system for humidifying a controlled space which, in its most preferred embodiment, includes a control device connected to a water source for supplying water at a constant pressure, a tubing network for transferring water from the control device, a mist nozzle located within the controlled space and connected to the tubing network to receive water transferred from the control device, and a droplet discrimination device positioned around the mist nozzle and located within the controlled space for removing and draining larger water droplets from the mist sprayed from the mist nozzle for releasing a very fine water mist into the controlled space outside the droplet discrimination device.