Abstract: A surface probe microscope such as a scanning tunneling microscope has a platform on which an actuator and a sample (specimen) holder are disposed in proximity to each other; the actuator being adapted to move a electrode tip into surface probing relationship with the specimen. Holders for retaining samples at storage stations and a carrier for retaining a plurality of electrode tip units are supported on opposite sides of a region in which a laterally extending portion of a longitudinally and rotationally movable arm is disposed. The lateral arm portion has, on one side thereof, a member for engaging an electrode tip unit in the actuator and moving it to the carrier for location in a receptacle therein. Rotation of the arm also indexes the carrier to present different tip units for engagement so that tip units can be exchanged between the actuator and the carrier. On the opposite side of the carrier are the holders for sample retainers.

Abstract: A mixer impeller, which is adapted to mix and blend liquids and liquid suspensions in industrial and commmercial applications and is subject to forces which tend to work the impeller loose from attachment with its driving shaft, is secured to the shaft by collars (locking rings) which are threaded on the ends of hubs from which the blades of the impeller extend. In order to secure the attachment of the collars to the hub, a locking key is inserted between the collar and the shaft. The inner periphery of the collars are tapered outwardly away from the shaft. The neck of the locking key has portions which are deflected against these tapered inner peripheries when a pin is inserted through the neck of the locking key. A ramp on the collar mates with a ramp on the key to prevent reverse rotation (working loose) of the collar. The impeller is restrained against axial movement by the collar and against rotational movement by being keyed to the shaft and restricted by the ramp on the collar.

Abstract: In order to obtain efficient gas dispersion (aeration where air is the gas) in mixing systems where the circulating impeller is offset from the center of the tank containing the medium in which the gas is dispersed or sparged while being circulated, flooding of the impeller due to entrainment of gas released by the sparging device (a pipe or ring having as outlets) because of the asymmetrical return flow of the medium circulating in the tank which entrains the gas and brings the gas into the area swept by the impeller as it rotates, is avoided by arranging the sparging device to prohibit the release of gas into a region, including a sector of the swept area, where the return flow responsible for flooding occurs. This sector has been found to lie along a line between the center of the tank and the axis of rotation of the impeller. The gas dispersion mixing system is especially useful in dispersion of gas into large volumes (e.g. 20,000 cubic feet).

Abstract: A modular mixer system which enables motor, transmission, bearing housing and impeller shaft components to be selected and combined as required for particular mixing applications. The components may be assembled to provide either direct drive from the motor to the impeller shaft contained in the bearing housing (without reduction gears), or through a gear transmission (with an interplate and intershaft where seal removal is required), and form a mixer drive subassembly. This subassembly is mounted on mounts which provide portability; these mounts having pivotal clamps for mounting the mixer system on the wall of a tank or the like. Various fixed mounts may also be used, which are in the form of plates or pedestals which rigidly connect the mixer system to a tank or beam above the tank. In all cases the bearing housing is common and forms the core to which the components of the drive assembly and the mount are connected.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a vehicle visor (2), of the type comprising a rigid core (1) enclosed in a fabric cover, according to which a fabric pocket (12) is produced, comprising on one of its sides (13) an opening (14) defined by lips, the core (1) is inserted into the pocket (12) through the opening (14) and the opening (14) is closed to form the cover. According to the invention, the lips (15, 16) of the opening (14) are first of all stiffened and the opening (14) is closed by inserting the stiffened lips (15, 16) into a groove (21) provided on the corresponding edge (6) of the core (1).

Abstract: A duplicator attachment for a wood turning lathe which provides the same freedom and control of the cutting action as in normal freehand turning operations, and enables duplication of all contours including inside contours and bowls. The duplicator attachment also enables the pattern to be supported on the same vertical center as the workpiece and above the workpiece rather than below or to the side of the workpiece, thereby permitting the full swing of the lathe to be utilized. The duplicator attachment provides an articulated support arm to bring the cutting tool and tracer, respectively, against the workpiece and pattern to be duplicated. The support arm has three sections which rotate conjointly to provide for movement of the cutting tool and tracer longitudinally along the center line of the lathe, laterally perpendicular to the center line of the lathe, and rotationally about axes mutually perpendicular to the directions of the lateral and longitudinal movements.

Abstract: A document feed tractor in which pins which drive the paper upon entry into perforations in margins of the paper along the edges thereof are connected to a belt on beams cantilever mounted thereto. A guide and support bar holds the beams and the pins down so that they travel along a linear path entering and leaving the perforations at opposite ends of the path. In order to drive the paper precisely, especially at high speeds where the belt and pins start and stop, without denting or ticking the paper and to maintain alignment of multi-part documents (without shingling), an adjustable shelf is located on the inside of the tractor so that the paper overlies the shelf. The elevation of the shelf with respect to the pins is selectively set in accordance with the thickness of the paper. The tractor can then be set so that the web is maintained at the center line or pitch line of the belt, thereby insuring precision feeding of the form even at high speeds with rapid accelerations and decelerations.

Abstract: This invention relates to a syringe-pusher device for ambulatory treatment, automatically delivering in a constant time compatible with the circadian rhythms, a fixed number of elementary volumes varying as a function of the prior filling volume of the syringe used by the operator. Said volume generally corresponding to the daily dose of drug can be directly read on the graduations on the syringe. A sound alarm is set off in the event of an impediment to the flow of the fluid as well as in the event of the untimely injection of elementary volume outside the set program.

Abstract: Single-turn loop-gap solenoidal resonators for establishing RF fields (B.sub.1) transverse to the static B.sub.0 field of a magnetic resonance imaging system. Tubular forms of dielectric (plastic) material have conductive foil bands attached to their outside walls with one or more gaps between the ends of the bands and provide solenoidal single-turn coils. A circuit resonant at radio frequencies is defined by the inductance of the solenoidal coils formed by the bands and the capacitance across the gap. The resistors and/or capacitors spaced along the axis of the tubular bodies tune the circuit and provide RF magnetic field homogeneity within the structure. Holes in the sides of the forms through the bands provide for the entrance of the analytical sample or body mass of a subject (the head, shoulder, hand, foot, knee or elbow).

Abstract: A single wire or molded plastic or metal peg board hook which is inexpensive and easy to install, and which securely attaches to a standard peg board by means of spring-tension and a barbed protrusion which precludes slipping.

Abstract: Side entering mixer apparatus has an impeller with an axis of rotation above and along the bottom of a tank in which the material (liquid or liquid suspension) to be mixed is disposed. In a discharge region in front of the impeller and in close proximity to the front of the impeller, there is disposed a flow straightening vane which removes substantially any radial component of flow. By removal of the radial flow component, helical flows which interact in the discharge region and cause pulsation of flow into the inlet region (between the rear surface of the impeller and the side wall of the tank from which it projects) are substantially eliminated and potentially catastrophic stress-induced failures in the side entering mixer and its seals are avoided.

Abstract: A miniature scan module which is adapted to be installed as part of a terminal or other apparatus for the reading of bar codes has an integrated assembly of a laser diode and a photodetector which is rotatably mounted for reciprocation about an axis of rotation. The assembly is supported in whole or in part on and connected electrically to, a mounting board by flexures which extend between the integrated assembly and supports (posts) on the board. The assembly has a body with a wall and a platform. The wall supports the laser and has a reflective surface which directs light resulting from the scanning of the laser beam across the bar code to the detector. The assembly also carries printed circuits connected to the detector and the laser diode. Connections are made through the flexures to these printed circuits and to other circuits on the mounting board.

Abstract: Impellers and impeller systems are described which enable liquids and liquid suspensions to be mixed and blended where the size of the impeller and the viscosity of the liquid may require operation in the turbulent and laminar flow regimes, as well as in the transitional flow regime therebetween. The impellers have a plurality of fluidfoil blades and have camber and twist. The geometric pitch or blade angle increases from the tip of the blade towards their axis of rotation in a manner to provide an over pitched condition so that the pitch ratio of the blades at 40% of the blade radius from the axis is greater than the pitch ratio at the tip. The blades are preferably smoothly tapered and increased in width from the tip towards the axis. The impeller blades are mounted on a hub connected to a drive shaft. The blades may decrease in width where they connect to the hub. The pitch angle at the tip is in the range of 18.degree. to 30.degree. (preferably about 20.degree.).

Abstract: In order to stabilize the coupling angle, at which light is coupled into and out of an optical waveguide of an integrated optical circuit or the like, with changes in wavelength of the light (to achromatize the coupling angle characteristics of the waveguide input/output coupler) a hybrid prism/grating coupler is used. The grating produces achromatic coupling over a range which can be as large as 200 nanometers (nm) for typical waveguide materials by compensating for the dispersion due to the change in the effective mode index of the waveguide and the prism with variations in wavelength.

Abstract: A composite optical interference filter is used in a film scanning system having a high speed CCD imager. Multiple, alternating, variable thickness layers of higher and lower index thin film oxides deposited on an optically transmissive substrate constitute the filter and enable the filter to provide color balance, notch rejection, and IR rejection all in the same device. Three such filters in a lamphouse of the film scanning system can be selected to match the system spectral response of the CCD imager and the film thereby providing equal density and color balance of the images on the film.

Abstract: Highway crossing protection equipment which operates warning lights or crossing gates is controlled from the train locomotive which enters into an interchange of messages via a radio link with the controller at the crossing. If communication is not established before the train reaches a safe braking distance, the brakes are applied and the train is not permitted to travel into the crossing. Communications between the train and the crossing controller is initiated by the locomotive when it passes a trackside beacon transponder located beyond a safe braking distance from the crossing. The crossing controller transmits a message addressed to the train acknowledging the receipt of the train signal. The message from the crossing controller causes the train to send a subsequent message within a minimum time which is used to update a timer (a minimum time) for the crossing to be actuated to its safe condition.

Abstract: A dual, simultaneous beam scanning system for simultaneously scanning two individually modulated adjacent scan lines on an internal drum imaging surface uses a deflector which varies the angular orientation between combined orthogonally polarized beams so that one of the beams rotates about the other in synchronism with the angular position (the distance between start of scan) along the scan lines around the drum imaging surface. Signals from both a beam position sensing photodetector array and from a shaft encoder on the deflector unit, such as a Hologono deflector, controls the deflector of one of the orthogonally polarized beams so as to maintain the spacing and prevent crossovers of the adjacent scan lines and also reduce differential bow. Differential bow may be corrected both in the internal drum configuration and in a flat field imaging system using plural beam scanning. The scan lines can overlap so as to provide high resolution imaging at a rate of the order of hundreds of scan lines per second.

Abstract: Ultra short (pico second and shorter) laser pulses having components of different frequency which are overlapped coherently in space and with a predetermined constant relationship in time, are generated and may be used in applications where plural spectrally separate, time-synchronized pulses are needed as in wave-length resolved spectroscopy and spectral pump probe measurements for characterization of materials. A Chirped Pulse Amplifier (CPA), such as a regenerative amplifier, which provides amplified, high intensity pulses at the output thereof which have the same spatial intensity profile, is used to process a series of chirped pulses, each with a different central frequency (the desired frequencies contained in the output pulses). Each series of chirped pulses is obtained from a single chirped pulse by spectral windowing with a mask in a dispersive expansion stage ahead of the laser amplifier. The laser amplifier amplifies the pulses and provides output pulses with like spatial and temporal profiles.

Abstract: A modular mixer system which enables motor, transmission, bearing housing and impeller shaft components to be selected and combined as required for particular mixing applications. The components may be assembled to provide either direct drive from the motor to the impeller shaft contained in the bearing housing (without reduciton gears), or through a gear transmission (with an interplate and intershaft where seal removal is required), and form a mixer drive subassembly. This subassembly is mounted on mounts which provide portability; these mounts having pivotal clamps for mounting the mixer system on the wall of a tank or the like. Various fixed mounts may also be used, which are in the form of plates or pedestals which rigidly connect the mixer system to a tank or beam above the tank. In all cases the bearing housing is common and forms the core to which the components of the drive assembly and the mount are connected.

Abstract: A mulching blade for a lawn mower having a housing which is mounted on the shaft of the lawn mower motor below the deck of the housing. The housing has a skirt with a opening. The opening may be closed by mulching door having holes therein which contains the grass clippings in the housing while releasing air pressure during mulching operations. The blade has outer and inner sections which extend radially inward from the tips thereof. The outer section is pitched upwardly with respect to the ground so as to lift the clipping as they are cut by a cutting edge extending along one edge of the sections. The inner section is pitched downwardly so as to push clippings which are recut by the cutting edge along the inner section towards the ground.