Abstract: A smoothing method and a smoothing apparatus for smoothing a contour of a dot pattern of a character extract a contour of a dot pattern of a character to be smoothened, smoothen the contour of the dot pattern, and carry out a rectilinear interpolation and a corner rounding process on a smoothened contour which is obtained after the contour is smoothened. The process of smoothing the contour includes a step of extracting corner points of the contour of the dot pattern, and a step of determining each position of curve points of each object corner point based on a direction and distance of each object corner point from other corner points before and after the object corner point for each of the extracted corner points, where the curve points constitute the smoothened contour of the character.

Abstract: A photodetection method and apparatus a sampling time period selected for detection and processing of the output signals from light receiving means such that it is sufficiently larger than the pulse width P.sub.S of a normal output signal I.sub.sc but very smaller than the pulse width P.sub.A of a noise signal I.sub.AC. During each of such sampling time periods, it is judged whether an output signal from the light receiving means is "present" or "absent". If the row of results obtained by at least three successive sampling periods is "0-1-0", it will be judged that the output signal generated during a sampling time period in which the output signal from the light receiving means is "present" is a normal output signal I.sub.SC. If output signals are "present" during two of at least three sampling time periods as shown by "0-1-1", "1-1-1", "1-1-0" or "1-0-1", it will be judged that these output signals are due to any disturbance rays.

Abstract: A safety fuze for a hand grenade comprises a fuze body, a delay case assembly, an initiator lever assembly, and a cover assembly. The fuze body has a head, a stem, and a central portion, and a bore extending longitudinally therethrough. The delay case assembly is matingly received in the bore and includes an upper primer portion containing a primer in a primer holder, and a lower delay portion. A flat, circular seal is interposed between the base of the primer and the primer holder. A first annular seal is matingly received in a first annular channel defined between the primer holder and the delay case. A second annular seal is matingly received in a second annular channel defined between the delay case assembly and the bore. An annular gasket is matingly received in a third annular channel formed in the bottom wall of the central portion of the fuze body.

Abstract: A chuck is provided for receiving and holding inserts having a non-circular shaft. The chuck includes a body having a non-circular cavity, and a capping sleeve rotatable on the body and extending beyond an end of the body. A locking plate is provided in the portion of the capping sleeve which extends beyond the end of the body, the locking plate having a non-circular opening with a profile corresponding to the profile of the cavity. The capping sleeve may be rotated relative to the body to the place the profile of the locking plate selectively in registry, or not, with the profile of the cavity.

Abstract: A device is described for automatically dispensing single sheets and the like, especially to an office machine. The device has a magazine in which stacks of single sheets can be inserted in freely selectable quantities and with freely selectable storage volume. A separating device is movable and positionable under control over the entire length of magazine in front of the ends of stacks. Stacks are immovably arranged in the magazine. The separating device engages between stacks and can be activated between stacks in order to pull one sheet off the selected stack and feed it to the office machine by transport means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of reproducing a hand-written document by automatically correcting it. The apparatus discriminates figure images including hand-written rules and character images which are carried on a document. Thereafter, the apparatus corrects, among the figure images, straight lines images in a designated direction while preserving their relationship to the other figure images as to connection. Further, the apparatus changes the distance between nearby straight line image such that all the straight line images are spaces apart by the same distance.

Abstract: A radiograph identification and filing apparatus and method for photographically imprinting information onto radiographic film and filing the radiographic film. The apparatus comprises an adhesive-backed label and a jacket for storing the film. When used with a darkroom radiograph imprinter, the label, the adhesive backing for the label, and the release liner are all photo-transparent. When used with a radiograph ID camera, the label is photo-opaque. The label is divided into a plurality of information fields which include print information material. In a label for use with an imprinter, the print information is photo-opaque. The jacket includes a pocket for receiving the film and exterior surfaces for receiving the label. For an imprinter, the method includes providing a label having an imprint field having substantially the same dimensions as the light window of the imprinter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image corresponding to a subject is provided, which image forming apparatus includes a taking lens for making an optical image corresponding to the subject, and a dividing portion for dividing the optical image transmitted via said taking lens into several adjacent optical image parts. The image forming apparatus further includes several solid-state image sensors corresponding to the number of the optical image parts, each of said solid-state image sensors receiving a corresponding optical image part from among the several optical image parts from the dividing portion and outputting an image signal corresponding to the optical image part, the optical image parts received by said solid-state image sensors being adjacent to each other.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, taxol is treated with mesyl chloride to prepare a taxol derivative with a contracted A-ring, which has comparable activity to taxol in a tubulin depolymerization assay, and which shows cytotoxicity against KB cells in a cell culture assay. In an alternate preferred embodiment, taxol is treated with triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate (Meerwein's reagent) to produce a taxol derivative with an opened oxetane ring. In another alternate preferred embodiment, reaction of taxol with acetyl chloride yields a taxol derivative in which the oxetane ring is opened and the A-ring is contracted. All of the aforementioned products show in vivo activity in KB cell culture assays. Further, the preferred compounds have different in vivo activities, which makes them ideal to form a range of standards for use in biological testing of other compounds.

Abstract: An anti-theft latch mechanism is especially suitable for securing vending machines. According to the present invention, a control mechanism (such as a rotatable stud attached to a knob) includes a clutch arrangement by which the control mechanism remotely controls a latch portion. Thus, the control mechanism is not rigidly tied to the remote latch, thereby avoiding possible damage to the latch and relaxing design criteria for the mechanism as a whole. A latch portion prevents vandals or thieves from pushing the door either inward or outward as they attempt to gain entry to the inside of the vending machine. For this purpose, the latch provides a cove in which a catch in the side of the vending machine is enclosed at least partially on all four sides when the door is closed. This cove arrangement substantially prevents the latch from being shaken loose even when the vandal or thief jars the machine.

Abstract: A device for transporting individual sheets of a sheet-form recording medium in office machines comprises an endless circulating conveyor belt for transporting the sheets. A pressure device holds sheets positively against the conveyor belt, and has a flat body parallel to and spaced from the conveyor belt; the body has thin, soft elastic pressure elements which press sheets against the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A safety captain window for a truck, which comprises: a captain window housing comprising inner, middle, and outer channel members, wherein the inner channel member comprises at least one slidable glass window member slidably movable within the inner channel member, the middle channel member comprises first and second fixed glass plate members fixedly mounted within the middle channel member so as to define an opening therein between the first and second fixed glass plate members, and the outer channel member comprises first and second channel sections separated by a safety screen means, whereby the safety screen means prevents the influx of solid matter through an opening formed when the at least one slidable glass window member is moved in a lateral direction within the inner channel member.

Abstract: The arrangement comprises a stop bar (1) formed from a cylindrical rod having a lengthwise slot therein. The stop bar (1) is secured to a fixed support within an actuator casing (7). A stop plate (15) is slidably secured in the slot and presents upper and lower stop edge portions (16, 17) for engagement with spaced limbs (23) of arm means for converting linear motion into angular motion. The position of the stop edge portions (16, 17) relative to the stop bar (1) is adjustable by means of replaceable shims (21) in the slot.

Abstract: To provide a deboning apparatus which can treat a " "-shaped boned dark meat composed of upper leg dark meat portion and lower leg dark meat portion, so as to decompose the dark meat into meat and bone.

Abstract: A neuron unit simultaneously processes a plurality of binary input signals.

Abstract: A pattern matching system for a speech recognition apparatus includes a dictionary for storing standard speech patterns, where each of the standard speech patterns are stored in the dictionary with two or more different pattern lengths, a converting part for converting an input speech pattern which has an arbitrary pattern length into at least one converted speech pattern which has one of the pattern lengths with which the standard speech patterns are stored in the dictionary depending on the arbitrary pattern length, and a collating part for collating the converted speech pattern with the standard speech patterns stored in the dictionary to obtain a standard speech pattern which has a largest degree of similarity to the converted speech pattern.

Abstract: A boom includes a plurality of boom sections joined end to end. Each boom section includes two or more parallel inflatable chambers which are joined with a weighted curtain which is reinforced for strength. Boom sections are stored compactly on respective reels. A substantial number of reels are arranged compactly in the hold of a carrier vessel which is smaller in size and has greater speed and maneuverability than vessels carrying known oil spill containment systems. Boom sections are consecutively unwound from their respective reels and connected end-to-end as they are deployed to form a continuous boom. The boom sections unwind naturally from the reels as the carrier vessel moves through the water away from a tender vessel holding the first end of the boom. The boom's deployment is controlled by a brake on an idler roller and a hydraulic crane's drive wheel on the reel, thus limiting manual handling to lighter-weight tasks.

Abstract: A simplified fluid flow resistance device and exercise equipment utilizing the same is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a rotating shaft is centered in a fluid filled sealed cylinder. A rotor is connected to the shaft and a baffle is connected to the internal wall of the cylinder. Rotation of the rotor in the cylinder drives fluid through bores in the baffle. Adjustable spring loaded ball valves are situated in at least two bores passing through the baffle so that resistance to fluid flow through the baffle in opposite directions can be controlled. The simplified design of the fluid flow resistance device of the present invention utilizes less materials so as to have minimal weight; thus the fluid resistance device is ideal for use in spacecrafts. Further, by use of spring loaded one way valves, the device can be used in any orientation, and a minimum resistance to motion of a lever arm connected to the fluid resistance device can be obtained.