Abstract: Timing loop apparatus and method are provided for data detection in a partial-response maximum-likelihood (PRML) data channel. The PRML data channel includes an analog to digital converter (ADC) providing samples to a digital filter during a tracking mode and to a gain and timing control during an acquisition mode. Sample values from the ADC are received at peaks and zeros on sync field pattern. An error absolute value is calculated from the received ADC sample values and an error sign of the calculated error absolute valve calculated using a most significant bit of the current and a previous sample. Timing correction values are calculated responsive to the calculated error absolute value and applied to a clock gated register that latches and holds the generated timing correction values for a predefined number of clock cycles.

Abstract: A display device for teaching reading and writing includes a base member made from a blank cut from a sheet having a printed face. The blank is folded and slitted to define a guide collar having an unobstructed display area and an adjacent variable display area. Opaque and transparent display members are mounted in the collar for movement relative to one another and relative to the base member. A representation of a letter of the alphabet appears on the unobstructed display area and on part of the transparent display area. The variable display area has a representation of an object associated with the shape and sound of the letter. The opaque display member has a masking portion with a representation of a clue suggesting the object, and an additional display area having a representation of a motor plan for forming the letter. The display members are moved to employ different display modes including the object or the clue with and without an overlaid representation of the letter.

Abstract: A telephone line overvoltage protection method and assembly are provided. The telephone line overvoltage protection assembly includes a telephone line station protector having at least first and second threaded arrester wells coupled to a telephone line pair to be protected, an adapter base, and a plug-in type telephone line overvoltage protector module mounted to the adapter base and having TIP, RING and ground pins. The adapter base includes TIP, RING and ground sockets for removably receiving the TIP, RING and ground pins of the overvoltage protector. First and second mounting legs project from the adapter base for being fixedly inserted into the first and second threaded arrester wells. First and second electrodes extend from the first and second mounting legs for electrical connection with the TIP and RING sockets and the arrester wells.

Abstract: A monitor/detector assembly in a synchrotron for either monitoring the position of a photon beam or detecting beam flux may additionally function as a vacuum barrier between the front end and downstream segment of the beamline in the synchrotron. A base flange of the monitor/detector assembly is formed of oxygen free copper with a central opening covered by a window foil that is fused thereon. The window foil is made of man-made materials, such as chemical vapor deposition diamond or cubic boron nitrate and in certain configurations includes a central opening through which the beams are transmitted. Sensors of low atomic number materials, such as aluminum or beryllium, are laid on the window foil. The configuration of the sensors on the window foil may be varied depending on the function to be performed. A contact plate of insulating material, such as aluminum oxide, is secured to the base flange and is thereby clamped against the sensor on the window foil.

Abstract: A tee-off arrangement for playing golf includes a golf club and a tee for supporting a golf ball during a teeing-off stroke. The golf club and the tee each have a permanent magnet which cooperate so that the club can be used to pick up the tee from the ground and subsequently inserted in the ground for the next tee shot.

Abstract: A shielding vent for an electromagnetic interference shielded enclosure having an electrically conducting wall shield includes a mounting plate or flange through which extends a vent pipe with an internal septum plate or divider extending axially along at least a portion of the inner length of the vent pipe. The mounting flange is secured to a wall of the shielded enclosure over an opening in the wall and to the wall shield to insure that the integrity of the shielding for the enclosure is maintained. With the mounting flange so mounted on the wall of the enclosure, the vent pipe extends through the opening in the wall of the enclosure and provides fluid communication between an internal region of the enclosure and a region external of the enclosure. The septum plate has a cross section in the shape of a cross so that at least a portion of the length of the cylindrically shaped vent pipe is subdivided into four parallel, axially extending equal fluid flow sections.

Abstract: A gas burner assembly is provided for a gas stove. The gas burner assembly includes a burner base and a burner cap mounted by the burner base and defines a plurality of gas burner ports. The burner base and burner cap have cooperating members defining a gas stabilization port. The burner cap and the burner base are connected to electrical ground potential. An electrode assembly for manual spark ignition of the gas burner includes an electrically conductive electrode. An electrically insulative support member mounted by the burner base encloses and positions the electrically conductive electrode proximate to the gas burner. Responsive to a user's manual operation, a high voltage potential is applied to the electrically conductive electrode for spark ignition.

Abstract: A needle selector apparatus for a Jacquard machine has drop needles and thrust needles which are supported thereby and which are horizontally and vertically movable by way of control devices. A blocking element is associated with the end of each drop needle and can selectively provide support for the end of the drop needle or permit the drop needle to drop down. The adjusting element of each blocking element is a respective piezoelectric flexural transducer which is stationarily clamped at one end. Each transducer is arranged with its longitudinal direction transversely to the longitudinal direction of the associated drop needle. The free end of each transducer is movable between the support position of lying in the path of movement of the drop needle and the drop-down position of lying outside the path of movement of the drop needle, in a plane which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the drop needle.

Abstract: A flame retaining nozzle tip for a burner for a pulverized fuel fired furnace receiving a primary stream of pulverized fuel and primary transport and combustion air for discharge into the combustion zone of the furnace comprises a hollow, open-ended, choke or body having an inlet end of generally polygonal flow cross-section for receiving the stream and an outlet end of generally rounded cross-section for accelerating and discharging the stream into the furnace. The outlet end of the choke has a flow cross-sectional area that is less than that of the inlet end to provide choking action. An elongated center element is mounted in coaxial alignment with a central axis of the choke body extending between the inlet and outlet ends.

Abstract: A shed forming arrangement for a loom comprises lift elements which are movable in opposite relationship to each other and hooks which are operatively associated with the lift elements. The hooks are connected in pairs by connecting members forming loops which pass around rollers operatively connected to the shedding means of the loom. Arresting elements are movable between an engagement position with the respective hook and a non-engagement position, and actuating devices influence the position of the arresting elements. The actuating devices each include a piezoelectric flexural transducer stationarily clamped at one end. The transducers are each arranged for operating movement transversely to the path of movement of the associated arresting element between a blocking position of being disposed in the path of movement of the associated arresting element and a non-blocking position of being disposed outside the path of movement of the associated arresting element.

Abstract: A gravity flush toilet system includes a fixture with a water sealed trap and a tank having an overflow tube, a flush valve and a fill valve. A control assembly includes a float assembly with a member for pushing the flush valve toward its closed position as the water level descends. A full volume or a reduced volume flushing operation is selected by alternatively filling or emptying a bias chamber of the float assembly. Water pressure variations are compensated for by increasing the weight of the float with part of the flow through the fill valve as the tank is emptying. A regulated volume of reseal water is carried in a chamber on the float and is discharged into the overflow tube to refill the fixture trap after each flushing operation.

Abstract: A vacuum blanket apparatus for maintaining precise registration between an image forming sheet and a light sensitive sheet when subjected to controlled exposure to light passing through a glass panel includes a vacuum blanket having an upper cover of flexible sheet material adapted to contact the light sensitive sheet for biasing the same and said image sheet toward a planar face of the glass panel when the panel is locked in position parallel to the vacuum blanket. The blanket cover is formed with at least one elongated slot for receiving one or more registration pins for registering the image forming and light sensitive sheets. At least one deformable resilient pressure element in the slot is deformable to bias the sheets toward the glass panel.

Abstract: An assembly method and a thermostat for an electric/gas oven are provided. An enclosure formed by a base and a cover for enclosing a switch subassembly includes axially aligned channels extending through opposed walls and external keying and positioning features. A pair of axially aligned actuators are received within the axially aligned channels. A frame having cooperating keying and positioning features positions and supports the enclosure containing the switch subassembly and supports both a temperature responsive subassembly and a spindle subassembly in operative position with respect to the actuators. The spindle subassembly includes a cam member mounted on a spindle for rotation with the spindle. The cam member provides a cam surface having a first cam rise equivalent in a first range of rotation of the spindle and a second cam rise equivalent in a second range of rotation of the spindle.

Abstract: A hollow needle fixed in a chamber establishes a connection between an upstream coupling and a downstream coupling when it passes through a plug. The plug is made of a material such that it regains its closure properties when the needle is no longer passing through it, and it is pushed away from the needle by a spring to a closure position in which it fills the outlet opening of the downstream coupling. The connector is particularly suitable for use in medical applications.

Abstract: A plumbing hookup kit includes a length of flexible tubing having terminals mounted on each end; different sized brass compression nuts; a brass ferrule; a pair of identical plastic sealing sleeves of one size and a pair of identical plastic sealing sleeves of another size; four identical split locking ring components, pairs of which are adapted to be combined into a locking ring; a pair of identical sealing rings of one size and another larger sealing ring. Different components of the plumbing hookup kit enable the establishment of a fluid tight connection between any of a number of different male threaded fittings in 3/8", 7/16" and 1/2" sizes, each of the type that cooperates with a corresponding one of a plurality of coupling nuts.

Abstract: An insulated panel for a domestic or household appliance is formed by a process in which two sheets of plastic material are extruded from a co-extrusion die and moved directly into a die thermoforming fixture. When the open die members are closed, the edges of the two sheets are sealed together to form a hollow panel and the walls of the panel are forced outwardly to conform to the shape of the die members. After the hollow panel is trimmed it is moved to a foam machine preferably while still contained in the thermoforming fixture so that foam insulation is inserted into the hollow panel while the walls of the panel are supported by the die members so that these walls are not deformed while the foam insulation is added.

Abstract: A golf hole for a miniature golf course is formed of a plurality of modules, each of which has a foam core that is shaped so as to have a contoured top surface to simulate a natural putting green. An anchor is cemented into troughs formed at each corner of each of the modules. While the modules are held together in the configuration of the golf hole, certain exposed outer surfaces of the foam core are covered with glass fiber reinforced concrete and thereafter a finishing coating of cement. The modules are separated and the remaining outer surfaces are finished. The modules and other materials for assembling the hole are packaged into a kit. At the site where the golf course is to be constructed, individual modules are carried and positioned by rods slid through steel loops extending from eyelet bolts threaded into the anchors in each of the modules.

Abstract: An ultrasonic viscometer and method for measuring fluid viscosity are provided. Ultrasonic shear and longitudinal waves are generated and coupled to the fluid. Reflections from the generated ultrasonic shear and longitudinal waves are detected. Phase velocity of the fluid is determined responsive to the detected ultrasonic longitudinal waves reflections. Viscosity of the fluid is determined responsive to the detected ultrasonic shear waves reflections. Unique features of the ultrasonic viscometer include the use of a two-interface fluid and air transducer wedge to measure relative signal change and to enable self calibration and the use of a ratio of reflection coefficients for two different frequencies to compensate for environmental changes, such as temperature.

Abstract: A clinch type staple has a U-shaped configuration with a pair of legs extending generally perpendicularly from a base portion of the staple with the outside surfaces of the distal ends of the legs being bevelled. The legs of the staple lie in spaced apart planes that are parallel to one another, but are angularly offset from one another in order to insure that the legs will not contact or interfere with each other as they are clinched into a workpiece. A plurality of such clinch staples can be manufactured into an assembly of clinch staples. The method of making such an assembly of clinch staples includes advancing a plurality of wires in parallel side-by-side relation in a flat planar array and adhering the wires to one another. A blank, severed from an end of the formed array, includes a plurality of side-by-side wire segments of equal length extending parallel to one another in a first direction.

Abstract: A new and improved bowling ramp useful for acceleration and directional control of a bowling ball by handicapped, disabled, weak and infirm persons of all ages includes a sloping guide track having a lower end adapted to rest on a bowling alley surface and an upper end having a horizontal segment adapted to support a bowling ball at rest. Portable legs are pivotally interconnected at their upper ends to support the upper end of the guide track and a lower end of each leg is adapted to engage the bowling surface in non-slipping engagement to provide lateral stability. The sloping guide track includes a frictional web surface on the downwardly sloping rails of the guide track for causing the bowling ball to spin and provide gyroscopic stability for the bowling ball as it is discharged down the ramp.