Abstract: An overvoltage protection apparatus used with a pair of telephone lines includes first voltage clamping circuitry for clamping voltage signals on the lines at a first predetermined voltage potential. The first voltage clamping circuitry is formed by at least a pair of solid-state protective chip devices and a failure mode mechanism adapted for connecting the lines to ground responsive to increased temperature of the solid-state protective chip device and providing a ground connection for the pair of solid-state protective chip devices. A pair of current limiting resistors operatively connected to the failure mode mechanism provide sneak current protection.

Abstract: A telephone line overvoltage protection method and device are provided. An overvoltage protection apparatus used with a pair of telephone lines includes first voltage clamping circuitry for clamping voltage signals on the lines at a first predetermined voltage potential; second voltage clamping circuitry for clamping voltage signals on the lines at a second predetermined voltage potential. The second voltage clamping circuitry includes filter circuitry for filtering the voltage signals when the voltage signals exceed the second predetermined voltage signals. The first voltage clamping circuitry is formed by a solid state protective device and a failure mode mechanism adapted for connecting the lines to ground responsive to increased temperature of the solid state protective device.

Abstract: A leak detecting microphone inserted directly into fluid within a pipe includes a housing having a first end being inserted within the pipe and a second opposed end extending outside the pipe. A diaphragm is mounted within the first housing end and an acoustic transducer is coupled to the diaphragm for converting acoustical signals to electrical signals. A plurality of apertures are provided in the housing first end, the apertures located both above and below the diaphragm, whereby to equalize fluid pressure on either side of the diaphragm. A leak locating system and method are provided for locating fluid leaks within a pipe. A first microphone is installed within fluid in the pipe at a first selected location and sound is detected at the first location. A second microphone is installed within fluid in the pipe at a second selected location and sound is detected at the second location.

Abstract: A fill valve assembly for a toilet tank or the like includes a riser and a head portion that can be vertically adjusted without removal or disassembly of the valve in order to select a precise tank liquid level. Telescoping conduits in the riser are secured in adjusted position by a bayonet latch system including detents assisted by the force applied by pressurized liquid at the inlet to the assembly. A main valve disk is held against a valve seat by pressure in a control chamber in a standby position and is moved to an open position by venting of the control chamber. The valve includes an axial peripheral flange having an enlarged bead portion captured in an annular channel to provide an O-ring type seal against positive and negative pressure while maximizing flexibility of the disk. A lever for controlling a pilot seat for venting the chamber is pivoted between fulcrum flanges and is held by shoulders abutting one of the flanges. The lever is pivoted by a float in a float chamber.

Abstract: An automatic cable connector includes a hammer that is moved to a cocked position by the end of an inserted cable. A hammer spring is compressed during the cocking motion. When the cocked position is reached, a frangible abutment fractures and the hammer is free to move independently of the cable. The spring drives the hammer into tapered gripping jaws with an impact that firmly grips the jaws onto the cable.

Abstract: A cover for an inflatable air bag housing is formed of integrally molded resinous plastic material and defined therein is a hinge area and a thin fracture line forming a door which pivots to an open position upon fracture of the cover along the fracture line when an air bag is inflated. A metal reinforcing element is embedded in the resinous plastic material and includes segments diverging and below the hinge area forming an open space or void which is filled in with a low density collapsible, energy absorbing, rigid foam which exhibits minimal spring back. The filler helps prevent sagging or read-through of the cover above the void when prolonged exposure to heat and sun is experienced. Moreover, the foam filler absorbs energy during bag deployment and aids in preventing plastic resin from leaking into the void space during the initial fabrication of the cover as the metal reinforcement element is molded in place.

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.

Abstract: The syringe is comprised of an external cylindrical body (1) and a suction and ejection piston (2) displaceable within said body, the piston including at its internal end the corresponding seal (3). According to the invention, said seal is held at the extremity of the piston by means of one of a plurality of arms (4) hinged at said end of the piston, said arm or arms traversing the side wall of the seal to retain the latter. The arms have a sharpened free end (6) and a cutting front edge (7), so that, during the advance movement of the piston during the ejection phase, the wall of the external cylindrical body is cut, no cut being done during the suction displacement. The syringe is disposable and not reusable after its first and single use.

Abstract: An automatic changer for playing digital discs containing music or other digitally encoded information has a loading station, a play station and a discard station. A robot arm individually engages the top disc of a stack of discs stacked at the loading station through the center hole in the disc and lifts and transports the disc to the play station where it lowers the disc over a reading head for play. After play, the robot arm raises the disc from the play station and transports the disc to the discard station and releases it there. In an alternative embodiment, a carousel containing a plurality of discs rotates sequentially to position the discs over the reading head. When changing discs the carousel is lifted to raise a played disc from the reading head, rotated to position the next disc to be played over the reading head and lowered to lower the disc to be played into playing position.

Abstract: It works like a helicopter in vertical flight or like an airplane in horizontal flight, being able to land accurately on a small area. It is equipped with a rotor, a couple of wings fitted with ailerons and other control surfaces actuated differentially, with support wheels at their ends. It has a vertical stabilizer at the end of which there is a wheel. It has a horizontal stabilizer with elevators that are actuated simultaneously or differentially. It incorporates a propeller ahead of the rotor.

Abstract: A multiple thrust range, live loaded packing system for stems and shafts extending into a packing chamber containing a packing ring, and a packing gland engaging the ring and having an outer end portion projecting outwardly of the chamber includes a first thrust member engaging an outer end portion of the gland and a second thrust member spaced from and facing the first thrust member. A spring is mounted between the thrust members for normally biasing the thrust members apart and a spacer is mounted between the thrust members around the spring for establishing a minimum spacing distance between the thrust members. One or more tension members extend between the thrust members to secure the thrust members against the spacer for exerting a selected live load on the packing gland via the spacer, the spring and the first thrust member.

Abstract: A transmission comprises a rotary input member, a rotary output member and a housing. Disposed in the housing is at least one rolling member such as a ball for transmitting a rotary movement between the rotary input and output member. The rolling member is arranged between at least first and second substantially circular tracks forming a gap that decreases in the peripheral direction. The rolling member is held in contact at a drive rolling radius with the one track and at a driven rolling radius with the other track, in the decreasing gap, by a positive-action guide.

Abstract: The self-draining sanitary control valve includes a body having an inlet and an outlet and a fluid control port forming a valve seat between the inlet and the outlet. A bonnet is detachably secured to the body having a stem receiving bore aligned on a common central axis with the control port. Clamping rings are provided for securably clamping the body and bonnet together and for securing the valve body to adjacent fluid lines. The clamping rings are readily detachable for permitting the valve to be cleaned and the interior surfaces of the valve are closed to provide for self-draining of the fluid contained therein. The valve includes a stem slidably mounted in the bore with a valve plug at one end having a predetermined outer surface profile movable toward and away from the port and a flexible diaphragm is secured to a central portion of the plug for engaging the valve seat. An outer portion of the diaphragm is clamped between the body and the bonnet when the clamp ring is locked in place.

Abstract: A method of forming EMI shielded enclosures, an EMI shielded enclosure and EMI shield are provided. A sealer composition is applied onto a surface and is allowed to substantially dry cure into a uniform, seamless layer. An adhesive composition is applied to the dried sealer composition. Then, an electrically-conductive material, such as metallic sheet, such as copper sheeting, is attached to the dried sealer composition by the adhesive composition. Alternatively, a bonded sheet of dielectric material is applied to the adhesive composition. Then the metallic sheet is attached to the bonded sheet of dielectric material by an adhesive composition second layer.

Abstract: A video lottery game having a video-display and a processor for enabling a player to play and a method of playing a video lottery game are provided. Jackpot prize schedules are calculated and displayed for viewing by the player. Responsive to the displayed jackpot prize schedules, a player's bet is received and displayed. A plurality of objects are randomly selected and are then displayed at a speed responsive to a player selection. Game results are evaluated and displayed responsive to the randomly selected and displayed objects.