Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of 16-dehydropregnenolone acetate of the formula ##STR1## comprising the oxidation of pseudodiosgenin diacetate in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst at a temperature between 0-15.degree. C. to produce diosone followed by the hydrolysis and degradation of diosone to produce 16-dehydropregnenolone acetate.

Abstract: An auxiliary game provides an auxiliary opportunity for players at a casino to win a prize by participating with a relatively small contribution each time they play a round in the principal casino game. To increase the element of random chance or luck in winning a prize in the game, a method and apparatus is provided for randomly choosing a winning card or combination of cards, or randomly selecting a person or group of persons eligible to win upon possession of the card or combination of cards. The amount of the prize can also be randomly selected either as a fixed amount or percentage of a maximum amount or a progressive jackpot.

Abstract: A loop scavenge two-cycle internal combustion engine that includes a partial wall partition disposed between a scavenging path and a cylinder bore, with a cooling port formed in the partial wall partition for enabling fresh gas in the scavenging path to contact directly with a peripheral wall of a piston in the cylinder. The fresh gas in the scavenging path directly contacts and efficiently cools the peripheral surface of the piston to prevent heat rise and distortion within the engine. The partial wall partition and cooling port maximize both cooling efficiently and cylinder strength and durability.

Abstract: An auxiliary game provides an auxiliary opportunity for players at a casino to win a prize by participating with a relatively small contribution each time they play a round in the principal casino game. To increase the element of random chance or luck in winning a prize in the game, a method and apparatus is provided for randomly choosing a winning card or combination of cards, or randomly selecting a person or group of persons eligible to win upon possession of the card or combination of cards. The amount of the prize can also be randomly selected either as a fixed amount or percentage of a maximum amount or a progressive jackpot.

Abstract: A low-fire, low-dielectric ceramic composition is disclosed. The ceramic composition comprises a mixture of finely divided particles consisting of 30-90% by volume of calcium borosilicate glass and 10-70% by volume of fillers consisting essentially of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and amorphous SiO.sub.2, which can be densified up to 95% at temperatures of 800-1000.degree. C. The sintered body produced thereby exhibits a dielectric constant in the range of 6-9 and a dielectric loss in the range of 0.01%-0.5% at 1 MHz. The ceramic composition can be processed with organic solvent, polymeric binder and plasticizer to produce a green sheet which is co-firable with high electrical conductivity metal such as gold, silver, silver-palladium and copper.

Abstract: The present invention provides a soil pile and method for constructing same that uses a stirred mixture that includes excess stirred mixture resulting from a prior construction, e.g., a prior soil pile construction. The stirred mixture is composed of consolidation agents and earth/sand. Water can be added to the stirred mixture so that it is easier to pump. Additional amounts of consolidation agents can be added to the stirred mixture to increase the strength of the soil pile. The stirred mixture is pumped into a borehole either as the hole is bored or after the hole is bored and earth/sand is removed. The stirred mixture can also be dried and pulverized before being used for the soil pile of the present invention.

Abstract: A general purpose valve in which liquid flow is conrolled through rotating a handle or lever arm. The valve includes a valve body with a fluid inlet placed at the bottom of a head housing chamber as a removable cartridge of an assembly of a corresponding shutter operatively related to an intercommunicating duct from the inlet to the outlet of the chamber. The cartridge head being removable fitted into the chamber. A fitting is established through the use of a complementary cap attached to the base with a central hole that matches both the inlet and the outlet hole of the intercommunicating duct formed on the shutter body.

Abstract: This invention is a side wheel attachment for removably attaching an auxiliary side wheel to a bicycle. The side wheel attachment comprises a single structural rod which is folded in the desired shape, i.e. forms a helical torsion spring. In natural unbiased condition, the first and second ends of the spring rod extend generally perpendicularly to one another. The first end of the spring is inversely U-shaped and tangentially engages by its web the rear axle of the bicycle where it can be fixed after adjusting its vertical position relative to the bicycle. The second end of the spring rod is rotatably engaged by the auxiliary side wheel, therefore acting as its axle. Both ends can angularly move relative to one another due to the helical spring. Therefore, in use, both auxiliary side wheels (installed on one side and the other of the rear bicycle wheel) and the rear bicycle wheel loaded by a bicycle rider, always stay in contact with the ground so as to accomplish their respective tasks.

Abstract: A modular toilet bowl assembly bowl assembly that allows adjustment of the relevant dimensions of the inlet of the outlet as well as the height of a toilet bowl without modifying the toilet bowl body. The toilet bowl includes a toilet bowl and upper drain pipe portion that are formed integrally as a single piece, a lower drain pipe portion that is formed separately from the toilet stool. The lower drain pipe portion may be formed of a series of parts having known dimensions so that by interior moving predetermined parts, the length or height of the toilet bowl can be adjusted.

Abstract: An electric oven includes a front door, upper and lower heating tubes mounted in the oven near a top and a bottom thereof, respectively, an oven rack fixed between the upper and the lower heating tubes, a grease drip tray removably fixed below the lower heating tubes for catching dropped grease drips, a frying pan fixed above the upper heating tubes, and a top lid that may be pivotally and upward turned open for access to the frying pan. The top lid is provided on an inner surface along outer edges thereof with a perpendicular and continuous flange, such that when the top lid is in a closed position, the flange tightly contacts with top edges of the frying pan to seal the same. The oven is further provided on two lateral inner wall surfaces with two sliding channels, so that the grease drip tray may be removed from its lower position in the oven to fix in and between the two sliding channels for catching grease drips dropped from the frying pan.

Abstract: A metal material having a photocatalytic activity which comprises an anodized layer and a thin layer containing titanium oxide powder which are heat treated are sequentially laminated on the surface of a substrate comprising metal material including titanium. By anodically oxidizing the metal material including titanium, an anodized layer is formed on the surface thereof. A thin layer containing titanium oxide powder is further coated on this surface, and heat treatment is carried out before and/or after forming this thin layer containing titanium oxide powder.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a memory card and the adapter thereof, each of which has a first cover, a second cover, a frame and a PC board. The process includes the steps of forming the frame on the second cover by using the Insert Molding Method; disposing the PC board on the second cover with the PC board held by the frame; and gluing the first cover to the frame by using thermal-bonding film.

Abstract: The swinging pillow has a shape which can maintain the proper position of a user's backbone and can facilitate the user's turning over onto his side. The pillow can have a built-in sound source in its interior so that the pillow can be used also for relaxation or for the purpose of treatment sleeping disorders, such as sleeplessness, and has a function equal to or near that of an earphone or headphone, without employing such devices. The swinging pillow comprises a pillow body for accepting a user's head and left and right rising portions formed, respectively, as rising end portions positioned at both ends of the pillow body extending in a direction of a user's shoulder-width. The pillow is curved as a whole, being generally U-shaped, thus, the whole portion of the pillow functions as a pillow. Within the inside of at least one of the left and right rising portions, there can be provided a sound source.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing DRAM having a redundancy circuit region. The method utilizes a laser beam permeable layer such as a silicon nitride layer to serve as a stop layer in the etching step of the passivation oxide layer. The method removes the conductive layer, serving as the upper electrode of the capacitor, in the redundancy circuit region II. The fuse of the redundancy circuit region II can thereby be easily blown by the laser beam.

Abstract: A device to be connected to any standard alarm control panel for the verification of the actuated alarm includes one or two printed circuit board(s), preferably one, which is located within a house or integrated within the alarm control panel. On this board, which is referred to as an "Interface Module", are located an alarm panel interface for receiving the alarm signal from the alarm control panel, a specially programmed microcontroller, a non-volatile memory, an audio selecting matrix connected to at least one remote microphone unit, and a public switch telephone network (PSTN) interface, which is connected to a telephone line, through which the Interface Module communicates with the control station.