Abstract: An aroma-generating lamp structure including an electric bulb mounted on a base and enclosed by a shell which is at least partially translucent, whereby the shell functions as a light shade, the shell being spring-mounted on the base and therefore being depressible. Socketed on the base is a bottle filled with a liquid scent, the bottle being coupled to a pump having an actuating head which cooperates with the shell so that when the shell is depressed, liquid is sprayed onto an absorbent pad disposed within the shell in the proximity of the bulb. Heat from the bulb vaporizes the liquid to generate an aroma which is exuded through vents in the shell.

Abstract: A structural sandwich laminate formed of thin facings, such as aluminum or fiberglass sheets, bonded to a core panel. The core panel is formed of end-grain balsa wood having an array of holes punched therein, the holes having their centers on the apexes of a diamond, thereby making possible a high concentration of holes with an adequate separation therebetween to define a reticulated balsa core of high strength and exceptionally light weight.

Abstract: A freezing unit for use in a cold chamber to effect freezing of a load of pre-cooked food packages at a rate more rapid than the freezing rate of that load that would take place in the chamber in the absence of the unit. The unit includes a vertical plenum provided with a perforated wall and having an open input and a closeable output. The food packages are stacked in a rack adjacent the perforated wall of the plenum, with air spaces between the packages. Cold air drawn from the chamber atmosphere at a temperature below the freezing point of the food is forced into the input of the plenum to produce a positive pressure therein when the output is closed, thereby causing the pressurized cold air to penetrate the perforated plenum wall and pass through the air spaces in the stack at high velocity, the air returning to the cold chamber whereby rapid cooling of the packages is effected.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter for an electromagnetic flowmeter in which the fluid being metered passes through a flow tube to intersect a magnetic field, the voltage induced in the fluid being transferred to a pair of electrodes. The magnetic field is established by an electromagnet supplied with excitation current that is alternately turned "on" and "off" at a low frequency rate. The resultant flow-induced electrode signal is sampled for a predetermined interval in each "on" and "off" field state, successive differences therebetween serving to develop an analog signal representing the flow rate. Conversion is effected by integrating each sample to produce a sloped voltage whose polarity corresponds to that of the sample and whose peak level relative to a base level is determined by the amplitude of the sample, the sloped voltage being then de-integrated back to base level in a time slot whose duration is directly proportional to the average level of the sample.

Abstract: A vortex-shedding flowmeter capable of accurately measuring the flow rate of a liquid or gas even under extreme operating conditions. The fluid to be metered is conducted through a flow pipe having a shedder/sensor unit torsionally supported therein on a pivot axis normal to the flow axis of the pipe, said unit being caused to oscillate about said axis at a rate proportional to the flow rate of the fluid. The torsional support included a torque tube whose base is received within a bore in the pipe and is welded thereto and whose tip is welded to one end of the shedder/sensor unit to provide a closed structure preventing leakage of fluid from the pipe. These oscillations are converted into corresponding electrical signals by an external torque transducer operatively coupled to the unit by a sensor link assembly including a rod which extends into the torque tube and is welded to the tip thereof.

Abstract: A molding kit to facilitate the synthetic cloning of body parts, such as fingers, the kit including a supply of alginate powder and a mold form having a bottom opening that is sealed when the form is seated on a base. A charge of powder is mixed with water to form a quick-setting, flowable molding compound. This is poured into the mold form, after which the body member is inserted and held therein until the compound sets to form an elastic gel. The gel is then pushed out of the mold form through the bottom opening, and the body part withdrawn to expose the impression cavity. The gel is returned to the mold form which is again seated and a flowable casting compound of the same composition as the molding compound is poured into the cavity and permitted the set to create a flesh-like clone of the body part. This clone is readily removable from the cavity without marring the impression therein.

Abstract: A lubricant especially adapted to meet the requirements of firearms, the lubricant being constituted by a dispersion of microfine PTFE particles in an oil carrier diluted with a major amount of synthetic lubricant having a low viscosity and a high viscosity index, whereby the resultant hybrid lubricant not only reduces wear and friction, but also affords a protective coating for the treated metal surfaces which resists the adhesion thereto of grime, powder, lead and all other contaminants that otherwise make it necessary to frequently clean the weapon to maintain it in proper working order.

Abstract: An in-line contactor adapted to bring about intimate contact between a disinfectant and a wastewater stream to produce a reaction between the disinfectant and pathogens effecting kills in a manner minimizing unwanted side effects. The wastewater stream is pumped through the successive stages of the contactor, the first of which is an input section having a converging nozzle that projects the stream at high velocity into a throat. The throat feeds the stream in a highly turbulent state through a mixing section, the resultant vacuum created within the throat acting to draw a disinfectant such as aqueous or gaseous chlorine from a disinfectant supply into the mixing section where it is thoroughly intermingled with the turbulent stream before the stream is discharged from the contactor through a diverging pressure-recovery output section.

Abstract: An anchor bolt assembly insertable in a masonry hole for fastening a fixture thereto. The assembly is constituted by a threaded bolt whose lower end terminates in an expander element, the bolt extending through an expandable sleeve and being threadably received in a tube having an enlarged head engageable by a torque-producing tool. Interposed between the tube and the sleeve is a deformable ring. When the assembly is inserted through a hole in the fixture into the masonry hole with the head thereof outside the fixture, and the head is then turned by the tool, this causes the bolt to advance toward the tube and causes the expander element to force its way into the sleeve to effect expansion thereof against the wall of the masonry hole until a point is reached at which the assembly is locked in the hole and no further bolt advance is possible.

Abstract: A vortex-shedding flowmeter capable of accurately measuring the flow rate of a liquid or gas even under extreme operating conditions. The fluid to be metered is conducted though a flow pipe having a shedder fixedly mounted therein. A sensor which is caused to oscillate at a rate proportionate to the flow rate of the fluid is torsionally supported downstream behind the shedder on a pivot axis normal to the flow axis of the pipe, the torsional support including a torque tube whose base is received within a bore in the pipe and is welded thereto and whose tip is welded to one end of the sensor to provide a closed structure preventing leakage of fluid from the pipe. The sensor oscillations are converted into corresponding electrical signals by an external torque transducer operatively coupled to the sensor by a sensor link assembly including a rod which extends coaxially into the torque tube and is welded to the tip thereof.

Abstract: An electromagnetic flowmeter which includes a flow tube through which the fluid to be metered is conducted, the fluid intercepting a magnetic field to induce a voltage therein which is transferred to a pair of electrodes mounted at diametrically opposed positions on the tube. The inside surface of the meter tube is protectively lined with a stable liner assembly constituted by a three-dimensional stiffening structure embedded in an insulating layer which conforms to the surface.

Abstract: A dental floss dispenser in a credit card format permitting the dispenser to be conveniently carried in a wallet. The dispenser comprises a base panel having a peripheral ridge to define a shallow well within which is nested a supply of dental floss in flattened coil form. The leading end of the coil passes out of the well through an aperture and is caught by a lug adjacent an edge notch cut in the base panel. Anchored in the well is a blade whose cutting edge is exposed by the notch, whereby when floss is pulled out of the well to provide a usable length, the trailing end thereof may be cut by the blade. The dispenser is completed by a face panel bonded to the ridge to encapsulate the floss supply, the face panel having a corresponding notch.

Abstract: A technique for converting flexible sheeting formed of non-woven thermoplastic material into disposal apparel shorts. The sheeting is die cut to yield identical blanks of generally rectangular form whose lower section has a pair of crotch tabs extending therefrom in opposite directions. The side margins of two superposed blanks are ultrasonically welded together to define a tube whose upper margin constitutes the waist of the shorts. Then the tabs of each blank are ultrasonically welded together at their ends to complete the crotch and define a pair of leg openings. Finally, an elastic band of thermoplastic material is ultrasonically welded in its stretched state to the inner circle of the waist to create a puckered waist which is expandable to conform to the waist size of the wearer.

Abstract: A counter-top reheating unit for packages containing pre-cooked meals which are initially in a frozen state, the unit acting to quickly raise the temperature of the meals to a service temperature level and to maintain the meals at this level for an indefinite period. The unit includes a box-like case having telescoped therein an open-fronted inner box whose walls are spaced from those of the case to define rear and side air spaces therebetween. Mounted within the inner box is a compartment to receive a stack of packages with spacings therebetween. The perforated wall of the compartment is spaced from the rear of the inner box to define a rear plenum.

Abstract: A hot air oven for heating food-loaded cartridges, each constituted by a stack of sealed trays containing pre-cooked meals nested within an open carton whose side walls have holes therein to admit heated air. The oven includes a rotating turntable for supporting an annular array of such cartridges, the side walls of which define a hollow center core. A heater assembly produces heated air which is blown by a propeller into the hollow core, some of this air being forced through the holes of the cartons to heat the food in the trays. The remaining portion of the heated air passes through a flow passage below the cartridges to be drawn upwardly by the suction force of the propeller to create an air curtain around the array, thereby creating a toroidal flow pattern which envelops the annular array. The oven is divided by a shield placed within the hollow core into a hot zone and an extra hot zone, the cartridges on the turntable travelling cyclically through these zones.

Abstract: A non-contacting, electro-optical system adapted automatically to measure the contour of a shaped object held in a fixture with its contoured surface presented to an electro-optical triangulation rangefinder assembly. The assembly is constituted by a pivoted laser beam illuminator and a pivoted automatic tracker mounted for rotation at spaced pivot points on a supporting beam, the line extending between these points forming a triangulation baseline. The illuminator is caused to swing through a sector whereby the laser beam spot scans across the surface of the object being tested from one edge to the other. The angles assumed by the illuminator and those assumed by the tracker in the course of a scan are determined and fed to a computer in which the value of the baseline is stored, the computer calculating the changing spot location by triangulation.

Abstract: A furniture system making it possible to efficiently and at low cost produce articles of furniture in a range of diverse forms and designs. The system is constituted by a basic, multi-section structural module that when erected acts to define the vertical side panels of a piece. The erected module is combinable with removable shelves, tops and other horizontal components adapted to bridge the side panels and rigidify the structure in a manner depending on the predetermined form and design of the piece. The multi-section module is created by two or more rectangular core panels in side-by-side relation to whose opposing faces are laminated fabric layers that serve to interconnect the sections and define living hinges at the junctions thereof whereby the sections may be folded over each other in order to collapse the module for purposes of storage or shipment, or folded out to erect the module for purposes of assembly.

Abstract: A collapsible and portable screen assembly which is capable when erected of acting either as a rear or front projection screen in conjunction with a slide or movie projector. The assembly is constituted by a flexible sheet of thin translucent synthetic plastic material having white pigment incorporated therein, the sheet surface being embossed to define myriad reflective facets. The sheet is framed within a continuous tubular loop having a rectangular formation and provided with a valve permitting inflation or deflation thereof. When the loop is inflated, the sheet assumes a planar form and functions either as a reflective diffuser for front projection or as a transmissive diffuser for rear projection. When the loop is deflated, the assembly may be folded into a compact package.