Abstract: A camera with a focusable objective has two secondary projection systems, at least one of which is continuously adjustable, working into a photoelectric comparator which emits a coincidence signal whenever the two projection systems are trained upon the same object along the optical axis of the main objective. A position sensor, coacting with a swingable mirror in the adjustable projection system, generates a correlation signal whenever the mirror position matches the setting of the main objective as determined by the axial position of a shiftable lens member thereof. With the swingable mirror set in oscillations to scan the object space in front of the main objective, the two signals are generated in the form of short pulses during each scanning sweep and are fed to a phase detector whose output may control a drive motor for the shiftable lens member to bring the main objective into correct focus.

Abstract: A sound cine camera with a cassette-receiving compartment, in which a pinch roller is movable toward a continuously rotating capstan to drive a motion-picture film, is provided with a manually operable control member whose displacement into an off-normal position, against the force of a restoring spring, prepared or completes an energizing circuit for the film drive. The control member is linked with a pinch-roller support through a releasable coupling which remains effective only as long as the compartment cover or a latch thereof is in a closure position. Clamping pressure is exerted upon the pinch roller by a biasing spring engaging its support and acting upon the control member through a camming or toggle mechanism which reduces the holding force required to maintain that pressure when the control member is in its off-normal position.

Abstract: For trick cinematography, a motion-picture camera is equipped with a pushbutton which upon actuation blocks or retards the windup of a film in a cassette while the film transport past an image gate continues. The advancing film, with or without exposure according to the desired effect (cross-fading or reverse filming), is deflected from an exposure gap in the cassette, either at the image gate or at a sound-recording head, into a loop received in an adjacent storage chamber from which it is subsequently withdrawn by reverse transportation under the control of a counter which registers the number of frames in the loop. The deflection of the film during the loop-forming phase may be effected by a baffle or by a perforation-engaging detent.

Abstract: Electrical stimulation of muscles and nerves of a human or animal body is brought about by passing two or more carrier frequencies, in a medium range of about 1,000 to 10,000 Hz., along separate but intersecting paths through the body to be treated. Each carrier is amplitude-modulated by a low frequency, preferably not exceeding about 200 Hz., which affords local stimulation in the vicinity of the body-contacting electrodes as well as internal stimulation due to the beat frequencies generated by the modulated carriers.

Abstract: An endless conveyor has equispaced sections provided with respective arrays of recesses designed to receive cup-shaped containers which are to be filled, covered by lids, sealed and date-stamped in respective stations past which the conveyor is intermittently advanced in steps equaling the width of a section. Each array consists of two parallel rows of recesses, transverse to the direction of conveyor motion, which are relatively staggered by half a pitch and have centerlines spaced apart by less than that pitch whereby the lids of containers seated in adjoining recesses overlap one another in both the longitudinal and the transverse direction. Each operating station coacts during each cycle with a leading and a trailing row of recesses, but not necessarily of the same array; thus, a dispensing station and a printing station consist each of two synchronized units respectively serving one row of an upstream section and a nonadjoining row of a downstream section.

Abstract: A motion-picture camera optionally loadable with silent-film and sound-film cassettes has a reversible film-feeding mechanism including a reciprocable transport claw and a catch engageable with a takeup reel through a coupling within the cassette including a rewind stop. A spring-loaded stud close to the catch enables the rewind stop to be disengaged in a sound-film camera whereby the film can be transported backward for trick cinematography such as superposition of scenes. During the first run of such a double exposure, a step-down transmission can be activated to slow the windup of the film within its cassette if the latter is of the silent-film type, thereby creating a reserve length of film that can be rewound on the supply reel. In the presence of a sound-film cassette, as determined by a sensor which could be the aforementioned stud, this stepdown transmission is disabled inasmuch as the disengagement of the rewind stop allows the film to be reverse-driven without such reserve length.

Abstract: The housing of a motion-picture camera has a cassette-receiving space into which at least one feeler projects to detect the insertion of a sound-film cassette differing in shape from a silent-film cassette. With both types of cassettes the film is intermittently transported past an image gate by a traction claw; in the case of a sound-film cassette a portion of the film downstream of the image window is accessible for engagement by a constant-speed feeder in the vicinity of a sound-recording head. The feed rate of the traction claw is stabilized by a centrifugal governor in the presence of a silent-film cassette; upon sensing a sound-film cassette, the feeler deactivates the governor and synchronizes the claw drive with the constant-speed feeder under the control of a mechanism, such as a loop detector, which measures the length of film between the image gate and the recording head.

Abstract: An apparatus for trimming the ends of edible elongate roots, such as carrots, comprises a carrousel with upstanding upright partitions along which the centrally deposited roots move under centrifugal force into a set of ascending radial guide channels, coming to rest with their leading ends against a first peripheral barrier. Upon reaching a gap in that barrier, the roots approach a stationary first blade which cuts off their leading ends. Having passed the blade, the roots are centrifugally propelled into a set of steeply descending guide channels which they enter with their uncut ends facing down, coming to rest against a second peripheral barrier until they reach a gap at which a stationary second blade cuts off these latter ends.

Abstract: A bellows camera has a housing movably connected with its lens mount by a ir of scissor links whose operation is controlled by respective rack members driven by pinions on a common shaft which traverses the housing and carries a focusing-control knob. If the knob is rotated beyond a limiting position of an operating range, corresponding to focusing on infinity, the rack members are decoupled from the scissor links and simultaneously unblock a spring-loaded latch (or a pair of such latches) which is then free to engage a peg on the lens mount upon manual collapsing of the camera. Restoration of the knob to the aforementioned limiting position releases the latch and allows the lens mount to be re-extended by hand or under spring pressure.

Abstract: A pulse motor for clockworks and the like in which the rotor comprises two spaced-apart permanent magnetic disks mounted upon a common shaft and rotatable with respect to a stator. The stator comprises a respective pair of magnetic poles in the plane of each disk, the poles of the pair being interconnected by a shank and a coil wound upon the respective shanks, the coils lying on opposite sides of the rotor. The coils can be excited independently to cause the respective pair of poles to magnetically cooperate with the respective disk and rotate the motor in the forward or the reverse sense.

Abstract: A substrate to be patterned, such as a textile web, is moved past an array of nozzles with discharge orifices closely spaced from its surface, the substrate being firmly backed at locations confronting the nozzles by being drawn against a supporting conveyor or by being led around rollers. The nozzles are electromagnetically operated by needle valves, the valve needles being carried by membranes under substantially balanced pressures from the printing liquor and from a fluid such as compressed air. The electromagnetic coils are intermittantly energized by a programmed pulse generator with a large but brief driving current followed by a low holding current, the pulse generator including two complementary power transistors in series with a coil winding. A dyestuff applicator carrying one or more of such nozzles may be transversely displaceable across the substrate, under the control of a programmer, between intermittent advances of the substrate in its longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A substrate to be patterned, such as a textile web, is moved past an array of nozzles with discharge orifices closely spaced from its surface, the substrate being firmly backed at locations confronting the nozzles by being drawn against a supporting conveyor or by being led around rollers. The nozzles are electromagnetically operated by needle valves, the valve needles being carried by membranes under substantially balanced pressures from the printing liquor and from a fluid such as compressed air. The electromagnetic coils are energized by a generator of short current pulses separated by a low holding current, the generator including two complementary power transistors in series with a coil winding. A dyestuff applicator carrying one or more of such nozzles may be transversely displaceable across the substrate, under the control of a programmer, between intermittent advances of the substrate in its longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A tool for setting internally threaded blind-rivet nuts comprises a pliers-type structure having a fixed arm having at one end thereof a hammerhead housing formed with a bore in which a pulling piece is linearly guided. A mandrel having an external threaded part for screwing into a blind-rivet nut removably clamped in this pulling member and can be dislodged by forcing it through the pulling member and out of the end remote from the end of the head at which the blind-rivet nut is to be set. The housing is formed with a stop screw which can be indexed in place to limit the displacement of a movable arm on the housing which arm is connected with the pulling member and establishes the stroke thereof.

Abstract: A projectile fired from a gun barrel, aimed in straight flight upon a small arget, has a massive armor-piercing body spacedly surrounded by a sleeve which defines with its outer surface a ring channel that may also serve as a combustion chamber for generating additional thrust. The sleeve, whose cylindrical outer periphery provides guidance in the gun barrel, is axially divided into a rear portion rigid with the massive body and a relatively slidable front portion. In an initial forward position of this front portion, an annular shutter mounted on its inner surface obstructs the ring channel by engaging an annular shoulder on the body, the sleeve then effectively acting as a sabot which blocks the escape of combustion gases from the gun blast.

Abstract: A cutter, especially for release of a passenger in an emergency from a vehicle seat belt, comprises a head gear formed on one end of a handle and having a beak-like formation projecting outwardly from the head toward the handle and defining with the head a converging mouth into which the seat belt can be inserted for engagement by a blade recessed in the head. A slot continues the line of the beak to guide the seat belt into engagement with the blade and a plate is laterally mounted on the head, either the plate or the head being provided with a recess accommodating the blade and dimensioned substantially to conform to the outline thereof.

Abstract: A verticle spindle carrying cutting blades at its bottom end and a knob at its top is rotatably and slidably journaled in a neck of a housing positionable around vegetable or fruit to be sectioned. Rigid with the neck and coaxially surrounding the spindle are oppositely oriented upper and lower sets of sawteeth whose sloping flanks coact with respective groups of camming formations rigid with the spindle and disposed at the upper and lower ends thereof. These camming formations engage the associated sawteeth during the final phases of a cutting stroke and a return stroke of the spindle with a relative offset of a fraction of a pitch to impart to the spindle, knob and blades a stepped rotary unidirectional motion. The upper sawtooth flanks are more steeply inclined than the lower ones whereby the angle of rotation during a manual downstroke is less than that occurring during an upstroke brought about by the pressure of a restoring spring inserted between the knob and the housing.

Abstract: A camera with a varifocal objective is equipped with an indicator which signals the existence of a condition unsuitable for the taking of pictures because of the risk of blurring, especially when the camera is held by hand, as where a large focal length is chosen together with a long exposure time. The indicator is overridden upon reduction of the risk by certain precautionary measures, including the use of a self-timer which generally involves placement of the camera on a stable support.

Abstract: A parison of thermoplastic material is extruded through a nozzle, preliminary to blowing, the parison being receivable in a closable blowmold. The portions of the parison which are clamped in the blowmold should have a uniform thickness and, to compensate for different degrees of stretch at various locations, the parison-producing nozzle head is formed with a plurality of flaps or rollers selectively displaceable into the thermoplastic stream to reduce the wall thickness of the emerging parison. According to the invention, the wall thickness of the parison is only partially reduced at predetermined locations about the periphery, during predetermined time intervals in the course of the parison-extrusion process.

Abstract: A process for eliminating sulphur oxides from combustion exhaust gases, comprising the steps of dividing the combustion exhaust gases into a first stream and a second stream, and passing the first stream through a first activated carbon bed which was previously washed with water, thereby drying the activated carbon, cooling the first stream, and removing a substantial portion of sulphur oxides from the first stream by adsorption. The treated first stream is mixed with the second stream and together passed through a second activated carbon bed which was previously dried, thereby removing sulphur oxides by dry adsorption. A third activated carbon bed which was previously used in the dry adsorption step is washed with water, removing the previously adsorbed sulphur oxides therefrom. Each of the first, second and third activated carbon beds are cyclically treated by the drying, dry adsorption and washing steps.

Abstract: A zoom objective with a varifocal ratio close to 2:1, particularly for a projector, has a stationary positive front component, a single axially shiftable negative lens and a stationary multilens rear component. An object-side positive lens member of the rear component, adjoining the shiftable negative lens, has a focal length smaller than that of the group constituted by the remaining, image-side lens members of this component. The negatively refracting third member of the rear component may be a doublet with a positively refracting cemented surface, convex toward the image side, or an equivalent lens pair separated by a small air gap.