Abstract: A system for testing a microcircuit having a center ground (CG) terminal has an insert for electrically connecting the CG terminal to a ground contact on a load board. The insert is held within a housing by compression and frictional interaction between a resilient projection carried by the insert and a slot in a wall of an aperture holding the insert.

Abstract: A process for preparing a starch-containing biomass particle stream having a significant percentage of fiber for processing into ethanol comprises the first step of: mixing the particle stream with a liquid solvent to dissolve at least a portion of the starch in the carbohydrate particle stream to form a carbohydrate slurry stream containing starch dissolved in the liquid solvent. This first step removes a portion of the fiber from the carbohydrate slurry stream. In a second step, the carbohydrate slurry stream is held in a settling tank to remove a further portion of the fiber. An enhancement to the process is suitable for use with shell corn or other biomass having an oil-containing germ portion and a non-germ portion comprising mainly carbohydrates and fiber. This enhancement includes the step of grinding the corn to particles of a size suitable for separating the germ particles from the non-germ particles. The germ particles are processed first to remove the oil and then to remove the carbohydrates.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for efficiently providing video on demand services to a cable television subscriber. The provider system consists of two major subsystems. The first subsystem, called a video server, streams video to video on demand subscribers through the cable television network. The second subsystem, called the transaction server, performs virtually all remaining provider functions including, security, accounting, storage and spooling of video data, etc. The transaction server preferably uses a large scale mainframe computer. The video server subsystem may be a partitioned portion of same large scale mainframe computer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for tensioning the retractable top of a motor vehicle (1). Said top comprises a front element (2) and a rear element (3) which are displaceable between the closed and opened positions thereof. The displacement of said elements is controlled by two articulated arms (6, 7). The inventive device is provided with arresting means (9) carried by the first arm (7) in such a way that is abuts against the second arm (6) when two elements (2, 3) of the top are relatively near to the closed position thereof. The arresting means (9) are provided with elastic means able to resist to the relative motion of the arms (6, 7) when the elements of the top (2, 3) are displaced from the relative position thereof, which is near to the closed position, and move towards said closed position.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of permitting a CORBA user terminal to request services from an enterprise server having XATMI applications, wherein the process is controlled by an integrated two-phase commit protocol. The service request is generated and transmitted to a server. The user terminal transmits a prepare. When the server acknowledges the prepare, a log entry is made. The user terminal transfers a commit which when acknowledged by the server causes deletion of the log entry. Each of the request/acknowledge communications is performed in both CORBA and XATMI protocols.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of permitting a CORBA user terminal to request services from an enterprise server having XATMI applications. The service request is generated and transmitted in accordance with CORBA protocol as an IIOP message. A CORBA adapter makes the data format conversions. The request is honored by the enterprise server and a response is generated. The response is converted to CORBA protocol and transferred to the user terminal.

Abstract: A frame assembly forming a portion of a rowing accessory is to be mounted within a watercraft, to which frame assembly is attached a seat and oars. The frame assembly comprises first and second frame members each having the general shape of a winged U. First and second wing portions of each frame member extend outwardly from upper ends of the frame members. A track assembly has a beam attached to lower portions of the frame members at spaced apart connection points along the length of the beam. A seat assembly attaches to and slides along the beam. First and second hinge plates each have a first end attached at an outboard end of one wing portion of the first frame member, and a second end attached at an outboard end of one wing portion of the second frame member.

Abstract: Cable supported hook apparatus provides a U-shaped upward facing opening for transporting a truss. A cam pivotably mounted opposite the opening has a serrated edge opposite a handle. A slot in the opening permits a spring to urge the cam from a released orientation to an engaged orientation with the serrated edge extending through the slot. In the released orientation, a knob retractable spring driven pin extension can extend through a hole in the cam and secure it in place. In use, the handle is first used to rotate the cam to the released and secured orientation. After engagement with the truss, the extension is retracted by the knob which permits the cam to engage the truss. After transportation a release cable rotates the cam to the released and secured orientation to free the truss.

Abstract: A personal flotation unit for supporting a person in a generally sitting position in the water, with the person's head and part of the person's torso above the water has a rear panel and a front panel each made from a flexible flotation material. A fabric seat is connected between bottom edges of the panels. Left edges of the panels are connected by strapping of some kind, as are the right edges of the panels. The seat and the strapping cooperate to form the panels into a diaper or pair of shorts that provides flotation allowing the user to sit in an upright position in water. Preferably the front panel has a T shape with arms that during use are bent backwards by the strapping to provide lateral flotation support for the wearer.

Abstract: Cable supported hook apparatus provides a U-shaped upward facing opening for transporting a truss. A cam pivotably mounted opposite the opening has a serrated edge opposite a handle. A slot in the opening permits a spring to urge the cam from a released orientation to an engaged orientation with the serrated edge extending through the slot. In the released orientation, a knob retractable spring driven pin extension can extend through a hole in the cam and secure it in place. In use, the handle is first used to rotate the cam to the released and secured orientation. After engagement with the truss, the extension is retracted by the knob which permits the cam to engage the truss. After transportation a release cable rotates the cam to the released and secured orientation to free the truss.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of implementing a cluster lock processing system having a relatively large number of commodity cluster instruction processors which are managed by a highly scalable, off the shelf communication processor. Because the commodity processors have virtually no system viability features such as memory protection, failure recovery, etc., the communication processor assumes the responsibility for providing these functions. The low cost of the commodity cluster instruction processors makes the system almost linearly scalable. Furthermore, having a fully scalable communication processor ensures a completely scalable system. The cluster/locking, caching, and mass storage accessing functions are fully integrated into a single hardware platform.

Abstract: A retractable roof for a vehicle has three rigid roof sections. A plurality of links and levers connect the three roof sections. The links and levers along with a slide on at least one roof section control and guide the three roof sections in an optimal manner as they move from a closure position covering a cabin of the vehicle to a storage position in a rear boot of the vehicle. The dimensions of the roof sections and boot allow the roof sections to fit into the boot.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of utilizing an internet terminal coupled to the world wide web to access an existing proprietary data base management system having a dialog-based request format. The user transmits a URL which is utilized to address one of a number of administrative objects. The addressed administrative object corresponds to one of a number of connection pools. The data base access is made from the connection pool. One of a number of runtime objects also corresponds directly to the one connection pool. Thus, the access attributes of the internet terminal may be modified during a single session.

Abstract: The present invention is a barrel-type internal combustion engine. The engine is generally comprised of a plurality of cylinders arranged in in-line pairs, each in-line pair having a double headed piston therein. The cylinders are arranged surrounding a central shaft that has a cam thereon. The cam has two opposing sinusoidal surfaces extending outward and around the shaft for positioning the pistons in the cylinders and transferring the combustion energy to the output shaft. The cam has a plurality of alternating and equidistantly spaced rises and reverse rises forming each of the sinusoidal surfaces. The engine is constructed and arranged to align each rise and reverse rise with a cylinder such that the engine can produce a power stroke substantially simultaneously in each cylinder aligned with a rise and reverse rise.

Abstract: A therapeutic hand exerciser includes a resilient core and a fabric exterior lining. The core is soft, pliable and smooth when squeezed. The soft smooth feel of a segmented polyurethane fabric, such as LYCRA®, also provides a more pleasurable feel than a rubber cover. The addition of the thermo plastic urethane (TPU) lining prevents the core material from passing through the fabric cover.

Abstract: An interbar assembly (34) for reversibly attaching a supplemental device, e.g., grenade launcher (32), to a host weapon, e.g., rifle (10). A preferred interbar assembly (34) attaches at its forward end to the rifle barrel (16), and at its rearward end to a “brace” (37) located in the breech area of the rifle (10). In a preferred embodiment, such connection can be made without the need for special tools after simply removing the host weapon lower hand guard (26b), which is readily removable, but without any other alterations.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of utilizing an internet terminal coupled to the world wide web wherein one or more variables from a first service request may be saved for use with one or more subsequent service requests. The service request is received by a web server from the world wide web, and if it so indicates, one or more variables from the service request are saved within the server. When the server receives a subsequent request which requires access to the saved variables, they are retrieved for execution of the subsequent service request.

Abstract: A turf inspection instrument offering an expandable depth of field and enhanced vertical scale for observing and assessing turf conditions is provided wherein the instrument includes an end wall having a gauge surface carrying graduated measuring indicia thereon, opposing longitudinal ends, and arms extending therefrom to form a substantially U-shaped frame having an open end opposite the end wall. The end wall further has a beveled bottom edge for satisfactory turf penetration. A selectively adjustable viewing assembly is carried by the frame (i.e., between the arms) substantially parallel to the end wall for movement with respect thereto. The viewing assembly includes a prism and arm engaging members adapted to support the prism moveably upon the arms, with the prism being tiltably received by the arm engaging members. A turnbuckle assembly connects the arms near the open end of the frame.

Abstract: In a system for identifying a plurality of cattle bred on a livestock farm and detecting an estrus state thereof, an apparatus for detecting and identifying any one of cows in the estrus state, comprising a switch mounted on a caudal part of a corresponding one of the cows in such a manner that it can be operated when a different one of the cows mounts the corresponding cow, an encoder for generating an inherent identification code with respect to the corresponding cow in response to the operation of the switch, a radio transmitter/receiver circuit for transmitting the inherent identification code from the encoder externally by radio and receiving an external identification code by radio, a decoder for decoding the external identification code received by the radio transmitter/receiver circuit to detect an identification code value therefrom, a comparator for comparing the identification code value from the decoder with a prestored identification code value of the corresponding cow to determine whether the tw