Abstract: A bicycle pedal assembly includes a pedal body having a front part formed with a fixed first jaw projection, a rear part, an intermediate part to mount the pedal body rotatably on an axle, and a cavity formed in the rear part and opened at a top side of the pedal body. A first retaining member has a first spring seat received in the cavity, and an elongated flank formed on top of the first spring seat. The flank has two spaced apart forwardly projecting second jaw projections opposite to the first jaw projection. A second retaining member has a second spring seat which is juxtaposed to the first spring seat in the cavity and which has a top end that projects rearwardly and upwardly from the cavity below the flank. A pivot shaft extends through the cavity to mount pivotally the first and second spring seats thereon. A first torsion spring is sleeved around the pivot shaft in the first spring seat to bias the flank and the second jaw projections to move forwardly.

Abstract: A method of cutting a boneless turkey breast into a plurality of individual turkey products which resemble different types of steak products, includes the steps of cutting the breast along a natural seam into a thick portion and a thin portion, removing the silver from the thin portion to create a turkey product which physically resembles and tastes like a sirloin strip steak, cutting off the ends from the thick portion and further cutting the separated ends into cube-shaped pieces suitable for use as kebabs, and cutting the remaining part of the thick portion perpendicular to the grain into about one inch thick pieces to form turkey products which resemble filet mignon, eye steaks or medallions. Pound for pound, the total perceived value of the resulting turkey products is higher than the total perceived value of the original uncut turkey breast.

Abstract: A universal connector apparatus for probes used for measuring one or more parameters of molten material which identifies a probe type is provided. The probes each include a probe connector having a plurality of contacts arranged in a contact configuration. The universal connector is adapted to be connected to a drop mechanism, and includes a receptacle which is complementary to and adapted to receive a probe connector. A plurality of contacts are located in the receptacle and are positioned to provide electrical connections with the probe connector contacts. An identifying device is electrically connected to the contacts in the receptacle to detect short circuits between the contacts.

Abstract: An electronic device for remotely displaying information includes a central control unit in connection with a plurality of electronic labels (4) through a communication network made up of a plurality of nodes (1) connected to said central unit, each node (1) being provided with an infrared transmitter (2) for sending signals to the labels (4) and with a radio frequency receiver (6) to receive messages coming from the labels (4), while each label (4) is provided with an infrared receiver (3) to receive messages coming from the nodes (1) and with a radio frequency transmitter (5) to send messages to the nodes (1).

Abstract: A fuel additive which comprises a compound selected from a novel amine, oxygen-containing and nitrogen-containing compounds having selected structures. The inventive additive when blended with a gasoline serves to suppress sludge or deposits in fuel intake systems or combustion chambers for example of an automobile engine.

Abstract: A remotely controlled drug delivery device administers a dose of a drug, agent or microbicide using a gas pressure delivery system. The device stores multiple doses of the drug or agent. A toroid shaped housing includes three chambers, a gas chamber containing a pressurized gas, a drug storage chamber containing the drug or agent, and an expandable chamber for delivering the drug from the drug storage. The device includes an electronic controller for opening a valve connecting the gas chamber to the expandable chamber for a predetermined period of time in order to deliver a predetermined dose of the drug. The controller communicates with a remote control device via radio frequency. The remote control device sends a signal to the controller, which causes a dose to be delivered. The controller returns a signal to the remote control device indicating that the dose has been delivered and a signal indicating when the device needs to be removed for maintenance.

Abstract: An encoder generating an analogue color signal is configured by a digital circuit. An external frame signal supplied from an external apparatus is counted by a clock pulse signal generated by a crystal oscillator, and a synchronizing signal to be added to the luminance signal is produced on the basis of a counted results, and all horizontal synchronizing periods of digital active lines are made identical, and in vertical blanking period, a predetermined horizontal synchronizing period is made variable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for making juice from grapes, fruit or like material to be pressed, in which the fruit, etc., is repeatedly pressed in unmixed charges at time intervals. The invention also relates to a juice press (1), especially a wine or fruit press, with a drum or similar container (2) having slots, holes or similar flow openings in its longitudinal sides and a feed plate or similar component (4) longitudinally movable inside the container, in which the container (2) has at least one rape or discharge opening in the advancing direction in front of the feed component and there is at least one expandable press hose or similar expanding body inside the container between the feed component (4) and the discharge opening. The characteristic of the juice press of the invention is that the feed plate or the like (4) has slots, holes or like flow openings (3) at least in its region contacting the fruit, etc.

Abstract: According to a first aspect of the invention, when a printer runs out of printing media while printing data supplied by a host computer on a series of pages, after being resupplied with printing media, the printer waits for the host computer to resume the sending of data before printing is resumed. According to a second aspect of the invention, before starting to prepare the data for the first page, the host computer sends the printer a warm-up command, causing the printer to commence preparations for printing.

Abstract: The horizontal resolution of an input dot image is multiplied by an odd integer m, greater than unity, to produce an intermediate image. The intermediate image is smoothed by logic operations to form a final image, which is printed at a horizontal resolution equal to the horizontal resolution of the intermediate image divided by two. The horizontal resolution of the input dot image is therefore multiplied by a half-integer value (m/2) in the final image. The vertical resolution of the final image is twice the vertical resolution of the intermediate image, but may be adjusted by reducing the space between raster lines if necessary, so that the image can be printed on one page.

Abstract: A highly efficient resonant switching driver circuit includes a matching reactance coupled between an output resonant circuit and a driver circuit. The matching reactance performs a series to parallel impedance match from the driver circuit to the output resonant circuit.

Abstract: A hand-held scraper tool having a handle and a blade clamp and having a blade whose cross-section is in the shape of an arrowhead on a shank. The arrowhead shape of the blade has a blunt rear end that is sufficiently thick to deflect scraped material away from contact with the region of the blade clamp gripping the shank, to provide improved scraping efficiency and to minimize damage to the underlying substrate. The method of using the scraper blade and scraper tool is also within the scope of the invention. The invention avoids the problem common to prior art scrapers which are susceptible to chips or pieces of the scraped material becoming jammed between the blade and the gripping jaws of the scraper tool, causing blade misalignment that results in incomplete scraping and/or damage to the underlying substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for correcting the tone of color pictures recorded by a video camera, in particular an endoscope camera. A control device, which may also be part of a digital video camera, comprises a memory for storing a table which indicates a characteristic adjusting curve for tone correction values. The control device may further comprise an interface for inputting one or more characteristic adjusting curves according to the field of application of the device according to the invention. A simple rotary transducer which is connected via a lead to a control device serves as the input medium for the tone correction. After activating an automatic white balancing by way of a key connected to the control device, the correction values lies at the white point. The white point is always located on the adjusting curve and serves as a starting point.

Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a chassis and a pair of shell halves rotatably attached to the chassis, which in a first position form a vehicle body that bounds an interior space. A four-bar linkage is attached to the chassis and is disposed at least partially within the interior space. A pair of external finger tabs is pivotally attached to the chassis and connected with the linkage by means of pinion gears and a rack. Movement of the finger tabs together drives the linkage to raise and project a simulated weapon on the linkage and releases the shell halves to separate. Reverse movement of the tabs reverses the operation. A second toy vehicle includes a chassis and a pair of rotatable body panels and a different four-bar mechanism attached to the chassis beneath the body panels in a first position. A pair of external finger tabs is pivotally attached to the chassis.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing adhesive tape by applying a coating of liquid adhesive to a surface of a continuous web substrate moving in a longitudinal direction to create an adhesive-free zone on the web substrate that extends in a longitudinal direction between areas of adhesive coating on the web substrate and by contacting the surface of the moving continuous web substrate carrying the applied liquid adhesive coating with a rotating metering rod to obtain an adhesive coating with a predetermined specific thickness, wherein the metering rod has an elastomeric wiper contacting the rod and wiping the rod at a location along the length of the rod that corresponds to the transition between the adhesive-free zone and the adhesivecontaining zone on the coated web substrate, to prevent edge buildup of applied adhesive at the transition on the coated web substrate.

Abstract: A safe electrical interconnection box includes a rear wall, a front panel and a plurality of lateral walls extending between the rear wall and front panel so as to define an enclosed interior space. The front panel forms part of a cover which is movable sufficiently so as to provide an access opening into the enclosed interior space. At least one and typically three current probe attachment fixtures are located within the interior space, suggestedly mounted on a plate which itself is mounted within the box. Also provided are one or more socket-type electrical connectors with pin receiving holes mounted on the separate plate. Preferably, at least one connector is multi-holed and another is single-holed. In one example, the fixtures and multi-hole connector are coupled with a polyphase high voltage power supply connected through the cabinet with a polyphase high voltage electric motor.

Abstract: Water permeable reverse osmosis membranes are prepared by interfacially polymerizing on a microporous support an essentially monomeric polyamine reactant having at least two amine functional groups per reactant molecule, and an essentially monomeric amine-reactive polyfunctional aromatic or cycloaliphatic acyl halide having on the average at least about 2 acyl halide groups per reactant molecule. The polymerization is optionally carried out in the presence of a monomeric amine salt, which increases the flux rate of the resulting membrane. Preferred polyamine compounds of the generic formula, which are novel per se, include 3,5-diaminobenzoyl piperazine, 4-aminobenzoyl piperazine, 3-aminobenzoyl piperazine, isophthaloyl piperazine, and terephthaloyl piperazine.

Abstract: An adjustable height sensing edge for a door to protect persons, equipment and the door from impact damage from closing movement of the door by actuating a stopping device upon detecting an object in contact with the sensing edge, the device stopping the closing movement of the door. The adjustable-height sensing edge comprises a base member having opposing first and second surfaces. The first surface of the base member is adapted for attachment to the door. A first sensorless compressible spacer member having opposing first and second sides is provided. The first side of the sensorless spacer member is attached to the base member. A force sensor is provided for sensing the object in contact with the sensing edge and activating the stopping device. The force sensor has opposing first and second sides, with the first side of the force sensor being connected to the second surface of the base member.

Abstract: A cable assembly includes hardware for interconnecting an ISDN upgradeable modem with an ISDN communication line to allow the modem to communicate over the ISDN communication line. The cable assembly has a DIN type connector for connecting to the modem and an RJ45 type connector for connecting to the ISDN communication line. The hardware, located within a housing of the cable assembly, includes line isolation means, over current protection means and control logic. The control logic comprises a U and/or an ST interface.

Abstract: The operating rod is provided for a medical instrument, in particular for an endoscopic instrument and consists of at least two rod parts transmitting tension and/or compression forces and which at their ends facing one another, are connected to one another with a positive fit at least in the direction of their longitudinal axis. In order to achieve a high force transmission with a slimline construction, the face ends facing one another, of the rod parts are arranged essentially in a plane lying obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the rod and are provided with toothed profiles engaging into one another with a positive fit.