Abstract: An all-pneumatic process chromatograph having a pneumatically-actuated sample-injection valve, an orifice connected in the column output line to develop a pressure signal corresponding to fluid density, a pneumatic amplifier for strengthening the pressure signal, and pneumatically-operated control means for developing a periodic sample-valve actuating signal and for selecting a particular peak of interest at a controllable time following injection of the sample. The pneumatic control means includes means automatically operable to adjust the time of peak selection in response to changes in actual peak elution time. The temperature-sensitive elements of the apparatus are contained in a chamber which is heated by a source of steam heat, with the rate of heat transfer being regulated pneumatically to maintain a relatively constant temperature within the chamber.

Abstract: A chuck with key tightening, for a machine such as an electric drilling machine, comprising gripping means for gripping a tool such as jaws, which are guided in a translatory movement in grooves which are inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the chuck and which are machined in the chuck body, the chuck being characterized in that it comprises a toothed ring to which a tightening nut is connected, the nut cooperating with the threads of the gripping means, the toothed ring being provided in the region of its teeth with at least one retaining region whose internal diameter is smaller than the external diameter of the tightening nut, at least one component or at least one group of components having the same function, movable with respect to the chuck body, that is to say, the jaws and/or the nut and/or the toothed ring, being of sintered metal.

Abstract: A folder for laundered textile articles, particularly articles such as towels, pillowcases, etc., having an oscillatable folding blade which depends or pivots from a location above the folding rolls. The folder can feed the folded articles to a stacker which uses sloping pivoted plates instead of a conveyor, the plates being split crosswise of the travel of the folded articles thereover.

Abstract: Variable closed position fuel and air flow control for vehicles with automatic transmission for improving fuel consumption efficiency of a vehicular internal combustion engine, without disabling or circumventing any engine function, accessory, or emission control device, by causing the engine to idle at substantially constant speed regardless of changes in the engine load caused by accessories such as automatic transmission, air conditioning, power steering and the like. This variable closed position fuel and air flow control device is adapted to be easily retrofitted to existing engines and includes a vacuum actuator connected to be responsive to changes in pressure in the fuel and air flow induction passage for the engine. A cam is operatively associated with the primary idle stop of the antidieseling solenoid and the throttle control arm and a linkage transmits the motion of the actuator to the cam.

Abstract: An electric heating furnace which includes a conductive electric resistance heating element strip mounted within a chamber defined by walls of porous refractory insulating material. Terminal or mounting pins extend through the wall of insulating material and the heating strip are secured thereby. A sleeve of non-porous refractory material surrounds the portion of the pin within the wall of insulating material for electrically insulating the pin from the porous refractory wall material which may have a conductive layer of carbon build up therein under certain heat treating conditions.

Abstract: A sealed package comprising a cup-shaped container of relatively heavy-gauge, semi-rigid (form-retaining) plastic, with a protective member of relatively stiff material over the opening. Between the container and the protective member is a hermetic sealing closure member in the form of a relatively thin (flexible) plastic film secured around the rim of the cup. The package interior is evacuated and atmospheric pressure stretches the flexible film into the cup to engage the packaged article(s) across the full width thereof, i.e., up to the side walls of the cup. A relatively rigid and planar paper board sheet overlies the flexible film and is secured thereto by an adhesive stronger than the bond between the flexible film and the semi-rigid cup.

Abstract: An alarm system for warning of unbalance or failure of one or more phases of a multi-phase load circuit which is convenient and practical to use even where the load circuit is drawing a large current and where the flow of power to the load may be controlled by various devices, said alarm system including a three-phase resistance bridge circuit with a phantom neutral point at the common juncture of three similar resistances connected in a Y-pattern and each shunted across a secondary winding of transformers having magnetic cores encircling the power leads to the load circuit and with the outer terminals of these resistors connected through resistance elements to the adjustable taps of three potentiometers included in the respective legs of a second Y pattern having the outer ends of these legs connected to the respective load phases for defining a second neutral point at their common junction.

Abstract: A spring-balanced wall-type bed is pivotable between a vertical position into a wall recess and a horizontal position out of the wall recess in conjunction with a wall panel attached to the bottom of the bed so as to function as a closure for the wall recess when the bed is swung into the recess in its vertical position. In its horizontal position, the bed has unfolded legs having rollers thereon which bear against the wall panel which rests upon the floor. The bed and panel are maintained in contact by the springs so as to be pivotable together.

Abstract: The concentrations of hyperfine particles in a fluid are monitored by flowing a predetermined quantity of the particle-containing fluid over a substrate in the presence of a force field which "collects" the particles onto the substrate. The particles may be deposited on the substrate according to size, so that one can readily ascertain not only the particle concentration in the fluid, but the size distribution of the particles as well. This technique greatly concentrates the particles so that one can usually detect and monitor materials having extremely small particulate concentrations in the fluid from which they are collected.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously gauging containers has a feed screw to positively move the containers to be gauged along a straight line beneath an endless chain upon which are mounted a plurality of gauging devices. The endless chain has a lower reach spaced above the containers and an upper reach vertically spaced above the lower reach. Each gauging device has an axially movable "go-no go" gauge therein, and there is a horizontally movable reject pin on the gauge. The pin is moved horizontally to a reject position when the gauge indicates "no go" and the pin is then returned to its normal position before the gauges are moved to the beginning of the first or lower reach. At the end of the lower reach, each gauge is retracted and then extended as each gauge is moved into the beginning of the lower reach.

Abstract: A pneumatically operated stapling apparatus and method for driving a staple into a workpiece whenever the workpiece is moved into a stapling position between a staple driver and a backing member. The method and apparatus are particularly suited for stapling difficult to handle workpieces of the type including a panel and a sheet of flexible material to be mounted thereon, and the method and apparatus are able to advantageously use a pneumatic stapling gun of a known type having a staple driving mechanism controlled by a valve plunger positionable either to advance the staple driver toward the backing member, or to retract the staple driver.

Abstract: A meter panel is formed from one or more meter modules, each of which has a plurality of horizontal line buses extending therethrough with the ends of the line buses being connectable to corresponding line buses in an adjacent meter module. Each meter module comprises an enclosure and a meter section removably mounted into an opening in the front face of the enclosure. The meter section has a plurality of vertical buses which are electrically connectable to horizontal line buses. The meter section has meter sockets therein with each socket having a plurality of electrical contacts into which meters may be plugged.

Abstract: A central time-shared data processing system organized for character analysis and coupled to a number of remote document scanning stations each including a drum document feed, the drum being rotatable in small incremental steps, and means operable between steps for scanning the document along a path parallel to a line of characters on the document to produce data identifying graphic figures for analysis by the central processing system.

Abstract: Unauthorized duplication of recorded program material upon magnetic tape, commonly known as tape piracy, is rendered detectable by the present method and apparatus for preparing the program material. The method and apparatus prepare recorded audible program material by eliminating narrow low and high frequency bands of signals from the program material, inserting a preselected low frequency signal in the low frequency band, modulating a predetermined high frequency signal with the low frequency signal, and inserting the modulated high frequency signal in the high frequency band. Subsequent copying of the recorded program material having these inserted signals will introduce a phase shift between the low and high frequency inserted signals.Such a phase shift is detected by a method and apparatus which recover the signal recorded upon the magnetic tape recording suspected to be a duplicate, and filter the recovered signal to detect signals within the high and low frequency bands.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simultaneously towing and handling multiple airguns are disclosed for use in marine seismic surveying which provide for ease in handling large numbers of airguns and enable them to stream out at a desired depth behind a submerged towing head in a long flexible streamer, or a plurality of simultaneously towed airgun streamers, whose level below the surface can be changed, if desired, while the survey is progressing. A plurality of airguns are included in each streamer extending for a length behind the survey vessel for providing an effective geographic diversity in the location of the airguns which can be simultaneously fired, or can be fired with time delay, for generating very powerful large area seismic energy wavefronts travelling down through the body of water. The buoyancy of the airgun streamer is controllable to provide neutral buoyancy during towing, if desired, and slight positive buoyancy to float the streamer in preparation for taking it on board the towing vessel.

Abstract: A method for generating and detecting seismic shear wave energy in the earth are disclosed useful for determining shear wave velocities in localized regions in the earth at sites where foundations of large civil engineering structures are proposed or earth embankments and dams have been built, thereby providing information affecting the basic dynamic design parameters for constructing or evaluating the project and obtaining earthquake resistant design. An airgun of elongated generally cylindrical configuration and having a single discharge port opening out radially on one side only for abruptly releasing compressed air in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the airgun is lowered into a borehole in a manner and by apparatus to control the direction in azimuth at which this single lateral discharge port is aimed.

Abstract: Automatic packaging apparatus and methods for packaging food products such as bacon in evacuated or gas-filled packages. The disclosed machine is capable of convexly thermoforming two webs of packaging material into respective sets of pockets which are brought together in opposed positions to enclose the product. One preferred package made by the disclosed techniques comprises a transparent semi-rigid cup-like shell and a back-formed flexible film sealed over the shell opening. In operation of the disclosed machine, the product is loaded into the semi-rigid package shell from below, so that the upper sides of the product as introduced into the machine are pressed up against the inside surface of the shell, and after evacuation are held in that position by atmospheric pressure acting through the flexible film beneath the product. Thus, such upper sides of the product are visible through the transparent shell which serves as the display side of the package.

Abstract: A gas chromatograph having a pneumatic detector adapted to produce a component concentration measurement signal that is relatively unaffected by changes in carrier flow rate. The detector includes an orifice connected in the flow stream at the output end of the chromatographic column to produce a pressure signal responsive to density. This orifice signal also responds to flow rate of the fluid passing through the column. A capillary is connected in series with the orifice to produce a second flow-responsive pressure signal which is subtracted from the orifice signal in a way to effectively eliminate changes in the final measurement output signal due to changes in flow rate while leaving the signal variations due to changes in density, i.e. concentration.

Abstract: Apparatus for creating and maintaining an ice slab for skating purposes, or an ice chute for a toboggan slide, or for maintaining a layer of snow for skiing. The apparatus includes pluralities of small diameter flexible plastic tubes arranged in grids in portable mats with the tubes placed close to one another and arranged with each input or supply tube portion closely adjacent to an outlet or return tube portion providing an advantageous uniform temperature effect at a small distance above the tubes. A low temperature anti-freeze liquid is pumped through the tubes to provide the desired uniform cooling effect, and the portable mats each include a pair of sub-headers which can conveniently be coupled together with main headers to form a large grid the size of an ice skating rink, or a ski slope.

Abstract: Luminous board designed specially to resist inclement weather and in particular strong gusts of wind, this board being constituted by an open-work framework in the form of a case of which at least one longitudinal wall is formed by slats illuminated from inside the case, said framework being of the open-work type and the support slats being contiguous in a vertical plane to form a continuous wall preventing the diffusion of luminous rays toward the exterior, the slats in addition being spaced out laterally with respect to one another to form between them communication interstices allowing the wind and rain water to pass through the board, both horizontally and vertically.