Abstract: A segmented seal ring and spring system for steam turbines for minimizing leakage between rotating and stationary components, and preventing damage and wear thereto, including a segmented seal ring, with first springs biased against the seal segments to urge the segments radially outward toward a large clearance position of the seal ring with respect to the turbine shaft. The springs urge the seal segments into the large clearance position at low shaft speeds and small turbine loads, whereas at medium to high flows and high working pressure, working fluid will overcome the spring forces and urge the seal segments into a small clearance position. Special gravity springs are provided in the lower half seal ring segments with the lower end of such springs seated against the turbine casing while the upper spring end is biased against the seal segment to produce an upward force which neutralizes the downward force caused by the weight of the segment.

Abstract: A pole extension system for rigidly and tightly connecting an extension pole to a main pole. The main pole has a cylindrical end portion into which a T-nut is securely mounted coaxial with the pole axis. The extension pole has a cylindrical end portion forming an alignment shaft having a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the main portion of the extension pole, such that an abutment shoulder is formed where the pole end portion meets with the extension pole. A bolt is mounted at the end of the alignment shaft and adapted for being screwed into the T-nut as the main pole and the extension pole are rotated relative to each other. A stabilizer means is mounted at the end portion of the main pole and includes a long tubular alignment sleeve having a length which extends past the end portion of the main pole and receives therein the alignment shaft in a close fitting relationship.

Abstract: Questionnaires are scanned for answers(marks) handmarked thereon by defining areas of interest which can be expanded in an area of interest pixel map. An unmarked questionnaire is initialized by scanning to create a pixel map of an original image area, with any printed objects or text on the page being selected as alignment and reference points, rather than requiring timing marks and special registration marks. Areas of interest are defined answer area locations with their original pixel data stored in an initial database. Questionnaire pages are scanned for new answer images thereon by aligning both the page and the individual answer areas, and comparing the scanned page with the stored, unmarked page pixel map, thereby removing the pre-printed area from the newly scanned area to detect any new answers.

Abstract: A garden umbrella with its underside covered with a lining material that is attached to the ribs. The lining material extends from the runner ribholder, that moves along the umbrella pole, across both the stretcher ribs and the canopy ribs to the ends of the ribs such that the underside of the umbrella is fully covered by the lining. Cloth tabs are sewn onto the lining at selected locations where spring clips secure the cloth tabs and lining to the stretcher ribs and canopy ribs, whereby the lining, the tabs and the clips act to stabilize the ribs from unwanted movement. The use of the lining permits employment of an easily removable umbrella canopy for servicing or replacement with other canopies. Also, the configuration of the lining across the underside of the umbrella is designed to provide a wind deflector which reduces the lift effect of wind against the bottom of the umbrella.

Abstract: A solid wood pole garden umbrella is adapted to permit a hand crank and pulley system to slidably move a ribholder vertically along such wood pole for opening and closing the umbrella. A pulley wheel is mounted in the umbrella pole below its top portion, with one end of a pulley cord attached to the ribholder while the other end of the pulley cord extends through a narrow groove formed longitudinally along the side of the pole down to a lower pole portion where such pulley cord is operatively connected to the hand crank. The pulley cord is contained within the groove in the umbrella pole by a flexible plastic bead or rod which is snugly held or attached to the outer part of the groove to thereby provide a retainer for the pulley cord. The groove and retainer design enables the pulley and crank system to be employed in a solid wooden pole umbrella while maintaining the structural integrity of the pole and avoiding other designs where the pulley cord might interfere with the ribholder operation.

Abstract: A U-shaped belt buckle is pivotally connected to a buckle tongue and key retainer which includes an elongated tongue body terminating at one end in a tongue tip, the other end of the tongue body forming a part of the key retainer. The key retainer includes an elongated hollow housing being open at opposite ends to form a sleeve through which a key may extend in the direction of the tongue tip. Shoulder wall portions at the key receiving end of the hollow housing serve to abut with the head of the key for positioning the key in the housing. The belt has an opening adapted to receive the elongated tongue body and hollow housing, with belt fastener snap buttons positioned on the belt to also function to retain the key by abutting with the head of the key. When the key is needed, the wearer simply opens the snap buttons and removes the key from the key retainer.

Abstract: A pacing catheter having improved torque control properties, including a polymeric tube having an electrically conductive torque member passing through the tube center. The torque member is tapered near the distal end where it is secured to a cup-shaped electrode adapted to fit over the distal end of the polymeric tube. The space between the polymeric tube and the torque member is filled with a polymeric or elastomeric material in fluid form such that a solid, but flexible, polymeric composition is formed which adheres to both the inside of the polymeric tube and the outside of the torque member. The solidified liquid polymeric material allows rotation force applied anywhere along the hollow outer tube to be directly transmitted to the central torque member.

Abstract: A system for correcting the manufacturing errors and variations in the positional alignment and spacing of optical fibers in the scanning head of an automatic digitizing system. A scan head signature is produced by measuring the actual X and Y position for each optical fiber including the variation of each fiber from its nominal X and Y positions. An X correction circuit and a Y correction circuit use the head signature data stored in a signature correction memory to correct the X and Y positions of the stream of scan line data to thereby provide a true video scan of the document data.

Abstract: A filter device for removing fine particles in the fluid line, such as in a power steering system including a housing having an inlet body wall and an outlet body wall connecting respectively with an inlet tube and an outlet tube. A perforated support plate has a valve seat formed around a central opening and is mounted between the inlet body wall and the outlet body wall for separating the housing interior into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. The valve seat and a boss on the inlet body wall form a filter relief valve. A filter disc, made of a soft flexible material, is located in intimate contact with the support plate on the inlet chamber side of such plate for filtering the particles from the inlet fluid prior to the passage of the fluid through the filter disc and the holes in the support plate into the outlet chamber.

Abstract: A fireproof cabinet system for electronic equipment including a wall shield with an outer metal layer that acts as a radiation shield, an inner support layer and an insulation layer. A water supply nozzle is mounted on top of the fireproof cabinet system for providing a continuous stream of cooling water on the cabinet shield for minimizing fire damage of the shield and also providing a temperature barrier for the electronic equipment. A forced air cooling system provides cool air from a supply located outside of the equipment room to the cabinet where the coolant air is ducted along the top and side walls of the cabinet in a sheath formed between the cabinet wall and the interior so that the coolant air in combination with the cooling water act to cool both the equipment and to remove heat caused by the external fire.

Abstract: A system for providing remote program selection by a held caller in a telephone hold program system wherein a caller's line is connected to a holding circuit and a program is transmitted to the held caller. When a line is being held by the holding circuit, a hold detector causes an announcement to be coupled to the held line for instructing the held caller for remotely selecting one of a plurality of programs. The held caller sends select signals, in the form of voice or tone data, which are decoded and used to select the desired program source to be coupled to the held line. The system includes a remote volume control wherein a command signal sent by the held caller controls the volume level of the program supplied.

Abstract: A pulley system for opening and closing an umbrella which has a ribholder adapted for slidable movement along an umbrella pole. A pulley wheel is mounted in the umbrella pole below its top portion with one end of a pulley cord fixedly attached to the ribholder while the other end of the pulley cord extends below the closed umbrella cover with a first cord handle adapted for being grasped by an operator. The first cord handle has a locking pin adapted for insertion into a hole in the umbrella pole for stopping the downward travel of the ribholder and supporting the umbrella in its open position. A second cord handle is secured to the pulley cord at a predetermined distance from the first handle such that the second handle can be readily grasped and pulled further downward for raising the ribholder to permit the locking pin to be inserted into the hole for locking the umbrella in its open position.

Abstract: An automatic video digitizing system for document scanning wherein a document is inserted into a roller feed arrangement located adjacent a video scanning head. The system includes a front pair and a rear pair of drive rollers located respectively in front of and behind the video scanning head. The ones of each pair of document drive rollers are initially spaced apart to permit the document to be inserted through the spacing between the drive rollers without damaging the input edges of the document. Lift means are operatively connected to the drive rollers for moving the opposing drive rollers from their spaced-apart, non-feed position into contact with each other. A motor drive operates in response to a document position sensor for driving the document backwards to a predetermined starting position where a front edge of the document is located at a preset distance from the video scanning head.

Abstract: A filter device for use in the return line of a power steering system for filtering the fine metal particles in the power steering fluid, thereby minimizing contamination, reducing friction and maintaining normal fluid temperatures. A perforated support plate is mounted between an upper body wall and a lower body wall for separating the housing interior into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. A felt filter disc is located in intimate contact with the support plate on the inlet chamber side of such plate for filtering the particles from the inlet fluid prior to the passage of the fluid through the filter and the holes in the support plate into the outlet chamber. A relief valve is provided by the combination of the aligned central opening in both the support plate and the adjacent filter disc together with a boss in the upper body wall which extends into such central opening in sealing engagement against the filter material for closing off the relief valve opening under normal filtering conditions.

Abstract: A microprocessor based, power systems stabilizer operating through excitation control wherein all required stabilizing information is derived from sampled values of voltage and current taken from potential and current transformers. The instantaneous values of terminal voltage and current are processed using algorithms in the accelerating power signal digital processor portion of the microprocessor to thereby develop a value of instantaneous internal voltage, the value of slip frequency of such voltages in relation to rated frequency and a digitally filtered value of electrical power. The accelerating power is calculated from the rate of change of slip and electrical power. The values of accelerating power are processed with digital algorithms in a stabilizing signal compute section of the microprocessor to yield a stabilizing signal which provides the desired modulating action for damping the machine oscillations of the synchronous generator.

Abstract: A sandal is provided with an inside arch and ankle stabilizing flange which forms an integral part of a one-piece molded bottom without a separate inner sole. The flange is smoothly curved and extends upward along the arch side for a longitudinal length from a point adjacent the side of the ankle stabilizes the ankle joint by preventing it from rolling inward toward the walking surface thereby providing an unusually high degree of security for an open shoe. The footbed of the molded bottom conforms to the plantar surface of the normal foot while walking or at rest. Both the bottom footbed and the upper pattern including the inner longitudinal arch flange are designed to allow for the anatomical and functional differences between the inside and outside longitudinal arch areas of the normal foot, and act to discourage the tipping of the ankle toward the inside of the foot, resulting in pronation.

Abstract: Springs are arranged in elastic fluid turbine seal ring systems to accomplish a condition of relatively large clearance while starting and during low load conditions but in cooperation with pressure forces occurring at higher loads permitting said seal ring to relocate to a position of relatively small clearance to improve sustained efficiency.

Abstract: A method and system for deflecting a broad ion plasma beam which includes an ion source for forming an ion plasma, an extraction means for extracting a broad ion plasma beam from the ion plasma, and deflection means including a non-grounded surface located in the path of the ion plasam beam and at an angle to the path for deflecting the ion plasma beam to a target material. A grounded, screen grid is located in front of the deflecting means in the path of the ion plasma. The screen grid has openings which permit passage of the ions in the ion plasma, but block passage of the electrons. The plasma beam is deflected by the deflection means and the grounded, screen grid onto the target material for sputter cleaning, deposition and ion milling applications.