Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved two-way radio network system (15). In the preferred embodiment, the system comprises a radio (16), a first tower (17) having a defined first coverage area (23) and capable of communicating with the radio when the radio is in the first coverage area, a second tower (18) communicating with the first tower and having a defined second coverage area (24) and capable of communicating with the radio when the radio is in the second coverage area, a local hub (53) communicating with the first tower and the second tower, the first tower, second tower, and local hub so configured and arranged that a signal from the radio when the radio is in the first coverage area may be received by the first tower and communicated either to the second tower or to the local hub and communicated from the local hub to the second tower, whereby the communication capacity of the system may be increased.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an optically marked surface. In the preferred embodiment, the optically marked surface (15) comprises a light source (16), a surface to be marked (18), optical material (19) capable of illumination by the light source, the optical material, the surface and the light source being so configured and arranged that illumination of the optical material is visible on the surface. The present invention also discloses turf comprising artificial or natural turf fibers and fiber optic filaments extending between the turf fibers. The present invention also provides a method of marking a surface comprising the steps of providing a light source, providing a surface to be marked, providing an optical material capable of illumination by the light source, configuring and arranging the optical material, the surface, and the light source such that illumination of the optical material is visible on the surface, and illuminating the optical material.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved abrasive pad (15). In the preferred embodiment, the abrasive pad is comprised of an inner core (16) having an outer surface (19), a strip of abrasive material (18), the strip of abrasive material wrapped around the outer surface of the inner core, and a central throughbore (20) extending through the material and the inner core and adapted for engagement with a torque-producing device. The outer surface of the abrasive pad may comprise a top surface (21), a bottom surface (22), a front surface (23), a rear surface (24), a right surface (25), and a left surface (26), and the abrasive strip may be wrapped over the right surface, the bottom surface, the left surface, and the top surface to form a first layer (28) of abrasive material. The abrasive strip may be wrapped around the inner core at least twice to form at least a second layer (29) of abrasive material. The abrasive material may be sandpaper and the throughbore may be threaded (35) for engagement with a mandrel.

Abstract: The method of changing the cage, including a bottom (31), grill (32) and lid (38), of a laboratory animal, includes the steps of: (a) providing a first rack (20) holding at least one clean bottom, grill and lid; (b) removing a clean bottom, grill and lid from said first rack; (c) assembling a clean cage from such bottom, grill and lid; (d) transferring a laboratory animal from a dirty cage to such assembled clean cage; (e) disassembling the dirty cage into its bottom, grill and lid components; (f) providing a second rack (20) having space for holding the dirty cage bottom, grill and lid components; (g) placing said dirty grill and lid on the second rack; (h) washing the dirty grill and lid while mounted on said second rack; (i) removing soiled bedding from the dirty bottom; (j) washing the bottom; (k) placing cleaned bedding in the washed bottom; and (l) placing said washed bottom with cleaned bedding on said second rack; thereby to change the cage of said laboratory animal.

Abstract: The invention provides an improvement in apparatus (20) for testing the level of contaminants in a fluid during a test period. The apparatus has a source of pressurized fluid (Ps) to be tested; a fluid sump (R); and a test passage (48) which is substantially free of occluding contaminants at the beginning of the test period and which is adapted to be supplied with a flow of fluid from the source. The passage is so configured and arranged as to be progressively occluded by contaminants in the fluid flow. The apparatus also includes a device (23) defining a variable-volume chamber (47). The volume of said chamber is variable between a minimum value and a maximum value.

Abstract: A shelf system (15) comprising a vertical support (16), a horizontal support (18) and a shelf (25), the vertical support, the horizontal support and the shelf being so configured and arranged that the shelf may be selectively positioned at different locations along the horizontal support. The vertical support may comprise a first vertical member (19), a second vertical member (20) and a base (23). The horizontal support may comprise a first horizontal member (21), a second horizontal member (22) oriented parallel to the first horizontal member, the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member defining a gap (24) between them. The shelf may comprise a first top member (26) and a second member (28) extending perpendicular to the first top member. The second member may be so configured and arranged as to fit in the gap.

Abstract: An improved end-working attachment (30) for a screw machine or a rotary transfer machine is particularly suited for use in rolling threads on a workpiece. The attachment broadly comprises: a slide base (31) having an axis (y-y); at least two members (32, 32) mounted on the slide base for sliding movement in a radial direction toward and away from the slide base axis; a tool, such as a thread die (33), on each member; an infeed mechanism (34) for selectively causing the slide members to move toward the slide base axis such that said tools will engage said workpiece; and a return mechanism (35) for urging the members to move away from the slide base axis.

Abstract: An improved device (10) for moving a load (11) rotationally and/or axially relative to a body (12) broadly comprises: a body; a motor (13) mounted on the body and having an output shaft (14) operatively arranged to move the load rotationally relative to the body; a piston (16) movably mounted on the body and defining therewith a variable volume first chamber (19), the piston being operatively arranged to move the load axially relative to the body; an accumulator (23) charged to a predetermined pressure; a fluid in the first chamber and accumulator; a pump (26) driven by the motor, the pump being operatively arranged to displace fluid from the first chamber to the accumulator; and a valve (28) operatively arranged to selectively permit pressurized fluid in the accumulator to flow into the first chamber to move the piston and load in one direction axially relative to the body.

Abstract: A torque-limiting module (20) is adapted to be mounted on a body (21) at any of a plurality of locations. Each location has a particular mounting geometry that mandates the relative position and orientation of the module relative to the body. The body includes a housing (28) adapted to be mounted on the body, in input shaft (22), an output shaft (29), a coupling (30) between the shafts, a brake (31) arranged to act between the housing and output shaft for braking the shafts when the torque transmitted by the output shaft exceeds a predetermined value, a spring (84) urging the brake to move toward a position at which the output shaft will be released, a cam surface (25) mounted on the body at each of the locations, a cam follower (32) mounted on the module for movement along an axis and engageable with the cam surface at any location, and wherein the module has a variable characteristic, such as torque, that is settable as a function of the position of the cam follower relative to the module.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved standby locking mechanism (20) that is adapted to be used with a ball screw actuator. The actuator has a rotatable screw shaft (21) and has a primary nut (22) mounted on a movable member (23) and threadedly engaging the screw shaft. The standby locking mechanism (20) is also mounted on the member (23) and is operatively arranged to prevent further axial or rotative movement of the screw shaft in the event of a failure of the primary nut. The standby locking mechanism includes a sensing mechanism (30) for sensing a failure of the primary nut, and locking mechanisms (29L, 29R) responsive to the sensing mechanism for selectively locking the screw shaft to the member upon a sensed failure of the primary nut.

Abstract: An improved jewelry finding (20) has a first member (21) provided with a first opening (24) therethrough, and a second member (22) provided with a second opening (25) therethrough. The two members are fixed to one another such that the axes (y1—y1, y2—y2) of the first and second openings are oriented at an acute included angle (&thgr;) with respect to one another when seen along a line joining the center of these members. The finding may include a third member (e.g., 33 or 43). The center of the third member may be on this imaginary line, or the center of the three members may be arranged at the apices of an imaginary triangle. A multi-strand necklace formed by passing stylets through the member openings will have a generally twisted or intertwined appearance.

Abstract: A redundant control actuation system (100) provides hydraulic logic cross-coupling between physically-separate servoactuators (101A, 101B). Each servoactuator has a control valve (102A, 102B) arranged to provide a hydraulic output in response to a control signal. Each actuator also has a hydraulic actuator (106A, 106B) arranged to move a load in response to the hydraulic output from its associated control valve. Logic valve means (103A, 104A, 105A, 103B, 104B, 105B) are operatively associated with the control valves (102A, 102B) and actuators (106A, 106B). Each logic valve means is supplied with hydraulic and electrical input signals.

Abstract: An improved method of applying a particulate material to a substrate, includes the steps of: removing impurities from a surface of the substrate; forming a coating composition having a bonding material and at least one particulate material; applying the coating composition to the substrate surface; and creating a diffusion bond between the substrate, bonding material and particulate material for generating a continuous interface between the substrate surface and particulate material such that the change in mechanical properties between the substrate and particulate material occurs in a direction normal to the plane of the substrate surface, thereby minimizing residual strain and coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between the substrate and particulate material, the surfaces of individual particles of said particulate material being chemically wetted by the bonding material. The particulate material and the bonding material comprise a layer on the substrate surface.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved mass emissions measuring system (15) for an internal combustion engine (17). In the preferred embodiment, the system is comprised of a particulate monitor (16), four sensor (18, 22, 23 or 29) which may be temporarily attached to the engine for sensing operating parameters of the engine, an engine-control interface (21), a processor (19) programmed to collect and manipulate data from the monitor and the sensors and/or engine-control interface, a display (20) for displaying the particulate emissions of the engine, an exhaust sampling system (31) which is adapted to be temporarily connected between the exhaust system of the engine and the particulate monitor, and an opacity meter (56 or 58).

Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved limited torque motor (15). In the preferred embodiment, the motor comprises a magnetized rotor (16) mounted for rotational movement relative to a stator (18), the rotor and stator being elongated about an axis x-x, and the stator having coils (19) adapted to be selectively energized by a current to exert a torque on the rotor, and the stator having a centering magnetic configuration (20) at a first axial location (21) and arranged to produce a torque on the rotor as a function of rotor angular displacement (A), and the stator having a driving magnetic configuration (23) at a second axial location (24) and arranged to produce a torque on the rotor as a function of the current. The stator may comprise multiple radial pole pieces (35) and the coil may be wrapped around each of the pole pieces. The centering magnetic configuration may have less pole-pieces than the driving magnetic configuration. The rotor may have a constant magnetic configuration along its axis.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an improved Z-shaped sheet piling (15). In the preferred embodiment, the piling has a first flange (16), a web (19), a second flange (18), a section modulus of at least about 25 in.3/ft., a weight of less than about 31 lbs./ft.2, the second flange having a wale location (68), and the web, first flange and second flange being so dimensioned and configured that the transverse stress at the wale location for each psi of applied pressure load is less than about 1000 psi. The present invention also discloses a Z-shaped sheet piling in which the first flange has a span location (65) and the first flange, web, and second flange are so dimensioned and configured that the transverse stress at the span location for each psi of applied load is less than about 800 psi. The transverse stress at the wale location may be about 878 psi per psi of applied load and the transverse stress at the span location may be about 731 psi per psi of applied load or about 786 psi per psi of applied load.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved infusion pump (15). In the preferred embodiment, the infusion pump is comprised of an elastomeric hollow balloon (140) and a longitudinal member (110), the balloon having an axial and radial dimension and an open end (22), the longitudinal member (110) having an insertion member (16) extending into the hollow portion (24) of the balloon, the insertion member and the balloon being so configured that the insertion member stretches the elastomeric balloon in the radial direction, but does not stretch the balloon in an axial direction, whereby the infusion pump delivers the quantity of liquid at a substantially constant flow rate. The present invention also discloses an infusion pump comprising a hollow inert membrane (130), an insertion member extending into the hollow portion (23) of the membrane, and the insertion member and the membrane extending into the hollow portion of the balloon, such that the membrane is between the insertion member and the balloon.

Abstract: An improved 18-karat green gold alloy composition comprises about 75.0% gold; about 6.0-7.0% silver; about 9.0-11.7% copper; and about 6.5-9.0% zinc. The improved alloys are capable of being age-hardened to a hardness of about 240 VHN by being heated to about 550° F. for about one hour, and thereafter being permitted to cool in air. The hard-nesses of the alloys are reversible between their aged-hardness and annealed-hardness values. The color of said composition is between about −1.5 to about −3.0 CieLab a* color units, and between about 19 to about 26 CieLab b* color units.

Abstract: A device (20) is adapted to move an elongated object (21), such as rebar, from a first location (22) to a second location (23). The device includes an object-supporting surface (24), such as a conveyor; a plurality of stops (25) extending in a direction away from the surface; at least one hold-down (26) spaced from the surface and the stop. The first (22) location is arranged between the surface, stop and hold-down. A mechanism (28) is adapted to pick up an object positioned at the first location and to move the object along an orbital path (46) to a second location (23). Before arriving at the second location, the object may be counted and/or separated from other objects.