Abstract: A therapy device for providing heated air to the body of a patient through a plurality of V-shaped slits. The therapy device is an inflatable tube. A heated air supply is connected to the tube and the heated air inflates the tube and is forced out of the exhaust ports. The exhaust ports are V-shaped slits. The method of fabricating the therapy device includes forming the individual pieces, attaching the tube sheets to form a tube, lancing the tube to form exhaust ports, and attaching the remaining pieces.

Abstract: A novelty clock having a display comprised of replica pool balls. The clock is contained primarily within a housing having a front panel defining a time display opening through which the balls are passed. The balls are displayed on a shelf that is hinged to the front panel of the clock. The shelf is pivoted upwardly to withdraw the balls and is then lowered to return the balls the most forward position. Three carousels are provided for displaying one minute, ten minute and one hour increments of time. An array of ball receiving cells are defined by each carousel. A time display control mechanism is provided for moving at least the first carousel through a rotation of 36° each minute. The mechanism includes primarily a timing device, a motor, and a drive mechanism. At one minute intervals, the timing device actuates the motor. The motor is mounted on a bottom panel of the housing and includes an output shaft to which the drive mechanism is connected.

Abstract: A continuous-time baseline restoration (BLR) circuit providing built-in pulse tail-cancellation, or BLR tail-cancel circuit, in constant fraction discriminator (CFD) arming and timing circuits. The BLR tail cancel circuit is applied at the output of constant fraction timing shaping filters and arming circuits to permit monolithic integrated circuit implementation of CFD circuits operating at high input signal count rates. The BLR tail-cancel circuit provides correction of dc offset and count-rate dependent baseline errors along with simultaneous tail-cancellation. Correction of dc offsets due to electronic device mismatches and count-rate dependent baseline errors is required for accurate time pickoff from the input signals. The reduction of pulse width, or pulse tail-cancellation is required to shorten the duration of high count rate signals to prevent the severe distortion caused by the occurrence a new signal superimposed on the tails of previous signals, a condition known as pulse pileup.

Abstract: A boiler (10) in which a liquid medium is heated and steam is generated. The boiler (10) includes a housing (12), and a burner (25) for generating hot combustion gases within the housing (12). The boiler also includes a lower drum (30) for receiving the liquid medium, and an upper drum (36) for receiving steam which is generated. A plurality of first tube banks (44) are disposed on both sides of the upper drum (36). The first tube banks (44) including a plurality of first fluid tubes (42) for establishing fluid communications between the lower and upper drums (30, 36), with each first fluid tube defining at least one inwardly extending portion (52). Also provided are a plurality of second tube banks (46) disposed on both sides of the upper drum (36), with the second tube banks (46) being disposed substantially opposite the first tube bank (44).

Abstract: A roof bit blade insert for use in mining and other associated applications. The blade defines two opposing faces, each having a leading end and a trailing end. The blade defines an indexed protrusion disposed at either or both of the leading and trailing ends of each face. A centered protrusion is defined on several embodiments. Each of the protrusions are provided to strengthen the blade and to assist in centering the blade in a drill body slot. The protrusions defined by the leading and trailing ends of the blade are defined by either an arcuate configuration, a compound curve, an outward taper from the center of the blade, or a selected location along the leading end, to the outer edge thereof. The drill body defines a transverse slot for mounting the blade, the slot having opposing parallel faces adapted to loosely receive the blade such that it is centered therein.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit for use with a wire-loop inductive sensor and method for use. The oscillator circuit highly attenuates common-mode noise detected by the wire-loop and differential noise from both ambient and crosstalk sources are filtered by active isolation.

Abstract: A multi-use pillow including a body member of generally cylindrical geometry having at least two elongated flat attachment strips, each preferably comprising a loop fastener material on one surface of the strip and having a smooth surface on the opposite side surface of the strip, and being attached to the outer surface of the body member with their respective loop-bearing surface exposed outwardly.

Abstract: A safety guard system and deactivation device for protection of an operator of a garment press. A guard bar is manipulated in concert with movement of a press head between operative and inoperative positions. Manipulation of the guard bar reciprocates an activation device for sequentially activating actuatable valves which control the transmission of pressurized air to a head closing piston and cylinder for press head movement. A deactivation device is positioned proximal to the activation device to control reciprocation thereof. The deactivation device is retracted when pressurized air is interrupted to the garment press, resulting in restraint of activation device and deactivation of the actuatable valves, along with movement of the press head and guard bar to an inoperative position.

Abstract: A domestic water distribution system that continuously delivers heated water to one or more hot water faucets. The system utilizes a convective return loop from the desired faucets, which is regulated by a flow control device. The control device is specifically designed to allow unhindered flow during circulation without allowing reverse flow when a faucet is opened. The flow control device has an easily accessible handwheel adjustment that is used to select the three modes of operation and the flow rate. These modes are called: HELD-ON, HELD-OFF, and NORMAL-OPERATION. With the first two modes being used to fill and flush the system as is necessary with new installation and recreation vehicles. Also, a lighter-than-water checking element is used, which allows the system to function in single-level plumbing installations without the need for inclined supply and return routing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for removing broken filaments from a continuous filament tow (60) traveling at a tow velocity between a source and a collector. The tow (60) is contacted with a rotatable, cylindrical roller (13), having an axis of rotation and an outer surface, located in the path of travel by the tow from the source to the collector. The axis of rotation is oriented generally perpendicular to the direction of travel of the tow (60). The roller (13) rotates in a direction counter to the direction of travel of the tow (60) to lift broken fibers from the tow. The lifted broken fibers are entrained in an airflow created by a tubular vacuum header (12) to remove the broken fibers from the tow.

Abstract: An apparatus for sensing variations in an inductive field, or inductive sensor. The inductive sensor is adapted for detecting the lateral offset of a vehicle within a roadway, especially those with multiple traffic lanes, without regard to lane boundaries, which may vary. Lateral offset information is necessary for determining lane usage statistics and is useful in detecting unsafe driving behaviors evidenced by erratic variations in lane position. Such unsafe driving behaviors are indicative of, for example, intoxicated or drowsy drivers, obstacles in the roadway requiring drastic avoidance measures, aggressive driving and other generally unsafe roadway conditions. In addition, lane position information can be passed back to the vehicle to allow for automated lane-keeping or passed to other detectors for self-calibration of the system.

Abstract: Method for producing discontinuous silicon carbide fibers, useful as heating elements in a low-energy microwave field, from discontinuous carbonized cotton fibers employing an admixture of carbonized cotton fibers, a metal salt promoter, calcium oxalate monohydrate, and low-density silicon dioxide. The admixture, in a dry state, is introduced into a preheated oven at about 1450 to 1750 degrees C. for between about one and five hours. Silicon carbide fibers and a sheet formed from the fibers are disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for assisting in the operation of a conventional trailer jack. The jack assistance apparatus is attached to a conventional trailer jack having telescoping tubes with a coarse adjustment and a fine adjustment. The apparatus includes a lever arm that engages a locking pin handle on the jack, and a guide tube that contains a chain or other flexible member with one end attached to the jack base and the other attached to a handle. The lever arm and handle are located for convenient access by an operator for coarse vertical adjustment of the jack.