Abstract: The apparatus uses a gripper mounted on a moveable arm to pick up an optical fiber at a pickup location, with the free end of the optical fiber extending from the gripper. The arm is moved to position the free end generally in the region of the target location, but slightly displaced therefrom. An image of the region of the target location is obtained from a camera directed to receive the image, where the region is backlit by diffused light from a light source. Where the target is a component on a translucent substrate, the substrate may act as the diffuser for the light source. The image from the camera is analyzed to determine the position of the free end in relation to the target location, and the arm is moved to accurately position the free end at the target location based on the determination of relative positions. The gripper has a downwardly-opening inverted V-shaped groove running longitudinally, to which a vacuum is supplied.

Abstract: The chair has a lumbar support area which moves to follow the fore and aft movements of a person in the chair. The seat back includes two portions, namely an upper portion which is generally fixed in position relative to the seat assembly at any given point in time, and which is positioned so as to contact the upper back area of a person sitting in the chair, and a lumbar portion which is movable forwardly and rearwardly relative to the seat assembly and the upper portion. The lumbar portion is spring-biased forwardly from a position of general alignment with the upper portion, so that it follows the person's back as the person leans forward. Preferably, forward and rear stops are provided to limit the lumbar portion to movement between a rearward position in general alignment with the upper portion and a forward position which is at least somewhat rearward from the forward edge of the seat.

Abstract: A plastic road barrier has an elongated base portion having an open center portion and a hollow peripheral portion surrounding the open center portion. The hollow peripheral portion has an inlet into an upper portion thereof for receiving water or other ballast, and an outlet from a lower portion thereof for draining the ballast. An elongated hollow upper portion, open at the bottom, extends upwardly from the base portion, and is preferably but not necessarily integral therewith. Its horizontal dimensions reduce from bottom to top, via steps and/or by being tapered, so that the barriers can be stacked by inserting the upper portion of one barrier a substantial distance into the upper portion of another barrier.

Abstract: A skate boot is described, having a plastic overlay sewn or otherwise secured to the boot of the skate, wrapping around the heel of the boot from the medial to the lateral side of the ankle. The overlay increases the rigidity of the rear of the skate, to restrict pronation and supination, while adding impact resistance. Preferably, in order to permit dorsal and plantar flexion, the plastic overlay has several cut-out areas which allow for a controlled amount of flexion about a lateral axis, namely a heel flex cut-out area and side flex cut-out areas on either side in the instep area. Flexible inserts are preferably installed in the cut-out areas, to maintain extra impact protection while permitting flexion.

Abstract: The braking mechanism has two generally L-shaped levers, one on each side of the skate. Each lever has two arms, namely an upwardly projecting arm and a rearwardly projecting arm, pivotally connected to the chassis of the skate where the arms intersect, such that each upwardly projecting arm extends upwardly in general alignment with the skater's leg, and that each rearwardly projecting arm extends rearwardly from the chassis, the rearward distal ends having a brake pad secured beneath them. The upper distal ends may be connected to a pivotable boot cuff, but preferably instead have a generally C-shaped cup extending laterally between them, positionable behind the skater's calf. Rearward rotation of the skater's calf relative to the boot produces rearward movement of the upper distal ends, thereby moving the brake pad downwardly.

Abstract: A braking system for an in-line skate, where a linkage assembly connects a rotatable boot cuff to a brake assembly which pivots between a retracted position braking position. The linkage assembly includes a drive arm, a transfer bracket and a short connector link. The transfer bracket has three pivot points which are arranged such that the mechanical advantage provided by the transfer bracket in translating downward movement of the drive arm to downward movement of the connector link and brake assembly is less than one in the retracted position, and increases as the cuff is rotated rearwardly to move the drive arm downwardly and the brake assembly towards the ground. Preferably, the connector link rotates over center to a locked position once the brake is in contact with the ground and the cuff is rotated slightly rearwardly.

Abstract: The hammers provide multiple impact points for debris, by providing impact points via tips at different radii from the axis of rotation of the hammer mill. The tips preferably are at substantially the same radius from the axis of rotation of the hammer about the hammer support shaft, so that efficiency is maintained even as the hammers lay back. The multiple impact points produce a more effective result, by partially sizing the debris on initial impact, before more precise final sizing in the grinding chamber. Angled surfaces on the hammer tips provide more effective shearing and tearing action than with conventional bar hammers. Wear patterns are such that grinding efficiency as the hammers wear down is maintained throughout the life of the replaceable tips. Preferably, the hammers weigh substantially more than conventional hammers, to provide a higher energy impact, and to reduce the tendency of the hammers to lay back.

Abstract: A rigid reinforcement member extends longitudinally along the neck portion of the skate blade holder, to reduce stress and improve force transfer. The blade holder has a longitudinal slot running along the bottom thereof to receive a blade or runner, which is secured in the slot. At least one rigid reinforcement member runs along at least the neck portion, within the slot and above the runner, the slot being enlarged at the location of the reinforcement member(s) in order to accommodate the member(s). Preferably, the reinforcement member is in one piece, including an upper web portion and an integral channel with a cross-section in the form of inverted U-shape beneath the upper web portion. The arms of the U-shape run alongside the runner, one on either side of the runner, and the base of the U-shape overlies the top of the runner and follows the shape thereof. Preferably, the rigid reinforcement member is of a reinforced plastic composite material, although a metal could also be used.

Abstract: A zebra mussel control device uses a combination of electrical current and air bubbles to kill or disable mussels entering water intakes. The current is fed between electrodes that extend radially at equiangular positions around a cylindrical inlet of the water intake. Bubbles are created by an annular air chamber of the water intake below the cylindrical inlet. The bubbles rise, and pass through the gaps separating adjacent electrodes. Mussels entering the gaps are moved upwardly in the gaps by the action of the bubbles, thus increasing the normal transit time of the mussels through the gaps. In the result, the mussels are subjected to electrical current for a longer time than would be the case without the bubbles, and are disabled for a time sufficient to ensure that they pass through the water intake without attaching. The bubbles also drag any drifting mussels away from the water intake. This arrangement has been shown to be a very effective way to control zebra mussel blockage of water intakes.

Abstract: A navigation device is disclosed, having a lens across an opening at one end of a case, and a compass across an opening at the opposite end of the case. A transparency holder is positioned between the lens and the compass, adapted to receive a map transparency with magnetic north thereon aligning with a north marking on the body of the compass, at a distance from the lens approximating the focal length of the lens. A first grid wheel is provided between the transparency holder and the compass, having a transparent or translucent central area inscribed with parallel grid lines and at least one first directional arrow aligned parallel to the grid lines, the grid wheel being in close proximity to the transparency holder such that it is also at a distance from the lens approximating the focal length of the lens.

Abstract: A method of clipping polygons in two dimensions, in which if a vertex is outside a boundary line, the succeeding vertex is handled as it is also outside the same boundary line until determined to be otherwise, in which if a vertex is in the window, the succeeding vertex is handled as it is also in the window until determined to be otherwise. This method also produces the fewest vertices after clipping a polygon. A method for clipping polylines is also derived from this method.

Abstract: A fastener for securing a hard shell and a soft lining together, with particular utility for protective sports gear, is described. The fastener has a broad flexible base portion, a bell-shaped portion leading from the base portion to a shoulder portion, and a post projecting from the shoulder portion and having an annular flange extending therefrom. The shell is trapped between the shoulder portion and the annular flange, and the lining is trapped between the hard shell and the base portion.

Abstract: Instead of creating hand railings by joining together sections of rectangular hollow tubing using mitre cuts and welding of the abutting cut ends, a metal knuckle is welded to the straight ends of such tubing. The knuckle has a body with a rectangular cross-section and in profile a circular sector with an included angle less than 180.degree.. Each end of the knuckle is formed as a pyramidal frustum that is adapted to enter the straight end of the tubing. A notch of generally triangular cross-section is created to hold welding bead between an end of the tubing and a respective frustum end of the knuckle. The notch size increases with the thickness of tubing inserted over the frustum end, and filling the notch with welding bead will automatically increase the joint strength as tubing thickness increases.

Abstract: Surfaces of fine polystyrene (PS) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) powders were modified by exposure to the downstream products of a nitrogen or oxygen microwave plasma. The effects of nitrogen and indium incorporation in the powder surface were studied with emphasis on variations in the triboelectric properties of the powder. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was utilized to determine the changes in surface elemental composition. After nitrogen plasma treatment, the C 1s peak profiles suggested the formation of amines in the case of PS, and the formation of imines and amides in the case of PMMA. Oxygen plasma treatment suggested the formation of hydroxyl and carbonyl groups on the surfaces of both PS and PMMA. After treatment with a nitrogen or oxygen plasma, the charge-to-mass ratio (Q/M) of PS and PMMA powders in contact with carrier particles was measured using the cage blowoff method. The surface charge density (Q/A) was calculated from Q/M.

Abstract: A fifth wheel slip plate is described, in which plastic inserts are used in the plastic slip plate instead of metal skip plates, and in which a composite plastic material is used for outer lateral portions of the slip plate. The plastic of the insert, preferably nylon, is substantially harder than the plastic of the slip plate, which is preferably ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. The harder plastic insert therefore does not compress as much as the slip plate, and therefore absorbs the primary impact during the coupling operation. The composite material outer portions absorb much of the impact damage, without the undesirable friction which metal would produce, and they are relatively simple to replace, without need to replace the whole slip plate.

Abstract: Silicon-germanium devices including MOSFETs, photogates and photodiodes, are produced by implanting the Si or polycrystalline silicon substrate with Ge.sup.+, to realize active SiGe regions within Si which are substantially free from defects, at an appropriate point in the fabrication by conventional techniques.

Abstract: A hockey stick handle being substantially rectangular in transverse cross section and has front and rear faces generally parallel to said faces of the blade, and narrower top and bottom faces being generally perpendicular to the faces of the blade, with the top face being on the same side of the handle as the blade. The rear face of the handle is convex, a central point on the rear face being at least 0.010" from the plane of outer edges of the rear face. A variant includes a concave front face. The hockey stick handle also has a significantly rounded corner between its top and rear faces providing superior ergonomic fit and enhanced control for the user.

Abstract: A marine vehicle mooring and security device comprising bow and stern securing mechanisms connected to a mooring structure on one end and to existing boat hardware at the other. The securing mechanisms include extension arms and a secondary support member bracing at least one of the bow or stern extension arms, and an attachment apparatus to connect the securing mechanisms to a marine vehicle. Damping for both tensile and compressive forces is provided in the secondary support member by way of an elastic element.

Abstract: An air circulation system is used to control the temperature in an area defined by a series of zones. The system has a hot deck and a cold deck, and a series of ducts each extending from the downstream side of the decks to a respective zone. A damper in each duct controls the amount of air entering the duct from each deck. The zone having the highest heat load and the zone having the lowest heat load are empirically determined, and a sensor is installed in each of those zones to monitor temperature. A temperature deviation in those zones from a temperature initially set into the system causes the duct dampers to those zones to adjust, and may also cause heat to be supplied or withdrawn from the decks. Each of the remaining zones normally has a temperature between those of the highest and lowest heat load zones.