Abstract: An apparatus for automatically inverting a garment piece for a sweat suit or the like. The apparatus includes an elongated tube for receiving the garment piece over the front end of the tube. A gripper arm is located adjacent to the rear end of the tube and axially aligned with the tube. The gripper arm includes an elongated arm attached to a frame at one end; gripping means attached to the other end of the elongated arm; and means for moving the arm and the gripping means from a first position away from the garment piece to a second position adjacent to the garment piece. A spreader engages the garment piece adjacent to the front end of the tube to position the garment piece for the gripper means. The gripper means and arm are operable to grasp and withdraw the garment piece through the front end of the tube to the rear end of the tube to automatically invert the garment piece.

Abstract: A silicone rubber composition that is capable of adhering to the surface of various kinds of substrates, in particular woven fabrics or the like in the absence of an adhesion promoter or coupling agent. The composition of the present invention includes a dual catalyst system which enhances the cure rate of the silicone compound. Strong adhesion of the silicone rubber coating composition to the substrate is achieved at high coating speeds using a mixture of an organopolysiloxane, an organohydrogenpolysiloxane resin, a platinum catalyst, and a peroxide curing agent. The silicone rubber composition is particularly suitable as a coating for airbag fabrics.

Abstract: A garment stacker for stacking garments in a garment stack. The apparatus includes a stacking tray having a support tray for supporting garments placed thereon in a garment stack and a tray actuator for adjusting the position of the support tray. A rotary stacker is positioned adjacent the stacking tray, wherein the rotary stacker repeatedly moves between a loading and an unloading position to successively stack garments on the stacking tray in a garment stack. A controller directs the tray actuator to position the support tray upwards when the rotary stacker is in the unloading position so as to press the garment stack between the stacking tray and rotary stacker. An unloader moves the garment stack from the stacking tray after a garment stack has been formed thereon.

Abstract: A nutcracker that cracks nuts such as pecans with a pair of spaced-apart counter-rotating rollers having a gap therebetween. Nuts are fed through the gap between the rollers and cracked as they are compressed between the rollers. The outer surfaces of the two rollers rotate at different speeds, which causes the nuts to rotate as they pass through the gap. This speed differential of the rollers and resulting rotation of the nuts causes the cracks in the nuts' shells to spread around substantially the entirety of the shell. The nuts are then much more easily opened than nuts cracked using previously designed nut-cracking apparatuses.

Abstract: The invention herein relates to ash catchers for woodstoves of the type adapted to be inserted into an existing fireplace. The ash catcher includes a generally horizontal pan supported along the front edge by a pair of fixed legs. A third leg is pivotally secured to the pan and is biased to a downward position for supporting the rear edge of said pan. When placed in a position for catching ashes from a woodstove, the rear leg is pivoted upwardly against the underside of the pan which rests upon the fireplace hearth. The ash catcher further includes an attached top for covering the ash pan to prevent ash from spilling when the ash catcher is transported. The ash pan also includes a hinged rear wall that is positionable between closed and open positions. When the ash pan is in the open position, a rear wall opening is formed in the ash pan such that ashes can be swept therefrom.

Abstract: A resonating electroplating anode electrode for electroplating the inside surfaces of steam generator tubing. The resonating electroplating anode electrode is formed from a plurality of tubular ceramic resonating material pieces glued to the inside and/or to one end of an anode tube to create a single resonating volume. In operation, an electrolyte solution is fed to the outside of the electrode in an annulus formed between the steam generator tube and the anode and returns through a hollow center in the anode. During use, the resonating materials resonate within the electrolyte solution during the electroplating process, thus creating an ultrasound enhanced-electroplating process.

Abstract: A knitted glove including a thumb and a body, a crotch defined between the thumb and the body, and a thickened knitted portion along at least a portion of the crotch. The present invention is further directed to a method and apparatus for forming such a knitted glove.

Abstract: An adjustable-height upholstered seat includes a frame including a support for a seated person at a seat height, the frame including a bottom having a plurality of slots formed therein, each the slots having a groove extending from either side thereof, a plurality of furniture feet each including a generally wedge-shaped body having a thickness, a first end, and a second end having a lower portion and a plurality of holes, and a plurality of pins each having two ends and a length greater than the thickness of a respective body, each of the pins inserted into a selected one of the holes in a respective furniture foot so each pin end protrudes from its furniture foot, each the furniture foot body located in one of the slots in the bottom of the frame, with the protruding pin lodged in the groove in the frame member and the first end extending below the frame member outside of the slot, to form a foot on the upholstered seat, whereby the seat height may be adjusted by inserting the pins in different ones of the

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for transmitting image data for superimposed images via wireless devices in a radio frequency communication system. The original image is transmitted via a communication channel to a receiving unit. The original image is then revised to form a revised image. The revised image is compared to the original image to determine the differences between the revised image and the original image. These differences comprise a difference image which is then transmitted to the receiving party. At the receiving end, the difference image is recombined with the previously-transmitted original image to reform the revised image. In a preferred embodiment, the original images and difference images are preferably decomposed and progressively transmitted to the receiving unit in response to image data requests from the receiving unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring and processing of motor currents to determine motor characteristics under various loads. In the preferred embodiment, the invention employs a spectrum analyzer that having a plurality of digitally controlled switched capacitor filters under control of a personal computer. Sampling of both voltage and current simultaneously allows for calculation of instantaneous motor power and power factor, which are used to monitor the motor's performance. An acoustical output, generated under computer control is used to give the operator feedback on the motor's operation. The output signal is derived from low frequency or infrasonic sensing and is then stepped up to a frequency that the operator can hear. This permits the analyst to "hear" the condition of the motor under load. A CRT display to show the frequency spectrum and time display.

Abstract: A driver emulative vehicle control system for use with a vehicle. The vehicle control system includes a video camera which transduces the field of view into a plurality of scan lines each comprising a plurality of pixels. A digitizer serves to digitize the frames from the video camera. A computer inputs the digitized frames and processes the same to control the steering, acceleration, deceleration, and braking of the vehicle. More particularly, the processing means includes addressing means, steering control processing means, and speed control processing means. The addressing means serves to map the digitized frames into a mapping memory which is read by the steering control processing means and the speed control processing means. With reference to a lane stripe or stripes in the field of view, the steering control processing means determines the location of the vehicle and generates a steering control signal corresponding thereto.