Abstract: A welding apparatus for pipes which provides for a guide means which is to be fixedly secured to the pipe adjacent the welding area, a first carriage and a second carriage is movably supported upon the guide means with each of the carriages supporting a pair of spaced apart welding heads. Attached to the guide means is a driving chain. Mounted on each of the carriages are motor means which, in turn, operate through the driving chain to move the carriages in a prescribed manner with respect to the guide means. The welding heads of each of the carriages move within the same plane but each are movable in a separate one hundred and eighty degree arc thereby forming a continuous circle. Associated with each welding head is a weld groove tracking system which automatically maintains each welding head correctly aligned within the welding groove. The entire apparatus of this invention, when combined with appropriate electronic computer equipment, automatically welds an adjoined pair of piping sections.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing color hardcopy from computer or video generated electronic information and utilizing a film with a repeating color stripe pattern on one side and an unexposed silver halide layer on the other side. A laser beam of a single monochromatic frequency scans across the unexposed silver halide layer from the side opposite the color stripes, the beam being smaller than an individual color stripe and being modulated in intensity to provide a variable strength latent image in the silver halide corresponding to red, blue and green intensity components of the video image so that the resulting film can be illuminated from either side to be viewed in color after processing.

Abstract: A shock isolation coupling located in a drive train between a transmission and the engine flywheel. The coupling includes a drive plate and a driven plate, the driven plate being centrally located within an opening provided within the drive plate. The driven plate is connected to a driven shaft which supplies input torque to the transmission. The driven plate includes a plurality of protuberances, each of which is located within a separate recess formed within the wall of the opening of the drive plate. In the space between the drive plate and the driven plate, there is located an elastomeric material. Openings are formed in the material to control deflection. Different deflection characteristics can be achieved on opposite sides of the protuberances. Breaks in between the elastomeric material are caused in selected areas to control shear stress in the movements between the drive plate and the driven plate.

Abstract: A forceps constructed of a pair of interconnected members in which the fore end of the pair of members each include a plurality of elongated grooves. The elongated grooves of the members are to cooperate together to facilitate clamping onto a Laminaria tent for insertion into the uterine cervix of a human female. In the longitudinal direction the grooves are inwardly tapered. The upstanding sidewalls separating the grooves assure a positive lock onto a variety of diameters of Laminaria tents.

Abstract: A steadying rest to aid in the steadying of an artist's hand above a two-dimensional work surface, such as a canvas, is comprised of offset members which are temporarily fixed to the work surface, typically along the edges. A first rest member is adjustably coupled to two of the offset members. A second rest member may be adjustably coupled to the third offset member and to the first rest member. By arbitrary placement of the offset members with respect to the work surface and appropriate coupling of the rest members with respect to each other, a two-dimensional steadying rest can be arbitrarily placed adjacent to the work surface to provide a means to steady the artist's hand while painting or drawing fine details on the work surface adjacent thereto.

Abstract: An inflatable seat unit having a plurality of air cells positioned longitudinally adjacent to each other and fully contained within a cavity in a piece of foam material, the cells being covered by a portion of the foam material to form a seat surface, the portion having a thickness which permits the rise and fall of the air cells to be felt by the occupant of the seat, a back plate for supporting the cells and causing the cells to rise in the direction of the portion of foam material, and a control mechanism for admitting air into the air cells in a controlled manner and fully contained within said piece of foam material and rigidly secured thereto, said control mechanism having a rotating valve which is forced against the valve openings by pressurized air introduced to one side of the valve during rotation.

Abstract: A device to facilitate accurate placing of sutures for closing a wound or incision which takes the form of an elongated wire member the ends of which are to be located at the ends of the wound or incision. The device is to be resilient forcing outwardly the ends of the device and thereby making the wound or incision taut. The side walls of the wound or incision are maintained in accurate apposition so as to facilitate the location of the sutures.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear assembly which is to be movable from a retracted position within the fuselage of the aircraft to a position extended outwardly from the fuselage of the aircraft. The landing gear assembly includes a main supporting strut leg assembly to which is pivotly secured a wheel lever assembly. The tire assembly is pivotly mounted upon the free end of the wheel lever assembly about an axis which is angularly disposed with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the tire assembly. A linkage assembly connects with the tire assembly to plane the tire to a different angular position with the landing gear assembly in the retracted position. A side brace assembly, to provide lateral support, is piovtly interconnected between the strut leg assembly and the aircraft. The side brace assembly comprises a pair of members which are foldable upon themselves when the landing gear is retracted.

Abstract: A matchbook structure wherein a protective cover is employed which is to protect the sides of the book of matches from being contacted by a spark from the lighting of a single match. The protective cover is connected to the base of the matchbook which is an extension of the back of the matchbook. The striking surface may be on the protective cover, the outer cover or the extension. The protective cover may be made of transparent material, if desired.