Abstract: Floating structures are provided. The floating structures are suitable for use as floating runways for aircraft, floating roadways, and supports for other facilities. The floating structures include a deck and one or more pontoons attached to the deck. The pontoons, with the deck attached, are caused to float in water contained in a basin, which in turn floats in a body of water. The basin provides damping or isolation of forces due to currents in the body of water, or prevailing winds, to reduce undesired or excessive motion of the deck. The deck supports are preferably capable of limited lateral movement relative to the pontoons, thereby permitting some movement of the pontoons independently and reducing stresses on the structure.

Abstract: A method for performing human isometric exercise includes the steps of sensing an applied force, providing a signal representing the applied force, receiving the signal and comparing the applied force to a preselected force, and providing the result of the comparison to a user in real time. The result of the comparison may be provided in an alphanumeric or other visible display, or by auditory means. The time that force is applied may be compared to a preselected time period, and a message provided to a user to rest when the preselected time period has been reached. The number of repetitions of the application of force during a session may be compared to a preselected number of repetitions, and an indication of session completion provided to a user when the number of completed repetitions equals the preselected number.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the location of faulty components in a computer memory array on a chip and for providing a software repair procedure. According to the method, the location of faulty components in a computer memory array is determined by successively reading and writing to locations in the array according to an algorithm. If a faulty component is detected, it is determined whether a spare component in a spare memory array on the chip is available. If a spare component is available, a spare component is designated to correspond to the faulty component. A look up table on the same chip stores information representing the location of the faulty component associated with information representing the location of the corresponding spare component.

Abstract: An apparatus for dehumidifying air includes a first air path having a first opening, a second opening, and a first desiccant mass intermediate the first and second opening, a second air path, having a first opening, a second opening, and a second desiccant mass intermediate the first and second opening, and an apparatus for causing air selectively from either the first air path or the second air path to flow to an outlet of the apparatus, wherein the ratio of the weight of each of the desiccant masses to the air flow rate into the apparatus outlet is about 1 pound of desiccant for each 10 to 20 cubic feet per minute of air flow. A controller adjusts regeneration heating times based on detected dew point before switching between air paths and detected temperature after switching air paths.

Abstract: A cabinet for personal computer, workstation or computer terminal components including separate monitor and keyboard includes a station for secure and accessible placement of a keyboard, a monitor enclosure permitting viewing of a monitor, and a secure enclosure for a central processing unit with openings for ventilation.

Abstract: A flexible drive member for pushing and pulling an article includes a toothed belt section and ridge members which are arranged on the opposite surface of the toothed belt section along the length direction of the toothed belt section. The ridge members abut adjacent ones when the toothed belt section extends straight. The ridge members include respective hold portions which hold an elongated member, such as a hose and a wire. The abutment of adjacent ridge members enables transmission of pushing force. A fluid-operated device moving apparatus utilizes the flexible drive member which is arranged to have a T-shaped transverse cross-section corresponding to a T-shaped groove in which the flexible drive member can be guided. A fluid-operated device, such as a hydraulically operated clamping device, is coupled to one end of the flexible drive member.

Abstract: Ions passing through inhomogeneous electric fields in the detector of a time-of-flight mass-spectrometer may need different times on different paths(11) between the entrance aperture and the ion-electron conversion surface(3). These errors in flight time can be reduced by properly deforming the conversion surface(3).

Abstract: Device for the optical scanning of a recording medium, especially a phosphor storage plate (12), with a scanning head (10) which can move in relation to the recording medium and contains an imaging system in the form of an extended rotation-ellipsoidal mirror (14). The ellipsoidal mirror (14) has an inlet aperture (16) and an outlet aperture (18) at opposite ends. A scanning laser beam (30) impinges obliquely on the storage plate (12) moving past the inlet aperture (16). A reverse-tapering chamber (20) and a photodetector (24) are connected to the outlet aperture (18).

Abstract: A plasma-arc power supply apparatus includes a main electrode terminal, a nozzle electrode terminal and a workpiece terminal which are respectively coupled to a main electrode, a nozzle electrode and a workpiece of a plasma-arc apparatus. A DC power supply has its first output terminal coupled to the main electrode terminal, and a second output terminal. A pilot arc path is coupled between the second output terminal and the nozzle electrode terminal. A switch is connected in the pilot arc path. A plasma-arc path is coupled between the second output terminal and the workpiece terminal. A current detector has its first input coupled to the plasma-arc path, has its second input coupled to the pilot arc path, and produce a detection signal corresponding to the values of pilot arc and plasma-arc currents in the pilot arc and and plasma-arc paths, respectively.

Abstract: A liquefied gas pump includes a piston and a cylinder which form a pump chamber into which a liquefied gas entrance path and a liquefied gas discharge path open. Relative upward and downward motion between the piston and cylinder provides a repetition of alternating suction and discharge stroke. Liquefied gas is sucked into the pump chamber through the entrance path during the suction strokes, and is discharged out of the pump chamber through the discharge path during the discharge strokes. A separate bubble discharge path opens into said pump chamber at a location in the bottom of an upward recess formed in the top portion of the pump chamber. The bottom of the recess is located above the location where the opening of the liquefied gas discharge path is formed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit electronic grid device includes first and second metal layers wherein the metal layers are vertically disposed within a substitute. A layer of a dielectric medium is disposed between the metal layers and a third metal layer is spaced apart from the second metal layer and insulated from the second metal layer by another layer of a dielectric medium. The first and second metal layers are biased with respect to each other to cause a flow electrons from the first metal layer toward the second metal layer. The second metal layer is provided with a large plurality of holes adapted for permitting the flow of electrons to substantially pass therethrough and to travel toward the third metal layer. A fourth metal layer is spaced apart from the third metal layer to collect the electrons wherein the third metal layer is also provided with a large plurality of holes to permit the electrons to flow therethrough and continue toward the fourth metal layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for illumination and imaging of a surface includes an apparatus for illuminating the surface, an apparatus for obtaining an image of the illuminated surface and providing an output signal representative of the obtained image, and an apparatus for limiting the exposure time of the image-obtaining apparatus to a selected fast exposure time less than the video frame rate of the image-obtaining apparatus. The image-obtaining apparatus may be a CCD-based camera. The CCD-based camera and the illumination apparatus may be mounted in a shroud having an opaque side wall. A first polarizing film may be provided intermediate the illumination apparatus and the surface, and a second polarizing film, having a polarization orientation orthogonal to that of the first polarizing film, may be provided intermediate the surface and the image-obtaining apparatus.

Abstract: To achieve a high mass resolution in a time-of-flight mass-spectrometer with gasphase ion source, the initial velocity components in the direction of acceleration of the ion source must be kept small. This can be done by injection the analyte gas or ion beam at right angles to the direction of acceleration into the ion source. When the direction of acceleration and the direction of the analyte gas or ion beam or not colinear, the amount of unwanted gas ballast in the drift space of the time-of-flight mass-spectrometer will be less. This will increase the dynamic range of the mass-spectrometer. The heavier an ion is, the more its path will deviate from the axis of the ion source and if it deviates too far from the axis of the ion source it will be lost. This effect gives the limit of the mass range of such an ion source. If the electrical deflection field for these ions is already within the acceleration region of the ion source, its mass range can significantly be enlarged.

Abstract: An apparatus for illumination and imaging of a surface includes an apparatus for illuminating the surface, an apparatus for obtaining an image of the illuminated surface and providing an output signal representative of the obtained image, and an apparatus for limiting the exposure time of the image-obtaining apparatus to a selected fast exposure time less than the video frame rate of the image-obtaining apparatus. The image-obtaining apparatus may be a CCD-based camera. The CCD-based camera and the illumination apparatus may be mounted in a shroud having an opaque side wall. A first polarizing film may be provided intermediate the illumination apparatus and the surface, and a second polarizing film, having a polarization orientation orthogonal to that of the first polarizing film, may be provided intermediate the surface and the image-obtaining apparatus.