Abstract: A hand-held automatic pipetting apparatus operable with a standard glass or plastic pipet for aspirating and dispensing a predetermined amount of liquid, comprising a housing including a handle and a pipette adapter for holding a pipette, an electric motor carried by the housing, a peristaltic pump carried by the housing and driven by said motor, conduit means communicating said pump with said pipette adapter when coupled to said pipette adapter, and control means for activating the motor and pump.

Abstract: In a graphical editing system, a user may both reshape and/or abort a command gesture already drawn. The gesture is retraced by the user by backtracing over the gesture, i.e., drawing backwards over the gestural mark. As the user traces backwards over the gesture, the system detects a reverse in direction, and the gesture is erased. When the user draws in a direction that is not tracing backwards over the gesture, the change in direction is sensed and the gesture is continued. To abort a gesture, it is retraced back to its origin.

Abstract: A device applies continuous tension to skin adjacent an ulcerative area, to expand and approximate this skin until it covers the ulcerative area. The new device includes a frame which defines a path in which sliders move under the force of a constant tension spring. Each slider includes a hook-like element that engages and pulls the skin until the skin on opposite sides of the ulcerative area comes together.

Abstract: A filter apparatus comprises a plurality of rod-shaped filter elements disposed within a cylindrical vessel on at least one circular array concentric with the vessel axis, and extending parallel to the vessel axis, said filter elements being mounted in one of the vessel end walls and drained through this vessel end wall. Rotatably mounted in the opposite vessel end wall is a rotor comprising a plurality of agitator elements extending radially spaced from and parallel to the filter elements. The filter elements are provided with individual filtrate drains adapted to be individualy monitored to ascertain the quality of the filtrate. Each filtrate drain may be provided with a valve operable to deactivate the associated filter element in the case of damage thereto.

Abstract: In order to sort ore from associated mineral material, a method and apparatus of classifying an object is provided, the method including feeding the object along a feed path, irradiating the object with infra-red radiation of a first wavelength, the radiation of the first wavelength being focussed onto an irradiation zone intersecting the feed path, the irradiation zone having a length in the vertical plane substantially greater than its width in the vertical plane. The intensity of radiation emitted by the object at at least one second wavelength different from the first wavelength is examined, the second wavelength being characteristic of a first class of object or the ore to be sorted from the mineral, whereby the classification of the object may be derived.

Abstract: A recumbent leg and arm exercising machine is disclosed which may be used as a rower, a stepper and/or to perform a bench press-type exercise. The machine may also be used to exercise only the arms, only the legs, as well as both the arms and the legs. The exercising machine includes a seat, foot levers and arm levers, and is constructed so that the apparatus may be used for synchronized exercises in which selected or all levers move in synchronism. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the exercising machine includes right foot and arm levers coupled to move in synchronism in opposite directions, and left foot and arm levers coupled to move in synchronism in opposite directions. Preferably, the right levers and the left levers operate independently of each other. However, in alternate embodiments, the right and left levers may also be coupled to move in synchronism, so that the apparatus operates either as a rower or as a stepper, depending upon the arrangement for coupling the levers.

Abstract: A regulator (2) for an under water breathing apparatus (1) comprises a body (7), a duct (5) for delivery of breathable mixture, a shutter (20) of soft material stressed towards a shutter seat (5a), a push button (11) acting via a lever (21) on the shutter (20) to control it to move away from the shutter seat (5a) upon manual delivery of the breathable mixture, removable locking means (24)in the said push button (11) for locking the lever (21) in a position in which the said lever (21) retains the shutter (20) in a position just touching the shutter seat (5a) to prevent damage to the shutter (20) in inactive periods of the regulator (2).

Abstract: Method for mixing granulates, powders and liquids in a continuous process, whereby the material is placed in a mixing housing and is mixed therein with the aid of a rotor equipped with mixing arms. The material is thereby moved to and fro many times during one rotation of the rotor, towards the rotor axis and away from it. For that purpose the device with which the method is implemented has longitudinal stators, mounted principally in the axial direction of the rotor, between which the mixing arms move when in operation. The mixing housing consists preferably of two chambers situated behind one another seen in the direction of the axis of the rotor and separated from one another by the rotor disk. The material which is to be mixed enters the housing in the first chamber, where it is undergoes a preliminary mix, then flows into the second chamber and is mixed further there.

Abstract: A system which allows a user to implement pop-up menus and gestural marks when the input location is restricted, such as in a corner region of a display, is disclosed. In such a situation, the system translates its position from one location where space is limited to another location where space is essentially unlimited. In such restricted locations, the system provides a indicator or guide to direct the user to make the required movement of the input device to the unrestricted location. Such a guide consists of a visible path on the display from the current restricted location to the new location. The path guides the user into making the appropriate adjustment after which the user can proceed to make the appropriate menu selection or gestural mark.

Abstract: A rolling element bearing system comprises at least one rolling element bearing with an outer race and an inner race which enclose a space containing rolling elements, which space is confined to the outside by sealing rings. At least one of the sealing rings and/or one of the races is provided with flow generating structure for feeding a lubricant into the space, as well as a filter for preventing the ingress of contaminations into the space with the lubricant. Preferably at least one of the sealing rings at its edge which slidably contacts one of the races has a shape which promotes the outflow out of the space towards the outside of the sealing ring during relative movement of the sealing ring and race.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for producing a signal for transmission to a receiver, a video signal is converted to digital form and the data of sequential frames of the signal are arranged in a plurality of blocks of pixel data that numerically represent visual characteristics of the respective pixels of the frame image. Each block is further organized as a matrix of pixel data. The pixel data of the blocks of a "previous" video frame, and a current video frame, are stored in a memory. A row of each block of the current video signal is compared with the corresponding row of the previous video frame, and a list is made of blocks in which the averages of the pixel data exceed a predetermined threshold. The pixel data of the listed blocks with lossy compression, and is encoded for transmission along with high definition data of a predetermined number of blocks of unchanged data.

Abstract: A graphical imaging system, wherein the rough location, size and shape of objects in the image is summarized by a first characteristic descriptor, representing a parametric "pose" computed for each object. A second characteristic descriptor, i.e. a "gesture matching" function, is provided in order to select the single object, or else the set of objects, that best comports with the user's selection gesture. When most closely matched, these key characteristic descriptors permit simple and natural user gestures to distinguish among a large set of graphic objects that may overlap both spatially. User gestures can be simple slashes passing through the object, or quick, coarse approximations of objects' shapes.

Abstract: Invention maintains duplicate files in safe places. A SCAN computer program creates a TOKEN Table of an earlier file. The TOKEN Table reflects the indices of successive segments of the file and the exclusive-or (XR) and Cyclic redundancy check (CRC) products of the characters in each segment. An updated file is compared to the earlier file by comparing the XR and CRC products of segments in the updated file to the XR and CRC products in the TOKEN Table. On detecting matching products for identical segments, the next segments are compared. On mismatch, the segment (window) for the updated file is bumped one character and new XR and CRC products generated and compared. The indices of the TOKEN Table and the offsets from the start of the file of the first characters of the updated file matching segments are set forth in a Match Table.

Abstract: A technique is provided for improving the homogeneity of the magnetic field within a cavity disposed inside a magnetic structure that has an opening to permit convenient access to an imaging region. The technique is based upon the step of inserting layers of magnetized material between plates of high magnetic permeability material. The layers are inserted at the boundary of the cavity. The technique includes the step of (1) computing the surface charges on the plates as used to derive the distribution of the magnetostatic potential, (2) analyzing the uniformity of the magnetic field within the imaging region as effected by the opening in the magnetic structure by expanding the magnetostatic potential in a spatial harmonic series, and (3) determining the geometry and the composition of the inserted layers based on the successive elimination of increasing orders of spatial harmonics in the potential expansion within the imaging region.

Abstract: A brush structure for use as a stitch support for a velour needle loom comprises bristle tufts inserted into a carrier plate, with their free ends forming a continuous support surface for supporting thereon a fiber batt to be needled. The foot portions of the bristle tufts are of polygonal cross-section, resulting in a high packing density of the bristle tufts on the carrier plate and optimum bristle-coverage thereof. This enables excellent continuity of the support surface formed by the free bristle ends to be achieved without the bristles having to be provided with a curl or crimp.

Abstract: A graphical editing system which allows a user to modify a selection gesture without having to redraw the entire gesture. The system defines a selection with an enclosure that is treated as a graphical object that can be contorted in a style consistent with the specific application. The enclosure can be altered, i.e., reshaped by a set of gestures which allow the user to expand or reduce the size of the enclosure. These alteration gestures activate specified points or portions of the enclosure to control its shape. If a selection enclosure is drawn, it can be altered to include or exclude additional data by drawing a line segment that is detected by its location relative to the selection enclosure as an alteration gesture to reshape the existing enclosure to include the line segment.

Abstract: A tensioning device is provided with an adjusting element that is adapted to be affixed to the tensioning device after the tension spring therein has been tensioned. The tension can be adjusted to a desired work point after the tensioning element has been mounted on a motor frame or the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pipe interior cleaning apparatus which can be operated at an inexpensive cost and with no special facility required, assuring an improved derusting effect. This pipe interior cleaning apparatus comprises a rod-like guide, knobs provided at opposite ends of said guide, and a cleaning member into which said guide is inserted and which is made to be slidable along said guide.