Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the line speed of an S-Z strander by applying a tensile force to the elongated accumulator of the strander, between 124 pounds and less than the elastic limit of the material from which the elongated accumulator is made, while the elongated accumulator is rotated in a reversing manner about its longitudinal axis and coated optical fibers and/or elongated tubes containing optical fibers are S-Z stranded thereabout.

Abstract: A humidity resistant device (24 and 78) for reading a meter having multiple dial faces and a rotatable meter hand (17-18) and axle (19) for each dial face that includes for each dial face (a) a plate (16) disposed between the dial face and the meter hand; (b) an array of spaced apart excitable electrodes (11-1 through 11-10) on one surface of the plate confronting the meter hand and defining an array about a center portion that includes the axle (19) of the rotatable meter hand; (c) a center electrode (12) in the center portion forming a part of a plate capacitor between each excitable electrode and the center electrode, the center electrode connected to and monitored by a receiver circuit (24), for sensing current amplitude through each such plate capacitor and spaced apart from the array of excitable electrodes and the axle (19) of the rotatable meter hand; (d) an A.C. voltage signal source (25) for placing a predetermined voltage signal on a pre-determined one of the excitable electrodes; and, (e) a D.C.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling excess fiber length (EFL) in a loose tube optical fiber buffer tube which includes traversing a just extruded plastic buffer tube, containing optical fibers and a filling compound, through a vertical cooling tower along a buffer tube path of travel in the cooling tower where the cooling tower contains a water blocking device disposed at a predetermined point along the buffer tube path of travel and the water blocking device has a body containing (a) a chamber with inlet and outlet ports, defining a buffer tube path of travel aligned with the cooling tower path of travel, a conical shaped portion circumscribing a part of the buffer tube path of travel and an annulus shaped portion circumscribing the buffer tube path of travel and a portion of the conical shaped portion; (b) a device disposed near the outlet port for providing a stream of gas directed at the buffer tube path of travel; and, (c) a drain port to remove accumulated water from the annulus-shaped portion.

Abstract: A reel containing first and second spaced-apart flanges, a first tubular member disposed between and attached to the first and second flanges at a point spaced apart from the free edges of the flanges so that the first tubular member and a portion of the flanges partially delimit a first space; a second tubular member coaxially disposed inside of, spaced apart from the first tubular member and affixed to the flanges, the first and second tubular members and the spaced apart flanges delimiting a second space; and, an aperture in at least one of the flanges, communicating with the first and second spaces.

Abstract: An optical fiber circumscribed by a wax forming a free standing composite disposed in a buffer tube.

Abstract: A high count optical fiber distribution cable having a center sub-unit in the form of a single helix and an outside member in the form of a double helix configuration, the cable structure of which results in optical fiber attenuation stability of no more than 0.2 db/km variance in attenation at the operating wavelengths of 1310 nm and 1550 nm between -40.degree. and 70.degree.C.; each sub-unit is composed of one or more optical fiber bearing buffer tubes or cylindrical members stranded about a sub-unit strength member, the sub-unit strength member having an elastic modulus of at least 4,350,000 psi and coefficient of thermal expansion of no more than 25.times.10.sup.-6 Cm/Cm/.degree.C., the buffer tubes of each sub-unit having a lay length of no less than 100 mm and the subunits themselves as a sub-unit having a lay length of 900 mm, and no less than 300 elongated optical fibers disposed in one or more of the buffer tubes of the sub-units.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying an adhesive padding to a tack strip substrate composed of the following elements: (a) a conveyor for conveying a substrate along an elongated path; (b) an arm disposed above the conveyor, pivotable about an axis, biased to a first position, disposed so that the arm comes in contact with the substrate as the substrate is being conveyed along the elongated path by the conveyor, and adapted to be moved from a first position to a second position when brought in contact with the substrate; (c) a feeding device, disposed over the conveyor, for feeding to the substrate along a first path an adhesive strip and removing a removable backing therefrom along a second path; (d) a cut-off device having a movable part for cutting said adhesive strip, the movable part adapted to be moved from a first position above the substrate to a second position below the substrate and biased to the first position; (e) an activator connected to the movable part of the cut-off device and adapted to momentarily mo

Abstract: A strain compensated fiber optic cable composed of a hollow central member made from an elastic material capable of being physically enlarged, such enlargement capable of being at least partially reversed upon demand; and, a plurality of optical fibers having a first pitch diameter disposed, either in the sidewall of the central member, or on the outermost surface of the central member, so that upon enlargement of the central member, the first pitch diameter of the optical fiber can be changed to a second pitch diameter and upon reversal of the enlargement, the second pitch diameter can be changed to either the first pitch diameter or another pitch diameter.

Abstract: A conveyor system for delivering work pieces to a predetermined area comprising a first conveyor, a second conveyor disposed at an angle to the first conveyor, a mechanical brain, and a transfer apparatus (arm) at the juncture of the first and second conveyors. The mechanical brain has a shim, a rotating disk and sliding plates on the disc that are temporarily moveable to form a protrusion that rotates with the disc. The disc rotates at a speed that is a function of the speed of the first conveyor and the protrusion activates a device to create a light path transverse to the first conveyor near the first and secured conveyor juncture just prior to a workpiece entering such juncture. The protrusion is returned to its normal state, subsequent to the creation of the light path, by the coaction of the rotating disk and the shim.

Abstract: Fiber optic cable containing, (a) a core of S-Z stranded strands composed of first and second alternatingly repeating and essentially equal first and second sections, each of the first sections having a common direction and degree of lay substantially equal to but opposite to that of the second sections and (b) a sheath circumscribing the fibers containing marks on its outermost surface essentially transversely co-extensive with that portion of the optical fiber where the first section joins the second section.

Abstract: An improved endoscope of the variety which includes an endoscope slideably nested inside of a guiding tube, including an improvement that renders on demand either the guiding tube more flexible than the endoscope or the endoscope more flexible than the guiding tube. The improvement may be one of several embodiments, namely: (a) channels in a thermosensitive guiding tube or endoscope for circulating warm or cold fluid therein; (b) a plurality of sphere-like bodies disposed in a chamber in the guiding tube or endoscope and a vacuum system adapted to remove air or a fluid medium from the chamber; (c) a pump connected to one or more channels in a guiding tube or endoscope for providing pressurized fluid in the channels; or, (d) a flexible covering connected to and surrounding at least a part of a guiding tube delimiting a space between the covering and the guide tube, the space being in communication with a means to supply fluid of a predetermined temperature and pressure to the space.

Abstract: A device for lifting and positioning a heavy object, comprising a base, a pair of arcuate arm moving rack gears, a pair of arms rotatively affixed to the arcuate rack gears, a pair of arm moving pinion gears fixed to an axle rotatively affixed to each arm and in mechanical engagement with one of the pair of arcuate arm moving rack gears adapted when rotated to move the pair of arms up and down, a foot device rotatively affixed to the pair of arms, a foot pinion gear fixed to an axle rotatively fixed to the pair of arms and fixedly attached to the foot to rotate the foot when the foot pinion gear is rotated, a foot control pinion gear fixedly attached to the base, an elongated member having a rack gear on both of its terminal portions, one of such rack gears in mechanical engagement with the foot pinion gear and the other elongated member rack gear in mechanical engagement with the foot control pinion gear so that when the arm moving pinion gears rotate they cause not only the arm to move up and down but also

Abstract: A first embodiment of an optical splice having a frame with a channel; two rods each having a resilient exterior surface disposed in the channel; and a lid adapted to be received on the frame over the channel, the lid having a resilient surface adapted to allow compression of optical fibers placed end to end for splicing between the rods by the lid and the rods. The frame and lid are placed within a tubular housing and a tubular sleeve which is attached at the ends following insertion of the optical fibers.

Abstract: A prosthetic graft for arterial system repair comprising a flexible tube, an anchoring device attached at each of the two opposite ends of the flexible tube member, each anchoring device containing a ring, a circular member and a connecting member, in each anchoring device, the ring is connected to and defines an opening into one of the opposite ends of the flexible tube member, the circular member is spaced apart from the ring delimiting a space therebetween and the connecting member is affixed to the ring and the circular member spacing apart these two members.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable adapted for underwater duty comprising a core of optical fibers circumferentially surrounded by jacket, the jacket being composed of metal particles suspended or embedded in a plastic.

Abstract: A conveyor system having first second and third stations and a return conveyor in communication with and linking the first and third stations: The first station has a device to selectively feed pallets, one at a time, from the return conveyor to a position underneath an unpackaged work piece disposed on the first station portion of the conveyor system and help position the pallet with the work piece on top of it on to another part of the first station portion of the conveyor system, which conveys the pallet and the work piece to the second station where packaging of the workpiece is carried out, for example, shrinking a plastic sheet about the work piece. Another part of the conveyor system conveys the packaged work piece to the third station where a device removes the pallet from the packaged work piece, places the packaged work piece on another part of the third station portion of the conveyor and places the pallet on the return conveyor for return to the first station.

Abstract: A conveyor system for delivering work pieces to a predetermined area comprising a first conveyor, a second conveyor disposed at an angle to the first conveyor, a mechanical brain, and a transfer apparatus (arm) at the juncture of the first and second conveyors. The mechanical brain has a shim, a rotating disk and sliding plates on the disc that are temporarily moveable to form a protrusion that rotates with the disc. The disc rotates at a speed that is a function of the speed of the first conveyor and the protrusion activates a device to create a light path transverse to the first conveyor near the first and second conveyor juncture just prior to a workpiece entering such juncture. The protrusion is returned to its normal state, subsequent to the creation of the light path, by the coaction of the rotating disk and the shim.

Abstract: A conveyor system having first second and third stations and a return conveyor in communication with and linking the first and third stations: The first station has a device to selectively feed pallets, one at a time, from the return conveyor to a position underneath an unpackaged work piece disposed on the first station portion of the conveyor system and help position the pallet with the work piece on top of it on to another part of the first station portion of the conveyor system, which conveys the pallet and the work piece to the second station where packaging of the workpiece is carried out, for example, shrinking a plastic sheet about the work piece. Another part of the conveyor system conveys the packaged work piece to the third station where a device removes the pallet from the packaged work piece, places the packaged work piece on another part of the third station portion of the conveyor and places the pallet on the return conveyor for return to the first station.

Abstract: A telephone network interface device adapted to be connected to and in between a telephone subscriber premise wiring and a Telephone Company owned subscriber loop comprising a backwall and a sidewall affixed to the sidewall delimiting a cavity in which there is: first and second sets of terminals connected to the backwall and a device to place the terminals of the first set in removably electrical communication with the second set of terminals, the first set of terminals comprising first and second spaced-apart dielectric blocks, each dielectric block containing a plurality of terminals and a plurality of first slots in a first surface and a second slot in a second surface, each of the first slots in the first dielectric block being in alignment with one of the first slots in the second dielectric block and disposed essentially perpendicular to the base and the second slots are mechanically and slideably fitted over a rib on the base so that the dielectric blocks may be slideably moved towards and away from o