Abstract: A plastic container comprising a side wall having an oriented generally cylindrical lower portion, and a bottom joined to said side wall and closing the lower end of the container. The bottom includes a generally elliptical bottom wall and a plurality of oriented circumferentially spaced outwardly convexed legs extending from the elliptical wall. The elliptical wall has a first portion extending downwardly from the lower cylindrical side wall portion and having a radius less than the diameter of the container. Each leg has a first convex portion extending downwardly from the cylindrical portion of the side wall and having a radius greater than the diameter of the cylindrical portion. Each leg has diverging side wall portions merging radially inwardly with the elliptical wall portion of the bottom wall.

Abstract: A solid state laser including a plurality of plate like lasable elements in an array on a common optical axis. There are two different plate like elements, arranged in an alternating pattern, each containing a lasing ion which lases at a wavelength that is different from the wavelength of the other. The lasing ions and host materials are chosen so that there are two distinct spectral regions in which the lasing output of one plate element is not strongly absorbed by the other plate element.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for the transfer of mold rings in a centrifugal casting process. One type of forming process for the funnel portions of color television picture tube envelopes utilizes a centrifugal casting process for the glass. This process requires a main mold body. An indexing mechanism moves from a station at which the mold ring is deposited on the main mold to a station where the mold ring is removed from the main mold after completion of the casting process. A movable shuttle member is connected to pivotally mounted pairs of support fingers for the mold rings through connecting rods. An external drive motor operates a single actuator at each machine cycle. This single actuator causes the entire shuttle to shift and a mold ring to be deposited at one station and a second mold ring to be simultaneously picked up at another station. Because of the mechanical linkage design, one pair of support fingers always opens while all the others close when the single actuator is operated.

Abstract: A system for the connection of flexible electrical circuits to electrical components, particularly gas discharge panels. Flexible circuits are used to carry electrical signals to and/or from various electrical components. In the case of gas discharge panels, the flexible circuits must be carefully and securely held in a fixed position to mate with thick film termination pads from the multiple thin film operating electrodes. The present invention discloses the utilization of a clip member as a major component of a total system for securing such flexible circuits to, as an example, a gas discharge panel.

Abstract: There is disclosed the magnetic polarization of a tubular gaseous laser device comprising a laser capillary tube with anode and laser end pieces, a cathode, a cathode envelope, and a gas exhaust stem for filling the device with a laseable gas. Magnetic polarization of the light output from the laser is achieved by applying a magnetic field to the lasing capillary and the rotation of the laser within the magnetic field to optimize the extinction ratio.

Abstract: The principles of operation of the various mechanisms are illustrated in a preferred form of an apparatus for transferring an article from an article pickup station to an article deposit station. A carrier housing is moved up and down along a vertical travel path and carries an indexing hub journally supported therein for rotation in the carrier housing. Article pickup means are provided and include one or more arms extending from the hub means and an article grasping device on each of the arms. A first one of the arms extends towards and positions the article grasping device carried thereon at a pickup station to enable article grasping when the carrier housing is at one end of the vertical travel path. In response to travel of the carrier housing in a first direction along the path the index hub is rotated to index the first arm out of the article pickup position while indexing another article grasping means on another of the plurality of arms into alignment with the pickup station.

Abstract: A sealing glass composition comprises a PbO-containing glass frit, two particulate refractory fillers having controlled particle size distributions, and optionally at least one additive to prevent the chemical reduction of the PbO when the frit is fired in the presence of reducing conditions. The sealing glass composition is useful as a package sealant. It is especially useful as a solder glass for sealing a face plate portion to a funnel portion of a color television picture tube at temperatures of about 400.degree. C. A particulate glass composition for use in preparing the sealing glass composition, a sealing glass paste and methods of using the sealing glass and paste are provided.

Abstract: A rimless faceplate is mounted on a shadow mask color selection device for a color television tube construction by indexing means establishing a unique positional relationship between the faceplate and the mask. An array of cavities on the inner surface of the plate interfit with the studs on mask mounting brackets to provide transverse positioning while the bracket surfaces extending outward from the studs provide abutting surfaces to the inner face of the faceplate adjacent its stud receiving cavities to establish faceplate-mask spacing. A glass funnel receives the mask in its divergent end with precise spacing of the mask from its seal edge. Portions of the mask mounting brackets are fitted into seats in the funnel which may be cavities or depressions in the seal edge to establish the spacing, particularly the depth of entry of the mask in the funnel.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing a surface coating on a glass container. In this apparatus, a glass container is chucked in place on a movable carriage. A second glass container is held in a fixed position above and touching the first glass container. A load of a pre-determined magnitude is then applied normal to the second glass container, the load thereby being transmitted to the first glass container. The carriage is moved to cause the two glass containers to translate relative to one another. The force required to move the carriage is transmitted through a load cell which gives an output signal indicative of the force. The surface coatings applied to the glass containers should withstand a normal load of about one hundred pounds before breaking down and allowing the glass containers to scratch one another. If a scratch occurs during the test, the force required to move the carriage will increase and this may be easily seen.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for measuring the amount of lean present in a glass container. A glass container is mounted for rotation about its vertical axis. A pivotally mounted follower member is positioned to be in contact with the upper portion of the container. A fluidic position transmitter is mounted behind the follower and directs a stream of air from a nozzle against the rear face of the follower. The position transmitter will keep a constant gap between its nozzle and the follower by moving the nozzle. As the glass container is rotated, the follower will move in response to any deviation of the top portion thereof from a true vertical axis. The position transmitter will generate a back pressure signal in response to movement of its nozzle to maintain a constant spacing from the moving follower. This back pressure signal may then be processed to obtain a measure, in dimensional units, of the deviation of the top portion of the container from a true vertical axis.

Abstract: A stable moving platform from which articles may be measured while in motion on this platform. An endless, moving silent chain type conveyor is modified to allow a center group of links to float relative to the pins which hold the links together. A mechanical force applying means presses the chain downward to define fixed horizontal and vertical planes just as the chain is to enter an inspection zone. A magnetic force applying means under the chains holds the chain in the fixed position defined by the mechanical force applying means as the chain moves through the inspection zone.