Abstract: A vertically positioned, lanyard, releasing breakaway buckle including a keeper and a secure. The keeper has a rear wall, side walls and a floor. A cover, to which a lanyard is secured, is hinged to the keeper and spaced apart from the floor. The cover defines an elongated slot. Apertures are formed inward from the side walls such that a strap may be fed through the apertures to vertically orient the buckle on a strap. The cover has a caming surface formed on the under surface of the cover, and which caming surface terminates in locking surface. An opening formed in the cover. A secure part includes a base, and a tongue section extending from the base. The tongue section has parallel guide arms extending from the rear wall forwardly, and terminating in leading ends, a member secured to the guide arms, and a caming surface formed in the tongue section.

Abstract: A method of loading a film assembly comprising a first film container (13) which may be a conventional film cassette and an additional film container (15, 102, 202, 302, 402, 502) having a length of film wound in one of the containers and extending to the other, comprises the steps of: (a) providing a coiled length of film which may be a bulk roll (52) and attaching a free end to a film winding tool (34); (b) rotating the film winding tool (34) to wind the film into a coil about the tool (34); (c) before or after step (b), enclosing the coil in the additional film container (15, 102, 202, 302, 402, 502) so that the film extends through a film slot thereof, and removing the film winding tool (34). The invention also resides in a film container for use in the method, and in an assembly so formed.

Abstract: A playback apparatus includes a data source (1) that provides a data stream signal (d0), and a device (2) responsive to the data stream signal. The device forms a first data stream (d1) in a first data format (F1), wherein the first data stream (d1) includes a data field (D1) that is encoded in a second data format (F2). A code converter (3) is responsive to the first data stream (d1), and converts selected parts of the first data stream (d1) to a second data stream (d2) that has data encoded in a third data format (F3). An output decoder (5) forms playback signals from the second data stream (d2). The playback signal may be audio and/or video signals that are presented to the appropriate audio transducer or display device for presentation to a playback apparatus user(s).

Abstract: An apparatus for doctoring a roll surface including a pivot bar adapted to be mounted on a doctor back and which the pivot bar defines an upwardly projecting fulcrum. A first shelf projects forwardly beyond the fulcrum and a top plate pivotally supported on and projecting forwardly beyond the fulcrum overlies the first shelf. The top platen is held downwardly against the fulcrum. Blade support members are carried by and cooperate with the top plate to define forwardly open slots, which slots are configured and dimensioned to receive a rear edge of a forwardly projecting doctor blade. The blade support members have rearwardly projecting second shelves underlying the first shelf and a loading mechanism is interposed between the first and second shelves for pivoting the top plate on the fulcrum in a direction urging the doctor blade against the roll surface.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a resilient glide for a chair's leg for minimizing the noise that normally occurs when a chair is moved along a floor. The glide comprises a flexible element with a small contact area against the floor in order to minimize friction. The flexible element comes off from a contact surface for the chair's leg arranged in a sleeve intended to surround the leg and is forming an integral part of said sleeve.

Abstract: A method for reducing DC offset from a receiver signal. The method includes jointly (i.e., simultaneously) estimating such DC offset and channel impulse response, and reducing the DC offset in accordance with the estimated DC offset and the estimate of the channel impulse response.

Abstract: A liquid inlet probe for piercing the lid of a beverage filter cartridge comprises a cylindrical inner hub surrounded by an enlarged diameter outer sleeve. Support ribs extend radially between and coact with the exterior of the hub and the interior of the sleeve to define a plurality of liquid supply passages. The hub, ribs and sleeve having bevelled lower ends arranged in a truncated conical alignment converging towards the center of the probe to a pointed end projecting downwardly from its lower end.

Abstract: An interface system for introducing a non-gaseous sample as a predetermined gaseous form into an analytical instrument which comprises a substrate that receives the non-gaseous sample and a directed energy source that heats at least a portion of said substrate containing the non-gaseous sample to convert the sample to the predetermined gaseous form.

Abstract: A thermochromic polymer-based temperature indicator composition which comprises a polythiophene and a carrier medium. The composition is characterized in that the polythiophene is present in the medium in an amount of about 0.05 to about 5.0% by weight based on the total weight of the composition. The structure of the compound is designed such that when the composition is placed in a heat-exchange relationship with an article, the composition will exhibit a color change when a design temperature or a temperature beyond the design temperature is reached in the article.

Abstract: A navigation unit, especially for vehicles, with a data bus, a data memory on which a plurality of map information items and navigation data are stored, with a navigation computer, connected to the data bus, for route planning, with a data processing unit, connected to the data bus, for processing the data into picture information, the data processing unit containing a picture memory for storing the picture information, with a monitor, connected to the data processing unit, on which the picture information can be displayed, with a communication block with a control unit for entering the start location, intermediate destination, and/or final destination of a trip, such that the data processing unit contains a map memory for storing road map information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for drying compressed air comprising a substantially cylindrical, innerly hollow, container (19), provided, above, with an inlet hole (2) for the compressed air and with an outlet hole (24) for the compressed air, and at the bottom, with a chamber (21) for collecting condensed air and with means for extracting the same, at least an expansion chamber (3), communicating with said inlet hole (2), at least a laminating flange (4, 5), provided, downward said expansion chamber (3), with holes (6) for the passage of the compressed air, at least a spiral conical expander (10), provided with fins, and an inner canalization (23) for the rising of the compressed dehumidificated air toward the outlet hole.

Abstract: A demountable modular floor for watertight raised decks consisting of a plurality of modularly assemblable composite slabs made of steel sheet and concrete, provided with a drainage system for collecting and conveying the rainwater between the slabs, wherein each composite slab comprises a bottom element (1) made of corrugated metal sheet surrounded by four suitably shaped metal sections (2, 3) and filled with a concrete layer (14), as well as four segments of upwardly open gutters (6, 7) peripherally arranged around said composite slab. The structure is completed by grid elements (8) covering the gutters (6) of larger width. The floor structure allows a rapid setting up of the raised deck and, at the same time, it affords the total dismantling thereof and prevents any seepage or leakage of water towards the underlying area.

Abstract: The invention concerns to a mechanism to obtain the complete reclining of a seat, particularly for an aircraft seat, comprising a lower element (3), fixed to the floor, provided with a guide, placed in a substantially rear position; a seat element (7), on which the back (1) and the seat (2) are pivoted, respectively on. the rear and frontally, a rocking lever element (12), pivoted in front of said lower element (3), and above the lower part of said seat element, (7); and a lever element (16), pivoted, at its rear end (17), on the coupling point (12) between the seat (7) and the back (1), and at its front end (18), on said rocking lever (12); being further provided actuating means (14) that, acting on the rocking lever, cause the operation of the whole mechanism, reclining or lifting the seat.

Abstract: A mode transformer that enables low-loss coupling between optical modes of two waveguides with different index difference. The mode size and the effective index are gradually changed between two waveguides to gradually transform the mode shape, size, and speed with minimum power loss. The mode transformer is useful for coupling the mode of an optical fiber waveguide with low index difference to the mode of a planar high index difference waveguide, and vice versa.

Abstract: A two-stage gear mechanism includes a drive shaft having a first gear stage disposed in a fixed housing and containing planetary wheels. The two-stage gear mechanism also includes a second gear stage, driven by the first gear stage and meshing with a drive shaft. Each of the planetary wheels is formed as a stepped double gear wheel with a first gear wheel that engages the drive shaft, and with a second gear wheel that points toward the direction of the output side. The bearing axles of each of the planetary wheels are disposed spatially fixed within the housing. The second gear wheels of the planetary wheels mesh with a hollow wheel of the second gear stage, the hollow wheel being non-rotationally coupled to the drive shaft.

Abstract: A solid state laser, includes laser rod tubes (10, 117) crimped onto each end of a laser rod (15, 121) with PTFE seal rings (25, 118) compressed between the laser rod and the laser rod tube. The compressed seal rings provide an improved leak tight seal in a laser pumping chamber. Each laser rod tube (10) provides a mounting and holding area (20) for supporting the laser rod ends therein while protecting and sealing the end faces of the laser rod. A swaging tool (40) and method for swaging the laser rod tube (10) onto the laser rod (15) to provide a compression fit are provided. The compression seal and swaging method are usable in a variety of leak tight sealing applications.

Abstract: An EPROM structure for a nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a plurality of memory cells that each include a floating gate transistor (6) that can be programmed by hot electrons and erased by UV light. An additional, common gate capacitance (7) is associated with each memory cell to raise the potential at the floating gate transistor (6) to the level required for writing by applying to the gate capacitances a predetermined voltage, common to all the memory cells.

Abstract: A planar waveguide that has a graded index layer at the core/cladding interface to reduce scattering losses due to core/cladding interface roughness. The refractive index at the core/cladding interface is changed from that of the core to that of cladding gradually by having a graded index layer. The graded index layer reduces the scattering of light traveling in the waveguide by reducing the effect of the roughness at the abrupt interface between the core and the cladding. Using a proper design, the graded index layer also minimizes the modal and polarization dispersion of the optical mode traveling in the waveguide.