Abstract: A shock isolation device includes a center section and a pair of end sections which extend in opposite directions out from the center section. The device itself is made from a flexible, resilient material such that the center section may tightly engage an article to be supported without further attachement means. The center section may be rectangular whereas the end sections may each be generally triangular. At the apex or distal point of each triangle (furthest removed from the center section) fastening means may be used to attach the shock isolating device to a carrier.

Abstract: A slide gate has a frame assembly with a pair of side guides, a bottom member and a top member that define an opening through which fluid flows. A movable slide plate is mounted to the frame assembly and constrained for movement between unblocking and blocking positions for regulating fluid flow through the opening. A side seal, which is seated within each side guide of the frame assembly, has a lip seal portion and bulbous portion, the side margins of the slide plate being received in sealing engagement between the lip seal portion and the bulbous portion. A bottom seal, which is seated in the bottom member, has a flat sealing surface which is in sealing contact with the bottom of the slide plate when the gate is closed. An adjustable lip seal, which is seated in the top member, is in sealing contact with the slide plate.

Abstract: A vibration test fixture system for use with a conventional shaker table. The fixture system includes a cube fixture for supporting an object to be tested and a head expander for supporting the cube fixture and for providing a mechanical and vibration transmissive connection between the cube fixture and the shaker table. The fixture system also includes an index mechanism for automatically repositioning the cube fixture relative to the head expander so that the object may be vibration tested along mutually orthogonal axes of the object.

Abstract: The present invention provides a removable power unit for a load carrying vehicle such as a golf caddy, having a drive motor coupled to a reduction gear driving in rotation a drive shaft having a drive wheel at each of its ends, the drive shaft being formed of two shaft sections extending respectively on each side of the reduction gear, characterized in that at least one of the shaft sections is mounted for rotation inside a sleeve through a bearing inserted in this sleeve, this latter being secured by one of its ends to the casing of the reduction gear. It also relates to a load carrying vehicle equipped with such a power unit.

Abstract: Apparatus for mixing materials, including a fluid, in a vessel, which apparatus includes a hollow elongated shaft mounted so as to be driven at one end for rotation about its axis of elongation within the vessel, the other end of the shaft in the vessel being open. A planar baffle plate extends across the vessel intermediate the ends of and transversely to the shaft so as to divide the vessel's interior into two zones joined by the fluid pervious clearance around the edge of the plate. The open end of the shaft is located in one of the zones; the walls of that portion of the shaft located in the second of the zones are perforated to permit fluid flow between the second zone and the shaft interior. A turbine impeller is also mounted on the shaft adjacent the open end of the latter so as to be rotatable with the shaft for creating a relatively low pressure in the volume of materials and fluid disposed immediately adjacent the open end of the shaft.

Abstract: Method of forming a hollow, carbon/carbon composite article around an axis of symmetry, in which method a heat refractory mandrel is shaped to provide a desired inner surface configuration and tolerances of the article, and one or more plies of thermally stable carbon filaments are braided over the surface of the mandrel. The filaments have a diameter of substantially not greater than about 6 microns and a modulus of elasticity of substantially not less than about 45.times.10.sup.6 psi. The plies are then impregnated with a carbonizable liquid impregnant, and the assembly of impregnated plies and mandrel is heat treated so as to carbonize the impregnant. The resulting composite article has a high translation of the original strength of the filaments and has an inner surface defined by the outer surface of the mandrel.

Abstract: Sound reproduction apparatus comprising a pair of loudspeaker systems each including a plurality of loudspeakers for producing audio signals in response to respective electrical right (R) and left (L) stereophonic signals. Each system is mounted in an enclosure with sides and a gabled or V-shaped front portion characterized in having a pair of flat, vertical panels each joined to respective ones of the sides, the panels being joined at an intersecting angle to one another of about 90 to about 120 degrees at a forwardly projecting vertical ridge. Each system has a tweeter, woofer and mid-range speaker all connected for monophonically reproducing only a respective one of the stereophonic signals, and positioned in first ones of its panels. Each system also includes at least a second mid-range speaker connected for reproducing only a difference output between the stereophonic signals by using a dual voice coil driver, the second mid-range speaker being positioned in the other of its panels.

Abstract: An assay apparatus employing total internal reflection of excitation radiation at the interface between an optically conductive rod or fiber and a surrounding liquid phase of lower index of refraction. Immobilized on the surface of the fiber is a component of a complex formed in an immunochemical-type reaction; a fluorophore that can be excited into fluorescence by the excitation radiation is attached to another component of the complex. The fiber is coaxially mounted in cantelivered position within a length of tubing, so that the excitation radiation can be launched into the unsupported end of the fiber and the fluorescent radiation tunneling back into the fiber may be observed at the same fiber end.

Abstract: Disclosed is improved apparatus for applying a test electrical surge from a surge generator to equipment under test. The apparatus includes a coupler/filter that comprises an inductor in each leg of the input power line. In order to dissipate the energy stored in the inductors as the result of a unidirectional test surge, and thereby prevent damage from undershoot to the equipment under test, the apparatus includes high voltage rectifiers across the inductors.

Abstract: A filler element or insert for installation in a decorator-type wall plate when the latter are used to cover mounting boxes containing standard electrical controls, the insert being a substantially rectangular element dimensioned to fit within the central opening in the wall plate. The insert in turn includes an aperture usually centrally disposed therein, the latter aperture being shaped and dimensioned to accommodate the extending or projecting portion of a desired electrical control. The insert also includes means disposed on its edge portion for providing a luminance mask or visual discontinuity between the front surface of the decorator plate and the front surface of the insert. Means are provided for securing the insert in the aperture in the wall plate.

Abstract: An IV lock for preventing IV connectors from separating. The IV lock has two split-fork locks at each end for releasably securing a male IV fitting or connector to the IV lock and for releasably securing a catheter to the IV lock. The IV lock may also include a snap-fit clamp intermediate the two split-fork locks for securing an intermediate connector coupled between the male IV fitting and the catheter fitting from moving laterally and axially relative to its length. The male IV fitting and catheter are prevented from moving axially and transversely of their length when secured in the IV lock.

Abstract: A rotary heat regenerator assembly comprising an enclosure, a regenerator matrix disposed in the enclosure and releasably mounted on a matrix support secured to a rotatable shaft, a first air passage and associated blower for forcing air through a portion of the regenerator wheel, and a second air passage and associated blower for forcing air to flow through another portion of the regenerator wheel. The matrix and matrix support are designed so that rotational drive is transmitted from the rotatable shaft to the matrix via the matrix support and so that the matrix can be easily and quickly inserted on and removed from the matrix support. A blower driving motor and the blowers are mounted on a common shaft. Speed reducing driving means connects the common shaft to the rotatable shaft carrying the matrix.

Abstract: The driver is disclosed for a surgical micro-suturing stapling system which does not require the use of a staple bending anvil tha must be retracted after the staple is implanted. The surgical microstapler system utilizes a unique stapler head comprising a staple magazine having a series of staples attached to and supported by a surrounding frame, apparatus for advancing the staple magazine so as to position its leading staple in a predetermined dispensing position, and staple driving apparatus for implanting the leading staple into the tissue through the ejection slot. The stapler head is adapted to be connected to the driver which provides the driving force required to cause the staple driving apparatus to separate the leading staple from the magazine and implant it into the tissue to be sutured. The driver offers the advantage that can cause the staple driving apparatus to implant a staple at a velocity in excess of the ability of tissue to respond dynamically under the force of a staple being implanted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for imaging internal features of a living body at a preselected site so that the data can be imaged in a quick, efficient and reliable manner with high resolution. The apparatus includes a catheter having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end such that the catheter is adapted to be partially inserted into said living body so that said distal end is positioned relative to the preselected site and imaging data relating to the internal features can be acoustically provided at said distal end by moving said distal end through a plurality of positions relative to the site and generating an acoustic signal when the distal end is at each of said positions. The acoustic energy responsive to each acoustic signal at each of the positions is sensed so as to create a set of data. The location, including the orientation of said distal end of said catheter is sensed at each of said positions.

Abstract: A powder-actuated fastener-driving tool of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,380, modified to include a safety system for preventing accidental discharge of the tool, a fastener storage and feed assembly, and a simpler firing pin assembly. The safety system prevents discharge of a fastener from the tool except when the front of the tool is engaged with a workpiece and the cylinder assembly is urged rearwardly a selected distance into the housing of the tool. The fastener storage and feed assembly is adapted to store a strip of fasteners and to index the strip so as to position the leading fastener in the strip in position to be discharged from the tool. In the present invention, a unitized firing pin is provided for firing the cartridges used in the tool, instead of the plural-element firing actuator and pin assembly of the '380 tool.

Abstract: A flame-retardant polymer is created by forming a first resin typically by reacting resorcinol with furfural in a ratio of one mole of the former to less than a mole of the latter in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. A resole is then formed by reacting typically phenol with formaldehyde in a ratio of one mole of phenol to more than a mole of the aldehyde in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. The first resin and resole are mixed together with a powered oxyborate compound such as zinc borate and allowed to polymerize to form the polymer.

Abstract: An optical detection system of the sort adapted to enable and/or disable the operation of an associated industrial machine when an appropriate intrusion is detected. The optical intrusion detection system is adapted to have a variable sensitivity, whereby it can be set to respond to the intrusion of an object of a first size during one phase of operation of said machine and to an object of a second size during another phase of the operation of said machine.

Abstract: A new drill-type cranial perforator is disclosed of the type which comprises a front drill head assembly made up of a leading inner drill and a trailing outer drill, and a rear support and drive assembly adapted to enable both drills so long as the leading inner drill is encountering a resistive surface and to disable both drills when the leading inner drill stops encountering the resistive surface. The inner drill is coupled to the outer drill and to the rear support and drive assembly by a plurality of lugs, each of the lugs having a cam surface, and the outer drill includes a plurality of drive surfaces which coact with the cam surfaces. The new perforator is characterized by cam surfaces which are beveled outwardly toward an outer surface of the inner drill member in a helical twist, with the degree of bevel increasing progressively along the length of the cam surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for tentering a hide including endless tentering mats (1, 2) driven along continuous upper and lower paths. The mats (1, 2) are pressed together over a portion of the continuous path by compressed air. A stretching assembly that grips the mat edges is used to continuously stretch the portions of the mats that are pressed together as they advance. An endless wire (5) is used to feed hides into the nip between the mats (1, 2).

Abstract: Current injection electrostatic discharge equipment that includes a discharge capacitor connected to the input terminal of a switch or relay which selectively applies a current discharge from the capacitor to a test tip, the wave shape of the current discharge being shaped to match a standardized waveform. Shaping is achieved by providing first and second inductor coils in series between the output terminal of the switch and the test tip, and by providing an electrically conductive plate connected to the junction of the inductors so as to provide a free space capacitance.