Abstract: A coin turning entrance chute for coin-operated devices descends from an upper coin-entry slot to a lower exit slot floor and curved sidewalls. The sidewalls have different radii of curvature to define a wider coin path at the curvature to allow the coin to turn. An exit slot is provided. The entrance chute rotates the coin from an initial edge-forward orientation to a face-forward orientation when passing through the exit slot.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing integrated circuit apparatuses; particularly, 1) a method for removing barrier material that lies between copper conductors in damascene interconnections, and 2) a method for removing a thin layer of silicon nitride material that has been intentionally un-etched during the formation of trenches and vias in damascene interconnect dielectric and thereby not exposing copper metal.

Abstract: A galvanic cell has an anode gel, an alkaline electrolyte, and a cathode material, separated from the anode gel by a separator. The anode gel has mercury-free zinc powder, and the cathode material has manganese dioxide, as well as salt-like calcium compounds in solid form.

Abstract: A water heater including a water container; a combustion chamber located adjacent the container, the combustion chamber having a floor portion with an opening; a conduit extending upwardly from and being substantially sealed to the opening; a burner located inside the combustion chamber; and a flame trap positioned across the conduit, the flame trap permitting ingress of air and/or extraneous gases into the combustion chamber and prevent egress of flames from the structure.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for imaging on a detector a particle beam of charged particles having a distinct energy distribution and a distinct angle distribution. The apparatus has deflectors which are provided to create in the particle beam essentially parallel particle paths spaced to correspond to their original angle distribution. The deflectors also direct the particle beam to semi-transmissive, aligned filter electrodes, which produce a potential difference to create a deceleration field to allow the particles to pass through by means of energy selectivity.

Abstract: An IO controller device and method for controlling data flow, the method including determining a desired configuration for the IO controller, reprogramming the IO controller to allow for processing of one or more descriptor lists, modifying the configuration of the IO controller to reflect the addition or deletion of one or more virtual controllers, re-enumerating the IO controller, and processing a descriptor list for each of the IO controller and the one or more virtual controllers. The integrated circuit device for use as an IO controller includes a system bus interface, a programmable list processor and a port router. The integrated circuit device is adapted for reconfiguration to add or delete one or more virtual controllers. The virtual controllers provide substantially the full bandwidth supported by the integrated circuit device.

Abstract: In a continuous twin-belt prepress for the production of particle board panels with pressure rollers suspended in pairs, the upper pressure rollers are suspended resiliently so that they can be pressed upwardly counter to the spring force by a catch member of a metal support screen bearing the chipboard cake when that member passes through. This prevents damage to the press and especially its forming belts as a result of increased pressure during pressing.

Abstract: A coin escrow apparatus for use with pay telephones including side members at least partially defining a coin hopper, a door mounted between the side members for selective movement between an escrow position for supporting coins in the hopper, an acceptance position for releasing coins from the hopper in a first direction, and a return position for releasing coins from the hopper in a second direction. The door has an underside portion and one or more guides associated with the door for guiding the door for pivotal movement between the escrow, acceptance and return positions. A support member is pivotally positioned below the door and has an upper portion. The support member is capable of pivoting about a pivot axis below the door. One or more roller bearings is attached to the upper portion of the support member for engaging the underside of the door. An actuator for pivoting the support member is also provided.

Abstract: On a tool body at least one bit carrier is mounted capable of sliding. Clamping means are provided for clamping the bit carrier against a clamp plate of the tool body. A catch plate of the tool body operates with a corresponding catch plate of the bit carrier for transmission of torque. The tool body at a distance from its catch plate has a slanted outer wedge surface against which the a slanted wedge surface of the bit carrier is clamped. The wedge surface of the tool body exerts a radial clamping force on the bit carrier which clamps the catch plate surface of the bit carrier radially against the catch plate surface of the tool body.

Abstract: Suitable as active cathode material for an electrochemical lithium secondary cell are oxygen-deficient spinels Li1+xMn2−xO4−&dgr; , where 0≦x≦0.33 and 0.01≦&dgr;≦0.5. Their region of existence in a phase diagram laid out between the corner points MnO, MnO2 and Li2MnO3 for lithium manganese oxide compounds is defined by the corner compounds LiMn2O4, Li2Mn4O7, Li8Mn10O21 and Li4/3Mn5/3O4, all the compounds along the lines LiMn2O4—Li4/3Mn5/3O4 and LiMn2O4—Li2Mn2O4 being excepted. The spinels are produced by a modified ceramic process from a mixture of Li-containing and Mn-containing starting substances whose reaction product is reduced by roasting in an Ar/H2 atmosphere. The Li components x can be replaced partially or completely by foreign monovalent or multivalent cations from the series consisting of Co, Mg, Zn, Ni, Ca, Bi, Ti, V, Rh or Cu.

Abstract: A vacuum filter bag is constructed of layers which include a high air permeability multipurpose layer positioned upstream in the direction of air flow of a second filtration layer. The second filtration layer can be a wet-laid filter paper, a dry-laid filter paper or a spunbond nonwoven. The multipurpose layer can be made of high bulk meltblown nonwoven, dry-laid or wet-laid high dust holding capacity paper spunblown modular or microdenier spunbond. The high dust capacity papers are characterized by greater thickness and higher air permeability than is normally used in traditional filter layers of vacuum cleaner bag structures. These characteristics allow the high capacity papers to filter large dirt particles and to capture within their pores large amounts of dust particles. This protects the downstream second filtration layer from shock loading and enables the composite structure to pass air at high rate at low pressure differential for much longer than conventional vacuum cleaner bags.

Abstract: The invention relates to two lipopeptides a1 and a2 produced by Bacillus subtilis and their use as an anitfungal agent against Aspergillus flavus. Both peptides are cyclic, acidic and have broad range of antifungal and antimicrobial activity. Both peptides belong to the Bacillomycin D family. A method and composition for controlling aflatoxin contamination in plants susceptible to alflatoxin-producing fungi, like Aspergillus flavus or Aspergillus parasiticus is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a vehicle drive/suspension system that has a chassis having a front and rear portion and a pair of sides. A drive axle has opposed end portions and extends between the sides. Each side has a pivotally mounted elongated rocker arm that is connected to the corresponding end portion of the drive axle. Pivot mounts and pivot plates are used for this attachment. The rocker arms have sprockets mounted to each end. These sprockets are chain driven by drive sprockets located at each end of the drive axle. Tension sprockets are slidably mounted onto each rocker arm. Also associated with each rocker arm is a damper, and a rubber stop member. It is preferred that the pivot location of each pivot mount is away from the center point of the rocker arm.

Abstract: A computer network server using HTTP (Web) server software combined with foreground view composer software, background view composer software, a view tile cache, view tile cache garbage collector software, and image files provides image view data to client workstations using graphical Web browsers to display the view of an image from the server. Problems with specialized client workstation image view software are eliminated by using the Internet and industry standards-based graphical Web browsers for the client software. Network and system performance problems that previously existed when accessing large image files from a network file server are eliminated by tiling the image view so that computation and transmission of the view data can be done in an incremental fashion. The view tiles are cached on the client workstation to further reduce network traffic. View tiles are cached on the server to reduce the amount of view tile computation and to increase responsiveness of the image view server.

Abstract: A disposable vacuum cleaner filter bag is constructed of layers which include a filtration grade meltblown fleece layer having a basis weight of about 10-50 g/m2 and air permeability of about 100-1000 L/(m2×s) and a coarse filter layer in which the coarse filter layer is placed upstream of the filtration grade meltblown fleece layer. The coarse filter layer can include either wet-laid high dust capacity paper, dry-laid high dust capacity paper, high bulk meltblown nonwoven, Spunblown (Modular) nonwoven or microdenier spunbond nonwoven. Juxtaposition of the layers causes the coarse filter layer to capture large dirt particles and permits the filtration grade meltblown fleece layer to capture much of the remaining dust particles. The novel bag exhibits high air permeability and low pressure drop at high dust loading. A method of filtering gas through such a filter is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an integrated circuit comprising a voltage source and a voltage sensing circuit having a switch circuit for sensing a switch voltage and a switch current; a voltage comparison circuit connected to the switch circuit for comparing the switch voltage to a limiting voltage; and a current limiting circuit connected to the switch circuit and the voltage comparison circuit, which is capable of limiting the switch current when the switch voltage reaches or exceeds the limiting voltage. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the switch circuit is a bi-directional switch circuit and the voltage comparison circuit incorporates a series of Zener diodes, wherein the current limiting circuit is a current foldback circuit.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a process for the preparation of the 10-keto analogs of morphinan compounds. In the case of compounds having a 3-hydroxyl group, the 3-methyl ether protected analog is synthesized by selective phenolic methylation in the presence of the basic amino group. When nalbuphine, morphine, or codeine is used as the starting material, the additional 6-hydroxyl group is protected using acetylation. The protected analog is selectively oxidized by treatment with cerium ammonium nitrate to provide the 10-(S)-hydroxy adduct. The 10-(S)-hydroxy adduct is further oxidized to the 10-keto analog. Any protecting groups that were added prior to oxidation are cleaved subsequent to oxidation to form the desired 10-ketomorphinan.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for correcting a voltage offset in a circuit by amplifying an input voltage to produce an amplified voltage; sampling an offset voltage present in the amplified voltage during a sampling mode; subtracting a value of the offset voltage from the amplified voltage during a correction mode; producing an output voltage; adding a feedback voltage to the input voltage based upon the output voltage; and maintaining the output voltage at substantially the same voltage during the sampling mode and the correction mode.

Abstract: A method and traction control system for an AC locomotive which separately controls the allowable creep level of each individual axle and optimizes traction performance by minimizing torsional vibration per axle. The traction control system includes a torque maximizer and a torsional vibration detector. The torque maximizer evaluates the change in traction system performance levels and actual creep level of individual axles and determines the desired torque maximizer state for maximizing traction performance of each individual axle. The torque maximizer utilizes digital filtering to minimize control cycle time. The torsional vibration detector digitally processes estimated torque feedback of each traction motor in order to detect an unacceptable level of torsional vibration. The outputs of the torque maximizer and the torsional vibration detector are provided to a creep modulator which processes these inputs in order to control the operating creep level of each locomotive axle.