Abstract: A remotely located camera has a motor unit adjacent the camera-operating controls; namely, a shutter release button and a film advance lever. A ramp is mounted on a plate which is fixed to the motor shaft, with a film lever advance post also on the plate. Motor-reversing switches are located in circumferentially spaced positions about the plate, with the plate having switch actuators arranged to cause rotation of the plate to move the ramp to depress the button and release the film, then reverse the plate to move the post against the film lever to advance the film and then to again reverse the motor to bring the plate back to a home or start position.

Abstract: A constant velocity coupling joint provides rotary motion to an output shaft of a nutating motor or shaft driven by a nutating member. A nutating plate is supported by the coupling and the nutating motion of the plate is transformed to rotary motion of the output shaft. The coupling includes a plurality of balls which are mounted in slots formed between a radially extending coupling plate fixed to the shaft and the nutating rotor member. The balls are held in position by a pair of thrust spacers positioned on each side of the coupling plate. The thrust spacers also provide rolling support for the nutating plate.

Abstract: A corrugated paper shipping and display carton for potted plants. The carton includes a rectangular sheath having a front-to-back dimension which is approximately equal to the width of the pot so that the pot is gripped by the carton. The carton has a width which is substantially larger than the width of the pot to provide sufficient space on either side of the plant for air circulation. A pair of tabs extend inwardly from the front and back of the carton to engage opposite portions of the top edge of the pot to center the pot in position on a base portion of the carton. The carton utilizes horizontal corrugations to maximize the strength of the tabs. Two or more cartons may be strapped together between top and bottom trays to form a unitary multi-pack. A displaceable front panel has preformed slots formed along its edges which terminate in breakaway portions so that the front panel may be folded downwardly to provide an opening to the interior of the carton for easy access and display.

Abstract: Reusable pressurized containers are disclosed for dispensing fluids from the container without release of the pressurized propellant to the surrounding environment. The propellant is contained in a sealed, flexible compartment positioned within the container as a mixture of gas and liquid under pressure in equilibrium at the temperature of the container. A pressure transfer liquid, such as water, is used to liquefy the propellant in the compartment. The pressure transfer fluid also contacts the fluid or semi-solid to be dispensed and exerts pressure thereon to force the fluid to be dispensed out of the container. The liquefied propellant, as it vaporizes, maintains the pressure against the pressure transfer fluid essentially constant. The propellant in the flexible compartment is preferably a mixture of a liquefiable propellant gas or blend thereof and a nonliquefiable inert gas such as nitrogen or helium.

Abstract: A slow-release nitrogen fertilizer is disclosed employing proteinaceous animal food materials which are stabilized against decomposition and decay for extended periods of time when stored at ambient temperatures. The treated animal food materials are useful as fertilizer compositions, as food supplements or as bait for fish and crustaceans, such as crab. The animal food material is comminuted together to a finely divided state of the consistency of a thick soup with at least 4% by weight, based on the weight of the animal food material, of a polyol having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups. Edible polyols are used when the end product is to be used as a bait or food supplement. Anti-oxidants and/or mold inhibitors are also preferably added to the animal food material/polyol mixture.

Abstract: A sheet of electroluminescent material in the shape of an alphanumeric character is embedded in a rigid base. An exciter unit for transforming incoming electric power to the appropriate voltage and frequency for driving the luminescent material is also embedded in the base behind the character. Each character, base and exciter unit thus form a self-contained display module. A universal interconnecting member is used to electrically and mechanically interconnect the module to any other module with the proper horizontal or vertical spacing. The gap between adjacent display modules may be filled with either a cover or an electrically active header which contains such devices as an electric eye for applying power to the modules after dark or a rechargable battery charged by either an external power supply or an internal solar cell.

Abstract: A probe for measuring the characteristics of soil, rock and the like surrounding a bore hole. The probe includes a hollow cylindrical body surrounded by a resilient membrane. The ends of the membrane are clamped to the cylindrical body, and a pressurized fluid is injected into the cylindrical body to expand the membrane until it contacts the walls of the bore hole. Feeler members which are resiliently biased in a radially outward direction contact a relatively large area of the membrane so that the outward movements of the feeler members are a function of the outward expansion of the membrane. The feeler members are instrumented with strain gauges to measure the expansion of the membrane which, along with measurements of the fluid pressure producing the expansion, provides an indication of the stiffness and strength of the material surrounding the bore hole.

Abstract: A controlled-discharge door assembly for particulate material or liquids includes a door member with a curved surface engaged by a large diameter roller mounted to a pivotable lever. The roller diameter is large in comparison to the length of the lever arm and provides variable torque multiplication as the roller moves along the curved surface of the door so that greater force is applied against the door when it is nearly closed. Resilient seals are provided around the door opening, the seal compressed by the discharge doors during closing to prevent leakage. The lever is moved over-center to hold the door in a locked position.

Abstract: A method of forming a film or fine line which is very thick in comparison with its width, by repeated printings with heterogeneous or homogeneous printing pastes by using a screen-printing mask. A screen-printing mask having spacing means formed thereon for spacing the screen apart from the work surface.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for pelletizing tree bark and other botanical material for use as an industrial fuel. A dryer burning fines from the final product is used to heat bark or other botanical material which is typically a waste product from lumbering or agricultural production. Once dried, the material is finely ground, preheated and forced through a pelletizing mill to create a pelletized product having a diameter of approximately 0.635 cm. The pellets are then cooled and leave the process. Several pelletizing mills are disclosed which are situated to trap the dried material against at least one die such that there will be a continuous, positive feed of material into the die. The resulting product may be substituted for coal as a heating source.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for forming and electrostatically orienting a mat of discrete particles of lignocellulosic material on an electrically non-conductive transfer surface and then transferring the directionally oriented mat onto a grounded, moving, electrically conductive mat receiving surface under the continuing influence of an electrostatic field without loss of orientation of the particles of lignocellulosic material making up the mat.

Abstract: A belt-mounted tackle carrier is an integral structure preferably comprising a body which provides both a surface and a means for mounting the construction to a belt, a fishing-rod support compartment, an elastic tool-retaining strap which is disposed about the compartment, and various bait-carrying compartments. The bait-carrying compartments may alternatively include a utility compartment having a spring-loaded lid, or a bait-jar mounting bracket, which may also have a spring-loaded cover.

Abstract: A pipe-bending tool which includes a pipe-bending head mounted on a handle assembly having an adjustable gauge arm which allows an operator of the tool to accurately bend a pipe or hollow conduit to a desired bending angle. The gauge arm projects from the handle and terminates in a stop member which can be positioned at a plurality of preset locations along the handle where it contacts the pipe during bending and prevents it from bending beyond the angle desired.

Abstract: A fastening system for interconnecting a row of marine floats while allowing relative movement of the floats resulting from wave action. One or more chains, cables or other securing lines extend through the floats from one end of the row to the other. The securing lines pass through recesses formed in adjacent end walls of the floats. A resilient member having a central bore is inserted into the recesses with the securing line passing through the bore. The resilient member absorbs longitudinal forces imparted to the floats. It also restricts transverse vertical and horizontal movement of the floats with respect to each other while allowing pivotal movement of the floats. A metal tube preferably lines the bore to prevent the securing line from abrading the resilient member and to increase the shear strength of the resilient member. The recesses may also be lined with a frame, and the frames of two or more recesses in a given end wall may be interconnected for additional strength.

Abstract: A system for isolating the mounting pads of a vibrating beam or tuning fork force transducers from longitudinal vibrations generated by transverse vibrations of the beam or tuning fork tines which extend between the mounting pads. The system includes an arrangement of longitudinally resilient support links and masses that flex responsive to change in the length of the beam or tines as the beam or tines vibrate transversely. The support links and masses thus isolate the mounting pads from the longitudinally vibrations of the beam or tuning fork tines while allowing transmission of forces applied between the mounting pads which vary the force dependent resonant frequency of the beam or tuning fork.

Abstract: A lightweight concrete float having a concrete shell surrounding either a hollow or buoyant foam core. The shell includes a deck surrounded by integrally formed, downwardly projecting side walls of sturdy but relatively heavy standard aggregate concrete and a bottom surrounded by integrally formed, upwardly projecting uniform or tapered side walls of lightweight but relatively weak foam aggregate concrete. Reinforcing rods are embedded along the edges of the deck, and a reinforcing mesh extends around the reinforcing rods and through the deck, side walls and bottom. The float may be formed by first pouring a layer of foam aggregate concrete into a form having a rectangular bottom surrounded by four sides. A block of buoyant foam is then placed on the bottom layer of concrete with the sides of the block spaced apart from the sides of the form. The space between the sides of the form and the sides of the block is partially filled with foam aggregate concrete.

Abstract: Accelerated deterioration of a flexible polyvinyl chloride sheet is retarded by placing a spacer layer between the flexible sheet and a solid polyvinyl chloride support member for the flexible sheet. The spacer isolates the flexible sheet material from the solid material and also dissipates heat when the combination is exposed to sunlight.

Abstract: A cryptographic microprocessor for processing data and executing programs which are stored in enciphered blocks to prevent unauthorized alteration and copying. Such a "crypto-microprocessor" deciphers the enciphered program and data blocks piecemeal as execution of the deciphered program proceeds. A product block cipher circuit makes each bit of a deciphered block a complicated function of each bit of an enciphered block, and each bit of an encryption key, and each bit of the digital address of the enciphered block. Combined use of block and byte deciphering is described. If a block of the enciphered program is altered, the crypto-microprocessor temporarily or permanently disables itself.

Abstract: A protective cartridge mounted to a window frame has a retractable roll of blind material mounted therein. Loose steel tapes, not fastened to the blind material, are rolled with the blind material and space apart the convolutions of the rolled blind material. The blind material when extended is sandwiched between the steel tapes and magnetic strips fastened to tracks along the margins of the window frame to provide an airtight seal. The top of the blind is sealed against a rub strip portion of the cartridge and the lower portion of the extended blind material is sealed against a window sill to provide a trapped insulating air layer between the window and the blind when the blind is fully extended. Drag is bidirectionally exerted against the steel tapes to tension and position the tapes to lie flat against the blind when extended or to smoothly lie between convolutions of the rolled blind material. A combination centering guide and locking mechanism is provided at the lower end of the blind material.