Abstract: A modular telephone jack has a plurality of cantilever spring wire contact members extending down from a top part into an aperture which receives a modular plug. Instead of being positioned in holes extending through the top part, being then bent down and then back, the contact members are molded in at one end into the top part. This avoids bending of the wire, with possible cracking of corrosion preventive plating and also reduces the amount of wire. As an additional feature the jack may be of two parts, slid together and held together at front end by interengaging formations, with one or more resilient members engaged in detents at the rear ends.

Abstract: For making a preform for production of optical fiber, the preform including fused silica, particulate material is deposited on the inside wall of a glass tube while the tube is reciprocated through a microwave cavity for production of a plasma in the tube. Oxygen and a reactant gas containing silica are passed through the tube. Dopant material can be added to the gas mixture and the concentration of the dopant varied to vary the refractive index. After the deposit of a sufficient thickness of particulate material, it is fused. The material can be caused to fuse on to the inner wall of the tube or to shrink away from the inner wall and removed from the tube. When the material is fused onto the wall of the tube it can then be collapsed, then either drawn to a fiber or placed in a further tube and drawn to a fiber. When the fused material shrinks from the tube wall, then it is collapsed to a solid rod, placed in a tube and then drawn to a fiber.

Abstract: A flexible paddle wheel structure comprises a pair of axially spaced wheels, having flexible rims, such as, for example, pneumatic tires, with pairs of radially spaced, transverse, flexible members extending between, and attached to, the rims. A flexible membrane extends between the transverse members in each pair to form a flexible paddle. The wheels can tilt relative to each other and the whole structure can be arranged to be lifted and lowered.

Abstract: A thermally activated liquid ink printing head has a plurality of orifices in a wall of an ink reservoir, the ink retained in the orifices by surface tension. Electrical heating elements heat the ink in the orifices, the ink being caused to pass across to a paper sheet positioned adjacent to the orifices. The orifices may extend in a line across the head or may be in other predetermined patterns, such as for printing alpha-numerics a character at a time. The ink may be completely or partly vaporized. The heating current may flow through the ink.

Abstract: Wrapping an article such as cable or optical fibre in wrapping material by a progressive operation in which the wrapping material is pressed along a narrow width portion to the article and then succeeding width portions are also turned around the article and pressed against it. The procedure is intermittent with each width portion turned completely against the article before turning of the next portion. This method eliminates wrinkles in the wrapping material. The process is convenient when using contact adhesive on a surface of the wrapping material.

Abstract: A multiple cantilever spring contact switch has contact members stacked both vertically and side-by-side. The contact members are gripped at one end between surfaces which impose a predetermined inclination of the contact members relative to a base. A pivotally mounted lever on the contact assembly actuates the contact members and can also serve as a member which is actuated by a telephone handset. No specific spring is provided for the lever, the lever being biased by the spring contact members.

Abstract: Skirt segments for a segmental skirt of an air cushion vehicle can be removed and replaced without getting under the vehicle hull, by providing a rod or tube at each top edge of a segment, the inner ends of the rods or tubes being inserted into sockets on the vehicle bottom surface. The outer edge of the skirt segment, and the outer ends of the rods or tubes, are held against the vehicle structure by a clamping member. A tool can be provided which attaches to the outer ends of the rods or tubes to assist in removing or replacing a segment, the tool removed before applying the clamping member.

Abstract: An optical fibre connector for connecting one or more pairs of single fibres in end-to-end relationship has an alignment member having two opposed and inclined datum surfaces, generally in the form of a Vee, and two tubular ferrules resting on the datum surfaces. The ferrules each have two datum positions extending along the ferrule and spaced circumferentially to cooperate with the datum surfaces. Each ferrule has a fibre receiving bore which is formed at a predetermined positional relationship to the datum positions. Rotational location is provided between ferrules and alignment member. The bore is formed by casting material in the ferrule using a mandrel, the ferrule and mandrel accurately positioned in an alignment tool which reproduces the datum surfaces of the alignment member. Build up of tolerances is avoided and slight variation in diameters of the ferrules, and lack of concentricity can be accommodated with accurate alignment of fibre ends still obtained.

Abstract: A multiple cantilever spring contact switch has a plurality of cantilever spring contacts, arranged in one or more series with the spring contacts of a series each clamped at one end in grooves which have base surfaces inclined relative to each other. By this means, predetermined angular inclinations are imposed on the spring contacts, urging the contacts into a correct positional relationship. Particularly the individual contact members are positioned side-by-side at their clamping positions, the free ends of one or more contact members extended laterally to overlie each other. In another arrangement two or more contacts can be stacked, with a spacer member between adjacent contacts, the spacer member having one or more of said grooves.

Abstract: A pulp insulated electric communications conductor in which the wood pulp fibers of the insulation are coated with an aqueous based cationic deposition aid polymer and then an aqueous based anionic latex polymer. In a process for applying a layer of insulating material to the conductor a slurry of wood pulp fibers is prepared to which first an aqueous based cationic deposition aid polymer is added and then an aqueous based anionic latex polymer is added, the resultant coated wood pulp fibers being applied to the conductor.

Abstract: A protective package for an optical fiber splice comprises two elongate plastic members, each having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on a front face. Elongate grooves are formed at each end of each member. The grooves are dimensioned so as to be a close fit over the uncoated portions of spliced fibers and intervening adhesive material, with the members in face-to-face assembly. The members may be hingedly connected by the adhesive layer or by a thin deformable hinge portion. A further groove may connect the end grooves, being of a dimension to fit firmly over the uncoated end portions of spliced fibers.

Abstract: For powder filling of cables, in a fluidized powder bed, it has been proposed to pass the cable core through the bed in a substantially closed condition. There is a limit to the number of conductors a core can have for effective filling. In the present invention the cable core is opened up into a number of core units by passing through an opening member. The opening member is freely ridable on the cable core and has a hole for each unit. The opener is held against a support member and an air bearing formed between the two members. Air is also usually fed to the holes in the opener member through which the core units pass to prevent flow of powder out from the bed. The opening member can be positioned in the fluidized bed or outside immediately prior to passage of the cable core through the bed. The units are each in a substantially closed condition in the bed and the units close to a single core also in the bed.

Abstract: A matrix multiplexed display cell has thin film switch devices at matrix crosspoints to provide a turn-on threshold for electrooptic liquid used in the cell. Each of the switch devices has two parallel branches of diodes, the diodes in one branch being of reverse polarity to those in the other. The cell is operated at low current so that the switch devices, which are deposited on glass, do not degrade rapidly in use.

Abstract: A photoconductive device for imaging a linear object has a plurality of photoconductive elements, extending in a line, on a substrate, with first and second patterns of electrical conductors, a pattern on each side of the line. Connections are made to the elements. The conductor patterns are formed as columns on one side of the line and as rows on the other side to provide connections between columns and elements and rows and elements such that the number of external connections is minimized. By applying a voltage to a column, and then connecting a detector current sequentially to each row, and repeating for each column, the current flowing through each element can be determined and a signal generated related to the illumination of each element. The elements can be a continuous bar of photoconductive material.

Abstract: A pushbutton switch assembly has at least one of the conventional PCB's replaced by a porcelain coated steel plate. The contact circuit for the pushbutton switches is formed on the top surface of the steel plate. It is also possible to replace both PCB's of a conventional switch by forming a second circuit on the under surface of the steel plate, with the electrical devices mounted thereon. Use of the steel plate enables the normal metal mounting plate to be omitted.

Abstract: Faults, such as pinholes, in the insulation of an electrical conductor are detected by passing the conductor through a liquid electrolyte which acts as a liquid electrode. A regulated DC supply is connected to the electrolyte, the conductor core grounded, and the DC bias to the electrolyte monitored. Any variation in the DC bias, is detected and for any change over a predetermined minimum value a signal is produced, which can be used to actuate a marker or stop the line. More than one conductor can pass together, for example twisted pairs or quads as used for telecommunications.

Abstract: An integral telephone set and handset has two cooperating housings forming a hollow handset with a rigid support member in the form of a porcelain coated steel plate which carries the pushbutton assembly on one side and the electrical components or devices on the other. The receiver, transmitter and line switch and recall button can also be mounted on the support member.

Abstract: Any element of a thermal print bar of resistive material is heated by a current pulse passed across the bar between an appropriate conductor pairing. Certain conductors are deposited in two parts with a rectifying layer deposited between the parts to provide diode isolation of heating paths from one another.

Abstract: Powder filling of a cable, or cable unit, is improved by passing the cable, or unit through a fluidized bed of powder, and vibrating or shaking the cable, or unit in a direction substantially normal to the direction of movement of the cable, or unit, through the bed.