Abstract: Television apparatus for producing signals for displaying simultaneously a succession of separated images of an object moving over a selectable time period in an otherwise substantially static scene so that the trajectory of the object can be viewed. The effect is achieved by storing, at the start of the selectable time period, a television frame in a suitable storage device and periodically comparing the stored frame with television frames arriving subsequently during the selectable time period, and upon detection of differences between corresponding picture elements of the stored and subsequently arriving frames, substituting the picture elements that caused the detected difference in the stored frame. The system identifies such substituted picture elements and ensures that the same picture elements are not again substituted during the selectable time period.

Abstract: In an electronic organ system having a plurality of tone generators one for each note to be sounded, and a time constant circuit for establishing first and second decay characteristics for each note, the first of which has a longer decay period than the second, a key-down detector for sensing the operated condition of any key of the keyboard, and a circuit operative in response to the key-down detector to cause the sounded notes to have the longer decay characteristic so long as any key of the keyboard is depressed and to cause the sounded notes to have the shorter decay characteristic when all keys are released, for producing a pseudo-reverberation effect.

Abstract: In a circuit for simulating the sound produced when a stringed instrument, such as a bass viol, is plucked, square wave signals of different frequencies from a tone generator are combined to produce a synthesized sawtooth waveform which is applied to a low pass filter to remove the extremely high order harmonics, and then applied to an amplifier the gain of which is controlled in accordance with an envelope signal having a fast attack and a relatively slow decay. The resulting amplified signal is applied to an off-center-biased amplifier which alters the harmonic content of the output signal as a function of decay time such that when the signal is acoustically reproduced it closely simulates the sound produced when a bass viol string is plucked.

Abstract: The disclosed airbrush has an elongated body formed in one piece, as by a molding from plastics material, having an internal cylindrical bore defining a cavity in which other elements are contained. A carrier member assembled within and sealed for a portion of its length to the cylindrical bore supports the point of a needle at a predetermined distance from the forward end of the body and has an internal passageway for the paint. The cylindrical bore is closed at its forward end by a cap threadably attached to the body, inside which is threadably secured a jet through which the point of the needle extends. The carrier member is shaped to provide, in association with the internal bore of the body, a passage for air to the cap and jet region of the airbrush. Adjustment of the longitudinal position of the cap on the body moves the jet with respect to the stationary needle to provide regulation of the amount of paint flow.

Abstract: In television apparatus for producing signals for displaying simultaneously a succession of separated images of an object moving over a selectable time period in an otherwise static scene, the viewability of the display is improved by enhancing the contrast, either continuously or intermittently, between the images of the moving object and the background. This is accomplished by altering the amplitude of signals representing the images of the moving objects relative to the amplitude of signals representing the background.

Abstract: An airbrush of the double action type has an elongated unitary body having an axial passage for longitudinal movement of a needle supported therein. The rear end of the needle is carried by a guide slidably supported in the axial passage and normally urged by a spring in a direction such that the tapered front of the needle enters and closes the jet. A finger-operated lever formed of plastic and shaped to provide a "living hinge" is supported in the body and arranged to engage the guide and move the needle against the action of the spring to control paint flow, and at the same time to open a valve to allow entry of compressed air or other substance under pressure. The maximum paint flow at the fully-operated position of the control lever is predetermined by adjusting the longitudinal position on the body of a closure cap which limits the movement of the guide. The airbrush has a minimum number of easily assembled parts and features a relatively simple paint-to-air seal disposed within the axial passageway.

Abstract: The disclosure applies to an audio recording apparatus which receives audio signals, generally from a tape recorder, and forms grooves in a spiral pattern on a recording disk. The apparatus typically includes a turntable for rotating the recording disk, a cutter for cutting grooves in the disk, and a cutter transducer for modulating the instantaneous position of the cutter as a function of the audio signals. An electromechanical subsystem is responsive to control signals for directing the unmodulated position of the cutter; i.e., its unmodulated radial position with respect to the center of the disk and its unmodulated vertical position or depth. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a system for automatically generating the control signals which control operation of the electromechanical subsystem. When no modification of the unmodulated radial position is called for, none is made, thereby eliminating wasteful pitch modifications.

Abstract: A stop tablet control system for an organ in which the "on" condition of selected stops is indicated by an illuminated light-emitting diode (L.E.D.) mounted in each stop tablet. The stop tablets are pivotally supported on a tablet rail and spring-biased to assume a neutral position from which they can be momentarily moved up or down against the action of the spring. When a tablet is momentarily pushed down from the neutral position a switch is closed to actuate circuitry which turns on the associated stop and energizes the L.E.D., and when the tablet is momentarily pushed up from the neutral position the associated stop is turned "off" and the L.E.D. extinguished. The system includes control circuitry for providing in a combination stop action mode an indication of what stops are playing.

Abstract: An instructive amusement device for young children that embodies the concept of a puzzle for enhancing the child's intellectual and motor skills by requiring correct assembly of puzzle pieces, and also to stimulate learning about wheeled vehicles that the child can be expected to see in the world around him. The device includes a wheeled wagon on which is supported a vertically oriented rectangular frame having a pocket for receiving and retaining in edgewise juxtaposition a plurality of puzzle pieces each in the form of a flat elongated strip having a length substantially equal to the length dimension of the frame. The puzzle pieces each have fragmentary pictorial representations on each of its two flat surfaces which, when the puzzle pieces are juxtaposed edgewise in the frame in correct order and with correct longitudinal orientation, create on the two opposite surfaces of the assembled puzzle pieces complete pictorial representations of two different views of the body portion of a wheeled vehicle.

Abstract: Pedal control circuits for use with an electronic musical instrument, such as a piano, which provide control functions analogous to the actions of a sustaining pedal, of a sustenuto pedal, and of a volume pedal of a conventional piano. Damper circuits operable in conjunction with a sustaining pedal provide an effect analogous to the action of the sustaining pedal in a conventional piano, a latching circuit actuated by depression of a sustenuto pedal operates in conjunction with the damper circuits in a manner analogous to the action of a sostenuto pedal in a conventional piano, and a volume pedal and associated circuitry is operative to determine the level of the output tones only at the moment of strike of the keys, an action analogous to that of the volume pedal in a conventional piano.

Abstract: A pedal tone generator for an electronic musical instrument, such as an electronic organ, having the capability of automatically producing bass rhythm patterns based on a tonic note, includes a memory for storing a plurality of rhythm patterns which has a plurality of outputs for producing a predetermined pattern sequence for each of the notes of the diatonic musical scale, and a circuit for producing signals indicative of which of the pedal keys, usually thirteen, is operated by the instrumentalist. The pedal key signals are binary encoded to produce a plurality of code words each unique to the tone of one of the keys, and each of the outputs from the memory is also binary encoded to be uniquely represented by one of a corresponding number of code words. Code words representing a depressed key and the note instantaneouly being "played" by the memory are added to produce a coded digital signal representative of the sum in the duodecimal system of counting.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a combination toy top, projectile toy, and bath toy. In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed toy there is provided a cup-shaped receptacle having a tip protruding from the outer apex thereof and a central stem extending upwardly from the bottom inner surface thereof. The receptacle has a retaining rim extending inwardly from the inner surface thereof at about the periphery thereof. The rim preferably comprises a plurality of inwardly extending tabs. A plurality of projectiles are provided, the projectiles preferably being annular rings having a sufficiently small outer dimension to fit between the stem and the rim of the receptacle, and a sufficiently large central opening to fit over the stem. In play, the receptacle is held by the central stem and spun. Rings accurately tossed toward the receptacle are either captured in the region between the rim and the stem, or, if very accurately tossed, encircle the stem and are retained thereon.

Abstract: A stop tablet mechanism particularly suited for electric organs wherein a plurality of stop tablets lie in closely spaced apart side-by-side relation, the stop tablets being pivotally supported on a tablet rail and spring-biased to assume a neutral position from which they can be momentarily moved up or down against the action of the spring.

Abstract: For reiteration of percussive sounds in an electronic organ there is provided a circuit for generating pulse signals for reiteration control which are "on" for much longer periods than they are "off", thereby substantially reducing the chance of an organ key being actuated when the control signal is in its "off" condition. The circuit is so arranged that playing of an additional key at a time when one or more other keys are being held has no effect on the reiteration of the sound produced by the held keys. The circuit generates four control signals which are connected such that each controls three notes in a given octave on the keyboard, a different three in successive octaves, such that when normal intervals (e.g., thirds, fourths and fifths) are played, the effect of random reiteration control is produced.

Abstract: A system for reducing noise in a television signal utilizing integration and including a storage device for storing a television signal, and a summing device for adding a fractional amplitude portion of the signal stored in the storage device to a fractional amplitude portion of an incoming video signal, and operative automatically to change the fractional amplitude portion of the stored signal fed to the summing device as a function of the difference between stored and present signals, thereby to change the integration time constant of the system to accommodate for motion between the incoming signal and the stored frames, is improved by eliminating from the noise-reduced output signal troublesome transients caused by not changing at the appropriate time the fractional amplitude portion of the stored signals fed back to the summing device.

Abstract: In a voicing system for electronic organs, square wave signals from a tone generator are converted to a waveform of another shape, the harmonic structure of which is useful for producing certain organ voices. This modified waveform is further modified, as by integration or differentiation, to produce signals of yet another wave shape whose harmonic content makes it useful for deriving still other organ voices. In one embodiment, the square wave pulses are initially converted to narrow pulses which are particularly suitable for the production of reed and certain string voices, and these sharp, narrow pulses are integrated to produce, in effect, a separate source of signals having a sawtooth waveform the harmonic structure of which is particularly suitable for production of cello, diapason and flute sounds.

Abstract: An improved solid state electronic dimmer circuit for controlling the intensity of large electric lamps, such as theater and television lamps, in response to a low power DC control signal. The transfer characteristic of the circuit is determined by the properties of a generated precision waveform having a predetermined shape and amplitude and a fixed phase relationship to the power line voltage which, in conjunction with the DC control signal, determines the effective voltage at the output of a dimmer unit. The same precision waveform may be used to control a plurality of dimmer channels, thereby making possible precise matching of performance of all commonly controlled channels, and effecting significant savings in the cost of manufacture.

Abstract: A system including a compact array of microphones and signal-combining circuitry, especially suited for use with surround-sound sources, for producing two composite output signals corresponding to those required by a matrix-type quadraphonic system to establish the directional position of the sources. The outut signals from one embodiment of the system can be used directly to record an SQ-matrixed tape, or they can be applied to a disc cutter to produce an SQ record, and in another embodiment the output signals can be used directly to record a "regular matrix" (RM) tape or they can be applied to a disc cutter to produce an "RM" record. Thus, the disclosed systems perform the function of the conventional multi-microphone and encoding system for SQ or RM recording or broadcasting.