Abstract: A light distributor is described for use in distributing light from a source in a generally uniform manner across an edge, to for example, illuminate an array of light sensitive elements. The light distributor can be made of a transparent plastic material and is formed with a light guide and a lamp supporting segment. The light guide has a pair of planar faces bounded by sides of a curvature, which bears a particular relationship with a light source region in the lamp supporting segment so as to distribute light therefrom across the edge. A cost effective efficient light distributor is described, particularly for use in activating photocells arranged in an array in a shaft encoder.

Abstract: Electroless copper deposition solutions, and method of electrolessly depositing copper onto a workpiece using these solutions, are disclosed. The solutions contain, in addition to water as the usual solvent, a soluble source of copper ions, a complexing agent or mixture of agents to maintain the copper in solution, and a copper reducing agent effective to reduce the copper ions to metallic copper as a deposit or plating on a prepared surface of a workpiece brought into contact with the solution.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the combustion of liquid fuel provides an extremely intense blue/violet flame having a temperature in excess of 3000.degree. F. with combustion under near perfect stoichiometric conditions without the formation of soot. The liquid fuel is atomized and mixed with air within a nozzle and enters a flame tube surrounding the nozzle as a conical stream where it is further atomized by jets of air directed to converge on the stream and mixed with secondary combustion air to obtain the desired combustion mixture. Yet further atomization of the liquid fuel-air mixtures within the flame tube can be obtained as a consequence of at least partial vaporization of the liquid fuel therein through the heat of the flame tube. An advantageous relationship exists between the size, angle and point of convergence of the air jets with the atomized conical stream, the flame tube diameter and length and the location of the nozzle therein and the fuel feed.

Abstract: A battery-powered apparatus, for inducing air flow past a product capable of being vaporized, includes a compact housing that comprises a hollow outer shell and a hollow, generally cylindrical inner shell, having an axis, on which the operating components of the apparatus are supported. The inner shell is mounted with the outer shell by a hinge to pivot substantially on the axis between closed and open positions. In the closed position the inner shell compliments the outer shell to define an enclosed space and shield the apparatus components. In the open position, the inner shell is nested within the outer shell to expose the apparatus components. The product and a battery for powering the apparatus may be assembled into a cartridge formed to be received in the apparatus housing. Electrical battery contacts and a support for the cartridge in the housing are also disclosed.

Abstract: A battery-powered apparatus, for inducing air flow past a product capable of being vaporized, includes a compact housing that comprises a hollow outer shell and a hollow, generally cylindrical inner shell, having an axis, on which the operating components of the apparatus are supported. The inner shell is mounted with the outer shell by a hinge to pivot substantially on the axis between closed and open positions. In the closed position the inner shell compliments the outer shell to define an enclosed space and shield the apparatus components. In the open position, the inner shell is nested within the outer shell to expose the apparatus components. The product and a battery for powering the apparatus may be assembled into a cartridge formed to be received in the apparatus housing. Electrical battery contacts and a support for the cartridge in the housing are also disclosed.

Abstract: A device for positively blocking the firing pin in a firearm having a reciprocating breech-bolt that is substantially enclosed within the receiver, in which a finger-piece is provided on the outside of the receiver for shifting a safety bar into and out of a position to move a member on the breech-bolt into or out of a blocking position with respect to the firing pin such that the firing pin can not be driven home to discharge a cartridge.

Abstract: Platform weighing apparatus for measuring a load comprises a stationary base platform and a load supporting platform. A stabilizing system mounts the load supporting platform on the base platform for reciprocal movement relative thereto and constrains the platforms to be generally parallel throughout the range of such movement. Furthermore, the stabilizing system, while permitting vertical reciprocal movement between the platforms resists relative horizontal movement between them. This stabilizing system includes first and second stabilizing assemblies, each having at least two stabilizing arms which are linked for pivoted movement on one common pivot axis at one end to the base platform and which are also linked for pivoted movement on a second common pivot axis at the opposite end to the load supporting platform. The pivot axes are mutually parallel. A torsion resistant shaft rigidly interconnects the arms of each stabilizing assembly to hold them in coplanar relation with the pivot axes.

Abstract: Asbestos-free compression molding compositions suitable for thermal and electrical insulator products are disclosed. The compositions comprise mixtures of calcium magnesium ferro silicate particulate material in predominating amount, in combination with phosphoric acid. When combined into intimate admixture and molded in a heated die press, the compositions cure as a hard, strong, dense product having good heat and electrical resistance properties.

Abstract: A composite sheet material exhibiting a low emittance characteristic at both of its outer surfaces for limiting radiant heat transmission therethrough comprises one composite sheet structure including a base layer of sheet material having high strength, resistance to tearing, stability, and body, and a first layer of material having a low emittance characteristic disposed in intimate contact with one surface of the base layer. A second composite sheet structure includes a protective layer of sheet material that is generally transparent to radiant energy in the infrared range of the energy spectrum and a second layer of material having a low emittance characteristic disposed in intimate contact with one surface of the protective layer.

Abstract: A magazine catch for firearms in which a latch member is spring urged into wedging engagement with a portion of the magazine to hold the magazine rigidly against a positioning stop on the frame of the firearm. The latch member consists of a latch pin having rollers for reducing friction when the magazine is inserted into place in the gun and a spring-loaded locking pin, which drives the latch pin into latching engagement with the magazine.

Abstract: A device for use by a smoker to introduce treatment fluids into a cigar, cigarette, charge of pipe tobacco and similar consumer units of smoking tobacco.

Abstract: A method for assembling a large massive steel shell is disclosed for housing a nuclear reactor while having sufficient strength to contain an explosion of such nuclear reactor. The shell is formed of large heavy gauge metal plates which are welded to each other to form a large sphere. Locating and supporting rings are mounted concentrically on a base. The rings increase in height from the center of the sphere to support and locate correspondingly higher annular segments of the sphere. The rings are erected and positioned with precisely adjustable tie rods so that the annular upper edge of the rings have a correspondingly accurately known position with respect to the annular sphere segments to be supported by the rings. The large heavy plate segments are then mounted on the rings and welded together to form a lower spherical portion whose spherical shape closely conforms to that desired for the sphere.

Abstract: A system for selectably electrically pulsing each of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers in a testing apparatus in rapid sequence to produce a pattern of ultrasonic energy transmitted into and subsequently received from a test piece comprises a plurality of transducer pulsing circuits, each connected to a different associated one of the transducers. Each pulsing circuit includes a silicon control rectifier connected to ground and a capacitor, connected between the rectifier and the associated transducer, that is dischargeable to pulse the associated tranducer. The rectifier is switchable to an "on" condition to rapidly discharge the capacitor to ground. The rectifier maintains the "on" condition until current conducted through it drops below a characteristic holding current and thereafter switches to an "off" condition.

Abstract: There is disclosed a fly ash utilization system and process for the removal of sulfur dioxide from the flue gas of coal fired boilers. The principal features of the invention are the maintaining of high ionic concentration in a closed loop, water balanced system which is operated at a low pH, i.e. less than 4 and preferably less than 3. The ionic concentration of the scrubber slurry is maintained at at least 5,000 parts per million of alkali metal cations, preferably over 10,000 parts per million, at least a substantial portion of which has been leached from fly ash.The ionic concentration of the scrubber slurry is maintained at a high level by either providing small diked areas in a waste pond for settling of undissolved solids wherein the returned supernatant has a high ionic concentration. A thickener and filter system may also be used to recover high ionic concentration supernatant for return to the scrubber.

Abstract: An improved cyclical centrifugal machine includes a rigid support mounted above the basket of the machine, a bearing housing suspended from the support for gyratory motion, a basket-carrying spindle rotatable in fixed position relative to the housing on bearings therein, and an electric motor for bringing the spindle and basket to rotational speed. The improved centrifugal machine further includes a buffer system for resisting gyration of the bearing housing, spindle, and basket as well as a sensing system for detecting when such gyration, nevertheless, becomes excessive and for then discontinuing driving of the spindle and basket by the motor.

Abstract: A system for non-destructively acquiring and processing information about a test piece includes an array of ultrasonic transducers each adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy into the test piece and to receive ultrasonic energy transmitted back thereto to produce a response signal capable of representing deviation from the expected condition of the test piece. The transducers are mounted on a carriage to be transported relative to the test piece and a transducer control sequentially pulses the transducers while so transported to ultrasonically inspect the test piece and produce a set of response signals representing the inspection. A plurality of transducer monitors, one for each transducer, sequentially monitor each of the response signals and an analogue-to-digital converter converts each monitored response signal to a single set of digital data.

Abstract: Multi-station reaction injection molding apparatus is disclosed for in-place foaming of polymerizable resins in articles advanced along a production line, as for example in the manufacture of insulated appliance housings such as refrigerator cabinets. The articles are selectively diverted from a feed conveyor, one to each of a plurality of pour stations adjacent the feed conveyor. At the stations, injection of foamable resin mix is accomplished by reaction injection type molding heads which combine at least two liquid resin components. These components are suitably catalyzed to react and form a cellular or foamed polymerized resin. The liquid components are separately but continuously supplied to respective supply manifolds to which all of the heads are connected in parallel by shunting ducts. Excess unmixed liquid components are returned separately from each of the heads through recycle shunting ducts to respective recycle manifolds.

Abstract: A technique for the rotational molding of hollow articles having separate but structurally integral compartments is described. A mold in which the article is to be formed is provided with a cover between the mold cavities in which the article compartments are to be rotationally molded. The cover is selectively spaced from the mold wall so that a thermoplastic resin used to form the article can pass through the space between the cover and the mold wall to form the article walls for the compartments. The cover spacing from the mold wall is so selected that the build-up of the article's wall eventually seals off this spacing and enables further rotational molding of an article wall over the cover to isolate the compartments. In the specific embodiment, a technique for the rotational molding of a tank with legs below a bottom wall and a continuous uninterrupted interior bottom surface is described.