Abstract: An album for receiving a plurality of removable pages. The album comprises a front and back cover interconnected by a binder member. Preferably, the pages comprise sheets of jigsaw puzzles having removable puzzle pieces. An enclosure is incorporated onto the inside of the back cover of the album for receiving the puzzle pieces removed from the pages. A strap, connected to the binder, is provided for positioning around the enclosure and the pages when the album is closed.

Abstract: A solar efficient structure is disclosed which comprises a central chase positioned vertically within the structure and connected in fluid communication with a duct network positioned in thermal contact with the ground and with the attic of the structure. A fan is provided for circulating air through a perforated attic duct, through the various rooms of the structure, and through the duct network and the chase. In one embodiment, the fan is reversible so as to circulate the air in one direction, or in the other direction. When operating in the heating mode, the ground acts as a heat source to heat the air circulating through the duct network. Conversely, when operating in the cooling mode, the ground acts as a heat sink to cool the airflow circulating therethrough. A dehumidifier, and a heating or cooling means is provided for assisting in the conditioning of the circulating airflow.

Abstract: An emergency rescue assembly comprising a container attachable to a boat so as to overhang the water, with an automatically inflatable location or flotation device stored in the container. The container is readily opened by a pull on a release so that the device falls into the water and automatically inflates.

Abstract: An apparatus for connection to the oil input of an engine which facilitates the emptying of oil contained within a can into the engine. The apparatus comprises a cutting element connected concentrically above the side wall of a base by means of a stand. During use, the operator positions the can above the cutting element and pushes downwardly causing the cutting element to puncture the bottom of the can thereby emptying the oil through the cutting element and through an aperture in the base into the engine. The cutting element includes a rounded step to facilitate removal of the can after emptying. An orientation device is provided to orient the base with respect to the oil input to facilitate easy access to the cutting element. In the preferred embodiment, the orientation device comprises a downwardly biased sprocketed flange which engages a protrusion extending upwardly from the bottom of the base.

Abstract: A conductor tube for a battery operated flashlight is disclosed. The conductor tube comprises an inner non-conductive sleeve positioned within an outer conductive sleeve. The flashlight bulb-receiving end of the conductor tube includes a plurality of inwardly disposed lances which extend from the outer conductive sleeve through the inner non-conductive sleeve to electrically engage the base terminal of the light bulb. The lances may extend longitudinally with respect to the conductor tube to securely receive the base of the light bulb of the flashlight. Alternatively, the lances may extend substantially circumventially about the end of the conductor tube to threadably receive the base of the light bulb and establish electrical continuity therewith.

Abstract: An apparatus for coiling a flexible member such as a hose. The coiling apparatus comprises a coil mechanism which is located at the distal end of an elongated body member. The coil mechanism is designed to receive the end of the hose and to coil the hose upon rotation of the coil mechanism. The coil mechanism comprises a rotatable base plate having three projections extending therefrom for receiving the end of the hose and to initiate and then continue coiling of the hose.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing a thin layer of material such as metal within the hole of an object such as a printed circuit board. The apparatus includes a gas diffusion chamber having a plurality of power electrodes with apertures positioned transversely therein. The objects to be treated, such as printed circuit boards, are positioned in the areas between the power electrodes. A supply of electrical energy is connected to the power electrodes and to the conductive layers of the printed circuit boards. The method of the invention comprises introducing desired gases into the chamber to flow transversely through the apertures in the power electrodes and the holes in the printed circuit boards such that the gases are excited to a plasma state to sputter a portion of the material constituting the power electrodes into the holes of the printed circuit boards.

Abstract: An area navigational system using geosynchronous satellites is disclosed. The navigational system comprises a master satellite and seven slave satellites uniformly disposed in geosynchronous orbit above the equator of the earth. The master satellite comprises a master tone oscillator producing a reference tone which is transmitted to the immediate neighboring slave satellites which in turn, serially relays the reference tone to the remaining slave satellites such that each slave satellite receives the reference tone. Each slave satellite comprises a slave tone oscillator which is synchronized by the reference tone to be in phase with the phase of the master tone oscillator. The output of the master tone oscillator and the slave tone oscillators are frequency modulated and transmitted to the earth. A receiver on a mobile craft receives three of such transmissions and demodulates the carrier frequencies to recover the three tones.

Abstract: A fire escape device enabling a person to escape from a multi-story building. The fire escape device of the invention comprises two sets of planetary gears which operatively interconnect a winding drum to the main shaft of a fan assembly. During operation, as the cable is unwound from the drum, the sets of planetary gears cause the shaft of the fan and correspondingly, the fan blades themselves to rotate at great speed thereby braking and hence controlling the rate at which the cable is released from the winding drum.

Abstract: A scanning mechanism for a fast framing thermal imaging system such as a FLIR is disclosed. The scanning mechanism comprises two prisms which are canted with respect to one another and positioned in front of the final image forming lens of the FLIR. The two prisms are precisely counter-rotated with respect to one another by a drive train assembly and motor means. An annular timing disc is positioned about one of the prisms to enable an optically sensitive transducer to sense the rotational position of the prisms. The counter-rotating prisms function to enable the detector array of the FLIR to dissect the thermal image in a 2:1 interlacing technique.

Abstract: A firearm including a basic action system having differential recoil, blow-back operation with moving barrel and a firing mechanism for use in conjunction with the basic action system of the invention or any other type of system operable to fire from a closed-bolt position and an open-bolt position. The basic action system utilizes a single spring which positively positions the bolt and barrel for semi-automatic, closed-bolt firing, while also providing the necessary spring and positioning action for open-bolt, differential recoil, blow-back operation. The firing mechanism of the invention provides for semi-automatic fire from the closed-bolt position, and for full automatic fire from the open bolt position, with a selector to permit selection by the gunner.

Abstract: A box magazine for use in conjunction with a semiautomatic or an automatic firearm comprising a storage zone (S) for storing cartridges in a three column array, a compression zone (C) for compressing the three column array into a two column array, and a feed zone (F) for storing the two column array in a two-position feed arrangement enabling the ramming mechanism of the firearm to sequentially ram successive cartridges to the firing chamber of the firearm. The magazine comprises a spring loaded follower having an integral design for pushing the array of cartridges upward within the magazine.

Abstract: An automatic swage machine is disclosed which includes an indexing mechanism for indexing a saw along a table enabling a swaging mechanism to sequentially swage each tooth of the saw. The indexing mechanism includes a pair of magnets connected to an indexing arm for pulling the saw forwardly and then move the saw rearwardly enabling the next tooth to be swaged to engage the swaging mechanism.

Abstract: This invention is based on desmearing holes of multi-layered printed wiring boards by flowing plasma through the holes. Desmearing of plasma etching applies active gases to organic surfaces causing a cleaning reaction and removal of the smear.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for annunciating to an active party and a passive party the completion of a call hold interval in a telephone communication system. The apparatus comprises a voice detection circuit which senses the presence of a voice communication on the telecommunication line for actuation of an annunciation signal timer. The annunciation signal timer actuates an annunciation signal generator for a period of time referred to as the annunciation signal interval. While actuated, the annunciation signal generator produces tone bursts which are supplied to a speaker located proximate to the passive party. The tone bursts are also muted back to the active party via the telecommunication line. The apparatus of the invention as thus disclosed enables the passive party who has been put on hold by the active party to place the active party also on hold thereby eliminating the necessity of the passive party aurally monitoring the telephone.

Abstract: A steering mechanism is described for use in conjunction with a thermal imaging system. The steering mechanism comprises a pair of prisms which are positioned serially in front of the scanning mechanism of the thermal imaging system. The prisms are individually rotated by a motor means. A position encoder is connected to each of the prisms to provide feedback position information to a search computer which controls the rotation of the prisms. The refraction of the thermal image produced by the rotating prisms enables the scanning mechanism of the thermal imaging system to search in any searching pattern within a variable field of regard in the field of search of the steering mechanism. The steering mechanism may also function to boresight a laser on the same target viewed by the thermal imaging system. In one embodiment, the laser comprises a pulsed-type laser whose pulsed laser beam is transmitted through the prisms onto an acquired target.