Abstract: A liquid valve particularly suited for dispensing of glue at high repetition rate has a solenoid-retracted pin that normally engages a valve seat to close the valve. Glue under pressure enters the chamber in which the pin operates, close to the valve seat. To seal against the flow of pressurized glue up along the pin toward the solenoid, and also to exert a light valve closing force on the pin, a thin metal bellows member is sealed and fixed to the pin near its lower end, at one end of the bellows, and to a connector within which the pin slides, at an opposite, upper end of the bellows. The geometry of the valve seat and the valve closure end of the pin is such that only a very slight retraction of the valve pin opens the valve sufficiently to deliver glue at full velocity through the valve orifice. The valve is capable of accurate glue dispensing through a wide range of operating pressure.

Abstract: A modular biofiltration support system is quickly erectable in virtually any size and shape using plastic modules that are interconnected at the site. Included in the system are bed platform modules which assemble together to form a bed platform to support the weight of the biofilter medium within the area defined by the frame, and a multiplicity of bed support legs which are assembled into the bed platform modules to hold the bed platform at a raised position above the ground, defining a plenum for entering gases, between the ground and the bed platform. In one embodiment, at least some of the legs include air directing vanes which can be oriented in positions to cause generally even distribution of the gases within the plenum. The bed platform modules have openings to direct the gases to flow upwardly through the biofilter medium.

Abstract: A floating skimmer is used for automatically removing oil and other floating matter from the surface of liquid surrounding the skimmer, preferably in a basin or sump. Floats around the periphery and above the general body of the skimmer provide flotation while the unit is at rest. Two liquid removal devices are provided, one to remove the most dense liquid (generally oil) accumulated in the skimmer sump. A gasketed, hinged, floating weir rests on the fluid level in the skimmer sump and when liquid is removed from the sump by either the first or second device or a combination of both, the weir falls back, creating a cascade action which attracts the surface of surrounding liquid into the skimmer sump. Instrumentation is included to provide information for automatic operation and status reporting of the skimmer.

Abstract: A surgical needle is attached to a handle which includes a vibrating device for inducing vibrations in a prescribed frequency range to the needle. The needle's vibration helps avoid damage to major blood vessels and nerves when the needle is pushed through subcutaneous patient tissue. In one form the needle has provision to grip the end of a suture, so that the suture may be attached after the needle is pushed through and emerges out of subcutaneous tissue. In a face-lift operation the needle may be pushed through a path where support is desired, then the end of a one-way suture can be attached to the distal end of the needle, after which the one-way suture can be retracted so that the one-way suture occupies the same path where the needle was inserted.

Abstract: A solar tracker operates on a single axis, but partially simulates a dual-axis tracker by adjusting tilt angle as the tracker rotates. The tracker is disclosed in particular embodiments which fit efficiently within a hemispherical transparent dome.

Abstract: A centrifugation assembly and a method for rapid separation of phases of a liquid, for example for blood phase separation, which comprises a rotor (10) with a holding member (12) pivotable with respect to the rotor about a pivoting axis and containing a tube (16) with a blood sample (18). The assembly comprises a device for rotating the rotor about the rotor axis and a displacing mechanism (24) to displace the common center of gravity of the holding member with the sample with respect to the pivoting axis. A stopping mechanism (22) is provided to retain the degree of inclination of the holding member during the first phase of separation. After completing the first phase of separation, the holding member takes a horizontal position to enable alignment of centrifugal force with the walls of the tube. The centrifugation assembly may have a removing device (172) for removing the caps (168) from the tubes (16) residing within the holder (102).

Abstract: A snowshoe is constructed of molded plastic nose and tail pieces, both connected to a pair of rigid rails to complete the snowshoe frame. A stretched deck membrane, in an area over the heel of a user's shoe or boot, has left and right sides secured to the rails, and preferably is also supported on the tail piece and on aft portions of the nose piece. In one embodiment the rails are of tubular metal, secured to aft portions of the nose piece and forward portions of the tail piece via reinforced, shaped cavities in the molded plastic, contoured to receive the rails. The snowshoe construction is efficient in assembly and cost because there is no need for bends in the rails, the molded plastic components are relatively inexpensive, and snowshoes of different lengths may be produced simply by changing the lengths of the rails and of the deck membrane.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating two or more visible lines of light on a floor for the purpose of facilitating the layout process used in construction. The apparatus comprises a light beam generator producing two or more beams of light at 90° to each other and in a plane parallel to the plane of the floor. Subsequently cylinder lenses on the apparatus spread the beams and position them on the floor or target providing visible reference lines.

Abstract: An in-wall speaker has a variably tuned vibration absorber to absorb and dissipate vibrations in the speaker and surroundings that tend to cause distortions. The vibration absorbing device, including a stack of viscoelastic damping plates, is secured to the speaker or connected structure via a trapezoidally shaped tuning plate, which provides a varying degree of cantilever in different portions of the stack of plates. The effect is to absorb vibrations over a broad range of frequencies.

Abstract: A water treatment device using a known electrolytic principle includes a pair of inner and outer concentric truncated cones serving as electrodes and providing an annular flow space for generally axial flow of liquid to be decomposed or dissociated. The flow in a preferred embodiment is from the smaller-diameter end of the cone-shaped flow space to the larger-diameter end, thus decreasing pressure; however, in certain electrolytic reactions increasing pressure is an advantage, thus the device has bidirectional flow capability. The shape of all interior components along the flow path is such as to provide smooth transitions to avoid turbulence or cavitation in the liquid flow. The two cones can be shifted relatively along an axis line so as to change the width of the annular flow space. The two electrode-cones are advantageously formed of coated titanium plates.

Abstract: A system which is preferably employed in a laser alignment instrument produces up to five orthogonal beams from a single laser diode beam. In one embodiment the optics take advantage of the elliptical shape of the beam from a laser diode which when collimated produces a plurality of orthogonal beams by reflection off a plurality of 45.degree.-angled reflective surfaces intercepting outer portions of the beam. In one preferred embodiment a solid reflective element was four 45.degree.-angled facets to produce four beams from outer portions of a preferably non-elliptical beam, and a fifth orthogonal beam is produced by transmission of a central portion of the beam through the element. The element can be solid glass, or it can be glass or other material with a central hole.

Abstract: A cover for an elongated and relatively narrow tank or channel is formed from a series of panels arranged in parallel, edge-to-edge fashion, each panel spanning across the channel and resting on rims of the channel. Each panel is formed of a large plurality of side-by-side, preferably edge-connected deck slats having lengths extending in the longitudinal direction of the channel. At junctions between adjacent panels, structural transverse members have deck slat receiving channels for engaging with and supporting ends of the deck slats. In preferred embodiments the transverse structural members are generally L-shaped, with the L-shaped structural member of one channel nesting into the L-shaped structural channel of an adjacent panel, providing for removal of alternate panels by lifting. Deck slats include special handle slats for inclusion near the two transverse ends of the removable panels to enable lifting of the panels for access to the tank or channel.

Abstract: A sprocket of the type typically used for driving a plastic conveyor belt is split through the drive shaft hole at its center, so that the sprocket can be assembled over a drive shaft without disrupting the conveyor assembly. Two sections which form the drive shaft preferably are identical, and may be machined from high molecular weight polyethylene. In a preferred embodiment the two sections are assembled together by interlocking features shaped as jigsaw puzzle pieces. The two sections are placed against the drive shaft and are moved together in the axial direction of the drive shaft, thus sliding the sections together. One or more fasteners may be provided at easily accessed locations to permit the two sections from sliding apart.

Abstract: A resonant switching power supply has a zero voltage and zero current switch feature which can be operated in a half-bridge or a full-bridge scheme. This enables power consumption to be reduced and electromagnetic radiation to be minimized, and provides for low cost and convenient manufacture, in mass production. The power supply is not influenced by parasitic capacitance and leak inductance. The resonant switching power supply is disclosed in several different embodiments.

Abstract: A process for creating, maintaining, and executing network applications. A user specifies a network application as an interconnection of tasks, each task being addressed to run on one or more computers. Process steps install and execute the application with accommodation for dynamically changing addresses. During execution, process steps compile or interpret source code on remote computers as needed. Process steps permit application changes during execution subject to limitations and fail-safes that prevent non-programmers from creating invalid changes.

Abstract: A split-seat chair includes a mechanism for stimulation of a person's hips while seated in the chair, by generally simulating the hip motion which occurs during walking, or by allowing such movement by the user. Two platforms under the respective buttocks of the person preferably move in orbital motions about a horizontal axis transverse to the chair, the two pads orbiting 180.degree. out of phase relative to one another. The speed of orbital motion is preferably coordinated with the rate of circulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull as it travels down into the sacrum. The chair moves the pelvis in a gliding motion that partially mimics walking while the person is seated, thus reducing posturally caused lower back pain and stiffness.

Abstract: A spinner for randomly selecting a number has a very low friction bearing between a transparent spinner member and a transparent base plate. In one embodiment the base and spinner are formed of a transparent plastic such as Plexiglas, with a cone point set screw mounted in a threaded hole of the base plate and providing a narrow point for seating of the spinner member. A transparency with annularly arranged numbers may be placed at the bottom side of the transparent base plate, and different numerical arrays or symbol arrays may be selected. The spinner member has a central hole fitted with a central hub that has a recess formed into an internal cone shaped apex. The cone angle of the set screw point is steeper than that in the apex of the hub recess, so that the spinner member rests essentially only on the narrow point of the set screw.

Abstract: An adjustable-leg chair has four telescoping legs with provision for setting each leg at a desired length. The chair adjusts to very uneven terrain so that the user can sit in a generally level and comfortable position especially for fishing on the bank of a river or lake, uneven camp sites, graded spectator seating locations, etc. The folding aluminum chair has horizontal connecting braces extending across front and back at the bottom ends of upper leg sections which comprise tubes of the telescoping connection. When the lower extensions of the telescoping legs are fully removed, the chair serves as a beach chair with the connecting braces being the primary contacts with the sand or ground.