Abstract: A long flexible member which is subject to tangling is provided with a non-alpha-numeric code such as a color, textural, or design code, which code is used as an aid in untangling the item by providing a rough estimation of separation of sections along the length of the item. The code changes substantially continuously from one end of the member to the other and helps to identify which sections of the item may be close together. Untangling of the member is greatly facilitated by the code.

Abstract: This novel computer input system consists of a keyboard with gojyuon-based key arrangements and software that is used in conjunction with the keyboard. The novel key arrangement of the keyboard of this invention uses the basic characteristics of the gojyuon table, but each key on the keyboard shows notations for both the Japanese gojyuon and English alphabet letter. For inputting Japanese, the column (or consonant) and the row (or vowel) of the gojyuon table are input in sequence. The gojyuon column keys are placed substantially on the right half of the keyboard, and the gojyuon row keys are placed substantially on the left half. The only letter consisting of a consonant in Japanese, (N), which is called hatsu-on, is input by pressing the key that represents the (NA) column of the gojyuon table with no vowels after it. Each letter of the English alphabet is assigned to the key that represents the same (or a similar) sound in the Japanese gojyuon row or column.

Abstract: An elevator system is shown that includes an elevator shaft (12) in which an elevator car (C) is movable along vertical axis (14). Car (C) is connected by drive ropes (26-1 through 26-4) to counterweight (CW) movable along vertical axis (20). A drive motor (M) having motor shaft sections (S-1 and S-2) extending from opposite ends of the motor is located above the elevator car for simultaneously moving car (C) and counterweight (CW) in opposite directions. First and second non-parallel drive shafts (32 and 34) are coupled to the respective motor shaft sections (S-1 and S-2) by bevel gears (36 and 38) respectively. The first drive rope (26-1) extends obliquely over the elevator car (C) between drive sheave (40) and idler sheave (44), and the second drive rope (26-2) extends obliquely over the elevator car between drive sheave (42) and idler sheave (46). The third drive rope (26-3) extends obliquely over elevator car (C) between sheaves (54) and (70).

Abstract: An elevator system for a multistory structure having a plurality of elevator shafts is shown which includes at least one independently movable elevator car in each elevator shaft. A digital computer with memory is used to control elevator cars including the dispatch of cars from terminal floors. A daily control parameter table in memory identifies a plurality of different methods of scheduling dispatch of elevator cars from terminal floors, groups of floors to be serviced by each elevator car, and cars in a shaft to be coupled for tandem operation. The memory is periodically read for selecting for each elevator car one of said methods of scheduling dispatch and for identifying the group of floors to be serviced by the cars. The selected method of scheduling the dispatch of cars is implemented and cars are limited to servicing the selected group of floors.

Abstract: An elevator system is shown which includes first and second horizontally spaced elevator shafts. First and second independently operated elevator cars are located in the first shaft, and third and fourth elevator cars are located in the second shaft. The second and fourth elevator cars are interconnected by a first drive rope, and the first and third elevator cars are interconnected by a second drive rope. A first drive motor is connected to the first drive rope for simultaneously moving the second and fourth elevator cars in opposite directions, and a second drive motor is connected to the second drive rope for simultaneously moving the first and third elevator cars in opposite directions. The upper-most elevator cars in each shaft are provided with vibration dampers through which the drive ropes for the lower most elevator cars in each shaft extend for damping vibration of the drive ropes extending therethrough.

Abstract: An elevator system is shown that includes an elevator shaft (12) in building (10) and a plurality of elevator cars (C.sub.1, C.sub.2 and C.sub.3) that are movable up and down within the shaft along vertical axis (20). The elevator cars are independently movable by drive motors (D.sub.1, D.sub.2 and D.sub.3) attached to the cars through hoisting cables (24, 28 and 34). The motors are controlled by motor controllers (MC.sub.1, MC.sub.2 and MC.sub.3) which, in turn are controlled by a computer (62) having as inputs service and destination requests, load weight and car location. Different operating modes are shown (FIGS. 5-8) including one in which serviced floors (F.sub.1 through F.sub.16) are serviced by no more than one elevator car at a time, and the cars travel sequentially from one end floor to the other end floor (FIGS. 5 and 6). Simultaneous servicing of a plurality of different floors is shown (FIGS.

Abstract: A rotary piston engine (20) is shown which includes a housing (22) having a cylindrical working chamber with inlet (56) and exhaust (54) ports. First and second piston assemblies (30 and 32) each of which includes at least one pair of diametrically opposed pistons (30A and 30B, and 32A and 32B) are located in the working chamber. Backstopping clutches (44 and 46) limit rotation of the piston assemblies (30 and 32) to one direction (42). Piston assemblies (30 and 32) are connected to the engine output shaft through a differential (78) and non-circular gear sets (74 and 76), each of which gear sets includes a tear-drop shaped gear (74A and 76A) and heart shaped gear (74B and 76B). When the cusp of the tear-drop shaped gear engages the recess in the heart shaped gear, the tear-drop shaped gear is prevented from rotating. The piston assemblies rotate intermittently whereby pistons of the stopped assembly are trailing pistons during portions of the power and intake phases of engine operation.

Abstract: A rotary piston engine (20) is shown which includes a housing (22) having a cylindrical working chamber with inlet (56) and exhaust (54) ports. First and second piston assemblies (30 and 32) each of which includes at least one pair of diametrically opposed pistons (30A and 30B, and 32A and 32B) are located in the working chamber. Backstopping clutches (44 and 46) limit rotation of the piston assemblies (30 and 32) to one direction (42). Piston assemblies (30 and 32) are connected to the engine output shaft through a differential (78) and non-circular gear sets (74 and 76), each of which gear sets includes a tear-drop shaped gear (74A and 76A) and heart shaped gear (74B and 76B). When the cusp of the tear-drop shaped gear engages the recess in the heart shaped gear, the tear-drop shaped gear is prevented from rotating. The piston assemblies rotate intermittently whereby pistons of the stopped assembly are trailing pistons during portions of the power and intake phases of engine operation.

Abstract: Ultrasonic imaging apparatus and method are shown which include electronic correction of focus defects produced by acoustic refractive index inhomogeneities within an object (14) being imaged. The region of interest (38) within which focus correction takes place is selected by the operator using control (42 or 84). The imaging system includes adjustable time delays (28-l through 28-c) through which return signals from transducers (10-l through 10-n) pass. Outputs from the delays are summed (30) and the resultant signal is envelope detected (32). The envelope detector output is prepared for display at display (36) by scan converter (34). The output from a focus correction delay control circuit (64) is used to control delay times of individual delays (28-l through 28-c) to provide for a delay profile across operative elements of transducer array (10), which delay profile includes delay profile components that correspond to low order terms of a series expansion, such as a Fourier series (FIG. 4).

Abstract: A container (8) which includes a disposable cup (10) is shown, together with a coating (12) of food-grade antifoaming agent at the inner surface of the cup. A method of speeding filling of the container is disclosed which includes pouring a beverage that foams and forms a foam head when poured into the cup. Collapse of the foam head is accelerated by the antifoaming agent (12) to permit an increase in the filling rate of the cup without overflow.

Abstract: Apparatus is shown for regenerating a signal stream of binary digits which has been distorted by intersymbol interference during passage through a channel (10 and 12) having insufficient channel bandwidth such that the channel output waveform comprises substantially an analog signal. (FIG. 2 at B and D.) After equalization (24) the channel output is converted to a digital sample signal stream at analog-to-digital converter (26). The converter (26) output is supplied to shift register (28) from which successive groups of digital sample signals produced over a plurality of bit intervals of channel output are shifted to decoder (22). Initialization bits that immediately precede the first group of binary digits to be regenerated also are supplied to decoder (22) through sector header reader (20) for use in decoding the first group of digital sample signals supplied to the decoder.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for limiting optical radiation to an optical sensor are disclosed for protecting the sensor against damage from high intensity optical radiation. A fixed electric field is established between a pair of spaced electrodes by connection of the electrodes to a DC voltage source. Small solid particles oscillate back and forth in the electric field between the electrodes. Incident optical radiation is focused at a focal plane at the oscillating solid particles, and energy transmitted through the oscillating particles is focused at the optical sensor. The transmittance of the particle-containing space is substantially constant for incident optical radiation intensity up to a threshold level below which the sensor is undamaged by the radiation.

Abstract: A portable charbroiler (20) is shown that includes a bottom member (24) and sidewalls (26,26 and 28,28) of thermally insulating ceramic material that form an enclosure. Air inlet slots (30) are located along the bottom edges of the sidewalls, and an outlet port is provided at the upper end of the sidewalls. A grate (52) divides the enclosure into upper and lower chambers (54U and 54L), respectively. Lump carbonaceous fuel (58) is stacked on the grate (52), which stack of fuel is supported at all sides by the enclosure sidewalls (26,26 and 28,28). During combustion, feedback of heat to the fuel from the insulating enclosure bottom member and sidewalls provides for rapid high temperature combustion of the fuel in the 1800.degree. F. to 2200.degree. F. range and substantially smokeless combustion of CO gas and fat vapor. At such high temperatures, a large amount of radiant energy is emitted (FIG. 6 ) for rapid charbroiling of food (38) on grille (36) at the enclosure outlet.

Abstract: A binary tree and method of producing a binary tree are shown, together with artificial neural networks which include processing units of binary trees. The binary tree-producing method includes obtaining a set of binary training pattern vectors some of which are associated with a first pattern to be recognized, and the remainder of which are not associated with the first pattern. Those associated with the first pattern and the remainder are identified as category 1 and category 0 vectors, respectively. The set of vectors is used to generate a binary tree in computer memory, which tree includes a sequence of binary doublets each of which represents a tree node. One of four branch conditions is identified by each doublet including no branches, branch only left, branch only right or branch both left and right. The sequence of binary doublets is used to classify binary vectors.

Abstract: A highway traffic control method is shown in which the control method (80) and phasing scheme (82) are defined and recall switches are set (84) every cycle of operation. In time-of-day control methods (FIGS. 14 and 15) timing parameters (86) also are defined every cycle, and common cycle length and planned offset are computed (90) at the local master controller (16). Offset deviation is measured (94) and used along with the computed cycle length for adjustment of the local signal timing (96). Following execution of signal control, the control method, phasing scheme and timing parameters are defined and recall switches set in preparation for the next cycle of operation. In the traffic-responsive method, traffic data from local detectors are obtained and processed (100) and, using this data, signal timing parameters are computed using linear programming (102). In the traffic-adaptive method (FIG.

Abstract: Apparatus for obtaining in-vivo nuclear magnetic resonance data from a moving joint of a patient for imaging or spectroscopic purposes is shown which includes a support (10) for support of the patient's hand and lower arm (12). Support (10) includes a stationary section (20) and a pivotally movable section (22) which is oscillated by motor (32). A pivot shaft (26) supports member (22) for pivotal movement in the direction of arrow (30) about the shaft axis (28). Straps (14) and (16) attach the patient's hand and forearm to the respective moving and stationary sections of the support whereby the patient's wrist joint is oscillated along a predetermined path during operation of motor (32). A timing cylinder (40) with timing marks thereon is attached to shaft (26), for generation of master timing pulses by photocell (44) responsive to the timing marks through fiber optic member (42).

Abstract: An internal combustion engine (20) which includes an oscillating piston (52) and rotary valves (34) and (36) is shown. Oscillating movement of piston shaft (50) is transmitted to oscillating idler shaft (66). Outer and inner coaxial shafts (82) and (84) are connected by direction reversing gears (88) for counterrotation of the shafts. Outer shaft (82) is connected to oscillating shaft 66 through gear sets (102) and (104), and inner shaft (84) is connected thereto through gear sets (106) and (108). Gear sets (102) and (106) include one-way overrunning clutches (110) and (112), and gear sets (104) and (108) include electromagnetically controlled friction clutches. (See FIG. 1) In FIG. 13, mechanically operated clutches (200A) and (200B) are used in place of the electromagnetically controlled friction clutches shown in FIG. 1, and in FIG. 17, sector gear sets (244) and (246) connect oscillating shaft 66 to respective coaxial shafts (82) and (84).

Abstract: A rotary piston engine is shown which includes a housing (22) having a cylindrical working chamber with inlet (88) and exhaust (86) ports. First and second piston assemblies (30 and 32) each of which includes at least one pair of diametrically wedge-shaped pistons (30A and 30B, and 32A and 32B) are located in the working chamber. The piston assemblies rotate in the same direction at recurrently variable speeds so that one pair of diametrically opposite sub-chambers decreases in volume while the other pair increases in volume. In FIG. 1, four eccentric elliptical gear sets (60, 62, 64 and 66) interconnect coaxial piston shafts (38 and 36B). Compound eccentric elliptical gear sets (106 and 108) for interconnection of the piston shafts are shown in FIG. 7. Gear trains of large effective eccentricity are employed such that during the power phase of engine operation the trailing piston rotates only a small amount for efficient engine operation.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging system and method are shown which includes a transducer (10) for pulse insonification of an object (12) and for receiving echo signals from within the object. Echo signals are converted to electrical signals at the transducer (10) and the electrical signals are supplied to a signal processor (28). Processor (28) includes an envelope detector (38) and integrator (40) for integrating the detected output. Echo signals obtained from a first range zone (Z1) at the focal point (F) are processed by processor (28) and supplied to a hold circuit (50) to provide a reflection pixel signal value which is dependent upon reflectivity at the focal point. Echo signals obtained from a second range zone (Z2) opposite the focal point (F) also are processed by processor (28) and supplied to a hold circuit (52) to provide a transmission pixel signal value which is dependent upon attenuation of ultrasonic waves at the focal point (F).

Abstract: Beam scanning method and apparatus are shown comprising a cylindrical mirror upon which a focused beam is directed through the focus of the cylindrical mirror. The axis of the focused beam is pivoted about the focus of the cylindrical mirror for scanning the focused beam across the cylindrical mirror such that the axis of the focused beam reflected from the cylindrical mirror undergoes translational movement. A focus defect is introduced in the focused beam by reflection from the cylindrical mirror, the magnitude of which defect is a function of the angle between the optical axis of the cylindrical mirror and focused beam axis. Astigmatism is introduced in the focused beam directed onto the cylindrical mirror for at least partial compensation of the focus defect. By varying the astigmatism as a function of the angle between the optical axis of the cylindrical mirror and focused beam axis the focus defect may be eliminated when a parabolic cylindrical mirror is employed.