Abstract: A body portion of an optical reader has an elastomeric skirt surrounding the lateral edges thereof. The laterally spaced front edges of the skirt, which are on either side of a window through which the light is emitted and received along an optical axis, are angled rearwardly from a plane normal to the axis. The front edges extend downwardly and forwardly from a front edge of the bottom wall of a body, and also extend forwardly from a front edge of the top wall of the body. These features allow the lower ends of the front edges of the skirt to be placed on a surface near the target to act as a fulcrum in rotating the handle of the scanner to selectively place the reader in close proximity to the target, while at the same time allowing the operator to view the target.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor is disclosed that includes a variable capacitor transducer that varies its capacitance with changes in an environmental parameter. The present invention is adapted to measure any linear parameter such as pressure, force, or distance. The sensor of the present invention is compact, inexpensive to make, and easily fabricated using commonly available components. Furthermore, it is not susceptible to errors caused by vibration, acceleration, and its orientation to the earth's gravitational field. The output of the capacitive sensor does not substantially drift with changes in temperature.

Abstract: A filter assembly for use in the CATV industry includes a circuit formed by components mounted upon at least one circuit board with a plurality of paths or traces on the board connecting each section of the circuit to a member at ground potential. The grounding member may be a grounding bus on the circuit board which is in contact with a housing wherein the circuit board is mounted, or the paths may extend from a circuit component to contact the housing directly. The paths are kept to a very short length, preferably not more than 2.5 millimeters and in no case longer than 5 millimeters. This avoids the presence of inductive and/or resistive parasitics in the paths, thereby avoiding the degradation of performance typical in comparable prior art filter circuits, particularly at higher frequencies, e.g., above about 300 MHz. In the preferred embodiment grounding buses in the form of elongated strips extend along opposite edge portions of the board.

Abstract: A filter circuit directed primarily to use in the CATV industry includes at least one frequency dependent component, such as an RF choke, capacitor or inductor, for attenuating signals over at least a portion of the frequency range of signals which pass through the filter. In a typical application, signals are transmitted and received in both forward and return paths at each end of a multi-channel, two-way communication system. Signals in the frequency range of the return path, or of both paths, are attenuated by a desired amount, which is essentially constant over the frequency range of attenuation. In any case, the circuit component providing the attenuation is frequency dependent, thus providing a number of advantages, such as reducing the number of circuit components, reducing filter size and cost, and/or increasing the filter's electric surge and power handling capabilities.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an Installation for feeding a plurality of loads, e.g. cells of aluminum melting furnaces, with a bulk material such as pulverized aluminum oxide. The installation includes a silo for the bulk material. The silo includes a pressure vessel or pump delivering machinery which is connected with a conveying line. A plurality of receiving vessels are connected with the conveying line via valves in the vicinity of the furnace loads. The receiving vessels are connected to the plurality of loads of the furnaces by at least one pneumatic conveying chute or pneumatic pipe channel. Each conveying chute or pipe channel includes at least one discharge per load.

Abstract: A pressure plate for an electrical device includes at least one internal standoff, at least one outboard standoff, and an anti-rotation leg. The internal and outboard standoffs prevent overtightening of the terminal screw. The anti-rotation leg preserves the orientation of the pressure plate and prevents a speed wire arm from being deformed when removing a speed wired wire from the device.

Abstract: A wireless medical telemetry system includes at least one wireless patient monitor configured to monitor a patient by collecting vital signs data from the patient, and a first central station associated with one or more wireless transceivers, and adapted to establish communications with the at least one patient monitor and receive the vital signs data via the one or more wireless transceivers. A second central station is associated with the one or more wireless transceivers, and adapted to receive vital signs data via the one or more wireless transceivers. The second central station is configured to automatically attempt to establish communications with the at least one patient monitor and receive the vital signs data in place of the first central station in the event the communications between the first central station and the at least one patient monitor are lost. There is also a method for monitoring a patient.

Abstract: Apparatus for preventing the unwanted changing of the temperature range setting of an air conditioner unit. The shaft of a unit's thermostat is passed through a first panel and a control knob is mounted upon the distal end of the shaft. A raised second panel is placed over the first panel having an opening for rotatably receiving the body of the control knob. A radially extended arm is mounted upon the control knob so that it swings over an arcuate path of travel between the panels as the shaft turns. Spaced apart holes are formed in one of the panels along the arcuate path of travel and stop pins are removably mounted in said holes on either side of the arm to control the range of movement of the shaft and thus the operating range of the air conditioner.

Abstract: A method for operating a film leak detector (1) which includes two films (5, 6) each stretched in a frame (3, 4), which, with a test sample (79) emplaced, delimit a test chamber (80). The detector is equipped with two vacuum pumps (13, 30), in which first the test chamber (80) is evacuated and, after the evacuation operation, a leak detection operation takes place. In order to avoid test gas pollution and impurities during the first phase of the evacuation of the test chamber (80), only one (13) of the two vacuum pumps is operated and during the leak detection operation only the second vacuum pump (30) is operated.

Abstract: The invention is a low cost, low input power eye viewing device well suited for viewing wide field retinal images through an undilated pupil. Included in the device are a converging light illumination system and an aperture stop. The converging light illumination system provides ease of entry of light rays into an eye, wide field retinal illumination, reduced glare and reduced power consumption. The aperture stop blocks unwanted received glare light not forming part of the retinal image. The device is made especially well suited for retinal viewing through an undilated pupil if the aperture is sized in accordance with the diameter of an undilated pupil.

Abstract: Downstream series and parallel arcing in AC power lines is determined by using a detector and microprocessor to detect characteristic di/dt behavior received from a current sensor through which the power lines pass. When downstream parallel arcing is detected, the microprocessor uses a speedy algorithm which cannot be used to detect series arcing. Upstream series arcing is detected by sensing a flat voltage portion of the line voltage. Upstream parallel arcing is detected by sensing a voltage spike followed by a voltage flat portion of the line voltage. When upstream parallel arcing is detected, the microprocessor is temporarily shut off to avoid false tripping.

Abstract: A drum includes a hub defining in its central part a ring acting as a point for fixing and adjusting the cylindrical portion of the drum along variable positions by defining a variation in the material length strip format. The cylindrical portion of the drum is arranged in two parts capable of having a movement spacing one from the other by elastic deformation of one of the cylinder parts so as to define the drum circumference and the format variation, the parts capable of being mutually locked in position.

Abstract: A blood pressure measuring apparatus includes a sleeve having an inflatable interior, and gage housing having a movement mechanism disposed within said housing. The sleeve includes a socket which is sized to receive an engagement portion of the gage housing for directly attaching said gage housing to said sleeve to permit fluid interconnection between the interior of said inflatable sleeve and the interior of said housing without requiring a hose there between. The engagement portion of the gage housing can include an adapter to permit snap-fitting to the sleeve.

Abstract: An absorption refrigeration unit having a purge system that will sense when the discharge pressure of the solution pump becomes subatmospheric and will automatically increase the speed of the pump to bring the discharge pressure up to a desired level above atmospheric pressure so that a purging cycle can be achieved. The system further monitors the generation solution level and interrupts the purging cycle in the event the solution reaches an undesirable level.

Abstract: A safety bed includes a wooden bed frame which supports a mattress, a footboard attached to one lateral side of said support structure, a headboard disposed at an opposing end of said support structure, and a pair of lateral side rails interconnecting the footboard and the headboard on opposing sides of the bed frame. A guard rail adapter includes at least one guard member that extends over the entire length of one side of said bed frame, the guard rail member including an upper end and a lower end. Each of the upper and lower ends of the guard members are releasably attached to the bed frame, the lower end of the guard rail member being pivotally attached to the bed frame such that the guard rail member can pivot between a first raised position and a second lowered position relative to the bed frame to prevent a patient from injury. Once the adapter is removed, the bed can assume the role and appearance of a typical standard or twin-size bed.

Abstract: A weather-resistant outlet box is hinged at one corner and includes a cover which latches to a back body at an opposite corner. A flexible latch member, which contains a hook member, is molded as an integral part of the cover. A catch piece on the back body interlocks with the hook member when the cover is closed. The flexible latch member includes a trigger member extending from the hook member. A thumb rest on the cover permits one-handed operation. The cover is opened by placing a user's thumb on the thumb rest while simultaneously pulling the trigger member with the user's finger, thus unlocking the hook member from the catch piece and permitting the cover to open.

Abstract: A locking buckle for a seat belt which includes a latch assembly having a funnel shaped receiving portion which includes a plurality of spring actuated locking members at the bottom of the receiving portion which is adapted to be moved between an open and locked position in response to pressure from a locking member. The locking member has a conically shaped head portion and a retention shoulder at the back of the conical head, with the head portion being adapted to engage the locking members in a locked position and where the locking members contact the retention shoulder in locked engagement. In one embodiment, the locking member further includes an outer retention strap for holding the user's hand in permanent contact with the locking member.