Abstract: A method of continuously encapsulating a component is disclosed. A predetermined quantity of viscous encapsulating material is applied to each of substantially opposite exterior portions of the component. Thereafter, an external force is applied to the encapsulating material causing it to flow substantially covering the entire exterior surface of the component, after which the encapsulating material is cured.

Abstract: A system for delivering separator material to a drum upon which optical waveguides are wound. The sheet material is delivered to the vicinity of the drum through a partially-enclosed guide and cut to length. Air jets are provided for urging the severed sheet material against the drum so that a succeeding layer of waveguides can be wound upon it.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for winding glass optical waveguide filaments during drawing thereof. When a spool is full, the apparatus automatically changes spools, attaches the filament being drawn to a spool moved into the winding station, and severs the filament from the full spool.

Abstract: An automatic system for scanning a generally cylindrical member with a thin beam of light. Detectors are provided for sensing interruption or scattering of the light beam by inclusions within the member. When an inclusion is detected transverse scanning stops and the beam is fixed along a chord of the cylinder. The cylinder is then rotated to cause the inclusion to intercept the chordal beam, and the information thus generated is used to identify the type and position of inclusions within the blank.

Abstract: An elongated burner for producing a stream of metal oxide soot comprises a burner face having two parallel arrays of orifices for issuing a gas-oxygen mixture to produce two intersecting linear flames. Disposed between the gas-oxygen orifices is an array of orifices for issuing metal halide vapor into the flame. Two parallel arrays of orifices, one on each side of the vapor orifices and closely spaced therewith provide high velocity jets of inner shield gas on opposite sides of the vapor streams. Disposed between the inner shield gas orifices and the gas-oxygen orifices are two elongated slots which are much greater in width than the diameters of the aforementioned orifices. These slots provide a large volume, low pressure dry, nonreactive gas which prevents the flame from "backsplashing" onto the region of the vapor orifices and further prevents the deposition of soot on the burner face.

Abstract: An optical fiber junction device for coupling a pair of optical fibers with a third optical fiber. A portion of the cladding is etched from the end portions of the pair of fibers, and those end portions are then secured together in side-by-side relationship so that their endfaces are coplanar. The third fiber is so disposed that the end portion thereof is substantially parallel to the end portions of the pair of fibers, and its endface is adjacent to the endfaces of the pair of fibers. Means is provided for causing lateral movement between the endfaces of the pair of fibers and that of the third fiber to vary the amount of light coupled between the pair of fibers and the third fiber.

Abstract: A recorder pen is mounted on the sample scanning stage of an electrophoretic sample analyzer. Movement of the stage scans the sample optically while, at the same time, the recorder pen produces an analog record of the optical analysis. A sample holder is mounted in the stage for detented movement in the direction orthogonal to the scanning motion of the sample stage. The sample holder can be moved to one of several detented positions so that different tracks of the samples are scanned.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for drawing glass optical waveguide filaments having minimal diameter variation. A draw blank is supported within an elongated, heated, tubular muffle which heats the blank to its draw temperature. Gas is supplied to that end of the muffle opposite that from which the filament is drawn. A cylindrically shaped member at least 10 cm long is disposed adjacent to the end of the blank opposite the filament to form with the inner wall of the muffle a thin, cylindrically-shaped channel through which the gas must flow. The gas stream is thus uniformly heated at the time that it reaches the root of the filament so that diameter variations due to gas turbulence are minimized.

Abstract: A method of making low loss glass optical waveguides, wherein at least one coating of glass soot is deposited by the flame hydrolysis process on a starting member. The starting member is removed from the coating material or glass soot preform leaving an aperture therein, and a tube is secured to one end of the preform. While the preform is heated to its consolidation termperature, an atmosphere including a drying agent flows from the tube into the aperture and through the porous preform, thereby removing water from the preform while the soot is consolidated to form a dense glass article. The tube can be removed, and the resultant dense glass article can be drawn into an optical waveguide fiber.

Abstract: An analyzer for electrophoretic samples includes a sensor of extremities, more particularly valleys, in the output from the detector. The analysis of electrophoretic samples includes integration of the area under each of the fractions of the multicomponent output. In order to integrate each of the components, it is necessary to detect valleys in the output. The detector output is first applied to a non-linear processor such as a logarithmic amplifier and a differentiator. The logarithmic amplifier changes the shape of the output to make the detection less dependent upon relative component amplitude. A threshold comparator produces a pulse when the slope of the analyzer output, as represented by the output of the differentiator, exceeds a threshold. The threshold is changed after the detection of the first valley. Noise suppression circuitry prevents the detector from responding to closely occurring extremities in the analyzer output.

Abstract: An automatic recording fluorometer/densitometer has an integral viewer for viewing and photographing fluorescent samples which have been applied to a clear, thin-film substrate. Light from an ultraviolet source is on the opposite side of the sample from the viewer when the sample is placed in a viewer holder. When the sample is placed in a recording holder, light from the same source is on the opposite side of the sample from the recorder optics. By having the source on the opposite side from the optics, it is possible to have the source much closer to the sample and to thereby reduce the stray ultraviolet light in the instrument. Another source emits visible light for densitometric analysis of the sample. A movable filter holder can be indexed to different positions for placing an ultraviolet filter or one of the densitometric filters in the optical path between the sources and the recording device.

Abstract: An analyzer for electrophoretic samples has a sample stage movable linearly with respect to a source and a detector of analysis energy. During a first scan of the sample, a voltage is produced representing either the minimum detected fluorescence or the minimum detected optical density. During a second scan, the voltage is combined with the output of the detector to automatically correct the output to a reference.

Abstract: An anticoagulant coating composition suitable for coating the interior surfaces of a blood microsample collection tube, such as a capillary tube, is disclosed. The coating composition consists essentially of ethylene diamine tetracetate held in a matrix of polyvinyl pyrrolidone. Both the ethylene diamine tetracetate and the polyvinyl pyrrolidone are dissolved in a water-alcohol mixture to form a coating composition solution.

Abstract: A low loss buffered optical waveguide fiber is described. An optical waveguide fiber is coated with a first layer of high modulus material applied to the exterior longitudinal surface thereof. Thereafter, a second layer of low modulus plastic material is disposed over the layer of high modulus material. The ratio R.sub.i /R.sub.o of the radii of the first and second applied layers is selected to minimize the microbending loss.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector comprising a first resilient member having elongated grooves in the surface thereof into which fibers to be optically connected are disposed end-to-end. A second resilient member is urged against that portion of the fibers opposite the first member, thereby causing a slight deformation of the second member and the groove forming walls. The substantial equilibrium of forces applied to each pair of fibers by the resilient members causes their axes to become aligned. A longitudinal force applied to each fiber urges the endface thereof into contact with the endface of the fiber that is to be connected thereto.

Abstract: An optical waveguide cable is disclosed wherein a bundle of waveguide fibers is formed from a plurality of individual fibers coated with a release agent. The fiber bundle is encapsulated within an encapsulating material in which at least two strength members are embedded. The strength members are disposed parallel to the bundle in a plane substantially through the longitudinal axis of the bundle, at least one of the strength members being disposed in the plane on one side of the bundle while the remaining strength members are disposed in the plane on the other side of the bundle. Each of the waveguide fibers may be coated with a protective layer of a synthetic resinous material applied over the release agent before the bundle is formed.

Abstract: A test sample for testing a recording fluorometer/densitometer has multiple tracks with features that generate detector outputs indicating performance parameters. In the normal mode of operation the instrument scans the optical absorbance or fluorescence characteristics of electrophoretic samples in a plurality of tracks on a thin agarose film plate. In order to correctly record the optical characteristics of these electrophoretic samples, the instrument must respond linearly and with the correct range, resolution and alignment. A test sample is scanned in the same manner as a normal sample. The resulting instrument output provides easily analyzed information on fluorometric and densitometric performance parameters including linearity, range, spatial resolution, slit and scan path alignments, scan speed and excitation uniformities, response time, noise, electrical and optical offsets, integration accuracies, automatic gain and zeroing accuracies.

Abstract: A quadriplanar capacitor and the method of forming it is disclosed. A capacitor element is disposed within an open ended enclosure and sealed therein, the enclosure forming one capacitor electrode. The open end of the enclosure forms a quadrilateral. A flat electrode member forming the second capacitor electrode is fixedly attached to a lead which itself is rigidly attached to the capacitor element. The flat member is disposed parallel to the enclosure opening and spaced from the enclosure by the lead. The flat member is substantially coextensive with the enclosure opening.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector comprising a first resilient member having an elongated V-shaped groove in the surface thereof into which two fibers to be optically connected are disposed end-to-end. A second resilient member is urged against that portion of the fibers opposite the first member, thereby causing a slight deformation of the second member and the slot-forming walls. The substantial equilibrium of forces applied to the two fibers by the resilient members causes their axes to become aligned. The preferred embodiment is capable of connecting corresponding fibers of two bundles and also includes means for positioning the endfaces of the fibers of one bundle in virtual contact with the endfaces of the fibers of the other bundle.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film capacitor having a tantalum oxide dielectric is described. A dielectric substrate having a non-tantalum electrically conductive film electrode formed thereon is disposed within a vacuum environment. A film of tantalum oxide is applied over the conductive film within the vacuum environment. The composite is then removed from the vacuum environment and disposed within an anodizing bath wherein an electrical current is passed through the tantalum oxide film, the current being substantially constant until a predetermined desired voltage is reached. Thereafter, a second electrically conductive film electrode is disposed over the so-formed tantalum oxide film.