Abstract: A motorized water hydrant of the type operated by a bi-directional electric motor assembly is provided with a mechanism for operating the hydrant in the event of electric power failure. A motor drive shaft rigidly coupled to a valve stem on the hydrant has first and second portions of circular and hexagonal cross-section, respectively. A handle member having a hexagonal aperture therein is slidably mounted on the drive shaft for movement between a first position in which the first portion of the shaft may rotate freely within the handle aperture, and a second position in which the second portion of the shaft mates with the handle aperture and prevents the motor drive shaft from rotating in the motor assembly. The motor assembly is rotatably mounted on the hydrant housing for movement about the valve stem axis. When the handle is moved to its second position and the motor assembly is manually rotated about the valve stem axis, the hydrant operates manually.

Abstract: The invention provides a tube adapter for use on a plurality of different types of tubes. The tube adapter includes a sleeve in which to receive smaller diameter tubes. The sleeve preferably includes a bar code reader slot to allow reading of bar codes on the tubes through the sleeve. The sleeve includes a spring portion biased to retain tubes in the tube adapter. The sleeve also preferably includes a key for aligning the tube adapter in a tube cassette. The tube adapter can include a clip to prevent the tube adapter from inadvertently being removed, rotated or dropped from the tube cassette.

Abstract: Each snow-gun site of a multisite snow-making system is equipped with a microprocessor-based logic and control unit. The latter responds to time-varying signals representative of the ambient temperature and relative humidity of its associated site to continuously adjust the flow rate of water applied to the snow gun(s) of such site in order to maintain a desired snow consistency. Based on the instantaneous values of temperature and relative humidity, the logic and control unit determines a nominal water flow rate value which, for the particular parameters of the snow-making system, will produce a desired snow consistency. This nominal value is compared with the present water flow rate value to produce a control signal used for adjusting a motor-controlled valve which determines the water flow rate applied to the snow-gun. The nominal water flow rate value can be selectively adjusted, on site, to account, for example, for gradual changes in system parameters, e.g.

Abstract: A passive infrared motion detection system is provided with means for detecting increases and/or decreases in the sensor or system sensitivity by a predetermined amount vis-a-vis a nominal level. Various schemes are disclosed for implementing this concept.

Abstract: A power block adapted to couple a water-cooled power cable of a welding torch or the like to a power source and a water conduit. The power block comprises an electrically conductive housing which defines an aperture for receiving a post of a power supply, and a pair of angularly disposed cylindrical ports for receiving and retaining a water conduit and a water-cooled power cable. By virtue of the angular relationship between such ports, there is minimal stress on the water-containing sleeves of the water conduit and power cable, and lower torque about the power post tending to loosen the power block from engagement with the post. Preferably, the power block housing defines a third port having a quick-connect/disconnect feature for receiving and retaining a second power cable.

Abstract: A wallbox-mountable system for controlling electrical power to a load is disclosed. The system comprises a yoke, a frame, a toggle switch and at least one slidable lever. The yoke has an opening which is completely occupied by the frame member and the frame member has at least one channel. The toggle switch has a its handle extending through the frame and has one end mechanically coupled to a means for turning power on and off to a load. The slidable lever extends through the channel and is mechanically coupled to a means for adjusting the power to a load.

Abstract: An energy-saving lighting control system is selectively operable in either a normal mode, in which certain lighting parameters (e.g., maximum and minimum light levels, fade rates, etc.) are preset and lighting level is determined by which of a plurality of inputs requires the least electrical power, or in an off-normal mode (e.g., a calibration or light-adjustment mode) in which certain parameters are adjustable by manually adjusting the position of a movable member, such as a wiper blade in a potentiometer. A microprocessor-based logic and control unit is adapted to automatically switch from the normal operating mode to the off-normal mode in response to movement of the movable member. After a predetermined time period following the most recent movement of the movable member, the logic and control unit stores the new level of the adjusted parameter, and returns to the normal operating mode. Preferably, the system has multiple outputs by which different types of fluorescent lamp ballasts can be controlled.

Abstract: In a fluorescent lighting controller, a switching circuit operates to selectively couple a bank of electronic ballasts to an AC power source (100-277 Volts, 50-60 Hertz). The switching circuit comprises a pair of relays, preferably connected in parallel, with one of such relays having a controllably conductive device, such as an electronic switch, and preferably a triac, connected in series therewith. With the relays open, an air gap isolates the power source and ballasts. In closing the relays in sequence, one relay provides a conductive path from the power source to the triac. After a suitable delay to allow the relay contacts to stabilize in the closed position, the triac is triggered to provide a conductive path from the power source to the ballasts, and a large current surge (as much as 300 amps) flow to the ballasts. After the current surge has subsided, the other relay is closed to provide a direct conductive path between the power source and ballasts.

Abstract: A multi-sensor security/fire alarm system comprises a master control unit which repeatedly interrogates, e.g., by a multiplexing scheme, the respective inputs and/or operating status of a plurality of remote sensor units (e.g., intrusion and fire sensors). In response to an alarm or other off-normal condition detected by any of the remote sensors, the master control notifies an alarm-monitoring service which either responds itself to the detected condition, or notifies the local police or fire department. To prevent one alarm-monitoring service from taking over, without authorization, the alarm-monitoring accounts of another service which may have expended considerable time and expense in installing the system, the master control unit is mated with its associated sensors by a unique code. According to a preferred embodiment, each sensor comprises an EEPROM which stores a unique portion (e.g.

Abstract: A security/fire alarm system includes a plurality of event-sensors, e.g. intrusion and smoke sensors, each being identifiable by a unique digital address defined by a multibit binary address code. A central control unit operates to repeatedly address the sensors to determine their respective alarm and/or operating status. To minimize the cycle time required to sequentially interrogate all sensors, the central control unit operates to address groups of sensors simultaneously, each of the groups consisting of a sub-plurality of all the sensors. In response to being addressed, each sensor in an addressed group of sensors transmits a different binary bit or digit of a multibit digital response code which is defined collectively by the transmitted bits. The logical state of each of such binary bits indicates the general status (i.e. normal/abnormal) of the event-sensing unit that transmitted the bit.

Abstract: A lighting control device for controlling the state and intensity level of at least one lamp.

Abstract: An infant carrier adapted to be worn about the waist of an adult for supporting and transporting an infant on the hip region of the wearer. According to a preferred embodiment, such carrier comprises a fabric belt and an integral fabric seat portion which is adapted to receive and support an infant who is positioned to face the adult wearer with legs straddling the wearer's waist. The integral seat portion is defined by a section of the belt, a loop of fabric extending away from and back to the belt section at spaced locations, and a pair of spaced gussets, positioned one above the other and connecting the belt section and the loop portion. A compressible member, such as polyurethane, foam rubber, or a bladder of air, is disposed in the volume defined by the aforementioned seat-defining members.

Abstract: Channel encoded data (for example run length limited encoded data) is further encoded in accordance with a shift correction code prior to transmission. Upon reception, forward and backward shift errors present in the received channel encoded data are corrected by a shift correction decoder. The shift error correction is accomplished using a code, such as (for example) a BCH code over GF(p) or a negacyclic code, which treats each received symbol as a vector having p states. For a single shift error correction, p=3 and there are three states (forward shift, backward shift, no shift). In one embodiment, conventional error correction codewords which encode the user data may be interleaved within successive shift correction codewords prior to channel encoding, thereby enabling the error correction system to easily handle a high rate of randomly distributed shift errors (which otherwise would result in a high rate of short error bursts that exceed the capacity of the block error correction code).