Abstract: A grinding wheel dresser, integratable with a grinding apparatus and useable to repeatedly dress the face of a grinding wheel to a selected contour in alternation with use of the grinding wheel, the dresser having a dressing mechanism, a dressing control mechanism coupled to the dressing mechanism to control the dressing mechanism in dressing the face of the grinding wheel, and an integration mechanism coupled to the dressing mechanism to provide for integration of the grinding wheel dresser with the grinding apparatus. The dressing control mechanism preferably includes a template mechanism providing information representative of the selected contour to which the face of the grinding wheel is to be dressed; a translation mechanism translating the template's information into displacements of the dressing mechanism; and an actuation mechanism, coupled to the translation mechanism, actuating the displacements.

Abstract: A surgical retractor and method for use thereof. The retractor is comprised of an elongate shaft having at one end a screw made of coiled, round wire which terminates at a sharp point for attachment to an organ and a connector at the other end of the shaft. Preferably, the connector comprises an enlarged portion having a polygonal cross section for engagement by a wrench. The retractor is inserted into the peritoneal cavity of a patient through a laparoscopic port and the screw is threaded into the wall of the organ to be retracted, for example, the gallbladder. The organ is resected and thereafter drawn out of the cavity using the retractor.

Abstract: A medical knot tying instrument having a first member including proximal and distal ends, a gripping mechanism for releasably gripping a first length of suture proximate the distal end of the first member and a holding mechanism for releasably holding a second length of suture proximate the location where the gripping mechanism grips the first length of suture but separated therefrom a predetermined distance toward the first member's proximal end. Gripping one length of suture using the gripping mechanism and holding a second length of suture using the holding mechanism, the instrument is rotated in one angular direction so that the second length of suture forms a loop around the instrument whereupon the second length is grasped using a separate grasping instrument.

Abstract: A handgun sighting device forming an integral part of the handgun and employing a laser device for projecting a laser beam. The laser device is included in a laser assembly disposed adjacent the top portion of the handgun's handgrip rearward of the trigger and extends laterally away from the handgrip a distance sufficient to allow the projection of the laser beam, while not being obtrusive to the user. For powering the laser device, the sighting device employs driving circuitry preferably disposed within the handgrip. For selectively enabling the laser device, the sighting device employs a switch mechanism preferably accessible on the handgrip. The sighting device, in one embodiment, is adapted for use with handguns having handgrips with removable grip panels and, in another embodiment, is adapted for use in handguns that do not employ removable grip panels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fast response and distortion measurement of a signal transfer device. A computer processor generates a multitone test signal of predetermined duration and stores it in a memory. The test signal is read out, converted to analog form, if necessary, and applied to the input of a device under test. The output produced by the device under test in response to the test signal is acquired and digitized, if necessary, and a Fast Fourier Transform is performed on the acquired data to determine its spectral characteristics. Frequency response, harmonic distortion, intermodulation distortion, phase distortion, wow and flutter and other signal transfer characteristics are measured by the CPU by analysis of the output signal.

Abstract: A fixture for angularly aligning an optical device. A monolithic structure is provided having a first adjustment member for holding an optical device and tilting the device in one direction, a second adjustment member attached to the first adjustment member for tilting the optical device in a direction orthogonal to the direction of tilt provided by the first adjustment member, and a base for holding the first and second adjustment members. The first adjustment member is attached to the second adjustment member by a flexible connection having a tilt axis in a first lateral direction and the second adjustment member is attached to the base by a connection having a tilt axis in a lateral direction orthogonal to the lateral direction of the first connection.

Abstract: A bladed tool for use as a sod cutter, for breaking up the soil in gardens and as an edger. An elongate handle is attached to a blade having first, second and third edges which generally define a triangle. The handle is attached to the blade immediately adjacent the first edge so as to extend away from the second edge substantially parallel to the first edge. A plurality of serrations are disposed along the third edge. The serrations are preferably separated by grooves formed in the face of the blade, extending substantially parallel to the first edge, and grooves terminating at the third edge in respective notches. The serrations are about as wide or wider than the notches and the tips of the serrations are relatively wide in relation to the notches. Each serration has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the trailing edge having a portion substantially parallel to the first edge and a portion near the tip thereof which is beveled on one side of the blade so as to form a cutting edge.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for attaching a trailer to a vehicle. An apparatus is provided having a winch attached to the trailer for pulling the trailer to the vehicle, a substantially flat strap connected to the winch at one end and having a flat attachment member with an aperture therethrough at the other end for placement over the ball portion of a hitch at the other end for connecting the trailer to the vehicle, and a multi-position arm attached to the trailer forward of the winch for lifting the receiver portion up and over the ball portion of the hitch when the strap is effectively shortened by winding it up on the winch. The arm is pivotally attached at one end by a block on the underside of the tongue of the trailer. A bearing member is disposed at the other end of the arm. The arm may be moved backward to a first-position and pinned in place so that it is tucked underneath the tongue for storage.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cooking tortilla chips. Toast points on a baked tortilla chip are produced by a process whereby tortilla dough pieces cut to the shape of tortilla chips are placed on a stainless steel, open weave conveyor belt which passes through an electric oven whose temperature is controlled in the range of about 700 to 800 degrees Fahrenheit for about ten to twenty seconds, and thereafter baking the chips at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. By cutting the dough into chips prior to running them through the electric oven on an open weave conveyor belt, a random pattern of toast points is created.

Abstract: A transistor amplifier having a main amplifier exhibiting a substantially doubled f.sub.T characteristic and having error cancellation circuitry, wherein the standing current of the error cancellation circuitry is reused in powering the main amplifier. The main amplifier comprises an outer differential pair of transistors and an inner differential pair of transistors, each differential pair having an inverting side and a non-inverting side. The collectors of the transistors of the non-inverting side of the differential pairs are connected, respectively, at a first current summing node. The collectors of the transistors of the inverting side of the differential pairs are connected, respectively, at a second current summing node. The f.sub.

Abstract: A laparo-suture needle and method for use thereof. A medical suturing instrument employs an outer, hollow shaft having a laterally-disposed, elongate handle at a proximal end and an elongate, inner shaft disposed within the outer shaft. The inner shaft has a cutting edge at the distal end and extends out of the outer shaft at the proximal end, terminating in a spring-loaded push button. A lateral notch is formed in the inner shaft proximal of the cutting edge. The spring forces the inner shaft rearwardly so as to pull the notch within the outer shaft. By gripping the handle and placing pressure on the push button, the inner shaft is moved forward so as to expose the notch. A suture may then be placed in the notch so that the instrument grips the suture between the outer shaft and the inner shaft when the push button is released.

Abstract: An electronic device enclosure is provided having a top and a bottom, preferably each made of a polycarbonate plastic material and having respective lower and upper edges which are the same shape, and an elastomeric cover which fits over the top and wraps around the lower edge thereof so as to seal the joint between the top and the bottom. Preferably, the cover is made of silicone rubber or urethane of a durometer in the range of 40 to 60. Push buttons with associated suspensions are moulded integrally into the cover so as to protrude downwardly through apertures in the top and engage push button switches on the electronic device therein. A display aperture may be provided in the top and, if so, a portion of the cover also wraps around the edges of the display aperture so as to be disposed between the display and the cover.

Abstract: A multi-ring gasket and flanged pipe joint assembly. A gasket for sealing the joint between two flanged pipes of polyvinylchloride, chlorinated polyvinylchloride or fiberglass-reinforced plastic pipe is provided. The gasket has an inner ring, an outer ring and a plurality of spokes connecting the inner ring to the outer ring. Voids, or reduced thickness areas, are formed between the inner ring, the outer ring and the spokes so as to leave substantial space between the flanges at the voids and thereby reduce the uneven distribution of stress on the flanges when the gasket is installed.

Abstract: An assembly having a plurality of elongate feet for supporting optical equipment. The feet are attached to the optical equipment by a fastener. A plurality of alternate carrier holes or an H-shaped aperture are provided in each foot so that, with the fastener disposed through any one such hole or at any one position in said H-shaped aperture, the fastener may be screwed into the adapter hole of the optical equipment. The feet are adapted to rotate about the fastener in respective planes parallel to the bottom of the optical equipment. Each foot has a plurality of alternate leg holes for receiving objects which function as legs supporting the assembly.

Abstract: An optical time domain reflectometry method and apparatus that employs Hadamard transforms to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. A sequence of N pulses of light corresponding to a Hadamard derived code are launched down a fiber optic cable for each of N such codes. Selected combinations of pulses of reflected light are transformed by a Hadamard derived matrix to a set of equations that are solved simultaneously to determine the power reflected from each of N points. Where a Hadamard code is used the average mean square error is reduced by a factor of 1/N. Where a simplex code is employed the average mean square error is reduced by a factor of 4N/(1+N).sup.2. In addition, N measurements of the power reflected at each point are computed and averaged.

Abstract: A fast response liquid crystal optical retarder system. A liquid crystal retarder system employs one or more liquid crystal cells and corresponding drive circuits. The drive circuits provide to the cell a rectangular wave ac voltage signal whose RMS voltage is controlled. To switch from one retardance to another, the voltage is increased or decreased beyond the voltage corresponding to the target retardance and then, prior to or when the target retardance is reached, the applied voltage is switched to the voltage corresponding to the target retardance. One or more pairs of liquid crystal cells provided sequentially along the path of light propagation and with their eigen-axis orthogonal to one another to increase or decrease the total retardance rapidly. The retarder system is incorporated in a polarization control system and in a fiber-optic link.

Abstract: An ac mains test apparatus and method. An audio frequency signal measurement instrument is provided with a circuit for testing the ac mains to which the instrument is connected. The ac mains is internally connected to a coupler which presents an attenuated portion of the ac mains to the low level input of the instrument. A switch is provided for selectively connecting the input either to an audio signal to be measured or to the ac mains portion. The coupler both attenuates the ac mains for input to the instrument and isolates the relatively high ac mains voltage from the low level input.

Abstract: A digital data generation system including a programmable dominance RS flip-flop has a random access memory that stores a user selected sequence of test data. A pattern formatting logic circuit receives the test data and produces, for each data period, a coarsely timed candidate pulse for identifying the leading edge of an output data pulse and a coarsely timed candidate pulse for identifying the trailing edge of the output data pulse. A precision delay circuit finely tunes the timing of the candidate pulses. The finely tuned pulses are applied to an RS flip-flop circuit which can be programmed for set or reset dominance, thereby preventing an indeterminate state when a logic "1" is applied to both the set and the reset input. In the system, the flip-flop is programmed so that the most recent of the lead pulse or the trail pulse prevails.

Abstract: A numerically-controlled modulated oscillator and modulation method which selectively provides frequency modulation, phase modulation or amplitude modulation with minimal circuitry. A numerically-controlled modulated oscillator is provided having a tuning register for receiving a center frequency parameter, an adder for receiving at one input the frequency parameter, a phase accumulator for receiving a phase increment number from the adder and producing a waveform phase number, a waveform memory for producing a waveform amplitude number in response to the phase number, and a digital-to-analog converter for producing an analog signal in response to the waveform amplitude number. Another input is provided to the adder from an angle modulation register which provides an angle modulation parameter. This parameter can perform either phase or frequency modulation.