Abstract: A scanning system using at least one mirror for scanning material to read (or alternatively to be written upon) with a laser beam is provided. Air under pressure is fed into a hollow shaft and escapes through a turbine on the shaft to rotate the shaft. The shaft is supported by air bearings. The shaft rotates the mirror during scanning. Air pressure escaping from the air bearings is vented to the ambient atmosphere. Two special thrust bearings are provided to improve the stability of the shaft. Each thrust bearing applies a force on the shaft in a direction parallel to the axis of the shaft and opposite to the force applied by the other thrust bearing. Each thrust bearing comprises a cavity in the housing, a flat plate attached to the shaft, and a porous bronze plate between the cavity and the flat plate. The air pressures in the two cavities are separately adjustable to enable the operator to select pressures that provide the system with maximum stability.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods and apparatus for medical decision making. In particular, this invention coordinates the actions of two or more medical teams who are working toward a common goal. The apparatus used to achieve this objective consists of a control unit especially adapted for instructing, through algorithms, two or more teams of personnel to make observations and measurements, to answer questions, and to perform procedures independently and frequently simultaneously in a coordinated manner to achieve a common goal. The control unit interfaces with each medical team through an information display screen and data entry panel (I/O station).

Abstract: A scanning system receives and ejects material to be scanned in a given plane. There are first and second transports, each for holding material to be scanned. A table has a bed capable of holding one of the transports. Rails above the bed hold the other transport. These rails may be operated to drop any transport that is on the rails onto the bed. The bed and rails may be raised and lowered so that any transport, on the bed, is in the given plane when a transport is to be fed into the scanning system, and so that any transport ejected from the scanning system will be received on the rails. With this apparatus the two transports may be scanned alternately, with the material on one being changed while the other is being scanned. The transports are moved by rollers and pushing devices.

Abstract: A method of feeding material to be scanned to, and ejecting such material from, a scanning system is provided. The scanning system receives, ejects and transports carrying material to be scanned. Two such transports are provided, to permit material to be scanned on one transport while the material on the other transport is changed and/or modified. The transports are fed into the scanning system from a bed and are received from the system on rails. The rails are above the bed. The bed and rails are in one vertical position when transports are fed from the bed into the scanning system and at another vertical position when a transport is ejected from the scanning system onto the rails. A transport may be dropped from the rails to the bed.

Abstract: This specification discloses a method and means for color detection and modification wherein the recognition of color is based on the definition of a three-dimensional color sub-space within a three-dimensional color universe. Chromaticity values are digitized and modeled as a function of brightness or luminance. Three eight-bit words (each having 256 values) are stored for each pixel of a digitized color picture. The first value is an approximation of luminance, while the second and third values represent variations of chromaticity or chrominance. Over sixteen million combinations of color values are available for each of over one million pixels in a 1024.times.1024 pixel array image. Pattern recognition techniques are used to determine if a given color value lies within the three-dimensional color sub-space. Additional means and method are disclosed to modify or manipulate the color defined by the color sub-space.

Abstract: This invention describes a pickproof key lock where the key sets up a series of tumblers each of which has a notch or other configuration that cooperates with a sidebar. This sidebar, when out of engagement with the tumblers, keeps the lock in the inoperative position. The sidebar does not contact the tumblers and is kept in this position normally by the action of two opposing preloaded springs. When a key is inserted into the lock, the internal mechanism is made to operate on the sidebar to move it further away from the tumblers. The mechanism then releases the sidebar and the sidebar is propelled towards the tumblers by the action of a spring. If the tumblers have been properly set, as by a correct key, the sidebar enters the notches in the tumblers and is latched in that position. The lock can then be opened. If any of the tumblers were not set correctly, the sidebar simply impacts against such tumblers and is returned to its normal rest position out of contact with the tumblers.

Abstract: A frame-supported disposable ribbon supply and take-up cartridge for typewriters and printers of the type employing a carriage-transported printing device is equipped with a constant path length ribbon guiding and directing structure which can be collapsed and folded for compact packaging and which can also be factory pre-threaded to eliminate any need for the operator to fit a ribbon leader around any guides on the print carriage. One form of the invention uses twin one-way articulated ribbon guides which are connected by a ribbon directing bar and are each orthogonally pivoted to the sides of the cartridge for collapsing, rotating, and folding against the sides of the cartridge. The other form uses a single two-way articulated ribbon-guiding structure pivoted to the cartridge and having a second articulated structure, all of which can be folded against the sides of the cartridge.

Abstract: A cap for securing a printing plate, sheet of paper, or other flat piece of material to a plate or bed having one or more registration pins, is provided. The cap has a resilient O ring for securing it to the pin. The cap is actually applied to, and removed from, the pin by a cap holding and releasing device. The cap holding and releasing device is mounted on an elevator which carries the printing plate (or paper etc.) to the bed and deposits it on the bed.

Abstract: A keyboard input device for printers, composing apparatus, or clear text display devices which employ type fonts that can be changed at will, has a group of multiple indicia bearing keys which can be positioned to bring a different set of indicia to a readable position to indicate to the operator the character make-up of the type font being used. Both manual and electrical mechanisms are provided to effect indicia positioning. Mechanism is also provided to interconnect indicia selection with either manual or automatic type font selection and changing. Each key operates an electrical switch which is connected to a diode matrix to provide coded output to the device under control.

Abstract: The transport, that carries the material to be scanned to and from scanning position, is held against its support by suction. After the transport has been moved into scanning position the suction is applied progressively starting at one end of the transport and continuing to the other end. A squeegee roller presses the transport against its support. This roller passes over the portion of the transport to which suction has just been applied, but prior to the time that suction is applied to the next section of the transport.

Abstract: The invention provides a way of positioning the material to be scanned with respect to a mirror that both rotates and translates in order to reflect a scanning beam on the material. A sector of a cylinder has the same axis as the rotating mirror. The material to be scanned is mounted on the top of a flexible plate. The flexible plate may rest flat on a table outside of the area scanned. The flexible plate may then be pushed into the cylinder with the bottom face of the flexible plate in contact with the inner side wall of the sector of the cylinder. When the flexible plate has reached the proper position in the cylinder, the bottom face of the plate of the flexible plate is held in position against the inner wall of the sector of the cylinder by suction, so that scanning may proceed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrically driven oscillating compressor, in particular for use as refrigerating machine, comprising a piston compressor, an electric oscillating drive for directly driving the piston compressor and a pulse shaper for supplying energy to the electric oscillating drive, wherein the group consisting of the compressor piston which is resiliently held in a central initial position, the other oscillating masses, the gas spring rate and the electric components of the oscillating drive form an electro-mechanical oscillating system whose natural frequency is at least approximately equal to the frequency of the current energizing the oscillating drive.

Abstract: A plurality of vertical, elongated tubes are suspended longitudinally between a horizontal upper cross-piece and a horizontal lower cross-piece of a frame. Flanking the elongated tube on each side thereof is a striker element which is also suspended between the upper cross-piece and the lower cross-piece, the suspended, elongated tube and the two suspended striker elements on either side representing a single tube assembly. Interposed between adjacent tube assemblies are longitudinal frame pieces. Pivoting the upper cross-piece about a stationary point on the lower cross-piece results in the striker elements reciprocating laterally. When moving in one direction, a striker element contacts the elongated tube; in the opposite direction, the striker element contacts a longitudinal frame piece. Resilient pads are located on the longitudinal frame pieces where the striker elements make contact, thereby decreasing the sound of a striker element as it strikes a longitudinal frame piece.

Abstract: A printer employing a movable print carriage is fitted with a single rigid bar-like carriage support structure having three very narrow, low friction, plain guideways, either grooves or rails, kinematically arranged for extremely accurate guiding of the printing carriage as it moves along the writing line. The print carriage is fitted with kinematically arranged mechanically reciprocal guides for engaging the guideway grooves or rails. The carriage support structure is made sufficiently rigid and massive to also serve as the printer frame for supporting the platen and other printer parts and elements. The location of the three guideways, primary feed roller bearing supports, platen supports, and platen adjustment rod bearings are such that all can be machined in one set-up in a multiple spindle machine tool so as to achieve exact parallelism of all the elements requiring precise alignment.

Abstract: An educational entertainment device includes at least one cube formed from (a) a regular tetrahedron and (b) four 1/8th sections of a regular octahedron wherein the faces of the tetrahedron and the faces of the octahedron are all congruent. The 1/8th sections are formed by slicing the octahedron through three orthogonal planes, each slicing plane passing through four vertices of the octahedron, each 1/8th section being defined by (a) one octahedron face and (b) three mutually orthogonal corner faces. By coupling the octahedron face of each of the four 1/8th sections to a corresponding one of the tetrahedron faces in edge-to-edge fashion, one cube is formed. Each side of the cube includes two corner faces, one from each of two 1/8th sections. By rotating a 1/8th section about an axis perpendicular to the plane interfacing the 1/8th section and the tetrahedron, the two corner faces forming a cube side can be altered. A plurality of n.sup.3, e.g. eight, cubes can form a block of cubes, in an n.times.n.times.

Abstract: A printer is fitted with a squeeze printing mechanism employing a toggle or over-the-center crank mechanism to provide direct pressure to a printing element for accurate impression depth control during imprinting and for achieving low velocity at the time of print element contact with the paper to materially reduce printing noise. Mechanism and linkages are provided for either single or double electromagnetic actuators. The linkages are arranged to provide rectilinear movement of the type face bearing element just prior to and during imprinting. Over pressure relief is provided for the toggle or over-the-center crank mechanism to prevent damage or lock-up if the printer platen position is not correctly adjusted for the paper being used.

Abstract: An identification card includes a plurality of magnetizable spots, each spot comprising two portions of opposite polarity spaced apart by a distance d.sub.1. Adjacent spots are spaced apart such that the distance d.sub.2 between a pole on one spot and an oppositely magnetized pole on an adjacent spot is less than the distance d.sub.1. The direction of magnetization of each spot is determined by a corresponding horseshoe core magnetizing assembly. With the magnetizing assembly moved proximate to the corresponding spot, a current is passed in either of two directions through a coil wound about the horseshoe core, which action magnetizes a corresponding spot in either of two directions. A plurality p of the q spots represent binary inputs which are to be read. The remaining (q-p) spots are dummy spots which are not to be read and can be magnetized in any direction in order to confound a counterfeiter.

Abstract: A multiple bandwidth quadrature type FM demodulator employs a double-balanced mixer supplied with a frequency modulated IF signal directly and through one of a selectable plurality of bandpass circuits each having a different bandwidth, having a linear phase shift versus frequency characteristic and producing a 90.degree. phase shift at the IF frequency whereby to produce at the output of the mixer a signal level that varies as a linear function of frequency of the input signal, the demodulator including a bias control circuit for the mixer to establish a normalized output for all filters at full bandwidth modulation and further including circuits for establishing a signal balanced with respect to ground or other reference potential regardless of the filter employed.

Abstract: A specimen head for electron spin resonance and paramagnetic electron resonance measurements, having an annularly cylindrical resonator, with a waveguide being coupled to one of its end walls in such a manner as to excite an H.sub.011 wave. The other end wall is formed by a piston capable of being shifted for tuning, the piston being attached at the end of a hollow piston rod (6) mounted in a bearing block (4), which also contains the resonator (16), in such a manner that it is concentric relative to the axis of the resonator and longitudinally shiftable. The waveguide (13) is attached to the bearing block (4) on that side of the resonator (16) which is opposite the piston (7) and extends along the outside of the bearing block parallel to the piston rod (6) after having been deflected 180.degree..

Abstract: An intense high current, high voltage pulsed beam comprising bursts of electrons of about 40 nanoseconds duration each, having a beam radius of about 1 mm is projected through an anode consisting of a hollow tube with much smaller diameter than that of the diode tube surrounding the cathode. By appropriate selection of combinations of materials, sizes, shapes, and surface treatments surrounding the beam in its travel through the anode, or by means such as ion beams directed back along the beam, or by laser pulses on selected areas inside the anode or on the cathode tip, or by controlling supply of appropriate gases or vapors through a small diameter tubular cathode, either metallic or dielectric, and separately into the tubular anode near the end farthest from the cathode and nearer the target, the beam is made to pinch down to a radius of about 0.