Abstract: An expansion thermostat adapted for regulating the temperature of a cooking surface. One end of the cooking surface is secured at one end of a container. Mounted to the other end of the container is a switch which controls the heat. When the cooking surface is heated, the cooking surface expands causing the other end of the cooking surface to release the switch. Releasing the switch turns off heat to the cooking surface. As the cooking surface cools, the switch is pressed. Pressing the switch turns on heat to the cooking surface. The heat to the cooking surface is thus cycled to provide a substantially constant cooking temperature.

Abstract: An integrated data voice multiplexer (IDVM) capable of simultaneously supporting loop-back and communication handshake protocols with no performance degradation. This allows the IDVM to be used in both point-to-point and packet switch networks. The IDVM is of the type using frequency shift keyed FSK modulation of two or more carriers to send a data signal. The presence or absence of carrier signals indicates loop-back state. Narrowband modulation is selectively added to at least one carrier to support handshake protocol. The preferred narrowband modulation is biphase at a rate lower than the FSK modulation rate. Encoder, decoder, data hold and detect circuits for supporting standard RS232 protocol are disclosed.

Abstract: A mixing attachment for stirring sauces, foods, mixtures or the like in a microwave oven. The mixing attachment includes a vertical mixing arm, a stationary blade attached to the bottom of the arm, and a cross beam, which is fastened to the top of the vertical mixing arm. The cross beam is secured to the walls within the microwave oven. One way to implement the mixer is to extend the arm downward into a cooking dish. The cooking dish contains food and rests on a turntable. When cooking food, the turntable rotates causing the food to be mixed by the stationary blade. In addition, the blade may be made to move up and down by the rotating turntable through a series of cams and a drive wheel.

Abstract: A clothes dryer having a cylndrical lint screen connected to and extending from the rear of a rotating clothes drum having a perforated front annulus and a rear air inlet. An air duct has a mouth at one end positioned adjacent to the perforated annulus and a blower is connected to the opposite end. The blower creates an induced draft on a burner located adjacent to a portion of the lint screen by drawing air from the burner into the drum air inlet and out the perforated annulus into the duct. From the blower, the air is forced into a plenum which is separated into two compartments by the rotating lint screen filter. In passing from one compartment through the lint screen filter to the other compartment from which it is exhausted, airborne lint in the air is collected on the lint screen filter. Rotation of the lint screen filter moves the lint into the flames of the burner where the lint is incinerated.

Abstract: A low cost electronic navigation system including a Loran receiver and a marine radar unit adapted to receive vessel position information from the Loran. A computer within the radar unit uses successive Loran outputs to display vessel heading and the bearing of objects of interest such as other vessels or waypoints in graphic and numeric form. The navigator may accurately determine the bearing of such objects of interest in magnetic or true form. Other modes are of particular use when the navigator is interested in using the system to maintain a desired course, to avoid obstacles, or to determine if and by how much he must change his present course to return to the desired course.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ultrafast microwave tissue fixation using a single mode resonant waveguide constructed with an aperture near one end. The waveguide is also constructed to provide a uniform E field and maximum power field below the aperture. Tissue is placed into a vial filled with fixation solution. The vial and tissue are then inserted through the aperture into the waveguide. Microwave energy is then applied to the tissue which becomes fixated within a short period of time.

Abstract: A time multiplexer for linking a trigger signal, a video signal, and data signals generated by a radar transceiver to a radar display. The multiplexer is particularly useful when the transceiver is located remotely from the display, such as is commonly encountered in commercial marine radars.The multiplexer provides a multiplexed signal having a first trigger portion with a logic high voltage, followed by a unipolar video portion having a maximum voltage less than the logic high voltage. The video portion is immediately followed by a data portion that is also unipolar but with a polarity opposite that of the video portion. Detection of the data portion may be expedited by including a synchronization preamble.The multiplexer makes efficient use of a link between radar transceiver and radar display by using a pulse repetition frequency output of the transceiver to select which of the trigger, video, or data signals is to be sent at a particular time.

Abstract: A constant temperature fryer assembly having a conveyor for cooking food in oil at a predetermined constant temperature. The fryer is constructed having an external heat exchanger for heating the oil. Oil is removed from the fryer, pumped through the heat exchanger and then pumped back into the fryer through a series of aperatures. The aperatures are positioned in the fryer to provide predetermined temperature at various positions along the conveyor, thereby maintaining a controlled cooking environment.

Abstract: A channelized jackfield comprising a housing having therein a linear array of juxtaposed channels wherein respective assemblies of aligned printed circuit boards and connecting slab-like modules are slidably inserted edgewise from the front of the housing. Each of the assemblies includes an inverted L-shaped bracket of dielectric material having a vertical leg latchingly secured to a front edge portion of the printed circuit board and provided with a plurality of spaced notches through which respective terminal lugs extend insulatingly from the printed circuit board and externally of the housing. Also, each of the L-shaped brackets has a leg disposed substantially orthogonal to the vertical leg and carries on its upper surface a guide groove for slidably receiving the connecting module and guiding it into mating engagement with an aligned connector attached to the front edge portion of the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A shut-off mechanism for an automatic ice maker that cooperates with the ice feeler arm to deactivate the harvesting of ice when the ice storage bin is not properly positioned to receive ice. When the storage bin is absent, a biased plunger of the shut-off mechanism urges the feeler arm to a raised position that deactivates the ice maker. However, when the storage bin is properly positioned, the bin engages the plunger and secures it in a retracted position such that the feeler arm is free to pivot in its normal manner for sensing the level of ice in the storage bin and controlling the ice maker accordingly.

Abstract: An air flow control mechanism for a glass top refrigerator container wherein a flexible actuator is routed from a lateral front slide in a guide slot or track that runs back along one side to a damper or shutter at the rear. Accordingly, a cold air inlet at the rear such as used in a meat keeper or crisper pan is actuated by a lateral front slide without having a mechanical linkage that passes across the middle of the frame thereby obstrucitng the view down into the container. The flexible band is coupled to an operator actuable lateral slide mechanism at the front, and the band at the back is coupled to a shutter which moves laterally in response to the motion of the slide mechanism so as to open and close the rear cold air inlet.

Abstract: A strain relief clamp for a washing machine drain hose which includes a pair of hinged clamp members each having a plastic plate with a semi-circular indent adapted for receiving a corrugated drain hose from opposite sides thereby completely surrounding and clamping the drain hose. Each clamp member has a wall which is perpendicular to the plate, which wall members cooperatively form a neck which conforms to the shape of the aperture through which the drain hose exits the washer cabinet. Each wall has a plurality of locking tabs such that when the neck is inserted into the aperture until the plates contact the cabinet panel, the locking tabs snap into place and prevent removal of the strain relief clamp. The hose is thereby securely clamped at its exit through the cabinet panel thereby providing strain relief for the interconnection between the drain hose and the pump.

Abstract: A crisper humidity control including a shelf having an aperture in the front and a space between the crisper pan and the shelf at the rear to provide flow-through ventilation when both are open. The shelf further includes a laterally slidable shutter for sealing off the front passageway and a damper flap for sealing off the back passageway. A damper actuator arm is linked between the damper flap and the front shutter so that both are operated in unison from a single laterally slidable operator actuable control knob.

Abstract: A refrigerator ice dispenser light having a control including a photosensitive switch which applies half wave rectified line voltage when there is little or no ambient room light thereby dimly lighting the bulb at night. In response to the dispenser being activated, the photosensitive switch is shunted and line voltage is applied across the bulb.

Abstract: A marine radar system having a multi-plane video memory for storing scan-to-scan integrated video data used to raster scan the CRT. A scan converter generates cartesian or x,y addresses for the video memory and synchronous with the generation of each, x,y address, generates a range address for reading corresponding video data from an r,.theta. or polar memory. The x,y addresses are generated along azimuth sweeps by incrementing one coordinate by a pixel unit and the other coordinate by a trigonometric function. The unit coordinate and the trigonometric function are determined by the 45.degree. octant in which the azimuth sweep is located. The pixel unit incremented coordinate is offset by one pixel unit from the origin of the azimuth sweep in alternate octants to address pixels along the octant boundaries and thereby avoid display artifacts.

Abstract: A rigid plastic twist lock drain funnel for conveying defrost water from the interior of the refrigerator cabinet, through the insulation space, to the exterior. A top portion of the funnel has a groove seating an O-ring, and a central portion has a pair of radially extending cam-shaped ears. During fabrication, the drain funnel is inserted from inside the refrigerator liner through an aperture having notches for receiving the ears, and then the funnel is twisted approximately 90.degree. to engage the ears as a cam lock. In such arrangement, the funnel is securely attached to the liner and the O-ring provides a seal therebetween so as to prevent subsequently injected foam insulation from leaking to the interior of the cabinet. To allow for misalignment between the linear and the outer case, the opposite end of the drain funnel passes through an oversized hole in the outer case of the refrigerator.

Abstract: A materials separator apparatus comprising a base supporting a ramp type of materials receiving surface sloped longitudinally and transversely with respect to the base for directing commingled dielectric items and electrically conductive items of nonferromagnetic materials deposited on its upper end portion along a fall path extended longitudinally and transversely downward of the surface, and a planar series of substantially parallel permanent bar magnets supported in contiguous rows in a plane substantially parallel to the material receiving surface and sufficiently close thereto for establishing along the surface a spatially alternating array of oppositely directed static magnetic fields which extend in substantially parallel relationship transversely of the surface at an oblique angle with the fall path of the commingled items.

Abstract: A pulse marine radar system having a threshold generator providing a range dependent threshold waveform which is a function of sea conditions, rain conditions, and radar parameters. Based on the radar settings and inputs from the operator regarding the sea and rain conditions, a processor uses a mathematical model to compute the mean of sea clutter, rain clutter, and receiver noise for each of a plurality of successive range intervals. In response to the mean values, a generator generates a range dependent piecewise linear analog waveform which is subtracted in range sychronism from the receiver video. Next, the video is filtered. For each range interval, the processor also calculates a threshold based on the probability of sea clutter, rain clutter, and receiver noise exceeding the threshold after subtracting the mean. In response to the threshold values, a generator generates a piecewise analog signal which is compared with the output of the filter to digitize the radar video.

Abstract: An air conditioner having a thermal insulation cover forming a pocket around the thermostat bulb which is mounted to the outside wall of the air intake chamber. The cover has an aperture and the outside wall has a plurality of holes communicating with the pocket whereby, when the blower is activated, a flow of ambient room air is drawn through the pocket so that the bulb accurately reflects the temperature of the room being cooled. The cover thermally isolated the thermostat bulb from hot outside fresh air so that the thermostat bulb is not falsely biased.

Abstract: A radar system having a raster scan memory storing scan-to-scan integrated true motion stabilized data. A scan converter generates x,y addresses along azimuth sweeps from the x,y coordinates of own-ship relative to an arbitrary true reference origin. Accordingly, as own-ship moves, the initial x,y coordinates for the azimuth sweeps are continuously being updated. For each x,y coordinate generated, the scan converter also generates a range address for reading corresponding video data stored in polar coordinates relative to own-ship. The x,y coordinates are coupled to a PROM which rolls over the x,y coordinates that are outside of the x,y address field of the memory thereby enabling the addressing of the memory for storing data derived from corresponding polar coordinate video data. Data in the memory is used to raster scan a visual display. The memory is organized into a plurality of planes wherein the data for each pixel of the display is derived from a plurality of bits that are scan-to-scan integrated.