Abstract: A diaphragm-activated control valve and system for both refuel and running loss venting of a fuel tank to a vapor trap. The control valve is connected to fill control and rollover valves in the fuel tank, and defines a separate venting flow path for each valve to the vapor trap. The control valve is responsive to pressure conditions at the filler pipe inlet to alternately open and close the flow paths. During refueling the control valve vents the tank through the fuel-level responsive fill control valve. When the filler pipe inlet is closed, the control valve switches to vent the tank through the rollover valve. In a preferred form, the control valve includes a liquid fuel drain to prevent its being disabled by fuel entering from the filler pipe inlet via the signal pressure line during refueling. The drain includes a reverse flow check valve to prevent vapor venting out the drain path to the atmosphere during refueling.

Abstract: A novel ski glove/grip interlock system is disclosed in which the ski pole grip is releasably attached to the glove in a manner to maintain it in proper reflexive grasping position with a preferred swing angle relative to the skier's hand. In one embodiment, a transverse lock bar is positioned immediately adjacent the intersection of the V between thumb and forefinger on the glove for pivotal connection to a clip formed on the ski pole grip. The position and tension of the lock bar on the glove can be adjusted with a series of straps. The connection between glove and ski pole grip permits pivoting of the grip and ski pole relative to the hand at a preferred swing angle while maintaining proper position of the ski pole grip relative to the glove.

Abstract: A sacrificial link is disclosed for the shaft of a vehicle-cleaning brush unit, which link is pre-engineered to fail prior to the remainder of the shaft in response to bending forces exerted on the brush by a vehicle, for example. The shaft itself is therefore protected from permanent deformation or breakage, while the sacrificial link is easily removed and replaced with relatively little downtime and expense. In a preferred form the sacrificial link comprises a sacrificial shaft section having socket ends for removable connection to the upper portion of a brush shaft depending from a motor drive unit and the lower portion of the brush shaft connected to the brush, and a center region pre-engineered to fail before the upper and lower brush shaft sections. Novel clamping and release structure associated with the socket ends of the sacrificial shaft section is also disclosed.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) from a waste gas stream by electrolysis using a pulsed electric current and recovering the sulfur values as sulfuric acid. The sources of the waste gas stream include effluent vent, flue or exhaust gases from power plants, sulfuric acid plants, ore roasters, and solid waste incnierators. The purpose of the process is to achieve economies of operation, provide a useful byproduct, and minimize environmental pollution.

Abstract: A system and method for paperless, self-contained partial case picking of goods in a distribution center for cartons or containers subsequently shipped to a customer store. A set of cartons or containers is moved along a pick face in a series of move cycles. Operator display units provided at the pick face prompt workers to distribute goods from batches on the pick face to the cartons. The operator display units define contiguous put zones for each worker and assign each worker to particular batches of goods for each move cycle. The operator display units can include key entry means for the workers to signal the end of pick cycles, and in one embodiment to adjust pick quantities and distributions in real time according to changing circumstances. The put and pick zone assignments are reconfigured for each move cycle depending on factors such as worker ability and the picking difficulty of the batches assigned.

Abstract: A slide lock system allows one or more connector bodies to be mounted at various locations on a mounting surface. A plurality of parallel, uniformly spaced rails are formed on the mounting surface. The rails define a plurality of parallel, uniformly spaced channels which are open on one end and closed on the opposite end. A pair of parallel, spaced apart rails are formed on each connector body. The connector rail spacing is an integral multiple of the spacing between the channels on the mounting surface such that the connector rails are endwise inserted into the open end of any of the plurality of channels.

Abstract: A foam cornice window treatment which is mountable on a curtain rod assembly including one or more flat, slat-like members. The foam cornice is formed of resilient foam material and includes a front non-planar surface which meets a rear, planar surface. One or more channels are formed on the rear face of the cornice for engagement with the slot(s) of the curtain rod assembly. The cornice includes a pair of rear slots formed on the rear face into which edges of a fabric covering may be tucked. Because of the resiliency of the foam body, the slots will open to receive the fabric edges, but will resiliently spring back to grip the fabric edges and hold them in place. A slot may also be formed on the front face of the cornice so that an intermediate portion of the fabric covering may be tucked thereinto to create a puffy, decorative effect.

Abstract: An improved fiber/resin composite tapered ski pole shaft and a method for making it. The shaft is hollow and is formed from a fiber/resin composite in which the resin is a thermoplastic material capable of being reheated and reformed. A straight, non-tapered, preformed shaft is heated at the lower end until the thermoplastic resin becomes workable, and then pressure is applied to taper the lower end of the shaft toward the tip. The shaft is held at a constant length during the tapering step such that the displaced thermoplastic material increases the wall thickness of the lower end of the shaft uniformly toward the tip. The rate of taper can be such that the tip becomes solid.

Abstract: Novel glycosides 7-ketosteryl di-O-acyl-pyranoside and 7-.beta.-hydroxycholesteryl 2,3-dideoxy-.alpha.-D-erythro-hex-2-enopyranoside. The glycosides possess valuable pharmacological properties as a medicament. In particular, the cholesterol glycoside in vivo exhibits a selective cell-destructive activity on malignant cells which activity is substantially free of side effects on normal cells. The glycosides possess useful properties, especially pharmacological properties which are the same as the respective unglycosylated aglycon.

Abstract: A wiring harness retainer clip for securing a wiring harness to a vehicle body panel. The retainer clip includes a first clip portion and a second clip portion connected together using one or more flexible webs. The first clip portion includes an extending axle which is pivotally engageable with an extending bushing on the first clip portion. The two clip portions are rotatable between an open position and a closed position. A mechanism is provided for securing the first clip portion to the second clip portion in the closed position. A mechanism for securing the clip assembly to the vehicle body panel is also provided.

Abstract: A rotary flow control valve including a valve spool which is rotated back and forth to move a port in the valve spool into and out of alignment with the main fluid passageway of the valve to selectively open and close the valve. The spool has a pinion gear at each end of the spool and each pinion gear is engaged by a pair of racks with the racks in a pair moving at any given time in opposite directions. Each rack is constituted by spaced rack teeth formed in the side wall of a piston slidably mounted in a cylinder bore in the valve body, and the rotation of the valve spool is achieved by selective routing of pressurized fluid to the cylinder bores containing the pistons defining the racks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating compacting machinery such as landfill, earth or asphalt compactors relative to a work site to compact the site material toward a desired degree of compaction. A first model representing the desired degree of compaction of the site and a second model representing the actual degree of compaction of the site are stored in a digital data storage facility. The machine is equipped with a position receiver to determine in three-dimensional space the location of the compacting portions of the machine relative to the site. A dynamic database receives the machine position information, determines the difference between the degree of compaction of the first and second site models and generates representational signals of that difference for directing the operation of the machine to bring the actual degree of compaction of the site into conformity with the desired degree of compaction.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing an industrial machine safety system that allows the machine to begin operation only when a plurality of safety push buttons have all been depressed, and that stops the machine's operation when any safety push button is released. The apparatus includes an artificial hand that can depress and, upon command, release one of the safety push buttons, and has a release detector for detecting the release of the artificial hand. The release detector operates optically. A lamp directs a light beam along a path that is blocked by a plunger when releasing the safety push button and not blocked when depressing the safety push button. A photodetector detects interruption of this light beam. Thus release of the safety push button is detected upon detection of interruption of the light beam. The machine begins to stop upon release of the safety push button. A motion detector detects the stoppage of the machine.

Abstract: A method of testing an internal combustion engine to detect engine defects. After the engine has been assembled, the engine is cranked, gas under pressure is injected into the intake ports, and the pressures developed at the exhaust ports as the engine is cranked are noted and evaluated. The pressurized air injected into the intake ports amplifies the pressure signals developed at the exhaust ports so as to provide more accurate identification of engine defects and detect engine defects that might go undetected utilizing prior art technology.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ventilating a robotic welding enclosure. A hood is positioned on the welding head structure of each robotic welder and includes an annular skirt portion in surrounding relation to the feed axis of the welding materials. The skirt defines a lower opening which is positioned proximate the welding locus so as to define a capture chamber extending upwardly from the skirt portion opening in surrounding relation to the feed axis of the welding materials. A vacuum condition is created in the capture chamber so as to suck the gaseous welding bi-products generated at the welding locus upwardly into the capture chamber from where the gases are moved via a flexible conduit to an overhead duct which carries the welding products to a location outside the welding enclosure for discharge.

Abstract: An electronic transmission shifter interlock system in which an electronic module is mounted directly on a shift lever for pivotal movement therewith. The module contains two electromagnetic devices which operate on the spring-biased, shift lever core rod to control the PARK lock release so as to inhibit and/or enable operation of the shift lever according to the status of the ignition lock and the position of the brake pedal. The interlock module is electrically coupled with the ignition lock to prevent the ignition key from being removed while the shift lever is other than the PARK position.

Abstract: A mastic applicator system for delivering a mastic material to a surface in a precisely controlled manner. The system includes a mastic pump, a regulator receiving the mastic from the pump, a nozzle, and a jacketed hose assembly interconnecting the regulator output and the nozzle input. The hose assembly includes an end block having a flat sealing surface, and the end block and the body of the nozzle are fixedly secured together with the sealing surface on the end block in flush sealing contiguous relation to a flat sealing surface on the nozzle body so that a mastic passage and water passages in the end block may respectively sealingly communicate with a mastic passage and water passages in the nozzle body at the sealing surfaces. The mastic passage from the hose assembly to the nozzle outlet is thus totally internal and totally insulated so as to preclude the formation of cold plugs of mastic material during system shut down.

Abstract: A fastener installation tool of the push/pull type including an air piston driving a hydraulic piston and further including a head piston driven by the hydraulic piston and coacting with the hydraulic piston to form a closed loop hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic piston is a compound piston including a primary piston and a secondary piston mounted in a blind bore in the upper end of the primary piston. When hydraulic pressures in the closed loop hydraulic circuit exceed a predetermined limit, the secondary piston moves downwardly, against the bias of an internal spring, relative to the primary piston to reduce the overall volume of the compound piston and thereby reduce the pressure in the closed loop hydraulic circuit.

Abstract: The design of transducers utilizing finite length sensor paths is discussed. Within the framework of linear elastostatics of an isotropic homogeneous material the normal, transverse, and shear components of strain along a path can be integrated over a finite length to separate and yield external loading components. These displacement measurements over a long distance accommodate the use of fiber optic displacement sensors. The use of optical interferometric sensors in contrast with electrical strain gauges, has the potential to allow the precision and range of the component measurement to scale with the geometry of the device rather than the maximum strain in the instrument. It becomes possible by virtue of these scaling properties to construct a better transducer. The design of transducers that measure all six resultant-load components using both electrical strain gauges and fiber-optic interferometric sensors are described. An advanced torsion sensor and a linear acceleration transducer are also discussed.