Abstract: A method for loading and closing containers with flexible open ends employs a chute with an inflatable bladder at the open end, and an elastic closure device. A flexible open end of the container is placed around the end of the chute and the inflatable bladder. The elastic closure device is placed around the open end of the container. The bladder is inflated to secure the container to the chute. Material is delivered into the container through the chute. When a specified quantity of material is loaded into the container, the bladder is deflated causing the container to slide off the chute. When the container slides off the chute, the elastic closure device contracts and closes the flexible open end of container by constricting the size of the flexible open end of the container such that material will not fall out during shipment.

Abstract: A cellular communications system is provided having both surface and satellite nodes which are fully integrated for providing service over large areas. A spread spectrum system is used with code division multiple access (CDMA) employing forward error correction coding (FECC) to enhance the effective gain and selectivity of the system. Two-way adaptive power control and signal quality monitoring and power control responsive thereto are provided for controlling the power output levels of transmitters to the minimum necessary for satisfactory communications. Each transmission includes a code representative of the transmitter output power level. Receivers compare this code to the received signal strength and adjust their associated transmitter power output level accordingly. Bit error rate and SNR are monitored by receivers to develop a measure of signal quality. A signal quality code is transmitted to remote units and transmission output power level is adjusted in response.

Abstract: An energy efficient and cost effective electronic ballast circuit which lights a fluorescent tube but which avoids excessive voltages or pulsing of the tube. The starter circuit preheats the filaments for a time sufficient to ensure quick ignition upon application of an appropriate voltage, then ceases the flow of current after the tube is lighted to avoid wasting energy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of synthesizing a metal carboxylate comprising:(a) placing an anode and a cathode in contact with an emulsion, wherein said anode includes a metal which, during electrolysis, reacts with a carboxylic acid to form a metal carboxylate, wherein the cathode comprises a material inert to the electrolytic reaction, and the emulsion comprises a carboxylic acid, an aqueous phase which includes an electrolyte, and an organic phase; and,(b) passing a current between the anode and cathode to effect an electrolytic reaction between the metal of the anode and the carboxylic acid to form the metal carboxylate.

Abstract: A process for producing nonwoven webs having improved strength properties at high throughputs is provided. In the process, a non-uniform blend of a polyolefin and a prodegradant is formed. The non-uniform blend is then rapidly heated to cause the substantially immediate thermal degradation of the prodegradant, thus providing a non-uniformly degraded polyolefin having a fraction substantially reduced in molecular weight and a fraction substantially unaffected in molecular weight as compared to the starting polyolefin.

Abstract: In a forage harvester which has an automatically adjustable shearbar mechanism for adjusting the distance between the shearbar and a rotating cutterhead, rotation of the cutterhead is determined by the use of essentially steady state signals without substantial transient components.

Abstract: A system for sorting objects having a source for providing the object for sorting and a plurality of receivers, spaced apart horizontally and vertically, for receiving the object after sorting. The system includes object receiving and discharging wings for receiving the object from the source and transferring the object to the receiver. The object receiving and discharging wings move the object horizontally and vertically from the source to a selected receiver. The source and at least one of the receivers are vertically aligned. Also, a system for storing and retrieving objects having storage and retrieval conveyor for providing the object to the system for storage and for retrieving the object from the system after storage, and a plurality of object storage areas spaced apart horizontally and vertically.

Abstract: A lighting control system for a tractor is disclosed wherein the various lights on the tractor are controlled through a pair of switch devices. The first lighting control switch is a rotary switch controlling the macro positions of the lighting operation from an off position to selected combinations of groups of lights on the vehicle. The second lighting control switch is operable to select individual lights within respective groups. The electronic instrument cluster upon which the lighting control switches are mounted includes a memory to store the last selected combination of selected individual lights to permit the same combination of lights to illuminate automatically whenever the main control switch is moved from the off position to the appropriate on position.

Abstract: A centrifugal separator has a separation chamber housing split into mating, unhinged clamshell sections. One clamshell section includes a pipe extending through the other clamshell section. The separation chamber rotates about the axis of the pipe. A spring secured to the frame of the separator surrounds the pipe, bearing against the second aforementioned clamshell section. This spring yieldingly opposes separation. The pipe and axis of rotation are oriented vertically. The pipe is divided into an upper inlet section and a lower outlet section by a flange or baffle. In alternative embodiments, the inlet pipe is fixed to different components, namely, one clamshell section, the other clamshell section, or to the frame of the machine. A slurry is introduced into the pipe inlet section, falls due to gravity, strikes the baffle, and exits the pipe through holes formed in the wall. The baffle redirects incoming slurry radially, so that when the separator is operated, centrifugal forces immediately act thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus for the dynamic positioning of an objective lens in an optical disk drive comprises a housing, a lens unit movable in a focusing and a tracking direction, a magnetic circuit mounted to the lens unit for creating a first magnetic field, a pair of current conducting coils mounted to the housing and arranged orthogonal to the first magnetic field, and a flexure for flexibly supporting the lens unit in the housing. An active region comprising at least half of the coil creates the second magnetic field in response to current passing therethrough to interact with the first magnetic field and apply a force to the lens unit. This efficient coil arrangement allows for a small, lightweight dual-purpose magnetic circuit which substantially reduces the weight of the lens positioning apparatus. The housing is a one-piece injection molded ceramic component which maximizes stiffness and minimizes weight to improve the performance of the apparatus.

Abstract: A process for producing a substantially pure organic trisulfide from mercaptan and sulfur (or high rank organopolysulfide) wherein the sulfur is reacted with mercaptan in the presence of a heterogeneous alumina-based catalyst, ammonium, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal modified silica-based catalyst, zinc-based catalyst or mixtures thereof, and recovering a product containing at least a major proportion of trisulfide.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a laser, such as a soliton fiber laser, having an emission wavelength controlled by non-linear effects. Although the emission wavelength of such lasers is typically limited to the center of the gain profile, exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide relatively broad bandwidth control by producing significant gain-pulling using non-linear effects. Any non-linear effects in a laser cavity can be used to provide significant gain pulling and a broadband wavelength tuning range including, for example, the soliton self-frequency shift (SSFS) and cross-phase modulation (CPM). As a result, non-linear tuning can be achieved. Exemplary embodiments provide gain-pulling which allows a significant separation to be induced between the peak emission wavelength of the modelocked fiber laser (i.e., the modelocked emission wavelength, or MLEW) and the emission wavelength of the non-modelocked laser (i.e., the continuous wave emission wavelength, or CWEW).

Abstract: A powered belt turn (10) for conveying parcels, objects and the like around curves. The powered belt turn (10) is embodied in a disk-shaped transfer sheet (20) that is rigidly attached to a shaft (30). A motor (60) is operatively attached to shaft (30), causing the shaft and transfer sheet (20) to rotate in unison. The transfer sheet rests on a bed (70) that is positioned between a feed conveyor belt and an exit conveyor belt. Parcels move onto the transfer sheet from the feed conveyor belt. The spinning transfer sheet (20) delivers the parcels from the feed conveyor belt to the exit conveyor belt. The parcels exit the transfer sheet (20) onto the exit conveyor belt (50). The transfer sheet is bent downwardly and the feed and exit conveyor belts are placed adjacent the bent portion of the transfer sheet (20) to deposit parcels onto the transfer sheet and receive parcels from the transfer sheet, respectively. Alternatively, the feed conveyor belt may be positioned above the transfer sheet.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting an elongated flexible prefabricated vertical (PV) drain downwardly into the earth. The apparatus includes a vertical mast having a lower standard mast base and a lightweight extra long mast extension. A vehicle supports the mast from its mast base in order to raise and lower the mast to and from vertical and to otherwise manipulate and transport the mast in a conventional manner. A longitudinal chamber extends for the entire length of the mast and carries therein an earth penetrating tube for vertical movement. This earth penetrating tube also has a passage therethrough for receiving the elongated flexible PV drain for movement with this insertion tube down into the earth when driven therein. The mast extension includes a series of axially aligned extension tubes constructed of light weight material and removably connected together end to end, and a combination spar and guy mechanism is utilized for supporting this long mast extension from the relatively short mast base.

Abstract: In an automatic layout system each signal path is represented in a binary form by its connection points with top, right, bottom and left bus cells on an integrated circuit. A bit-by-bit comparator uses preset table data in a read-only memory to investigate each possible combination of the signal paths in order to select the signal paths that can share a common bus channel. A coordinate comparator uses another preset table data to check whether the selected signal path combination satisfy further conditions of channel sharing. If so, the signal path combination is treated as a single new signal path, which is again investigated to find further possible channel sharing. In a final list of signal paths supplied to a bus cell layout circuit, all of the signal paths that can share a common bus channel are represented as one signal path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decoding a pixel image representative of a bar code symbol. A bar code symbol is scanned along a first scan line to determine a first set of candidate character values, each candidate character value of this first set having an error value associated therewith. If the scanning along the first scan line results in an unsuccessful reading of the bar code symbol, then the bar code symbol is scanned along a second differing scan line to determine a second set of candidate character values, each candidate character value of this second set having an error value associated therewith. Corresponding error values associated with the first and second sets of candidate character values are next compared. For each corresponding pair of candidate character values from the first and second sets, the candidate character value having the smallest associated error value is selected.

Abstract: A classification method and apparatus for classifying an input into one of a plurality of possible outputs. Information representative of the input is compared to a neuron, where the neuron comprises a boundary defined by two or more neuron axes of different length. One of the possible outputs is then selected as corresponding to the input in accordance with that comparison. The invention is also a training method and apparatus for creating a new neuron or adjusting an existing neuron. A feature vector representative of a training input is generated, where the training input corresponds to one of a plurality of possible outputs. If no existing neuron corresponding to the training input encompasses the feature vector, then a new neuron is created, where the new neuron comprises a boundary defined by two or more neuron axes of different length.

Abstract: A round baler having a pickup, a chamber for forming a cylindrical package of crop material and a generally transverse opening for feeding crop that has been picked up into the chamber. The baler includes a twine handling assembly having at least one twine arm with a twine dispensing end from which twine is dispensed in the vicinity of the transverse opening for applying a plurality of helical wraps on the cylindrical package of crop material formed in the chamber. A twine cutting mechanism for cutting the twine, cooperates with a unique twine guide arrangement mounted to guide the twine to the cutting mechanism after a predetermined amount of twine has been dispensed.

Abstract: A system for simultaneously convolving first and second digital binary images in parallel with a single convolver having a binary mask. A first window is selected from the first digital binary image and a second window is selected from the second digital binary image. A first binary pixel is selected from the first window and a second binary pixel is selected from the second window. The first binary pixel is bit-shifted by concatenating a plurality of trailing zero bits to the first binary pixel. A multi-bit input pixel is formed by combining the bit-shifted first binary pixel and the second binary pixel. A single multi-bit output value is generated by simultaneously applying a plurality of multi-bit input pixels to a single convolver.