Abstract: An improved thermal shock resistant and generally thermal resistant ceramic composition is disclosed. The ceramic composition is compounded of aluminum oxide as a primary constituent with additives in a preferred form comprising zirconium oxide plus manganese oxide or titanium oxide, or both, interacted by exposure to high temperature. The additives increase the thermal shock resistance of the fired ceramic composition, with retention of elevated temperature strength properties. The ceramic compositions are prepared as high density solid shapes or as porous structures. The solid shapes formed into machine components show improved resistance to rapid thermal excursions, differential thermal gradients and elevated temperatures. Open cell ceramic foams of the ceramic composition are useful for hot filters, such as for filtering molten metal as well as in reaction supporting applications, where such ceramic foam structures are subject to rapid temperature and pressure transients.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is operative for applying images to the opposite sides of continuous strips at first and second printing stations. The apparatus includes a feed assembly driven by a stepping motor for advancing a continuous strip from the first reprinting station to the second printing station and a controller which is responsive to a predetermined number of stepped rotational increments of the stepping motor for coordinating the printing operation at the second printing station with the printing operation at the first printing station. The preferred form of the apparatus is operative with thermal print heads, and it includes head mounting assemblies which are operative with toggle-like actions between actuated and unactuated positions.

Abstract: An improved thermal shock resistant and generally thermal resistant ceramic composition is disclosed. The ceramic composition is compounded of aluminum oxide as a primary constituent with additives in a preferred form comprising zirconium oxide plus manganese oxide or titanium oxide, or both, interacted by exposure to high temperature. The additives increase the thermal shock resistance of the fired ceramic composition, with retention of elevated temperature strength properties. The ceramic compositions are prepared as high density solid shapes or as porous structures. The solid shapes formed into machine components show improved resistance to rapid thermal excursions, differential thermal gradients and elevated temperatures. Open cell ceramic foams of the ceramic composition are useful for hot filters, such as for filtering molten metal as well as in reaction supporting applications, where such ceramic foam structures are subject to rapid temperature and pressure transients.

Abstract: A chart recorder includes a chart drive assembly including a drive platen, first and second print heads, a slave controller for energizing the second print head, a master controller for energizing the first print head and for actuating the slave controller and a host computer for controlling the master and slave controllers and for supplying data thereto. The master controller controls the chart drive assembly to coordinate it with the energizations of the print heads, and it actuates the slave controller to synchronize the energizations of the print heads. The print heads are independently mounted in end-to-end relation and independently biased toward the chart and the platen at a printing station to enable them to compensate for deflections in the print head and/or the platen, as well as distortions in the heads due to thermal expansion.

Abstract: Sheet feeding apparatus includes a relatively small number of horizontally adjustable suction cups distributed over the length of a feed opening. The suction cups are raisable to grasp the bottommost sheet in the stack at the most ideal position to assure removal of the sheet from the feed opening. Adjustable guide members align the corners of a stack of sheets above the feed opening. Each suction cup is fed from a separate pneumatic tube extending from a manually switchable control panel where a source of low suction pressure is selectively connectible to the suction cups in various connection combinations.

Abstract: A weather strip construction for windows and doors having in combination leaf and compression dual durometer type sealing elements which co-act to accommodate sliding and meeting engagements of surfaces for effective weather sealing.

Abstract: An instant-game-type lottery ticket comprises a card having a coating on the front side thereof which includes a first metallic layer and an outwardly facing layer of thermally responsive chemicals, a removable opaque layer over at least a portion of the thermally responsive chemical layer and a second metallic layer on the back side of the card. The metallic layers preferably comprise vacuum deposited silver-colored metallized layers having protective transparent plastic films thereon. Game-playing indicia can be imprinted on the lottery ticket at the point of sale without damaging the removable opaque layer by selectively activating the thermally responsive chemicals under the removable opaque layer with a thermal printhead. The transparent plastic films allow the card to be thermally imprinted with a thermal printhead without damaging the printhead and the metallized layers add opacity to the lottery ticket.

Abstract: Sheet feeding apparatus with an adjustable stack support in confronting relation to a feed opening able to accommodate sheets of various widths, so that one or more stacks of sheets can be supported along the feed opening with the longitudinal center line of any stack being positionable along different selected points along the length of the feed opening. At least about eight selectively controlled suction cups are aligned parallel to the length of the feed opening and encompass most of the opening engaging the bottom surface of the bottom sheet in any stack of sheets and withdraw the sheet from the stack. The spacing between contiguous margins of the suction cups is much less than about two diameters of each cup. The suction cups are preferably supported on the top of a pneumatic tube and are raised with the tube to engage the bottommost sheet in the stack. The pneumatic tube is mounted for pivotal movement upon a rockable carrier framework.

Abstract: An electrical circuit for controlling the energization of thermal print head elements on a thermal print head. The circuit is responsive to the overall temperature of a thermal print head for varying the amounts of energy supplied the print head elements thereof so that markings of substantially uniform darkness can be produced on thermally sensitive sheets regardless of the overall head temperature. The circuit is operative in response to a start signal for producing a predetermined number of sequential pulses of substantially uniform duration during a printing cycle to sequentially energize different groups of print head elements at different times during the cycle. The voltage level of the pulses in the cycles is maintained substantially constant, whereas the duration of the pulses in different cycles is varied to vary the amounts of energy supplied to the print head elements.

Abstract: The disclosed deployable lattice column includes a plurality of longeron elements connected together and reinforced by lateral elements including both diagonal members and battens. The diagonal members are formed of rigid elements thereby maintaining the stiffness of the lattice column when deployed, even when torsional loads are applied to the column.

Abstract: An aerial recreation device having: a weighted head; at least two elongated flexible resilient arms, connected to the head, that extend laterally away from one another and from the longitudinal axis of the device and laterally beyond the head; and at least two, light and flexible, elongated tails connected to the arms. The device can be caught in flight by catching one of its arms or one of its tails which are located behind, but project laterally beyond, the head of the device in flight.

Abstract: Sheet feeding apparatus comprises longitudinally and laterally adjustable stacking members for retaining on a support tray one or more stacks of sheets to be fed from a feed opening exposing an end portion of the bottom sheet. Flexible spring lips form an adjustable width support ledge at the front of the feed opening which supports the front end of each stack of sheets. About 8 or more relatively closely spaced suction cups, encompassing the length of the feed opening and preferably supported on the top of a pneumatic tube, are raised with the tube to engage the bottom-most sheet in the stack. The pneumatic tube is mounted for pivotal movement upon a rockable carrier framework. The tube inclination and position relative to the sheet engaged by the suction cups are varied in a manner to ensure reliable removal of only one sheet at a time by the suction cups which pull the sheet with a wiping contact against the deflected ledge-forming spring lips.

Abstract: A repair overlay for masonry surfaces includes three layers each containing epoxy resins which contribute to bonding to the adjacent layers. The underlayer is a coating of epoxy adhesive. The layer that overlies the underlayer includes Portland cement and epoxy, acrylic and vinyl polymers and, in some forms, a flexible metal mesh or screen. The overlayer consists of an epoxy paint and, in preferred form, a second thinner layer of cementitious polymer bearing material.

Abstract: Partial locking for a fluid-locked planetary gear used in a differential or the like is obtained by causing oil to be squeezed between the gears of a planetary gear train, thereby providing increased resistance to movement, or partial locking, of the gears within the gear train. Improved partial locking for a fluid-locked planetary gear train is provided by loosely mounting planet gears for movement within the chambers which closely surround the partially locked planet gears. The driving and reaction forces on the loosely mounted planet gears permit the planet gears to move so that their peripheral ends come into close engagement with the walls of the chambers in which the gears are mounted to further increase the fluid resistance to movement of the gears. To obtain similar partial locking characteristics in either a forward or a reverse direction, the planet gear pairs and their corresponding chambers are reversed in their relative positions.

Abstract: A welding apparatus for pipes which provides for a guide means which is to be fixedly secured to the pipe adjacent the welding area, a first carriage and a second carriage is movably supported upon the guide means with each of the carriages supporting a pair of spaced apart welding heads. Attached to the guide means is a driving chain. Mounted on each of the carriages are motor means which, in turn, operate through the driving chain to move the carriages in a prescribed manner with respect to the guide means. The welding heads of each of the carriages move within the same plane but each are movable in a separate one hundred and eighty degree arc thereby forming a continuous circle. Associated with each welding head is a weld groove tracking system which automatically maintains each welding head correctly aligned within the welding groove. The entire apparatus of this invention, when combined with appropriate electronic computer equipment, automatically welds an adjoined pair of piping sections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for checking the calibration of analyzers employing radiant energy is disclosed. The invention embodies changing the radiant energy source color temperature by a precise increment and adjusting the span to reflect the predetermined amount of differential absorbance between reference and analytical interference filters which would result from said increment of change in source color temperature. The invention is particularly useful when employing radiant energy in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared spectra. The invention eliminates the need for standard liquid or gaseous calibration solutions or special optical calibration filters.

Abstract: The disclosed deployable lattice column includes a plurality of longeron elements connected together and reinforced by lateral elements including both diagonal members and battens. The diagonal members are cross-connected between laterally opposed points along the longerons and define a bay of the column by the spacing of their attachment points. Adjacent bays of the column substantially overlap each other. By this overlapping relationship, should one of the diagonal elements fail, the strength of the column is substantially maintained by the adjacent, overlapping diagonal elements. Preferably, the longeron elements are integral, coilable elastic members.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with a motor technique for generating speeds that are fractions of synchronous speeds, through novel time-staggered selected half-cycle energization of a plurality of magnetic poles by a controlled switching sequence, generating such a fractional motor speed that would otherwise have to be produced by a much larger number of magnetic poles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the amount of carbon and other organics in an aqueous solution is disclosed. A novel multistage reactor employs ultraviolet radiation to promote oxidation of a test sample. Oxygen and an oxidizing agent such as sodium persulfate are introduced into the solution prior to irradiation. The mixture is brought into direct contact with an ultraviolet lamp in each stage of the reactor. The design of the multistage reactor permits the desired chemical reaction to be optimized over interferring reactions.An inorganic carbon scrubber assembly is also disclosed for operation in a total organic carbon mode.