Abstract: A fluid (12), such as dichlorosilane, is stored in a pressure vessel (17) located at a site remote from a processing facility within the confines of a building (14). At such remote site the pressure vessel (17) is subject to climatic temperature variations over a range at the lower temperatures of which a vapor pressure of the fluid may be insufficient to generate a pressure within the pressure vessel to drive the fluid through a duct (36) toward the processing facility. A supply of an inert gas (34) is applied at a first predetermined pressure to the pressure vessel (17) to urge the fluid under such predetermined pressure through the duct (36) toward an evaporator vessel (38) located at the processing facility. The evaporator vessel (38) is maintained at a first predetermined elevated temperature at which the fluid at such first predetermined pressure is in a gaseous state.

Abstract: A protector module (30) for protecting tip and ring conductors of a telephone loop includes a pair of protector assemblies (40-40') which are supported within a common housing (32). A voltage protection subassembly (42) of each protector assembly is connected electrically to a grounding subassembly (44) for causing current associated with excessive voltage surges to be conducted to ground. Each protector assembly also includes a current protection subassembly (41) which comprises a dielectric base and a line pin (61) and a central office pin (57) with the line and central office pins being connected together electrically to establish electrical contact between a conductor of the circuit and its protector assembly. A shunting element (62) is disposed concentrically about the line pin and is releasably secured to one end of the line pin in an initial position by a fusible bonding material.

Abstract: The epoxy resin stabilizing systems in combination with cadmium containing stabilizers employed in PVC compounds are replaceable without affecting other properties of the polymer by utilizing a specific additive mixture. In particular, a complex ester of oleic acid and a diglycerol ester of oleic acid are employed in conjunction with a calcium-zinc composition. The resulting system yields excellent processing and long-term stability without significantly affecting other properties such as color stability and flame retardancy.

Abstract: Printed circuit boards 10 having connector terminals 14 and 16 overlaying contact pads 17 and 18 are loaded into fixtures 22 which are conveyor 31 advanced through a pair of solder applying stations 33 and 34 whereat solder is laid and melted at the junctures of the terminals and contact pads. As a fixture approaches a solder applying station, the conveyor is slowed down and a programmed controller 170 is enabled for operation. If a circuit board is sensed by a photodetector 172, a second photodetector is rendered effective to sense elements 176 projecting from a side of the fixture. The sensed elements 176 effectuate the generation of count pulses and output signals to control the movements of solder applying devices 36 to soldering sites where solder feed devices 136 lay discontinuous stripes of solder at the junctures of the contact pads and terminals.

Abstract: A jacketed telephone cord is jacketed with a clear, flame retardant, stable composition which essentially does not exhibit vertical burn characteristics comprising an all phosphate plasticized PVC stabilized with the combination of a metallic stabilizer and a cycloaliphatic epoxy.

Abstract: A method of forming adherent metallized coatings on a substrate which is useful for the manufacture of printed circuit boards as well as other metal coated articles involves providing the substrate with a rubber-modified epoxy surface or coating, sputter etching at least 50 A. from the surface followed by vacuum depositing an adherent thin metal film of Cr, Ni, Ni-V alloy, Pt, Pd or Ti onto the substrate. Another metal layer is then provided over the adherent thin film.

Abstract: A vapor delivery system for the manufacture of an optical preform includes a deposition bubbler (60) and another bubbler (40) referred to as a supply bubbler which is interposed between a reservoir (24) of a liquid and the deposition bubbler. Heat energy is applied to the supply bubbler and to the deposition bubbler to vaporize liquid therein. A carrier gas is introduced into the liquid in the supply bubbler at a location below the free surface and into the deposition bubbler to cause vapor of the liquid to become entrained in the carrier gas and to flow from the supply bubbler into the deposition bubbler and from the deposition bubbler to a substrate tube from which an optical preform is made. Facilities are provided for maintaining sufficient liquid in the supply bubbler and suitable temperatures of the liquid in the supply and deposition bubblers to control the vapor flow into and out of the deposition bubbler to prevent unintended perturbations in the deposition bubbler.

Abstract: A plurality of spring clips (30), each having an elongated central member (32) with first (40) and second (38) ends and a plurality of resilient arms (36) radially extending therefrom, are simultaneously transferred between a transfer plate (90) and a pallet (20). The first ends (40) of the member (32) are lockably engaged in the transfer plate (90) with the second ends (38) thereof positioned into apertures (24) in the pallet (20). The central member (32) is rotated to release the first ends (40) from the transfer plate (90) while simultaneously lockably engaging the second ends (38) to the pallet (20) to secure the clips (30) therein and to capture a chip carrier (10) between the ends of each arm (36) and the pallet (20).

Abstract: A Schmitt trigger circuit 10 includes a pair of transmission gates 20, 22 connected, respectively, between a pair of threshold voltages V.sub.tH, V.sub.tL and the threshold input port 16 of a comparator 12. The control lead of one transmission gate 20 is connected to the output 18 of the comparator 12 through an inverter 24. The control lead of the other transmission gate 22 is connected directly to the output 18 of the comparator 12. The other input port 14 of the comparator 12 receives the signal input. Also disclosed is a circuit 26 for generating the reference voltages V.sub.tH, V.sub.tL. The circuit 26 includes an operational amplifier 28 driving a complementary pair of current mirrors (M1, M3, M5; M4, M6) which force current through a pair of resistors (R.sub.H, R.sub.L) to ground potential. The resistors (R.sub.H, R.sub.L) provide stable reference potentials.

Abstract: The continuity of a ground strap (16) is tested by pushing down on a switch activating toggle lever (37). The toggle lever is conductive, is isolated from ground and is coupled to a signal input terminal of a test circuit module (14). Thus, when the hand of the operator touches the toggle lever to activate the test circuit module (14), the resistive path through the operator and the ground strap (16) is coupled into the test circuit as the input-terminal-to-ground resistor of a voltage divider circuit. A resulting voltage at the toggle lever causes an indication by lighting either indicator (33) or indicator (34) whether the operator is properly coupled to ground.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multiple electrical contact switch which has a comb block whose teeth are inserted into receptacles of a mounting block thereby wedging pairs of electrical spring contacts, which are also inserted into the receptacles, between the teeth and the receptacles without bending the spring contacts. The electrical contacts extend from the receptacles and are activated by an operating card, which engages the extended portions of the electrical contacts to open or close electrical conduction paths. When pressure on the spring contacts from the actuating card is released, the spring contacts then move the operating card to an original position wherein the sequence of open and closed contact springs is as if there were no contact with the operating card and the contact springs.

Abstract: A lightguide furnace (10) includes a tube (32) at its base. The tube (32) has at least one opening (34) therethrough, in communication with, but substantially misaligned relative to, a corresponding opening (40) through a sleeve (36) coaxially aligned with, and rotatable about the tube (32). The substantial misalignment between each sleeve opening (40) and each tube opening (34) causes the cooling gas entering the furnace to be directed at least partially around the lightguide fiber (14). The cooling gas passes upwardly along the walls of the furnace away from the lightguide fiber (14) to reduce the likelihood of contamination thereof by particulates in the cooling gas. By rotating the sleeve (36) relative to the tube (32), the degree of misalignment of the sleeve openings (40) relative to the tube openings (34) can be adjusted to control the lightguide fiber cooling to regulate the tension.

Abstract: Control over the diameter variations in a glass rod (10) during the stretching thereof is accomplished by cooling the rod after heating and initial neck down of a portion (22) thereof. After cooling, the rod (10) is reheated, at a lower temperature sufficient to reflow the glass in the necked-down portion (22) thereof, and is then stretched to the desired final diameter. Heating the rod (10) at a lower temperature during stretching increases the viscosity thereof which reduces its response to the stretching conditions, thereby affording better control over diameter fluctuations.

Abstract: An electrical component (10) is encased in a housing (31) and is provided with pairs of terminals (24-26) which permit surface mounting on a printed circuit (36, 37, 38) in a number of different orientations. The terminals are blanked from a metal strip (21) to form T-shaped terminals (24-26, 54-56 and 74-76) which are subsequently bent about the housing to form a number of sets of terminal pairs.

Abstract: A method and system are used for simultaneously programming a group of erasable programmable read only memories (EPROMs) (11) originally set in the "all-ones" state, by routing (17-49) programmed bytes, bit by bit, to each memory site on each EPROM and blocking (48) or bypassing the programming steps where a programmed byte consists of all ones, thus saving the programming time that would be normally used to program "all-ones" sites. Each programmed site and the sites set in the "all-ones" state are verified (52) prior to the routing of subsequent programmed bytes.

Abstract: The effluent of a process for making a preform from which an optical fiber is drawn is directed into a scrubber (40) of a loop (20) where it is treated with an aqueous solution to provide a solvent mixture which comprises particulates and a solvent solution including germanium. Subsequently, the solvent mixture is moved into a first filter system (55) which provides a filtrate free of particulates above a first size that is returned to the scrubber for reuse and a residue. Then the residue from the first filter system is moved into a second filter system (80) which provides a filtrate free of particulates larger than a second size that is smaller than the first size and a residue. The filtrate from the second filter system also is returned to the scrubber for reuse while the residue from the second filter system is recirculated therethrough.

Abstract: A high frequency test fixture (90) comprises a plurality of double-sided spring-loaded backdriving pins (99) positioned between a circuit board under test (41) and a stripline board (91) connected to an electronic tester. The double-sided backdriving pins (99) are located within through holes (98) of a ground plane (94) interposed between the circuit board (41) and the stripline (91). The top and bottom surfaces (96, 97) of the ground plane (94), respectively facing the circuit board (41) and the stripline board (91), are coated with an insulating material (68, 69). A plurality of pairs of spring-loaded ground pins (109, 111) are located in the ground plane (94) adjacent to the backdriving pins (99).

Abstract: In a method for making a printed circuit board employing an aqueous type photoresist and including etching of the substrate surface with chromic acid after application of the photoresist mask, chromium is washed from the surface with a reducing agent at a pH of .ltoreq.10.

Abstract: A screw terminal (14) is formed on a circuit board (12) by inserting a typical terminal screw (22) in a thread-forming operation into a tube (27) of a rim-like seat (21). The screw (22) is inserted into the tube (27) to a predetermined depth which is equal to or greater than the thickness of the circuit board (12). After the insertion of the screw (22) into the seat (21), the seat (21) is inserted into an aperture (16) in the circuit board (12). The aperture (16) is of circular cross section of a diameter such that the wall of the aperture engages the edges of the tube (27) in interfering contact. In a preferred embodiment, the wall of the aperture (16) is metallized and the seat (21) is of a copper coated, low carbon steel. After insertion of the seat (21) into the aperture (16), the seat (21) is soldered to the aperture (16) in an operation which fills any gaps between the circuit board and the seat and fixes the position of the walls with the confines of the circuit board.