Abstract: A stationary shaft (17) is electrically connected to a roller (18) by a contactor (31) having a first section in the form of a wire loop (32) seated in a groove (32) and a second pointed section (36,37) seated within a conical recess (38) formed in the end face of the shaft and having an apex axially aligned with the axis of the shaft. An intervening section (34) is dimensioned to resiliently bias the pointed section (36,37) into firm engagement with the apex of the conical recess to make good electrical contact with a minimum degree of friction.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing a timed sequence of different recorded announcements to an incoming caller to hold the caller's attention in a telephone system when no operator is available to answer the incoming call. During intervals in the timed sequence when no announcement is connected to the incoming caller, music is transmitted. When an operator becomes available to answer the call, the incoming caller is disconnected from the recorded announcement or music, whichever is applicable, and connected to the idle operator.

Abstract: A plurality of pins (20) are supported by a shuttle (42) with shanks (21) of the pins extending freely from the shuttle. The shuttle (42) is manipulated to insert the shanks (21) into a pin-insertion head (127). The shuttle (42) is then withdrawn from the pins (20) whereby shanks (22) of the pins extend freely from the head (127). The head (127) is then moved toward a board (24) to insert the pins (20) into apertures (23) of the board.

Abstract: A photoconductor having a passageway therethrough is employed in practicing the refractive near-field method of determining the index of refraction profile of an optical fiber as a technique of eliminating leaky mode contribution to detected power.

Abstract: There is disclosed a releasable lock mechanism for an extension ladder comprising a bell crank lever attachable to a fly rail of the ladder through a first pivot, and having first and second joined arm segments extending generally forward and downward, respectively, from their juncture. The first arm segment has at its front a head movable by pivoting of the lever between first and second positions at which the head will and will not, respectively, engage base rungs of the ladder. A tongue with a tip is attached to a lower part of the lever's second arm segment through a second pivot. Attachable to the rail is a frame operable during downsliding of the ladder's fly section to guide translatory movement of the tongue so that strikings of its tip by base rungs of the ladder are effective to pivot the lever to permit its head to pass by such rungs. When the lever head engages the top of a base rung to lock the fly section from downsliding, the tongue is held against flapping about the second pivot.

Abstract: A film of material (29) is deposited on a substrate (15), as, for example, in a sputtering process, wherein a gas-permeable substrate (73) covers an opening (71) in a process chamber (14) of a passage communicating with a monitoring chamber (52). A monitoring gas is introduced into one of the chambers to diffuse through the gas-permeable substrate (73) into the other of the chambers. Its level of concentration is then monitored in at least one of the chambers while the film is being deposited. As the film deposits on workpiece substrates within the process chamber, the film also deposits on the surface of the gas-permeable substrate. When the film on such gas-permeable substrate forms a continuous surface, diffusion of the monitoring gas from one chamber to the other ceases. Consequently, an increased concentration level of the monitoring gas may be detected in the one chamber and a decreased concentration level may be detected in the other chamber.

Abstract: A terminal arrangement for interconnecting electrical conductors includes a plastic block (121) in which are supported a plurality of terminals (20--20) arranged in rows and columns. Each terminal is formed from a flat strip (81) of metallic material as the strip is advanced through a progressive punch and die apparatus. The terminal includes a first portion 21 which has a seam 33 that is welded to join butted longitudinal edges of that portion after it has been formed into a cylindrical shape from a flat blank on the strip. After its seam has been welded, the first portion is internally threaded to receive a terminal screw. A second portion 51 of the terminal, which is formed integrally with the first portion, has a generally square cross-section. The second portion of each terminal is disposed in a similarly configured cavity (127) of the plastic block to prevent relative rotational movement between the terminal and the block.

Abstract: Articles such as printed wiring board substrates (10) often having hundreds of tiny through-bores are coated with particles (76) in fluidization apparatus (55). Such apparatus (55) includes a base (56) having a frame (61) to receive reciprocation forces applied to an arm (65) and to transmit the same to a fluid bed assembly (68). Assembly (68) includes a plenum (71) for distributing gas, a holder (75) for a bed of particles made fluid-like by gas diffusing therethrough and columns (69) for supporting a work chamber (85). Connected to the bed assembly (68) is the chamber (85) having sidewalls (86-89) formed sufficiently strong to uniformly distribute horizontal vibratory forces thereover. Vibrators (91 and 92) are mounted to opposing sidewalls (88 and 89), respectively, to apply horizontal forces against such sidewalls and gases therebetween.

Abstract: Wafers (12), including those in the solid state electronics industry, are demounted from an adherent surface (79). A respective passageway (90) is extended from a fluid supply device (92), through the adherent surface (79) to and in communication with, the mounting surface (16) of a respective wafer (12). The fluid is applied via the passageway (90) to and between the mounting surface (16) of the wafer (12) and the adherent surface (79) with sufficient pressure to dislodge the wafer (12). In an advantageous embodiment, the passageway (90) extends to a location between about the centerline (98) and the periphery of the wafer (12). The fluid is thereby applied in an off-center manner with leveraged force to break the seal between the adherent surface (79) and the wafer (12).

Abstract: A condensation soldering facility (10) comprised of a housing (12) having a divider member (22) therein which separates the housing into a drying chamber (24) in an upper section and a soldering chamber (26) in a lower section. A transfer member (76) is pivotably mounted within the drying chamber (24) to receive articles (112--112) to be soldered through an access door (71) in the top of the drying chamber (24) and arcuately transfer the articles through an access door (44) in the divider member (22) to solder the articles in the soldering chamber (26).

Abstract: An article, such as a semiconductor wafer (31), is selectively electrolytically plated to form metal deposits, such as contacts (26), adjacent to anodes of diode regions within such wafer by mounting the wafer in a plating chamber (36) opposite first and second electrodes (61 and 62), filling the chamber (36) with a metal plating electrolyte (49) and applying alternatingly plating pulses between the wafer (31) and the first electrode (61) and deplating pulses between the wafer (31) and the second electrode (62). The plating pulses are current controlled yielding a predetermined total plating current. The deplating pulses are voltage controlled yielding a deplating current which tends to subside in the course of the plating operation. The electrolyte in the chamber is agitated by streams of electrolyte pumped at a comparatively high rate toward the wafer (31) to break down surface layers of electrolyte adjacent to the wafer.

Abstract: A torch (24) used in the Vapor-phase Axial Deposition (VAD) process to form small diameter cores for single mode lightguide preforms. The torch (24) is comprised of a plurality of concentrically mounted, spaced, glass tubes (62, 63, 64, 65, 66) through which reactants and combustible materials are passed. A tapered shroud (68) is mounted about the end of the torch (24) and a shield gas directed along the inner surface thereof to confine and direct the gases and reactants to the surface of the soot form (12).

Abstract: Retractile cords disposed in a U-shaped configuration are arranged about the periphery of a turntable with the ends of each cord adjacent to the peripheral edge being terminated with modular plugs. As a cord having its ends terminated with modular plugs is moved into a last work station, a pickup arm removes the cord. As the plug-ends are moved outwardly from the turntable, a middle section of the U-shaped cord is engaged by a snagging pin that is moved into one portion of a foldable tray to hold the middle section of the cord as the plug ends are moved farther along above the tray. The plugs are released, and the cord retracts and drops into the tray. Then the snagging pin is retracted, and the tray is caused to be folded to form an opening beween portions of the tray. The cord descends through the opening into an open end of a bag formed between two plies of a plastic material. The plies are bonded together adjacent to the open end and the bag is separated from its supply.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing a plurality of electrical circuit devices (100a . . . 100n FIG. 4) to determine individual device failures wherein the input, (110-117) output (118-121) and power leads (130) of each device are interconnected with corresponding input, output and power leads of the other devices to form common input, output and power leads. The ground lead (140 . . . 140n) from each device is individually connected with test apparatus (102). Test signals are introduced onto the common input (110-117), output (118-121) and ground leads (130) and signals, responsive to the test signals, are monitored on the individual ground leads (140 . . . 140n) by test apparatus 102 to determine individual device failure.

Abstract: A charge of distilland (33) is metered into a heated inclined trough (18) within a chamber (10). Vapors of distilland rise to a level (41) which is below the upper level (26) of the trough. The vapors spill over the sides (31 and 32) of the trough and fall to the lower section of the chamber where cooling coils (42) condense the vapors and the resultant distillate flows out an exit conduit (122). Residue materials are moved by a pusher (47) over the end (26) of the trough into a drain chute (51). During the return of the pusher, an air cylinder (103) is operated to lift the pusher from the bottom of the trough.

Abstract: Test equipment for measuring the amplitude of certain a.c. signals and comprising, a signal processing means responsive to each of such a.c. signals for transforming that signal into a d.c. level signal of a magnitude proportional to the r.m.s. amplitude of the a.c. signal, an analog to digital converter responsive only to those of such d.c. signals having magnitudes within an acceptance range for the converter to provide binary indications representative of such magnitudes of those signals, and circuit means for causing only d.c. level signals derived from a.c. signals with r.m.s. amplitudes in a subrange of a full range of such amplitudes to fall within the acceptance range of the converter.

Abstract: A split reel (10), particularly adapted for temporarily storing a wound supply of elongated material, such as scrap wire, includes a cylindrical hub (12) having a first flange (14) fixedly secured to one end, and a second flange (16) releasably secured to the other end thereof. The releasable flange (16) is uniquely secured to the hub through the use of two identical quick-release locking mechanisms (21, 22) which are preferably mutually disposed relative to the axis of the reel (10). With reference to only representative locking mechanism (21), it includes two cooperatively engaging portions, one portion including a releasable flange-mounted cylindrical member (23) that is positioned and dimensioned to be telescopically received within a second portion, comprising a hub-mounted cylindrical member (24). The hub-mounted cylindrical member (24) is preferably formed with a pair of circumferentially spaced detent-receiving slots (33, 34) that communicate with an interior detent-receiving locking notch (38a or b).

Abstract: An inductor coil comprises a main winding of insulated wire on the barrel of a bobbin having two axial lugs salient from one of the bobbin's end flanges, and having two recesses formed in the outer surface of the other of such flanges. A coaxial array of such bobbins is mounted on a rotatable spindle axially salient from a rotatable driving head such that the bobbins are, by such lugs and recesses, mechanically coupled together and to said head. The head is rotated to produce through such lugs and recesses a rotation of such bobbins utilized to form such main windings thereon. The lugs of each such bobbin supported elongated plastic arms having bifurcated outer ends around which are formed wire windings providing terminals for the main winding of the coil.

Abstract: There is disclosed a click disc switch assembly comprising a plate-like base having on it copper foil paths including (a) "row" paths each including a respective row of contact pads in a row-and-column matrix of such pads on the base, and (b) "column" paths corresponding to the columns of the matrix and including respective bonding pads. Overlying the columns of the matrix are click disc strips having end tabs welded to the bonding pads. Interposed between the strips and the "row" paths is an originally liquid and subsequently solidified coating deposited on the base to cover portions of the row paths while leaving uncovered their contact pads. The base and the strips include holes used to align the latter on the former.