Abstract: An actuating apparatus, which can be used to perform variable valve timing of the intake or exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine, includes a hollow shaft with at least one slot defined through a cylindrical wall. A movable cam member is disposed to project through the slot and is rotatable relative to the hollow shaft in a channel defined in the interior surface of the hollow shaft. A base circle band extends circumferentially around the outer surface of the hollow shaft between the endwalls of the slot. The exterior surface of the hollow shaft can define grooves which receive front or back ear members of the cam member. The exterior surface of the hollow shaft also can define recesses, which in some embodiments have bottom surfaces and in other embodiments have partial bottom surfaces or no bottom surface. The recesses can receive tongue members formed on the cam member. The cam member can be engaged by a cam follower that has a roller to engage the cam surface.

Abstract: Hollow carbon fibers and carbon fibers having a generally C-shaped transverse cross-sectional area are produced by extruding a carbonaceous anisotropic liquid precursor through a spinneret having a capillary with a generally C-shaped cross-sectional area, into a fiber filament, controlling the viscosity of the molten precursor, the pressure of the molten precursor and the linear take-up speed of the filament to yield a fiber filament having a cross-sectional area shaped substantially like the shape of the cross-sectional area of the capillary and further having a line-origin microstructure, rendering the filament infusible, heating the filament in an inert pre-carbonizing environment at a temperature in the range of 600.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C. for 1 to 5 minutes, and heating the filament in an inert carbonizing environment at a temperature in the range of 1550.degree. C. to 1600.degree. C. for 5 to 10 minutes, to substantially increase the tensile strength of the filament.

Abstract: Carbon fibers having a multi-lobal transverse cross-section are produced by extruding a carbonaceous anisotropic liquid precursor through a spinneret having a capillary with a multi-lobal cross-section, solidifying the extruded filament, rendering the filament infusible, and heating the filament in an inert environment at a temperature sufficient to substantially increase the tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of the filament.

Abstract: Hollow carbon fibers and carbon fibers having a generally C-shaped transverse cross-sectional area are produced by extruding a carbonaceous anisotropic liquid precursor through a spinneret having a capillary with a generally C-shaped cross-sectional area, into a fiber filament, controlling the viscosity of the molten precursor, the pressure of the molten precursor and the linear take-up speed of the filament to yield a fiber filament having a cross-sectional area shaped substantially like the shape of the cross-sectional area of the capillary and further having a line-origin microstructure, rendering the filament infusible, heating the filament in an inert pre-carbonizing environment at a temperature in the range of 600.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C. for 1 to 5 minutes, and heating the filament in an inert carbonizing environment at a temperature in the range of 1550.degree. C. to 1600.degree. C. for 5 to 10 minutes, to substantially increase the tensile strength of the filament.

Abstract: An actuating apparatus, which can be used to perform variable valve timing of the intake or exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine, includes a hollow shaft with at least one slot defined through a cylindrical wall. A movable cam member is disposed to project through the slot and is rotatable relative to the hollow shaft in a channel defined in the interior surface of the hollow shaft. A base circle band extends circumferentially around the outer surface of the hollow shaft between the endwalls of the slot. The exterior surface of the hollow shaft can define grooves which receive front or back ear members of the cam member. The exterior surface of the hollow shaft also can define recesses, which in some embodiments have bottom surfaces and in other embodiments have partial bottom surfaces or no bottom surface. The recesses can receive tongue members formed on the cam member. The cam member can be engaged by a cam follower that has a roller to engage the cam surface.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for chemically converting a substrate into its reaction products and immediately thereafter physically separating the reaction products in a continuous operation. The process is carried out with a bioreactor having an ultrafiltration membrane containing an immobilized chemical agent which is preferably an enzyme. The bioreactor is prepared by securing an ultrafiltration membrane to an inside wall of a porous tubular support and chemically bonding an enzyme to an inner surface of the membrane. The enzyme is preferably bonded to the membrane by chelation and the membrane may be a polymeric membrane or a metal oxide membrane. To convert a substrate, a substrate-containing feed stream is preferably flowed tangentially along the inner surface of the membrane containing the immobilized enzyme. Sufficiently small reaction products filter through pores of the membrane and larger reaction products are retained by the membrane.

Abstract: A process for producing increased concentrations of valuable neutrals such as sterols and tocopherols from fatty and/or resin acid-containing streams, such as tall oil and vegetable oil distillate, employs liquid water at elevated temperatures and pressures. The neutrals are concentrated by extracting fatty acids as well as resin acids of high purity. Temperature-dependent solubility differences allow for the further separation of resin acids from fatty acids.

Abstract: A multipurpose horticultural crop tractor combines certain clearance and versatile implement mounting features for accommodating a wide variety of alternative field production operations. A movable operator station provides full bidirectional operator control. An operator station may also be suspended on a boom pivotably mounted to the tractor frame for repositioning of the operator station about such frame. The implement mounting system also permits alternate high or low clearance mounting of a conventional three-point hitch, which when used in an elevated position enables attachment of high crop harvesting heads. Alternative implement mounts permit simultaneous usage of two separate implements. The tractor may be outfitted for many alternative functions, such as tillagae, planting, cultivating, spraying, harvesting, materials handling, and irrigating missions, including usage of a vertically movable lift unit with horizontally adjustable lift arms.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing solid sample materials mounted externally to the apparatus is provided wherein a low pressure glow discharge is initiated by applying a radio frequency potential to an integral, continuous solid sample and an electrically grounded anode in the presence of an inert gas, the glow discharge being maintained such that the inert gas is ionized and the ionized gas sputters sample material, the sputtered sample material then passing into an analyzer region for analysis.

Abstract: A soft tissue implant device such as a catheter, heart valve, or plastic or reconstructive surgical material, to be at least partially embedded in an implantation site in soft organic tissue of a living organism includes a body defining a surface layer extending over the portion of the body contacting the organic tissue. The surface layer defines a three-dimensional pattern with an exterior surface defining a plurality of spaces and a plurality of solid surface portions. The spaces have a mean bridging distance ranging from greater than 1.0 micron to less than 4.0 microns and the solid surfaces portions have mean breadths ranging from 0.10 micron to 2.0 microns. The mean bridging distance is preferably greater than 1.4 microns and less than 1.9 microns. The exterior surface is substantially free of indentations having a bridging distance measuring in a range from between 10.0 microns and 1,000 microns.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing solid sample materials is provided wherein a low pressure glow discharge is initiated by applying a radio frequency potential to an integral, continuous sample cathode and an electrically grounded anode in the presence of an inert gas, the glow discharge being maintained such that the inert gas is ionized and the ionized gas sputters sample material, the sputtered sample material then passing into an analyzer region for analysis.

Abstract: A harvester adapted for harvesting low-lying fruit, such as typical with high-density, dwarf trees, includes an intra-loop conveyor for collecting detached fruit relatively close to the ground and elevating same with a single flighted belt. The harvester straddles a single row of the trees and detaches the fruit therefrom by repeatedly impacting the tree canopies as the harvester moves along the row. Spring-loaded deflection plates close around the tree trunks and deflect detached fruit outwardly to interior surfaces of a pair of single-loop conveyors. Baffles cooperating with the interior of each conveyor restrains fruit therein as the conveyor passes overhead to an inverted position. Fruit is discharged from the conveyor elevated segment onto an output conveyor passing beneath the discharge area. The output conveyor includes a multi-segment, foldable conveyor frame over which a single conveyor belt is entrained. The conveyor belt may be folded over the harvester during non-harvesting transport.

Abstract: A percutaneous implant device includes a structure for storing a bioreactive agent such as an antimicrobic agent, an anti-inflammatory drug, a growth hormone, and an antifungal drug. The structure can take the form of a container or a solid solution. The percutaneous device has a conduit, and the structure containing the bioreactive agent is disposed under the skin and around the conduit in the vicinity where the conduit passes through the skin of the living host. The structure containing the bioreactive agent is refillable via either a wall which is penetrable and reseals after penetration, or an access opening which can be opened or closed and is accessible from outside the living host. The container can include a wall having a diffusion coefficient which increases the rate of diffusion with increasing local temperature.

Abstract: A percutaneous implant device includes a main body portion and a flange extending outwardly from the main body portion. The flange has a free edge and can have a thickness that decreases as an imaginary point moves toward the free edge. The stiffness of the flange decreases as an imaginary point proceeds from portions of the flange nearest the main body portion to portions of the flange nearest the free edge. This is accomplished in one embodiment by a flange density that decreases as the imaginary point moves toward the free edge. In another embodiment, the porosity of the flange can increase as the imaginary point moves toward the free edge. The thickness and density of the flange can decrease while the porosity increases as the imaginary point moves toward the free edge. The thickness and thread count of a textile flange can decrease as the imaginary point moves toward the free edge. The thickness and packing density of a fibrous flange can decrease as the imaginary point moves toward the free edge.

Abstract: Synergistic insectidical mixtures containing at least one primary insecticide and a synergist therefor, the synergist having the formula ##STR1## X is O or S Y is O or SR.sub.1 =R.sub.2 and is aryl, substituted aryl, heterocyclic, or substituted heterocyclicR.sub.3 is H or alkyl, andR.sub.4 is an electron acceptor from the phenyl group to facilitate cleavage of the P-Y bond as exemplified by NO.sub.2, Cl, and NH.sub.2.Method of use of same is also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A method is provided for improving the performance of an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of inducting a charge of fluid into the combustion chamber of the engine, holding the intake valve of the combustion chamber open during a portion of the compression stroke of the piston in the combustion chamber, expelling a portion of the inducted charge from the combustion chamber by movement of the piston in its compression stroke while the intake valve is held open, preventing the expelled portion of the inducted charge from communicating with the atmosphere by providing a check valve between the induction manifold and the atmosphere, the check valve only permitting flow in the direction from the atmosphere into the induction manifold; and closing the intake valve during the remainder of the compression stroke and after the portion of the induction charge is expelled.

Abstract: A hopper for dispensing seed, grain and the like comprises a housing having a lower portion and at least one dispensing opening in the lower portion; a rotatable shaft located within the housing; a drive shaft transferring rotational energy to the shaft from a low horsepower, low rpm, electric motor; a brush having a plurality of tufts of flexible bristles held in an annular member mounted on the shaft above each dispensing opening for feeding seed, grain and the like to the dispensing opening during rotation of the shaft; a marked metering plate having a metering hole therethrough and extending into a slot formed in a first side portion of the housing; and a mechanism for selectively stopping rotation of the shaft whereby when rotation of the shaft is stopped, seeds, grain and the like are blocked from access to the dispensing opening, the mechanism including a cam adjustably mounted on the shaft, a cam follower for engaging the cam and a microswitch connected to the cam follower and deactivating the electri

Abstract: A method of treating organic farm materials such as hays, grains, and silages confines same to a predetermined enclosure. A solid chemical mixture is introduced into the enclosure. The solid chemical mixture is a urea reactor product including ammonium carbamate, ammonia, urea, and water. Heat is applied to the mixture to thereby release sufficient gaseous ammonia to the organic farm material to prevent spoilage, reduce toxin levels, and improve fermentation of the organic farm material. The solid chemical mixture disposed amidst the organic farm material can be provided in a corrosion resistant drum having holes through the top thereof and having an electric resistance heater disposed in the bottom thereof or underneath same. A thermostatic control can control the temperature generated by the heater.

Abstract: A soft tissue implant comprises a flexible main body portion, having tissue-facing surfaces and a thin layer of pure titanium covering the tissue-facing surfaces. A method of promoting tissue adhesion of a soft tissue host to the tissue-facing surfaces of a soft tissue implant comprising a strip of polyethylene terephthalate velour comprises the steps of cleaning the strip with a low-residue detergent and rinsing same with fresh distilled water; refluxing the strip in distilled water for one hour at a temperature of less than 30.degree. C.; drying the strip in a room-temperature desicator for several days; sterilizing the strip and packaging same; degasing the strip and storing same in a dust-free environment; removing the strip from the packaging and mounting the strip in the vacuum evaporator at an approximate angle of incidence of 90.degree. from a pure titanium metal evaporant; evacuating the vacuum evaporator to a vacuum of about 2.times.10.sup.

Abstract: A soft tissue implant comprises a flexible main body portion, having tissue-facing surfaces and a thin layer of pure titanium covering the tissue-facing surfaces. A method of promoting tissue adhesion of a soft tissue host to the tissue-facing surfaces of a soft tissue implant comprising a strip of polyethylene terephthalate velour comprises the steps of cleaning the strip with a low-residue detergent and rinsing same with fresh distilled water; refluxing the strip in distilled water for one hour at a temperature of less than 30.degree. C.; drying the strip in a room-temperature desicator for several days; sterilizing the strip and packaging same; degasing the strip and storing same in a dust-free environment; removing the strip from the packaging and mounting the strip in a vacuum evaporator at an approximate angle of incidence of 90.degree. from a pure titanium metal evaporant; evacuating the vacuum evaporator to a vacuum of about 2.times.10.sup.