Abstract: A system for recovering fiber from sludge by-products generated in a pulp and paper mill. Initially, heavy materials are separated from a sludge flow, with the flow thereafter separated into first and second components. High grade fiber is recovered from the first component by centrifugal cleaners and also by optional fine pressure screens. The second component is forwarded to a refiner which breaks-down the second component to form a low grade pulp. In addition, after removal of the high grade fiber, remnants from the first component flow are forwarded to an additional separator such as a liquid cyclone, which removes sand, grit and ash, and thereafter the remnants of the first component can be sent to the refiner for forming a low grade pulp. Thus, the sludge is essentially separated into four components including: (1) high grade pulp; (2) low grade pulp; (3) heavy materials; and (4) sand, grit and ash.

Abstract: A multi-lead electrode catheter for use in acute pain management and a method utilizing this device is provided. The electrode catheter has a plurality of longitudinally spaced electrodes, and a conduit for infusion of analgesic medications simultaneous with application of electrical stimulation to the epidural space of the spinal cord, such that three to four dermatome and myotome body regions are affected. The device is properly positioned without the aid of fluoroscopy in response to communication from the patient as to which dermatomes and myotomes are experiencing paresthesias caused by the electrical stimulation of the corresponding nerve fibers.

Abstract: An athletic sock is formed out of a moisture-absorbent yarn material that is knitted to conform to the shape of a human foot. A flexible sheet of neoprene, or similar resilient thermal insulator material, is affixed to the moisture-absorbent fabric so as to overlie the shin area, ankle area and instep area of the sock. The neoprene sheet acts as a cushion between the person's boot and foot so as to improve foot comfortability. The neoprene sheet also acts as a thermal barrier to control the escape of heat and moisture from the sock areas in contact with the neoprene sheet.

Abstract: A furnace preheat system uses furnace off-gas to preheat material to be charged into the furnace. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, first and second angularly-spaced preheat vessels are mounted on a rotatable member which rotates them to a position over the furnace for charging the furnace and to a position for preheating the material in the preheat vessels. There is ductwork from the furnace to the first and second preheat vessels to selectively vent the off-gases to the first and second preheat vessels.

Abstract: A phono plug is provided having an insulator filled and isolated hollow cylindrical center-pin and ground flanges utilizing at least one elastomeric O-ring which is operatively associated with a groove in the outer circumference of the ground flanges. The O-ring helps bias the ground flanges to provide appropriate contact tension between the ground flanges and a receptacle to provide an optimal signal transmission.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for signal, image, or video compression that achieves high compression efficiency in a computationally efficient manner and corresponding decoder apparatus and methods are disclosed. This technique uses zerotree coding of wavelet coefficients in a much more efficient manner than previous techniques. The key is the dynamic generation of the list of coefficient indices to be scanned, whereby the dynamically generated list only contains coefficient indices for which a symbol must be encoded. This is a dramatic improvement over the prior art in which a static list of coefficient indices is used and each coefficient must be individually checked to see whether a) a symbol must be encoded, or b) it is completely predictable. Additionally, using dynamic list generation, the greater the compression of the signal, the less time it takes to perform the compression.

Abstract: A vacuum vice for holding a bowling ball when drilling holes or engraving the ball includes inner and outer o-rings seals which form two vacuum chambers that work together to form a seal with a bowling ball having surface imperfections or engraving. The inner vacuum chamber holds the ball to a buoyant cup. The outer vacuum chamber seats the ball against a contoured, hard rim surface and is connected by a leakage path around the inner seal to a piston chamber which pulls on the buoyant cup to further seat the ball. The outer seal is mounted on a movable housing that automatically adjusts to the size of the ball.

Abstract: Hardware or software is added to a local system that has incorporated therewith a modem that is normally connected to the switched telephone system to initiate surreptitious calls to report various data to a remote monitoring station. These reporting calls are made from the remote equipment to one or more monitoring sites. The call initiation is preferentially triggered at a carefully controlled semi-random rate, perhaps once a week. The exact time chosen is concealed from the operator of the system that is reporting to the monitoring site. The same modem, or modems, normally used by the local system being monitored is (are) also used for an outgoing data call to ensure that the telephone connection is always accessible to the monitoring apparatus. For voice mail systems which lack modems, DTMF (Touchtone) can be used to transfer data.

Abstract: A portable tool for forming louvers in a sheet metal work piece. The tool has a substantially C-shaped frame with an upper leg, a lower leg, and a body forming a throat in which the louvers are formed. A female die assembly is mounted on the lower leg of the frame. A male die is positioned in a carriage which slides longitudinally along the upper leg of the frame. Stops define the length of travel of the carriage and clamps hold the work piece between the female die assembly and the male die. An increasing cutting and forming force is applied to the male die, and against the work piece and the female die assembly, until a louver is cut and formed in the work piece.

Abstract: A roller skate with in-line wheels employs a brake disc capable of applying variable resistance to the rotation of the rear wheel. A skater may activate the brake by elevating the toe of the skate bringing a lever arm that is mounted at the rear of the skate and oriented downward into contact with the road surface. This contact causes the lever-arm to rotate as toe is elevated. Rotation of the lever arm induces contact between the brake disc and the rotating rear wheel by forcing the disc inward toward the wheel. Rotation of the lever arm and inward movement of the brake disc is opposed by separate spring-type means which return the brake disc and lever-arm to a rest position when skate is level, enabling the rear wheel to spin freely.

Abstract: A preconstruction utility meter pedestal for the purpose of providing underground electrical and communication service to a building construction site after a foundation has been constructed but before a building has been erected upon the foundation. The pedestal comprises an elongated, vertical electrical service rigid steel conduit for conducting electrical service from an underground electrical service system to a utility meter box mounted on the upper end of the conduit and having an electric meter mounted therein. The rigid steel conduit is adapted to be fastened by an upper and a lower mounting plate, respectively, to the front face of the foundation. A communication cable plastic conduit, and a temporary electrical power box are carried by the electrical service rigid steel conduit. The electrical service rigid steel conduit supports a telephone interface box mounting bracket for the reception of an interface telephone box.

Abstract: A process for rapidly and conveniently measuring the magnesium concentration of a biological fluid, such as blood or urine, is carried out by fixing amounts of a chelatometric dye, metal cation masking agents, a chelating agent, an alkaline buffer, and a stabilizer on a bibulous material covered with a semipermeable membrane, adding the test specimen, and measuring the amount of color change of the dye at a selected wavelength. The amount of color change is proportional to the quantity of magnesium in the original specimen and can be measured by visual comparison to a standard color chart or with a dedicated reflectance photometer. Furthermore, a method is given for expanding the range of linearity. The method for making the dry indicator includes coating bibulous material with a reaction solution which is dried thereon, followed by coating this material with an organic solution which is dried thereon.

Abstract: A safety supporting apparatus for an arrow while the arrow is nocked and positioned on an arrow rest. Two safety arms, that do not touch the arrow, but are sufficiently close to the shaft of the arrow so that if the arrow is laterally dislodged from the rest, the arrow will briefly contact one or both of the arms, causing the arrow to be repositioned on the rest. Once the bow is drawn back into firing position, the arms are automatically rotated away from the arrow, permitting it to be fired without the shaft or fletching contacting the safety supporting arms. An optional third arm is also provided in an alternative embodiment so that vertical displacements from the arrow rest can also be prevented. The apparatus is adaptable for compound, recurve or longbow styles of bow and can be used with or without an overdraw mechanism.

Abstract: A surgical screw driver for inserting bone screws in bone tunnels in ligament reconstruction has, in a preferred embodiment, a rotatable operating shaft disposed at an angle to a drive shaft. A mechanism is on the drive shaft for retaining a bone screw. Methods of arthroscopic cruciate ligament reconstruction include the steps of introducing a surgical screw driver through a portal that is offset from the longitudinal axis of a bone tunnel and driving a bone screw mounted on the driver in the bone tunnel to fixate a bone block in the bone tunnel.

Abstract: A low cost, disposable, unitized dampening roller/dampening cover component consisting of a hollow tube on which is fixedly bonded a resilient layer and with a moisture absorbent cover fixedly bonded on the resilient layer. The tube is fitted with supportive injection molded end caps for mounting the roller/cover component as an integral component on a lithographic press. This all in one construction allows for fast and easy changing of dampening covers.

Abstract: A document support stand (1) may be located at a computer workstation (24) and positioned to one side of a monitor (30) to support a projected document or document holder. The stand (1) combines a first support apparatus, support stand (2) and a second support apparatus document holder (4). Support stand (2) can support articles at various spatial locations without the use of mechanical balancing devices and includes a main support body (6), an arm (8) and a bracket (10) which can be adapted to function alone or in combination with a second support apparatus document holder (4). The viewing side (730) of document holder (4) can position a mounted document or document holder in rotation and inclination about three axes of rotation. The viewing side (730) is fitted with rotatable first and second sections (904, 906).

Abstract: A veneer slicer includes a mandrel for holding multiple flitches. The mandrel has a first axis about which it is rotated. A knife and pressure bar assembly is provided on a first reciprocable carriage. The carriage is reciprocated toward and away from the first axis of rotation as the flitches are carried around the first axis of rotation on the mandrel. The mandrel is reciprocated along the first axis of rotation. Rotation of the mandrel, coupled with reciprocation of the carriage and mandrel respectively toward and away from the first axis of rotation and along the first axis of rotation, causes veneer to be sliced sequentially from the multiple flitches.

Abstract: An improved turkey box call adapted to prevent the emission of inadvertent sounds which might otherwise alarm the prey. The call has a base and a pair of opposing standards, one with a post and the other with a camming surface with a pair of detents. The call includes a striker pivotally connected to the post, which is selectively adapted to interact individually or simultaneously with a pair of resonating panels such that sounds similar to those of tom and hen turkeys are cooperatively generated. The call also includes a cavity spaced between the pair of resonating panels, the striker, the pair of opposing standards, and the base. A separator, having a nub biased in sliding engagement with the camming surface, is adapted to space the striker apart from the pair of resonating panels as the nub is disposed in one of the detents and to allow the striker to interact with the pair of resonating panels as the nub is disposed in the other one of the detents.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel horizontal fluid bed reactor, which in a single unit, provides for the polymerization of monomer to polymer and mixed monomers to co-polymers. Within one reactor shell the reactor contains a plurality of polymerization stages which permit the achievement of narrow residence time distribution of the produced polymer. This arrangement also creates a sufficiently tight subdivision of the reactor volume which permits a plurality of gas circulation stages of different gas compositions, as well as, polymerization temperatures.

Abstract: A roller skate with in-line wheels employs a pair of brake discs capable of applying variable resistance to the rotation of the rear wheel. A skater may activate the brake by elevating the toe of the skate bringing a lever arm that is mounted at the rear of the skate and oriented downward into contact with the road surface. This contact causes the lever-arm to rotate as the toe is elevated. Rotation of the lever arm induces contact between the brake discs and the rotating rear wheel by forcing discs inward toward the wheel. Rotation of the lever arm and inward movement of brake discs is opposed by a separate spring device which returns the brake discs and the lever arm to a rest position when the skate is level, enabling the rear wheel to spin freely.