Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of aqueous solutions of acetoacetamide wherein diketene and aqueous ammonia having an ammonia concentration of about 6.0 to 9.0 weight percent are continuously fed to a reaction zone at rates which maintain in the reaction zone a pH of about 7.0 to 8.2 and a residence time of about 20 to 150 minutes while (i) maintaining the temperature of the reaction zone at about 40.degree. to 75.degree. C. and (ii) subjecting the contents of the reaction zone to vigorous agitation. An aqueous product solution having an acetoacetamide concentration of about 25 to 35 weight percent is continuously removed from the reaction zone.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing polymeric compositions which are suitable for coating medicaments or for use in cosmetic formulations and the novel compositions prepared therefrom. The process makes stable, colloidal, latex-like dispersions of coating polymers which can be readily dried to form polymeric powder materials. The process makes use of a novel combination of a water-in-oil emulsifier and an oil-in-water emulsifier.

Abstract: Thresholding and background referencing apparatus are disclosed for use with apparatus for scanning documents having images with object and background regions. The background referencing apparatus receives, from the scanning apparatus, a video signal representing the document image and generation a signal having a value representative of an estimate of the background density level of the document being scanned. The apparatus produces a difference signal representative of the difference between the estimated background level signal and the received video signal. The estimated background level signal is stored, and updated in response to (1) the difference signal being of a first sign associated with transition from object to background, and (2) only small difference signals of a second sign associated with transition from background to object, whereby large difference signals of the second sign result in substantially no change in the stored estimated background level signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the preparation of bis-acylamido aromatic compounds by reacting certain arylene dihalides with certain arylene dihalides in the presence of a copper catalyst. The process may be utilized in the synthesis of arylenediamines.

Abstract: A dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer comprising a poly(ethylene terephthalate) support having thereon, in order, a subbing layer and a dye layer comprising a dye dispersed in a cellulosic binder, and wherein said subbing layer comprises a copolymer of vinyl alcohol and an alkyl ester of vinyl alcohol, such as vinyl acetate.

Abstract: A dual still video/film portrait system in which the film has a virtually transparent magnetic layer, the camera and the photofinishing system used to develop the film each having magnetic read/write heads and a processor for controlling data recorded and played back in magnetic tracks on the film.

Abstract: A linear sensor composed of substantially like-sized segments generates a high definition television signal from a line scan of a motion picture film. By staggering the linear segments and overlapping adjoining ends thereof, the sampled signal outputs of the several segments can be applied to a series of digital filters that operate independently to provide filtered output signals that can be grouped together without processing artifacts at the crossover points. More particularly, the overlapping regions of the linear segments are configured in relation to the processing kernal required by the digital filters such that contiguous, processed samples on either side of each crossover point are derived from sample strings wholly within a respective linear segment.

Abstract: A disengageable coupling generally of the double slider type includes first and third components fixed to the end of shafts to be coupled. A second spider component is slidingly coupled to the first component by interlocking mating surfaces that permit limited radial sliding but prevent axial movement of the spider component. The spider component and third component have disengageable clutch surfaces which also permit radial movement of the spider component with respect to the third component.

Abstract: A novel method for quantitatively assessing an imaging device in terms of the classical encircled energy test is disclosed in a contemporaneously filed Application. The present invention complements this capability, and discloses a method which can specify, precisely and uniquely, those discrete portions of an imaging device which pass the encircled energy test, and those discrete portions of the imaging device which fail the encircled energy test. Advantages of the present invention include a capability to direct efficient correction procedures towards those discrete portions of the imaging device which fail the encircled energy test, without compromising discrete portions of the imaging device which pass the encircled energy test.

Abstract: A magenta dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer comprises a support having thereon a dye layer comprising a mixture of a yellow dye and a magenta dye dispersed in a polymeric binder, the magenta dye having the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or allyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms;X is an alkoxy group of from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms or represents the atoms which when taken together with R.sup.2 forms a 5- or 6-membered ring;R.sup.2 is any of the groups for R.sup.1 or represents the atoms which when taken together with X forms a 5- or 6-membered ring;R.sup.3 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms;J is CO, CO.sub.2, --SO.sub.2 -- or CONR.sup.5 --;R.sup.

Abstract: A film metering pawl suitable for use with a motorized film drive has a perforation sensing tooth with a sloping leading edge that allows the tooth to be cammed out of each perforation by the perforation leading edge during prewind/rewind. The pawl also has an integral ramp which cooperates with a fixed pin to be lifted out of each perforation during frame-to-frame film advance beyond registration positions between exposures, without the necessity for mechanical connection to the camera exposure system. An infrared sensor monitors pawl position for motor drive/synchronization purposes.

Abstract: A light-tight package, for securely containing a light-sensitive article, comprises a mating pair of rectanguloid inner and outer boxes. The inner box, adapted to enclose the light-sensitive article, has a bottom wall, front and rear walls, opposite end walls, and a closable and openable top wall with an integral flap that tucks inside the front wall. The outer box, adapted to enclose the inner box, has a top wall, front and rear walls, and opposite end walls, but no bottom wall. The walls of both boxes are formed by selective folding of specially configured paperboard blanks.

Abstract: A beam position sensor for a beam scanner is disclosed for use in a laser printer. The printer comprises three diode lasers each of which emits at a different wavelength. The beams from the three lasers are combined by the use of dichroic plates to form one combined beam. The combined beam is scanned onto a receiving medium by a polygon. The beam position sensor of the present invention is adapted to sense the position of the polygon in order to provide a synchronizing signal which will insure that each raster line in the printer is started at the proper position. The beam position sensor includes a diode laser and optics for projecting a beam from the laser onto the polygon. The beam is reflected back from the polygon into a photodetector which effects the start of a new raster line at the appropriate time.

Abstract: Sensor apparatus is intended to be used with a film cassette which includes optically readable film information indicia and a viewing aperture for viewing the film information indicia. The sensor apparatus comprises an optoelectronic sensor for reading the film information indicia, and a mount for the optoelectronic sensor complementarily shaped with respect to the viewing aperture to fit only part way into the viewing aperture to critically position the optoelectronic sensor relative to the film information indicia.

Abstract: A toner image carrying thermoplastic layer on a receiving sheet is texturized from the back side of the sheet by positioning the sheet between a smooth hard surface and a texturizing surface with the texturizing surface contacting the back side. The thermoplastic layer is softened by heat and becomes texturized without embossing the back side. A curl preventing layer on the back side is not embossed because it has a melting point above the temperature of the process. A glossy-textured print can be produced this way. The process is especially useful in making multicolor prints of photographic quality.

Abstract: Assemblies of double coated radiographic elements exhibiting sharply curtailed crossover and front and back intensifying screen pairs are disclosed. By choosing a front screen that exceeds a stated sharpness criterion, expressed in terms of modulation transfer factors (MTF), and a back screen and adjacent emulsion layer unit combination exhibiting a photicity at least twice that of the combination of the front screen and its adjacent emulsion layer unit an enhancement in detective quantum efficiency (DQE) is realized.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition comprising a polyester of terephthalic acid, 1,4-butanediol and/or 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, a halogenated organic compound, an antimony compound and a polymer of at least one olefin which contains acid, anhydride or epoxide functional groups. The composition has improved flame resistance. Also disclosed is a method for improving the flame resistance of polymeric compositions.

Abstract: A process for producing elemental iodine and a copoly(arylene sulfide) corresponding to the structure ##STR1## wherein y is in the range of 0.001 to 0.15, x is in the range of 0.02 to 0.65 and n is at least 100, consisting essentially of (1) reacting at a temperature above about 175.degree. C., a mixture of diiodobenzene and diiodobiphenyl and elemental sulfur to produce the copoly(arylene sulfide), and (2) recovering the elemental iodine.

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic tape cassette storage and handling apparatus which is compact, reliable and uncomplex. The apparatus includes a ferris wheel structure having a plurality of circumferentially spaced compartments for storing individual magnetic tape cassettes. A cassette handling device is located in a central opening of the ferris wheel structure. The apparatus is preferably mounted adjacent to a magnetic tape recorder/player, so that the cassette handling device loads and unloads a cassette from a compartment of the ferris wheel structure into and out of the magnetic tape recorder/player.

Abstract: A photographic yellow dye-forming coupler is represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms;ball is a ballast group of such size and configuration as to render the coupler nondiffusible in a photographic element;Y is CO, PO.sub.3 or SO.sub.2 ;X is an aryloxy coupling-off group; andn is 1 or, when Y is PO.sub.3, n is 2.Such a coupler is useful in a color photographic silver halide element and process to provide improved activity.