Abstract: A flotation device includes an injector having a flow channel with a variable cross sectional area with respect to the direction of fluid flow through the injector. The injector introduces a mixture of gas and liquid into the device. The injector flow channel has repeated narrowings and widenings in the direction of fluid flow through the injector.

Abstract: Solid lubricant-dispensing plastics containing: polyethylene with a molecular weight of about 200-700,000; an oil; an optional compatibilizing agent for the oil; and, a bleed control agent that controls the rate of release of the oil. Methods are also disclosed for preparing the lubricant-dispensing plastics that have controlled oil release rates that are dependent upon the amount of the bleed control agent, and are adjustable by changing oil viscosity and the initial amount of the oil in the formulation.

Abstract: Provided is an ergonomic cutting device for cutting casts and other rigid objects comprising an oscillating cutting blade driven by a motor, a handle, and a vacuum system. The present cutting device is designed such that the offset positioning of the motor enables the weight of the motor to help manipulate and make more efficient the device. The vacuum system cools the device and draws dust produced by the cutting blade through the device without contacting the dust with the motor or other mechanical components. The motor is designed to initially engage in an idle mode when the device is turned on, then automatically sense when a load is placed on the cutting blade and, at that point, boost to a cutting mode. The motor may also be manually placed in a higher powered turbo mode. The device also includes a dynamic braking system which enables the device to stop oscillation of the blade faster than previous device.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for specifying an expert system. Multiple task specifications are formed for specifying tasks as functional units of the expert system. Multiple method specifications are formed for specifying methods for accomplishing ones of the tasks. At least one of the tasks is specified as a subtask of at least one of the methods, such that ones of the task specifications are organized as a structure having multiple levels of tasks.

Abstract: An automatic screw gun which has a guide housing for the driving blade is equipped with a deflecting member that engages the leading end of the screw supply belt to deflect the leading end of the belt out of the path of the screw being driven, including the screw head or a washer below the screw head, whereby it is prevented that portions of the belt can be clamped between the surface of a work piece and the screw head or washer. A spring biases the deflector member into a rest position and the advancing belt brings the deflector member into a working position in which it holds the leading end of the belt out of the way.

Abstract: An electrode has a substrate and a finely divided active material on the substrate. The active material is ANi.sub.x-y-z Co.sub.y Sn.sub.z, wherein A is a mischmetal or La.sub.1-w M.sub.w, M is Ce, Nd, or Zr, w is from about 0.05 to about 1.0, x is from about 4.5 to about 5.5, y is from 0 to about 3.0, and z is from about 0.05 to about 0.5. An electrochemical storage cell utilizes such an electrode as the anode. The storage cell further has a cathode, a separator between the cathode and the anode, and an electrolyte.

Abstract: A shipping pallet is constructed of multiple laminations of corrugated sheet material, with specific construction details providing advantages in strength and trueness of the completed pallet, and further advantages in the reduction of tooling and labor costs. The stringers or runners, deck boards, and top and (optional) bottom sheets may be sawn from stacks of plural laminations, thus precluding any requirement for costly dies and intensive labor. Asymmetrical corrugated sheets may be used, with one side having a different weight than the other. By laminating two such sheets together with like weighted sides in contact, the tendency of such sheets to curve or warp due to the difference in side thickness is substantially eliminated. Different orientations of the corrugations or flutes of the sheets during lamination and assembly of the pallet, provide advantages in strength for specific applications.

Abstract: A call in-bound remote reading and data collection system for the remote reading of utility meters, including a data processor and a remotely located meter interface unit (MIU) interconnected to at least one utility meter to be read. Also disclosed is a meter interface unit and a method for the remote reading of utility meters and the collection of data. The data processor collects, stores and processes data and includes a modem to interconnect the data processor to conventional telephone lines. The MIU is interconnected to the telephone lines and the data processor, to transmit scheduled meter reading to the data processing means, when a prespecified interval has elapsed. The MIU is also interconnected to transmit unscheduled or demand meter readings when the MIU receives telephone line transmissions requesting such a reading (e.g. receipt of a specified tone). A modem is used to interconnect the MIU so it can communicate over the telephone lines.

Abstract: A hypodermic syringe assembly which is self-sheathing in that use of the syringe activates a locking mechanism which automatically and irreversibly causes a hypodermic needle to be retracted into an outer sheath. As a result, the syringe assembly is automatically and permanently made safe to handle by the user. In addition, reuse of the syringe is prevented by the locking mechanism, in that the locking mechanism serves to puncture the syringe if an attempt is made to reuse the syringe. The syringe includes a tubular-shaped sheathing member having an apertured end through which the hypodermic needle extends when the syringe is in use. Telescopically disposed within the sheathing member is a tubular-shaped insert having one end which is open to receive a plunger, with the other end being provided with an aperture and boss for receiving the hypodermic needle.

Abstract: An improved radiator construction comprising a cooling tube having a barbed end, preferably with an adjacent collar, spaced apart sufficient to engage an elastomeric seal. The seal and tube are positioned in the opening of a radiator or heat exchanger header so that the tube barb and collar and the engaged seal cooperate to retain the cooling tube in the header.

Abstract: A tool for preparing a substrate edge of a counter-top to accept a molded apron having at least two perpendicular appendages. The tool includes cutters for cutting a channel and/or a rabbet into the substrate edge. The spacing between the cutting edges of the cutters corresponds to a spacing between the perpendicular appendages of the molded apron.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing reconfiguration of a cellular network is provided. Cell parameters of affected mobile switching centers in the network are copied to a database, and the copied parameters are stored. A set of proposed changes to the stored parameters are prepared and the consistency of the prepared set of proposed changes is verified. Any necessary alterations to the set of proposed changes responsive to the verification are made and the verified set of proposed changes are copied to the affected mobile switching centers. The verified set of proposed changes are then introduced into the network. Additionally, at all times, an up-to-date image of all the cell parameters in all the mobile switching centers in the network is maintained in a system parameter database.

Abstract: A circuit for regenerating a clock signal from an NRZ encoded signal. The NRZ signal is filtered, differentiated, and applied to a nested phase-locked loop. The main loop of the phase-locked loop includes a voltage controlled crystal oscillator. The inner loop of the nested phase-locked loop includes a voltage controlled oscillator which multiplies the frequency of the signal provided by the crystal oscillator to obtain the regenerated clock signal. Tunable low pass filters are used in the differentiating circuit as delay elements. The voltage controlled oscillator includes a tunable low pass filter and an integrator. The control voltage for the inner loop voltage controlled oscillator is used to control the low pass filters of the differentiating circuit in a frequency locked loop.

Abstract: A control system for a fishing line for use during casting and during reeling in a fish. A line-gripper member can either pinch the line to terminate casting or can apply a drag to assist in landing a fish. The control system is intended to be mounted on a fishing rod and is particularly useful in combination with a spinning reel but also is useful with a drum or rotating, spool-type reel. An operating member is mounted adjacent a handle of a fishing rod to be actuated, usually, by a user's thumb for pulling a control line for actuating a pivoted line-gripper member and provide contact with a fishing line to provide a brake action or drag thereto.

Abstract: A precious metal alloy for dental restorations which develops a light oxide upon firing, on a percentage weight basis at makeup, consists of 60-95 precious metal(s) selected from the group consisting of 60-855 palladium, 0-10 gold, 0-10 platinum, 0-12 silver, and mixtures thereof; 1-15 tin; 2-7 zinc; 0.005-0.2 boron; 0-2 gallium; 0-2 cobalt; 0-15 indium; 0-0.2 of a deoxidant selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, magnesium, aluminum, lithium, tantalum and mixtures thereof; and 0-1.0 of a grain refiner selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, iridium, rhenium, and mixtures thereof. The alloy has a liquidus temperature of not more than 1400.degree. C., and the alloy has a tensile yield strength of at least 250 Mpa and an elongation of at least 2 percent. Restorations having a porcelain coating fired on castings of the alloy evidence a light oxide color.

Abstract: An automatic filling system for a compressed gas tank includes a controller that measures the rate of fill of a tank being filled in order to provide an accurate estimate of the fill time for the tank, given available source pressure. Compressed gas flow is controlled with on/off valves that are driven open by a motor/gearbox/clutch combination to reduce thermal and physical shocks associated with opening of the valve. Whenever power is removed from the clutch, a spring automatically drives the valves closed quickly to provide fail-safe operation.

Abstract: Exhaust noise emitted by a pneumatically operated tool, such as a nailer, is damped by an external damping ring which surrounds the exhaust openings. Preferably, the damping ring is inserted into an outwardly open circumferential groove into which the exhaust openings of the tool housing merge. The ring is sufficiently elastic to permit the escape of the exhaust air, thereby damping the noise. The ring may be an elastic rubber or synthetic material ring (12) or it may be a tightly woven ring spring (12A).

Abstract: A low voltage vacuum field emission device and method for manufacturing is provided. The devices are fabricated by anodizing a heavily doped silicon wafer substrate (12) in concentrated HF solution, forming extremely sharp silicon tips (18) at the silicon to porous silicon interface. The resulting porous silicon layer is then oxidized, and a metal film (22) is deposited by evaporation on the porous silicon. Silicon substrate (12) is the cathode, and metal film dots (22) are the anodes. The I-V characteristics for the field emission devices follow Fowler-Nordheim curves over three decades of current. The I-V characteristics are also utterly independent of temperature up to 250.degree. C. When the oxidized porous silicon layer (OPSL) is about 5000 .ANG., substantial current is obtained with less than 10 volts. Recent experiments leave no doubt that the charge transport is in the vacuum of the pores.

Abstract: A lumbosacral support system having a belt and an orthopedic pad carried by the belt. The pad has a contoured template surface with a transversely extending central trough portion for accommodating the protruding spinal processes of the wearer when the pad is pressed against the lumbar region, and a pair of raised plateau regions flanking the central trough portion for contacting the erector spinae muscles of the wearer to provide support. The template surface of the pad has a vertical surface contour through the central region approximating the average lordotic curve of a wearer. The belt is longitudinally tapered so the pad is arranged at an angle to vertical to optimally engage the lumbar region of the wearer.