Abstract: A skill building apparatus for basketball players includes a frame defining a substantially rectangular configured and enclosed cage in which a player stands substantially stationary. The frame includes a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending, parallel frame members extending along the length of the upper portion of the cage. A bridge assembly is mounted transverse on the parallel frame members and includes means for moving the bridge assembly longitudinally along the frame members. A basketball backboard and goal assembly is supported by the bridge assembly and a motor mechanism pivotally rotates the backboard and goal assembly about a vertical axis. Longitudinal movement of the bridge assembly and pivotal rotation of the backboard and goal assembly about the vertical axis are controlled by a microprocessor.

Abstract: Protective covers for an exposed horizontally disposed P-shaped sink trap and for an exposed water supply valve for protecting a wheelchair bound person from burning when using the sink. Select embodiments of the P-shaped trap protective covers can be adjustably installed with P-shaped traps of varying size and which have been installed at varying angles, and select embodiments of the water supply valves can be installed with water supply valves of varying size.

Abstract: A foamed cellular material from polyester resins is obtained by extrusion foaming of polyester resins having melt strength higher than 8 centinewton, intrinsic viscosity greater than 0.8 dl/g and complex melt viscosity higher than 25,000 poises.

Abstract: A containment and guide arm for various leads extending from operating room monitoring devices such as a pulse oxygen metering unit and an EKG unit including a generally tubular member which is attachable to any stationary surface within the operating room or other such environment. A plurality of guide members are attached to the generally tubular member, each guide member including a plurality of guides or clamps for containing one or more leads extending from operating room monitoring devices thereby preventing the leads from being strewn about the operating room and hindering activity of doctors and nurses during operations. The containment and guide arm of this invention has similar application in other medical environments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fishing system in which one end of a fishing line is attached to a remotely controlled miniature boat powered by two propellers and controllable from a control point. The boat is connected to the control point by a fishing line as well as by a control link. At the rear end of the boat a rigidly mounted tail extends from the boat to provide a point for the attachment of the fishing line at or near the water's surface and clear of the propellers. A plurality of separate lines having hooks may be attached to the fishing line with hangers. A plurality of horizontally dispersed hooks may thus be set to catch fish over a wide area.

Abstract: A process for regeneration of spent sulfated and calcined solid superacid catalyst is disclosed. Said process comprises heating said catalyst to a temperature of approximately 450.degree. C. and contacting said catalyst with a gas stream comprising oxygen or air and sulfur dioxide. This regeneration process can be performed in situ.

Abstract: A method of linearizing a modulator (1) having two parallel-coupled sub-modulators (2, 3). The complete transmission function of the modulator includes parameters which relate to power division (A, 1-A) of a non-modulated carrier wave (P.sub.in) and a relationship (B) between the activation degree of the sub-modulators (2, 3). The transmission function is simplified and series-expanded with two higher-order terms, each having a respective coefficient. An expression for intermodulation distortion is calculated with the aid of the series-expansion and with control signals (V1, V2) having two or three frequencies. The signs of the coefficients are determined so that the terms having these coefficients will mutually counteract their respective distortion contributions, and limited search regions for the parameters (A, B) are calculated with the aid of the sign-determined coefficients.

Abstract: A high temperature heat exchanger having an improved support apparatus for suspending a tube bundle. The improved support comprises a skirt from which the tube sheet and the bundle are supported, and a lip on an upper end of the skirt engaged in a flange assembly receiving the lip. A first refractory lining on an inside face of the skirt extends downwardly from the lip, and overlaps a second refractory lining on an outside surface of the skirt extending upwardly from adjacent the tube sheet toward the lip. By securing the support apparatus in the cold flange assembly, the interior refractory is not used for supporting the tube bundle and can maintain its integrity, have a lower incidence of premature failure and yield an optimum refractory life.

Abstract: The transfer of data packets are monitored in a line having various logical channels. For each logical channel there is a count value and at the arrival of a data packet, or in each time slot when the transmission on said line is time multiplexed, i.e., for each time when a packet could have arrived in a time multiplexed system, only the count value for a single channel is decremented. Then it is determined whether the received data packet, if there is one, is to be forwarded or is to be discarded by the comparison of a calculated value (F.sub.n) to a threshold value (T.sub.n) belonging to the channel to which the packet belongs. In the calculation of the value (F.sub.n), the number is used of those channels which have not been decremented after decrementing the channel to which the received packet belongs. In this way, the calculated value (F.sub.n) can be made to resemble the calculated value or level value, which is used in prior methods for handling loss of packets in a network.

Abstract: An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch in which access to a switchcore matrix is monitored and controlled through the logic and buffering functions of switchports connected thereto. The switchcore is greatly simplified by moving the logic and buffering functions to the switchports. The switchcore matrix comprises a plurality of rows, columns, and crosspoints thereof, providing routing paths for the routing of information cells from input points to output points on the matrix. Single-cell buffers in the switchcore matrix enable temporary storage and hand-off of individual information cells as they pass through the matrix. The simplicity of the switchcore matrix enables it to be constructed on a single integrated circuit.

Abstract: The invention is a support and retainer fixture for hollow fence posts. Angle irons extending up from a bottom plate are oriented with their corners on the inside of the structure and their legs pointed outward. The top ends of the angle irons are cut at a slope with the inside edges being lower than the outside edges. A top plate with a center hole has edges which are bent upward to match the angles formed on the ends of the angle irons and is held in place by a center threaded stud. When a hollow post is slipped down over the assembly and a nut tightened down onto the top plate, the top plate's edges force the top ends of the angle irons out toward the inside surface of the hollow post, locking it in place.

Abstract: The instant device is made up of a semi-rigid, one piece belt clip with two sides worn on the belt of a fisherman, with touch fastener material permanently affixed to the one piece, two sided belt clip with two identical strips of hook tape stitched to the touch fastener material close to the bottom edge of the side of the belt clip furthest from the body of a fisherman wearing the device on the fisherman's belt and with a slit in each of the strips of hook tape which slits are amenable to receipt of the respective ends of a fishing reel.

Abstract: A system for optimizing the traffic carrying capacity of a telecommunications network having a plurality of elements and a plurality of routes connecting those elements to one another. The controlled congestion in the network is controlled by identifying and limiting defective devices and routes with exaggerated levels of congestion. Disturbance alarm levels are also adjusted to allow increased traffic through the network and the traffic within the network is reconfigured in real time in response to the occurrence of network events to optimize traffic capacity.

Abstract: A method of digesting waste paper is disclosed wherein waste paper is digested in a gas-tight container at an elevated pressure supplied by compressed gas introduced to the container. The digestion mixture is circulated within the pulper by a rotor having vanes or helical surfaces.

Abstract: The invention concerns the recycling of waste paper in a deinking process with flotation with at least one other cleaning stage downstream. According to the invention, selective flotation is performed in multiple stages. After no more than a third flotation stage, the flotation foam collected up to that point is removed and purified by means of flash flotation, which produces sludge, clear water and separated foam that contains the contaminants from the waste paper feed. Subsequently, the sludge is removed from the paper recycling process. Large impurities are removed from the sludge (foam) (except for the foam from up to the three last stages) in up to two washing units (including thickeners) or screen units. The fibers are then separated from the relatively fine contaminants, and these contaminants are primarily removed as sludge from the resulting low-fiber fractions by flash flotation.

Abstract: Reagent compositions suitable for use in degrading and detoxifying polyhalogenated organic compounds comprising an aprotic solvent having dissolved therein (a) an effective amount of hydrogen donor, (b) an effective amount of a compound which produces hydroxide ion or alkoxide ion, and (c) dioxygen, are shown. These reagent compositions may be used to produce superoxide ion in situ for use in a variety of industrial applications to degrade halogenated hydrocarbons, e.g., PCBs. The generation of superoxide ion may be catalyzed by the presence of anthraquinone and derivatives thereof. Reagent compositions containing (a) an effective amount of hydrogen donor, e.g., hydroxylamine, (b) an effective amount of a compound which produces hydroxide ion or alkoxide ion and (c) dioxygen are also shown. In preferred methods the dioxygen is bubbled through the solutions to continuously form superoxide ion.

Abstract: A limiting amplifier has between an amplifier input and an amplifier output at least one amplifier stage as well as load components. The amplifier has an output signal limiting device for limiting the maximum amplitude of the output signal and the amplification and includes a current drain device connected to the amplifier stage output and drawing current through the load components. More particularly, the amplifier stage can be a differential amplifier stage with a differential input and a differential output, two current drain devices being connected to each one of the terminals of the differential output.

Abstract: A cellular mobile radiotelephone system listens for call accesses on a control channel of an umbrella cell and on a control channel of a microcell located within said umbrella cell and responds to the call access only on the control channel of the umbrella cell. More particularly, the microcells within a particular umbrella cell are provided with listen-only control channel at the same frequency as the uplink control channel of the umbrella cell. An umbrella cell and one or several of its microcells may therefore each receive the same call accesses. During call access, the umbrella cell and each of the microcells determines the strength of the received signal and forwards this information to the system. The system selects the most appropriate cell out of the umbrella cell and the microcells to handle the call and causes the umbrella cell to respond to the call access on its downlink control channel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sickleless internal gear pump with an internal ring gear and a pinion meshing with the ring gear. The ring gear and pinion are rotatably mounted in a common housing part having an axial expanse corresponding to the width of the teeth of the ring gear and the pinion. The housing features a suction port and a pressure port. The ring gear features radial ports for the fluid medium to be pumped. Disposed in the pressure side region of the housing, opposite the rotating gearing parts of the ring gear and the pinion, is an axially movable axial disk exerting a force on the rotating gearing parts dependent on an axial pressure derived from the working pressure. The axially movable disk provides axial sealing by compensating for the gap between it and the fixed housing.