Abstract: A disc screen for classifying material by size. The disc screen comprises a frame, a plurality of shafts mounted on the frame parallel with one another, a first stage including discs mounted on the shafts in a substantially coplanar row, each of the discs having a perimeter shaped to maintain the space between discs substantially constant during rotation; and a second stage including discs mounted on the shafts in a substantially coplanar row, each of the discs having a perimeter shaped to maintain the space between discs substantially constant during rotation. The first stage discs are positioned to allow passage of only small fraction material and the second stage discs are positioned to allow passage of intermediate fraction material thereby classifying the material into a small fraction, an intermediate fraction and a large fraction.

Abstract: A process environment monitoring system collects and tests air samples from a number of different sample locations. Each sample is drawn into a sample test chamber into which a beam of infrared light is directed from an infrared source. The beam is reflected off mirrors in the test chamber a number of times before it exits and is directed to an infrared detector. The detector identifies absorption peaks in the spectrum of the infrared beam to determine the presence of certain gases of interest in the test chamber. A host computer is provided to function in conjunction with a valve controller to make up a data processing unit. The data processing unit services a number of tasks to make the process environment monitor a fully integrated system. The system controls employee identification, alarm triggering, and automated system control, as well as a number of other functions.

Abstract: A plurality of electronically reconfigurable gate array (ERCGA) logic circuits are interconnected via a reconfigurable interconnect, and electronic representations of large digital networks are converted to take temporary actual operating hardware form on the interconnected circuits. The reconfigurable interconnect permits the digital network realized on the interconnected circuits to be changed at will, making the system well suited for a variety of purposes including simulation, prototyping, execution and computing. The reconfigurable interconnect may comprise a partial crossbar that is formed of ERCGA circuits dedicated to interconnection functions, wherein each such interconnect ERCGA is connected to at least one, but not all of the pins of a plurality of the logic circuits. Other reconfigurable interconnect topologies are also detailed. If desired, the logic circuits and interconnect can be implemented in wafer-scale technology.

Abstract: Provided is a system for cultivating fish generally encompassing a container for water and fish, a pumping system for adding water to the container, and a separating device which directs the water and waste from the container, separates waste from the water, removes the separated waste, and conducts the water out of the separating device.

Abstract: An interferometer amplitude modulation reduction circuit coupled to receive an interferometer output signal from the output of a fiber optic interferometer sensor. The interferometer sensor is excited by a frequency modulated input light signal from a light source having an unwanted amplitude modulation and intensity noise signal component. The interferometer output signal has both wanted interference induced intensity modulation and also unwanted amplitude modulation and intensity noise from the unwanted amplitude modulation and intensity noise signal components present on the frequency modulated input light signal. The invention circuit has a sampling means for sampling a sample portion of the frequency modulated input light signal from the output of the light source. The sampling means detects and the sample portion signal to provide a detected sample intensity signal having a detected unwanted amplitude modulation and intensity noise signal component.

Abstract: A composite tubular element for intravascular catheters, such as fixed-wire dilatation catheters and guiding and angiographic catheters, which is formed by braiding strands formed from an intimate mixture of polymeric matrix materials, such as fibers and powders, having a relatively low melting point and high strength reinforcing fibers having a relatively high melting point into a tubular element, heating the braided tubular element to melt the low melting point matrix materials and flow around the reinforcing fibers to form a matrix. A thermoplastic jacket or coating may then be extruded or otherwise applied to the exterior of the braided tubular element.

Abstract: A thyratron has an auxiliary "keep-alive" electrode in the form of a surface element with at least one aperture therein. In a preferred embodiment, the auxiliary electrode is disposed adjacent the upper end of a heat shield surrounding the cathode of the thyratron and is preferably coplanar with the upper end of the heat shield. A baffle can also be provided between the auxiliary electrode and the cathode to enhance control of the thyratron's switching action.

Abstract: A homopolar machine for use as a motor or a generator. The machine includes an elongated shaft rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a barrier disposed about the shaft, and first and second electrically conductive, magnetic field inducing disks connected to and disposed about the shaft such that the barrier is sandwiched therebetween. The barrier is conductive of a magnetic field and electrically insulated from the disks. The disks are electrically interconnected and generate a magnetic field perpendicular to the barrier with the magnetic field of the first disk in opposition to the magnetic field of the second disk. The machine also includes first and second electrical contacts electrically connected to the centers of the disks. The conductive path defined by the disks includes first and second ends at the centers of the disks and substantially travels the radius of each of the disks such that when used as a generator i.e.

Abstract: An aerosol valve used in a dispenser containing a water/alcohol system in which the valve body and valve stem are molded from a highly nucleated polypropylene.

Abstract: A parallel flow condenser having a plurality of substantially flat, parallel flow tubes are positioned between oppositely disposed headers. The flow tubes provide fluid communication between the headers for cooling fluid which flows through the condenser. Each of the headers is formed from an inner member having an inner wall and a pair of longitudinally extending, parallel sidewalls which protrude outward from the inner wall. The parallel sidewalls terminate in outer edges. An outer member is provided having an outer wall and a pair of longitudinally extending attachment flanges which project inward from the outer wall. The attachment flanges are positioned between the parallel sidewalls of the inner member with the attachment flanges overlapping and joining one of the parallel sidewalls so that the inner and outer members are effectively joined together to form a fluid passage.

Abstract: In order to allow header-less connector pins to be directly surface mounted to a PCB, using a standard pick and place machine, a novel pin holder is used to hold the pin while in pockets or holes of a reeled tape and during its pick and placement by the suction head of the pick and place machine supplied with the reel. The holder is configured to permit standard pin spacings of a row of pins to match standard female connectors, and to allow observation of the pin during the placement process. Novel pin designs for use with the holder are also described.

Abstract: Novel assays and reagents for determining coagulative properties of blood or plasma are disclosed, as are agents and methods for stemming bleeding. Novel ellagic acid-based activators consist essentially of aqueous solutions of ellagic acid, phenol and suitable metal ions and give defined values for a novel platelet assay also disclosed. Inventive coagulation reagents including propyl gallate or tannin are also disclosed, as are aPTT reagents having sensitivity to heparin and Factor deficiencies far superior to prior aPTT reagents. Disclosed heparin-sensitive reagents include dextran sulfate. Also disclosed is applicant's discovery that reagents including hydroxy-substituted compounds and metal ions, heretofore known to activate Hagemann Factor, also cause platelets to release Platelet Factor 3, and a series of platelet-sensitive tests found to be enabled by this discovery.

Abstract: A lamp shade moving mechanism for transparency scanning includes a guiding rack, a sliding block, a driving motor and a belt. Grooves are formed on inside wall of two lateral sides of guiding rack to hold and lead sliding block. Driving motor and belt move sliding block to make a linear to-and-fro movement along guiding rack. A lamp shade is disposed on the sliding block, characterized by having simple components and capable of performing high speed scanning.

Abstract: A digital amplitude quantizer is disclosed having sequential stages each for measuring a selected portion of the overall range of the level of power of applied RF signals. Each of the sequential stages comprises a serial arrangement of a directional coupler, a detector, an amplifier, and an analog-to-digital converter. The directional coupler of each stage is activated when it receives a predetermined level of power of the applied RF signals. The sequential stages further comprise a series arrangement of PROMs and latches that are shared by adjacent stages. In operation, the RF amplifier in the uppermost or last stage is commonly driven into its limiting condition by appropriate RF signals. When the uppermost stage is nearly into its limiting operation, the directional coupler in the preceding stage receives a sufficient level of power of the RF signals and continues to do so until its related RF amplifier is also driven into limitation.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor (12) has a web-sensitive locking mechanism (100) including a primary inertia member (112) which lags rotation of the retractor spool (32) upon acceleration of the spool (32) at a rate above a first predetermined rate. A lock bar (36) blocks rotation of the spool (32) in the unwinding direction when the primary inertia member (112) lags rotation of the spool (32). The retractor (12) also has a sensitivity adjusting mechanism (110) including a secondary inertia member (172). The secondary inertia member (172) has a loading condition in which its mass is applied to the primary inertia member (112) effectively to increase the inertia of the primary inertia member (112). The secondary inertia member (172) is switched into and out of the loading condition in response to rotation of the spool (32).

Abstract: An emulation system and method that reduces or eliminates the number of timing errors such as hold time violations when implementing a netlist description of an integrated circuit. The emulation system comprises a plurality of reprogrammable logic circuits and a plurality of reprogrammable interconnect circuits. The netlist description is optimized to reduce the number of timing violations by removing the occurences of gated clocks from the netlist, partitioning the netlist description by taking into account the occurence of timing violations and ensuring that retain state nets are implemented properly.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus is provided which includes a casing, a system control unit for controlling a facsimile operation, an optical system, reading facsimile data of a transmit document, arranged below the system control unit within the casing, and a document feeding path, provided above the system control unit, for feeding the transmit document to a reading station where the optical system reads the facsimile data of the transmit document. These arrangements provide a compact structure of the facsimile apparatus.

Abstract: A traction mechanism utilizing a tube of flexible material possessing an inner chamber which includes a dimension that is reducible in size upon the application of tension to the tube. Likewise, the tube chamber dimension is expandable in size upon the application of compression on the tube. The first end portion of the tube extends from a closure and terminates in a second open end portion. A tube may be formed of flexible material and possess a dual wall construction. A line extends from the first end portion of the tube to the second end portion thereof for attachment at that point. Pulling the line compresses the tube and thus increases the dimension of the same, releasing items held thereby in traction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing a discrete cosine transform (DCT) or an inverse DCT (IDCT) with a single hardware unit which applies only positive valued multiplicative coefficients and can be switched to either perform a DCT or an IDCT. The invention processes parallel input digital data signals to produce parallel output digital data signals which represent a discrete transform (either a DCT or an IDCT) of the input data. One aspect of the invention is a method and apparatus for performing discrete transforms using a multiplier which implements MSB-first, bit-serial, carry-save, multiplication of an input word by a positive fixed coefficient. In one class of embodiments, the serially received digits of the input word can take on positive values only. In other embodiments, the serially received digits of the input word can take on positive or negative values.