Abstract: A playing apparatus, more specifically a video player for playing round records with a central hole, which are made of a transparent material, which records at one side have a transparent surface and at their other side are provided with information tracks which are optically readable with the aid of a read beam, which tracks are covered by a light-reflecting layer. In order to enable both relatively thick rigid records and relatively thin flexible records to be played on one playing apparatus, the invention provides a transparent adapter disc, which together with a flexible record can be positioned on the playing apparatus and driven in a rotary fashion. In order to prevent dust particles from being trapped between the flexible record and the transparent adapter disc, the adapter disc may be provided with a central recess with a number of air admission apertures at the circumference thereof, so that during operation a thin film of air is formed between the flexible record and the adapter disc.

Abstract: A wound capacitor comprising a cylindrical housing which includes an expansion space which is closed on the one side by a lid and which is bounded on the other side by a rigidly arranged centering disc which is provided with openings. Through such openings the expansion space is in open communication with a space in which a capacitor roll, disposed on a cylindrical core, is arranged. Connection wires are connected to the electrodes in the capacitor roll. These wires are anchored in the lid as well as in a centering member arranged in the centering disc. The centering member is locked against axial displacement by way of a shoulder which bears against the centering disc. In the case of an inadmissibly high gas pressure in the capacitor, the lid is displaced relative to the centering member and the connection wires are broken, the capacitor thus being rendered explosion-proof.

Abstract: A flash lamp unit having two connection members which are present on opposing surfaces of the unit and are each suitable for being coupled to a camera. The unit further comprises two series of flash lamps having associated reflectors, one series of flash lamps being arranged nearest to one surface and the other series being arranged nearest to the other surface. Each series of flash lamps can only be flashed by a cooperation between the connection member remote from that series.

Abstract: A mosaic printer comprising a printing head with relative movability along a printing line on a printing sheet to be printed. The head supports a number of wire ends arranged along a substantially rectilinear line extending perpendicular to the printing line and each wire end upon excitation producing a printing mark on the printing sheet, desired signs being formed by selective activation of the said wire ends during relative motion of the printing head. According to the present invention at least the front portion of the printing head, which determines the orientation of the said substantially rectilinear line, is rotatable about an axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the printing sheet, whereby signs having different inclinations can be formed by rotating the front part of the printing head.

Abstract: A post-focusing type color cathode ray tube comprising a quadrupole lens formed in each aperture of the color selection mask.

Abstract: A black-white or color television camera has a pick-up tube having a signal electrode comprising separate strips. Before a line scanning operation to be performed by an electron beam takes place, the signal electrode strips are coupled to a reference potential. After the line scan, the strips which are coupled separately to parallel inputs of a switching circuit which is provided with switches coupled to the parallel inputs, are coupled for supplying video information. This results in a separation between electron beam scanning and picture signal supply by the pick-up tube, which has the advantage that the beam scanning does not affect the picture quality in the direction of line scan. Furthermore, the construction with strips yield an improved signal-to-noise ratio. The switching circuit may, possibly together with a shift register, be integrated in a semiconductor body, which is provided near the signal electrode in the pick-up tube or outside the pick-tube.

Abstract: A word group priority device for use in a data processing system having a first store and a relatively faster but smaller capacity second store, which device assigns priorities to word groups on a least recently used basis. Upon the read-out or read-in of a word group, (m)- bit priority codes are generated, the first (k) bits thereof serving to identify a group having the lowest priority, the further (m - k) bits serving to code all priority combinations for the groups which do not have the lowest priority. During a read, write, or replacement operation, the device can be used to lower the priority of all non-accessed word groups while assigning the highest priority to the accessed word group, and can also be used to raise the priority of all remaining word groups when one group has been invalidated by assigning to it the lowest priority.

Abstract: A hot-gas reciprocating machine having a free piston, one face of which varies the volume of a working space while its other face bounds a buffer space of constant pressure. A control mechanism maintains a constant nominal central piston position by momentarily connecting the working space and the buffer space.

Abstract: A pulse is generated in an output transformer and this pulse is used to provide a spark across a spark gap for the purpose of igniting any gas/air mixture present. The circuit operates from a 1.5 volt d.c. source.A blocking oscillator is energized by a two position switch which is operated to a first position, and this charges a capacitor. The capacitor is then discharged through an output transformer to produce the spark when the switch is returned to its original rest position. The winding used to charge the capacitor from the blocking oscillator is also used in the discharge path for the capacitor and this inductive loading provides a slower discharge and a more controlled lower energy spark which is found to be better for gas ignition.

Abstract: A monolithic semiconductor device comprising at least two complementary transistors, in which the base zone of a first transistor and the collector zone of a second transistor are provided in a first epitaxial layer, while the emitter zone of the second transistor, the emitter zone of the first transistor and the base zone of the second transistor are provided in a second epitaxial layer. A separation groove is provided between the transistors in the second epitaxial layer.

Abstract: An analog-digital converter in which a capacitor is charged or discharged by a reference current with the aid of transistor switches, a continuous current flows through the capacitor which is determined by an input difference voltage. One side of the capacitor is connected via a comparator to a flip-flop, to which flip-flop a clock signal is applied and which flip-flop drives the transistor switches. The other side of the capacitor is connected to the first input of a differential amplifier, which differential amplifier forms part of a negative feedback loop which maintains the voltage at the first input of the differential amplifier equal to the voltage which is applied to the second input of the differential amplifier.

Abstract: An apparatus for optically reading a record carrier on which information is contained in tangentially extending tracks includes a directing system for making the scanning spot cooperate with the desired track. In order to enable a jump-wise displacement of the scanning spot from a track being followed to an adjacent track, a switching device is provided for supplying a suitable control signal to the directing system. The control signal is automatically adapted to varying track distances, so that a correct jump-wise displacement of the scanning spot is guaranteed.

Abstract: An electro-magnetically controllable beam deflection device for use in an optical system for deflecting a radiation beam obtained from a radiation source, in particular for use in video players. The deflection means may for example comprise a pivoting mirror, or an assembly of a plano-concave and a plano-convex lens which with their concave and convex surfaces face each other, and can perform pivoting movements at a small distance from each other. The deflection means is connected to frame by means of an integrated plastic bearing component. The bearing component has a local portion of small cross-section which under the influence of the control forces exerted on the deflection means, is relatively readily deformable. This portion may for example take the form of an integral hinge or of a thin cylindrical portion.

Abstract: An apparatus as described for reading a record carrier on which information, for example video and/or audio information is stored in an optically readible track-shaped information structure. A deviation between the center of a read spot which is projected on the information structure and the center line of a track to be read can be detected with the aid of at least two detectors which are disposed in the far field of the information structure in different quadrants. With the aid of the same detectors a reference signal is obtained which is used for deriving a control signal for correcting the position of the read spot relative to the track to be read.

Abstract: A portable television camera comprises a rigid housing accommodating the optical components, such as an entrance optical system, a color splitting optical system and the pick-up tubes which are arranged to bear on abutment faces which are strictly localized with respect to each other. The strict positioning of these components with respect to each other enables the use of pick-up tubes and an entrance optical system which are comparatively cheap, and combines low weight with good image quality.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading a disc-shaped record carrier, which apparatus comprises provisions such as a command device, for reproducing the recorded information in a scanning sequence which differs from that during recording. In order to maintain the line-sequential phase alternation of the color signal during reproduction via a PAL or SECAM receiver, a correction circuit has been provided. The correction circuit comprises a delay line for delaying the chrominance signal by one line period and a recombination circuit with a switch which is controlled by the command device. The recombination circuit, depending on the position of the switch, supplies an output signal which consists of the combination of the luminance signal and either the chrominance signal or the chrominance signal which has been delayed by one line period.

Abstract: A device for sterilizing human females by transuterine fallopian tube coagulation wherein the substantial increase in impedance of the tissues during coagulation is used to signal for termination of treatment.

Abstract: An x-ray exposure device comprising a flat and plane rectangular chamber containing an ionizable gas and having walls provided with electrode structures which generate a potential distribution corresponding to that of two concentric spherical electrodes, an insulating foil on which charge carriers resulting from ionization of the gas by the x-radiation and displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the chamber being arranged therewithin.

Abstract: A mother for manufacturing long-playing video records is provided by (1) selectively exposing a photoresist disposed as the outer layer on a substrate comprising a disc-shaped plate, a thin layer of base material, e.g., an oxide of nitride, adhering to the plate and a thin metal layer, e.g., chromium, silver, nickel or titanium, coating the base material layer, (2) removing non-activated sections of the photoresist layer and (3) sputter or chemically etching the thin metal and base material layers in sections corresponding to the removed sections of the photoresist layer.