Abstract: An enclosure for a valve handle formed of two enclosure-halfs of identical structure hinged together to form a clamshell enclosure for the handle of the valve.

Abstract: A sign is made by a pultrusion process by printing separate sign panels and attaching them to a fibrous component of the sign to make a longitudinally continuous sign panel subassembly which is beneath the surface of the sign. The sign panels are spaced apart in the subassembly by about the length of the sign and are fixed to the fibrous component prior to being pulled through a forming die. In the forming die, the subassembly is formed together with rovings, scrim resin and any other components of the sign into the cross-section of the sign. The sign panel subassembly saturates with the resin so that it blends in with the rest of the sign except for identification matter printed on it and is permeable to allow gases to escape as the resin cures in the die. The sign takes on its desired cross-sectional shape in the die and is cut off at its desired length after it exits the die. The sign panel may be on either side of the subassembly, and the subassembly may be beneath a surface layer.

Abstract: A method for producing electrical membrane panels including spaced conductive circuits on separate plastic film layers in which the membrane panels are formed on webs of the plastic films laminated together, and individual membrane panels are severed from the combined webs after being formed thereon.

Abstract: A removal and applicator hand tool for adhesive labels having a movable label retainer-wiper plate affixed between spaced lower and upper elements of a foot member in which the plate moves between a first position to grip a label between it and the lower element for retaining a label removed from an assembly with the tool and transporting it to an object and a second position separated from the lower element for removal of a label from an assembly and for release of the label upon application to the object.

Abstract: A lockout device for a valve having a lever handle. The device includes a channel member defining a channel to receive a section of the lever handle when closed and a leg that bears against the valve or pipeline connected to it. A lock is inserted through the apertures in the channel member alongside an edge of the handle.

Abstract: Flexible heater panels comprising a light transmitting film substrate and a transparent conductive layer vacuum deposited on the substrate formed of (1) a light transmitting flexible plastic film substrate and (2) a vacuum deposited transparent conductive layer on a surface of the substrate selected from the group consisting of (i) a single lamina of tin oxide or indium tin oxide, (ii) a first lamina of indium oxide on the surface of the substrate and a second lamina of indium tin oxide over the first lamina, or (iii) a first lamina of tin oxide, indium oxide or indium tin oxide on the surface of the substrate, a second lamina of silver, platinum or palladium or alloys thereof over the first lamina, and a third lamina of tin oxide, indium oxide or indium tin oxide over the second lamina.

Abstract: A sign is made by a pultrusion process by printing separate sign panels and attaching them to a fibrous component of the sign to make a longitudinally continuous sign panel subassembly which is beneath the surface of the sign. The sign panels are spaced apart in the subassembly by about the length of the sign and are fixed to the fibrous component prior to being pulled through a forming die. In the forming die, the subassembly is formed together with rovings, scrim resin and any other components of the sign into the cross-section of the sign. The sign panel subassembly saturates with the resin so that it blends in with the rest of the sign except for identification matter printed on it and is permeable to allow gases to escape as the resin cures in the die. The sign takes on its desired cross-sectional shape in the die and is cut off at its desired length after it exits the die. The sign panel may be on either side of the subassembly, and the subassembly may be beneath a surface layer.

Abstract: A flexible shielded connector is made by depositing a cover shield layer onto a base shield layer so as to provide direct mechanical and electrical contact along the side edge seams of the two shield layers. A metallic base shield layer is applied to a flexible substrate and a base layer of insulating material is applied on top of an interior area of the base shield layer. Side edge areas of the base shield layer on each side of the interior area are left exposed. At least one conductor is applied over the base insulating layer and a cover layer of insulating material is applied over the conductor, also leaving the side edge areas of the top of the base shield layer on each side of the interior area exposed. A metallic cover shield layer is then deposited over the cover layer of insulating material and extends over the side edge areas of the top of the base shield layer so as to envelope the base and cover layers of insulating material and the conductor by the base and cover shield layers.

Abstract: An electronic labeling machine is disclosed which includes a printing mechanism with a carriage adapted for horizontal travel across assemblies of identification devices to be imprinted. A web sensor is attached to the carriage for concurrent travel therewith. In traversing horizontally across the assembly, the web sensor provides a signal to a microprocessor which indicates the presence or absence of the assembly under the current position of the sensor. The microprocessor also receives a timing signal from the printing mechanism indicative of the position of the carriage. Based on the timing signal and the signal from the web sensor, the microprocessor measures a current width of the assembly. The assembly is especially adapted for use with the invention, and includes notched portions having a width difference than the nominal assembly width, each notched portion being in a fixed relative position with respect to one of the identification devices.

Abstract: A decodable alphanumeric membrane switchcore (12, 12a, 12b,100) of at least 36 key cells (55,122) including spaced circuits (16,17;105,115) having row and column traces (20-34, 40-47,51;106,116) and key cell elements (37,38,49;80;107,117) printed with ink having a resisitivity of at least about 10 ohms per square per 0.001" of ink thickness and having at least one path defined by a row trace, column trace and a key cell that has a resistance greater than 10,000 ohms.

Abstract: An undercoating for the vacuum deposition of material thereover that can be removed from a substrate by washing with water for one minute or less comprising a water soluble film-forming polymer, a solubility accelerator and a solid particulate material that provides a rough surface topology to the undercoating when dried.

Abstract: In a capacitive switchcore of the type in which each key cell includes a contact switch in series with a key cell capacitor, an improvement is disclosed in which an intracell coactive loading capacitor is added to each key cell. The intracell coactive loading capacitor is connected between ground and the junction of the contact switch with the key cell capacitor. A matrix of key cells so formed is self-referencing, in that the need for a separate reference capacitor to load the sense line is eliminated. Instead, loading is provided intrinsically by the effect of the intracell coactive loading capacitors acting through multiple key cells connected to a sense line. A preferred embodiment in a capacitive membrane switchcore is described.

Abstract: Flexible membrane switchcores (100, 100a,100b) including a conductive first circuit (180) having first traces (171-178;194;196) and a conductive second circuit (185) having second traces (186-192;195;197), first contact elements (107a-162a) formed as nonbranched integral sections of the first traces (171-178;194;196), and second contact elements (107b-172b) formed as nonbranched integral sections of the second traces (186-192;195;197).

Abstract: A capacitance membrane switchcore (12,12a, 12b, 12c, 12c') including a first circuit (16, 16'), a second circuit (17,17') and a third circuit (49,49') in which intertrace coupling capacitors (58,58') couple conductive traces (40-47,135) of the second circuit (17,17') to conductive traces (51,51') of the third circuit (49,49'). Also disclosed is a capacitance membrane switchcore (12) including a first circuit (16) having at least one trace (65) with a first branch (65a) along a first surface (18a ) of a dielectric layer (18), a second branch (65b) along a second surface (18b) of the dielectric layer (18), an intratrace coupling capacitor (66,67) coupling the first branch (65a) to the second branch (65b), a third branch (65c) along the first surface (18a) of the dielectric layer (18), and an intratrace coupling capacitor (68,69) coupling the second branch (65b) to the third branch (65c).

Abstract: An electronic labeling machine is disclosed which includes a printing mechanism with a carriage adapted for horizontal travel across assemblies of identification devices to be imprinted. A web sensor is attached to the carriage for concurrent travel therewith. In traversing horizontally across the assembly, the web sensor provides a signal to a microprocessor which indicates the presence or absence of the assembly under the current position of the sensor. The microprocessor also receives a timing signal from the printing mechanism indicative of the position of the carriage. Based on the timing signal and the signal from the web sensor, the microprocessor measures a current width of the assembly. The assembly is especially adapted for use with the invention, and includes notched portions having a width different than the nominal assembly width, each notched portion being in a fixed relative position with respect to one of the identification devices.

Abstract: Pultruded marking devices (29,42,45,48,50,55,57,58) made of fiber reinforcement materials (10,14,16,17) embedded in a cured polyester resin matrix that contains about 2% to 25% by weight of cellulose solid particulates. Unidirectional reinforcement materials (10) are the major portion of the reinforcement materials and form about 30% to 60% by weight of the total weight of the marking devices.

Abstract: An open-contact membrane switch element (1,2) comprising a plastic film substrate (10) carrying a first conductive circuit (13), a dielectric coating (30) applied to cover the circuit (13) on the substrate (10) in a pattern defining uncoated zones (31,32,34) around each contact (14-17) of the circuit (13), and a second conductive circuit (35) applied on the dielectric coating (30) and having conductive tracks (36,37) electrically interconnected at the uncoated zones (31,32,34) to portions of the contacts (14-17) of the first conductive circuit (13).

Abstract: A folded electroluminescent lamp assembly (37,65, 87) including an electroluminescent lamp panel (10,41,74, 89) joined to a flexible circuit panel (4,42,73, 88) folded over and joined to the lamp panel. A tail (5,43,79, 90) extends from the circuit panel. Conductive tracks (30-35,56-58,78) extend across the circuit panel and the tail and are connected to the electrodes of the lamp panel. An electrical power source for activation of the electroluminescent lamp panel is to be connected to the tail (5,43,79, 90).

Abstract: An undercoating for the vacuum deposition of material thereover that can be removed from a substrate by washing with water for one minute or less comprising a water soluble film-forming polymers, a solubility accelerator and a solid particulate material that provides a rough surface topology to the undercoating when dried.

Abstract: A printable coating suitable for identification devices that combines a polyimide and a fluorocarbon elastomer as a film-former binder at a weight ratio of polyimide:fluorocarbon elastomer in the range of about 2:1 to 3:1. The coating exhibits a high degree of solvent resistance and thermal stability.