Abstract: A thermal battery comprising at least one cell, and preferably a plurality of stacked cells wherein each cell comprises an anode of a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and alloys thereof. Positioned against each cell anode is a homogeneous mixture, preferably in wafer form, of the electrolyte, depolarizer, and binder. The active depolarizer species of the present invention comprises iron pyrite (FeS.sub.2) which provides a lower internal resistance to the battery and improves start times over conventional depolarizers used in thermal batteries.

Abstract: In a light-generating electronic flashlight which has a reflector and first and second discs which may be selectively placed ahead of the reflector for normal and wide-angled illumination of an object to be photographed, respectively, the improvement includes third and fourth discs which may be placed ahead of the reflector. Each of the third and fourth discs have parallel prismatic elements for unilateral deflection of the light generated by the flashlight for the third and fourth discs to displace the flashlight-generated light upwardly and laterally, when the third and fourth discs are placed ahead of the reflector, respectively, and upon the flashlight being in an upright position and directed towards the object to be photographed.

Abstract: An electronic flash unit for photographic purposes, with improved means for quenching the flash when sufficient light has been emitted from the flash tube. The discharge circuit of the main storage capacitor comprises the flash tube and a switch thyristor in series with each other. A quench circuit including a quenching capacitor and a quenching thyristor will deliver a quenching current to the switch thyristor when the quenching thyristor is triggered by exposure metering and flash limiting mechanism, this mechanism including a resistor, a phototransistor, and an integrating capacitor in series with each other and in parallel with a feed capacitor which supplies feed current to the exposure metering and flash limiting mechanism, and which is in parallel with the switch thyristor.

Abstract: The invention is addressed to a method for encapsulating a corrosive material with lithium wherein an encasing member having an opening is formed by folding and cold bonding a sheet of lithium into a receiving vessel. The corrosive material is poured into the vessel and the opening is pinched together to form a cold bond. The method is particularly adapted to the manufacture of primary cells where the vessel comprises the anode and the corrosive material is the cathode material.

Abstract: Photographic flash apparatus having one flash unit which may be called the main or master or primary flash unit, and one or more additional flash units which may be called secondary or slave or dependent units. Eliminating connecting cables often used in the prior art, and also eliminating ratio frequency controls sometimes used in the prior art relating to multiple units, the secondary or dependent units of the present invention are independently powered and are triggered to initiate a flash by the light from the flash of the main unit, and triggered to terminate or discontinue the flash in each dependent unit when the flash in the main unit turns off. The control of each secondary unit is entirely by means of the flash of light from the main unit. The apparatus is particularly useful in studio lighting where it is desired to illuminate the subject being photographed from a plurality of different directions.