Abstract: A fastening assembly is constituted by a plate-like member provided with a plurality of laterally extending projections which can be pushed into position between and then turned into engagement with respective slots formed in protrusions. In one aspect, at least one of the projections and/or at least one of the slots is adapted to give a wedging effect. In another aspect, the protrusions are located around an inner periphery of otherwise circular outline presented by a hollow member, and the projections are formed as arcuate sectors located around the plate-like member which presents an outer periphery of circular outline other than at recesses for receiving the respective protrusions.

Abstract: A system for disabling mobile telephones in circumstances where their use would prejudice the operation of critical systems (e.g. on an aeroplane, or in a hospital), or would irritate others includes a pair of RF beacons situated at the entrance to the controlled zone. The phone has receivers sensitive to the beacon outputs, and is adapted automatically to shut down into a standby state when passing in one direction through the beacons, and to re-activate when passing in the other direction.

Abstract: A carrier (10) comprises a body (12) and a pair of holes (14) which extend through the body (12) away from a face (16) against which a light emitting diode may be placed towards a pair of supports (18) over which respective lead wires of the light emitting diode may be bent thereby enabling a light emitting diode to simulate a wedge based lamp in allowing direct push contact of the filament lead wires with associated electrical circuitry.

Abstract: An automatic picture taking system has a housing which may be in the form of a booth. The housing contains a video camera and is arranged to produce a video picture of a subject in a picture taking zone. The video picture can be converted to a print e.g. using a digital thermal color printer. The video picture is stored in memory and can be processed to give a desired composition prior to printing. The picture may consist of the image of the subject which is separated from the background using chroma keying and which is then combined with a selected electronically prestored background or foreground.

Abstract: Tire rubbers which are prepared by anionic polymerization are frequently coupled with a suitable coupling agent, such as a tin halide, to improve desired properties. It has been unexpectedly found that greatly improved properties for tire rubbers, such as lower hysteresis, can be attained by asymmetrically coupling the rubber.

Abstract: An automatic picture taking system has a housing which may be in the form of a booth. The housing contains a video camera (20) and is arranged to produce a video picture of a subject in a picture taking zone (3). The video picture can be converted to a print e.g. using a digital thermal color printer (24, 25). The video picture is stored in memory and can be processed to give a desired composition prior to printing. The picture may consist of the image of the subject which is separated from the background using chroma keying and which is then combined with a selected electronically prestored background or foreground.

Abstract: Tire rubbers which are prepared by anionic polymerization are frequently coupled with a suitable coupling agent, such as a tin halide, to improve desired properties. It has been unexpectedly found that greatly improved properties for tire rubbers, such as lower hysteresis, can be attained by asymmetrically coupling the rubber.

Abstract: A push-button assembly (10) is constituted by a push-button (12) having a side wall outer surface located adjacent to a side wall inner surface of a surrounding body (14). In the assembly, at least one of the side wall surfaces is recessed (22; 22a, 22c; 22b, 22d), thereby reducing the contact area of the opposed surface areas likely to be adversely affected by stickiness.

Abstract: A drive assembly is constituted by a strip (10) and three or more parallel and rotatable supports (12, 16, 22) around which the strip (10) is wrapped. At least two of the rotatable supports (22) are linked together for common movement, for example by a movable holder in the form of a light box (20) carrying a series of light bulbs (50) while at least one of the rotatable supports (12, 16) is stationary.

Abstract: The method of wet etching an aluminum oxide substrate deposits a thin layer of titanium film or chromium film on the aluminum oxide surface prior to the application of the photo-resist coating to form a barrier between the aluminum oxide and the photo-resist. This barrier layer inhibits the reaction between the aluminum oxide and the photo-resist during the photolithographic process. The undercutting of the aluminum oxide in the wet etching process is therefore controlled by the deposition of the barrier layer comprising the thin layer of titanium film or chromium film. The titanium film used is nominally 30 .ANG. thick to obtain the beneficial effects noted above while the chromium film would be approximately 1000 .ANG. thick.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tire having a tread composed of quantitatively silica reinforced rubber composition, with a minor amount, if any, of carbon black where the tread elastomers are primarily composed of coupled styrene/isoprene/butadiene terpolymer with tin or silicon in combination with selected diene-based elastomers.

Abstract: A rapid, high capacity method using chaotropic agents for evaluating nucleic acids is described. Samples containing the target nucleic acid can be evaluated in a nucleic acid based sandwich hybridization assay which is performed, in part, in a chaotropic solution which is removed prior to detecting and/or quantitating the product. This assay can be used to detect and/or quantitate nucleic acid levels. It can also be used as an infectivity assay and/or as an assay to evaluate anti-infectious agent activity of compounds.

Abstract: An automated call routing system and method which operates on a call-routing objective of a calling party expressed in natural speech of the calling party. The system incorporates a speech recognition function, as to which a calling party's natural-speech call routing objective provides an input, and which is trained to recognize a plurality of meaningful phrases, each such phrase being related to a specific call routing objective. Upon recognition of one or more of such meaningful phrases in a calling party's input speech, an interpretation function then acts on such calling party's routing objective request to either implement the calling party's requested routing objective or to enter into a dialog with the calling party to obtain additional information from which a sufficient confidence level can be attained to implement that routing objective.

Abstract: A re-enterable butt cable splice closure comprising a base and domed cover. The base has various parts that hinge together around cables, and has a gel sealing material defining cable entry ports which gel is put under compression when the parts of the bases are brought together. The base is supported on a support that has guides that align the cables with the ports.

Abstract: A group of diphenylamines, having trinitro substitution or dinitro-trifluoromethyl substitution on one ring and from 1 to 5 substituents of a defined class, particularly halogen atoms, on the other ring, are useful rodenticides.

Abstract: Iminodiacetonitrile is prepared by a batch process comprising reacting hexamethylenetetramine and HCN in an aqueous medium in the presence of a strong acid at a pH of 5.5-6.5 while maintaining an excess of HCN in the reaction mixture.