Abstract: A strap is secured across the passenger compartment of an automobile at a position behind the front seat backs and close to the top of the front seat backs. The strap is secured around the doorposts of a 4-door car to prevent the seat backs from collapsing backward due to impact on the car from the rear.

Abstract: Disclosed is a template for forming tapered sliding dovetail joints. The template is particularly useful for making tapered sliding dovetail joints using powered hand tools, such as a router. The template has a longitudinally extending groove which is narrower at one end than at the other. To form a sliding dovetail groove, a workpiece is placed underneath the template, and a dovetail cutter is passed along the sides of the groove. The template also has two longitudinally extending grooves which are tapered towards each other. To cut a sliding dovetail tongue, the end of a workpiece is placed below the template so the edges of the workpiece are exposed through the grooves, but the middle of the workpiece is covered by the template. A dovetail cutter is passed along the sides of each groove, creating a dovetail tongue. The template may also be secured to a dovetailing jig, to provide secure alignment and holding of the workpieces against the template.

Abstract: The absorption of neutrons of a nuclear reactor without producing fissions is reduced by providing selected isotopes of zirconium for fabrication of parts such as cladding, thimble tubes and grids. Specifically, the zirconium is enriched in .sup.90 Zr or is depleted in .sup.91 Zr. The selected isotopes are produced by irradiating Zr(OC.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.4.sup.t, Zr(OC.sub.5 H.sub.11).sub.4.sup.t and/or Zr(OC.sub.3 H.sub.7).sub.4.sup.t, with radiation from a CO.sub.2 laser tuned to the vibrations of the CO(.sup.90 Zr) bond or the O(.sup.91 Zr) bond.

Abstract: A substrate is made for silicon solar cells by heating a sheet of large-grained silicon steel at a temperature of at least about 1300.degree. C. in an atmosphere of hydrogen and tungsten hexafluoride (or hexachloride) at a partial pressure ratio of hydrogen to tungsten hexafluoride of about 3 to about 6 to deposit an epitaxial layer of tungsten on said sheet of silicon steel. Epitaxial silicon can then be deposited in a conventional manner on the layer of epitaxial tungsten.

Abstract: A substrate is made for silicon solar cells by heating a sheet of large-grained silicon steel at a temperature of at least about 1300.degree. C. in an atmosphere of hydrogen and tungsten hexafluoride (or hexachloride) at a partial pressure ratio of hydrogen to tungsten hexafluoride of about 3 to about 6 to deposit an epitaxial layer of tungsten on said sheet of silicon steel. Epitaxial silicon can then be deposited in a conventional manner on the layer of epitaxial tungsten.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for refinishing fingerboard frets of a fretted stringed instrument.