Abstract: An apparatus for processing embroidery data necessary for a sewing machine to form an embroidery in an area by filling the embroidery area with stitches, including a storing device storing outline data representing an outline of an embroidery area which outline includes a curved line portion, the outline data including curved line data defining the curved line portion, the curved line data including data indicative of a characteristic of the curved line portion, and a producing device producing the embroidery data by utilizing the outline data. The apparatus may further include a modifying device modifying the outline data and thereby transforming the outline. In this case, the producing device produces, by utilizing the modified outline data representing the transformed outline, embroidery data necessary to form an embroidery inside the transformed outline.

Abstract: By culturing cells in an apparatus containing a first zone in which a cell suspended medium is present and a second zone in which liquid containing a physiological saline solution and/or nutrient sources is present, the first zone being separated from the second zone by a septum with characteristics, such as pores size or electrostatic charges, which impedes the cells from freely permeating through, while allowing at least one of nutrient sources, cell wastes or the product to move between the first zone and the second zone via the septum to proliferate cells in the first zone, wherein a flow rate via the septum is controlled in such a manner that the cell count moved from the first zone into the second zone via the septum does not exceed the cell count increased by cell growth in the first zone. Thus, cell culture at a high cell density can be achieved in a large scale.

Abstract: A precoated steel sheet having improved corrosion resistance and formability is disclosed, which comprises a Zn- or Zn alloy-plated steel sheet having on the plated surface either a colloidal silica-containing chromate undercoat layer and a polyhydroxypolyether resin-based topcoat of 0.3 to 10 .mu.m in thickness in which resin is derived by polycondensation of a dihydric phenol component selected from a mononuclear dihydric phenol, dinuclear dihydric phenol, and a mixture of both, with an epihalohydrin or a non-colloidal material-containing chromate underlayer and an epoxy resin based topcoat containing colloidal silica of a thickness of from 0.3-1.6 .mu.m in thickness. In spite of the absence of zinc powder, the precoated steel sheet can be satisfactorily welded by resistance welding when the thickness of the topcoat layer is not greater than 2.5 .mu.m, and even with such a thin topcoat, the precoated steel sheet retains its improved corrosion resistance and formability.

Abstract: A process for producing a cell for liquid crystal display device is disclosed which comprises the steps of providing an adhesive which contains spherical or rod-like spacers on at least one of display areas of two transparent substrates having provided on each of the surfaces thereof a transparent electrode and an alignment layer, in a dot-like or stripe-like pattern by letterpress printing, and bonding the substrate thus printed to another transparent substrate facing each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for folding a strip of material and supplying the same to a sewing machine which sewingly attach the folded strip of material (B) to a base material (C). The apparatus comprises a movable base (78) reciprocally movable between its standby position and its supply position, a strip of a material support member (87,88) mounted on the movable base (78) for receiving and supporting the strip of material (B) supplied when the movable base (78) is positioned at the standby position, and for transferring the strip of material (B) to the sewing machine bed (121) when the movable base (78) is positioned at the supply position, and a pair of folding plates (117,118) movable toward and away from the strip of material support member (87,88) in a first direction across the strip of material for bending the end poritons of the strip of material (B) into an L-shape, and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction for bending the L-shaped end portions of the strip of material (B) into a U-shape.

Abstract: A liquid crystal optical element comprising a polymeric liquid crystal composition is disclosed, wherein the composition contains at least one compound selected from adamantane, an adamantane derivative, terphenyl, and a terphenyl derivative in an amount of from 0.01 to 15% by weight based on a polymeric liquid crystal. The optical element exhibits uniform vertical orientation.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element and a process for producing the same is disclosed. The liquid crystal display is composed of liquid crystals filled in a matrix comprising at least two high polymers having neither mutual compatibility nor substantial compatibility with the liquid crystals, said matrix being sandwiched between two transparent electrode bases. The display element is produced by applying a solution of the liquid crystals and the aforesaid high polymers in a common solvent onto a transparent electrode base, drying the solution to cause phase separation, and laminating another transparent electrode base on the dry film. The display element provides a wide display area with bright contrast and achieves orientation of liquid crystals with a low applied voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal optical element for use in information recording media and displays, which is composed of a polymeric liquid crystal and from 0.01% to 10% by weight, on the basis of the polymeric liquid crystal, of a biphenyl or biphenyl derivative of formula (I) ##STR1## wherein X and Y each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an oxyalkyl group, a halogen atom, a nitrile group, or a nitro group. By the addition of the biphenyl or biphenyl derivative, the orientation of the polymeric liquid crystal is improved.

Abstract: A coating composition based on an acrylic resin which is useful for preparing lubricated steel products such as steel sheets or tubes is disclosed. The coating composition contains as additives a rust preventive which is a mixture of a sulfonamidecarboxylic acid and an cyclic amine and a water repellent. It exhibits improved rust-preventing properties when lubricated steel products having a coating film formed from the coating composition are stored for a prolonged period under coiled or stacked conditions.

Abstract: A process for producing a highly uniaxially oriented film is disclosed, comprising supporting a composition comprising two or more liquid crystal monomers displaying a nematic or smectic state and having a polymerizable functional group in the molecule thereof and a photopolymerization initiator on or between a support or supports having been subjected to orientation, and irradiating said composition with radiation while maintaining said composition in a liquid crystal state to cause polymerization of said composition. The resulting film is free from pinholes, strain or unevenness and is excellent in optical transparency.

Abstract: A button sewing machine has a sewing needle reciprocatingly movable in response to rotation of a main shaft and a button gripping assembly having gripping portions for gripping and releasing a button and movable across the path of reciprocating travel of the sewing needle, the sewing needle and the button gripping assembly being operable together for sewing the button to a fabric. The button sewing machine includes a detector for detecting whether the button is gripped by the gripping portions. After it has been confirmed that the button is gripped by the gripping portions, the main shaft is driven by a control assembly for enabling the sewing needle to sew the button to the fabric.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a sewing apparatus having a sewing machine mounted on a work table, fabric workpiece clamping means capable of holding and releasing the fabric workpiece on the work table, and a feed driving mechanism for intermittently feeding the fabric workpiece clamping means, whereby machine sewing and fabric workpiece feed are repeated alternatingly thereby sewing buttons or forming buttonhole stitches to a plurality of sewing portions on the fabric workpiece. The sewing apparatus has auxiliary fabric workpiece clamping means operable independently of the fabric workpiece clamping means.

Abstract: An antistatic plastic film is described. This comprised of a plastic film and at least one coating layer provided on the surface of the plastic film. The coating layer is prepared by dispersing electrically conductive fine particles in a compound containing an unsaturated bond capable of undergoing polymerization on irradiation with radiation or a binder containing the polymerizable compound. The electrically conductive fine particle comprising crystalline metal oxide of Zn, Ti, Sn, In, Si, Mo or W and/or composite oxide thereof. The resulting dispersion is coated on the plastic film, polymerized and cured by irradiation of the layer with radiation. The film can be easily, quickly and economically produced and is substantially transparent while providing improved antistatic properties good mechanical strength.

Abstract: A fabric-guiding apparatus for guiding a fabric layer across a line of fabric feed along a side edge of the fabric layer, including a detector sensing the side edge of the fabric layer and generating a detection signal, a guiding wheel rotatable about an axis parallel to the line of fabric feed, a pressure exerting device for exerting a contact pressure urging the guiding wheel into engagement with the fabric layer, and a first drive motor to rotate the guiding wheel for laterally moving the side edge of the layer into position prior to a sewing cycle. The pressure exerting device comprises a pressure adjusting mechanism to adjust the contact pressure, a second drive motor to actuate the adjusting mechanism, a drive circuit responsive to command signals, a memory storing command data relating to the command signals, and a control circuit.

Abstract: A photographic light-sensitive material having improved antistatic properties is described, comprising a plastic support, at least one photographic light-sensitive emulsion layer on one side of the support, and an antistatic layer on the other side of the support, wherein the antistatic layer contains fine particles of at least one crystalline metal oxide selected from ZnO, TiO.sub.2, SnO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, In.sub.2 O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, MgO, BaO, and MoO.sub.3, or a composite oxide thereof.

Abstract: A photographic sensitive material is described comprising at least one photographic sensitive layer provided on a plastic film base through a subbing layer, wherein the improvement comprises said subbing layer containing fine particles of at least one electrically conductive crystalline metal oxide selected from ZnO, TiO.sub.2, SnO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, In.sub.2 O.sub.3, SiO.sub.2, MgO, BaO, and MoO.sub.3, or a compound oxide thereof having a volume resistivity of 10.sup.7 .OMEGA. cm or less.

Abstract: A drafting film comprising a hydrophobic support and a matte layer formed thereon, said matte layer comprising silicon dioxide as a matting agent and a mixture of polymethyl methacrylate or a copolymer thereof and nitrocellulose. The drafting film show excellent adaptability for writing or drawing and revising or erasing.A wash-off type photographic film is also provided by forming a wash-off silver halide photosensitive emulsion layer on the drafting film.

Abstract: The rotor of a stepping motor is formed of a shaft, a cylindrical magnet, first core pieces having an inside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of a rotor shaft and having a number of teeth on the periphery and second core pieces having an inside diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the magnet and having a peripheral contour similar to that of the first core pieces. A cylindrical jig is provided having ribs longitudinally formed on the inner peripheral wall which guide the teeth on the periphery of the ring-shaped core pieces. A predetermined number of the first and second ring-shaped core pieces are stacked in succession, in the bottom of the jig and one end portion of magnet is then fit into the hollow of the stack of core pieces.

Abstract: An embossing device for roughening a lateral edge of a molded thermo-plastic sheet material by deforming it with a mechanical deforming device is disclosed. The device comprises a pair of rollers whose outer walls are rough and a structure for abutting these rollers against each other under pressure. The rough outer wall of at least one of the pair of rollers having a rough surface is provided with a plurality of relatively smooth stripes. The stripes are arranged in the width-wise direction of said roller.

Abstract: A film embossing process of roughening a lateral edge of a thermo-plastic film by mechanically deforming said lateral edge. The lateral edge is subjected to the film embossing process at a temperature of from the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the film to the temperature of (tg+60.degree. C.). Subsequently the film is subjected to heat treatment at a temperature higher than the temperature of said film embossing process by at least 10.degree. C. to 30.degree. C.