Abstract: A vacuum lift device comprising a lift tube which is able to contract and expand in an upward and downward direction, and a lift tube expansion control valve controlling the opening areas of the atmospheric openings of the lift tube. A hovering control valve controlling the flow area between the second atmospheric opening and the interior of the lift tube is provided. The lift tube expansion control valve is normally positioned at a position such that is completely covers the first atmospheric opening, and the second atmospheric opening is open to the outside space. At this time, the level of vacuum in the lift tube is adjusted by the hovering control valve so that an object to be lifted is maintained at a desired height.

Abstract: A signal input sheet having a cover film made of a soft material at its surface, its repetitive writing durability is improved to obtain a signal input sheet having a good feeling and writing condition, and a high durability. A hard film layer 18 harder than a sheet 10 and cover film 15 is set between the sheet 10 made of a soft material and the cover film 15 located at the upper side and slightly harder than the sheet.

Abstract: A developing unit supporting system designed for the purpose of minimizing space required for the removal of a developing unit to promote the miniaturization of an apparatus in which the system is incorporated and improving the efficiency when the developing unit is separated from the photosensitive drum. The system comprises: a carrier body which is supported on a fixed frame so as to move in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the photosensitive drum and is usually held at a developing unit set position by energizing device; and a slide table which can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the photosensitive drum to a mounting/dismounting position after it has moved relative to the carrier body in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the photosensitive drum to a predetermined middle position. The fixed frame is provided with first movement operation device for operating the carrier body to move between the set position and a retraction position.

Abstract: A drive control apparatus for a driven machine is designed to easily check which of a plurality of parameters indicating the control characteristics of the driven machine have been changed from their factory-set initial values. Initial parameter values are stored in a list in a first memory and current parameter values are stored in a second memory. When a display request is given, the initial values of parameters stored in the first list in a control section are compared to the current values of the parameters stored in nonvolatile memory. The identity of the parameters that have been changed from their initial values are displayed on a liquid crystal display. Also, the stored initial value list is displayed.

Abstract: In this strobo apparatus, in a strobo controlling circuit in which such self-arc extinction-type gate-controlling type switching device as an IGBT is connected in series with a flash discharge tube to control the flash of the discharge tube, a bias voltage controlling the on/off operation of the above-mentioned gate-controlling type switching device is obtained from a biasing condenser charged with an exciting current of the flashing discharge tube or directly from a power source voltage boosting circuit through a resistance or sub-condenser.

Abstract: An electromagnetic switch is provided which comprises a movable switching contact movably supported by a movable switching contact assembly arranged on a support plate, a fixed switching contact, a magnetic coil assembly operable to urge the movable switching contact into contact with the fixed switching contact, and a retainer for retaining the fixed switching contact apart from the movable switching contact at a preselected interval. The retainer includes a switching contact mounting portion, a supporting portion secured to the support plate, and first and second connecting portions connecting the switching contact mounting portion and the supporting portion to form a polygonal frame structure which is so constructed as to be deformed under preselected forces applied thereto to adjust the positional relation between the movable and fixed switching contacts.

Abstract: Spike pins made of hard rubber which may be used on vehicle tires, shoe soles or the shoes of walking sticks or the like and a system for mounting such spike pins made of hard rubber in a mounting surface such as the tread surface of vehicle tires or shoe soles or the shoes of walking sticks or the like, characterized in that the tread surface is formed with recesses in which each of said spike pin is mounted with a GaP between the periphery of the spike pin and the peripheral wall of the associated recess.

Abstract: A dropper separating mechanism comprising droppers each having an asymmetrical mountain position at an upper end thereof and alternatively superimposed in a first direction so that the asymmetrical mountain portions of two adjacent droppers do not overlap each other, a pushing member provided in a rear side of the droppers to push the droppers forward from the rear side, a pair of movable pawls provided so that they are movable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the pair of movable pawls also being oscillated between a first position in which the mountain portion of a foremost dropper of the droppers is limited to move forward and a second position in which the mountain portion of the foremost dropper is separated, and a fixed pawl to limit a forward movement of a lower end of the foremost dropper.

Abstract: Styrene-based resin composition containing as main components (A) 100 parts by weight of a styrene-based polymer having mainly a syndiotactic configuration and (B) 0.01 to 25 parts by weight of one or more nucleating agents selected from the group consisting of (1) metal salts of organic acids having an average particle diameter of not more than 50 .mu.m, (2) inorganic compounds having an average particle diameter of not more than 50 .mu.m, (3) organophosphorus compounds having an average particle diameter of not more than 50 .mu.m, and (4) metal salts of ionic hydrocarbon copolymer, and a process for producing styrene-based resin moldings by molding the above styrene-based resin composition at a temperature between room temperature and 200.degree. C. The resin composition of the present invention is suitable for injection molding and extrusion molding, and provides moldings which are of high crystallinity and are excellent in heat resistance, solvent resistance, chemical resistance and so forth.

Abstract: An expert system building method wherein, in an expert system which executes an inference process according to a decision tree, at least one data unit or any combination of such data units of data forming an input/output information is made. Next, a data input/output method is specified on the basis of relationship between the at least one data unit and the input/output information. Thus, data possibly needed can be stored simultaneously. The expert system can execute an inference process according to the decision tree having the expert's knowledge described as they are with no relation to the data input, and the data can be simultaneously entered in units which are easy to understand by an end user with no relation to the process of the decision tree.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes, from the image side to the subject side, a first lens group having a negative overall power and a second lens group having a positive overall power. The lens groups are movable relative to each other in opposite directions so as to increasingly and decreasingly change an axial air spacing between the two lens groups, thereby continuously varying the focal length of the zoom lens. The zoom lens satisfies the following conditions:2.5<bf.sub.w /f.sub.w, and0.68<f.sub.1 /f.sub.2 <0.98,where bf.sub.w is the axial distance measured from the rearmost surface of the second lens group to a conjugate point at a long conjugate length of the second lens group for the wide-angle end, f.sub.w is the overall focal length of the zoom lens for the wide-angle end, f.sub.1 is the overall focal length of the first lens group, and f.sub.2 is the overall focal length of the second lens group.

Abstract: In a method of superimposing data of a character (mark) on video data, the superimposed video data being subjected to a data compression processing for extracting video data within each of blocks from one frame of the superimposed video data and for data-compressing the extracted video data, the blocks forming one frame, the each block including a predetermined number of two-dimensionally arranged pixels of the superimposed video data, a position of the character superimposed on the video data with respect to a lump of the blocks, where the character is to be imposed, is determined such that the number of blocks over which the character spreads is minimized when a size and a shape of the character or the mark are unchanged.

Abstract: A timebase error compensation apparatus is provided in a video tape recorder having a plurality of rotary reproducing heads from which signals are sequentially switched over to obtain a continuous reproduced video signal. The apparatus comprises a compensation circuit for compensating a timebase error included in the reproduced video signal; a detection circuit for detecting a horizontal scan line period during which the signal from one rotary reproducing head is switched over to the signal from another rotary reproducing head to generate a mask control signal; and a replacement circuit responsive to the mask control signal for replacing the reproduced video signal of the horizontal scan line period with the reproduced video signal of a horizontal scan line period adjoining to the horizontal scan line period.

Abstract: A conjugated enzyme electrode comprising diaphorase and an amino-acid dehydrogenase immobilized on a conductive support by a polyfunctional aldehyde is disclosed, by which amino acids can be rapidly determined with high sensitivity.

Abstract: A dropper separating mechanism comprising droppers each having an asymmetrical mountain position at an upper end thereof and alternatively superimposed in a first direction so that the asymmetrical mountain portions of two adjacent droppers do not overlap each other, a pushing member provided in a rear side of the droppers to push the droppers forward from the rear side, a pair of movable pawls provided so that they are movable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the pair of movable pawls also being oscillated between a first position in which the mountain portion of a foremost dropper of the droppers is limited to move forward and a second position in which the mountain portion of the foremost dropper is separated, and a fixed pawl to limit a forward movement of a lower end of the foremost dropper.

Abstract: A tread rubber composition for heavy duty pneumatic tire comprises a particular amount of a particular carbon black satisfying CTAB of 130-160 m.sup.2 /g, DBP of 90-120 m/100 g and Dm of not more than 210 .ANG., based on 100 parts by weight of at least one rubber component.

Abstract: A warp supplying apparatus comprising a warp gripping chuck for gripping a leading end portion of a warp thread, a cutter for cutting the leading end portion of the warp thread gripped by the warp gripping chuck, the cutter being provided above the warp gripping chuck, a suction nozzle that is provided below the warp gripping chuck and draws in a cut end portion of the warp thread cut by the cutter, a suction box provided between the warp gripping chuck and the suction nozzle for drawing in and guiding the cut end portion to the suction nozzle, the suction box being formed with a suction chamber and a slit through which the cut end portion is drawn in within the suction chamber by suction, and a warp conveying unit for conveying the cut end portion within the suction chamber from the warp gripping chuck to the suction nozzle.

Abstract: The raceway surfaces of inner ring 1 and outer rings 2 and the surfaces of rolling elements are respectively formed with solid lubricating films 1a, 2a and 3a of PTFE whose average molecular weight is not more than 5,000.These solid lubricating films each have a continuous island distribution comprising island film portions 5 and connective film portions 6 interconnecting the island film portions 5.

Abstract: An abnormality diagnosing system and method for high voltage power apparatus wherein a plurality of detectors for detecting abnormalities of the high voltage power apparatus and providing outputs indicative thereof are disposed to detect predetermined phenomena indicative of at least an insulation abnormality, power supply abnormality, and foreign matter among abnormalities existing inside of the high voltage power apparatus. A monitoring arrangement responsive to the outputs of the detectors provides at least one of an output and display of the kind of abnormality detected.

Abstract: A projection lens system for projectors, which has, consecutively from the side of the viewing screen, a first positive lens component L.sub.1, a second plastic lens component L.sub.2, third to sixth lens components L.sub.3 to L.sub.6 constituted by a combination of a couple of convex glass lenses of strong power and a couple of concave glass lenses of strong power, a seventh lens component L.sub.7, and an eighth negative lens component L.sub.8 in the form having a concave surface disposed on the side of the viewing screen, at least one of the lens surfaces of each of the first lens component L.sub.1, second lens component L.sub.2, seventh lens component L.sub.7 and eighth lens component L.sub.8 being an aspheric surface, and the overall power of the couple of glass lenses of the lens components L.sub.3 to L.sub.6 commanding a main power of the whole projection lens system.