Abstract: A fluid power apparatus having a housing with a bore therein which is divided by a power piston into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. The power piston has a passageway for connecting the inlet chamber with an outlet chamber. A valve arrangement controls the flow of a fluid under pressure from a source through the passageway. The valve arrangement including a valve seal, a valve spring and an input rod. The valve spring urges the valve seal into engagement with the input rod to define a working chamber within said passageway. The fluid under pressure flows from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber by passing between the valve seal and a valve seat located in the working chamber. The flowing of fluid past the valve seat in a rest mode of operation develops a turbulence which creates a broad band non-resonance sound having an acceptable audible level of approximately 30 dB.

Abstract: An ornament, such as a menorah, is controlled by a microprocessor. The ornament has a LED circuit operably connected to a power supply circuit, and sensor capable of sending a signal to the microprocessor in response to external stimulus. The microprocessor controls whether a LED of the LED circuit emits light, and is capable of independently controlling a number of LEDs and responding to signals from a number of sensors.

Abstract: A multi-standard video decompression apparatus has a plurality of stages interconnected by a two-wire interface arranged as a pipeline processing machine. Control tokens and DATA Tokens pass over the single two-wire interface for carrying both control and data in token format. A token decode circuit is positioned in certain of the stages for recognizing certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and for passing unrecognized control tokens along the pipeline. Reconfiguration processing circuits are positioned in selected stages and are responsive to a recognized control token for reconfiguring such stage to handle an identified DATA Token. A wide variety of unique supporting subsystem circuitry and processing techniques are disclosed for implementing the system.

Abstract: Disclosed is a flotation system designed to be incorporated into an existing snowmobile and including a plurality of floats which may be inflated either selectively or automatically. The device is intended to be incorporated into a snowmobile which is used on ice covered bodies of water. Sometimes, during such use, the ice breaks causing the snowmobile to sink and thereby be destroyed. Through the use of the present invention, flotation is provided to maintain the snowmobile in a floating position to allow safe retrieval.

Abstract: The invention is a small wedge shaped flap (20) for attachment to or near the trailing edge (14) of a airfoil (10) which improves the coefficient of lift and reduces the coefficient of drag providing an overall increase in fuel ecomony at cruise conditions. In detail the wedge shaped flap (20) has a downward height (26) of between 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent of the chord (16) of the airfoil (10) and has an included angle (30) to the chord of between 15.degree. and 45.degree.. The wedge flap is preferably placed at distance (24) of between 0 to 1.0 percent of the chord (16) from the trailing edge (14).