Abstract: A reinforcement device [10] comprises a biocompatible material such as a mesh sheet [12] for closing and reinforcing the closure of a surgical incision, including an elongated abdominal incision. The biocompatible material may provide one or more of a column of hooks [16a, 16b] or a column of apertures [31a, 31b] or markings [51a, 51b] to indicate where puncturing/suturing is to occur and/or where the device [10] is to be positioned. A disclosed ratio of suture [22] length to incision length is 4:1. The reinforcement device [10], when implanted through surgery, may reduce the likelihood of and/or prevent incisional hernias. The reinforcement device [10] may be included in a surgical kit.

Abstract: A reinforcement device comprises a sheet of biocompatible material equipped with a plurality of hooks for reinforcing the closure of a surgical incision, including elongated abdominal incisions. The reinforcement device, when implanted through surgery, reduces the likelihood of and/or prevents incisional hernias. The reinforcement device may be included in a surgical kit.

Abstract: A reinforcement device [10] comprises a biocompatible material such as a mesh sheet [12] for closing and reinforcing the closure of a surgical incision, including an elongated abdominal incision. The biocompatible material may provide one or more of a column of hooks [16a, 16b] or a column of apertures [31a, 31b] or markings [51a, 51b] to indicate where puncturing/suturing is to occur and/or where the device [10] is to be positioned. A disclosed ratio of suture [22] length to incision length is 4:1. The reinforcement device [10], when implanted through surgery, may reduce the likelihood of and/or prevent incisional hernias. The reinforcement device [10] may be included in a surgical kit.

Abstract: A reinforcement device comprises a sheet of biocompatible material equipped with a plurality of hooks or apertures for reinforcing the closure of a surgical incision, including elongated abdominal incisions. The reinforcement device, when implanted through surgery, reduces the likelihood of and/or prevents incisional hernias. The reinforcement device may be included in a surgical kit.

Abstract: A reinforcement device comprises a sheet of biocompatible material equipped with a plurality of hooks for reinforcing the closure of a surgical incision, including elongated abdominal incisions. The reinforcement device, when implanted through surgery, reduces the likelihood of and/or prevents incisional hernias. The reinforcement device may be included in a surgical kit.

Abstract: A reinforcement device comprises a sheet of biocompatible material equipped with a plurality of hooks for reinforcing the closure of a surgical incision, including elongated abdominal incisions. The reinforcement device, when implanted through surgery, reduces the likelihood of and/or prevents incisional hernias. The reinforcement device may be included in a surgical kit.

Abstract: A reinforcement device comprises a sheet of biocompatible material equipped with a plurality of hooks or apertures for reinforcing the closure of a surgical incision, including elongated abdominal incisions. The reinforcement device, when implanted through surgery, reduces the likelihood of and/or prevents incisional hernias. The reinforcement device may be included in a surgical kit.

Abstract: A reinforcement device comprises a sheet of biocompatible material equipped with a plurality of hooks for reinforcing the closure of a surgical incision, including elongated abdominal incisions. The reinforcement device, when implanted through surgery, reduces the likelihood of and/or prevents incisional hernias. The reinforcement device may be included in a surgical kit.

Abstract: A positioning system incorporating a time offset into the pseudo random noise codes. Incorporating the time offset, a transmitter from a pseudo satellite sends pseudo random noise codes to a receiver which recognizes the pseudo random noise codes with the offset. The offset is typically done as one or more hours. Knowing the offset value, the receiver then acquires the signal, and uses it to determine position, distance, etc. The use of an offset allows conventional receivers to ignore the time offset signal by selecting a time offset value which is greater than the searching time allowed in the conventional receiver. Equipment capable of recognizing the time offset signal is capable of thereby ignoring and/or distinguishing incoming signals from other sources.

Abstract: A system for attitude determination of a platform in global positioning systems (GPS) is disclosed herein. The system includes at least two receivers and an attitude determination circuit. The receivers each include an antenna. The antenna is capable of receiving GPS signals. Each receiver also produces a representation of the received GPS signal by estimating how fast the distance from a GPS satellite to the antenna is changing by determining a rate of change of a locally generated code sequence as it changes to approximate the GPS signal transmitted by the GPS satellite. The attitude determination circuit calculates platform attitude from the rate of change determined by the receivers.

Abstract: A method for increasing signal acquisition in global positioning system receivers is described. An algorithm for a banked filter of the invention provides low attenuation between frequency bins in which all of the frequency bins produce useful results and no multiplications are required to implement the algorithm. A shortened sampling interval is provided and a banked filter process is implemented. The multiple outputs of the banked filter are detected and summed in post detection filters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for calibrating and detecting faults in a receiver having a multi-element antenna. The method includes the steps of selecting an antenna element of the multi-element antenna and transmitting a signal through the selected element. The method further includes the steps of detecting the transmitted signal through at least one antenna element of a remaining set of elements of the multi-element antenna and calculating a phase shift for the at least one antenna element of the remaining set of elements.

Abstract: The invention is a stator lamination jig system which comprises a centrally located spindle and a support for a stator lamination having a plurality of holes therein. The support is rotatively-mounted on the spindle for driving the lamination during a notching operation. A plate is included to secure the lamination on the support and a non-rotatable ejector is located below the support which has a lowered position and a raised position. An ejection cylinder is seated upon the ejector which is shaped and positioned to extend through holes in the support. The invention also comprises a cylinder connected to the ejector for driving the ejector. When the cylinder is actuated upwards, the ejector is in a raised position which urges the ejection cylinder through the holes in the support to cause the lamination to be released from the jig.

Abstract: A heat exchanger fin remover includes a first hollow cylindrically shaped member having a closed end and an open end. The closed end is provided with a centrally disposed portion including a centrally disposed threaded aperture adapted to be received by a rotary source of power. The first member open end is provided with an annular cutting ring portion disposed of the distal edge thereof. A second cylindrically-shaped member has a first end and second end adapted to be received within the first hollow cylindrically-shaped member open end. A threaded centrally disposed extending portion is adapted to be received by and cooperate with the first member centrally disposed threaded aperture when the second member is inserted into the first member. The second member other end extends beyond the cutting ring portion disposed on the distal edge of the first member.

Abstract: A stator lamination for an electric motor includes a plurality of notches extending about an inner periphery thereof shaped to minimize damage to insulation of the conductor during insertion of the conductor into the notches and removal of the conductor from the notches. Each notch includes two side walls which intersect the inner periphery of the laminate at a tapered angle. The side walls each include a cutout shaped to receive a retaining strip or slat therebetween, and the cutouts intersect the walls at tapered angles. The tapered angles are preferably less than about 12.degree. or greater than about 14.degree., in order to prevent the formation of a locking taper.

Abstract: The invention is a stator lamination jig system which comprises a centrally located spindle and a support for a stator lamination having a plurality of holes therein. The support is rotatively-mounted on the spindle for driving the lamination during a notching operation. A plate is included to secure the lamination on the support and a non-rotatable ejector is located below the support which has a lowered position and a raised position. An ejection cylinder is seated upon the ejector which is shaped and positioned to extend through holes in the support. The invention also comprises a cylinder connected to the ejector for driving the ejector. When the cylinder is actuated upwards, the ejector is in a raised position which urges the ejection cylinder through the holes in the support to cause the lamination to be released from the jig.

Abstract: A black powder firearm (10) is easily disassembled and has interchangeable barrels (12) . Barrels (12) attach to a receiver (24) at a bore (86) in the receiver (24). A lug (50) attaches to the barrel (12) and bolts to the receiver (24) through a hollow lug bolt (46). A bore (98) in the lug bolt (46) holds a ramrod (20) and allows the ramrod (20) to extend into the receiver (24). A breech plug (54) screws into a breech end (16) of the barrel (12). A nipple (58) of the breech plug (54) extends through a hole (88) to engage a hammer (30). A base section (56) of the breech plug (54) abuts a steel portion of the receiver (24). A trigger mechanism (28) has a linear, coil compression hammer spring (102) that is pivotally anchored to a trigger housing (62). This anchor point is displaced from a pivot point for the hammer (30). An anti-blow-back lever (124) engages the hammer (30) when the hammer is in its fired position and a trigger (32) is pulled.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of using spatial nulling in antenna electronics to protect against interference signals. Nulling is achieved by computing and adjusting the computed complex weights values of "n" channels through the use of dithering of interfering signals of having power levels thereby allowing nulling of "n" minus one number of interfering signal. sources.

Abstract: A brake lathe for drum and disc rotor brakes for grinding the inside cylindrical surface of a brake drum and machining the opposite parallel surfaces of a disc rotor. The lathe includes rotating spindle output shaft extending along an axis of the lathe housing. The spindle is driven by a motor which translates an endless belt over a V-belt pulley. A pair of cog belts respectively connect an intermediate pulley to the V-belt pulley and a taper lock bushing mounted on the spindle shaft. This arrangement reduces the motor speed to the desired spindle output speed and eliminates the need for an idler shaft. A first cross-feed slide is mounted in a direction transverse to the axis of the brake housing on a first side thereof for advancing the inboard and outboard cutters toward and away from the opposite parallel surfaces of a disc rotor concentrically mounted on the output shaft.

Abstract: An improved laminated rotor assembly is disclosed which features a novel key/keyway design that prevents lamination reversal while permitting indexing of successive laminae for the distribution of dimensional variations thereof. There are multiple, symmetrically oriented keyways, each keyway having an identical asymmetrical profile. The symmetrical distribution of identical profile keyways permits indexing of successive laminae, and the asymmetrical keyway profiles prevent lamination reversal. In the preferred embodiment, two or three keyways are employed, each key and keyway being formed in the shape of a step having at least two different radial dimensions.