Abstract: A soil sampling apparatus consisting of a sample collection drum having a tapered probe for extracting soil plugs that are discharged by gravity into the drum. A row clearing apparatus may be disposed forward of the probe. As drum rotates, soil plugs are mixed and, when mixed, are discharged into a sample a removable container in a removable tray on a carousel. Prior to loading sample containers into the tray, a unique bar code is affixed thereto. A bar code reader tracks each container and information regarding each sample is stored by an electrical/electronic controller. GPS information from an onboard GPS system is included in the stored data. Stored data may be immediately transmitted or, alternately batch uploaded to a remote site. A communications controller typically provides cellular and Wi-Fi communications. The electrical/electronic controller is used to control all aspects of the soil sampler.

Abstract: A soil sampling apparatus consisting of a sample collection drum having a tapered probe for extracting soil plugs that are discharged by gravity into the drum. A row clearing apparatus may be disposed forward of the probe. As drum rotates, soil plugs are mixed and, when mixed, are discharged into a sample a removable container in a removable tray on a carousel. Prior to loading sample containers into the tray, a unique bar code is affixed thereto. A bar code reader tracks each container and information regarding each sample is stored by an electrical/electronic controller. GPS information from an onboard GPS system is included in the stored data. Stored data may be immediately transmitted or, alternately batch uploaded to a remote site. A communications controller typically provides cellular and Wi-Fi communications. The electrical/electronic controller is used to control all aspects of the soil sampler.

Abstract: A hydraulic hose coupler for enabling an operator to easily connect and disconnect a hydraulic hose from a spool valve. The hydraulic hose coupler generally includes a tube member having a first portion, a joint and a second portion, wherein the first portion and second portion extend away from the joint at an approximate 135 degree angle with respect to each other. The first portion of the tube member will generally include a threaded first end for removably connecting to a hydraulic connector. The second portion of the tube member will generally include a threaded second end for removably connecting to a hydraulic hose. An ergonomic handle will preferably extend around the second portion of the tube member. After connecting the coupler between the hydraulic connector and hose, the operator may grip the handle and easily connect and disconnect the hose from a spool valve.

Abstract: An optical splitter adjacent a downstream end of a fiber optic cable is operable for supplying an optical signal to at least one optical fiber from the downstream end of the fiber. A preterminated fiber optic distribution cable includes a first access location having an optical fiber termination fed from an upstream end of the cable and a second access location having an optical fiber termination fed from a downstream end of the cable, wherein the cable includes an upstream optical splitter for feeding a first set of optical fibers and a downstream optical splitter for back-feeding a second set of optical fibers. A fiber optic cable comprising a first set of optical fibers that are terminated and fed from an upstream end of the fiber optic cable and a second set of optical fibers that are terminated and fed from a downstream end of the fiber optic cable.

Abstract: An optical tube assembly having at least one optical waveguide, at least one dry insert, and a tube. In one embodiment, the dry insert has a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is a polyurethane foam and the second layer is a water-swellable layer, wherein the dry insert is disposed within the tube and generally surrounds the at least one optical waveguide.

Abstract: An adjustable wake-forming apparatus attachable to a boat stern providing means for generating waves of a particular form for water sport activities. The attachment is comprised of a pair of blades fastened to the transom by a plurality of struts. The present invention provides for the use of the wave maker on boats having either an inboard or outboard engine. Each of the provided designs places the blades in a spaced away relationship to the engine propeller. Operatively, the blades have a top edge and curvilinearly diverging bottom edge with anterior and posterior ends linearly skewed causing a plow-like movement through the water.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present invention provides a keyless management system for automating selective access to a lockable device and a method for selectively granting access.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable is provided that includes a plurality of lengthwise extending, non-jacketed bundles of optical fibers and a cable jacket surrounding the bundles of optical fibers. Each bundle of optical fibers may include a binder, such as a binder thread, for maintaining the integrity of the bundle. The binder may include, for example, a binder thread formed of an air entangled, textured, continuous multi-filament thread. The fiber optic cable may also include a separation element for preventing adhesion between the bundles of optical fibers and the cable jacket without having to separately jacket each bundle of optical fibers.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable is provided that includes a plurality of lengthwise extending, non-jacketed bundles of optical fibers and a cable jacket surrounding the bundles of optical fibers. Each bundle of optical fibers may include a binder, such as a binder thread, for maintaining the integrity of the bundle. The binder may include, for example, a binder thread formed of an air entangled, textured, continuous multi-filament thread. The fiber optic cable may also include a separation element for preventing adhesion between the bundles of optical fibers and the cable jacket without having to separately jacket each bundle of optical fibers.

Abstract: An optical tube assembly having at least one optical waveguide, at least one dry insert, and a tube. In one embodiment, the dry insert has a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is a polyurethane foam and the second layer is a water-swellable layer, wherein the dry insert is disposed within the tube and generally surrounds the at least one optical waveguide.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable is provided that includes a plurality of lengthwise extending, non-jacketed bundles of optical fibers and a cable jacket surrounding the bundles of optical fibers. Each bundle of optical fibers may include a binder, such as a binder thread, for maintaining the integrity of the bundle. The binder may include, for example, a binder thread formed of an air entangled, textured, continuous multi-filament thread. The fiber optic cable may also include a separation element for preventing adhesion between the bundles of optical fibers and the cable jacket without having to separately jacket each bundle of optical fibers.

Abstract: A programmable logic array including a plurality of AND gates for providing product terms, a plurality of OR gates connected to receive the product terms for providing output signals, and circuitry for reducing power dissipation caused by the application of clock signals to the programmable logic array.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a semiconductor output circuit with temperature compensated noise control. The output circuit of the present invention presents an increase in speed, a reduction in power consumption, and a reduction in noise level as compared with the prior art temperature compensated noise control output circuits. These advantages are obtained by utilizing the present invention's current control means which current control means is driven by a temperature compensation circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of increasing the speed of an input receiver circuit directly interfaces the wordlines of a memory array. The speed of the input receiver and wordline driver circuit is improved by means of an inverter and a look-ahead n-channel transistor coupled to the basic wordline driver buffer.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved two-stage macrocell for Programmable Logic Devices. According to the first stage of the improved circuit of the present invention's macrocell, combined NOR'ing, inverting, MUX'ing, and latching functions are performed by the single first stage. This single stage replaces the prior art multiple stages for performing the same NOR'ing, inverting, MUX'ing, and latching functions of the present invention. Since the present invention replaces the prior art multiple stages with a single stage, the speed of the present invention in performing the above NOR'ing, inverting, MUX'ing, and latching functions is significantly improved over the prior art. Furthermore, the present invention also discloses a second stage for a low-noise temperature-compensated output circuit.

Abstract: A firewood holder is disclosed which is constructed of two support sections each including an elongated rung portion and two end portions extending perpendicular to the rung portions, a hinge connecting the respective free ends of the end portions, and a baseplate having a series of spaced apart grooves in its upper surface so that the rungs of the two support sections can be placed in different grooves of the baseplate to enable the firewood holder to be used to support different lengths of firewood.

Abstract: A dual loop phase locked loop system having a secondary loop for controlling various circuit, environmental and process variations. The secondary loop is comprised of a phase comparator, a filter, a transconductance amplifier and a one-shot, wherein the output of the one-shot is fed back as an input signal for comparison with a reference signal at the input of the phase comparator. The filter generates a correction voltage which is dependent on the phase difference determined by the phase comparator, and the transconductance amplifier generates a charging current corresponding to the error voltage from the filter, wherein the charging current controls the charging of the input capacitor to the one-shot circuit for determining the duration of the pulse width of the output of the one-shot. The one-shot based loop is inherently stable since there is only one pole near the origin of the S-Plane.

Abstract: An extended range logic circuit is activated to decrease the settling time and prevent slip, when phase difference of two signals being compared by a phase comparator reaches a slip point. The circuit provides error correction signals to compensate for the phase correction at a much faster rate when the phase error reaches a predetermined point, which is proximate to the slip point. However, the extended capture range circuit in only active during the lock acquisition. After lock is achieved the extended capture range logic is disabled, to provide better jitter performance.