Abstract: An escalator apparatus is provided which may be converted as desired to accommodate wheelchairs and other vehicles. Two specially adapted steps are disposed front and back of a standard step. Guide rails defining travel paths for the steps are located on a fixed portion of the escalator apparatus, and are adapted to engage cooperating elements carried on the steps. By directing the cooperating elements along different guide paths as desired, the special steps may be raised and lowered to be flush with the standard step between them, thereby forming a single vehicle step, without the need for stopping the motion of the escalator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring resistivity employ the four-point probe method to measure the surface resistivity or volume resistivity of a sample. The method includes inputting sample shape information and calculating a resistance correction coefficient for the sample based on the shape information and information relating to a measurement position on the sample. The sample surface resistivity or volume resistivity is calculated by multiplying a resistance value, which is measured in accordance with the four-point probe method, by the correction coefficient.

Abstract: A power-assisted steering system includes a changeover valve unit comprising an input member arranged to be applied with the driver's steering effort and a valve assembly disposed between a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic power cylinder to control the supply of fluid under pressure from the pump to the power cylinder in response to movement of the input member, and a hydraulic reaction mechanism associated with the valve assembly to apply a reaction force to the input member in accordance with a hydraulic reaction pressure applie thereto. The reaction mechanism includes a reaction fluid chamber to be supplied with fluid under pressure from the pump respectively through a fired throttle and a flow control valve. The flow control valve is arranged to act as a fixed throttle valve when the pressure of fluid from the pump is lower than a predetermined value and to act as a constant flow control valve when the pressure of fluid from the pump becomes larger than the predetermined value.

Abstract: Disclosed is a III-V Group compound semiconductor light-emitting element having a III-V Group compound semiconductor body with a p-n junction and including a p-type layer involved in forming the p-n junction; and a multi-layer electrode mounted on the p-type layer of the semiconductor body. The electrode comprises a first layer of gold alloy containing a small amount of beryllium or zinc and formed in direct contact with the p-type layer of the semiconductor body and an uppermost layer formed of gold or aluminum. A tantalum layer doped with carbon, nitrogen and/or oxygen is formed between the first layer and the uppermost layer by means of vacuum vapor deposition.