Abstract: An improvement to the tone and responsiveness of brass instruments is achieved by holding preshaped pieces of damping material, preferably a waxy, hot-melt adhesive, pressed against surfaces of the instrument tubing sections such as valve casings and tubing sections at particular locations, to reduce sympathetic vibrations of the instrument structure.

Abstract: A clocking system for complex electronic devices is created in an hierarchial manner whereby the master clock pulse is provided to a plurality of digital pulse aligners which in turn provide phase aligned clock signals at the field replaceable unit level to either a slave clock or a digital phase aligner. The slave clock or the digital phase aligner at the field replaceable unit level in turn provides an aligned clock pulse to a timing node on respective chips. A third level of the hierarchy provides similarly aligned pulses to individual using-circuits on the chips of the system. The digital phase aligner, aligning the output pulse at the timing node of the next level with the reference pulses being provided to the digital phase aligner at each level, insures that the timing pulses arriving at the utilizing circuits are synchronously aligned with clock pulses of the master clock.

Abstract: A system and method for accessing a multiplicity of memory devices connected to a serial bus of defined protocol and which a direct memory device selection range smaller than the number of memory devices. The memory devices are divided among microcontrollers which selectively enable one or more memory devices responsive to higher level addressing signals sent to the microcontrollers. Thereafter, selectively enabled groups of memory devices are accessed by applying the limited addressing range of the serial bus. The invention finds particular use in modularized systems where cost and complexity are significant considerations by extending the normal range of the chip select function to increase the memory device count beyond the standard bus protocol. A preferred embodiment uses EEPROM devices and an I.sup.2 C protocol bus.

Abstract: A housing for an underwater lighting fixture includes a wet niche formed from plastic and provided with three alternative grounding pathways. A conductor strap is attached to the niche by a threaded lug which extends through the strap and an adjacent wall of the niche to permit an internal ground wire and an external ground wire to be connected to the strap. As a further grounding assurance, the lighting fixture is grounded through a bracket which attaches to the conductor strap. The bracket also serves as a current collector to receive electrical charge from the surrounding water.

Abstract: A device for filtering fluid includes a hollow housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A filter element formed of fluid permeable material is disposed within the housing for filtering fluid entering the fluid inlet, the fluid passing through the element and out the fluid outlet. The element has a generally cylindrical configuration with the permeable material forming a plurality of elongated, radially extending pleats. The pleats are supported by spacers having a plurality of blades attached to a web with channels therebetween. The element is used as a septum for supporting a diatomaceous earth precoat. A regeneration piston creates fluid flows within the filter that cause the element to flutter, thereby displacing DE precoat from the septum for regeneration.

Abstract: A hammering body having a plurality of protrusions on its external surface useful for randomly fading fabric and a method for randomly fading fabric are provided. The method comprising the steps of providing an at least partially wet fabric to be faded, at least one hammering body having an external surface with a plurality of protrusions, and a powder comprising a bleaching agent to a tumbling chamber, tumbling the fabric, the hammering body and the powder in the chamber such that the protrusions of the hammering body repeatedly strike the fabric, thereby driving the powder into the fabric until a desired fading effect is achieved, and separating the faded fabric from the hammering body.

Abstract: A sealing tape for concrete forms has a foam layer to fill spaces between parts of the form, and pressure sensitive adhesive for adhering to the form. The side of the sealing tape to be fixed to the base plate of the form is a fabric reinforced tape with sufficient integrity that the sealing tape can be entirely removed from the base plate by merely pulling up the reinforced tape. For some forms, the sealing tape may have an adhesive on both sides, and for other forms, only the side having the reinforced tape may have adhesive thereon.

Abstract: A housing for an underwater lighting fixture includes a wet niche formed from plastic and provided with a grounding strap. The grounding strap is attached to the niche by a threaded lug which extends through the strap and an adjacent wall of the niche to permit an internal ground wire and an external ground wire to be connected to the strap. As a further grounding assurance, the lighting fixture may be grounded through the grounding strap, which mechanically and electrically attaches the lighting fixture to the niche.

Abstract: A dry toner composition comprised of resin particles, pigment particles, and a dendrimer charge enhancing additive.

Abstract: The present invention is a computer housing with a low noise cooling system. The computer housing is comprised of two principal members, a cover and a base. Both a left surface and a right surface of the cover are perforated with vents to allowing the passage of air through the housing. The base additionally incorporates two air intake holes with a power source for the computer disposed over these air intake holes. The passage of air through the housing is facilitated through the use of three fans. These three fans are attached directly to the power source, and each of these fans operates at a different fan speed. The fan speeds are additionally adjusted in response to the outside ambient temperature. In operation, air enters the computer housing of the present invention through the vent array on the left surface of the cover, and the air intake holes in the base.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink composition consisting essentially of water, diethylene glycol-monobutyl ether, glycerol, an optional cyclohexyl pyrrolidinone component, a dye selected from the group consisting of dyes containing dansyl chromophores and dyes containing porphyrin chromophores, an optional biocide, and an optional polyalkylene oxide/bisphenol-A additive.

Abstract: An ink composition comprised of a solution comprised of a dye comprised of a porphyrin chromophore.

Abstract: An outlet assembly for a water receptacle, such as a swimming pool, spa or the like, includes a pair of interchangeable discharge nozzles, one being a rotary discharge nozzle and the other being a linear discharge nozzle. A user may selectively interchange the rotary discharge nozzle and the linear discharge nozzle by withdrawing and inserting them through an outlet port sized and shaped so as to permit the user's hand to fit therein.

Abstract: A sucker rod coupling retrieval tool which includes a cylindrical slip bowl having an axially offset cylindrical bore in one end. The opposite end is threaded onto the lower end of a top sub which defines an internal bore receiving an annular bearing. A slip guide carrying a toothed spacer is slidably positioned in the slip bowl below the bearing. The slip guide has an axially offset cylindrical external surface which receives the upper portion of the internal offset cylindrical surface of a tubular slip and guides the slip in relative rotating movement within the slip bowl during operation of the tool. Teeth on the lower end of the spacer function to engage the upper end of the coupling to be retrieved which is also circumferentially gripped by rotating the slip bowl relative to the slip after extending both downwardly over the coupling.

Abstract: A dry toner composition comprised of resin particles, pigment particles, and a dendrimer charge enhancing additive.

Abstract: An ink composition comprised of a solution comprised of a dye comprised of a porphyrin chromophore and a dendrimer.

Abstract: A brake adjustment mechanism is provided for a bicycle wheel to allow cantilevered bicycle brakes to be adjusted quickly and easily and without the application of the brakes to the bicycle wheel. The brake adjustment mechanism employs a cable yoke which has a body adapted for connection to the flexible brake cable of a conventional cantilevered bicycle brake. The yoke has a pair of projecting supports that extend outwardly from opposite sides of a yoke body and toward opposite sides of the bicycle wheel. A separate socket is carried by each of the projecting supports. The sockets are movable in rotation relative to the yoke and each socket has a tapped opening facing a separate one of the bicycle brake lever arms. A pair of elongated rigid rods are each secured at one end to separate ones of the bicycle brake lever arms. Both of the elongated rods have externally threaded ends which are threadably engaged in separate ones of the tapped openings of the sockets.

Abstract: A toner composition comprised of resin particles, pigment particles, an optional charge enhancing additive component, or components, and a surface additive, or additives comprised of a metal oxide containing a coating thereover of a surfactant.

Abstract: A wide angle passive infrared energy sensor includes an infrared transducer. Energy in the field of view which is essentially normal to the transducer impinges directly on the transducer which can in turn generate an electrical signal in response thereto. Radiant energy at the peripheral regions of the field of view, on the order of 90.degree. with respect to a center line normal to the detector, is parabolically reflected onto the detector.