Abstract: A conveyor assembly and method for conveying and storing a strip material in a conveyor system that is subject to changes in length of the strip material due to intermittent operation includes an upper conveyor (16), an adjustable substantially horizontal center conveyor (22) for receiving the strip material (34) from the upper conveyor, and a lower conveyor (28) for receiving the associated strip material from the center conveyor. A computer (94) controls the movement and rotation of the center conveyor, and loop detecting apparatus on the center conveyor may also detect a loop (90) in the strip material carried by the center conveyor and thereby detecting changes in length of the strip material not predetermined by the computer. A servomechanism (100) activated by signals from the computer or the loop detecting apparatus moves the center conveyor in a substantially horizontal direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently transferring a data block of bytes from a source to a destination in memory of a computer system. The method transfers bytes in multiple-byte words on word-aligned boundaries of memory as much as possible to reduce the number of fetches and writes and the number of memory cycles required to execute the transfer. For handling data block transfers of various sizes and locations, the method is implemented in a compiler that compiles different portions of code at run time into a block of code that is then immediately executed. The compiler employs a state machine stored in memory and having a plurality of states. Each state is associated with a portion of code for aligning a destination address or for transferring bytes in multiple-byte words on word-aligned boundaries. The states correspond to different starting source and destination addresses.

Abstract: The magnetic states of MR reproducing heads are reinitialized during media drive manufacturing by applying initializing magnetic fields to the transducers after they have been manufactured and incorporated into media drive assemblies.

Abstract: In response to a change in the color depth of a computer system's display device, the invention dynamically changes the color depth of existing objects in system memory to match the changed color depth of the device. As a result open applications need not be shut down and then reopened to change the color depth of objects already in system memory. The dynamic changing is accomplished through a number of functions calls between an application, the operating system and a display driver. In one embodiment of the invention, copies with the changed color depth are made at one time of all objects in system memory and the original objects discarded. The copies are then transferred to screen memory (if the display device is a video display terminal) for display as they are requested. In another embodiment of the invention, copies with the changed color depth are made selectively as the objects are transferred to the screen memory.

Abstract: Operating system enhancements that enable an application program to create and perform graphics operations on device-independent bitmaps (DIBs) efficiently. The enhancements are in the form of functions that return to the application program a handle to the DIB and a pointer to the location of the DIB in memory. With the handle, the application program can use the capabilities of the operating system to perform graphics operations on the DIB. With the pointer, the application program can use its own drawing capabilities and address the DIB directly. The operating system enhancements also streamline the design and content of graphics drivers such as display drivers by placing basic graphics functions in a graphics engine that communicates with the graphics driver. Simple graphics operations are passed from the graphics driver to the graphics engine, allowing the driver to be limited to more complex operations that utilize special characteristics of graphics hardware associated with the driver.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for transferring a brush pattern of pixels stored in memory to a destination bitmap in memory. The method transfers an entire row of the brush pattern to the scan line of a destination bitmap without checking each byte for the end of the row. Data bytes are fetched from the pixel row a predetermined number of times to transfer the pixel row in one pass. The transfer method preferably uses multiple-byte words on word-aligned boundaries of memory to reduce the number of fetches and writes and the number of memory cycles to execute the transfer. The transfer may include combining the pattern with a bitmap such as a source bitmap or the destination bitmap and transferring the combination to the destination bitmap. To accelerate the transfer process, a compiler is provided to compile, in response to an appropriate function call, run time code that is then immediately executed to transfer the pattern to the destination bitmap.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for efficiently transferring a data block of bytes from a source to a destination in memory of a computer system. The method transfers bytes in multiple-byte words on word-aligned boundaries of memory as much as possible to reduce the number of fetches and writes and the number of memory cycles required to execute the transfer. For handling data block transfers of various sizes and locations, the method is implemented in a compiler that compiles different portions of code at run time into a block of code that is then immediately executed. The compiler employs a state machine stored in memory and having a plurality of states. Each state is associated with a portion of code for aligning a destination address or for transferring bytes in multiple-byte words on word-aligned boundaries. The states correspond to different starting source and destination addresses.

Abstract: A method for storing a sequence consisting of a repeated data pattern of three bytes to a memory in double word increments aligned with double word boundaries. A register is loaded with the first four bytes of the sequence. The contents of the register are then repeatedly stored to consecutive locations of the memory. Between each storing of the register's contents, the contents are updated to the next four bytes of the sequence by shifting the second through fourth bytes to the first through third bytes and also moving the second byte to the fourth byte. When the beginning address where the sequence is to be stored in memory is not aligned with a double word boundary, the initial bytes of the sequence up to the double word boundary are stored and the contents of the register updated to the next four bytes of the sequence.

Abstract: The magnetic states of MR reproducing heads are reinitialized during media drive manufacturing by applying initializing magnetic fields to the transducers after they have been manufactured and incorporated into media drive assemblies.

Abstract: In response to a command to draw text on a screen, a computer's operating system creates a superglyph bitmap that combines text and a background color into a single bitmap. The bitmap is then transferred to screen memory by either a graphics driver or the operating system itself, depending upon whether the graphics driver has special characteristics for displaying the bitmap such as monochrome-to-color conversion. With this division of tasks, graphics drivers may be simplified to handle tasks for which they are uniquely qualified and the operating system handles more general tasks such a creating the bitmap. The concept may also be applied to other types of bitmaps, wherever it is advantageous to create bitmaps with the operating system and transfer bitmaps with either a graphics driver or the operating system.

Abstract: The speed of bitmap block transfers involving image transformations between source and destination bitmaps is increased by forming a mapping array with entries corresponding one-to-one to elements of destination bitmap scan lines. A preprocessor fills the entries of the mapping array with indices of elements in a source scan line that map according to the image transformation to the elements of a destination scan line that correspond with the array entries. A block transfer compiler can then generate code to perform the transfer which uses the mapping array in an indexed look-up operation to determine the source element to transfer to each element of each scan line of the destination bitmap.

Abstract: The headlamp tilting mechanism is provided in a motor vehicle in which a pair of headlamps are tiltable relative to the motor vehicle body. The headlamp tilting mechanism includes a hydro-mechanical transducer which is fed with hydraulic signals corresponding to changes in the attitude of the vehicle body under changing load and acceleration and braking forces. The transducer has an output rod slidable in bushes relative to the body and is connected with a lever which extends substantially parallel to the rod by means of a link which is pivoted at its ends to the lever and rod respectively. One end of the lever is pivoted to the body while the other end is connected through the intermediary of a further link with the respective headlamp. The arrangement described above permits ready tilting movement of the headlamp upon sliding movement of the output rod but does not permit sliding movement of the rod as a result of external pressures applied to the headlamp.

Abstract: A headlamp tilting mechanism in a motor vehicle comprises a pair of spring arms mounted in opposition on a shaft which is pivotable relative to the motor vehicle body and which carries a pair of headlamps. One end of each spring arm has attached thereto one end of a sleeved cable. One cable is attached to an unsprung part at the rear of the vehicle and the other cable is attached to an unsprung part at the front of the vehicle. Both cable sleeves abut against the underside of the vehicle body. Changes in the attitude of the vehicle body relative to the front and rear wheels cause changes in the tension of the cables to effect biasing of the spring arms so that a resultant rotation of shaft is effected which corresponds to the change in attitude of the vehicle body.

Abstract: The motor vehicle comprises a vehicle body suspended on wheels and carrying a pair of headlamps which are mounted on a common cross rod angularly movable relative to the body by means of a headlamp tilting mechanism. The headlamp tilting mechanism is of the hydromechanical type and includes a lever which is mounted on the vehicle body through the intermediary of a pivot. The lever has an arm which is urged by spring into engagement with a temperature sensitive element secured to a rear axle housing of the motor vehicle. An extension projecting from the lever is engaged by an output rod of a mechanism for rendering the tilting mechanism inoperative. The mechanism comprises a body within which is disposed a bellows element having the output rod secured thereto. Also disposed within the body is a temperature expansible material and a heating element which is arranged to be heated when a headlamp filament energizing switch is manually closed.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a pair of vertically tiltable headlamps mounted on the vehicle body. An elongate rod extends horizontally between the two headlamps and is slidable in bushes fixed to the motor vehicle body. The elongate rod is connected at its respective ends to the headlamps by way of respective pairs of links disposed on opposite sides of the rod. One link of each pair is pivotally connected between the rod and the respective headlamp whilst the other rod of each pair is pivotally connected between the rod and the body. Movement of the rod effects simultaneous movement of the headlamps and is effected by a mechanical/hydraulic system linked to a rear axle housing and an engine of the motor vehicle so that headlamp tilting occurs to compensate for tilting of the body under changing conditions of load, acceleration and braking.

Abstract: The headlamp tilting system comprises a headlamp tilting mechanism and a headlamp securing mechanism. The headlamp tilting system includes a tensioned cable which leads to a sensor at the rear of the motor vehicle and is connected with a tube having a slidable output rod therein connected with a cross rod upon which headlamps of the motor vehicle are mounted. The tube is movable relative to a body of the vehicle and the output rod is connected with the tube via a pair of springs. The headlamp securing mechanism comprises a lever carrying a catch in the form of a V-shaped notch which is engageable over a pin carried by a lever secured to the cross rod. A spring biasses the lever into a position in which the catch engages the pin but an abutment on the lever engaging a pin in an elongate slot in the rod normally prevents such movement.

Abstract: A headlamp tilting system in a motor vehicle has opposite ends of an inner cable connected respectively to the rear axle housing of the vehicle and an intermediate portion of a lever. An outer sleeve surrounds the inner cable and abuts against the underside of the vehicle body. One end of the lever is pivotally mounted on the vehicle body via a damper while the other end thereof is connected to the vehicle headlamps through a further cable and a movement reducer including two spring arms. The damper is arranged to oppose relatively short term changes but to permit relatively long term change so that, under braking and acceleration conditions, the inner cable tilts the headlamps as a result of pivotal movement of the lever. Under changing load conditions, body movement of the lever takes place as permitted by the damper to effect a reduced headlamp tilt.

Abstract: A device for changing the amount of linear movement in a linkage system, preferably for reducing the movement, consists of a hollow body into opposite ends of which a tube and a co-axial rod extend. Attached to the inner end of the rod is a pair of flanges which extend through slots in the tube. A compression spring is lodged in the body between the flanges and an end of the body and a further compression spring is lodged between the flanges and an abutment on the tube at the opposite end of the body. Preferably, the rod passes with clearance through a sleeve forming an extension of the body and a viscous material is provided in the sleeve around the rod to act as a damper to short term movements of the rod.

Abstract: The motor vehicle is provided with headlamps mounted on a common cross rod which is angularly sprung by means of a tilting system including a lever secured to the cross rod. The headlamps are normally urged into an extreme downwardly tilted position by means of a manually operable device. In one form, the manually operable device takes the form of a solenoid having an operating rod which engages lever attached to the cross rod. The solenoid is electrically connected with a manually operable headlamp lighting switch. The arrangement is such that when the solenoid is de-energised, the operating rod thereof urges the lever into an extreme position in which the headlamps are tilted downwardly. When the headlamp lighting switch is operated to illuminate the headlamps, the solenoid attracts the rod and so releases the lever secured to the cross rod so that tilting of the headlamps can be effected by the headlamp tilting mechanism.

Abstract: The motor vehicle comprises a body, a pair of headlamps which are mounted on a common cross rod angularly movable relative to the body, and a headlamp tilting mechanism. The mechanism comprises a tensioned cable secured at one end to an axle housing of the motor vehicle and at its opposite end to a spring arm. An outer sleeve over the cable abuts against the underside of the body. The spring arm is clamped at one of its ends to the cross rod and a further spring arm is also clamped to the cross rod and has its free end urged into abutment with a stop fixed relative to the body. The cable is secured to the end of the spring arm which is remote from cross rod and the cable biases the further arm into engagement with the stop. The provision of the spring arms serves to reduce the amount of angular movement imparted to the cross rod by the cable when changes in the attitude of the vehicle body relative to the wheels occurs under changing conditions of load carried by the body.