Abstract: A cable, which may be a fiber optic cable, includes a plurality of conductors which are twisted together. A tape with a layer of superabsorbent powder thereon, is wrapped around the conductors. A sheath is formed around the outside of the tape. If a leak should occur, the superabsorbent powder absorbs moisture and expands to block further entry of moisture into the cable. The tape is formed by applying a layer of adhesive to a strip of flexible material. The adhesive is advantageously applied in a helical pattern which is spaced from longitudinal edges of the tape. The superabsorbent powder is then applied to the adhesive. A suction head removes excess superabsorbent powder from the tape. The tape is then wrapped around the conductors of the cable. The adhesive may be a sealant material which is applied to the conductors before they are wrapped with the tape.

Abstract: A roll-up garage closure device of flexible material such as insect screen which is rolled up on a tubular motor driven cylindrical, finned, aluminum roll drum supported by bearings on each end. The screen is attached to the roll drum within a groove formed between two adjacent fins while opposite vertical edges are hemmed over bead chain cording, captured by vertical tracks, and adapted to slide vertically up and down as the screen is rolled up on the drum. A crossbar, containing a semi-rigid guide, two steel bar weights, and a weather seal is attached to the bottom edge of the screen and pulls the screen down as the motor unrolls the screen.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for measuring the burnup of nuclear fuel. A curve giving the calculated relationship between the fast neutron emission rate and the burnup of fuel is prepared. The fast neutron counting rate from a sample of nuclear fuel of known burnup is measured and the proportionality ratio between that measurement and the fast neutron emission given by the curve for the same burnup is determined. The fast neutron counting rate of nuclear fuel of unknown burnup is then measured and multiplied by the proportionality ratio to determine the fast neutron emission rate, from which the unknown burnup is then determined by means of the curve.

Abstract: An improved cabinet assembly for quick and easy assembly into various configurations. The assembly is characterized in one embodiment, by a unique joint where three framework members meet. A vertical post is equipped with vertically spaced slots. A first crossbar has prongs at one end which are snugly received in the slots, and, upon vertical movement of the crossbar, lock the crossbar to the post. A second crossbar joins the first crossbar and vertical post at mutually perpendicular angles, and is equipped with two pins which are snugly received in holes in the post. When both crossbars are in position, a bolt is inserted through the post and into the end of the second crossbar where it is secured. The bolt engages an edge of one of the prongs of the first crossbar, preventing vertical movement of the crossbar to retain it in the locked position. In another embodiment, the assembly is characterized by a drawer slide which has prongs at each end receivable in the facing slots of two parallel vertical posts.

Abstract: A temperature compensated gas spring having a sealed outer casing and a t located within the outer casing. A piston is located within the tube and a rod is attached to the piston extending out of the casing through one end thereof. A primary pressure source is located within the casing and the tube and acts against the piston to urge the rod out of the casing. A secondary pressure source is located within the casing and the tube and acts against the piston to urge the rod into the casing. The primary pressure created by the primary pressure source is greater than the secondary pressure created by the secondary pressure source, and the percent change of the secondary pressure with temperature variation is greater than the percent change of the primary pressure with the same temperature variation.

Abstract: A temperature compensated gas spring mechanism comprises a main gas spring energized by a pressure source that generates primary forces in excess of the selected design forces for the mechanism and a secondary gas spring energized by a second pressure source that generates forces opposed to those of the main gas spring and of magnitudes approximately equal to the excesses of the primary forces over the selected design forces, thereby a compensate to a substantial extent for changes in the primary pressure due to temperature variations.

Abstract: A golf club head construction in which the head is transparent from front to back, over at least a major portion of the face of the head, the transparent portion being surrounded on at least three sides with a structure which supports, or is integral with, the transparent portion. The supporting structure in the preferred embodiment comprises the toe, sole and heel of the head which in conjunction with each other comprise a generally U-shaped recess for the transparent section. The transparent section is removably insertable into the U-shaped supporting recess and is positioned therein by complimentary configurations such as parallel opposed tongue-and-groove side members and a cooperating tongue-and-groove bottom member.

Abstract: A snap latch for securing a connector block on a circuit board or like support includes a central portion and prongs extending to either side of central portion. The prongs on one side of the central portion extend through a bore in a circuit board mounting portion to secure the snap latch to the block. The prongs on the other side of the central portion extend through a circuit board hole and secure the snap latch and block to the circuit board. The latch may be heat-shrunk to clamp the block to the board.

Abstract: A neutron activation probe comprises a pulsed neutron source in series with a plurality of delayed neutron detectors for measuring radioactivity in a well borehole. The neutron source emits neutrons which produce fission in uranium in the ore body and the delayed neutron detectors measure the delayed neutrons produced from such fission while the probe is moved through the borehole. The signal from each neutron detector is delayed in time so that the activity measured by each neutron detector from a particular ore zone may be added thereby increasing the accuracy of the reading corresponding to that ore zone.

Abstract: Alpha particles emitted from radon 220, a daughter product formed from the decay of thorium, are prevented from reaching an alpha particle detector by enclosing the detector in a volume into which alpha-emitting radioactive gases can only enter through a semipermeable membrane at least about 10 mg/cm.sup.2 in thickness. The enclosed volume must be between 30 and 2000 cm.sup.3 and the (AP)/(VL) ratio must be between 10.sup.-7 and 10.sup.-5. Also, the detector must be positioned so as to expose it to gas from the membrane for a distance of at least 2 cm through a solid angle of at least one steradian.

Abstract: A neutron activation probe comprises a pulsed neutron source in series with a plurality of delayed neutron detectors for measuring radioactivity in a well borehole together with a NaI (T1) counter for measuring the high energy 2.62 MeV gamma line from thorium. The neutron source emits neutrons which produce fission in uranium and thorium in the ore body and the delayed neutron detectors measure the delayed neutrons produced from such fission while the NaI (Tl) counter measures the 2.62 MeV gamma line from the undisturbed thorium in the ore body. The signal from the NaI (T1) counter is processed and subtracted from the signal from the delayed neutron detectors with the result being indicative of the amount of uranium present in the ore body.

Abstract: The content of uranium, in a solution, as extracted from uranium ore by a solution mining technique for example, is determined by measuring the intensity of selected gamma or X radiation emitted by the solution. The gamma or X radiation is preferably derived from the thorium-234 daughter of uranium 238. The radiation from the solution impinges on a scintillator after being passed successively through K-edge filter foils of an alloy of ytterbium (e.g. with tin), an alloy of lutecium (e.g. with tin), and an alloy of hafnium (e.g. with zirconium). The resulting scintillation counts of the scintillator with the filter foils are arithmetically processed so that the scintillation derived from the thorium-234 63 KeV line is isolated. This scintillation is evaluated as a measure of the uranium content. To assure that the uranium thorium conversion has reached a stable state, the measurement should be made about three months after the uranium solution is produced.

Abstract: An easily assembled and disassembled free-standing modular furniture unit which may be particularly adapted for use in hospital pharmacies or the like. The unit comprises a lower section which includes a self-supporting, generally parallelepiped-shaped container having top and bottom walls, and an upper section. The top wall of the lower section has at least a pair of spaced holes therethrough, and the bottom wall includes upwardly exposed brackets which are vertically aligned with the top wall holes. The unit includes at least a pair of upright support posts carrying the upper section at their upper ends and extending slideably downwardly through the top wall holes in snug, supportive relationship with the holes. The bottom ends of the posts are releasably secured to the brackets. By upward removal of the posts from the holes in the lower section, the upper and lower sections may be disconnected and may be readily replaced with other furniture sections.

Abstract: A locking letter tray for receiving letters, documents or the like, and for preventing unauthorized access thereto, is characterized by a unitary structure forming an essentially closed compartment having an elongated narrow slot through a side wall thereof and a lockable door, and an open compartment juxtaposed and sharing a common wall therewith. The slot is sufficiently long and wide for the passage of documents therethrough and into the closed compartment, but is narrow enough to prevent hands from entering, and may be equipped with baffles to inhibit removal of documents by dumping, shaking, probing etc. The lockable door precludes unauthorized access to the closed compartment to provide security for documents therein, and the open compartment may advantageously be used for incoming or outgoing nonconfidential mail.