Abstract: Release base papers with improved surface properties and more efficient manufacturing potential are made using cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) along with high freeness, less refined pulp. Release papers serve as the backing for common adhesive labels, for industrial film coatings, and also for certain food processing uses. The CNF may be added to the furnish and processed to paper, or the CNF may be added as a coating onto a partially dried web of paper. The CNF may optionally be combined with a starch and a starch crosslinker.

Abstract: Release base papers with improved surface properties and more efficient manufacturing potential are made using cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) along with high freeness, less refined pulp. Release papers serve as the backing for common adhesive labels, for industrial film coatings, and also for certain food processing uses. The CNF may be added to the furnish and processed to paper, or the CNF may be added as a coating onto a partially dried web of paper. The CNF may optionally be combined with a starch and a starch crosslinker.

Abstract: A ball caddy includes a housing with dividers forming compartments within the housing. The compartments retain various size sports balls in a vertical arrangement The dividers have two hinged segments which are independently adjustably mounted within the housing to vary the size of each of the compartments. Each compartment also has an orifice formed at a lower portion thereof and a ball release device which has a retainer normally preventing dispensing of the balls. The handle attached to the ball release allows pivoting of the ball release to provide for dispensing of the balls through the orifice.

Abstract: An electronic gift certificate dispenser device for printing and dispensing a gift certificate purchased by a credit card. A consumer approaches the device and inserts a credit card into a magnetic card reader. The consumer chooses a retailer from a menu of participating retailers and enters the gift certificate value. The machine automatically verifies the credit card, causes the account to be debited and prints the gift certificate. A plurality of gift certificate dispensing devices can be connected in a network under the control of a central processing unit. Information regarding gift certificate purchases is transferred from the devices to the central processing unit to be collated and billed to credit card accounts. The central processing unit also informs merchants of the purchase of gift certificates that will be redeemed at their stores.

Abstract: A telecommunications booth providing business travelers a variety of services including telephone, facsimile, and various information options which result in automatic telephone dialing to desired destinations. The various telephonic devices function through a restrictor to access a single public communications channel. The restrictor prevents calls to certain classes of numbers, like 900 numbers. Billing data on the computer may be accessed through a modem.

Abstract: An electronic gift certificate dispenser device for printing and dispensing a gift certificate purchased by a credit card. A consumer approaches the device and inserts a credit card into a magnetic card reader. The consumer chooses a retailer from a menu of participating retailers and enters the gift certificate value. The machine automatically verifies the credit card, causes the account to be debited and prints the gift certificate. A plurality of gift certificate dispensing devices can be connected in a network under the control of a central processing unit. Information regarding gift certificate purchases is transferred from the devices to the central processing unit to be collated and billed to credit card accounts. The central processing unit also informs merchants of the purchase of gift certificates that will be redeemed at their stores.

Abstract: The invention method and apparatus employs font metrics data related to font bitmaps for characters of a desired font. Position offsets of pieces in composite characters are read from the font metrics data and are converted to the appropriate pixel offset to adjust the bitmaps of subject compressed font characters. The adjusted bitmaps of the different pieces of a subject composite character are combined to form a working bitmap which represents each piece of the composite character in full size in the subject font. Screen display of composite characters decompressed to full-size is supported by the formed working bitmaps.

Abstract: A telecommunications booth providing business travelers a variety of services including telephone, facsimile, and various information options which result in automatic telephone dialing to desired destinations. The various telephonic devices function through a restrictor to access a single public communications channel. The restrictor prevents calls to certain classes of numbers, like 900 numbers. Billing data on the computer may be accessed through a modem.

Abstract: An electronic gift certificate dispenser device for printing and dispensing a gift certificate purchased by a credit card. A consumer approaches the device and inserts a credit card into a magnetic card reader. The consumer chooses a retailer from a menu of participating retailers and enters the gift certificate value. The machine automatically verifies the credit card, causes the account to be debited and prints the gift certificate. A plurality of gift certificate dispensing devices can be connected in a network under the control of a central processing unit. Information regarding gift certificate purchases is transferred from the devices to the central processing unit to be collated and billed to credit card accounts. The central processing unit also informs merchants of the purchase of gift certificates that will be redeemed at their stores.

Abstract: The regeneration of plants from cotton callus (Gossypium hirsutum L. cv Coker 310) is described. Somatic proembryoids developed spontaneously after two years in culture on a modified Linsmaier and Skoog medium. The percentage of calli forming proembryoids was increased to about 30% by prolonged culture without NAA and kinetin. Development of proembryoids was enhanced by transferring proembryoids to media lacking NH.sub.4 NO.sub.3 but containing double the standard KNO.sub.3 concentration and gibberellic acid. Root initiation and growth was promoted by lowering the glucose concentration to 5 g/l.

Abstract: Apparatus adapting a guide device for use with a hand-holdable cutting torch. The guide device has an articulated arm whose free end is movable in a planar path defined by a stationary pattern template which the arm engages. The torch is of a type having a barrel, a handle carried on the barrel, an elongated nozzle, and an angled connection between the barrel and nozzle. The adapting apparatus includes a bushing for releasably clamping the torch nozzle, and a bushing-support plate carried on the free end of the arm in the guide device. The bushing, with the torch nozzle clamped therein, is mounted on the support plate for rotation relative thereto about the axis of the torch nozzle, where this axis is disposed substantially normal to the plane of arm movement. The apparatus enables the user to guide the movement of the arm along the template path by manipulating the torch handle.

Abstract: An averaging counter for measuring the elapsed time between events comprising means whereby counting and adding together can be performed using a single counter such as a binary counter and associated control gating means to make the counter switch from one counting mode to another, said counter being able to count by factors which are not multiples of the basic counter modulus and said counter being able to simultaneously count and average.