Abstract: A curling broom, comprises a broom head, a broom handle attached to the broom head, and a delivery accessory adapted for attachment to either the broom handle or the broom head in both a first position and a second position. The delivery accessory improves the balance of a person delivering a curling stone in the first position. The delivery accessory is stored in a nonobtrusive manner in the second position enabling the curling broom to be used for conventional sweeping in front of a delivered curling stone. The delivery accessory for comprises a support stand and a mount adapted for attaching the support stand to the curling broom. The accessory is also useable with tools such as shovels, rakes, and the like. A method for delivering a curling stone is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of attaching a delivery accessory to a curling broom, and delivering the curling stone with one hand and holding onto the curling broom with a second hand as the curling stone is being delivered.

Abstract: A curling broom, comprises a broom head, a broom handle attached to the broom head, and a delivery accessory adapted for attachment to either the broom handle or the broom head in both a first position and a second position. The delivery accessory improves the balance of a person delivering a curling stone in the first position. The delivery accessory is stored in a nonobtrusive manner in the second position enabling the curling broom to be used for conventional sweeping in front of a delivered curling stone. The delivery accessory for comprises a support stand and a mount adapted for attaching the support stand to the curling broom. The accessory is also useable with tools such as shovels, rakes, and the like. A method for delivering a curling stone is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of attaching a delivery accessory to a curling broom, and delivering the curling stone with one hand and holding onto the curling broom with a second hand as the curling stone is being delivered.

Abstract: An electrically controllable variable capacitor includes the interelectrode capacitance of at least one power MOSFET, a capacitance connected in series with the MOSFET and having one terminal connected to the drain or source thereof (the series capacitance), and bias control circuitry for controlling the bias voltage applied to the MOSFET. The voltage rating of the MOSFET, the peak amplitude of the applied ac signal, and the value of the series capacitance determine the range of dc bias voltages over which the MOSFET can be operated, and hence the capacitance range of the variable capacitor. Such a variable capacitance is useful as a tuning capacitor in an electrodeless HID lamp ballast.

Abstract: A decorative overlay and window system for an opening in a garage door, the decorative overlay including a peripheral framework formed as an integral part of the decorative overlay. Bolt strips having a plurality of bolts extending outwardly therefrom are secured to the inner face of the peripheral framework. The bolts provide an alignment mechanism for aligning the decorative overlay with the opening in the garage door. A windowpane having a plurality of holes in its border is mounted to the peripheral framework by passing the bolts through the holes and then threadedly fastening nuts to the bolts. An insulation liner is provided to cover open edges of adjacent insulation in the event the decorative window system is used on an insulated garage door.

Abstract: A dry sheet-like filtering material for use in liquid depth filtration and a method for making the filtering material are disclosed. The filtering material is prepared from cellulose ester fibrils having a surface area of at least 5 square meters per gram and cellulose fibers which have been beaten. The degree of beating to which the cellulose fibers are subjected and the amount of cellulose acetate fibrils mixed with the cellulose fibers can be controlled to affect the retention and flow rate characteristics of the filtering material. The filtering material is produced by preparing slurries of the cellulose ester fibrils and the cellulose fibers, beating at least the cellulose fibers, mixing the slurries, depositing the mixed slurry on a porous surface which permits the drainage of water from the deposited fibrous structure, removing the water whereby the fibrous structure is formed into a filter sheet, and drying and cutting the filter sheet.

Abstract: An area saving dielectrically isolated semiconductor structure is disclosed which allows for the merger of a plurality of active devices, which share a common terminal, in a single dielectrically isolated (DI) island, or tub. In particular, an isolation groove is formed in the bottom of the DI tub and extends upwards toward the top surface of the semiconductor structure. The common diffusion region associated with the common terminal is located in the DI tub directly over the isolation groove. The isolation groove and common diffusion region thus separate the single DI tub into isolated sections, where a separate active device can be formed in each section. Isolation is achieved through the interaction of the groove with the common diffusion region to "pinch off" the conductive channel between devices in the DI tub. In a preferred embodiment, an inverted V-shaped isolation groove is utilized so as not to complicate the fabrication process.

Abstract: Combination hood support for supporting the hood of an automotive vehicle includes a lug wrench and wheel cover/hub cap pry tool portion and a hood support rod portion which may be secured together for use as a jack crank. The apparatus is normally stowed or stored beneath the hood of the vehicle and the rod portion pivots into its hood support functional position. The two portions are removed from their stowed or stored location(s) for use as a jack crank.

Abstract: An integrated circuit in which a large potential can be maintained between the source of the device and the substrate on which this device and other devices are fabricated is described. The circuit employs a minority carrier sink region to remove minority carriers from the gate region of a MOS depletion device. The sink region is shielded from the substrate by a buried layer which prevents punch-through between the sink region and the substrate.

Abstract: Combination hood support for supporting the hood of an automotive vehicle, jack crank, lug wrench, and wheel cover/hub cap pry tool includes a relatively long rod portion and a relatively short rod portion disposed at a predetermined angle to the relatively long rod portion, and the angle is preferably about 90 degrees. The apparatus is normally stowed beneath the hood of the vehicle and pivots into its hood support functional position and is removable for its jack crank function. The apparatus is also separable so that a portion may be used as a lug wrench and as a pry bar for hub caps and wheel covers.

Abstract: A circuit for driving an output between two voltage states in response to a control signal is disclosed. The circuit requires a very small amount of power in its quiescent state. The circuit comprises a first switch including first and second control terminals that provides a conductive path from a first source of potential to an output terminal when the potential difference between the control terminals is less than a first predetermined threshold value and for electrically isolating the first source of potential from the output terminal when the potential difference between the control terminals is greater than the first predetermined threshold value, and a second switch that provides a conductive path between a second source of potential and the output terminal when the first switch electrically isolates the first source of potential from the output terminal.

Abstract: A solid-state protector circuit utilizes the combination of two zener diodes (Z1, Z2), a resistor (R1), a capacitor (C1), and a gated diode switch (GDS) to facilitate the rapid discharge of high voltage transients.

Abstract: A high voltage solid-state switch uses a dielectrically isolated lightly doped p- type semiconductor body with a heavily doped p+ type anode region, a heavily doped n+ type gate region, a moderately doped p type shield region, and a heavily doped n+ type cathode region. The shield region surrounds the cathode region. Separate electrodes contact the anode, gate, shield, and cathode regions. The gate and cathode regions also act as the collector-emitter output circuitry of an n-p-n transistor with the shield region acting as the base. With the shield (base) region forward-biased with respect to the cathode or gate regions, the n-p-n transistor is biased on and the collector and emitter are rapidly pulled close to each other in potential. With proper operating potentials applied to the anode and cathode regions, the switch rapidly assumes an "ON" state when the potential of the shield (base) region is set to a level which biases the n-p-n transistor ON.

Abstract: A solid-state protector circuit utilizes the combination of two zener diodes (Z1, Z2), a resistor (R1), a capacitor (C1), and a gated diode switch (GDS) to facilitate the rapid discharge of high voltage transients.

Abstract: A wash bottle adapted for use in irrigating body tissue surfaces. The bottle comprises a container constituted of flexible resilient material having a mouth. A closure for the mouth is detachable to permit filling of the container with a wash liquid. A nozzle on the closure permits delivery of wash liquid from the container. Conduit means inside the closure and in communication with the nozzle provide for delivery of wash liquid to the nozzle. Valve means comprise a valve seat at an inlet of the conduit means and a stem attached at one end to a portion of a wall of the container and having a free end engageable with the valve seat to prevent entry of liquid into the conduit means from the interior of the container when the container is in an unstressed condition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved Schottky barrier device wherein the leakage current present in the reverse bias mode attributed to the presence of an electric field at the Schottky barrier (18) is significantly reduced by the inclusion of one or more field shields (22), P.sup.+ -type diffusions located under the metal anode (16) of the Schottky barrier device at the Schottky barrier (18). The P.sup.+ -type field shields, which are disposed in a pattern on the surface of the Schottky barrier, reduce the surface electric field present, thereby significantly reducing the leakage current related thereto.