Abstract: Methods for encoding a program. Each program instruction in a program has one or more possible encodings, and each instruction encoding may have a different length. The instruction encodings are selected such that the resulting encoding of the program as a whole minimizes the number of program cycles used in a decoding stage of a processor. Instruction padding or program padding may be used to create instruction encodings of lengths.

Abstract: Methods for encoding a program. Each program instruction in a program has one or more possible encodings, and each instruction encoding may have a different length. The instruction encodings are selected such that the resulting encoding of the program as a whole minimizes the number of program cycles used in a decoding stage of a processor. Instruction padding or program padding may be used to create instruction encodings of lengths.

Abstract: The disclosed sorting conveyor and method of operating sorting conveyors provide for greater utilization of the apparatus, by using different separations between any leading article and its trailing article, either close separation of the articles when the leading article is to remain on the conveyor while its trailing article is being diverted or wide separation when the leading article is to be diverted while its trailing article remains on the conveyor; and when the sorting conveyor is applied to order-filling, the article discharge points can be chosen for the various kinds of articles so as to increase to a maximum the occurrence of small article-to-article separations.

Abstract: A chemical suit liner and method of making same, the liner comprising an air permeable fabric to which is bonded a chemically impregnated foam backing, the foam backing comprising a plurality of discreet foam layers that have been laminated to each other.

Abstract: Sleeper pajamas for a young child, including a garment of relatively soft and porous fleece-like cloth fabric having leg portions terminating in tubular distal ends sized for loosely surrounding the child's legs, and boot members of non-porous and wear-resistant material connected to the distal ends, each member including a sole and a counter having an instep portion overlying the sole and arranged to space the instep portion upwardly and outwardly from the child's instep and to space the top end of the counter outwardly from the leg, for relatively unhindered insertion of the foot into the member and unhindered air circulation between the member interior and leg portion interior located proximally of the distal end and surrounding the leg, while spacing the distal end sufficiently above the sole to avoid contact of the garment with a surface on which the child may walk or run.

Abstract: In the disclosed method and apparatus, item-identifying codes of packages loaded onto a conveyor are scanned and, based on comparisons with the items in a group of orders stored in a computer, the packages are distributed to corresponding order-assembly lanes while account is kept of the distributed packages. In a preferred embodiment, one code-reader is located at the supply end of the conveyor system and packages are tracked in the computer for delivery to respective order-assembly lanes, deducting from order requirements at the time of scanning and correcting for the deductions if timely deliveries are not effected. Where belt conveyors are used and "slip" of a package behind its theoretical maximum travel speed may occur, package travel is monitored and operation of the system is halted in case of excessive delay of a package along any travel segment.

Abstract: An item characterizing code on each of a succession of items of different varieties loaded onto a conveyor is compared to item characterizations in the requirements of a succession of stored orders to select an order requiring each item and, in dependence on the order that is selected, sorting the articles to order-related locations and/or applying order-related labels to the items. Multiple selective printers may be provided for use in succession for successive labels.