Abstract: An improved machine convertible for brush-aided cleaning or vacuuming includes a pair of powered brushes counter-revolving for stroking solvent-dampened carpet cleaning particles through the carpet and along carpet fibers during initial cleaning. A separately-powered pod is detachable from the machine during brush-aided carpet cleaning and attached to a machine-mounted vacuum nozzle for carpet vacuuming to pick up the dirt-laden particles. The pod has first and second media selected to remove particles of differing sizes from air flowing through the pod. During initial carpet cleaning when vacuum is not needed, the pod may be detached and used in another area for hand-vacuuming carpeted stairs and other "small-area" places.

Abstract: Laser beam apodizers using cholesteric liquid crystals provides soft edge profile by use of two separate cholesteric liquid crystal mixtures with different selective reflection bands which in an overlap region have a gradient index where reflectivity changes as a function of position. The apodizers can be configured as a one-dimensional beam apodINTRODUCTIONThe U.S. government has rights in the invention under Contract No. DE-FC03-85DP40200 between the University of Rochester and the Department of Energy.

Abstract: Improved automatic surface-treating apparatus of the type supported by and traversing a horizontal surface unattended. The apparatus includes mobility members for movement in a principal direction and side-step members having rotational axes a given distance above the surface. Each side-step member has a first sector with a far periphery spaced from its axis by more than the given distance, and a second sector with a near periphery spaced from its axis by less than the given distance. This arrangement allows a single rotation of the side-step members to accurately lift and move the apparatus laterally through a predetermined distance, to a new surface-treatment path.