Abstract: The present invention is directed to a louver cover dimensioned to substantially cover a louver of a central air conditioning system. The louver cover includes a member that is configured to face the louver, and a raised perimeter that is dimensioned to substantially surround the louver. The louver cover also includes at least one magnetic element that is configured to affix and remove the louver cover from the louver. The at least one magnetic element may be positioned on the member to engage at least one element of the louver that is attracted to a magnetic element, e.g. a ferrous containing element. The member may also have at least one groove positioned to accommodate a lever of the louver. The louver cover may also include a covering on the exterior surface of the louver cover facing away from the louver.

Abstract: A method of performance monitoring telecommunication signals having various formats, includes receiving a plurality of telecommunication signals comprising at least one signal having a first format and at least one signal having a second format, identifying the format of each signal received, and for each signal, proceeding with a performance monitoring activity in accordance with a set of rules associated with the identified format of each signal.

Abstract: A prefabricated insulating and ventilating panel used between the exterior covering and framing components of a roof or wall in building construction has a rectangular plywood or oriented strand board deck spaced above a rectangular substrate of rigid closed foam thermal insulating material to provide air passageways to relieve heat buildup that causes wear of asphalt shingles and other roofing or wall covering materials, An alternative form includes a rectangular plywood or oriented strand board underdeck attached in contact with and below the insulating substrate to serve as sheathing for direct attachment to the building frame.

Abstract: An electrical contact probe is produced by four passes of a profiled machining cutter across the longitudinal axis of the probe at circumferentially equidistantly spaced points and with the machining cutter on each pass traveling on a linear path disposed at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the probe. The contact probe so produced has a long pyramid center point surrounded concentrically by eight modified pyramid points in two levels or heights. The shortest level points are arranged in alternating relation with the other points surrounding the center point and all of the surrounding points are of lesser height than the center point.

Abstract: An integral holding shell and wire wrap post for spring contacts is disclosed wherein the unitary product is formed by metal drawing operations instead of by separate machining and crimping operations previously carried out to connect the post to the holding shell. The product is gas-tight for a positive seal when used in vacuum test fixtures. Mechanical connections between the wire wrap post holding shell are eliminated, making the product more electrically sound. Manufacturing cost is reduced.

Abstract: A batch method is described for decarbonizing aluminum primary furnace product from an aluminum carbide content of up to about 35% to a useful content of about 2% Al.sub.4 C.sub.3. The method maximizes mass transfer of the aluminum carbide from molten primary furnace product to molten slag and molten alumina in a decarbonization furnace which has elevatable electrodes and is operated in the extraction mode according to the equation:Al.sub.4 C.sub.3 +4Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 .fwdarw.Al.sub.4 O.sub.4 C.The method comprises forming an overlying molten layer of primary furnace product, preferably as an aluminum alloy containing 9.5% Al.sub.4 C.sub.3 and 12% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and at a temperature of about 2100.degree. C., and an underlying molten layer of slag, at a temperature of about 1900.degree. C., and then adding an alumina cover layer of granular alumina onto the overlying layer of alloy melt.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for strengthening glass articles immediately after their formation and prior to annealing to remove stresses, and more specifically to increasing the strength of glass containers in terms of internal pressure retention as well as in thermal shock and impact resistance. The process involves allowing the newly-formed glass containers to cool down to a limited extent immediately subsequent to their formation, subjecting the defect-bearing exterior surfaces of the glass containers, which contain surface checks or cracks, to an elevated temperature for a brief period of time to physically alter the crack geometry of the defects and partially heal the same, and then annealing the glass containers to remove stresses therefrom.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating and winding pre-treated yarn, for example, tire cord, the method comprising two stages. In a first stage, a coated and heat-set fabric, constituted of longitudinally running warp cords and laterally running picks interlaced with the warp cords, is subdivided into a plurality of elongate tapes, each tape having a lesser number of warp cords than the fabric and picks of reduced linear extent. The tapes are then wound into respective packages. In the second stage, the tapes are unwound and divided each into a plurality of independent warp cords free from the picks. The warp cords are then wound into respective packages.

Abstract: Protection circuit for preventing high surge current on start up of static inverter.

Abstract: A switching circuit for a static inverter employing a plurality of parallel switching stages for switching a d.c. voltage to produce an a.c. output. Novel driver circuit for all switching stages of a group also serves as switching means for first switching stage of the group.