Abstract: A cart management apparatus for retaining and vending carts such as luggage carts, shopping carts, and strollers, includes a retaining rail for receiving cart keys disposed on the carts, a rotatable paddlewheel including a plurality of paddles, at least one of which projects into the retaining rail to provide an obstruction therein, an electromagnetic brake coupled to the paddlewheel to selectively inhibit rotation of the paddlewheel and restrict removal of cart keys from the rail, and a one-way clutch, also coupled to the paddlewheel to allow free rotation of the paddlewheel in a return direction to allow cart keys to be inserted into the retaining rail when carts are returned to the apparatus. The preferred apparatus may be used with existing carts which are retrofit with cart keys that are suitable for being retained within the rail.

Abstract: A cart management apparatus for retaining and vending carts such as luggage carts, shopping carts, and strollers, includes a retaining rail for receiving cart keys disposed on the carts, a rotatable paddlewheel including a plurality of paddles, at least one of which projects into the retaining rail to provide an obstruction therein, an electromagnetic brake coupled to the paddlewheel to selectively inhibit rotation of the paddlewheel and restrict removal of cart keys from the rail, and a one-way clutch, also coupled to the paddlewheel to allow free rotation of the paddlewheel in a return direction to allow cart keys to be inserted into the retaining rail when carts are returned to the apparatus. The preferred apparatus may be used with existing carts which are retrofit with cart keys that are suitable for being retained within the rail.

Abstract: A cart management apparatus for retaining and vending carts such as luggage carts, shopping carts, and strollers, includes a retaining rail for receiving cart keys disposed on the carts, a rotatable paddlewheel including a plurality of paddles, at least one of which projects into the retaining rail to provide an obstruction therein, an electromagnetic brake coupled to the paddlewheel to selectively inhibit rotation of the paddlewheel and restrict removal of cart keys from the rail, and a one-way clutch, also coupled to the paddlewheel to allow free rotation of the paddlewheel in a return direction to allow cart keys to be inserted into the retaining rail when carts are returned to the apparatus. The preferred apparatus may be used with existing carts which are retrofit with cart keys that are suitable for being retained within the rail.

Abstract: A cart management apparatus for retaining and vending carts such as luggage carts, shopping carts, and strollers, includes a retaining rail for receiving cart keys disposed on the carts, a rotatable paddlewheel including a plurality of paddles, at least one of which projects into the retaining rail to provide an obstruction therein, an electromagnetic brake coupled to the paddlewheel to selectively inhibit rotation of the paddlewheel and restrict removal of cart keys from the rail, and a one-way clutch, also coupled to the paddlewheel to allow free rotation of the paddlewheel in a return direction to allow cart keys to be inserted into the retaining rail when carts are returned to the apparatus. The preferred apparatus may be used with existing carts which are retrofit with cart keys that are suitable for being retained within the rail.

Abstract: The local telephone message announcing device automatically checks a remote telephone voice messaging system for stored messages in a consistent and timely manner, announces the presence of stored messages through an external indicator and automatically connects the user to the stored messages upon entry of a predetermined command by the user. The device checks for the stored messages by detecting a unique tone sent to a user's telephone set or telephone number by the remote telephone voice messaging system to indicate the presence of stored messages. The detection occurs at predetermined time intervals whereby interference with the operation of the local telephone set is minimized. In addition, the device is easily installed by a person without technical expertise and can be adapted to any type of telephone set.

Abstract: A network interface circuit is interconnected to a network terminal to enable the network terminal to communicate with other network terminals on a local terminal network. The network interface circuit includes an RS-485 transceiver including a driver and transmitter function. A status timer 42 controls a status line back to the network so as to indicate to the network terminal when the network is in use. A driver timer is present to automatically enable the driver function of the RS-485 circuit when a start bit is received from the network terminal, the driver timer being designed to insure that RS-485 transmitter function remains active until all the data has been transmitted.

Abstract: Word processor having a keyboard including standard typewriter keys and additional user keys including a plurality of function keys for implementing word processing. A CRT simulates and electronic sheet of paper with margins on four sides and an index scale for a selected typing pitch. The electronic blank sheet of paper is scrolled and displays a space between the bottom of the sheet and the top of the next sheet of paper. The characters can be horizontally scrolled and wrapped around during typing. Row address tables in the display controller dynamically store strings of information for each 85 character row of the screen by linking of rows through tables. The display controller board also provides for an enhanced display of character attributes on a character by character basis where a character is retrieved from memory fourteen times for display.The word processor includes logic hardware which generates 85 columns across the CRT screen and 57 lines down the screen where each character is in an 8.times.

Abstract: A coaxial cable switching circuit includes a differential comparator connected to a cable to be switched, for receiving a switching pulse therefrom. The output of the differential comparator is connected to a pulse width discriminating circuit which in turn controls a coaxial switch enabling selective interconnection of the coaxial cable with a pair of further coaxial cables. The pulse switching circuit may include a latching device, enabling the alternate connection of the further coaxial cables to the cable to which the switching pulse is applied.

Abstract: An amplifier for video signals transmitted by way of coaxial cable includes synchronizing signal separating means for gating synchronizing signals to a level detecting circuit, in order to produce a control voltage. The control voltage controls the gain of an input stage of the amplifier to maintain the level of the synchronizing signals transmitted by the cable, while compensating for different attenuation which may be effected at video frequencies signal frequencies by cables of different length.