Abstract: An apparatus 40 for enhancing venous blood flow through a limb of a subject includes a detachable compression sleeve 41 extendable around the subject's limb and having a plurality of compressors 43-48 situated next to one another along the sleeve 41. In use, the compressors 43-48 substantially encircle the limb and compress the limb in a continuous cyclical compression sequence to move blood within the limb from the distal end of the sleeve 41 to the proximal end to replicate venous blood flow and to prevent backflow. In particular, as a said first compressor begins to compress the limb, a said second compressor preceding the first compressor in sequence already compresses the limb and continues to compress the limb at least until the first compressor compresses the limb to substantially the same extent as the second compressor, and a said third compressor which precedes the second compressor in sequence ceases to compress the limb.

Abstract: An apparatus 40 for enhancing venous blood flow through a limb of a subject includes a detachable compression sleeve 41 extendable around the subject's limb and having a plurality of compressors 43-48 situated next to one another along the sleeve 41. In use, the compressors 43-48 substantially encircle the limb and compress the limb in a continuous cyclical compression sequence to move blood within the limb from the distal end of the sleeve 41 to the proximal end to replicate venous blood flow and to prevent backflow. In particular, as a said first compressor begins to compress the limb, a said second compressor preceding the first compressor in sequence already compresses the limb and continues to compress the limb at least until the first compressor compresses the limb to substantially the same extent as the second compressor, and a said third compressor which precedes the second compressor in sequence ceases to compress the limb.

Abstract: A method for processing traffic in an optical network. The optical network includes a transport network with a first fiber and a second fiber, wherein traffic over the first and second fibers is conveyed in opposite directions. A first traffic is branched off from the first fiber towards an optical entity and the first traffic is processed at the optical entity. A second traffic is fed from the optical entity onto the second fiber. There is also described a corresponding optical network.

Abstract: A launch vehicle for a space station includes a crew transport vehicle having an orbiter, a cylindrical cargo module separable from the orbiter when in low earth orbit, and a first liquid fuel rocket engine section coupled to the cargo module operable to assist in placement of the launch vehicle in low earth orbit. The first engine section is separable from the cargo module in low earth orbit. The launch vehicle also includes booster rockets operable to place the launch vehicle in low earth orbit, and a liquid fuel tank, which is convertible to form living and working spaces for the space station. The space station includes rentable space that is used to recover launch and assembly costs associated with the space station.

Abstract: An apparatus for enhancing blood flow through a limb of a subject includes a compression sleeve extendable around the subject's limb and having a plurality of compressors situated next to one another along the sleeve. In use, the compressors compress the limb in sequence to move blood within the limb from one end of the sleeve to the other. In particular, as a said compressor begins to compress the limb, the compressor preceding it in sequence already compresses the limb, and the next preceding compressor in sequence ceases to compress the limb.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to water soluble or dispersible polyester compositions, comprising a polyalkylene glycol monoalkyl ether, having mixed nonionic and ionic stabilization prepared in a conventional single step random condensation polymerization. The present invention is also directed to aqueous coating compositions, useful for finishing automobile and truck exteriors, containing a polyester resin with mixed ionic and nonionic stabilization. The coating is especially useful for forming metallic glamour latex based finishes on automobile and truck exteriors that have excellent chip resistance and appearance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flexible bag comprising at least one sheet of flexible sheet material assembled to form a semi-enclosed container having an opening defined by a periphery. The opening defines an opening plane, and bag is expandable in response to forces exerted by contents within the bag to provide an increase in volume of the bag such that said the accommodates the contents placed therein.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for electrolytically depositing a uniform metal layer onto a workpiece is provided. The workpiece, for example a circuit board, serves as a cathode. The anode is insoluble and dimensionally stable. Both anode and cathode are immersed in a plating solution contained in an electrolytic container. The solution includes (a) ions of the metal to be deposited on the workpiece, (b) an additive substance for controlling physical-mechanical properties of the metal to be deposited, such as brightness, and (c) an electro-chemically reversible redox couple forming oxidizing compounds when contacting the anode. A metal-ion generator is provided, supplying metal parts of the metal to be deposited onto the workpiece; The plating solution is circulated between the container and the ion generator for maintaining a reaction between the oxidizing compounds and the metal parts for forming metal ions.

Abstract: The process for directly metallizing a circuit board having nonconductor surfaces, includes reacting the nonconductor surface with an alkaline permanganate solution to form manganese dioxide chemically adsorbed on the nonconductor surface; forming an aqueous solution of a weak acid and of pyrrole or a pyrrole derivative and soluble oligomers thereof; contacting the aqueous solution containing the pyrrole monomer and its oligomers with the nonconductor surface having the manganese dioxide adsorbed chemically thereon to deposit an adherent, electrically conducting, insoluble polymer product on the nonconductor surface; and directly electrodepositing metal on the nonconductor surface having the insoluble adherent polymer product formed thereon. The oligomers are advantageously formed in aqueous solution containing 0.1 to 200 g/l of the pyrrole monomer at a temperature between room temperature and the freezing point of the solution.

Abstract: In an object-oriented application, a preparation process is used when compiling the sources of the application, a configuration process is used when link-editing, and a communication process is used during execution to call up methods for objects. No adaptation of sources is necessary when a system configuration is changed. This also applied to an extension of the object-oriented application.

Abstract: The process for directly metallizing a circuit board having nonconductor surfaces, includes reacting the nonconductor surface with an alkaline permanganate solution to form manganese dioxide chemically adsorbed on the nonconductor surface; forming an aqueous solution of a weak acid having an acid dissociation constant, for loss of a proton in aqueous solution, between 0.1 and 0.01, and of pyrrole or a pyrrole derivative and soluble oligomers thereof; contacting the aqueous solution containing the pyrrole monomer and its oligomers with the nonconductor surface having the manganese dioxide adsorbed chemically thereon to deposit an adherent, electrically conducting, insoluble polymer product on the nonconductor surface; and directly electrodepositing metal on the nonconductor surface having the insoluble adherent polymer product formed thereon. The oligomers are advantageously formed in aqueous solution containing 0.

Abstract: To obtain high contrast images of objects which are in an area covered with rich vegetation and which additionally are given a camouflage coating, the wavelength specific differences in reflection behavior of the clutter and of the camouflage coating of the object are utilized. For this purpose, the apparatus according to the invention includes at least two image pick-up elements, particularly CCD cameras, whose output signals are fed to a signal processing arrangement whereby are combined. On the side of the object, respective optical filters are disposed in front of the image pick-up elements so as to cause each image pick-up element to have its maximum sensitivity in a different spectral range.

Abstract: A rim bead flange of a ground surface vehicle, pneumatic tire wheel is effectively, and in one embodiment actually, extended radially outward to an extent whereby the extension covers 1/8 to 1/3 of the area of the adjacent sidewall of the tire in order to provide lateral support against sheer deformation for said sidewall. The extension is accomplished by retrofittable ring plates or by an integral extension of the rim bead flange.

Abstract: Cotton fibers are wet finished in a simpler and quicker manner by forming the loose cotton fibers into an integral batt by needling utilizing a needling machine, or air laying equipment. After formation of an integral batt having a weight in the range of 10-32 ounces per square yard, the cotton fibers in the integral batt form are fed to a wet finishing range for effecting scouring, bleaching, steaming, finish application, washing, and/or drying thereof. Subsequently, the finished integral batt will be passed to a conventional fiber opener to break it back into fibers, or it may be taken up into a package for further processing. 100% cotton fibers, or cotton blends having at least 60% cotton fibers, can be processed.

Abstract: Objects such as for example printed circuit boards are transported for treating through a treatment container which accommodates a treating medium in a lower plane being supported by clamps of object supports, and then the object supports with the clamps are returned to a starting position in an upper plane.

Abstract: Cleaning, activating and metallizing of bore holes in conductor boards is performed by supplying a liquid treatment medium in form a standing wave onto a lower side of the conductor board by a surge line which is formed as a nozzle arranged under a transporting path and substantially normal to a transporting direction of the horizontally guided conductor board.

Abstract: In a method for continuously jacketing steel objects particularly tubing including the steps of cleaning the object by means of blasting its surface; chromatizing the cleaned surface by exposing the surface to a silicate containing watery solution of 3 and/or 6 valued chromium compound or compounds, drying the object at a temperature preferably between 105 degrees C. and 130 degrees C. which is well below the temperature necessary either for an application of a bonding and cover layer and/or for curing of the epoxy resin; a blend being applied prior to conversion of the chromatizing medium and any chromium iron compounds into a thermally stable intermediate layer including a chromium iron silicate oxide layer, the application of epoxy resin curing agent is carried out in two steps to obtain at least two sublayers, the first one of the layer being more reactive than the second one at temperature below 170 degrees C.

Abstract: A device for guiding plate-shaped objects to be electro-plated through an electro-plating bath in a container, includes a device transporting said objects to the container in a horizontal position, a device for pivoting the objects in the bath from a horizontal position about a horizontal axis so that the objects assume a position below the mirror of the bath. The pivoting device guides the objects through the container and, at the outlet thereof, pivots the objects back to the horizontal position.

Abstract: A device for electroplating electric circuit boards includes an electroplating bath and a plurality of transporting organs which hold objects to be treated when they path the electroplating bath. The transporting organs are pairs of clamping yokes arranged on a common endless rotating belt and positionable from a clamping position in which they engage the object being treated and a release position in which they release said object.

Abstract: A solid state oscillator circuit for operation at very high frequencies includes a field effect transistor having an input network connected between its gate and source electrodes and an output network connected between its drain and source electrodes, the input and output networks each including three discrete capacitors connected in a "pi" configuration, the input and output networks being connected in series with one another, and an inductor being connected in parallel with the series connected networks, the equivalent circuit impedance of the networks in series and the inductance determining the operating frequency of the oscillator circuit, and the relative ratio of impedance of the networks determining the amount of oscillator feedback.