Abstract: A new variety of strawberry named `PSI 308` which is capable of producing moderately high yields of relatively large, smooth textured symmetrical fruit. The fruit is exceptionally glossy, having good juiciness and flavor, with moderate firmness and holding quality. The variety is characterized by its erect growth habit and exceptionally long and erect primary peduncles which extend the inflorescence beyond the foliage during much of the season and by its relatively light colored canopy.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of lily plant named Alaska, characterized by its brilliant white flower color with the base being a shade of light yellow, contrasting light brown pollen, dark purple-red spot markings on base, very small internodal length, and its strong stems.

Abstract: A new and distinct Weigela cultivar particularly distinguished by profuse production of medium-sized white flowers borne on the upright stems of a tall spreading bush. This plant exhibits winter hardiness along with a mild fragrance, an unusual characteristic for Weigela.

Abstract: A new variety of miniature rose plant having red flowers produced on a good pot forcing plant also suitable for growing outdoors in gardens.

Abstract: A Chrysanthemum plant named Cream Dana particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type; cream yellow ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 76 to 80 mm when fully opened, when grown as a pinched spray pot mum; photoperiodic flowering response to short days of 55 to 57 days; plant height, with 15 to 16 long days after sticking unrooted cuttings, and with 1 application of 2500 ppm B-9 SP, ranges from 28 to 30 cm when grown as a pinched pot mum with 4 cuttings in a 15 cm pot; branching pattern is spreading and prolific, each plant having 4 to 5 laterals after pinch; and recommended as spray pot mum.

Abstract: A new variety of hybrid tea rose plant producing yellow flowers.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of Gypsophila paniculata L. that is particularly characterized by its broad leaves and full, ball-shaped flowers with full petal coverage, some petals of which exhibit a pink corona.

Abstract: Poinsettia `Lilo Marble` is a new cultivar, distinguished by pink and creamy white bicolored bracts and intense dark green foliage with self-branching characteristics. `Lilo Marble` is a color sport of the dark red bracted `Lilo` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,694) with the same flowering response and cultural requirements. The new plant produces a very desirable branched flowering pot plant. The new plant is resistant to epinasty after being confined to shipping containers and recovers rapidly if the plant does become epinastic. The post-production foliage and bract retention is excellent even under low light intensities in the consumer's home.

Abstract: A false twist crimping machine is disclosed which is adapted for processing synthetic yarn, and which includes a novel .[.means.]. .Iadd.structure .Iaddend.for the thermal treatment of a yarn at high processing speeds of 1,200 meters per minute and above, and without increasing the overall size of the machine. The yarn thermal treatment .[.means.]. .Iadd.structure .Iaddend.includes a yarn heating plate and a yarn cooling plate. The yarn heating and cooling plates preferably each include a curved yarn path guideway to provide efficient and reliable yarn contact of the advancing yarn with the curved guiding surfaces, and at least the yarn cooling plate extends above a service aisle provided between the central frame of the false twist crimping machine and a yarn supply creel spaced from and extending parallel to the central frame.

Abstract: A method for preventing the bulking of activated sludge, which comprises adding to the activated sludge a water-soluble cationic polymer obtained by a reaction of a dialkylamine with epichlorohydrin, in an amount of from 0.1 to 25 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the dried solid content of the activated sludge.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing section provided with an applicator for applying a developer to a latent electrostatic image and a supporting section for supporting the developing section turnably between an operating position at which the developer held on the applicator acts on image-bearing member and a non-operating position at which the developer held on the applicator does not substantially act on the image-bearing member. According to a first aspect, positioning device acts on the developing section and holds it at the operating position. According to a second aspect, there is provided device for holding the developing section at the non-operating position at the time of mounting a main body of the developing device on an image-forming machine. According to a third aspect, when the main body of the developing device is mounted on the image-forming machine, electrical connecters provided thereon are electrically coupled to each other.

Abstract: A target is viewed by means of a coherent fiber optic bundle comprising a two dimensional array of fibers. A one dimensional linear light detector array, fixed relative to the coherent fiber optic bundle, receives an image of the target and detects light through only a slice of the image to provide dimensional information with respect to the edges of the target. A polyfurcated bundle may view different linear dimensions of the target and allow for the use of the single linear array to detect the multiple dimensions. Electronics provide for detection of target edges by means of a curve fitting technique, computation of dimensions and control of light source intensity and exposure time. Illumination is by a noncoherent light source and a collimator positioned behind the target or by a fiber optic bundle and a light guide plate positioned to illuminate the target from the front.

Abstract: A small personal appliance is wholly contained within a unitary housing that is fully supported by its contact blades being plugged into a wall outlet. The housing includes needles for ionizing the ambient atmosphere and a carbon foam pad for collecting the ionized air. A drive circuit generate cyclically recurring pulses having a voltage which is high enough to ionize the air and low enough to preclude a formation of ozone.

Abstract: A four corner bag especially suitable for packaging dry cereal, and method of making the bag from sheet or plastic film material. The bag is provided with opposite wall panels joined at a closed bag bottom and closed opposite sides, the panels defining an openable bag top provided with a reclosable fastener along the inner ends of upstanding pull flanges. Lower corner chamfer seals extend from the closed bottom to the sides of the bag. Upper corner chamfer seals extend from adjacent to the ends of the reclosable fastener to the top edges of the pull flanges. Thereby, when the bag is filled, the chamfer seals will free the four corners of the bag from interfering with easy reception and packing of the filled bag in a fairly close fitting carton.

Abstract: Novel fluorinated, acrylamide monomers are prepared from 2-alkenyl azlactones reacted with fluorinated alcohols. The novel monomers have the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.6 are independently hydrogen or methyl; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently can be an alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl group, or R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 taken together with the carbon to which they are joined can form a carbocyclic ring containing 4 to 12 ring atoms;R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently hydrogen or lower alkyl;a is 0 or 1;b is 1 or 2;X is a single bond, CH.sub.2, CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.2, and CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 OCH.sub.2 ; andR.sub.f is a substantially perfluorinated alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl group when b is 1 and perfluorinated alkylene when b is 2.Novel polymers and copolymers can be prepared from the monomers of the invention.

Abstract: 1,3-Propanediol is manufactured by the hydration of acrolein in an aqueous solution over a fully hydrated, alumina-bound zeolite with a pore size >5 angstroms to form 3-hydroxypropanal and hydrogenation of the 3-hydroxypropanal typically in an aqueous solution in the presence of a nickel catalyst.

Abstract: A body protector for athletes, particularly those engaged in motocross or motorcycle racing, having an outer semirigid plastic shell and an inner layer of air cell material for absorbing the impact of a fall or collision. The air cell material comprises a closed network of cells that are interconnected with channels. The channels slow the air movement away from the impact area, thereby distributing the energy of the impact throughout the cell network. An integral pump allows the wearer to maintain the air cell material at the desired pressure. An inflation indicator allows the wearer to estimate the pressure level of the air cells.

Abstract: Necktie apparatus including a first necktie segment and a second necktie segment. A connector element is connected to each of the necktie segments for releasably attaching the necktie segments. The segments will disconnect automatically when a force of sufficient magnitude is applied to the tie, thus protecting the wearer from injury. The lengths of the front panels of each elongated necktie segment may be readily adjusted.

Abstract: A disposable pocket urinal is provided and consists of a waterproof flexible bag having an elongated neck portion to accommodate a penis from a male person so that the water proof bag can receive and retain urine during an emergency situation.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling flushing of a toilet device detects use of the toilet device and compares the actual number of uses against a preset number of uses which are permitted before flushing of the toilet device. When the actual number of uses equals the predetermined number of uses, the toilet device is flushed. At the first use of the toilet device after flushing, a timing cycle is initiated and the timing cycle will cause flushing of the toilet device unless there is the predetermined number of uses of the device within the period of the timing cycle.

Abstract: A water tank for a flushing system comprising two control knobs for two-step flow control, wherein the valve cap of the drain valve in the water tank is opened for completely draining all of the water out of the water tank when a first control knob is rotated. The valve cap of the drain valve in the water tank is opened and a float is released from the restraint of a rocker arm when a second control knob is rotated. The valve cap of the drain valve is then forced to close by the released float, after half the volume of the water has been discharged from the water tank.

Abstract: A hot tub spa assembly includes a hot tub spa having at least a portion thereof surrounded by at least one spa step unit. The spa step unit includes a wooden frame structure having an upper frame surface with deck planking secured thereto. The deck planking is sized to conform and fit around a portion of the spa. The step unit includes a thin-walled C-shaped border channel of a plastic material having an upright web with upper and lower flanges extending therefrom. The border channel is secured to the frame structure to form a load-bearing boundary portion of the frame. The deck planking is secured to the upper flange of the border channel to provide a spa step unit having an aesthetically pleasing appearance. A method is also provided of manufacturing the spa step unit.

Abstract: A permanent wave rinse bag having a membrane for containing and directing rinsing fluid, having a network of conduits embedded in the membrane for distributing and dispensing rinsing fluid to a user's hair. An inlet conduit is connected with the distribution conduits and extends away from the rinse bag for convenient connection with a wash basin faucet or other source of rinsing fluid. A series of apertures are provided along the distribution conduits, on the interior side of the rinse bag, for dispensing rinsing fluid from the conduits to the hair. A drain aperture is also provided in the rinse bag for conduction rinsing fluid, collected within the membrane out of the rinse bag. A drawstring or elastic closure is provided around the perimeter of the bag to hold the bag close to the user's face and minimize seepage past the perimeter of the bag.

Abstract: A nursing bed having a plurality of mattress sections. Each mattress section is independently adjustable in the vertical direction and tiltable in the lateral direction of the human body.

Abstract: An invalid assistance device mounted on a wall in which a supported locked and guided flexible line is used to stabilize an invalid in the range of desired vertical positions from sitting to standing while a single attendant can work with the stabilized invalid.