An electronic digital computer has a warning facility for indicating activity and operation, or lack of same, of the central processor in the system. It is done by providing a signal indicative of continuing operation of the central processor to activate an indicator circuit. The indicated circuit utilizes an RC circuit for maintaining a high level through a high comparator when the processor is operational. When the central processor becomes non-operational, the capacitor discharges to a point ...

An integrated circuit is formed in a semiconductor chip and connected to at least a first source of voltage and at least a second source of voltage, negative with respect to the first source of voltage. A number of integrated circuit components are activated by the first and second sources of voltage and are interconnected to provide desired functions. An integrated circuit capacitive element in the form of the gate capacitance of a field effect transistor and in the form of a reversed biased di...

A personal computer has a chassis having a plurality of expansion slots in which are mounted optional Input/Output (I/O) expansion cards. At least one first expansion card has a first bracket adapted for connection to a mounting fixture. At least one second expansion card has a second bracket that is not adapted for connection to the mounting fixture. An adapter bracket is provided which is configured to connect to the mounting fixture and also to the second bracket to provide mounting of the se...

A shipping container for an article includes a floor on which the article is placed, the top surface of which is elevated from the supporting surface upon which the container rests, by a fixed dimension. Four side structures surround the floor and a top panel contacts the side structures to form an enclosure for the article. One of the side structures has at least one flap that, when opened, permits a ramp, that is part of the side structure, in the form of an inclined plane, to be pivoted into ...

A digital computer chassis has a front and rear wall with a strut fastened to both the front and rear walls, positioned to strengthen the chassis. A power supply and a hard disk drive are located within the chassis and connected to and supported by the strut. The power cable from the power supply is positioned within a channel formed in the strut, terminating in an on/off switch. The power cable is shielded from the electrical components within the chassis by the strut. With the surrounding cove...

A metal tube is butted against a metal rod. The rod and tube are welded together using a laser energy source. A filament is inserted into the tube and secured therein. The rod may then be sharpened to serve as a needle.

A hinge assembly has a plurality of rollers which are pressed against an elastic washer by a shaft. The rollers and elastic washer are contained within a cylindrical retainer which is held in a fixed position relative to a first bracket, while the shaft is held in a fixed position relative to a second bracket so that, when either or both the first and second brackets are moved relative to each other, the roller move around the outside diameter of the shaft resisted by the elastic washer, providi...

A digital computer system having a local cache memory and a system bus also has a subsystem for regulating the effective processing rate of the central processor unit (CPU) of the computer system. A programmable counter/timer is programmed by data from the CPU to provide a periodic pulse of desired periodicity and pulse width for entry into a bus controller. The bus controller arbitrates use of the system bus, sending a request signal to the CPU requesting the CPU to relinquish use of the bus an...

A digital computer system has internal and external devices, with the external devices connected to an associated bus. The digital computer system has a clock frequency which is different from that of the associated bus. Memory addresses from the central processor are decoded and for external devices, a frequency adjusting circuit divides the output from a clock oscillator to provide a system clock that is approximately the same frequency as that of the associated bus.

A battery-powered lap-top computer has a main battery for ordinarily supplying power to the computer circuitry. A reserve battery is connected through an automatic switch to the circuitry. The circuitry is connected to a pair of contacts and the switch is connected to a contact. The main battery has positive and negative terminals, and a removal terminal which is shorter in length than the positive and negative terminals. When the main battery loses its charge, it is removed by a sliding action ...