Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for determining the gas flow rate of a gas-liquid mixture which has a gas volume fraction (GVF) of at least 85% and which is conveyed along a conduit. The conduit is fitted with a differential pressure flow meter and a fluid densitometer. The method comprises: measuring the pressure difference across the differential pressure flow meter and measuring the density of the mixture using the densitometer; estimating the GVF of the mixture from the measured density; and calculating the gas flow rate from the measured pressure difference and measured density. A corrective term which comprises the estimated GVF is used in the calculation to correct the gas flow rate for the high GVF value of the mixture.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for directional propagation-type logging measurements not sensitive to dip and anisotropy over a wide frequency range. Estimates of the distance of the logging tool to a bed boundary are obtained using “up-down” measurements with antenna configurations having tilted magnetic dipoles. These estimates are insensitive to anistropy and dip, undesirable complications of directional measurements.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the regulation of a modulated signal transmitted from a transmitter (E) to a receiver (R) in a differential protection system for an electrical installation. The invention lies in the regulation of the frequency spectrum of the modulated received signal (SMR). The presence of a fault in the electrical installation in this spectrum of low frequency components is attributed to presence of noise bursts in transmission affecting the received signal (SMR).

Abstract: An electronic computer disposed in an explosion-proof casing of a hydrocarbon distributor has its operating mode controlled by a portable box external to the distributor which includes apparatus for emitting a coded infrared beam representative of the desired operating mode. Inside the casing of the computer there is provided decoding apparatus for generating information in response to the infrared beam emitted by the external box. The casing is provided with a window allowing the passage of the infrared beam.

Abstract: An image sensor is disclosed which is capable of handling large amounts of signal charge with small shift registers. The image sensor includes photoelements 10 in which charge is accumulated in response to sensed conditions; electrically-controllable transfer gates 20 adjacent the photoelements 10 for controllably releasing the charge from the photoelements; vertical shift registers 30, separated from the photoelements 10 by the transfer gates 20, for receiving the charge from the photoelements, and a scan generator connected to the barrier 20 for supplying a series of pulses thereto, a group of pulses being required to release all of the charge accumulated in the photoelements 10.

Abstract: A method and device for supplying a sinusoidal output signal of controlled phase. First and second input signals, of different phase but derived from a common sinusoidal source, are multiplied by second and first sinusoidal reference signals, respectively. The reference signals are obtained by sampling the first and second input signals. The multiplied hybrid signals are applied to a difference amplifier to produce an output signal having a phase of predetermined value, independent of the instantaneous phase angles of the input signals.

Abstract: A proximity sensor includes an electrical circuit formed by a slot in an elongate conductive strip. The strip carries a magnet having a pole piece protruding through the strip at one end of the slot. At the other end of the slot pass laminations which magnetically couple the electrical circuit and a multi-turn coil arranged on a form attached to the strip. The coil is terminated at a pair of output leads. A ferrous object passing in the vicinity of the pole piece of the magnet modifies the flux pattern at the pole face. The resultant flux changes, being tightly coupled to the electrical strip, induce a low voltage high current emf into the strip, which forms the primary turn of a current transformer. The secondary of the current transformer is formed by the close-coupled coil, which has multiple turns, dependent upon the output voltage required at the output leads.

Abstract: The tooth depth of a gear meshing with a worm wheel, such as used in an electricity meter register, is adjusted by providing a mounting plate for holding the shaft of the toothed gear having a limited range of motion for adjusting the distance of the gear from the worm. The toothed gear has one end of its shaft attached to a mounting plate having a J-shaped cutout provided along one edge. The shaft of the gear is mounted to the "hook" portion of the cutout. Movement of the J-shaped cutout in a direction within the plane of the mounting plate causes a corresponding change in the distance of the toothed gear from the worm, thus enabling the mesh depth between the gear and the worm to be easily adjusted. The arrangement has no moving parts and can be formed using a simple die-stamping process.

Abstract: The connector comprises: a central shaft (7) at the periphery of which linear conductor elements are longitudinally disposed, at least in a zone of contact provided on the shaft; a group (22) of radially disposed resilient conductors having conductive ends bent substantially into conformity with a toroidal surface centred on and facing towards the shaft (7) at a certain level of the zone of contact; resilient toroidal couplings (27,28) centred on the shaft (7) and surrounding said ends; a clamp (22,29) for compressing said couplings radially so as to urge, at the time of said compression of the couplings, the conductive ends radially inwardly into pressure contact with the longitudinal conductor elements of the shaft. This connector forms part of a rotor carrying magnetic heads of apparatus (FIG. 2) for recording on and playing back magnetic tape.

Abstract: Method and device to supply, from a source of alternating voltage (5a or 5b), a thermal printing head (3) comprising a number of heater units (3a, 3b).The device comprises a means (6a to 6d) of obtaining a rectified voltage, a means (8) of detecting the points when the alternating voltage or the rectified voltage change to zero and to produce a detection signal, a means (9) of synchronizing, with this detection signal, the heating of particular heater units and a means (7a, 7b) to absorb current.

Abstract: In a weapons training simulator, laser radiation is output via optics (28) to simulate the firing of a round, and reflected radiation received via a conjugate path to assess the effectiveness of the shot. In the event of a miss a scan of the target area is required to provide fall of shot information. The scan is performed by controlled movement of the output faces of fibre optics (23, 24, 25) flexibly coupling to fixed sources (20, 21, 22) and of the input face of a fibre optic (200) flexibly coupling to a fixed detector (201). The problem of the bulk and inertia of prior art systems is improved by the remote location of lasers, drive and control, which may be conveniently separated for service or replacement without disturbing the optically aligned input and output faces. A further improvement is that vertically aligned multiple sources may be employed without undue weight penalty, yielding elevation information from a lateral scan.

Abstract: In oder to improve fixing between an electronic module (140) and the body (120) of a credit card made of plastic material, a housing (122, 134) is provided in the card body with bumps (130, 132) projecting into the housing. The electronic module (140) is pressed against the bumps (130, 132) while being raised to the softening temperature of the material from which the bumps are made. The module is pressed until its contact tabs (148) are level with the face (126) of the body. Fixing is completed by causing a glue to penetrate by capilarity between the bottom (124), the insulating substrate (142) of the electronic module, and the bumps (130, 132). The invention is particularly applicable to prepaid credit cards.

Abstract: A digital instrument is represented by an analog-to-digital converter 17 controlled by a CPU 10 to effect measurements at regular intervals. The digital measurements are stored in a history file in a RAM 14, e.g. the most recent 100 or 500 measurements. The measurements are also linearly processed by rounding and range scaling to produce 100 reduced measurements in a second file in the RAM 14. This file is cyclically read out to a digital-to-analog converter 18 to produce a voltage on a terminal 22 for application to an oscilloscope which provides a display from which features of the measurements (e.g. a trend or a periodic component) can be seen. In order to allow for flyback and reset the 100 reduced measurements are held in a file of larger capacity (e.g. 130 or 150 measurements) which is cyclically read out. As the oldest of the 100 measurements is read a driver 19 provides a trigger pulse on a terminal 23 for the oscilloscope external trigger input.

Abstract: A sensitive deflector beam having an integral deflectable element utilizes an immobilization pin and a limit pin to prevent damage to the deflectable element during fabrication and use. The immobilization pin is inserted through the beam and to the deflectable element to hold the element rigidly in place during fabrication. Thus, relatively rigorous operations such as polishing and circuit deposition may be accomplished without damage to the element.

Abstract: A very high frequency harmonic generator utilizes a type III-V (e.g. GaAs) FET. An input signal is applied to the gate of the FET at a sufficient level to induce non-linear functioning of the FET. This causes an output signal to appear between the source and drain having frequency components of at least the tenth harmonic of the input signal. The device is particularly applicable to the generation of microwave signals.

Abstract: A sensor for assessing conditions within a metallic high pressure boiler 10, has a sensitive tip section 12, which is insulated from the boiler by virtue of a ceramic spacing member 101. The joins between the member 101 and sensor body 15 and tip 12 respectively are subject to full boiler pressure. The present invention provides a pressure seal by virtue of forming a brazed seal between the parts by forming a ceramic component to be brazed in a ceramic of average gain size of substantially between 5 and 15 microns and of purity exceeding 99% with a maximum silica content of substantially 0.2%, introducing between components a eutectic of substantially the composition: 80% to 90% silver; 5% to 6% copper; less than 6% titantium; and sufficient in quantity to fill gap therebetween, and subjecting the components to a temperature in excess of eutectic liquids temperature while maintaining the components in a vacuum.

Abstract: A plastic scintillator comprises a polymethylpentene thermoplastic material containing a fluorescent additive. This plastic scintillator material functions at high temperatures with excellent optical properties in the detection of neutrons. The plastic scintillator may also include an energy transfer compound, a wavelength shifter, a solubility enhancer for the polymethylpentene and a decolorizing agent.

Abstract: In fluid level measurement apparatus a pressure vessel is tapped into a fluid container the fluid level in which is to be measured such that fluid level in the vessel is representative of fluid level in the container. A plurality of fluid detecting sensors are mounted in the vessel with unequal spacing to compensate for level errors due to density differences between the fluid in the vessel and container.

Abstract: A photomultiplier includes a solid disk dynode and a pair of annular guiding electrodes disposed about the disk dynode transversely along the central axis of the photomultiplier tube on opposite sides of the dynode. The secondary and subsequent dynodes may be of conventional (e.g. venetian blind) construction or of solid disk construction. The solid disk dynode and guiding structure exhibits improved photoelectron pulse-height resolution and a better signal-to-noise ratio than a conventional venetian blind type dynode. In addition, the solid dynode structure is less susceptible to physical shock than conventional photomultiplier dynode designs.