Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving solar energy reflected from a heliostat configuration in which the apparatus is formed of converging vanes defining cavities therebetween, and preferably converging towards a cavity. The vanes may partially or completely define an enclosed volume. Surfaces of the vanes are provided with reflective surfaces near the outer portions of the receiver, selective surfaces at the intermediate portions and, optionally, absorbing surfaces at the interior portions. Cooling means are provided within the vanes of the receiver adjacent the selective and absorbing surfaces. In a preferred embodiment, a transparent barrier is provided transverse to the vanes substantially at the change from the reflective to the selective surfaces, and an infrared absorbing heat transfer fluid is flowed inwardly from the transparent barrier to the cavity to cool the receiver and absorb energy irradiated from the vanes and cavity.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing extreme pitch trim configurations for aircraft capable of flying at low-speeds, and particularly aircraft having blown primary lift-producing surfaces. The apparatus includes a movable horizontal stabilizer to provide pitch trim and an elevator pivotally attached to the horizontal stabilizer to provide transient pitch control. Control of the elevator movement is provided by a control tube extending from a horn attached to the elevator to a bell crank member attached to the horizontal stabilizer. The bell crank is also connected to a push tube movably attached to the airframe and arranged to be aligned with the pivot axis of the horizontal stabilizer in the neutral position. Thus, the horizontal stabilizer may be pivoted around its mounting axis to provide substantial pitch trim while concurrently maintaining the range and symmetry of elevator movement.

Abstract: An electrical quantity measuring device is disclosed that includes a probe unit presenting high impedance, which device is suitable for measuring voltage. The components of the measuring device, except for the probe unit, are housed in a cabinet having a meter mounted thereon for external viewing. The probe unit has a contactor and provides an output signal indicative of the predetermined quantity of an element to be measured during contact of the element with the contactor and a ground lead. A high impedance between the contactor and the probe output is provided by a plurality of field effect transistors, and an operational amplifier, the gate of the first of which transistors is connected with the contactor and the gate of the second of which receives a feedback signal from the processing circuitry of the measuring device within the cabinet. A third field effect transistor is connected with the first field effect transistor and compensates for leakage current.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed that is particularly useful for milking of animals such as cows. The system includes a control unit to control functioning of a stimulator and a milking apparatus, including automatic termination of stimulation and milking, removal of the milking apparatus after milking, and rinsing (or sanitizing) and draining of the apparatus to ready the same for milking of another animal. A stimulator controlled by the control unit applies a warm liquid to one or more teats of the animal to be milked for a predetermined period of time to induce milk let down. After a valve has been placed in milking position to connect the milk line to the teat cups of the milking apparatus and the teat cups have been placed on the stimulated animal, milking of the animal is commenced and will continue until automatically or manually terminated.

Abstract: A stimulating and valving system is disclosed that is useful for milking of animals such as cows. A stimulator, that includes one or more stimulator units each of which has biased elements, is releasably positioned on one or more teats of the animal to be milked and a warm liquid such as water is connected through the stimulator units and ejected therefrom onto the associated teat or teats in order to induce milk let down. Each biased element has resilient gripping teeth to engage the teats of the animal to be stimulated. After the supply of liquid is terminated and the teat cups of a milking apparatus have been positioned on the animal, milk is withdrawn from the animal through a valve under the control of a control unit that has an input responsive to the temperature of the milk being withdrawn.

Abstract: A single or multichannel electrical connector including a male connector having at least two prongs depending resiliently from a base, the prongs each having defined in the outer edge thereof a notch with at least one of the notches having at least one conductor exposed at the bottom portion of the notch, the conductor extending internally through the prong, the prongs also having end portions with outwardly facing mutually inclined surfaces, the male connector being adapted to fit a female connector having an opening defined therethrough and configured to receive the prongs with the sides of the notches engaging the front and back endwalls of the female connector adjacent the opening and the connector in the bottom of the notch engaging a contact in a sidewall of the opening in the female connector such that the male connector may be inserted by engaging the opposed inclined planes of the prongs within the opening of the female connector, deforming the prongs towards one another to pass through the female co

Abstract: A single or multichannel electrical connector including a male connector having at least two prongs depending resiliently from a base, the prongs each having defined in the outer edge thereof a narrow notch with at least one of the notches having at least one conductor exposed at the bottom portions of the notch, the conductor extending internally through the prong, the prongs also having end portions with outwardly facing mutually inclined surfaces, the male connector being adapted to fit a female connector having an opening defined therethrough the configured to receive the prongs with the sides of the notches and the connector at the bottom of the notch engaging a protruding contact in a sidewall of the opening in the female connector such that the male connector may be inserted by engaging the opposed inclined planes of the prongs within the opening of the female connector, deforming the prongs towards one another to pass through the female connector thereupon again expanding the prongs to bring the conta

Abstract: Method and apparatus for orienting and measuring fibrous particles by conducting longitudinally oriented fibrous particles through a beam of radiation and measuring the radiation scattered in a direction aligned with the length of such particle and, independently, also measuring the amount of radiation scattered transverse to the length of the particle. Preferably, the measurements are accomplished utilizing a sensor having an inactive center portion substantially corresponding to the area of undisturbed beam of radiation, a first photosensitive area in a portion of the sensor aligned with the length of the particles, and a second, independent photosensitive area transverse to the length of the particle. Signals generated by the two photosensitive areas are added to determine the size of the particles, and the ratio between the signals is established to determine the aspect ratio of the particle.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing selectively engageable and disengageable traction surface, on the periphery of a vehicle wheel by means of an apparatus mounted to a fixed portion of a vehicle, selective positioning of a journalled outer portion of the apparatus to engage and rotate with the outer, or tire, portion of the wheel, or, alternatively, to retract to a stored inactive position. The apparatus further provides for positive deployment with spring-loaded extension pressure, accommodation of localized variations in diameter and resilient mounting of traction bars.

Abstract: A solar energy system for selectively absorbing or reflecting radiant energy entering through a window of a structure, the system comprising a window drape having a decorative side and a back side, and a removable liner adjacent the backside of the window drape. At least one side of the liner or window drape backside is a radiant energy reflecting surface and another of said sides is a radiant energy absorbing surface. Thus, depending upon the season of the year, the system may be arranged to selectively provide the appropriate surface to optimize or minimize the radiant energy maintained within the structure.

Abstract: A combustion product indicating device for use as a calibration or surveying instrument is disclosed. The device senses the presence of combustion and provides an indication of the same including an indication of the amount of combustion sensed within predetermined limits. An ionization detector is utilized to sense the products of combustion and provide an output indicative thereof, which output is coupled through a field effect transistor to a pair of operational amplifiers, which amplifiers function as followers with the latter amplifier having a reference input that may be varied to adjust the reading of a meter, which meter receives the output from the operational amplifiers. Optional circuitry is also provided for providing a voltage output that varies within predetermined limits and is indicative of the amount of combustion sensed. A method for calibrating combustion detectors is also disclosed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for trimming cylindrical articles, particularly can bodies, to a predetermined longitudinal length by sequentially feeding such cylindrical articles into carriage pockets rotating around a main shaft synchronously with an axially aligned plunger at one end of each carriage pocket and a similarily aligned mandrel at the other end of the carriage pocket. At predetermined positions, the plunger moves into the aligned carriage pocket and pushes a cylindrical article therein onto an aligned mandrel which is rotated around its own axis as well as around the main shaft. As the mandrel rotates, a fixed arcuate blade which cooperates with a cutting edge defined in the mandrel is engaged to shear an annulus portion from the end of the cylindrical article thereby trimming the cylindrical article to a predetermined and repeatable length. Upon severing of the annulus, a fixed cutter blade engages the annulus to transversely cut the annulus into an open ring.

Abstract: A transcutaneous nerve stimulator as disclosed that is useful for suppression of organic pain. The stimulator device is relatively small in overall dimensions and is therefore portable yet provides a rectangular waveform with the output signal produced being sufficient to drive a capacitive resistance load of at least 2.2K ohms in parallel with 0.1Mfd with a maximum rise and fall time of 12 microseconds. The device is powered by a pair of NI-CD batteries providing a 2.5 volt input and produces a maximum 80 volt peak pulse output having a maximum duration of .10 milliseconds at a pulse rate between 20pps and 180pps. Potentiometers are provided to vary the pulse rate, the duty cycle, and output pulse amplitude as is necessary or desirable for a particular patient.

Abstract: A sightless indicating system and method is disclosed that is useful as an indicating device for diverse equipment, including equipment such as an electronic calculator, and is particularly useful by a blind person. When utilized as a part of an electronic calculator, a standard calculator keyboard is modified to include a sign key and an output key so that an operator can initiate output indications and determine the sign of such indications in addition to initiating the customary numerical and function inputs. The customary numerical and function inputs are processed in conventional manner except that the calculator output is converted to a sightless indicating form, such as audible signals indicative of output.

Abstract: A sound reproduction device formed of an enclosure of expanded or foamed polymeric material, preferably polystyrene, which houses a centrally suspended speaker system, preferably a wafer multi-range speaker system. The enclosure is substantially closed and is acoustically excited by the speaker system to propagate sound thus requiring only a small ventilation opening to permit movement of the enclosure walls.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for establishing a valid sample volume in a beam of radiation, wherein a sample stream is introduced substantially transversely to the radiation beam, an optical system is configured to produce images on first and second image planes, the two planes preferably being perpendicular to one another and established by means of a beam splitter, first and second photosensors being positioned in the image planes, the first photosensor having greater optical and an electronic gain and a masked portion, and the second photosensor being either unmasked or having masked portions corresponding generally to the unmasked portions of the first photosensor, the first photosensor being connected to comparator means and the second photosensor also being connected to the comparator means which accepts data only when the signal from second photosensor is of a greater magnitude than the signal from the first photosensor, whereby images on the photosensors from points outside the selected sample volume will be

Abstract: A system is disclosed for identifying articles emanating in a predetermined sequence from a plurality of sources and formed into rows prior to conveyance to an identification area. The system is particularly useful for identifying glass bottles and, more particularly, for remote marking of defective glass bottles that emanate from glass forming molds so that the defective bottles can be later separated from acceptable ware. The electronic system utilized generates a series of pulses corresponding to formation of each row of bottles to be conveyed and these pulses are coupled to a shift register used for signal delay with the shift register also receiving pulses that are timewise related to the rate of row conveyance. The delayed pulse output from the shift register is coupled through a delay selector switch and fine adjust delay so that the pulse output is delayed a time equivalent to that required from formation of each conveyed row until that conveyed row arrives at the marking, or identification, area.