Abstract: A gate valve apparatus which includes a housing having a passageway defined therein for a fluent material, a generally planar gate, and apparatus for supporting the gate within the housing. The apparatus for supporting allows movement of the gate in opposed first and second directions that are generally parallel to the generally planar gate. The apparatus also includes an annular seal carried on the housing around the perimeter of the passageway and apparatus for moving the gate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the generally planar gate. The apparatus for moving includes a first and second shafts, the shafts have a first and second axial portions that is disposed in eccentric relationship to other axial portions of the shaft, a roller is carried on each of these eccentric portions. A roller including a bearing allowing free rotational movement is carried on each of these eccentric axial portions.

Abstract: A regenerative turbine pump apparatus which includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a generally circular impeller having a circumference and a geometric axis. The impeller is mounted for rotation within the housing about the geometric axis and has first and second generally circular faces. At least the first generally circular face has a plurality of vanes extending from the circumference generally toward the geometric axis. Each of the vanes has generally planar mutually parallel side walls disposed in oblique relationship to a tangent to the impeller proximate to the intersection of the vane and the circumference. Adjacent vanes about the circumference each being separated by a slot extending from the circumference and extending to a substantially rectilinear line, the substantially rectilinear lines collectively define a plurality of steps around the impeller.

Abstract: A mixing and delivery system for supplying small particles suspended in a liquid to form a slurry for delivery and recirculation which includes a mixing tank having an inlet and an outlet, a pump having an inlet and an outlet, a sample cell having an inlet and an outlet, an ultrasonic flow cell having an inlet and an outlet, and a transition bushing having an inlet and an outlet. The sample cell has first and second generally rectangular planar opposed faces, the inlet of the sample cell is rectangular and defined by two opposed sides which are respectively part of the first and second generally rectangular planar opposed faces. The opposed sides are much longer in length than the intermediate opposed sides of the rectangular inlet. The outlet of the mixing tank is connected to the inlet of the pump and the outlet of the pump is connected to the inlet of the transition bushing by a circular cross section tube, that is coupled directly to the inlet of the sample cell.

Abstract: There is provided a method for adapting a commercially available relational database management system for a microcomputer so that it has the ability to access foreign data such as real time data for the examination and processing of that data by the DBMS. In this connection the operating system being used in the computer is provided with a kernel which has a driver which simulates for the DBMS a standard file format for the foreign data that is to be obtained. The information itself is obtained by a server activated by the driver. The server gets the foreign information and passes it back for the simulated file so that the simulated file can be addressed by the normal DBMS queries or commands.

Abstract: An electrical cable penetration seal apparatus which includes a compliant module having an inner and outer regions of different durometer characteristics. In some forms of the invention the outer region has a higher durometer elastomer and a central region which is made from a lower durometer elastomer. The compliant module has an outer rectangular cross-section and the central region is a cylindrically shaped in some forms of the invention.

Abstract: A seal or connector and seal apparatus which includes a generally annular member having an outer surface and an inner surface and a plurality of tabs extending generally radially from at least one of the surfaces. The tabs are disposed to engage axially spaced teeth of an associated helically shaped threaded surface.

Abstract: The invention of this disclosure is an economical sealing device that utilizes two seals to protect an electrical power cord or cable from its environment. The cord or cable couples a power source to electrical equipment that is located behind a material. A standard cord grip is used to push a molded assembly, (which is located at the end of the cable passing through the material) against a molded seat assembly to obtain a first seal. The second seal is obtained by tightening the cord grip with a nut.

Abstract: The method of making refractory ceramic products in which a slurry is formed of water, powdered alumina, and amorphous fibers containing AL.sub.2 O.sub.3 and SiO.sub.2, the volume of water in the slurry being sufficient to permit the slurry to flow under vibration but insufficient to permit the slurry to flow without vibration, the fibers having a molecular ratio of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 to SiO.sub.2 substantially less than 3 to 2 and the molecular ratio of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 to SiO.sub.2 in the combined slurry being at least 3 to 2, thereater placing the slurry in a liquid absorbing mold and vibrating the slurry to fill the mold, then permitting the mold to absorb a portion of the water from the slurry to form a body, then removing the body from the mold and drying the body, and thereafter heating the body to combine silica and alumina from the fibers and powdered alumina to recrystalize the fibers in the from of mullite.

Abstract: A multipoint, multiple function recorder which can record, display, and process up to 135 input/output data points, either analog or discrete, in various combinations. A strip chart recorder is provided for permanently recording input and output data points and, in conjunction with the chart recorder, a separate programmable dot matrix display is provided, such display being responsive to the same input/output data points and operable for displaying data in both alphanumeric and graphic form, the display being independently operable from said chart recorder, such that said input/output points are displayable at different times from the times when they are being printed on the chart recorder.

Abstract: A viewport assembly having a tubular member, such as a ullage tube, with an internal cylindrical surface, a frame ring with an outer and an inner circumferential surface, the outer surface being defined in part by an outwardly radially extending flange portion and the frame ring having a plurality of spaced apart bolt holes therethrough, a gland ring having an integral forwardly extending tubular portion, the tubular portion being telescopically receivable on the frame ring outer circumferential surface rearwardly of the flange portion and providing an annular area externally of the frame ring between the frame ring flange and the gland ring tubular portion forward end, a transparent window disc sealably received within the frame ring, and a bolt for each of the bolt holes in the frame ring threadably engaging matching threaded bolt holes in the gland ring so that as the bolts are tightened the gland ring is drawn onto the frame ring, compressing the packing ring to expand it outwardly into sealing engagement

Abstract: An improved expendable oxygen sensor particularly useful for measuring the dissolved oxygen content of an aluminum killed, high silicon steel bath is disclosed. The device has the typical closed end tube of solid electrolyte containing oxygen reference material, but differs from previous sensors in that a shield is provided which protects the solid electrolyte from being in contact with the bath until the solid electrolyte has had a chance to heat up more closely to the temperature of the steel. This shield, in one form, consists of a closed end tube positioned to surround the solid electrolyte and spaced from the solid electrolyte in order to prevent erroneous outputs from the sensor due to oxidation of the shield material.

Abstract: Apparatus for mechanical coupling such as an actuator to a valve includes an elongated drive member having an axial extremity having a drive surface and an elongated driven member having an axial extremity having a drive surface. One of the drive surfaces is an internal surface which has a polygon shaped cross section and one of the drive surfaces is an external drive surface which has a polygon shaped cross section. In some embodiments first and second sleeves including a plurality of wedge surfaces having generally planar faces are inserted between the drive and driven surfaces. In other forms of the invention the internal drive surface has four wedge shaped faces and a single sleeve having wedge shaped faces is inserted between the drive and driven member. The drive and driven members are disposed with the drive surfaces disposed in nested axially overlapping relationship with the wedge shaped surfaces disposed radially intermediate the respective drive surfaces.

Abstract: A photolithographic projection optical system comprising: a source of exposure energy for generating a beam of energy; an optical element located in the path of the beam for receiving the beam of energy and passing the beam therethrough; a refractive lens assembly located in the path of the portion of the beam for receiving and transmitting the beam of energy, the refractive lens assembly comprising at least one meniscus lens, a plano-convex lens, and an air gap disposed between the meniscus lens and the plano-convex lens; a reticle element located in the path of the portion of the beam, the reticle element having a uniform thickness and being positioned for permitting the beam to pass through the thickness and through the lens assembly to the optical element. Alternatively, the air gap of the refractive lens assembly can be replaced with a glass layer having an index of refraction that is lower than both the meniscus lens and the plano-convex lens.

Abstract: In a television sync signal one or more of the post-equalizing pulses of the vertical blanking interval is/are altered in duration to provide information to a receiving circuit.

Abstract: A fiber optic local area network including a plurality of passive star couplers each capable of connecting to a plurality of users. One connection input to and output from each passive star coupler is connected to a respective output and input of an active star coupler. The active star coupler stores the round-trip transmission times to each passive star coupler and upon receipt of a signal from a passive star coupler inhibits output to that passive star coupler for the signal duration and inhibits input from all other passive star couplers for the signal duration plus the round-trip transmission delay.

Abstract: A magneto-optic recording system includes a scanning wheel head around which is wound a magneto-optic recording tape in spiral fashion. A first magnetic pole piece surrounds the tape outward of the wheel. A second pole piece extends between an aperture on the wheel opposite the tape to a point proximate the first pole piece and is coupled to source of magnetic flux. A light source is directed from inside the wheel toward the aperture and thus to the tape. The wheel, second pole piece, flux source and light source rotate together relative to the tape to direct a magnetic field to successive points of incidence on the tape.

Abstract: Apparatus for presenting a desired one of a stack of N information disks with a selected one of its two information surfaces in a desired orientation to an information utilization device. The apparatus includes a mechanism for rotating the disks as a stack to put the selected surface in the desired orientation, for translating the disks as a stack to position the desired disk opposite the utilization device and for translating the desired disk into the utilization device.

Abstract: The medial axis representation of an image stored in an input memory is created in an output memory using only a moving 3-pixel by 3-pixel window to "view" the stored image. The medial axis contains no breaks.