Abstract: A high resolution, digital inclinometer having a full 360.degree. linear range with accuracy which is independent of the angle of inclination. The linearity of the inclinometer is essentially flat throughout its range and greatly exceeds analog equivalents. A mathematical model to predict resolution is presented which allows the designer to design the device to maximize resolution at transverse angles. The device can be used in a celestial navigational instrument by storing celestial navigation tables and providing clock and inclination angle information so that the device can be pointed at particular stars and a latitude and longitude calculated. The inclinometer is capable of minimizing effects of pressure and/or temperature which cause microbubbles to form within the supporting fluid.

Abstract: An improved passive telluric current system for geophysical prospecting having a sensor responsive to the electric field component of the telluric current for producing a capacitive charge, a tuner for deconvoluting the sensed electric field telluric signal, and a cross-over circuit for generating a stereo audio output containing the telluric information into a low band audio signal and into a high band audio signal in order to enhance the frequency transitions contained in the telluric signal in the ears of the operator.

Abstract: A retaining wall system which provides an essentially a vertical wall without vertically aligned protrusions. The multitiered retaining wall system uses a plurality of tieback elements which act independently of each other to prevent the transference of forces and moments to lower tiers. The design provides a high degree of flexibility in the horizontal spacing of the tieback elements, which is independent of the width of the retaining wall panel, so as to meet specified technical conditions and allow the use of standard size prefabricated concrete components.

Abstract: A shearing device which uses an in-line design wherein bearings are aligned with the moving blade so that lever arm forces are not produced between the movable blade and a fixed blade. This provides for highly accurate and clean cuts of printed circuit boards. The fixed lower blade is vertically oriented to provide clearance on both front and back portions for placement of tooling means to hold printed circuit boards in the shear to minimize scrap cut from the boards. Additionally, the clearance provided by the vertically oriented lower blade allows for zero space cutting of the printed circuit boards adjacent components mounted on the printed circuit boards. An optical curtain is also used which is directly aligned with the movable upper blade so that obstructions can be detected directly in the path of movement of the upper blade.

Abstract: An electrostatic system monitor and method for monitoring the operation of static control equipment such as conductive workbench and floor mats, conductive wrist straps, and the integrity of ground connections and soldering irons and to activate indicators and alarms when the static control equipment deteriorates or malfunctions by having resistances outside of predetermined values and ranges of resistance. The electrostatic system monitor also provides for the detection of unsafe voltage potentials on soldering irons, and for a surface resistance probe for measuring the surface conductivity of conductive surfaces of the static control equipment.

Abstract: An improved shot compressor for use in a shotgun cartridge containing shot. The improved compressor has a plurality of equally spaced fins disposed around and integral with a centrally disposed collapsing means for controlling the pattern of opening shot as it leaves the barrel of a shotgun upon firing.

Abstract: A system for simultaneously locating a plurality of targets and distinguishing the targets from noise which utilizes phase detector techniques to generate complex voltage signals and obtain phase information. Spectral analysis is performed on the complex voltage temporal functions to generate doppler frequency functions. Both spectral phase functions and spectral amplitude functions are generated from the doppler frequency functions. Spectral phase functions are analyzed using interferometry techniques to determine if a potential target has a common locational source from returns of a plurality of sensors. A zenith angle is also generated using interferometry techniques to provide locational information of the multiple targets. Range gating and two frequency range detection methods provide high resolution range information as to the location of the targets. High resolution range information and two dimensional zenith angle information are used to provide an image of the targets.

Abstract: A compression device which uses both run length encoding and statistical encoding. The run length encoding scheme uses a flag byte symbol which is disposed between a character signal and a run length symbol. The statistical encoding process uses multiple statistical encoding tables which are selected based upon previously occurring data.

Abstract: A voltage regulator for flyback-type high voltage supplies having a supplementary energy storage transformer with its secondary interconnected in series with the primary of the conventional flyback transformer, a control circuit for sensing (a) the generation of the conventional flyback pulse, (b) a reference voltage, and (c) a feedback voltage signal appearing at the output of the conventional flyback transformer and a switch for selectively applying energy to the primary of the supplemental energy storage transformer. The aforesaid switch being activated whenever the feedback voltage is less than the reference voltage and said switch being activated earlier in time as the aforesaid difference becomes greater.

Abstract: An automatic control for compensating for the voltage drop between an antenna receiver and a remotely interconnected down converter wherein an operational amplifier senses the voltage drop due to the interconnecting cables, amplifies that voltage, and adds it to the actual tuning voltage to fully compensate for the voltage drop.

Abstract: A portable oilfield fluid management system and method provides display information concerning fluid status and includes a plurality of local sensing units which can be selectively attached in any order to a plurality of different storage tanks having different sizes, shapes and capacities located in different oilfields. A plurality of cable segments each of equal predetermined length are used to interconnect the attached local sensing units to each other in a serial connection and a central touch activated monitor located away from the local sensing units is interconnected to the first attached local sensing unit by means of an elongated cable. Because the local storage units which function to measure the level of fluid in the storage tanks can be attached to the storage tanks in any order, the central touch-activated monitor autoconfigures the local sensing units by assigning binary addresses to each attached local sensing unit.

Abstract: An improved controller for an automatic seasonal adjusting solar powered light having a rechargeable battery, a solar array for charging the battery, and a lamp. A detector is connected to the solar array for activating a first timer, upon sunrise of a given day, to count down for approximately twenty-two hours and then, after countdown, for activating a second timer for turning the light on for approximately a two hour period just prior to the rising of the sun on the next given day. A third timer is activated upon the setting of the sun on the next given day to turn the lamp on for approximately four hours. The light is turned on only for a predetermined total amount of time during each given day even though the individual dawn and dusk times for the light being turned on can be selectively adjusted. A battery circuit is provided for deactivating the lamp activation circuit in the event of excessive drain on the battery or due to cloudy days.

Abstract: A satellite dish antenna having parabolic-shaped support ribs firmly engaging the sides of adjacent screen-mesh reflected petals along the entire longitudinal length of each petal. Each support rib having an upper reflective surface lying in the same plane as the surface of the reflective petal, under which is located a locking arrangement which engages adjacent reflective petals the entire length of the petal.