Abstract: A composite analyzer probe, for use with a composite analyzer tester instrument for nondestructively testing and analyzing the physical properties and gaging the thickness of a test material. A cylindrical probe housing has a generally flat end surface designed to be placed flat against the surface of the test material. An annular magnetic induction coil is positioned against the end surface, a piezoelectric element having a hollow cylindrical casing is positioned within the annular magnetic induction coil, and an eddy current coil is positioned within the piezoelectric cylindrical casing. The single improved probe allows four different measurements to be taken at one location on the test material without any required movement or replacement of the probe.

Abstract: A single composite analyzer tester instrument capable of nondestructively analyzing and testing several different properties of graphite-resin materials, such as the thickness, sonic velocity, relative sonic amplitude and relative electrical conductivity thereof. The instrument incorporates therein a magnetic induction circuit for measuring the thickness of the test material, which includes a magnetic induction probe with a magnetic induction coil which is placed adjacent to the outer surface of the material. The instrument also includes an ultrasonic pulse-echo circuit for performing two separate but related tests, a measurement of the ultrasonic velocity of the test material, and also a measurement of the relative change in amplitude of an ultrasonic pulse as it traverses the test material from an outer surface thereof to an inner surface, where it is echoed back to the outer surface for detection.

Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection system for performing in-service inspection of atomic reactors and the like includes a remote inspector including a transducer holding device of novel design and function. The holding device basically comprises an outer housing; an inner housing rotatably retained within said outer housing; an ultrasonic transducer retained within said inner housing; retention means for selectively positioning said transducer within said inner housing; and means for locking said transducer within said inner housing at a selected position.

Abstract: A method and device for imaging three dimensions with a single pulse of energy is described. An embodiment is disclosed which uses a single monopolar transmitted pulse which radiates through a wide solid angular volume. Echoes caused by objects in this volume are detected by a large diameter, sparse circular array of receiver elements. The time history of each element is stored in a digital memory. A reconstruction processor uses this stored time history to reconstruct an image of the reflecting objects. A simple time of flight algorithm, based on Huygens principle, is used in the reconstruction. The algorithm automatically takes into account transmitted wave front curvature and makes no approximations such as Frensnel or Fraunhofer in the reconstruction. A circular array of receiver elements can be used, which is axicon, and is focused throughout the imaged volume. A perspective processor controls the reconstruction processor such that the volumetric image may be viewed from various perspectives.

Abstract: An automation control apparatus for determining whether there is an article within a target area, and, if so, whether the article meets certain predefined acceptability criteria. The control apparatus emits a beam of acoustic energy into the target area and receives back the reflected signal from the area. The received signal is then amplified to account for normal attenuation, and the amplified signal is tested to determine whether its transit time or amplitude indicates the presence of an object within the specified area. If an article is present, waveform analysis is performed on the amplified signal to determine the signature of the article, so that the signature may be compared with predetermined acceptable values. If an object is present and the object meets the acceptability criteria to be classified as a desired article, then a positive indication is provided. Conversely, a negative indication is made if an acceptable article is not present.

Abstract: An automatic ultrasonic flaw detecting system adapted to search flaws on steel pipes being continuously transferred and provide markings at the positions of flaws on the steel pipes. The system comprises a probe adapted to search flaws on the steel pipe, a holder for the probe, and a flaw pulse generation circuit adapted to generate flaw pulse signals in response to the flaw signals from the probe. A travel measurement pulse generator generates measurement pulse signals by measuring the distance which the steel pipes have travelled. A pipe and sensor detects the end of the steel pipe and generates pipe end detection signals. A flaw tracking control apparatus tracks the flaws in response to the flaw pulse signals, the measurement pulse signals and the pipe end detecting signals and generates marking control signals. A marking is provided at the position of flaws detected on the steel pipe in response to the marking control signals.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus has an ultrasonic transducer comprising an array of ultrasonic transducer elements which are divided into a transmission group and a reception group in an array direction. The transmission group transmits ultrasonic beams. The reception group receives ultrasonic beams crossing those transmitted by transmission group. When beams are transmitted to an object and reflected from the object are received, the velocity of the sound propagating through the object is measured. The voltage of drive pulses and that of echo pulses are detected, and the voltage dependency parameter of the drive pulses is calculated from the detected voltages. After each cycle of beam transmission/reception, the active positions of the transmission group and reception group are moved in the lengthwise direction of the array of transducer elements.

Abstract: A plurality of ultrasonic transducers or probes are positioned around a region of an object such as a steel tube to be inspected. One of the ultrasonic transducers is energized to emit an ultrasonic beam into the region, and ultrasonic waves reflected from and transmitted through the region in response to the emitted ultrasonic beam are received. Sound pressures are then measured from the reflected and transmitted ultrasonic waves, and an evaluation value is produced by arithmetically dividing the sound pressure of the reflected ultrasonic wave by the sound pressure of the transmitted ultrasonic wave.

Abstract: A shipping and storage enclosure for an ultrasonic inspection system used to inspect turbine and generator rotors from the bore which is flooded with water and which enclosure can be expanded into an operating enclosure in which the environment is controlled to provide for affective operation of the equipment and provide for alignment of the ultrasonic sensing head with the bore of the rotor shaft.

Abstract: An acoustic imaging system having an array of N transducers arranged for transducing transmit electrical signals into acoustic pulses and for transducing acoustic pulse echos into electrical receive signals has a transducer multiplexer that connects in substantially cyclic order any one of a selected group of M adjacent transducer elements to one of a plurality of substantially identical transmit or receive channels. Each channel includes phase changing means for dynamic focusing, such as a mixer driven by one of a plurality of individually phased clocks. A control demultiplier orders connection of an appropriate one of the differently phased clocks to the mixer of each channel in an order precisely corresponding to the cyclic ordering of the transducer connections by the transducer multiplexer as groups of M adjacent transducer elements are selected to form acoustic scan lines stepped across the entire array.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting voids and particulates in a fluid within a containing vessel. A diffuse ultrasonic signal is coupled into the fluid by a first transducer and the portion of the ultrasonic signal transmitted through the fluid is detected by a second transducer. The received signal is analyzed by a processor to determine the void fraction of the fluid responsive to the attenuation of the received ultrasonic signal. In addition, voids and particulates are detected by evaluating the increase in side-band energy of the received signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a magnified image of a zone of a specimen. The method comprises the steps of generating acoustic waves having different frequencies and focussing on the zone the acoustic waves wherein different points on the zone receive and reflect acoustic waves having different frequencies, the frequency of a wave received by a given point being function of the position of the point in the zone. The method further comprises the steps of analyzing the reflected waves to generate signals representative of the physical structure of the zone at the points and establishing a correspondance between the signals and the positions of the points in the zone from the frequencies of the reflected waves and, forming from the signals a magnified representation on a display of the physical structure of the zone to construct an image of the zone.

Abstract: Ultrasonic sensor and echograph with static sectorial scanning, especially for a wide angle picture, wherein according to a possible embodiment, the sensor comprises several groups of transducer elements forming between one another obtuse angles in such a way as to define overall a convex outline so that the delays or lags necessary to obtain a complete scanning be lower than with a conventional linear strip and thus easier to contol, the sensor being intended to be applied to medical echography.

Abstract: A system for transmitting traces of an oscilloscope (16) to a remote location for analysis comprises a transmitter circuit (18) which digitizes and transmits the traces to the remote location via a first modem (20), and a receiver circuit (24) at the remote location, for receiving via a second modem (22) the transmitted signals and delivering these signals to a destination oscilloscope (26). At the transmitting location, the vertical output signal of the oscilloscope is amplified and fed to an analog-to-digital converter. The digitized output signal of the converter and the oscilloscope's timebase gate signal are stored in a memory circuit and subsequently transmitted to the remote location via the first modem (20). At the remote location, the receiver circuit (24) comprises a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UART) interfacing with the second modem (22), a memory circuit for storing the transmitted signals, and associated circuitry for restoring the oscilloscope signals's amplitude.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of measuring, by utilizing ultrasound, the factor of stress concentration at a stress-concentrated portion of a member, comprising the steps of emitting ultrasound for incidence upon the stress-concentrated portion of the member in stressed state, increasing the stress in said stressed state, comparing the acoustic pressure of the reflected wave from said stress-concentrated portion between before and after the stress is changed, for thereby measuring the factor of stress concentration and by which the factor of stress concentration of a member composing a machine or the like in a static or dynamic state can be measured easily, real-time, quantitatively, nondestructively and highly accurately.

Abstract: A lithium battery is provided with an energy monitor that continuously inates the energy remaining in the battery. An electrolytic coulometer is connected in series with the battery and has a cantilevered cathode which increases its mass in proportion to the total amount of current that flows from the battery. Since the mass of the cathode and hence its resonant frequency changes in proportion to the total current, a mechanical transducer in contact with the electrolytic coulometer causes the cantilevered cathode to resonate at different frequencies which is monitored to provide a continuous reading of remaining battery energy.

Abstract: A compound ultrasonic scan of an object is effected with a pair of transducers mounted adjacent to the object but spaced apart from each other. Each transducer is operated as a "wobbler" transducer. That is, the transducer transmits pulses of ultrasonic energy into the object and receives echoes from acoustic discontinuities in the object while the transducer is oscillated mechanically, through a predetermined angle, about an axis which passes through the transducer.

Abstract: An improved ultrasound transceiver providing enhanced imaging by selective filtering of the received signal to provide a variable frequency, constant bandwidth filtering of the received echo signals. The transceiver provides a constant bandwidth filtering by upconverting the received signals to a higher incremented frequency, which is thereafter detected. The resulting signals are then displayed wherein the number of false multiple images is reduced, and the signal quality from the deeper tissue discontinuities is enhanced. The resulting signal is thereafter post-processed to provide enhanced information which is used to display structural features.

Abstract: A transducing device for contactless ultrasonic inspection of pipelines or tubings is provided. The device has a means for electromagnetically generating elastic waves within the wall of the pipeline or tubing to be inspected and means for mounting and moving said device along a pipeline or tubing. The generating means may be a magnet and at least one transmitting coil, with the transmitting coil arranged on one of the poles of the magnet. The poles of the magnet are directed towards the wall of the pipeline or tubing under inspection.

Abstract: A motion detector for detecting earthquakes or the like provides a warning signal when vibrations having a frequency of the order of the natural frequency of an earthquake tremor are detected. A preferred embodiment of the device employs a vertical spring barb member which is mounted on a suitable support on one end thereof. A coupler member is supported on the other end of the barb member. This coupler member is connected through a coil spring to an inertial mass which is vertically positioned generally in external concentricity with the barb and the coupler, the spring being either compressed or extended to provide a resilient coupling between the coupler member and the inertial mass. The spring and mass elements are chosen so as to have a natural resonant frequency at the frequency of an earthquake tremor (0.7-3 Hz), or other disturbance to be detected.