Abstract: A device for controlling the air pressure within a low pressure environmental testing chamber for a self-propelled vehicle is disclosed. According to the invention, the device includes a system for introducing the outside air into the testing chamber, a first air pipe having an air suction port at its one end positioned in the vicinity of a discharge opening of a discharge duct of the vehicle disposed in the testing chamber and having its other end connected to a main air pipe, a second air pipe having an air inlet at its one end opened into the testing chamber and having its other end connected to the main air valve, an air blower adapted for reducing the air pressure, the air blower having a variable r.p.m. and mounted halfway in the main air pipe, a first silencer provided in the main air pipe at the air discharge side of the air blower and opened into atmosphere, and a branched pipe having a second silencer at an outside air intake side.

Abstract: A method is provided for characterizing the spurious, time dependent magnetic field gradient response and for compensating therefor. In accordance with the method, two small sample objects are placed at two positions with respect to the system isocenter where the gradient to be compensated has different values. A magnetic field gradient pulse is applied to the sample, followed by the application after a variable time of a 90.degree. radio frequency pulse. The phase of the resulting free induction decay (FID) signal is monitored as a function of total time since the end of the gradient pulse. These data are related to the impulse response of the gradient and are employed to construct compensation filters for both the gradient coils and the polarizing field shim coil.

Abstract: A vertical speed indicator uses a substantially rigid hollow closed air chamber; a capillary tube having a reduced inside diameter connected to the chamber for routing atmospheric air from an aircraft static system at a reduced flow rate into the chamber; a differential pressure transducer having two inlet ports; a pneumatic conduit connecting the chamber and one of the ports of the transducer for exposing that port to internal chamber air pressure; a pneumatic conduit connected to the other port for exposing that port to atmospheric pressure occurring within the static system; and electronic processing circuitry connected to the transducer for providing an indication of the vertical speed of the aircraft.

Abstract: An improved link arm assembly which couples a surface finish measuring instrument housing to an associated probe which is moved across a workpiece surface to evaluate surface finish characteristics. The link arm assembly enables a probe mounting arm to be rotated from an inoperative, generally vertical position to a rotated generally horizontal operating position in which the probe is positioned in contact with a workpiece surface. In accordance with the present invention, a clutching arrangement is provided which enables the probe mounting arm to be rotated freely from the operating to the normal position but which imposes fluid damping in the opposite direction of rotation which limits the angular velocity of the probe mounting arm and the impact forces which are imposed on the probe when it is being moved into contact with the workpiece. Accordingly, damaging high impact between the probe and workpiece is avoided.

Abstract: An inertial impactor to be used in an air sampling device for collection of respirable size particles in ambient air which may include a graphite furnace as the impaction substrate in a small-size, portable, direct analysis structure that gives immediate results and is totally self-contained allowing for remote and/or personal sampling. The graphite furnace collects suspended particles transported through the housing by means of the air flow system, and these particles may be analyzed for elements, quantitatively and qualitatively, by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Abstract: A time control for disabling a telephone at preprogrammed times and its associated features is disclosed. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a programmable timer which controls a switch to turn the telphone ringer on and off, a programmable countdown timer which also controls the on/off state of the telephone ringer, a means for automatically and independently providing outgoing telephone service when incoming service is disabled by timer control and automatically restoring timer control when the outgoing call is terminated, and a manual override to suspend device control of the telephone. The combination of specific features of the invention will depend on the specific application or intended use.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing adaptive calibration of a disk drive assembly and for determining an offset value to compensate for differences in servo head to data head distance from a nominal value. The present invention has particular application in a relative track count servo system where absolute track position is not known from a reading of the servo track itself. In the preferred embodiment, a single head assembly having both a data head and a servo head is utilized. The distance between the data head center and the servo head center must be known so that a disk written on one drive assembly can be read in another drive assembly. This distance is a nominal value but may vary due to manufacturing tolerances. In the present invention, both the data and servo heads are utilized to establish a servo anchor reference track and to determine an offset correction value to compensate for variations in the servo/data head spacing. A dual reference track architecture is employed on the disk surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasonic method for measuring the size of a possible flaw in a solid mass, in which an ultrasound is transmitted perpendicularly to the searching surface of a solid mass being the object under measurement through a liquid, a ratio in sound pressure between a reflected wave of the ultrasound from the surface of the solid mass and a reflected wave from any flaw in the solid, and a distance from the surface of the solid mass to the flaw, derived from the difference in time of reception between the reflected wave from the surface of the solid mass and the reflected wave from the flaw in the solid mass, are taken as indices of evaluation, and these indices of evaluation are compared with a reference value obtained beforehand by measuring a test piece made of a same material as that of the solid mass, thereby determining the size of the flaw.

Abstract: A modular test fixture for use in vibration and shock testing of printed circuit cards comprises a plurality of separate generally planar card-mounting plates each having a two-dimensional array of uniformly spaced apart mounting holes within a rectangular rigid outer frame extending around the outer boundary of each plate. Printed circuit cards of varying sizes are affixed to the mounting plate by clamps positioned along opposite edges of each card, with spaced apart fasteners along each clamp being aligned with and fastened to preselected mounting holes on the plate. The individual card-mounting plates, with the circuit cards attached thereto, are stacked together to form a rigid multi-layer fixture sufficient for vibration and shock testing of the circuit cards mounted at different levels within the fixture. The resulting fixture is fastened to an external shaker for imparting shock and vibration loads to the fixture for use in testing the circuit cards for screening and solder joint defects.

Abstract: Drilling muds and particulate matter are removed from the surface of core produced from a wellbore while maintaining naturally occurring fluids in the core substantially as existing at the time of removal from the wellbore.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for measuring vibration in turbine blades and to an apparatus for mounting a sensing device for monitoring blade tip vibration in turbo-machinery. A guide tube is mounted through the cylinder covers of a turbine and extends to a position adjacent to the tip of the turbine blades. The guide tube is sealed at the cylinder covers and has a gate valve external of the turbine cylinder covers. A method for measuring vibration and turbine blades while the turbine is in full operation includes the steps of removing a dummy probe partially from the guide tube while the turbine is in operation. With the dummy probe still in a portion of the guide tube, the gate valve is closed.

Abstract: A vibration sensor (12) comprises a small flat mirror (72) bonded to a thin metal sheet or beam (68) at the beam's centroid. The beam is clamped at its opposite edges by screws (70) to form a fixed beam with the flat mirror at its midspan, to permit the mirror to move in the direction of its normal, along an axis (54). The beam-mirror assembly, as bolted to a block (34) is placed upon an optical table (12) for measurement of vibrations, thereon. Securement of block (34) between one of its surfaces (38, 44) and with and without a deflecting mirror (66) permits axis (54) to be placed in any one of three orthogonal directions, in order to obtain the orthogonal components of any vibrations exerted upon optical table (12).

Abstract: A gas leakage detector includes a housing, an inlet coupling, internal fluid flow path and an outlet coupling enabling the housing to be installed and coupled permanently in-line with a gas supply line. The housing includes a cutoff valve, a gas pressure indicator and a charging gas source coupling enabling a one way flow of optional use charging gas to enter the housing downstream of the valve and to pass into and through the gas supply line. Existing line pressure or charging gas pressure is monitored at the indicator to indicate the presence of any leaks downstream of the valve. The system may be used to continuously monitor gas pressure.

Abstract: A method of measuring the flow properties of preferably high viscosity fluids, where a fluid is applied to a gap between a rod and a ring and subjected to a shear force by the mutual displacement of the ring and the rod, and where either the rod or the ring is imparted a controlled movement relative to the ring or the rod, respectively. Furthermore a device for carrying out the inventive method is provided. The device is of a size suitable for laboratory use and enables an improved temperature control as well as the determination of a complete flow curve in a single experiment.

Abstract: A liquid leak detector for above-ground tanks includes an upright standpipe connected to the tank so that the standpipe can be filled with liquid from the tank to the same level as the liquid in the tank. A pressure transducer is connected between the bottom of the tank and the bottom of the standpipe to measure the difference in pressure of the liquids in the tanks and standpipe. Any change in the liquid pressure at the bottom of the tank as a result of leakage from the tank will change the pressure differential on the pressure transducer. This changes the output of the transducer which can be recorded to indicate leakage from the tank.

Abstract: Corrective forces are applied to a movable sensitive element of a force balance instrument by inducing a current within a coil of conductive material carried by the sensitive element so that the coil interacts with an external magnetic field. The sensing element is typically maintained at a null position by controlling the interaction between the coil and the external field. In a specific embodiment, the sensing element has at least one coil wound about each of three orthogonal axes and currents are induced within each of the coils to suspend the element.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining characteristics of staple fiber yarn by measuring the change in the yarn diameter after twisting or untwisting of the yarn. The yarn thickness of a length of yarn is measured during a first measuring process and subsequently, by a second measuring process after the twist is released. The two series of values of yarn thickness or diameter can then be compared with one another to determine certain characteristics of the sampled yarn.

Abstract: A device for measuring the effective viscosity of a lubricant in which a motor rotates one element of a bearing with respect to the other, the lubricant being supplied to the bearing. The bearing is part of a sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to the percentage of contact time between the elements of the bearing. A speed regulator for the motor is responsive to the output of the sensor to maintain the speed of relative movement so that no roughness contacts occur in the bearing, at which time the motor speed is a measure of viscosity.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing fluids, especially for testing physical characteristics or susceptibility to process fluids. A rotor (11) includes at least one arced pipe segment (18-21) that can transport the fluid, which is to be tested, and retrieve it during rotation. The pipe segment or segments are preferably connected by adjacent valves.

Abstract: An inspection system inspects the interior of the stator of an electric generator for the existence of several problems. The inspection apparatus is mounted on a carriage that travels along the slots defined by the stator. An indexer is mounted to the rotor of the generator and can travel around the circumference of the rotor to deliver the carriage to the desired slot. An indexer plate is mounted to the indexer and can be registered with the desired slot to insure that the carriage can enter the slot from the indexer. An associated motor controller disables the motor if an electrical fault is disclosed.