Abstract: A fining and polishing machine and method enable a work piece, suitably a spectacle lens, to be polished with a relative motion between the lens and a tool that is precisely matched to the specific lens prescription. The lens and tool are reciprocated along first and second non-co-linear axes, respectively, and the lens is polished as each reciprocates. The relative motion between lens and tool is equal to the vector sum of their individual motions. By precisely controlling the reciprocation of lens and tool, a wide range of desired motions can be obtained, enabling a lens to be polished to a particular prescription by altering the frequency and/or amplitude of the reciprocating motions along the two axes. A controller drives a pair of actuators which reciprocate the lens and tool in accordance with resident motion equations, as realized with prescription-specific amplitude and frequency parameters received as inputs.

Abstract: A surge protection system having a plurality of surge protection devices for the protection of a power line. Each of the surge protection devices may be in either a ready state in which the surge protection device provides surge protection or an inoperable state in which the surge protection device does not provide surge protection. The surge protection devices provide a level of surge protection which is based upon how many of the surge protection devices are in the ready state and how many of the surge protection devices are in the inoperable state. The surge protection system includes means associated with the surge protection devices for generating a signal indicative of the level of surge protection, and means coupled to the generating means for displaying a visual indication of the level of surge protection. The surge protection system may also be provided with means for sensing a voltage on the power line and means for generating a visual display indicative of the voltage.

Abstract: In a duct having a gas of predetermined density and viscosity flowing therethrough at a predetermined velocity, a sample chamber for a gas analyzer for use in such a duct is disclosed and includes an inner chamber having a passage therethrough and an outer chamber at least partially surrounding the inner chamber and having a pair of apertures, with the outer housing being movable by suitable apparatus between one position in which the outer housing apertures are generally aligned with the inner chamber passage and another position in which the outer housing apertures are spaced from the inner chamber passage, the outer housing and inner chamber being configured and dimensioned such that the Reynolds number for the flow of duct gases over the outer housing and inner chamber is sub-critical when the outer housing is in its other position with its apertures spaced from the inner chamber passage.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the performance of a multi-unit power plant which produces both electrical and steam energy by determining the incremental efficiency of power boilers with various fuel inputs and thereafter determining the index of performance by taking into account cost factors and reallocating in the most optimum manner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the yield of fabric material from a tenter frame having spaced apart belts driven by drive means and an overfeed roll at its entry end. In a start-up or style change mode of operation a predicted dry yield is computed from data signals received before the fabric enters the tenter frame, then compared with a target value to produce a control signal to the overspeed roll. In the steady state mode of operation, actual yield is computed from data taken at the output end of the tenter frame; then is compared with a target yield value and thereafter modified by a correction factor proportional to variations in predicted dry yield computed from inputs taken at the entry to the tenter frame; the modified control signal again being applied to the overspeed roll.

Abstract: An automatic temperature control system for a textile tenter frame having an oven section for heating the fabric in order to "set" its fibers in an essentially non-shrinkable state. The system operates to maximize the speed of the tenter frame while maintaining optimum heat set conditions. Fabric temperature from within the oven and initial moisture content data are furnished to a computer and processed with time-at-temperature target inputs to provide tenter frame speed control output signals.