Abstract: A contactless, multi-dimensional small stepper motor with a maximum dimension of less than about 10 centimeters is described. The motor contains at least one magnetized article, at least one superconductive primary suspending element, and at least two primary conductive elements.Each of the primary conductive elements is separated from each adjacent primary conductive element by a distance of from about 0.01 to about 10 millimeters.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is installed near to the center of gravity of an aircraft and has a power output shaft which is arranged to be inclined with respect to the aircraft longitudinal axis, in the direction of a high empennage of the aircraft. An extension shaft follows coaxially from the engine power output shaft, which extension shaft is connected to a propeller shaft by a single reorientation transmission or gear box. The gear box is designed as a miter gear box. A pusher propeller is arranged at the rear end of the empennage. Instead of a miter gear box, a constant speed universal joint can also be utilized.

Abstract: Piezoelectric PZT-polymer composites of 1-3 and 1-3-0 connectivity are trversely reinforced with glass fibers to increase the hydrostatic piezoelectric charge and voltage coefficients (d.sub.h and g.sub.h) for possible use in hydrophone applications. These composites consisted of a foamed (with porosity) or non-foamed (no porosity) polymer matrix with PZT rods aligned parallel to the poling direction and glass fibers in the remaining two transverse directions. Because of the small percentage of PZT required, these composites have densities near that of water, and much lower dielectric constants than solid PZT, resulting in large increases in the hydrostatic piezoelectric voltage coefficient g.sub.h. By increasing the d.sub.h and g.sub.h coefficients, the d.sub.h g.sub.h product, used as the figure of merit, is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: Composites of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and inactive polymers with 3-1 and 3-2 patterns and a method of fabrication thereof are described. Fabrication is accomplished by drilling holes in sintered PZT blocks and filling the holes with epoxy or some other inactive polymer. The influence of hole size and volume fraction PZT on the hydrostatic properties of the composite is evaluated. By decoupling the piezoelectric coefficients d.sub.33 and d.sub.31 in the composite, the hydrostatic coefficients are greatly enhanced.

Abstract: PZT/polymer composites and a simplified method of their fabrication are dribed. Commercially available PZT Pb(Zr, Ti)O.sub.3 powder is thoroughly mixed with a binder such as polyvinylalcohol and polymethyl methacrylate (PMM) spheres and pressed into pellets. The binder and PMM spheres are burnt out by heating pellets slowly and the porous pellets so obtained are sintered by heating them in closed high-purity alumina crucibles and lead zirconate as a source of lead is added thereto. The highly porous pellets thus obtained are impregnated with a suitable polymer such as silicone rubber elastomer or vinylcyclohexene dioxide epoxy.