Abstract: A reaction chamber assembly comprises a tapered pin having a radial chamber in which chemical or digestive reactions are to be carried out, and a collar member having a tapered bore of a taper size corresponding to that of the pin member. A closure mechanism is provided for urging the pin member into the bore so that there is a sealing engagement between the tapered surfaces of the members which acts to seal the chamber. The collar member may have a reinforcing sleeve fitted around it.

Abstract: A fission chamber detector system for monitoring neutron flux density in a nuclear reactor utilizes a unique coaxial cable carried through a flexible metal hose to provide sufficient signal quality to allow a preamplifier and signal conditioning unit for amplifying and conditioning neutron signal pulses produced by the fission chambers to be far enough away from the fission chambers as to be located outside of the containment vessel for the reactor. Reactor power and rate-of-reactor-power-change signals produced for overlapping power ranges from a countrate circuit and a mean square voltage circuit are aligned by a voltage controlled switch and a slave switch without causing spurious transients in the rate-of-change signals. Power signal indications are provided over 12 decades.

Abstract: A mechanism for connecting and disconnecting return springs for multiple axis analog control sticks. The control stick, movable in two axes, can be fully spring centered along both axes, spring centered along one axis and frictionally positioned along the other axis, or freely frictionally positioned along both axes. Externally accessible pins are selectably operable to engage or disengage the centering springs to change control stick modes. Additionally, motion of the control stick in one or both axes may be substantially inhibited by the pins.

Abstract: A carpet seaming apparatus includes an elongated bonding tape having an electrical resistance circuit with contacts at the edge of the tape mounted on the face thereof with a hot melt adhesive in the form of elongated beads running the length of the tape that melts in response to electrical current in the resistive conductors. A tool having spaced apart electrical contacts for engaging the contacts adjacent the edges of the tape inducing an electrical current therein for heating and melting the hot melt adhesive.

Abstract: A batteryless, portable, frequency divider including a first LC circuit that is resonant at a first frequency for receiving electromagnetic radiation at the first frequency; a second LC circuit that is resonant at a second frequency that is one-half the first frequency; and a transistor coupling the first and second LC circuits for causing the second LC circuit to transmit electromagnetic radiation at the second frequency in response to the first LC circuit detecting electromagnetic radiation at the first frequency. The first and second LC circuits respectively include inductance coils that are positioned orthogonally to one another so as not to be mutually coupled. The frequency divider is operable solely from unrectified energy at the first frequency provided in the first circuit upon receipt of the electromagnetic radiation at the first frequency detected by the first LC circuit.

Abstract: A hanging chair includes a generally rectangular seat frame and a generally rectangular backrest frame pivotally attached to the seat frame with a pliable sheet secured to and extending across the seat frame for providing a seat support surface and a pliable sheet attached to and extending across a portion of the backrest frame for providing a backrest and including flexible support members such as cables secured to the seat frame for hanging the chair from an overhead structure. The frame includes parallel spaced apart side rails, each side rail having an integral arm extending downwardly and backwardly at the front end. A front cross member is connected between the arms at their lower terminal ends.

Abstract: A method and a gage for time-resolved skin-friction measurements. The gage is a composite structure comprised of a heated, flush-mounted, guard film and a hot wire mounted to an electrically insulated very low thermal conductivity material plug in the vicinity of the film and raised slightly above the plug surface. When the so constructed gage is calibrated in a laminar flow environment, it then has the ability to provide accurate readings of skin-friction in turbulent flow conditions.

Abstract: A portable device for articulating a person's foot relative to the person's lower leg. A first embodiment of the device includes a pair of opposing cast portions configured to conformably fit around the person's lower leg. A pair of frame members are each connected to one of the cast portions and extend below the lower ends of the cast portions. A foot support plate is pivotally connected to the lower ends of the frame members. Detachable straps are secured in surrounding relationship about the cast portions and frame members for holding the cast portions around the person's lower leg with the foot resting on the foot support plate. A motor mechanism and a connecting rod reciprocate the foot support plate and the foot carried thereby relative to the person's lower leg. A second embodiment has selectively extensible longitudinal frame members which are laterally adjustable relative to a leg surrounding U-shaped motor mount.

Abstract: A building block has an inner and an outer wall defining a cavity therebetween, the two walls being interconnected by two or more webs positioned intermediate the top and bottom of the block to provide upper and lower horizontal channels. The walls at the top each have a longitudinal projection extending along an inner portion which in a building locates the blocks by being positioned in the lower horizontal channel. The block has two end portions which are either both a female recess or a male protrusion so that the block can be reversed if necessary. A building is formed by using a plurality of double-male and double-female blocks and interlocking them together, load being transmitted to below through the outer portions of the inner and outer walls.

Abstract: A variable lift sprinkler unit includes a support member for attachment to a stationary water supply line with a first rotatable member mounted on the support member for rotation about a generally vertical axis and a second rotatable member rotatably mounted on the first rotatable member for rotation about an axis at an angle to the first member with the sprinkler nozzle carried by the second member such that the angle of the nozzle relative to the horizon continues to change during rotation of the unit with means for rotating the second rotatable member with respect to the first rotatable member during rotation thereof relative to the support member.

Abstract: A mold which comprises a number of circumferential throttles, at least partly located on the sides of the cavity and core parts respectively. The throttle distance is significantly shorter than the adjacent wall thickness, the pitch between throttles is such that stacking of the molded product is possible. The mold may comprise a number of feed channels leading from one throttle to the next throttle. The mold differs among other factors from the prior art by its short throttle distance, by its flow channels, by the throttles being located on the sides of the products, and the number of throttles being more than one. The throttles improve the rigidity of the molded thin-walled hollow product. When the molded product is a hand-held venting cup the throttles prevent buring of the fingers.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence in a sampled composite signal of an identification signal having a predetermined frequency without falsely recognizing other sharp signal transitions in the sampled signal as the identification signal.

Abstract: A pair of similarly sized sheets of a pliant, heat resistant material such as cloth are stitched together in face to face relation. A quantity of unbound particulate material such as metal shavings or vegetable material is dispersed between the sheets. Stitching between the intermediate portions of the sheets defines a plurality of pockets so that the particulate material remains substantially dispersed over the area of the sheets. The particulate material preferably has sufficient thermal inertia so that the food warmer may be placed in an oven to heat the particulate material and thereafter wrapped about a portion of food to keep it warm during a meal.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system in which a computer controls damping and spring forces to optimize ride and handling characteristics under a wide range of driving conditions. A combined shock absorber/air spring unit is connected between the wheel and frame of a vehicle. The shock absorber includes a hydraulic sensor which provides signals to the computer which are representative of the position of the piston within the shock absorber. The computer utilizes these signals to control compression and rebound hydraulic pressure regulators to produce preprogrammed compression and rebound damping forces that will yield the desired ride and handling. The air spring may be connected in series with the shock absorber for compression and rebound along the same axis. Pressure sensors and air pressure inlet and outlet valves are connected to the computer for adjusting the pressure within the air spring to provide the desired spring rate.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension system in which a computer controls damping and spring forces to optimize ride and handling characteristics under a wide range of driving conditions. A controllable shock absorber connected between the wheel and frame of the vehicle includes a hydraulic sensor which provides signals to the computer which are representative of the position of the piston within the shock absorber. The computer utilizes these position signals to control compression and rebound hydraulic pressure regulators by continuously computing, utilizing programmed algorithms, compression and rebound damping forces that will yield the desired ride and handling characteristics. An air spring may be connected with the shock absorber for compression and rebound along the same axis. Pressure sensors and air pressure inlet and outlet valves are connected to the computer for adjusting the pressure within the air spring to provide the desired spring rate.

Abstract: One block is movable with respect to another block, one of the blocks having a clamp which clamps the scion or root stock, and the other having knives facing the clamp, and in a configuration to remove a dovetail chip from both the scion and root stock so that the chip from the scion when inserted in the root stock recess exactly matches the recess, and the two cambia align accurately.

Abstract: Oxygen and acetylene are mixed in a mixing chamber of relatively large cross-sectional area, and are then passed through an elongate passage where they develop stream lines of flow, the mixture then passing through a plurality of elongate nozzle apertures arranged in a circular pattern around a central oxygen aperture in the nozzle, the nozzle apertures converging in a downstream direction such that their projections all intersect the projection of the central oxygen aperture at a single convergence point.

Abstract: A method and a system of solar heating a body of water, which has its surface exposed to air and radiation from the sun, by covering the surface of the body of water with a floating blanket consisting of thousands of coverites. Each coverite is a sealed bag with its wall comprising a thin flexible translucent film of plastic, which encases a translucent liquid and a translucent gas, so that each coverite compresses its neighboring coverites, whereby its thin flexible wall conforms to the shape of the contacting part of the neighboring coverites' thin flexible walls, whereby the resulting blanket of coverites admits the solar radiation to reach the body of water, and reduces heat absorbing evaporation of the body of water to the air, and thermally insulates the body of water from the air. The liquid and the gas may conveniently be water and air respectively and the plastic may suitably be a polyolefin such as polyethylene.

Abstract: A thermocouple simulator system which is capable of generating a voltage equivalent to the EMF output of a thermocouple of a selected type at a specified sensing junction temperature. The system includes a keyboard which allows an operator to specify a sensing junction temperature, voltage, thermocouple type, reference junction temperature, and whether a pair of output terminals of the system perform as thermocouple alloy or copper. Using an operation program, a microprocessor calculates the thermocouple EMF using a stored temperature versus EMF polynomial function of the selected thermocouple type. The microprocessor then causes a voltage simulating the calculated EMF to be applied to the output terminals utilizing a reference voltage source, digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and output amplifier.

Abstract: Subterranean mineral deposits, such as oil shale or the like, are prepared for in situ retorting by selectively mining out an area at the base of the deposit leaving an overlying deposit supported in a suitable manner such as by a plurality of pillars. The overlying deposit is expanded in any suitable manner into the underlying area in a fashion to create a predetermined distribution of permeability from an area of low permeability to an area of high permeability. An inlet is provided at the low permeability area and an outlet at the high permeability area. A suitable medium is introduced into the deposit at the low permeability end for extracting and forcing mineral values from the deposit toward the outlet end for recovery. .Iadd.