Abstract: A waste receptacle particularly useful for scooping-up and removing canine waste and a blank for making the receptacle. The blank and receptacle are made from a single thin sheet of material such as cardboard. The receptacle can be used with only one hand. It is stored and transported nearly flat and can be popped into operative configuration by applying pressure on the sides. Further application of pressure on the sides changes the size and shape of the receptacle opening and controls the position of a flap over the opening for more control of the scooping and closing process. A hook structure is formed on one end of the receptacle. The receptacle has a tapered shape which allows use and control of the receptacle by people with large or small hands.

Abstract: A method is described for forming a pigmented coating on a poorly prepared, old metal surface that cures in less than one minute by exposure to ultraviolet radiation from a xenon lamp and emits extremely low levels of volatile organic compounds so that application can be done safely in a confined space.

Abstract: A process for forming pressure cast alumina tile reinforced aluminum alloy rmor in which a silver coated aluminum disc is first inserted into a mold assembly, the mold assembly includes a base plate, a hollow steel die with a removable steel liner located on the base plate, a plug disposed on the base plate within the die cavity, and a punch movably disposed within the die cavity, the aluminum disc being inserted within the die cavity over the plug. Next, an alumina tile preform is prepared by cutting a plurality of alumina tiles and weaving the tiles together with a stiff steel wire. The alumina tile preform is inserted over the silver coated aluminum disc in the cavity of mold assembly. The steel die, the plug and the disc are heated. The punch is also heated separately. A melt of molten aluminum is prepared and poured into the die cavity, completely covering the alumina tile preform. The heated punch is immediately driven into the cavity to apply pressure to the molten aluminum.

Abstract: A safety latch for securing a cover on a machine integrating a safety swi with a latching swing bolt. The swing bolt for securing the cover pivots between a latched position and an unlatched position. The switch for energizing and de-energizing the machine is switchable between a closed position and an open position. An interlock flag must be moved to a predetermined position before the latch can be released. Moving the flag to the predetermined position causes the safety switch to open, de-energizing the machine. A portion of the swing bolt obstructs the interlock flag from closing the switch, thus preventing the machine from being energized when the cover is unlatched. The swing bolt is preferably threaded and a nut is provided to clamp the threaded swing bolt in the latched position and secure the cover. A shoulder of the interlock flag prevents the nut from being loosened unless the interlock flag is moved to the predetermined position in which the machine is de-energized.

Abstract: A load limit system is provided for a linear actuator. An interface is athed to the linear actuator and is disposed between first and second spring assemblies. A first sensor senses a first amount of linear compression of the first spring assembly along a first direction. A second sensor senses a second amount of linear compression of the second spring assembly along a second direction. Movement of the linear actuator in the first direction ceases whenever the first amount of linear compression is sensed. Movement of the linear actuator in the second direction ceases whenever the second amount of linear compression is sensed.

Abstract: Carbon fibers are reacted with an oxidative solution of the type that produces graphitic oxide on the graphitic basal plane without forming significant quantities of graphitic oxides and the treated carbon fibers are then reacted with an oxidative solution of the type that produces CO.sub.2 at edge-plane sites such that active bonding sites on surfaces of the carbon fibers are maximized.

Abstract: An adapter system protects optical fibers transitioning from a close-pack nfiguration within a rigid loose tube buffer to a fanned-out configuration using fan-out tube assemblies. Each fan-out tube assembly includes a hollow furcation tube surrounded firstly by a stranded strength member and secondly by an outer jacket surrounding the stranded strength member. The adapter system includes a first sleeve secured to an end of the loose tube buffer, a second sleeve joinable to the first sleeve, a first spacer plate incorporated in the second sleeve, and a second spacer plate maintained within the second sleeve and spaced apart from the first spacer plate. Each optical fiber exits the end of the loose tube buffer and is inserted through a furcation tube from a fan-out tube assembly such that the optical fibers are maintained in a spaced apart configuration when passing through the first and second spacer plates of the adapter system.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material is provided whose temperature decreases upon passing an electric current therethrough. The material is a mixture of poly-3-octylthiophene and ferric chloride in a respective molar ratio of approximately 2:1.

Abstract: A fluid flow control device is defined by a plurality of flow control sta mounted on a rod. Each of the flow control stages includes a support brace providing sliding support of the rod, an end plate fixably mounted on the rod, and an elastomeric element mounted on the rod between the support brace and the end plate. The elastomeric element defines an annular cavity around an inside perimeter of the tube. The elastomeric element expands between the end plate and support brace in accordance with axial movement of the rod in order to adjust the size of the annular cavity.

Abstract: A system for real-time analysis of weld quality in an arc welding process. he system includes a transducer which receives acoustic signals generated during the welding process. The acoustic signals are then sampled and digitized. A signal processor calculates the root mean square and peak amplitudes of the digitized signals and transforms the digitized signal into a frequency domain signal. A data processor divides the frequency domain signal into a plurality of frequency bands and calculates the average power for each band. The average power values, in addition to the peak and root mean square amplitude values, are input to an artificial neural network for analysis of weld quality. Arc current and/or arc voltage signals may be input to the A/D converter alone or in combination with the acoustic signal data for subsequent signal processing and neural network analysis.

Abstract: Carbon-carbon composites of acceptable shrinkage and with negligible voids re prepared in a single casting step from acetylene-terminated Schiff's base monomers by melting a selected monomer, polymerizing it within a mold to form a green casting, and heating the casting to a carbonizing temperature. Blends of monomers may be used. Graphite may be admixed with the melted monomer to form a slurry before molding. Graphite in the form of woven graphite fiber may alternatively be positioned within the mold before the melted monomer is added thereto.

Abstract: A device for determining electrical properties of a dielectric material on a metal substratum is provided. First and second electrodes are suspended in a spaced apart relationship above the dielectric material thereby forming first and second air gaps, respectively, between the electrodes and the dielectric material. A resulting circuit path is formed that includes the first and second electrodes, the first and second air gaps, the dielectric material and the metal substratum. Changes in the measured complex impedance of the circuit path are indicative of the electrical properties of the dielectric material.

Abstract: A composite for use on submarines and surface craft for controlling self-erated noise when listening with sonar. The composite includes two layers of PVF.sub.2 transducers separated by a layer of phase shifting or absorbing material. The inner transducer senses noise from the ship and subtracts this from the signal from the outer transducer representing noise plus the desired signal. In a second mode the sensed noise is regenerated through the outer transducer 180.degree. out of phase to cancel the noise and allow more accurate detection.

Abstract: A fluid flow control device includes a support brace fixably mounted in a uid flow tube. An actuator rod is slidably supported by the support brace. A plurality of conical washers are mounted in sliding engagement on the rod between a stop mechanism on the rod and the support brace. The conical washers are arranged along the rod in an abutting configuration such that adjacent conical washers abut alternately at an apex or base of the conical washers. In operation, the rod is moved so that a compressive force is applied to the conical washers. In this way, the conical washers expand in a radial fashion to reduce the fluid flow area between the device and the tube.

Abstract: A throttle or fluid control valve uses at least one compressible multi-wave asher as a fluid control element. The apertures formed by the multi-wave washer are short and of low aspect ratio when the valve is fully open to limit pressure drop across the valve, thus substantially preventing cavitation and flow-related noise to high flow velocities. As the valve is closed, the aspect ratio of the apertures increases but surfaces of the apertures remain angled to each other to provide noise cancellation and damping. Several multi-wave washers spaced by sliders are preferably used to further limit pressure drop in any stage and to form a serpentine path in the general direction of flow to provide further noise cancellation and damping. The sliders also enhance the self-purging action of the valve structure. A closure structure is also provided for assuring full closure of the valve.

Abstract: A technique and sensor is provided for directly measuring the thickness of ayers of immiscible liquids of differing densities and other materials contained in a tank or other container, preferably by reflection of ultrasonic energy. A preferred form of float comprises a container filled with material sampled from the tank and includes a reflector of ultrasonic energy of greater density, whereby the reflector is accurately positioned at an interface between two immiscible liquids of differing densities. The float is restrained close to the axis of energy radiation of the ultrasonic transducer by either a tube, forming a housing or a flexible cord. If a tube is employed, a slit in a lateral side thereof allows the tube to act as a baffle and reduce the effects of fluid motion within the tank on the measurement being made.

Abstract: A signal detection system, preferably for use with a coherent radar system elects certain combination of input signal samples in a block of signal samples to derive a test statistic which is unbiased by Gaussian noise. Products of pairs of sample values are stored in a data sample look-up table. An index look-up table is created by scanning through possible combinations of addresses and excluding those combinations of sample values which would be redundant over other combination and would result in a contribution to biasing by noise. Pairs of addresses from the index look-up table are then used in sequence to access first and second products from the data sample look-up table. The first product is multiplied by the complex conjugate of the second product and the (quadruple product) result is averaged to form a test statistic which is insensitive to position and constant velocity. Detection of the signal is determined by testing the real part of the averaged test statistic against a threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is capable of acquiring useful three-dimensional ar images from an aircraft which travels in a curvilinear path to generate only a sparsely filled synthetic array. A motion measurement unit outputs position measurements as the aircraft travels in the curvilinear path. The system includes a motion compensation and timing unit and a wave transmitter which outputs chirped radar signals. An antenna coupled to the wave generator sends the chirped radar signals to a region to be imaged and receives scattered chirped radar return signals from scatterers in the region. These scattered signals are coherently mixed to baseband and digitized before being input to a processor. The processor includes a range processing unit, a memory unit and an estimator. The range processor receives and Fourier transforms the digitized return signals to obtain range profiles. The estimator completes the image formation process by three-dimensional back projection of the range profiles.

Abstract: The utilization of clusters of two or more metal oxide varistors (MOVs) connected in parallel for suppressing surges and transients. Particular embodiments are disclosed for both grounded and ungrounded power systems. Also disclosed are two-stage and multi-stage uni-directional and bi-directional suppressors. Uni-directional means that the suppressor is intended to be placed between a source and a load for the purpose-of preventing voltage surges and transients from being propagated from the source into the load. Bi-directional suppressors are intended to be placed between a source and a load and provide suppression in both directions simultaneously.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to reduce a structure's far field acoustic adiation signature. A plurality of acoustic sensors are positioned in the acoustic near field of the structure for measuring the near field acoustic radiation of the structure. A programmable controller generates a prediction of the structure's far field acoustic radiation signature using the near field acoustic radiation. The prediction is then used to generate a noise control signal applied to a plurality of acoustic radiators suspended within the structure. The radiators convert substantially all of the noise control signal to airborne acoustic energy within the structure.