Abstract: A quick release coupler is disclosed herein for selectively joining the end of a wrench extension shaft and a socket which includes a resiliently mounted push button actuator carried on the shaft operably engageable by high and low points to hold or move a drive train between a lock and a release position with respect to a detent in the cavity of the socket. The drive train moves in a linear mode which is translated into a lateral movement so as to move in and out of locking relationship with the detent of the socket.

Abstract: A fibrous substrate having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and having porous characteristics is formed from discrete elements, such as carbon fibers, having anisotropic properties. A matrix formed from a refractory material encases the discrete elements and has a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from the first coefficient. The matrix has minimal chemical or mechanical bonding to the discrete elements to provide for a displacement of the matrix relative to the substrate with mechanical shock or changes in temperature. The matrix includes a first element having refractory properties and selected from the group consisting of hafnium, zirconium, tantalum, tungsten and molybdenum and also includes a second element bound to the first element. The matrix is preferably formed by providing a mixture of a first gas containing the refractory element and a second gas containing the second element and by introducing the gases into a chamber containing the substrate.

Abstract: An inverter apparatus of the type which may be used on a truck or other vehicle for inverting containers such as refuse containers for dumping their contents into a chamber within the vehicle. The apparatus uses a pair of cylinders having retractable rods which act through torque members to sequentially rotate a pair of pin carrier arms and inverter bars to invert a container having a pair of laterally extending pins. During rotation of the inverter bars the pins are always locked between the pin carrier arms and guide brackets attached to the truck body. The present invention provides a unique container and inverting apparatus interlock feature which is in effect at all times that the container is more than a few inches above the ground, thus rendering it virtually impossible during the inverting process to inadvertently drop or swing the container.

Abstract: A compact excimer laser, including a housing structure having a plurality of walls forming an internal laser cavity. A gas is located within the laser cavity and with the gas capable of lasing action. A pair of spaced electrodes are located within the laser cavity and form an electrical discharge area between the electrodes for stimulating gas within the discharge area to lasing action in accordance with an electrical discharge between the electrodes. One of the pair of electrodes is located along a central position within the cavity and is grounded to the housing structure. The other of the pair of electrodes is located adjacent to but spaced from one of the walls of the housing structure and with the other electrode mounted on a main insulator member.

Abstract: A combusible member includes a first material having a density less than one (1) and constituting a plastic material in cross-linked or linear form and having properties of being converted to a non-toxic gaseous form when subjected to heat. Preferably, the first material constitutes a polyethylene such as is obtained from discarded containers for consumible products. The polyethylene may have a percentage by weight in the range of approximately sixty percent (66%) to seventy six percent (76%) in the combustible member. The combustible material also includes a combustible member having properties of being oxidized when subjected to heat. Preferably the combustible material may constitute a wood product in particulate or pulp form. The combustible material may have a percentage by weight in the range of approximately twenty percent (20%) to thirty six percent (36%) in the combustible member. A binder having a melt index less than two thousand (2000) is also included in the combustible member.

Abstract: A trailer has a trailer body, pairs of rear wheels at opposite sides of the trailer and hydraulics for tilting the forward end of the trailer body upwardly to dump the load in such body. The trailer dumps the load in a retracted position of the wheels. To increase the load which such body can carry while travelling, the rear wheels of the trailer are movable to extended positions. To provide for the extension and retraction of the rear wheels and facilitate the dumping of the load, a member is attached at a first end to leaf springs between the wheels and at a second end to the trailer. At an intermediate position, the member is attached to a rod extensible and retractible relative to a hydraulic cylinder to extend or retract the first end of the member and the wheels about the attachment at the second end as a fulcrum. The cylinder is attached to the trailer forwardly of the attachment of the member to the trailer at the second end.

Abstract: A corrosion protection system for protecting critical parts of an offshore structure. The structure is composed of an assembly of critical parts representing a small portion of the structure and noncritical parts representing a large portion of the structure. The critical parts are coated with a layer of material to form a protective treatment so that the critical parts are made electrochemically noble or passive relative to the uncoated noncritical parts when the offshore structure is submerged. The noncritical parts are electrochemically active relative to the coated critical parts to provide for cathodic protection current supplied to the coated critical parts by the uncoated active parts to produce corrosion protection to the coated critical parts. An accelerated corrosion system for destroying the critical parts uses a conductive layer including a slit and with the slit initially protected and then removed to accelerate corrosion to destroy the offshore structure.

Abstract: A sensor is disposed in an earth patch for sensing the amount of moisture in such patch by providing a capacitance having a variable value dependent upon the sensed moisture. The variable capacitance is included in an oscillator which produces a signal at a frequency variable in accordance with variations in the capacitive value. The oscillator is energized by a direct potential passing through a cable from a potential source at a central station. A rectifier and a filter capacitor prevent the signal produced in the oscillator from interfering with the energizing of the oscillator by the direct potential. The signal from the oscillator passes through the cable to a stage at a controller. The incoming signal is prevented from interfering with the energizing voltage source by a filter inductor. A first controller stage reestablishes the incoming signals relative to a ground potential. The signal is the converted to a direct voltage which varies as a function of signal frequency.

Abstract: A includes a first capacitance plate, a dielectric covers a first capacitance plate, second capacitance plates are formed by moisture in an area. The capacitance value, dependent upon the second plate formation, controls the frequency of signals produced by an oscillator. This frequency controls the opening and closing of a first switch. A second switch is in a circuit with the first switch and a solenoid. The closing of the second switch is dependent upon the operation of circuitry energized by an alternating voltage. The alternating voltage is modified to extend the zero voltage level period which occurs at the zero cross-over in the negative direction. When this condition occurs, a pulse is generated by the detection circuitry and this pulse causes the second switch to remain closed. When the first switch operates to indicate no need to water the area, the solenoid is energized and an associated relay is opened.

Abstract: First and second portions having different magnetizable properties are alternately disposed on a stator. A head movable relative to the stator has first and second poles each having a pair of magnetizable legs contiguous to the stator and displaced from each other, and from the other pole legs, along a first axis relative to the stator portions. The poles introduce magnetic flux in the same direction to the legs. First and second windings, each respectively associated with the legs on an individual pole, produce in one leg a flux aiding the pole flux and in another a flux opposing the pole flux. Alternating currents flow through each winding at each instant at a frequency dependent upon the head speed to the produced along the first axis at that instant. The windings are programmed to provide signals for producing a movement of the head to a plurality of different destinations along the first axis.

Abstract: Electrical articles are provided in which an electrical conductor having a particular coefficient of thermal expansion is bonded to an electrical insulator having substantially the particular coefficient of thermal expansion. The bonding is provided by a ceramic material having substantially the particular coefficient of thermal expansion. By "substantially" is meant a close approximation to the particular coefficient of thermal expansion.The electrical conductor may be made from platinum or titanium or a titanium alloy and the electrical insulator may be made from an alloy of magnesium oxide, silica and aluminum oxide designated as Fosterite. The ceramic material may be partially amorphous and partially crystalline.The bonding may be accomplished by disposing the ceramic material between the electrical conductor and the electrical insulator and by subjecting the ceramic material to a controlled amount of heat. The heat may be applied by a laser beam for an instant such as a fraction of a second.

Abstract: A plurality of equally spaced terminals may be disposed at a side edge of a substantially uniformly resistive thin film. A reference potential (e.g. ground) may be applied to the second side of the film. An energizing voltage may be applied at the juncture between the first side edge and a particular one of the top and bottom edges of the film. In this way, the successive terminals receive voltages with a logarithmic relationship relative to the terminal positions. When a linear relationship of voltages is desired at successive terminals in a low range, no reference potential is applied to the second side edge of the thin film. Instead, the other one of the top and bottom edges may receive the reference voltage. Alternatively no reference voltage may be applied and terminals indicating the linear voltages may be disposed at such other edge.

Abstract: A material hermetically seals two members. One member may be titanium or a titanium alloy and the other member may be a noble metal such as platinum. The seal is resistant to acids and alkalis and is substantially impervious to shocks resulting from mechanical forces or abrupt changes in temperature. The material includes a pair of fluxes having different melting temperatures and oxides of zinc and zirconium. The oxides of zinc and zirconium become crystallized at the surface between one of the members and the material. An oxygen valence bond is also produced between the material and such member. The material becomes progressively amorphous with progressive distances from such member. The material is formed by progressive heatings for at least a pair of periods of time insufficient to crystallize all of the material and by rapid coolings of the material after each of such heatings.

Abstract: A substantially constant current is divided between two lines in accordance with the relative values of an input voltage and a reference voltage respectively introduced to such lines. The currents through the first and second lines respectively charge first and second capacitances. The charges in the first and second capacitances respectively control the magnitudes of the currents flowing through first and second control members to charge the first and second capacitances. The control members are interconnected so that any difference between the flow of current through the control members and the associated capacitances between magnified. When the charge in an individual one of the capacitances reaches a particular value, a signal on an output terminal associated with the other capacitance changes from the first magnitude to a second magnitude. During this time, the signal associated with the first capacitance remains at substantially the first magnitude.

Abstract: A combined sprayer container and refill container for containing a liquid concentrate for later dilution and which containers nest and interlock. A sprayer container including a sprayer head for spraying liquid contained in the sprayer container. The sprayer container also including at least one level indicia foro indicating a level to be filled to with the liquid concentrate for dilution. A refill container for containing a liquid concentrate for use in repeated refilling of the sprayer container. The sprayer container and refill container each including complementary surfaces to provide nesting of the containers one against the other. An interlock provided on both the sprayer container and refill container for interlocking the nested containers to resist separation of the nested containers.

Abstract: A punch has a planar surface and raised portions extending from the planar surface. First ones of the raised portions may have a height of approximately 3-25 mils. Second ones of the raised portions may have a greater depth than the first raised portions. The punch may be heated and/applied to the planar surface of a substrate which may also be pre-heated and which has properties of becoming deformed when subjected to heat and pressure. The punch produces cavities and grooves in the substrate at the positions of the raised portions. Electrical components may be disposed in the cavities in the substrate and an electrically conductive material may be disposed in the grooves to communicate with the electrical components. The raised portions in the punch may be provided by printed circuit techniques or by matching or by laser techniques. Alternatively, a foil may be disposed on the planar surface of the punch and the raised portions of the punch.