Abstract: A lifting and stowage system for lifting and stowing containers within a ited magazine area. The system provides a sway bracing feature during lifting which also functions as a stowage member when completely assembled. The system also includes a pair of guide rails attached vertically to the bulkhead and a carriage that travels up and down the guide rails. A strongback is attached to the carriage and is located over the container that is positioned by a forklift. The system employs a lifting mechanism consisting of a power source, a pulley and cable system, a snatch block which attaches to the carriage, a stowage system which restrains the stack of containers in all directions and deceleration buffers. In operation, the strongback is attached to the container and the snatch block is attached to the carriage. The container is lifted to allow vertical clearance for the next container. The lower container is positioned by a forklift and the upper container is lowered onto it.

Abstract: Apparatus for mixing viscous, curable liquid materials in which the compots to be mixed are fed at high pressure (up to 5000 psi) into the central longitudinal chamber of a mixing head. The inlet ducts are on opposing sides of the chamber and displaced longitudinally so that there is no mixing of the components in the upstream end of the chamber where the drive shaft enters the mixing head. The two components are forced from the chamber through rotating apertures into a rotating inner tube (rotating at up to 500 RPM). The end of the rotating inner tube is closed so that the high pressure forces the material through a multiplicity of apertures in the wall of the tube. The rotating tube is enclosed in a concentric stationary tube having a multiplicity of apertures in its walls. The material is forced through the second group of apertures into an annular outer chamber which leads to the output of the mixer.

Abstract: A controller featuring digital address display, manual control functions, signal conditioning, transducer outputs and computer address interrogation for a plurality of multi-port devices. For address interrogation the controller is compatible with a standard digital interface bus. The current device address is input to a plurality of multiplexers. The address of the device to be selected is transmitted from a computer through the interface bus to a data input/output circuit which routes the address data to a data storage unit. The address data is used to address the multiplexers to transmit to the interface bus the state of the device selected by the address data.

Abstract: A coating for smoothing rough surfaces of steel, masonry, and concrete hag desirable application and curing characteristics comprising component A and component B in a ratio of 4:5 to 5:4 by weight. Component A includes by weight, polyamide adduct resin of 45-54%, polyamide resin of 3-4%, thixotrope additive of 12-24%, titanium dioxide pigment of 5-6%, and magnesium silicate pigment of 34-38%. Component B includes by weight, epoxy resin of 55-60%, thixotrope additive of 10-20%, colorant pigment of 3-4%, and magnesium silicate pigment of 31-35%.

Abstract: A crystal oscillator that is temperature compensated by digitally substrang a correction frequency from the running frequency of the crystal oscillator to provide the required operating frequency. The correction frequency is generated by a digital frequency synthesizer circuit which is controlled by the output of a programmable read-only memory which has been programmed to generate the required correction frequency for each temperature code over the operating temperature range. The temperature code is generated by gating a digital counter with the output of a monostable multivibrator which utilizes a thermistor to make its gate interval proportional to temperature.

Abstract: An improved method for etch-thinning silicon devices using three sequential tches. The device is pre-thinned in a hot KOH-H.sub.2 O etch. The thinning etch is a hydrofluoric, nitric, acetic acids (1:3:10) and a precise amount of hydrogen peroxide mixture. The cleanup etch is a potassium permanganate, hydrofluoric and acetic acids mixture. The result is a repeatedly specular, smooth, uniform, 10 micron thick membrane over the pixels with a p.sup.+ surface to enhance the CCI optical response.

Abstract: In a process for growth of a layer of semiconductor material by precipitation from a solution of the semiconductor material in a solvent by liquid phase epitaxial growth (LPE), the improvement is the step of adding from approximately 0.01% to 1.0% by weight of a material which forms a stable oxide or sulfide and is soluble in the solvent to the solution prior to the step of precipitating the semiconductor layer to eliminate the deleterious effects of residual oxygen. A relatively short annealing time is required to dissolve the addition in the solvent and allow the addition to react with dissolved oxygen or other impurities before a conventional LPE growth process may be initiated, although high temperature anneals of varying length may precede or follow the addition of the oxide-forming or sulfide-forming material. Zirconium, titanium, vanadium, scandium, yttrium, and aluminum are in general suitable for use as the oxide-forming material.

Abstract: A portable machining device that is particularly useful for removing excess peripheral weld from the flat surface of welded-in valves such as breech lock gate valves. The portable machining device includes a housing, a cutting tool, a vertical feed mechanism, a horizontal feed mechanism, and a rotation drive mechanism. The vertical feed and rotation drive mechanisms have central openings for receiving the upward extending valve stem from the surface to be machined. The base of the housing is ring shaped and includes slots for attachment to the flat surface of the valve. In operation, the cutting tool is rotated and fed vertically and horizontally to machine the excess weld to be flush with the flat surface.

Abstract: A wedge assembly for securing a circuit board in an electronic package gi positive surface contact and excellent heat transfer between the multi-layer board and the electronic package as well as positive lock under vibration and shock. A housing, which may be mounted on a multi-layer board, contains a wedge member having two ramped ends within an open cavity having a single ramped end. Means such as a ramped anvil which slides within the cavity under force from a screw is provided within the cavity for adjusting the wedge member relative to the housing to provide positive contact between the electronic package and the multi-layer board.

Abstract: A multistage EHD generator with parallel outputs to produce a usable output urrent. A single injector injects particles or droplets into a fluid flow which traverses a plurality of EHD generator stages in series. At each generator stage there is a means for charging the particles and a means for neutralizing the particles. The outputs between the charging and neutralizing means are connected in parallel to provide a substantial electrical power output.

Abstract: A system for loading/unloading a series of vertically stacked weights, each eight being substantially flat and having a central aperture. Two parallel aligned spatially separated c-tubes receive a weight and are caused to rotate via a right angle drive system. The weight held by the rotating c-tubes is then lifted vertically and received by a holding mechanism aligned with the central aperture of the weight.

Abstract: A flexure mounted gimbal support assembly for limited angular rotation hag a flexure assembly of an open web construction mounted between a platform and a gimbal assembly via a ball bearing assembly. The flexure assembly has a plurality of flexure elements having a high flexibility so that the flexure assembly provides less resistance to rotational motion than the static ball-bearing friction over the limited angular rotation. A slip-ring assembly is mounted inboard of the flexure assembly to provide direct connection to angle measuring resolvers and direct-drive dc torque motors, which eliminates slip-ring brush-on-ring effects and torque motor brush friction effects.

Abstract: A non-contact laser/ultrasonic welding technique for strengthening the con laser weld by the addition of ultrasonic cavitation and cleaning. A high powered laser applies heat to a weld joint to produce a melt. The output of the laser, or a second laser, is amplitude modulated to generate acoustic waves in the melt. The improved interdiffusion of the melt and the homogeneity of the weld joint result in an improved quality laser weld.

Abstract: An optimally loaded electrohydrodynamic power generator which provides a form maximum loading throughout an EHD conversion channel. The channel between the injector and collector is in the form of a slender, converging-diverging nozzle of a shape defined by the following pair of parametric equations: ##EQU1## where r=nozzle radius at station z,r.sub.1 =nozzle radius at throat,.gamma.=ratio of specific heats,M=Mach number at station z,.lambda.=characteristic length,z=axial coordinate.

Abstract: A battery activate assembly having an enclosed box with multiple cavities d a storage area. A valve is attached to the lid of the box for connection to a vacuum pump. Each cavity has a needle nozzle projecting beyond the box for connection to tubing which is adapted to be attached at the other end to an individual battery cell. A knife edge is provided in each cavity to pierce the membrane of an electrolyte bottle when inserted into the cavity to allow the electrolyte to flow from the cavity through the needle nozzle and tubing into the battery cell.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for electronically scanning a spherily focused beam in a c-scan mode using a spiral path rather than a traditional raster scan pattern. Essential to the technique is an electronically simulated rotating ultrasonic prism operating according to the general electrical input equation V.sub.IN =V.sub.o exp (i.omega..sub.o t+iA cos .OMEGA.t). The technique allows use of a single delay line with simple connections and no requirements of multiple mixing.

Abstract: A resin purger which reliably determines when purging is completed and prnts humid air from re-entering the purged material. A sealed container has an inlet valve attached to a source of inert purge gas and an outlet valve. A diffuser is connected to the outlet valve to screen the exit gas from the container. A probe sensor detects the amount of oxygen in the exit gas and indicates when purging is complete.

Abstract: A staircase electrode-wall configuration for a MHD generator which uses fd dynamic means to protect the electrodes from substantial damage due to arcing and chemical attack. The electrode walls of a MHD generator duct have periodic conductor/insulator elements where channel divergence or convergence is accomplished in a stepwise fashion. The electrode is situated within the insulator of each element to be backward-facing so as not to be directly exposed to the hot gas flow. The turbulence which exists at the backward-facing electrode moves the arc spot about the surface to prevent severe local damage. Chemical attack is inhibited by a laminated electrode surface of a low corrosive material and the turbulence which aids in cooling the electrode face. Additional cooling may be obtained by a purge jet at the electrode face.

Abstract: An inertial measurement underwater tracking system which determines range sition onboard an underwater vehicle using inertial navigation techniques. The system uses acoustic telemetry to relay the range position from the vehicle to an operations site. The position data is also recorded onboard the vehicle for post-run analysis. An onboard computer receives the inertial measurements from an inertial measurement unit and computes vehicle position with respect to an initialized reference. An acoustic transmitter receives the measurements, formats the data and transmits it by acoustic telemetry. An underwater hydrophone receives the acoustic telemetry and inputs the data to an acoustic processor to reconstruct the original position data. A range computer processes in real-time the data, and displays and records the time history of vehicle location on the range. After recovery the onboard recorded data is played back into the range computer to provide a maximum accuracy, continuous vehicle-run history.

Abstract: A non-photochemically reactive vinyl type antifouling coating. The particr solvents and their particular formulations are selected to reduce photochemical reactions, principally ozone reduction, and to thereby reduce air pollution. The solvent formulations of the vinyl type antifouling coating are also selected to have higher flash-points and to thereby have greatly reduced hazard in application. The coating formulations are selected for painting and preserving the underwater portions of structures in the marine environment. Typical solvents are 2-ethoxyethanol, n-butyl alcohol and n-butyl acetate. Also included are rosin, tricresyl phosphate, pigments and anti-settling agents.