Abstract: A picture transmission system for transmitting a video signal of compressed bandwidth in which the transmitting station is provided with circuitry for dividing a picture to be transmitted into a plurality of blocks containing a checkerboard pattern of picture elements and regularly sampling video signals along corresponding diagonal rows of picture elements in the respective blocks, and a transmitter responsive to the output of the sampling circuitry for transmitting the sampled video signals of one frame at a reduced bandwidth over a communication channel; and in which the receiving station is provided with a frame memory for temporarily storing transmitted video signals of one frame, and circuitry for playing back the video signals of one frame at the original high bandwidth frequency.

Abstract: A hot wire anemometer probe that includes a ceramic body supporting two conductive rods therein in parallel spaced apart relation. The body has a narrow edge surface from which the rods protrude. A probe wire welded to the rods and extending along the edge surface and ceramic adhesive for securing the probe wire to the surface so that the probe wire is rigid. A method for fabricating the probe wherein the body is molded and precisely shaped by machining techniques before the probe wires are installed.

Abstract: An optical instrument for use in locating indicator lights or the like on a work surface comprises a tubular housing, a lens mounted within the housing and including an inner surface coated with a dichroic material that is capable of reflecting a portion of the light incident thereon, a plate mounted within the housing opposite the lens and having a central aperture, a transparent substrate disposed within the housing intermediate the lens and the plate, the substrate including a first surface disposed in a facing relationship to the dichroic material, and a reticle formed on the first surface and comprised of a material capable of reflecting light, the reticle including a reference pattern and a plurality of contours each representing an iso-response time for an average viewer to respond to a light of a preselected color, whereby when the aperture is placed in front of the eye of a viewer ambient light passing through the lens and striking the reticle is reflected from the reticle against the coating which i

Abstract: A hot wire anemometer having a body formed of heat resistant metal such as an alloy very high in nickel content. The body supports a probe wire in a moving air stream and is mechanically arranged so that the probe wire is disposed in a V groove in the body, which V groove contains a high temperature ceramic adhesive that partially encompasses the downstream side of the probe wire. Mechanical and electrical connection to the probe wire is achieved through conductive support rods that are constructed of the same high temperature metal, insulation between the body and the conductor rods being provided by a coating of an oxide of the same material which coating is formed in situ. Not only does the oxide coating insulate the conductor rods from the body but mechanically fixes the conductors within the body and maintains its integrity at elevated temperatures to which a hot wire anemometer is typically subjected.

Abstract: In a strapped-down gyroscope space vehicle attitude control system, a method and apparatus are provided for gyro drift and input axis misalignment error compensation employing a sun and a star tracker and preselected vehicle calibration maneuvers. During the preselected maneuvers using the sun and a star as external references, the outputs of two-axis strapped-down gyroscopes nominally aligned with the optical axis of the sun and star trackers are measured. The measured outputs provide gyro drift calibration, roll, pitch and yaw axis scale factors and values corresponding to the degree of nonorthogonality between the roll axis and the pitch and yaw gyro input axes and the nonorthogonality of the roll and pitch axes relative to the yaw axis. With the calibration data so obtained stored in a special purpose digital computer, the vehicle is then rolled and yawed through precomputed angles as modified by the calibration data to acquire a target without further recourse to external references.

Abstract: An axisymmetric air intake system for a jet aircraft engine comprising a fixed cowl extending outwardly from the face of the engine, a centerbody coaxially disposed within the cowl, and an actuator for axially displacing the centerbody within the cowl. The cowl and centerbody define a main airflow passageway therebetween, the configuration of which is changed by displacement of the centerbody. The centerbody includes a forwardly-located closeable air inlet which communicates with a centerbody auxiliary airflow passageway to provide auxiliary airflow to the engine. In one embodiment, a system for opening and closing the centerbody air inlet is provided by a dual-member centerbody, the forward member of which may be displaced axially with respect to the aft member. The air inlet is open when the forward centerbody member is in a first, rearward position with respect to the aft member.

Abstract: An evaporative refrigerator or cooler comprising a bundle of spaced, porous walled tubes closed at one of their ends and vented to a vacuum at the other end is disclosed. The tube bundle is surrounded by a water jacket having a hot water inlet distribution manifold and a cooled water outlet through a plenum chamber. In operation, hot water is pumped into the jacket to circulate around the tubes, and when this water meets the vacuum existing inside the tubes, it evaporates thereby cooling the water in the jacket. If cooling proceeds to the point where water penetrating or surrounding all or part of the tubes freezes, operation continues with local sublimation of the ice on the tubes while the circulating water attempts to melt the ice. Under some conditions, both sublimation and evaporation may take place simultaneously in different regions of the device.

Abstract: A spring assembly consisting of an elongate piece of flat spring material formed into a spiral configuraton and a free running spool in circumscribing relation to which this spring is disposed. The spring has a distal end that is externally accessible so that when the distal end is drawn along a path, the spring unwinds against a restoring force present in the portion of the spring that resides in a transition region between a relatively straight condition on the path and a fully wound condition on the spool. When the distal end is released, the distal end is accelerated toward the spool by the force existing at the transition region which force is proportional to the cross-sectional area of the spring.An accelerator having a carriage for a test load and a pair of the above mentioned spring assemblies installed to bias the carriage toward the center of a linear path on which the carriage is constrained to move.

Abstract: Improved stability is provided in a hingeless helicopter rotor by inclining the principal elastic flexural axes and coupling pitching of the rotor blade with the lead-lag bending of the blade. The primary elastic flex axes can be inclined by constructing the blade of materials that display non-uniform stiffness and the specification describes various cross section distributions and the inclined flex axes resulting therefrom. Also described are arrangements for varying the pitch of the rotor blade in a predetermined relationship with lead-lag bending of the blade, i.e., bending of the blade in a plane parallel to its plane of rotation.

Abstract: An electron microscope including an electron source, a condenser lens having either a circular aperture for focusing a solid cone of electrons onto a specimen or an annular aperture for focusing a hollow cone of electrons onto the specimen, and an objective lens having an annular objective aperture, for focusing electrons passing through the specimen onto an image plane. The invention also entails a method of making the annular objective aperture using electron imaging, electrolytic deposition and ion etching techniques.

Abstract: A device for enhancing the detection of malignant tissue in the breasts of a woman comprises a brassiere-like garment which is fitted with a pair of liquid-perfused cooling panels which completely and compliantly cover the breasts and upper torso. The garment is connected by plastic tubing to a liquid cooling system comprising a fluid pump, a solenoid control valve for controlling the flow of fluid to either the cooling unit or the heating unit, a fluid reservoir, a temperature sensor in the reservoir, and a restrictor valve to control the pressure in the garment inlet cooling line.

Abstract: A smoke generator is disclosed which is particularly suitable for mounting on the wing tips of an aircraft and for conducting airflow studies. The device includes a network of thermally insulated tubes for carrying a fluid which is used to produce smoke. The fluid, which need not be combustible, is heated above its vaporization temperature by electric current which is passed through the fluid conduit tubes, so that the tubes serve both as fluid conduits and resistance heating elements. Fluid supply and monitoring systems and electrical control systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for regulating the flow of solution from a fluid reservoir to the vein of a patient. All of the embodiments of the present invention include a first fluid chamber having an inlet and a discharge port and means disposed within a first fluid chamber for maintaining the level of solution therein between upper and lower levels. In all of the embodiments of the present invention, an upper and lower valve seat is provided within the first chamber which interacts with a float or floats contained therein to from two valve mechanisms which maintain a constant rate of flow of solution independent of the initial height or variations in height of solution contained within the reservoir during its depletion. In two of the embodiments of the present invention, a second fluid chamber is coupled to the first fluid chamber by means of a drip chamber which permits the visual counting of the rate of flow of solution from the first chamber to the second fluid chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for launching a remotely piloted aircraft is disclosed wherein the aircraft, is revolved about a fixed pivot point until a pretermined speed is reached whereupon the vehicle is released from the launching apparatus. The vehicle is attached to one end of a rotatable arm, the imbalance on the arm being counteracted by a counter weight attached to the opposite end. The counter weight is released from the arm at the same time as the aircraft so as to avoid structural damage to the apparatus caused by rotation in the unbalanced condition. The arm is oriented such that it rotates in a plane inclined obliquely to the local gravitational field of the launch site. The supporting structure for the arm may be made stationary, or may be attached to a mobile vehicle for ground transportation.

Abstract: High speed data monitoring apparatus for displaying the bit pattern of a selected portion of a block of transmitted data comprising a shift register for receiving the transmitted data and for temporarily containing the consecutive data bits therein, a programmable sync detector for monitoring the contents of the shift register and for generating a sync signal when the shift register contains a predetermined sync code, a counter for counting the data bits input to the shift register after the sync signal is generated and for generating a count complete signal when a selected number of data bits have been input to the register, a data storage device for storing the contents of the shift register at the time the count complete signal is generated, and a display for displaying the segment of data stored in the storage device.

Abstract: An improved thermistor holder structure is disclosed which facilitates skin-temperature measurement. The device includes a cylindrical plastic housing with tab extensions that permits the apparatus to be held to a skin surface by suitable elastic members or the like. Ventilation openings are provided in the plastic housing to permit air circulation. An adjustable, resilient metal arm with a thermistor holding cup formed at one end is secured to the interior surface of the plastic housing such that the holding cup is located at the center of the housing. A thermistor temperature sensor is inserted into and held in the cup by interference fit.

Abstract: High efficiency, multi-dimensional thin film vacuum tubes suitable for use in high temperature, high radiation environments are described. The tubes are fabricated by placing, as by photolithographic techniques, such as are used in solid state integrated circuits, thin film electrode members in selected arrays on facing interior wall surfaces of an alumina substrate envelope. Cathode members are formed using thin films of triple carbonate. The photoresist used in photolithography aids in activation of the cathodes by carbonizing and reacting with the reduced carbonates when heated in vacuum during forming. The finely powdered triple carbonate is mixed with the photoresist used to delineate the cathode locations in the conventional solid state photolithographic manner. Upon high temperature forming (1000.degree. C) the barium, etc. is formed at the surface. Anode and grid members are formed using thin films of refractory metal.

Abstract: An aircraft including a single fuselage having a main wing and a horizontal stabilizer airfoil pivotally attached at their centers to the fuselage. The pivotal attachments allow the airfoils to be yawed relative to the fuselage for high speed flight, and to be positioned at right angles with respect to the fuselage during take-off, landing, and low speed flight. The main wing and the horizontal stabilizer are upwardly curved from their center pivotal connections towards their ends to form curvilinear dihedrals.

Abstract: An accelerometer telemetry system incorporated in a finger ring is used for monitoring the motor responses of a subject. The system includes an accelerometer, battery and transmitter and provides information to a remote receiver regarding hand movements of a subject wearing the ring, without the constraints of wires. Possible applications include the detection of fatigue from the hand movements of the wearer.

Abstract: An automated visual examination apparatus for measuring visual sensitivity and mapping blind spot location including a projection system for displaying to a patient a series of visual stimuli, a response switch enabling him to indicate his reaction to the stimuli, and a recording system responsive to both the visual stimuli per se and the patient's responses, the recording system thereby providing a correlated permanent record of both stimuli and response from which a substantive and readily apparent visual evaluation can be made.