Abstract: A drill string working tool is provided that may be releasably engaged to and removed from a drill string member. The tool, such as a cylindrical stabilizer body, is positioned around a cylindrical drill string member, the inner diameter of the stabilizer body being greater than the outer diameter of the drill string member, so as to provide an annular cavity between the stabilizer body and the drill string member. A heating element disposed within a protective outer sheath is mounted axially along the inner surface of the stabilizer body. For installation, a low melting point solid material such as zinc or a zinc alloy is poured in to substantially fill the annular cavity. The stabilizer compression preloads the zinc onto the drill string member, and thus the stabilizer body is non-rotatably attached to the drill string member. For removal, the low melting point fill material is removed from the annular cavity by remelting with the interior heating element and pouring out the fill material.

Abstract: A core memory utilizes an auxiliary core that is driven concurrently with selected data cores to increase tolerances by automatically tracking the peaking time and the output magnitude. Wide variations in both the magnitude and duration of core output switching signals are compensated by use of the auxiliary core to control the sensing strobe time during a read part cycle and drive current duration during both read and write part cycles. Subtracting half of the auxiliary core output switching signal from a selected data core output switching signal normalizes the difference about zero volts with a one being indicated by the presence of a positive voltage and a zero by a negative voltage. With the reference threshold at zero there is no precise adjustment. Since the peak of the auxiliary core output tracks the peak of the selected data core output, substantial changes in the peaking and switching times do not interfere with accurate determinations of data core data states.

Abstract: A mounting structure for mounting an automobile antenna, shaft, mirror or other device within a hole in a support surface such as a fender, at various angles to such support surface, comprises a base which partially passes through the hole, a device-supporting bushing which partially passes through the base, a clamping nut above, and a retainer below, the support surface. The bushing has engagement means above the support surface to mate with the clamping nut and stop means below the support surface against which the retainer pivots and bears. The base has a central aperture receiving the bushing, which can swing through various angles. A spherical upper bearing surface on the base mates with the clamping nut, and includes a flange bearing against the upper support surface. A toothed lower surface and a pair of legs extend downwardly from the base and have inner surfaces parallel to a given plane.

Abstract: In sound generating systems, it has been ascertained that various factors cause spurious, audible emanations when transducers of reasonable size and cost are driven in complex motions characteristic of typical high fidelity audio reproduction. In a typical system in which different transducers are used for different frequency ranges, the spurious emanations are reduced by change of amplitude or frequency or both, without affecting transducer performance, to levels at which they are substantially inaudible. Means are coupled to each speaker in a multispeaker system for compensating for mass, compliance and damping. Further, crossover means are provided for introducing opposing signal components in a crossover range between two adjacent range speakers such that opposing signal components are acoustically cancelled in the composite output.

Abstract: A stable and highly directable hanging device mounting system for devices such as speaker enclosures provides 360.degree. of rotation in conjunction with an attitude that is adjustable through 120.degree. or more. The mounting system includes a support plate having three support plate receptacles disposed thereon in a non-collinear relationship, three device receptacles adapted to be secured to a device being mounted and distributed about the center of gravity thereof, and a cord threaded alternately through the support plate receptacles and device receptacles to form a plurality of loops supporting the device receptacles and hence the device in a stable hanging relationship relative to the support plate. The sliding relationship of the cord loops relative to the receptacles permits the attitude of the supported device to be readily adjusted while rotation of the support plate permits rotation of the device to a desired angular position.

Abstract: In a printer system in which hammers mounted along a shuttle assembly which reciprocates relative to a print paper are selectively energized to impact the paper and print dots thereon, the dot density is made variable by an encoder system responsive to the position of the shuttle assembly as it traverses a linear path of motion. The encoder system includes a decoder for generating a succession of fence post pulses as the shuttle assembly reaches each of a succession of different positions along the linear path of motion and circuitry for generating a succession of hammer firing pulses in response to and having a desired phase relationship with the fence post pulses. The hammer firing pulses may occur at a frequency the same as or different from the frequency of the fence post pulses to provide a desired print density. A stored initial offset value is used to initially establish the desired phase relationship between the hammer firing pulses and the fence post pulses.

Abstract: A positioning system for floppy disc recording media utilizes a tapered positioner cone mounted on a gimballed structure at the free end of a pivotable support assembly. Straight line, non-tilted entry of the cone into the disc aperture is provided in combination with the gimbal mounting by positive guiding of the axis and attitude of the cone in the entry region. The mechanism for supporting the cone comprises a pivotted assembly incorporating a movable position control with an overtravel guide surface. Movement of a control element first causes pivotting of the assembly to lower the positioner cone relative to the floppy disc. Upon engagement, however, the guide surface and pivot relationship are such that further movement of the control element compresses the positioner cone under a spring force, utilized that the clamping force is controlled and the clamping action is stable until the control element is shifted to release the positioner cone from the floppy disc.

Abstract: In an agricultural vehicle in which a power takeoff modulating valve is shifted in response to a control lever so as to pass pressurized hydraulic fluid through a groove in the outer surface thereof between recesses in an adjacent bore wall for application to a power takeoff clutch to cause engagement of the clutch, application of the hydraulic fluid pressure to the clutch is modulated by an arrangement which selectively diverts the pressurized hydraulic fluid away from the clutch and to a sump in accordance with the rate of pressure increase of the hydraulic fluid to prevent excessively rapid engagement of the clutch. The hydraulic fluid is sumped by a trimmer valve having a first end which immediately responds to high fluid pressures by sliding into a position which sumps the conduit supplying hydraulic fluid to the clutch by an amount directly related to the pressure.

Abstract: A system using a sorting network to intercouple multiple processors so as to distribute priority messages to all processors is characterized by semaphore means accessible to both the local processors and the global resource via the network. Transaction numbers identifying tasks are employed in the messages, and interfaces at each processor are locally controlled to establish transaction number related indications of the current status of each task being undertaken at the associated processor. A single query to all processors via the network elicits a prioritized response that denotes the global status as to that task. The transaction numbers also are used as global commands and local controls for the flow of messages. A destination selection system based on words in the messages is used as the basis for local acceptance or rejection of messages. This arrangement together with the transaction number system provides great flexibility as to intercommunication and control.

Abstract: A compact, planar, multi-directional vibration attenuator seat support permits attenuating movement of an attached seat in any direction within a horizontal plane in response to vibration and other motions. The seat support includes a thin, generally planar seat supporting frame having opposite sides which mount the opposite ends of a first plurality of rods slidably received within a first plurality of bearings coupled to the opposite ends of an intermediate frame so that the seat supporting frame is movable along a first axis relative to the intermediate frame. The intermediate frame which is substantially completely contained within the plane of the seat supporting frame has opposite sides mounting the opposite ends of a second plurality of rods slidably received within a second plurality of bearings which mount the entire seat support and which permit movement of the intermediate frame along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

Abstract: A positioning and clamping system for floppy disc recording media utilizes a tapered positioner cone having extremely pliant petals. The cone defines a nominal circumference which is greater than the disc aperture, and the petals yield to conform to disc placement. Centering is accomplished before clamping by a radial return of the petals to balanced positions, acting against the unclamped disc. The geometry of the cone and follower are such that forces that would tend to distort the cone are minimized.

Abstract: A carbon-organic resin composite which has been initially shaped as by molding and in which the resin binder has been at least partially precured is transformed into an all-carbon composite and substantially densified by a continuous process in which the composite is continuously heated at different temperatures and subjected to increased pressure. Initially, the composite is heated at a first rate to a temperature on the order of 1000.degree. F., the first rate and the increased pressure applied to the composite being selected to substantially decompose the resin rapidly but without delamination or other damage to the composite. Heating is then continued at a second rate until the composite undergoes substantial softening and becomes plastic, typically at a temperature in excess of 3500.degree. F. Thereafter the composite is maintained at a high temperature, typically in excess of 5000.degree. F.

Abstract: A variable width baffle assembly maintains constant, uniform impedance to the flow of cooling air across a vacant space on a partially populated electronic mounting frame for printed circuit board assemblies. The inexpensive but reliable baffle assembly includes end boards mounted on opposite sides of the space and a web member extending therebetween. The web member has a plurality of small apertures distributed thereover with a ratio of aperture area to web member surface area selected to approximate the impedance presented by populated portions of the frame. The web member may be mounted in arched, hinged, corrugated or sliding relationship to accommodate changes in the spacing between end boards so that a single model of baffle assembly can accommodate multiple sizes of vacant spaces.

Abstract: Disposable receptacles for storing articles in sterile condition and having breather means integral with the walls thereof, as well as apparatus and methods for making such receptacles and the materials therefor, are disclosed. The receptacles are fabricated of a laminate comprising a layer of breathable barrier material such as paper and a layer of thermoplastic, polymeric material such as polyethylene. The breather means may be made by heat sealing the thermoplastic layers of a pair of laminated sheets together at small, selected areas and then separating the sheets causing localized delamination of the layers and the formation of ruptured, blister-like projections in the thermoplastic layers at the heat seal positions.

Abstract: An image represented by an array of digitally valued picture elements is selectively reduced or expanded in size by the extraction or insertion of spaced apart rows and lines of picture elements, at positions which are the closest approximation to the newly scaled base, whether smaller or larger. In reproducing a given image, for example, the image may be concurrently or successively scanned by an array of photo detector elements and a plurality of digitally valued picture elements corresponding to grey scale values across the image, and distributed with a given resolution, may be generated. These values may be processed in real time, or stored in a comparable array for subsequent processing. In either event, the number of rows and lines in the array are modified in accordance with the desired scale factor, and these discrete changes are introduced at the closest approximation to optimum positions.

Abstract: A suspended operator station within the cab of a tractor or similar vehicle adjusts the height of the seat and thereafter the positions of the steering wheel, foot pedals and other controls relative to the seat for maximum visibility and comfort of operators of different size, and permits attenuated movement of the seat and controls together. The seat is mounted on a platform which is suspended above the cab floor by an attenuator assembly permitting limited, attenuated movement of the platform in a generally horizontal plane and a height adjustable support having vertical shock absorption and which positions the height of the seat for optimum visibility. The seat is mounted on the platform via tracks which permit fore-aft adjustment of the seat relative to controls coupled to the platform. In one embodiment a tiltable and telescoping steering wheel and foot pedals are mounted on a subfloor which is coupled to and adjustable in height relative to the platform.