Abstract: A process for casting three-dimensional parts and sacrificial models from casting compounds forced by pressurized inert gas into transparent molds that are supported by transparent mold frames. The casting compound incorporates radiation activated photo initiators which cause polymerization and curing of the compound within the mold. An automated casting system is anticipated which is enabled by the use of very soft, stretchable and deformable material for the mold body and supporting the mold with radiation transparent mold frames. Oxygen and other gases in the atmosphere react with some casting compounds to create a sticky film on mold cavity walls which causes difficulty when removing a casting from a mold. This problem is eliminated by purging the mold cavity with an inert gas between casts.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for extracting power from a buoyant source within a contained column of liquid. It is comprised of an endless chain of movable buoyant objects, a means to convert the movement of the chain into useful work and a tank filled with a constant volume column of water. The buoyant objects comprising the chain sequentially enter the bottom of the water column, move up through the column and emerge at the surface. The emerging buoyant objects leave the tank and are directed to the tank bottom were each buoyant object repeats the cycle. As the chain of buoyant objects cycle through the water column, the volume of water remains constant, with one buoyant object of the chain entering the bottom of the water column as one is exiting at the top surface. The movement of the chain is a function of the buoyancy of the buoyant objects and the movement is converted to work by any conventional means using a rotary drive or linear escapement motor.

Abstract: A remotely activated control device responsive to a specific transmitter operating in a frequency band assigned to radio telephone equipment, such as cellular telephone networks, cordless telephones, etc. The control device includes a radio receiver which provides a received pulse train to an assurance logic circuit. The assurance logic circuit determines if the received pulse train is limited to no more than a transmitter identification code and an action code, the combination of which is less than the code required to activate a relay network or initiate a radio telephone connection. Pulse trains accepted by the assurance logic circuit are compared to a stored code by a comparitor. The stored code includes the identification of a specific transmitter or group of transmitters and at least one action code. If the received pulse train matches the stored code, a switching circuit is activated to control a user supplied device.

Abstract: An air handling system including at least one terminal unit for maintaining a serviced volume at a predetermined temperature below the temperature of the air supplied by the central source of the air handling system is provided through the use of a refrigerant means in the form of a passive thermal energy recovery device which provides heat transfer between the outgoing and inflowing air streams provided by the a central air handling system. The heat transfer between air streams is regulated as a function of air velocity and temperature differentials as measured at various points in system which are related specifically to the serviced volume. Environmental control within the serviced volume is exercised by controlling face and bypass dampers to regulate the air flow through the passive heat exchanger and the air exchange rate is controlled by modulating the operation of the dampers or by regulating the air flow into or out of the serviced volume by way of supply and/or exhaust louvers.

Abstract: An easily deployed ridge pole is used, in combination with standard awning deployment hardware, to change the shape of the canopy fabric of an extended retractable awning. The ridge pole engages the underside of the awning fabric to impart a Mansard shape to the canopy. This shape incorporates first and second planes of canopy fabric wherein the plane closest to the RV has a less steep pitch than the plane furthest from the RV. The shape has airfoil qualities which stabilize the effects of high wind velocities on the awning. The shape also provides room under the relatively flat plane for doors under the awning to open without engaging the awning fabric. The ridge pole is supported by struts which in some embodiments provide foundations for fabric stabilizing clamps that are affixed to loose edges of canopy fabric.

Abstract: A device for measuring the thickness of films or coatings on bases wherein the film thickness is determined from the magnetic adhesive force of a permanent magnet on the surface of the film to be measured. The device includes a permanent magnet attached to an end of a lever arm mounted at its center of gravity, forming a rotary system which includes an electromagnet counterbalancing the permanent magnet. The magnetic adhesive force between the permanent magnet and film is overcome by the variable force of the magnetic field of the electromagnet acting on the lever arm of the rotary system, the value of which, as the permanent magnet is lifted off the film, is used as a measure of the film thickness. In the best mode of operation, this is accomplished by integrating the time required to raise the current applied to the electromagnet to the value which generates a magnetic field which overcomes the adhesive force between the film and permanent magnet.

Abstract: A mobile cultural machine including right and left traction members, a transmission, and a main speed change device operable to transmit, at any speed ratio, a driving force from an engine through the transmission to the traction members so that they are driven at any traveling speed. A steerage and a steering devise operate cause the steerage to differentiate the traveling speeds between traction members. The traveling speeds are reduced in response to the extent to which the steering device is operated, so that a machine running straight may smoothly be controlled to enter a spinning turn at the end of a row.

Abstract: A mobile cultural machine including right and left traction members, a transmission, and a main speed change device operable to transmit, at any speed ratio, a driving force from an engine through the transmission to the traction members so that they are driven at any traveling speed. A steerage and a steering device operate to cause the steerage to differentiate the traveling speeds between traction members. The traveling speeds are reduced in response to the extent to which the steering device is operated, so that a machine running straight may smoothly be controlled to enter a spinning turn at the end of a row.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for casting three-dimensional parts and investment models from a class of fluid casting compounds, which are solidified by a reaction triggered by actinic radiation. The casting compound hardens in a chain reaction induced by the radiation and/or the casting compound acts as a conduit for the radiation during and after curing. This allows parts being cast to be solidified within molds that are opaque. The apparatus consists of a solidifying actinic radiation source positioned to trigger the chain reaction as the casting compound enters the mold and/or radiate into the mold cavity through the sprue hole, windows or venting holes to effect the curing process. The curing, or solidifying, process is accelerated by irradiating the compound as it flows into the mold cavity.

Abstract: An air handling system including at least one terminal unit for maintaining a serviced volume at a predetermined temperature with constant or variable volume control wherein a thermal energy wheel provides heat transfer between the outgoing and inflowing air streams provided by the air handling system via the terminal unit. The heat transfer between air streams is regulated as a function of air velocity and temperature differentials as measured at various points in system which are related specifically to the serviced volume. The regulation is exercised by controlling the angular velocity of the means for transferring thermal energy.

Abstract: A mobile agricultural machine has a pair of right and left traction members (2), a transmission (23,24), a main speed change device (68) operable to transmit at any speed ratio a driving force from an engine (21) through the transmission to the traction members so that the traction members are driven at any traveling speeds. The machine further has a steerage (26,27), and a steering device (19) operable to cause the steerage to differentiate the traveling speeds between the traction members (2). The traveling speeds are reduced in response to an extent to which the steering device (19) is operated, so that the agricultural machine running straight for an agricultural work along its running course that is being adjusted may smoothly be controlled merely by a continuous manual operation to make a spinning turn on a bare end of the farm for the next course of the work.

Abstract: An animal watering system, such as a bird bath, incorporating a water reservoir, a means to automatically maintain the level of water in the reservoir by admitting fresh water thereto, an animal access basin positioned above the water reservoir whereby water overflowing the basin enters the reservoir, an air lift pump for transporting water from the reservoir to the basin by way of a fountain head and fountain catch basin, and an air compressor for providing a source of compressed air to operate the air lift pump.

Abstract: An exhaust particle and particulate containment system for a coffee roaster comprises a filter chamber for exhaust coffee roasting by-products including chaff and smoke particulates and oils is comprised of a screen for separating chaff from the exhaust coffee roasting by-product effluent and a filter for containing chaff and removing smoke particulates and oils when the screen is in a closed position.

Abstract: As procedure for joining two concentrically engaging hollow bodies such as metallic tubes by electromagnetically deforming overlapping surfaces of the hollow bodies to create mutual structural bulges over their common scope in a circumferential and axial direction.

Abstract: For the most distinctive technical application purposes and particularly for forming tubular hollow bodies which require a structural bulge, for instance for employment in heat exchangers where a stronger turbulence of the heat exchanger mediums and with it an improved heat exchange is achieved through structural bulges on the exchanger tube. The manufacture such tubular hollow bodies with structural bulges by means of mechanical arrangements are extremely labor intensive and therefore costly. According to the invention, a magnetic impulse provides a hollow body (2) with the desired structural bulges (7) which correspond to a support core in a shrinking process, or by an expansion process when the support core is removed. The hollow body (2) to be formed is preferably tubular.

Abstract: A magnetic field concentrator for shaping metal parts by way of a high magnet impulse, with an opening in the form of a radially split mold, partially formed by a sabot/magnetic field shaping piece, to receive the part to be shaped, wherein the part to be shaped may have terminal end fittings or similar parts with a larger outside dimension than the work receiving opening.

Abstract: An exhaust particle and particulate containment system for a coffee roaster includes an exhaust duct for carrying exhaust coffee roasting by-products including air, gasses, smoke and chaff from the coffee roaster to a porous medium for separating chaff from the exhaust coffee roasting by-product flow and a filter for removing smoke particles from the exhaust coffee roasting by-product flow which passes through the porous medium.

Abstract: A vehicle detector comprising a flux gate magnetometer with vertical and horizontal sensing coils is positioned within a roadway. The ambient levels of the earth's magnetic field as sensed by the magnetometer are used to establish reference levels and deviations therefrom are evaluated by a microprocessor which produces a vehicle arrived signal when the vertical component of sensed perturbations exceed a threshold and in an alternate mode when either vertical or horizontal levels exceed threshold values. Both vertical and horizontal levels must fall below threshold levels to determine a departure in either mode. Vehicle arrival and departure events are encoded as NRZ data packets which are transmitted by an edge-fired antenna as FM modulated signals. A remote multi-channel receiver capable of responding to a plurality of magnetometer modulated FM transmitters processes the received data and provides signals that are used by traffic signal controlling computers.

Abstract: A magneto-mechanical power system including a cylindrical soft-iron vessel with permanent magnets arranged to form a shunt-magnetic gap with the inside wall the soft-iron vessel. The neck of the flux conducting disk is surrounded by a current winding. A magnetically attractable pole disk lies on the neck of the soft-iron vessel. An electrically conducting ring is fastened to the pole disk. The pole disk activates mechanical and/or electrical safety devices. The system is activated by a current impulse sent to the current winding. Current in the current winding creates a field that displaces the magnetic flux path of the permanent magnet.

Abstract: A method for forming and joining workpieces by a magnetic field produced by a current impulse applied through a high current loop, whereby the magnetic field exerts a force from outside on an electrically conducting workpiece or on electrically conducting compression rings encircling the workpiece, wherein the current impulse begins in the form of a half sine wave defined by the equation (.omega.t=0 . . . .pi.); and then fades away as defined by the equation (.omega.t>.pi. . . . .infin.).