Abstract: A tire bead inspection machine comprises a base on which a tire may be mounted for inspection. A frame is mounted on the base from which a first roller is cantilevered with a generally vertical axis and a pair of rollers on either side of the first roller are cantilevered in a direction transverse to the first roller, that is with generally horizontal axes. The frame is moveable on the base in a fashion to insert the first roller into the tire and force the bead outward, and at the same time swing the pair of rollers toward the vertical against their spring mountings in such a way that they exert force against the sidewall of the tire. In this fashion, the bead is grasped somewhat scissor fashion between the first roller and the pair of rollers. The first roller exerts a force against the inner part of the bead and the pair of rollers resist the force exerted by the first roller.

Abstract: A hose testing system comprising a source of pressurizing fluid, a distribution system for supplying the fluid from the source to a hose under test, a pump for pumping fluid through the distribution system into the hose under test, a regulator for maintaining a constant volume flow rate for the fluid being pumped into the hose and a gauge for indicating the fluid pressure existing in the hose at any specific time. Because of the constant volume flow rate provided by the test system, the monitored pressure vs. time of the hose under test is indicative also of its pressure vs. volume. Consequently, the system can be used to dynamically measure the internal pressure vs. volume characteristic of a given hose which measurements can in turn be employed to predict its structural integrity.

Abstract: A pendulum antenna for a microwave landing system is disclosed. The antenna is an elevation scanning antenna of the phased array type. The aperture, phase shifters, drivers and power distribution manifolds form a column-like structure. The column is suspended like a pendulum inside a fiberglass radome and windshield. The column has a degree of freedom limited by stops, damping means, and lock member. The stops set the allowable pitch angle, the damping means prevents the antenna from swinging back and forth from wind gust effects, and the lock member is used to constrain the antenna during transportation. The radome is freely mounted in a base support having adjustable legs for antenna leveling.

Abstract: An automatic base gate positioning circuit for use in rail flaw detection is disclosed which includes the generation of a string of uniformly spaced pulses corresponding to known rail depth, correlating said pulses with sonic echoes averaging and storing the correlated signals and developing a signal representing the rail depth for comparison with an echo from the rail base.

Abstract: The separation between aircraft approaching a common runway is minimized by measuring the existing wind conditions at a preselected point relative to the runway threshold and basing a prediction of the movement of wake vortices on the measured conditions. The prediction of vortex movement is based upon a vortex advisory algorithm prepared from a plot of wind conditions which predictably remove vortices from the flight path.

Abstract: A system for dynamically measuring and displaying track curvature information to a locomotive engineer on a real-time basis. A car mounted sensor produces a variable output responsive to changes in the car's orientation caused by variation in track curvature, a control circuit converts the sensor output into an electrical signal representative of the changes in orientation, and an indicator receives the signal and provides a dynamic display of the derived track curvature information. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor comprises an extendable line having one end attached to a bracket that is connected to the center of a supporting truck cross-frame, while the other end is wound on a retractable supply reel mounted on the car's frame.

Abstract: A bifocal pillbox antenna system is disclosed comprising a controller means providing control voltages and sequential switching signals to scan circuits. The scan circuits provide RF energy selectively to feed elements of a contoured feed array for radiation in a waveguide means. The waveguide means includes a waveguide and a pair of reflectors specially shaped to provide a pair of spaced focal points. The energy radiating from the feed elements with a non-linear phase distribution is guided to the specially shaped reflectors and reflected with a nearly linear phase distribution for transmission.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a test subject's level of intoxication. Included is a display visible to the test subject and in which is produced by test equipment a pair of randomly moving, spaced apart objects. The test subject operates an actuator to indicate his selections of changing imaginary positions in the display having a predetermined constant spatial relationship to the moving objects. Dynamically determined by a computer system are the actual locations of those positions which are compared with the test subject's selections. Because of the requirement for determining imaginary positions by mental extrapolation, a very rigorous test of the subject's psychomotor capability is obtained.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in the measurement of changes in the spacing between objects includes a rotatable wire storage reel coupled, by means of replaceable gears, to the drive shaft of a potentiometer. The apparatus is mounted on a first object and a wire on the storage reel is extended and attached to a second object spaced a variable distance from the first object. Constant tension is applied to the wire storage reel by means of a spring extending between a spring supply reel and a spring take-up reel coupled to the wire storage reel.

Abstract: Wind conditions along the projected flight path of an aircraft are measured and displayed. Wind velocity and direction at the aircraft and at the projected touchdown or takeoff point of the aircraft are compared and the existence of a wind gradient or wind shear line along the flight path is predicted. The possible presence of a wind shear line and the velocity differential there across is used, in cooperation with altitude and airspeed information and the performance characteristics of the aircraft, to determine whether the planned maneuver may be successfully completed under the instantaneously existing wind conditions.

Abstract: The direction and/or distance between a fixed point and a vehicle or between two vehicles located on a common vehicle way are measured by an intermediate frequency interferometric technique wherein signals are transmitted from a single antenna to a receiver system comprising three equally spaced linearly arranged antennas. The technique encompasses determination of the path length differences between the transmitting antenna and each of the receiving antennas. The path length differences are thereafter employed to compute the distance to and/or direction between the transmitting antenna and the linearly aligned receiving antennas.

Abstract: A method and means of interrupting multiphase supply current to selected electronic equipment at selectable phase angles, and restoring said supply again at preselected phase angles, in order to test and study equipment performance under controlled interrupt-restore conditions.

Abstract: The computation of visual range is performed by a compact and comparatively inexpensive analog circuit which receives, as primary input information, a signal corresponding to atmosphere extinction coefficient. The circuit simultaneously solves Allard's and Koshmieder's equations and provides an output voltage, corresponding to the instantaneous visual range, by sampling the output of a ramp voltage generator upon solution of both equations.

Abstract: A transport vehicle with a front end that leads the vehicle during normal movement thereof and a substantially planar surfaced rear end that trails the vehicle during such movement. Mounted on the rear end is an inflatable enclosure that when inflated possesses convergent contoured surfaces that extend from the edges of the rear end's planar surface. An inflation mechanism is operable by a driver of the vehicle to inflate the enclosure and thereby reduce the effects of base drag during relatively high speed movement of the vehicle. Also operable by the driver is a deflation mechanism that can be operated to deflate the enclosure into a stowed position when the vehicle is not in use or operating at low speeds in confined areas.

Abstract: An anthropomorphic programmable joint joins two limb portions. The joint may simulate the knee joint and the portions may correspond to the upper and lower leg portions about the knee. A magnetic particle brake is attached to the upper portion with a shaft that carries the pinion gear of a bevel gear set located at the joint. The ring gear of the bevel gear set is fixed to the lower limb portion so that rotation of the lower limb portion about the joint causes the shaft to rotate the magnetic brake fixed to the upper portion. The brake resistance to this rotation, and therefore the resistance of the joint to rotation, may be programmed in correspondence to electrical current applied to the brake.

Abstract: An intermediate frequency interferometric technique and apparatus for the measurement of angles, for example the measurement of the elevation and azimuth bearing angles between an aircraft installed transmitter and a ground based receiver, are disclosed. Carrier and sideband signals emitted by a mobile transmitter are received by at least a pair of fixed position antennas, spaced at a nominal distance equivalent to the wavelength of the frequency separation between the transmitted carrier and its associated sideband, and the angle related path length difference between the transmitter and the spaced receiving antennas is measured in wavelengths at the carrier modulation frequency.

Abstract: A railroad-highway grade-crossing warning system is accomplished by control circuitry for synchronizing the flash rates of incandescent and xenon lamps so as to produce a continuously uniform signal pattern which can be rapidly identified and understood by a motorist.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for testing the traction properties of pneumatic tires. A frame is provided having a plurality of structural members. A suspension system having upper and lower arms each having first and second ends is rotatably attached to the frame at the first ends of the upper and lower arms. A hub assembly having a triaxial force transducer mounted therein is attached to the second ends of the suspension system by means of a pair of spherical bearings. An aperture extending through a rear wall of the hub assembly, through the triaxial force transducer and through a front wall of the hub assembly supports a driven axle for applying driving or restraining torque to a pneumatic tire mounted on the front surface of the hub assembly.

Abstract: A means of providing signal conditioning, without degradation, for transducers having various excitation voltages prior to application to systems apparatus for further processing.

Abstract: This invention comprises an interferometric technique for the one-way transmission of bearing angle information to an unlimited number of mobile receivers. In accordance with the invention the angle related path length difference, between transmitters located at either end of an interferometer baseline, to a mobile receiver is measured in wavelengths at a modulation frequency.