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.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 7, 1976
Date of Patent:
January 4, 1977
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation
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.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 11, 1975
Date of Patent:
August 17, 1976
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation
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.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 3, 1975
Date of Patent:
June 15, 1976
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation
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.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 3, 1974
Date of Patent:
April 6, 1976
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation
Abstract: A means of providing signal conditioning, without degradation, for transducers having various excitation voltages prior to application to systems apparatus for further processing.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 21, 1974
Date of Patent:
March 30, 1976
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation
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.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 20, 1975
Date of Patent:
March 23, 1976
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation