Abstract: A hydromechanical control system for a variable delivery, positive displacement fuel pump includes a variable area orifice metering window through which fuel from the pump outlet passes on its way to a gas turbine aircraft engine. The fuel pressures on either side of the fuel metering window are ported to corresponding sides of a spool of a pump control valve. The position of the valve spool controls the fuel flow to either side of a pump control actuator, whose movement varies the displacement of the pump. A bypass fuel flow upstream of the fuel metering valve is also ported to the pump control valve. During steady-state pump operation, a relatively small and constant value of fuel flow is bypassed through the pump control valve and back to the pump inlet. However, upon increasing or decreasing pump speed transients, the bypass fuel flow is increased or decreased in a proportional amount. In this way, improved control of the pump during transient conditions is achieved.

Abstract: A synchrophaser for a multi-engine, propeller-driven aircraft including a filter that automatically compensates for misalignment of blade position sensor tabs through derivation and application of a correlation coefficient. The correlation coefficient is calculated in a self-adjustment derivation, utilizing a dynamic tolerance band, providing increased accuracy in propeller speed determination. The correlation coefficient brings about an apparent uniform distribution of blade position sensors, as seen by the synchrophaser, thus eliminating a primary source of cyclic propeller speed disturbances. The correlative filer accomplishes its task without the phase shifting normally encountered in other digital filtering technique.

Abstract: A gage that measures the size and out of roundness of the inside and outside diameters of ring-shaped parts comprises a centerline hub body together with a free style swing gage. The centerline hub body has extensible jaws that can be adjusted to position the body within the central opening of the part. A vertically protruding cylindrical post is located at the center of the hub body and is adapted to interface with the free style swing gage. The free style swing gage comprises a pair of parallel cylindrical rods that are adapted to fit over the centerline post. On each end of parallel rods is disposed a block, each block having a probe that protrudes downward from the block and is operable to contact a surface of the part to be checked. A front block is associated with a dial indicator connected with the probe to indicate any deviations in size or diameter of the part to be checked.

Abstract: Articles for use with security documents are disclosed which include planchettes and security threads that comprise a plastic substrate having at least one security feature employing soft magnetic metal located thereon. Preferred articles comprise at least two security features where a first security feature is made up of an optionally repeating pattern of soft magnetic metal adapted to generate a signal or a series of signals in an interrogation field applied by a detection system for remote detecting and optionally for remote reading or identifying the article. A second security feature is a public security feature that comprises magnetic and/or non-magnetic metal formed indicia. The first and second security features of this invention can be coextensive features.

Abstract: A microbial process for detection of toxic substances. The bacterial luminescence test so far used to detect toxic substances is extremely fast in its performance and reacts with very high sensitivity to heavy metals such as mercury and lead. However, that is not the case for other toxicologically relevant heavy metals such as cadmium and chromium. The inhibitory effect of toxic substances on the phosphotransferase system of bacteria, in particular, the E. coli mutant 1219 bgl+, is set forth as proof for the presence of toxic substances in samples. This test method responds with high sensitivity to the presence of the heavy metals cadmium and chromium. The test process constitutes a complement to the bacterial luminescence test and makes it possible to quickly exclude the presence of toxicologically relevant concentrations of cadmium and chromium in such cases where only a slight or no effect at all is indicated on the phosphotransferase system.

Abstract: A portable and compact humidifier for use in a hotel room includes a vaporizing chamber having a heating element that vaporizes water contained in a hotel sink or ice bucket. Various safety devices are provided, all of which connect with a ground fault interrupt circuit ("GFCI") located at the electrical plug end of the humidifier. Upon the occurrence of a fault condition, the GFCI disconnects electricity from the vaporizing element. The safety devices include both high and low water level sensors, and a heating element overheat sensor. The humidifier enclosure may either comprise a single component that allows the entire humidifier to float in the reservoir, or the enclosure may comprise a plurality of enclosure sections that telescope relative to each other. The uppermost section is fixed in height with respect to the reservoir, while the lowermost section floats in the reservoir. As the level of water in the reservoir decreases, the telescoping enclosure increases in length.

Abstract: A baffle insert or sleeve is disclosed for the integration of the downstream pressure tap into a pressure regulation valve ("PRY") for an aircraft environmental control system ("ECS"). The purpose of this insert is to return the flow, disturbed by the pivoting disk of a butterfly valve, to a more normal distribution within the length of the valve body. This allows the PRV downstream pressure tap to be part of the valve, instead of it (along with additional plumbing) being located four more pipe diameters beyond the valve housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides water-soluble, extended-release chemical formulations, in tablet form, for urine pretreatment, that require minimal, if any, use of a binder component, yet are non-dusting, pliable, structurally strong, and not weakened by exposure to aqueous streams. The present invention also provides a simple and reliable method for controlled dispensing of such tableted formulations into a liquid stream that is particularly advantageous for use in micro-gravity environments, such as spacecraft urinal systems.

Abstract: A high performance ionomer assisted electrolytic cell electrode structure is provided. Such structures operate effectively at catalyst loadings as low as 0.10 mg/cm.sup.2 and demonstrate increased structural integrity without ionomer degradation. The inventive structure comprises a hydrated ion exchange membrane having a first surface and a second surface and at least one catalyst ionomer layer bonded to the first and/or second surface of the membrane that comprises hydrated and swollen ionomer solids bonded to discrete catalyst particles.

Abstract: Security strips or threads are provided which are suitable for at least partial incorporation in and/or for mounting on security documents or means for identification, such as labels, and which comprise the following deposited or laminated layers: at least one layer of a plastic substrate; a layer of a first security detection feature made up of identifying marks or indicia; and a layer of a second security detection feature comprising a generally invisible, optionally repeating pattern. The repeating pattern comprises at least one very thin conductive region and at least one electrically isolating region. Also provided is a security paper having such a security thread at least partially embedded therein and/or mounted on a surface thereof and a process for making the security paper. Further provided is a method of verifying the authenticity and reading the coded information of a security paper employing such a security thread.

Abstract: An air mixer, with a water collector, is disclosed for supplying recirculated cabin air in aircraft. In the preferred embodiment: used cabin air flows over pipes of colder fresh air to cool the used air and condense out most of the moisture contained in it; the fresh air and used air are passed over opposite faces of a ring of stator vanes, thereby imparting swirls to both types of airstreams; and the streams meet at the trailing tips of the stator vanes, where they corkscrew together to throw remaining coalesced moisture against a collection trough, from where it is discharged. The airstreams can now be injected into the cabin without droplets raining down on the passengers, nor ice clogging any pipes for the fresh air, which is typically supplied at below-freezing temperature.

Abstract: Electronic drive circuitry for a solenoid that utilizes a pulse width modulation scheme is disclosed. The solenoid is connected in series with a transistor and a sense resistor. The voltage across the sense resistor is compared to a reference value to determine if an over-current condition exists within the solenoid. The circuitry operates on a repetitive time window scheme in which current is allowed to flow through the solenoid at the beginning of each time window, regardless of whether an over-current condition exists. If an over-current condition was detected at any time during the time window, then the current will be shut off to the solenoid during the next time window after the initial portion of that window. Conversely, if no over-current condition was detected during a time window, current will be allowed to flow during the entire duration of the next time window.

Abstract: A security thread for use in a paper-based value document, such as currency or banknote paper, includes a plastic substrate coated with one or more regions of "soft" magnetic material. A device for verifying both the authenticity and the denomination of the document includes a coil that is driven by an alternating current to thereby provide a uniform magnetic field within a predetermined spatial region. As the document passes in proximity to the drive coil, the applied magnetic field saturates the regions of magnetic material on the security thread. The magnetic regions provide a response magnetic field that, because of the saturation of the magnetic regions, is a non-linear response containing a multiple of frequency components, including a component at the fundamental or drive frequency and various harmonic frequency components. A receive coil senses the response magnetic field.

Abstract: A device for facilitating the draining of residual oil or fuel remaining in an oil or fuel filter is disclosed. The device includes an outer container or bucket having an inner basket disposed at least partially therewithin. The basket has a ribbed or screened surface that holds the oil or fuel filters and allows the fuel to drain from the filter and through the ribbed or screened surface down to a bottom of the outer container. The basket may include a lower sloping surface with an opening formed therein. Oil draining from an oil furnace filter strikes the lower sloping surface and is directed to pass through the opening down to the bottom of the outer container. When the basket is entirely disposed within the outer container, a cover closes the opening at the top of the outer container to prevent spillage of any accumulated oil in the outer container therefrom during transportation of the device in a vehicle.

Abstract: An improved hinge assembly is disclosed for interconnecting a pair of handcuffs. In the preferred embodiment, the hinge assembly comprises two parallel single-link hinges that are pivotally attached to the cuffs by trunnion pins. Each link has unique oversized slots, through which the pins extend. This permits the cuffs, when side-by-side, to collapse against one another; and it enables the cuffs to move away from each other for compact wearing over a user's belt. In addition, the trunnion pins are captured within the cuff frames. This avoids tampering found with exposed pivot pins in prior multi-link hinges.

Abstract: This invention relates to the discovery that during operation and/or shutdown of electrochemical and gas generating devices corrosive materials are released from hardware and components employed therein and that such materials are principally responsible for observed pitting and perforation failure of the metallic hardware, including the separator/collector sheets, of these devices that serve to partition and hermetically seal compartments that support a hydrogen atmosphere. This invention therefore particularly relates to a method for improving the reliability of such devices by reducing brittle failure and perforation failure of these separator sheets by providing a composite separator sheet made up of a layer of a material resistant to molecular hydrogen embrittlement adhered to a layer of a corrosion resistant material.

Abstract: The present invention provides water-soluble, extended-release chemical formulations, in tablet form, for urine pretreatment, that require minimal, if any, use of a binder component, yet are non-dusting, pliable, structurally strong, and not weakened by exposure to aqueous streams. The present invention also provides a simple and reliable method for controlled dispensing of such tableted formulations into a liquid stream that is particularly advantageous for use in micro-gravity environments, such as spacecraft urinal systems.

Abstract: A firearm, such as a shotgun, is normally-enabled at all times for firing. An authorized user, such as a police officer, wears a transmitter that transmits signal energy in all directions. The transmitter may be worn by the authorized user on the user's person. The transmitter transmits a "disable" system that is received by a corresponding signal receiver built into the firearm only when the muzzle of the firearm is pointed in the direction of the authorized user. That is, the receiver has a narrow angular spatial range of signal reception. In this way, if the firearm is taken away from the authorized user, or the authorized user accidentally points the firearm at his/her person, then the firearm will be disabled automatically from firing by reception of the "disable" signal sent by the transmitter worn by the authorized user.

Abstract: Optionally antimicrobial, hydrophilic coatings having reduced or low solids contents are provided. Such coatings are extremely useful for coating heat transfer surfaces of condensing heat exchangers to provide wetting and wicking and optionally to provide microbial growth inhibition where such coatings have improved coating properties and are, upon cure, less prone to cracking, flaking and particle generation.