Abstract: An analog Optical FM Receiver which includes an optical delay for shifting the phase of a received modulated optical carrier signal as a function of the modulating analog signal so that the phase variation between the shifted optical signal and the received frequency modulated carrier signal can be determined and the modulating analog signal can be extracted.

Abstract: An improved plow attachment includes a mounting plate for mounting to a front end loader bucket or other primary tool or implement; a plow blade; hinge means swingably interconnecting the plow blade and the mounting plate for enabling the plow blade to move between an extended position generally parallel with the front of the bucket and a retracted position generally alongside the bucket; and brace means for securing the plow blade in the extended position.

Abstract: An image signal encoding apparatus having a control means for detecting a degree of redundancy of an inputted image signal and for conducting frame skip control based on a frame skip number determination and a determined skip number, an encoding processing means for processing a frame signal indicated by a transmission from said control means by block units into which a screen is divided, quantizing this signal, and encoding and outputting this signal through the medium of a transmission buffer, and a step size control means for controlling the step size of the quantization, characterized in that the step size control means comprises a correction buffer amount calculation means, which calculates a correction buffer amount indicating an excess in the transmission buffer from the frame skip number and a previously supplied transmission speed, and a step size calculation means, which outputs a quantization step size which is smaller as the correction buffer amount indicates a larger excess of the transmission bu

Abstract: A ring laser is disclosed including a semiconductor single crystal external ring resonator cavity having a plurality of reflecting surfaces defined by the planes of the crystal and establishing a closed optical path; and a discrete laser medium disposed in said semiconductor single crystal external ring resonator cavity for generating coherent light in the cavity.

Abstract: A method for spectrally-enhancing images of a body surface includes the step of increasing the Saturation values of each pixel in the image. The methods increase the sensitivity with which a human observer can detect certain reflected wavelengths. Where the body surface is skin, for example, the method can be used to detect melanoma or other conditions where there is a deep dermal pigment characterized by a visible blue backscatter, or to detect the visible red backscatter characteristic of erythema. Also, apparatus for spectrally-enhancing images of a body surface includes means for color imaging the surface, means for increasing the saturation of the color in that image, and means for displaying the color-saturated image.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an auxiliary outside air refrigeration system for use in combination with a conventional refrigeration system to supply refrigeration to an enclosure whereby cold outside air is used as the cooling medium. A differential thermostatic controller monitors the temperature inside the enclosure and in the outside atmosphere and, if the temperature inside the enclosure indicated the need for refrigeration, activates the fans of the auxiliary outside air system whenever the temperature differential between inside and outside indicates adequate potential for refrigeration. The conventional refrigeration system is energized only when the more energy-efficient outside air refrigeration system is not able to maintain adequate refrigeration within the enclosure. The controller can be used for an auxiliary outside air refrigeration system using direct exchange of air between the enclosure and the outside atmosphere or one using an air-to air heat exchanger.

Abstract: A closed circuit solvent cleaning method and system in which the object to be cleaned is placed in a chamber and subjected to a negative gauge pressure to remove air and other non-condensible gases, after which a solvent is introduced to the evacuated chamber and the object is cleaned. Following this, the solvent is recovered from the object and chamber and then the clean object is removed.

Abstract: The invention includes a system for producing a monolithic injection molded pipette including a mold having an elongate cavity enclosing a prolate core, both cavity and core having tapered ends, paired retractable locking pins for stabilizing the core, solonoid drives for extending and retracting the pins, a resin source for for injecting resin into the cavity, and a controller for retracting the pins as injected resin flows along the core to the space proximate the pins. The invention includes a method for making a pipette including enclosing an elongate, tapered core in a mold having a prolate, tapered cavity to accept the core, extending paired locking pins to stabilize the core, injecting resin into the cavity and sequentially retracting the locking pins as the resin flows in the cavity proximate the pins. The pipette according to this invention is an injection molded monolithic structure comprising an elongate tube and a tapered tip formed integrally with the tube.

Abstract: A method of producing a high density, low hygroscopic green salt from hydrated green salt includes heating a charge of hydrated green salt in a nonreactive atmosphere to a first temperature above the boiling point of water to drive off free water; heating the charge in a nonreactive atmosphere to a second temperature higher than the first temperature to drive off the water of crystallization present in the green salt; heating the charge in a nonreactive atmosphere to a third temperature higher than the second temperature to induce anhygroscopicity of the charge; and cooling the charge to approximately 400.degree. F. or less in a protective atmosphere to prevent atmospheric oxidation and hydrolysis.

Abstract: A self-contained crustacean life support and transport system including a container for holding crustaceans, a pump and pipe manifold with spray nozzles for spraying water into the container to wet the gills of the crustaceans, and a bottom drain in the tank for collecting sprayed water so that it may be returned to the pump to continuously recycle the water to allow the crustaceans to respire while out of their natural habitat.

Abstract: A non-transitioning armature/projectile for launching from a single or multi-turn rail gun including: a nose; a tail; and a current carrying section between the nose and the tail including current channeling means for reducing the current concentration in the tail end of the armature/projectile and distributing the current toward the nose for generally balancing the electrically induced driving force with the inertial force and substantially reducing internal stress in the section.

Abstract: A wideband, derivative-matched, continuous aperture acoustic transducer includes a first sensor area having a predetermined spatial shading and a second sensor area having a spatial shading which is the spatial derivative of the spatial shading of the first area; the first and second spatial shaded areas are superimposed and co-extensive along the sensing axis.

Abstract: A circumferential bead for preventing pin rollover is disposed on a retainer insert mounted in the shell of a stud gripper socket and spaced from the inner surface of the shell. The shell has at least one cam surface on its inner surface and there are roller pins disposed for rolling motion on each cam surface between the cam surface and the retainer insert.

Abstract: A charge pump circuit for providing a bipolar voltage output at substantially double the unipolar voltage input source includes first and second voltage input terminals; a first and a second capacitor; a first switching device for selectively connecting first and second capacitors across the input terminals to charge each to the voltage of the input source; first and second voltage output terminals; a second switching device for selectively connecting the capacitors in series between one of the input terminals and one of the output terminals to generate a first polarity voltage which is substantially double the voltage of the input source; a third switching device for selectively connecting at least one of the capacitors in series between the other of the input terminals and the other of the output terminals to generate a second polarity voltage which is substantially double the voltage of the input source; and a clock for sequentially, selectively actuating the first, second and third switching devices.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring airway resistance, which apparatus comprises a housing, a bore in the housing, a flow measuring device which is positioned in the bore and which is for measuring a flow of air through the bore caused by a person exhaling or inhaling, an interrupting valve device which is for interrupting the flow of air through the bore, a drive device for moving the interrupting valve device between a bore closing position and a bore opening position, and a pressure sensor device for sensing variations in pressure in the bore caused by the interrupting valve device closing and opening the bore and thus interrupting the flow of air through the bore, and the apparatus being such that the bore is of circular cross section, and the interrupting valve device is a non-circular eliptical plate member which is mounted in the bore for pivotal movement by the drive device between the bore closing position and the bore opening position and which extends at an acute angle to the bore in the bore closing position.

Abstract: A wavelength-tunable, injection-seeded, dispersion-compensated, dispersively-pumped solid state laser includes a lasing medium; a highly reflective mirror; an output coupler; at least one isosceles Brewster prism oriented to the minimum deviation angle between the medium and the mirror for directing light of different wavelengths along different paths; means for varying the angle of the highly reflective mirror relative to the light from at least one Brewster angle for selecting a predetermined laser operating wavelength; a dispersion compensation apparatus associated with the lasing medium; a laser injection seeding port disposed between the dispersion compensation apparatus and one of the mirror and coupler and including a reflective surface at an acute non-Brewster angle to the laser beam for introducing a seed input; a dispersion compensation apparatus associated with the laser medium including opposite chirality optical elements; the lasing medium including a pump surface disposed at an acute angle to th

Abstract: An integral electrophoresis gel form for placement between front and back gel plates including a pair of spaced side strips for placement between the side edges of the plates to seal the edges, and a transverse strip connected to at least one of the side strips for placement between the top ends of the plates to seal the ends. The transverse strip is separable from the side strips to allow the introduction of samples between the plates toward their top ends after removal of the transverse strip.

Abstract: Variable turbocharger apparatus (2) comprising a compressor housing (64), a compressor (6) mounted for rotation in the housing (64), a turbine housing (4), a turbine (12) mounted for rotation in the housing (4), a first inlet (16) for enabling air to be conducted to the compressor (6), an outlet (18) for air from the compressor (6), a second inlet (20) for enabling exhaust gases from an engine to be conducted to the turbine (12), a chamber (22) which surrounds the turbine (12) and which receives the exhaust gases from the second inlet (20) before the exhaust gases are conducted to the turbine (12), a piston (24) which is positioned between the turbine (12) and the housing (4) and which is slidable backwards and forwards to form a movable wall separating the turbine (12) from the chamber (22) which surrounds the turbine (12), a bearing assembly (68) for allowing the rotation of the compressor (6) and the turbine, and a heat shield (201) for shielding the bearing assembly (68) from the exhaust gases, and the pi

Abstract: A method and apparatus to augment keyboard input to a computer: the apparatus including a sensor mounted on the keyboard which is responsive to physical contact by the user's hand and which emits signals corresponding to changes in pressure and position on the sensor. The apparatus also includes a controller card including an analog to digital converter to convert the position and pressure information into digital form for input into the computer. The sensor is located so that the user's thumb has access to the surface of the sensor without the need to move his or her fingers from the keyboard. A method of entering data into a computer includes sensing the pressure applied by the user's hand on a sensor, converting the sensor signal into digital form, and entering the digital information as an input to the computer.

Abstract: A leak detector is proposed for fluid systems serving intermittent loads. The device generates a signal representative of the minimum level of flow occurring from time to time, this level of flow being taken as the rate of leakage. On the basis of this signal, the device generates outputs indicative of the presence and relative magnitude of leakage. A preferred form of the device monitors flow with a thermal fluid flow detector which is adapted to be removably mounted on a distribution system pipe and to be sufficiently inexpensive to permit wide application of the device to small fluid distribution systems, such as residential water systems.