Abstract: A method of controlling the internal dimensions of a filament reinforced ring structure is taught. The method involves providing the ring structure with an internal dimension which is slightly smaller than the specification of the final dimension which is sought. The ring structure is mounted over a solid mandrel having a coefficient of thermal expansion which is greater than that of the ring structure. The solid mandrel is mounted within the ring structure and the combination is heated to a temperature at which the outer dimension of the mandrel is greater than that of the internal dimension of the ring structure. The result is to enlarge the internal dimensions of the ring structure to a value conforming very closely to a specification for the ring structure.

Abstract: High efficiency, post regulation of auxiliary outputs in multiple output-power supplies is provided by connecting a regulating switching device in parallel with a filter inductor connected in the current path from the rectifiers to the output terminal. For minimum output power for that auxiliary output, the switching device is held off at all times. When increased power is required, the switching device is turned on for a short period during each cycle of the inductor voltage. The switching system may be configured to conduct current from the output end of the inductor to the input end of the inductor or vice versa or either one selectively, in accordance with the particular regulation scheme chosen. Efficiency is maximized since current flows in the switching device for only a small portion of the cycle of the inductor voltage.

Abstract: A low-overhead method of protecting multi-pulse speech coders from the effects of severe random or fading pattern bit errors combines a standard error correcting code (convolutional rate 1/2 coding and Viterbi trellis decoding) for protection in random errors with cyclic redundancy code (CRC) error detection for fading errors. Compensation for detected fading errors takes place within the speech coder. Protection is applied only to the perceptually significant bits in the transmitted frame.

Abstract: A power distribution system for supplying power to a plurality of point-to-load power supplies includes a plurality of bulk power supplies, each having a separate respective power distribution bus coupled at the output thereof. Each power distribution bus is coupled to each point-of-load power supply through an OR gate such that if one or more of the bulk power supplies fails, or if a fault occurs on one or more of the power distribution buses, then the point-of-load power supplies are unaffected because they continue to receive power from the other bulk power supplies via the respective OR gates. Furthermore, if a power distribution bus becomes short-circuited to ground, the current therein is limited electronically by the respective bulk power supply. Hence, the power distribution buses are protected against overcurrent without the need for a multitude of dc circuit breakers.

Abstract: Upstaged compositions are prepared by the reaction in the presence of a triarylphosphine catalyst between at least one bisphenol polyglycidyl ether, at least one epoxidized novolak and at least one brominated bisphenol. They may be used for the preparation of resinous blends with polyphenylene ethers, which, in combination with further components, may be used in the preparation of laminates useful as printed circuit boards and having excellent physical and electrical properties.

Abstract: A dielectric layer comprising a plurality of sublayers of alternating composition can provide a reduced dielectric constant while providing the adhesion and laser drilling properties of a higher dielectric constant material. Such multi-sublayer dielectric layers may be formed in situ on a high density interconnect structure or may be laminated thereon after their own formation.

Abstract: Zirconium-based corrosion resistant alloys for use primarily as a cladding material for fuel rods in a boiling water nuclear reactor consist essentially of by weight percent about 0.5 to 2.0 percent tin, about 0.24 to 0.40 percent of a solute composed of copper, nickel and iron, wherein the copper is at least 0.05 percent, and the balance zirconium. Nuclear fuel elements for use in the core of a nuclear reactor have improved corrosion resistant cladding made from these zirconium alloys or composite claddings have a surface layer of the corrosion resistant zirconium alloys metallurgically bonded to the outside surface of a Zircaloy alloy tube. The claddings may contain an inner barrier layer of moderate purity zirconium metallurgically bonded on the inside surface of the cladding to provide protection from fission products and gaseous impurities generated by the enclosed nuclear fuel.

Abstract: A configuration for three-dimensional cone beam computerized tomography imaging which allows a complete data set to be acquired in a practical manner, while providing fast data acquisition to minimize motion artifacts. An object within a field of view such that every plane passing through the field of view passes through the source scanning trajectory at least once.

Abstract: Certain crystallization accelerators, such as 1,3-dixylenoxy-1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-disiloxane have been found effective for greatly enhancing the crystallization rate and broadening the temperature region in which crystallization of biphenol-organosilicon reaction products can occur from the melt during cooling.

Abstract: A gram-negative aerobic, motile, rod-shaped bacterium which is closely related to Chryseomonas luteola and Flavimonas oryzihabitans, has been found to catalyze the biodegradation and biotransformation of bisphenol alkanes, such as 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propane or bisphenol A. A variety of bisphenol alkyl alcohols can be made by this procedure.

Abstract: A method for joining substrates of the active metals, such as niobium, tantalum, and titanium, and alloys of the active metals is disclosed. The substrates are joined in a deposit zone traversing areas to be joined on the substrates. The areas to be joined are formed to have deposit receiving surfaces that will form a diffusion bond with a spray deposit. An active metal or an alloy of an active metal compatible with the substrates to be joined is provided as a powder for plasma spraying. The substrates are disposed in a radio frequency low-pressure plasma-spray apparatus to receive a spray deposit on the deposit receiving surfaces in the zone. The deposit receiving surfaces are preheated and cleaned by passing the surfaces in heat coupling relation by the plasma, and placing the substrates at a negative DC potential relative to the plasma. A transferred arc from the radio frequency plasma-spray apparatus to the surfaces is generated that cleans the surfaces.

Abstract: A laser device includes a substrate of semiconductor material having a major surface and a pair of opposed side surfaces. A plurality of laser elements are on the major surface of the substrate and are arranged in a plurality of spaced rows. Each laser element has an active region in which radiation is generated and which extends substantially parallel to the major surface of the substrate and between the side surfaces. Each row can contain either a single laser element or a plurality of laser elements which are optically coupled along the row. A waveguide extends from each end of each row of laser elements toward an adjacent side surface of the substrate. The waveguides are optically coupled to optically couple the laser elements in the rows in series so as to injection lock in phase the laser elements. Means are provided for emitting the radiation from one of the surfaces of the substrate.

Abstract: A configuration of three-dimensional cone beam computerized tomography imaging which minimizes the incompleteness of the data set acquired, while providing fast data acquisition to minimize motion artifacts. An object within a field of view is scanned, preferably simultaneously, along a pair of circular source scanning trajectories spaced a distance selected to minimize the amount of missing data. A procedure is disclosed for calculating the spacing distance between the scanning trajectories which minimizes the amount of missing data. In one embodiment, a pair of cone beam x-ray sources are employed and a corresponding pair of two-dimensional array detectors. In order to reduce interference caused by x-rays from one source interacting with the detector corresponding to the other source, the cone beam x-ray sources are angularly offset, for example by 90.degree..

Abstract: Liquid crystalline polyesteretherimides are prepared by a transesterification reaction involving terephthalic acid and acylated derivatives of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and of certain bisimidodiphenols, or from the free bisimidodiphenol and aryl esters of the acids. In addition to being liquid crystalline, the polyesterethermides are crystalline in the solid state and have relatively high glass transition temperatures.

Abstract: A cantilever-mounted piezoelectric bender includes apparatus for forcing the bender to approach straightness when in a blocked position, e.g. when meeting a contact in an electrical relay. As a result, the potential energy recoverable from the bender is maximized without requiring additional piezoelectric material. A first preferred embodiment comprises a bender extension mounted on the free end of the bender. A normal load force is applied to the free end of the extension, rather than the free end of the bender, resulting in the application of a moment to the end of the bender which tends to straighten the bender when in a blocked position. A second preferred embodiment comprises a back-up plate disposed adjacent one surface of the bender. The degree to which the bender is straightened in a blocked position depends on the location of the point of tangency between the back-up plate and the extension.

Abstract: A composite is produced by admixing a matrix-forming material with organic binding material, forming the resulting mixture into a tape, disposing a layer of boron nitride coated fibrous material between at least two of the tapes to form a layered structure, laminating the layered structure, heating the layered structure to remove organic binding material and hot pressing the resulting porous structure to form a composite.

Abstract: A method for making hydroxy-terminated arylene ethers is provided by condensing an aromatic diol, such as hydroquinone with 4-fluoroacetophenone followed by a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation, and hydrolysis of the resulting diester.

Abstract: A method for rapidly estimating power spectral density components .rho.(f) in the spectrum of an input signal, by first digitizing the input signal over a selected time interval at a selected sample rate; computing an m-th order prediction error energy as an arithmetic mean of forward and backward prediction error energies; and then computing an m-th order prediction error power from a previous reflection coefficient .GAMMA. computation. A control parameter .alpha. is generated; using .alpha. and .GAMMA., an m-th order entropy H and free energy F are then computed, from which is computed m-th order reflection coefficients as extremes of the m-th order Free energy. If the proper extremes are not found, new feedback for the (m+1)-st order solution is generated. If the proper extremes are found, the spectral components are computed and recorded.

Abstract: Blocked amine terminated polycarbonate is provided which can be used to form anhydride terminated polycarbonates, or copolymers with various functionalized organic polymers. A blocked amino phenol, such as N-t-butoxycarbonyl tyramine can be used as a chain stopper under interfacial conditions to chain stop polycarbonate. The t-butoxycarbonyl can be removed by melt processing the polycarbonate to yield an amine end group which can be reacted with other polymers or with an organic dianhydride to form anhydride terminated polycarbonate. The anhydride terminated polycarbonates can be used to form copolymers with amine terminated polyamides.

Abstract: Polyphenylene ether-olefin polymer copolymer compositions are prepared by the reaction of an epoxytriazine-capped polyphenylene ether with an olefin polymer containing highly nucleophilic (e.g., carboxylic acid) substituents. The copolymers have excellent properties and find utility as molding compositions and as compatibilizers for blends of similar polymers. Suitable epoxytriazine-capped polyphenylene ethers may be prepared by reaction of a polyphenylene ether with an epoxychlorotriazine such as diglycidyl chlorocyanurate, n-butyl glycidyl chlorocyanurate or mesityl glycidyl chlorocyanurate.