Abstract: An apparatus and method for characterizing light beam collimation and alignment. A liquid crystal device receiving a light beam from a collimation lens has a lenslet array generated thereon. A corresponding array of point spread functions are detected by a charge coupled device camera, from which light beam collimation and alignment are characterized. The data may be further used to adjust the collimation lens to correct misalignment.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for electrical shock protection and electrical arc fault protection in an electrical distribution system. The invention consists of a current interrupting circuit that impedes electrical current flow during short time intervals in each half cycle of an AC source. If a shock hazard or electrical arc fault condition occurs during this short time interval, it results in current flow that is sensed at a load center, causing a circuit interrupter to open and preventing current flow to the distribution system for a period of time as short as one half cycle. When the fault is removed, that event is detected within one half cycle and power is restored to the load thus implementing an automatic reset. The invention is well suited for the retrofit of existing electrical distribution systems using the existing wiring.

Abstract: An improvement to wavelength modulation spectroscopy systems operating at frequency .OMEGA. and having a photodetector generating output with frequency components .OMEGA., 2.OMEGA., . . . n.OMEGA., where n is an integer greater than one, the improvement comprising a demodulator operating at frequency .OMEGA.+.delta., where .OMEGA.>>.delta., and additionally recovering signals at n.OMEGA.+n.delta.. The system provides information on multiple detection harmonics simultaneously, no phase adjustment is needed, and the system uses a heterodyne demodulation with its inherent low-noise advantage.

Abstract: An improvement to a dual-modulation line-locking device for wavelength modulation spectroscopy employing a lowpass filter to generate a nonnormalized error signal and a bandpass filter and RMS-to-DC converter to generate a centering signal. When the error signal is approximately zero and the centering signal is large, the wavelength is coincident with the center of the absorption feature of the sample.

Abstract: A circuit for the avoidance of electrical shock and burns in an electrical appliance. Designed primarily for a two wire appliance, the device consists of a conditioning circuit at the load and a fault sensor/interrupter at the plug. The conditioning circuit halts the flow of current to the load for a portion of each cycle of an AC excitation. If current flow is detected at the plug during this time interval it is indicative of a fault condition and a circuit breaker at the plug is opened. A fault is detected if one of the following conditions occurs: 1) a resistive path is established between hot to ground; 2) a load other than the conditioned load is placed between hot and neutral; and 3) an overtemperature condition is detected at the load. The circuit is self-resetting so that in the absence of a hot to ground fault, hot to neutral fault, or overtemperature condition, electrical current is allowed to flow.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for characterizing an energy beam (such as a laser) with a two-dimensional wavefront sensor, such as a Shack-Hartmann lenslet array. The sensor measures wavefront slope and irradiance of the beam at a single point on the beam and calculates a space-beamwidth product. A detector array such as a charge coupled device camera is preferably employed.

Abstract: A self-propelled, and winch assisted, steerable vibratory plow for laying underground pipe or cable, having a V-shaped blade connected to an oscillator which provides both elliptical and horizontal plow blade motion as needed, and with auxiliary straight blade plows for laying lateral lines on the sides of the main line. The main plow's gasoline engine powers a hydraulic system which powers the winch and a transaxle connected to the forward drive wheels, and powers the oscillator and a steering cylinder, as well as powering a hydraulic cylinder for lowering and raising the plow blade.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the detection of trace constituents in inert gases. Three modes of operation of the said invention are most preferred. In the first embodiment, a dielectric barrier discharge cell receives an inert gas, excites the gas, and the gas is then allowed to mix with additional gas in which the constituent to be measured is entrained. Energy is then passed from the excited states of the inert gas to the analytes of interest creating charged analytes of interest which are then measured through the use of commercial electrometers. In a second embodiment, the dielectric barrier discharge device receives the analyte entrained within the inert gas and the gas and, in some cases, the analytes are excited. The excited species then pass on and any resulting ionized species are then detected through the use of an electrometer.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for electrodeposition of materials by centrifugal means. Improvements include provision of multiple return drains, multiple input nozzles, sloped cathode contacts, slotted solution control rings rather than micro-porous membranes, and automatic unloading of finished product.

Abstract: An electronically and physically improved roulette game table designed to provoke and stimulate the interest of novice, occasional, and veteran roulette game player is disclosed. The roulette game table comprises: a playing table; a rotably mounted wheel having a plurality of ball receiving sector compartments; event registration means for registering the sector compartment in which a ball might come to rest; and, a computer programmed to display historical and recent events. A preferred aspect of this invention provides for a roulette game table as above wherein the computer is additionally programmed to summarize the most recent events, and wherein the computer is programmed to display the last ten events. The roulette game table is additionally marked to allow game players to wager on events sequentially occurring in two and more moves and the computer is programmed to display payoffs for those sequentially occurring events.

Abstract: A biofilter for use in a manhole of a sanitary sewer system which allows sewer gases to escape from the system driven by the pressure differential between the aboveground atmosphere and the underground pressure. Sewer gases are chemically changed by their passage through the compost filter media, and odors associated with the gases are thereby eliminated.

Abstract: A hand-held instrument (10) and associated method for providing optical measurements of the contour, range and motion of an object, such as a tympanic membrane of an ear, in real time, and to provide for simultaneous visualization of the object. The instrument (10) includes an illumination source (22) that projects an optical beam (24) through a grating (26) onto a gradient of refractive index lens (32) to project light and dark fringes onto the object at stepped phases determined by the grating position. Light reflected from the object is collected and focused onto an eye piece (18) to be observed by the operator. Simultaneously, reflected light from the object is focused onto a camera (46). The camera (46) generates an electrical signal in proportion to the light intensity received by the camera (46) to generate an image of the object. The image is then transmitted to processing systems to compute phase relationships in the reflected grating image to generate a contour map of the object.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor array wherein the plurality of electrodes and the power and data lines communicating with the electrodes are formed from a single dielectric substrate. One face of the substrate is a grounded area, with the electrodes and power and data lines formed from the substrate on the opposite face. A ground connector connects the grounded areas on the two faces without a need to penetrate the substrate. The substrate is flexible, and the power and data lines are die cut from a portion of the substrate to form an integrated cable.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the avoidance of electrical shock in an electrical appliance. Preferred for a two wire appliance, the device consists of a current interrupting circuit that impedes current flow for short time intervals in each half cycle. If a fault to ground occurs during these short time intervals, an increased current flow through the plug is detected and this is recognized as a fault, causing a circuit interrupter to open and removing current from the load during the remainder of the half cycle. When the fault is removed, that event is detected within one half cycle and power is restored to the load. The apparatus can provide thermal control in the plug. The apparatus enables the use of a low current, low voltage switch to control high voltages and high currents in the appliance. The apparatus can transmit fault status information or other information to a remotely located controller and can receive control signals from that remotely located controller.

Abstract: A material transfer apparatus and method, the apparatus having a material separating container, a filter unit, a vacuum unit and an exhaust unit, all mounted on a mobile conveyance. Air, carrying the materials to be transferred, is drawn through pneumatic tubing into the separating container where large and small materials are separated, and then into the filter where it is filtered for re-entry into the atmosphere.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting or parting-off the stock or workpiece in a lathe. The parting tool has a body, a cutting edge, and a rubbing pad permits substantially all the normal (radial) reaction forces to be reacted and neutralized within the body of the parting tool, substantially eliminating machine-tool chatter and vibration.

Abstract: A process for improving moisture analyzers or hygrometers that use optical absorption techniques to measure water vapor. Water vapor in the optical path outside the sample region is treated to exchange the hydrogen atoms for deuterium, so that the adsorbed water vapor is converted to heavy water, D.sub.2 O, and isotopically mixed HDO, thus reducing or eliminating the interference in any optical absorption apparatus for measuring water vapor, provided the spectral resolution is sufficient to resolve normal water absorptions from heavy water absorptions.

Abstract: A microbiological assay for chemicals, which uses a cell and a reducing dye to quantitatively measure inhibition of electron transport in the cell membrane as a function of chemicals in the substance being tested, is disclosed. This assay and method is reliable, simple, fast, and inexpensive, requires a minimum amount of durable equipment, and avoids the need for the use of live animals as the indicator organisms. The assay is particularly useful for testing for toxicity in food products, environmental, medical and industrial processes, sewage treatment, effluent, agricultural wastes, and chemical dumps.

Abstract: A real estate electro tape is provided that measures the length of an interior or exterior wall or other similar structure using optical means. A sonic tape is used to measure the perpendicular distance from the device to the interior or exterior wall. Two steerable lasers are then used to determine the angles between the perpendicular and the beams aimed at the wall edges. An algorithm is applied to the angular and perpendicular distance data to obtain the length of the wall. A microprocessor performs the calculations, the results of which are displayed on an electro optical display.