Abstract: Various levitation devices are disclosed in which an array of permanent magnets is levitated by magnetic interaction with a diamagnetic material. Levitation is achieved without using a fixed permanent magnet or other device to supplement the magnetic field of the array. The cost and design constraints resulting from undesirable spring constants produced by such permanent magnets are thereby avoided.

Abstract: A bomb-resistant luggage container of this invention minimizes the effects of a bomb explosion by effectively containing the explosive shock wave and explosion debris, while allowing a controlled venting of detonation products. Methods of making the blast-resistant luggage container of this invention are disclosed. Methods of containing an explosion are disclosed. Methods of retrofitting existing non-blast-resistant luggage containers are also shown.

Abstract: A storage container or module for explosives is described comprising a cylindrical storage body, a cover, and yieldable means which retain the cover to the storage body while permitting the formation of a passage between the storage body and the cover to vent gases during a detonation within the container. In a preferred embodiment, the storage module is sized to permit storage of up to about 6 pounds of explosives without causing a sympathetic detonation in an adjoining module.

Abstract: A symbol generator with pipeline architecture comprised of a series of processing stages that regenerate a complete video data signal for each display field. Any symbol in a display may be moved in real time and independently of any other symbol, because the display is regenerated for each and every field. The symbol generator includes a cpu microprocessor, vertical sorter, boundary generator, horizontal sorter, and color palette.

Abstract: The present invention provides ballpoint pen ink compositions containing carbon black which are initially erasable and require little or no external pressure for ink delivery. The ink can be erased easily with a normal rubber eraser such as that found on pencils. The ink compositions of the present invention comprises: about 15% to about 40% of an aliphatic hydrocarbon, about 15% to about 40% of an aromatic hydrocarbon, about 1% to about 15% of a colorant, about 4% to about 40% of one or more of a preselected thermoplastic block copolymer, and about 5% to about 40% of a preselected parting agent.

Abstract: A symbol generator that provides a video color signal that presents different colors for different portions of a symbol is illustrated herein. The symbol generator includes a number of separate stages that are connected in series to provide a processing pipeline. Elements for providing vertical color blends between the top of a symbol or selected background area and bottom of the symbol or background area are divided between the processing stages. Vertical color blending is achieved by mixing a difference color into a start color in an amount determined by the depth or displacement of consecutive raster lines from the top of the symbol.

Abstract: A video effects system having a video channel with a recirculating loop for incoming video including means for processing or cutting the video signal during each recirculation, and separately processing video information from the recirculation loop to a combiner at the data output, so that the data output video may be different from the recirculated video.

Abstract: A video special effects mixer including an improved recirculating frame store is disclosed. The mixer receives several inputs one of which is from the recirculating frame store and provides several outputs one of which goes to the recirculating frame store. The recirculating frame store includes two field recirculation loops and an interpolator. The real field is mixed with the previous interpolated recirculated field and the interpolated field is mixed with the previous real recirculated field. The output alternates between the two mixed fields. The recirculating frame store receives a key signal indicating relative gain, and has a key processor that reduces the gain of the recirculating key such that the combined gain is no more than unity.

Abstract: A system for gelling cryogenic liquid in which a jet pump is used to educt cryogenic vapor from a gel storage container, mix that educted vapor with steam or other gelant vapor, and inject the resultant mixture into a fine spray of cryogenic droplets, is described herein.

Abstract: Several embodiments of high efficiency fans having lightweight housings supported and interconnected with their impellers by star-shaped frames disposed inside the fans, or in other words inside the areas defined by the fan housings, are illustrated herein. The use of a support frame inside the fan permits a much lighter construction than is possible with an outside frame, because the support members are in tension rather than compression and bending forces on different portions of the housing balance each other. To further minimize weight, the fans include hollow support rings and diffusers that receive air from the fan impeller and are partially supported by that air against fan pressure loads.

Abstract: A combustion method and apparatus for disposal of materials that release noxious, corrosive, and/or toxic gases when burned, particularly halogens and/or acidic gases, is disclosed herein. In the disclosed system, a waste material is burned, the gaseous products of that combustion are cooled, and the cooled gases are then contacted with an alkaline substance of a Periodic Table Group I.A or II.A element in a fluidized bed to scavenge the noxious, corrosive, and/or toxic components in the combustion products.

Abstract: A composite cycle rocket engine having an inner engine disposed to discharge directly into the nozzle of an outer engine, is described herein.

Abstract: An inflatable spiral or snail shell shaped fan housing comprised of flexible surface supported by a rigid housing back wall and by an impeller shroud attached to that back wall, is described herein.

Abstract: 1. A gelled mechanically stable high energy fuel composition comprising a hydrazine selected from the group consisting of hydrazine, unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine and mixtures thereof and an amount of metal platelets effective to produce a mechanically stable gel, said platelets having a diameter of less than about 44 microns and an average diameter of about 1 micron, and said metal platelets being composed of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, beryllium and aluminum-beryllium alloy.

Abstract: A device for measuring the concentrations of entrained and/or dissolved gases in a liquid flow, that includes a gas/liquid separating chamber, probes for monitoring depression of the liquid level in that chamber by separated gases, a regulator for providing a pressure drop that releases dissolved gases from incoming liquid, and a gage for measuring the liquid flow out of that chamber, is described herein.

Abstract: A chemical exchange method for removing tritium from nuclear reactor cooling water is described herein. A concentrated tritium distribution is formed by transfering tritium from the reactor cooling water to a weakly basic, hydrophilic solid, and then to a more strongly basic liquid. Tritium is then removed from the more strongly basic liquid by distillation.

Abstract: Four embodiments of high-thrust rocket engines, each having separate propellant delivery apparatus for each propellant to be delivered to the engine thrust chamber, are illustrated herein. One engine is designed to provide a high thrust using only one fuel and one oxidizer. The other three engine embodiments are all designed to use different propellants having different densities during different portions of a rocket flight. Each of these additional engines includes the basic structure of the first. The first engine is thus not only an effective engine, but also a building block that can be easily modified to provide an engine capable of operating effectively with different propellants.

Abstract: Particulate radioactive wastes are packaged for storage until radioactivity decays by fastening a tight mesh fabric bag in a barrel or other suitable storage container, filling the bag with a mixture of radioactive waste material and a non-radioactive liquid material, and then solidifying the non-radioactive liquid to encapsulate the radioactive waste. The tight mesh weave of the fabric bag acts as a barrier to the particulate radioactive material but not to the liquid. A portion of the liquid thus flows through the bag to form a protective layer between the bag and outer container wall. The remainder stays in the bag and mixes with the radioactive particulate. Solidification of the non-radioactive liquid produces a monolithic solid having a protective layer of a solidified non-radioactive material covering the entire surface area of an immobilized mass of radioactively contaminated particulate material.

Abstract: The immobilization of toxic solids with a mixture of wax and a low molecular weight polyolefin is described herein. In a preferred embodiment, a mixture of between about 60-90% wax and 10-40% of either polyethylene or polypropylene is used to immobilize the low-level radioactive particulate discharged from water treatment in nuclear power plants and similar facilities. This mixture is strong, non-toxic, inexpensive, readily available, easy to handle, and resistant to breakdown, leaching, and combustion. It also mixes well with many different toxic materials. And it will hold up to about four times its weight of a toxic material having a density similar to that of the mixture and a greater weight of more dense materials.

Abstract: A waste disposal system for radioactively contaminated salt solutions that includes a reaction chamber for interacting the contaminated salt solutions with a fluidized particulate bed to agglomerate salt molecules into bed-sized particles is illustrated herein. Excess bed material is removed during operation by an air flow pipeline system that includes two intersecting pipeline branches. One branch defines a gravity flow exit pathway for particulate bed material reaching a preselected level in the chamber, and the other provides an exit pathway for air and fine particles near the top of the chamber. Air flow through the exit pipeline branches causes fluidic mixing of fine particles with the larger bed-sized particles at the intersection of the two branches. The mixed particles are agglomerated by a centrifugal separator that also removes the particles from the air flow and deposits them into a storage container.