Patents Represented by Attorney Joseph H. Beumer
  • Patent number: 4677642
    Abstract: The electron bombardment furnace (B) consists of two confinement grid sections (26,28) which may be moved and separated from each other. Inside the bombardment furnace, a tungsten element (14) is enclosed. The material specimen (18) is located within the tungsten element and grounded by means of grounded support wires (20,22) connected to the respective sections of the furnace. The material specimen (18) is supported on the ground wires and heated by electron bombardment until melt occurs. The furnace sections are separated in opposite directions causing the ground wires to pull from the surfaces of the specimen, leaving the specimen freely suspended in the process chamber without the action of external forces. The specimen remains in its melt condition in the processing chamber where it can be undercooled without external forces acting on the specimen, which would cause dynamic nucleation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Michael B. Robinson, Lewis L. Lacy
  • Patent number: 4676110
    Abstract: A fatigue testing apparatus (10) for simultaneously subjecting a plurality of material test specimens (24) to cyclical tension loading to determine the fatigue strength of the material. The fatigue testing apparatus includes a pulling head (12) having cylinders (26) defined therein which carry reciprocating pistons (32). The reciprocation of the pistons is determined by cyclical supplies of pressurized fluid to the cylinders. Piston rods (18) extend from the pistons through the pulling head and are attachable to one end of test specimens, the other end of the test specimens being attachable to a fixed base (38), causing test specimens attached between the piston rods and the base to be subjected to cyclical tension loading. Because all of the cylinders share a common pressurized fluid supply, the breaking of a test specimen does not substantially affect the pressure of the fluid supplied to the other cylinders nor the tension applied to the other test specimens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: James D. Hodo, Dennis R. Moore, Thomas F. Morris, Newton G. Tiller
  • Patent number: 4674533
    Abstract: A remotely controllable mixing system (210) in which a plurality of mixing assemblies (10a-10e) are arranged in an annular configuration, and wherein each assembly (10) employs a central chamber (16) and two outer, upper and lower, chambers (12, 14). Valves (18, 20) are positioned between chambers, and these valves (18, 20) for a given mixing assembly (10) are operated by upper and lower control rotors (29), which in turn are driven by upper and lower drive rotors (270, 270b). Additionally, a hoop (278) is compressed around upper control rotors (29) and a hoop (278b) is compressed around lower control rotors (29) to thus insure constant frictional engagement between all control rotors (29) and drive rotors (270, 270b). The drive rollers (270, 270b) are driven by a motor (213).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Robert R. Belew
  • Patent number: 4669836
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting human eye defects, particularly detection of refractive error. The invention operates by recording on color film the eye reflex which occurs when eyes are exposed to a flash of light. The photographs are compared with predetermined standards, to detect eye defects. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base structure of the ocular screening system (10) is folding interconnect structure (12), comprising hinged sections (14), (16), and (18). Attached to one end of structure (12) is head positioning station (24) which comprises vertical support (26), a head positioning bracket (28) having one end attached to the top of support (26), and two head positioning lamps (33) to verify precise head positioning. At the opposite end of interconnect structure (12) is a camera station (34) with camera (38), electronic flash unit (44), and blinking fixation lamp (46), for photographing the eyes of persons being evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: John R. Richardson, Joseph H. Kerr
  • Patent number: 4666086
    Abstract: A remotely controlled spray gun in which a nozzle 42 and orifice plate 40 are held in precise axial alignment by alignment member 54, in turn held in alignment with the general outlet 33 of the spray gun by insert 36. By this arrangement, precise repeatability of spray patterns is insured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: William C. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 4657044
    Abstract: A dual motion valve (A) includes two dual motion valve assemblies (10, 12) having a rotary input which allows the benefits of applying both rotary and axial motion to a rotary sealing element (24) having a plurality of ports (43). The motion of the rotary sealing element during actuation provides axial engagement of the rotary sealing element with a stationary valve plate (22) which also has ports (38). Fluid passages are created through the valve when the ports of the rotary sealing element are aligned with the ports of the stationary valve plate. Alignment is achieved through rotation of the rotary sealing element with respect to the stationary valve plate. The fluid passages provide direct paths which minimize fluid turbulence created in the fluid as it passes through the valve (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Robert R. Belew
  • Patent number: 4655482
    Abstract: A first annular ring (44) has a keyed opening (64) sized to fit around the nut region (40) of a male coupling (14), and a second annular ring (42) has a keyed opening (52) sized to fit around the nut (26) of a female coupling (12). Each ring (42, 44) has mating ratchet teeth (56, 62), and these rings (42, 44) are biased together, thereby engaging these teeth (56, 62) and preventing rotation of these rings. This in turn prevents the rotation of the male nut region (40) with respect to the female nut (26). For tube-to-bulkhead locking, one facet (70) of one ring (44) is notched, and a pin (88) is pressed into an opening (84, 86) in the bulkhead (80). This pin (88) is sized to fit within one of the notches (74) in the ring (44), thereby preventing rotation of this ring (44) with respect to the bulkhead (80 ).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: William N. Myers, Leopold A. Hein, deceased, Birgit G. Hein, executor
  • Patent number: 4655604
    Abstract: Apparatus (11) for applying planar oscillations to a container (13). Pressurized air (99) is supplied to a moveable slide plate (27) which employs arms (19) having an air bearing vent structure (29, 31) which allows the slide plate to float and to translate. The container (13) to be oscillated is secured to the upper surface of the slide plate (27). A motor (39) driven rotating eccentric shaft (59) loosely extends into a center hole bearing (37) of the slide plate (27) to cause the oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Martin F. Wolf
  • Patent number: 4654065
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for forming ultrapure glass rods (13) or fibers (28) from a polycrystalline rod (11) in which the method comprises the steps of heating a selected short section of the rod in the first furnace (21) to form a molten zone of the rod, heating a second selected short section of the rod in a second furnace (19) which initially is separated from the first furnace by a very short gap to form a second molten zone of the rod which initially is contiguous with and part of the first molten zone of the rod to form a single molten zone 14, and then gradually moving the first and second furnaces apart to first form a rod (13) and then, ultimately, a fiber (28), of ultrapure glass in the increasingly widening gap forming therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Robert J. Naumann, Edwin C. Ethridge
  • Patent number: 4649287
    Abstract: An energy storage system for a spacecraft is provided which employs a solar powered flywheel arrangement including a motor-generator which, in different operating modes, drives the flywheel and is driven thereby. A control circuit, including a threshold comparator, senses the output of a solar energy converter, and when a threshold voltage is exceeded thereby indicating the availability of solar power for the spacecraft loads, activates a speed control loop including the motor-generator so as to accelerate the flywheel to a constant speed and thereby store mechanical energy, while also supplying energy from the solar converter to the loads. Under circumstances where solar energy is not available and thus the threshold voltage is not exceeded, the control circuit deactivates the speed control loop and activates a voltage control loop that provides for operation of the motor as a generator so that mechanical energy from the flywheel is converted into electrical energy for supply to the spacecraft loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Frank J. Nola
  • Patent number: 4644234
    Abstract: A control circuit is provided for a brushless three-phase d.c. motor which affords four quadrant control from a single command. The control circuit provides acceleration of the motor in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions and braking and generation in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. In addition to turning on individual transistors of the transistor pairs connected to the phase windings of the motor for 120.degree. periods while the other transistor of that pair is off, the control circuit also provides, in a further mode of operation, turning the two transistors of each pair on and off alternately at a phase modulation frequency during such a 120.degree. period. A feedback signal is derived which is proportional to the motor current and which has a polarity consistent with the command signal, such that negative feedback results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Frank J. Nola
  • Patent number: 4633060
    Abstract: A conical shaped mirror (34) fits on the end of a welding torch (10) to reflect light from the arc (30) back onto the workpiece. The torch (10) has an internal coaxial viewing system consisting of a lens (12) which focuses the field of view of the weld scene of the workpiece onto the end (16) of a fiberoptic bundle (18). The transmitted image of the fiberoptic bundle (18) is provided to a camera lens (20) which focuses it onto a TV sensor array (23) for transmission. The reflected arc (30) light illuminates the dark areas of the weld area and thereby provides a more detailed image for the viewing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Stephen S. Gordon
  • Patent number: 4621492
    Abstract: A low pressure loss injector element A is disclosed for the main combustion chamber of a rocket engine which includes a lox post (40) terminating in a cylindrical barrel (50). Received within the barrel (50) is a lox plug (46) which is threaded in the lox post and includes an interchangeable lox metering sieve (60) which meters the lox into an annular lox passage (56). A second annular gas passage (62) is coaxial with the annular lox passage (56). A cylindrical sleeve (64) surrounds the annular gas passage (62) and includes an interchangeable gas metering sieve (77) having metering orifices through which a hot gas passes into the annular passage (62). The jets which emerge from the annular lox passage and annular gas passage intersect at 80 which is recessed away from the combustion area. Thus, mixing and combustion stability are enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: George L. von Pragenau
  • Patent number: 4619142
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring vibrational forces emitted by a reaction wheel assembly during rotation of its rotor includes a low mass carriage (12) supported on a large mass base (10). The carriage (12) is in the form of an octagonal frame having an opening which is adapted for receiving the reaction wheel assembly (W) supported thereon by means of a mounting ring (22). The carriage (12) is supported on the base (10) by means of air bearings (A) which support the carriage in a generally frictionless manner when supplied with compressed air from a source (50). A plurality of carriage brackets (34) and a plurality of base blocks (30) provide for physical coupling of the base (10) and carriage (12). The sensing axes of the load cells (B) are arranged generally parallel to the base (10) and connected between the base and carriage such that all of the vibrational forces emitted by the reaction wheel assembly (W) are effectively transmitted through the sensing axes of the load cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Gary L. Gisler
  • Patent number: 4618215
    Abstract: A viewing chamber which permits observation of a sample retained therein includes a pair of double window assemblies mounted in opposed openings in the walls thereof so that a light beam can directly enter and exit from the chamber. A flexible mounting arrangement for the outer windows of the window assemblies enables the windows to be brought into proper alignment. An electrical heating arrangement prevents fogging of the outer windows whereas desiccated air in the volume between the outer and inner windows prevents fogging of the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Vernon W. Keller, Robert B. Owen, Bobby R. Elkins, William T. White
  • Patent number: 4614428
    Abstract: The invention is an optical cell for containment of chemicals under conditions of high temperature and high pressure and a method of making the optical cell. As shown in FIG. 1, the cell (10) is formed of a vitreous silica tube (14), two optical windows (16) comprising vitreous silica rod inserted into the ends of tube (14) and fused into position in the tube ends. Windows (16) are spaced apart to form a cavity (18) enclosed by the tube (14) and the windows (16). A hole (20) is drilled radially through the tube (14) and into the cavity (18). Another vitreous silica tube is fused to silica tube (14) around the hole (20) to form stem (22), which is perpendicular to the long axis of tube (14). The open end of stem (22) is used to load chemicals (12) into cavity (18). Then stem (22) may be sealed and, if desired, it may be shortened in order to reduce the volume of cavity (18), which extends into stem (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Ronald P. Harris, Lawrence R. Holland, Robbie E. Smith
  • Patent number: 4605155
    Abstract: A method of repairing a tubular assembly in which access to a defect in the tube is limited includes the steps of cutting an opening in the tube on the side opposite the defect so as to expose the defect from the inside of the tube. A tubular insert is inserted into the tube to cover the defect and is secured in place by means of brazing or welding. The remaining space between the opening and insert is closed by means of close-out patches which are welded or brazed to both the insert and the tube. The result is a permanent repair having great structural integrity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Joseph D. Duesberg, Raymond C. Mills, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4604038
    Abstract: A peristaltic pump (A) is disclosed which includes a roller assembly (D) having a plurality of pump rollers (12) carried thereon. As the roller assembly is rotated by a drive gear (66) the pump rollers (12) are driven in reverse rotation by means of a stationary ring gear (70) and pump roller gears (72). An upper pressure shoe plate (B) and a lower pressure shoe plate (C) are positioned above sets of flexible tubing (E) which interlace with each other at a back side (25) of a frame. The tubing (14, 16) is sandwiched between the pressure shoe plates and the pump rollers (12). A highly compact pump is provided having twice as many fluid channel lines as is conventional. The peristaltic pump device may be remotely operated by means of a rotary actuator (100) which rotates a driving hub (86, 88) to move the shoe plates (B and C) by means of eccentrically mounted links (89, 90).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Robert R. Belew
  • Patent number: 4594540
    Abstract: A system for measurement of shaft angles wherein a synchro resolver (10) is sequentially pulsed, and alternately, a sine (32) and then a cosine (36) representative voltage output of it are sampled. Two like type, sine or cosine, succeeding outputs (V.sub.S1, V.sub.S2) are averaged and algebraically related to the opposite type output pulse (V.sub.c) occurring between the averaged pulses to provide a precise indication of the angle of a shaft (18) coupled to the resolver (10) at the instant of the occurrence of the intermediately occurring pulse (V.sub.c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: James R. Currie, Ralph R. Kissel
  • Patent number: 4585191
    Abstract: A propulsion system and method is disclosed for controlling the attitude and drag of a space vehicle (10). A helium dewar (12) contains liquid helium (11) which cools an experiment package (22). The helium is heated or vented to keep the temperature between 1.5 and 1.7 degrees K to maintain helium boil-off gas adequate as a propellant without adversely affecting the experiment package which is contained in the helium dewar for protection from solar heating. The apparatus includes auxiliary heater (32) and temperature sensor (30) for controlling the temperature of the helium. The boil-off gas propellant is delivered to thruster modules (A) to control vehicle attitude and compensate for drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Dale H. Blount