Abstract: A support base for a machine or the like in which reference points on the support base may be readily and selectively adjusted so as to support the machine in a desired manner and so as to accommodate distortions or other forms of misalignment which may be present in the support base as a result of its manufacture.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring a high voltage electric field, such as may be used in simulating lightning strikes or the like on a test specimen, is disclosed. In general, a capacitive electric field sensor is disclosed which utilizes a pair of spaced conductors or electrodes and which is placed in the field to be measured. The conductors shield a device within the sensor which generates a signal responsive to the intensity of the electric field. This signal is transmitted to a remote data acquisition system by means of non-electrically conductive data transmission lines (e.g., fiber optic transmission lines) so as to electrically isolate the sensor and the data acquisition system whereby the sensor only minimally distorts or affects the field being measured thereby. A method for measuring high voltage electric fields is also disclosed.

Abstract: A continuous free-flow electrophoresis chamber construction is provided which includes a coolant chamber employing coolant flow in a direction that traverses the flow of buffer carried in a buffer chamber. The construction further employs large area membranes separating first and second electrodes from the buffer flow chamber. The coolant flow chamber communicates with the buffer flow chamber along the membranes.

Abstract: A rocking toy capable of being ridden and rocked which is assembled from a plurality of three-dimensional modules. Each of the modules is preferably formed from a pre-cut and pre-scored unitary piece of rigid sheet material, such as corrugated paperboard, which may be readily folded to form a three-dimensional module. The modules are interconnected in such manner as to form a rigid and sturdy rocking toy rockable on a rocking surface formed by the modules.

Abstract: A sifting or screening device includes inner and outer concentric screened enclosures which rotate about a common axis. An inlet is provided at one axial end of the inner enclosure and an outlet is provided at the opposite axial end of the enclosures for the material that was too large to pass through the openings defined by the screens. An inclined dead plate or baffle member is provided at the inlet to prevent material fed in through a chute from impinging directly on the screen material and a pressurized air system presents a pulsating curtain of air to disengage material which has become lodged in the screen. A novel support system includes a circular support surface at the inlet end which rides on a pair of bearings and a central axle coincident with the axis of rotation driven by a motor at the outlet end. The axis of rotation is caused to lie at a small angle to the horizontal so that material which will not pass through the screens will slowly fall toward the outlet end of the enclosures.

Abstract: A material handling system is provided having particular application in grey iron foundries. In general, the system provides a continuous flow of work from the time castings are removed from their molds until the castings are ready for shipping. In particular, the system includes an environmentally acceptable grinding room work station in the form of a totally enclosed work area. Means for feeding material into and from the work station include a first plurality of gravity feed input chutes operatively coupled to a conveyor system on the input side of the work station, and a second plurality of gravity feed output chutes leading to another area on the output side of the work station. The conveyor system is designed to carry the castings from shake-out to the enclosed work area. Scrap is separated from the molded parts prior to their entrance into the work area and rejected parts continue along past the gravity feed input chutes to an accumulation storage device.

Abstract: A control system for a numerically controlled (NC) machine tool which includes a direct access, time sharing, general purpose host computer located remotely from the location of the machine tool, is provided with a dedicated microprocessor located proximate the machine tool. The dedicated microprocessor has a storage memory in which at least one control tape or program may be stored. The microprocessor is operatively connected to the general purpose computer through a telecommunication (telephone) data set. The dedicated microprocessor in turn is connected to the machine control unit (MCU) of the NC machine tool by a behind the tape reader interface. In operation, the general purpose computer is used on a time share basis to generate a suitable machine control program. The machine control program is transferred to the dedicated microprocessor by means of the telecommunication data set. Thereafter, the machine control program may be edited or revised on a real time basis at the machine tool.

Abstract: A single hand-operated actuator for effecting operation of two devices, such as the front and rear caliper brakes of a bicycle or the like. The actuator includes a base adapted to be secured to the handle bars of a bicycle and having two Bowden sliding wire or cable linkages thereon with the linkages being interconnected to a lever operated by one hand for effecting actuation of both the front and rear brakes of the bicycle via the linkages. In another version of the actuator of this invention, a mechanical power assist is provided for aiding operation of the actuator.

Abstract: A line of sight guidance system in which the radiated output of a pulsed laser is spatially modulated to produce a beam radiated from an optical projector along a first axis, including a missile or projectile carrying a beam receiver and signal decoder which receives and decodes information in the beam to enable the missile to seek beam center, is provided with apparatus for generating a lead angle axis reference for the missile. The basic technique comprises FM modulating the rotational rate of an orbitally driven projected beam chopping spoked reticle. The FM modulation amplitude is chosen to equal the magnitude of the desired angular change of the projected spatially coded axis, while the FM modulation phase is made to equal the direction in which the projected spatially coded axis is shifted.

Abstract: A waste treatment tank has a cylindrical enclosure defining a chamber. A cylindrical side wall of the enclosure and a cylindrical baffle are arranged concentrically with respect to one another. The side wall and baffle divide the chamber into first and second chamber portions. Means for generating a horizontal circulatory flow pattern in the first, radially outward chamber portion is mounted within that chamber portion and includes a submersible pump means. The pump means has an inlet, an outlet and connector means between the inlet and outlet. The second radially innermost chamber portion forms a clarification section, while the first chamber portion forms the aeration section of the waste treatment tank. Inlet means are provided between the first and second chamber portions. The baffle also permits the communication between first and second chamber portions along the bottom of the baffle. Means for supplying air to the aeration tank section is operatively attached to the connector means of the pump.

Abstract: A bending machine for forming offset printing plates and conversion components for converting older model plate benders into bending machines capable of forming reverse bend plates. The plate bender includes a table support for the plate to be bent. The table is provided with edges having contours identical to the desired contours of the edges of the plate after bending. At least one of the end edges is provided with a die having a reverse bend component formed in it. The bend on one end of the plate may be formed in a conventional manner, while the reverse end bend of the plate is formed in a two-bend sequence by suitable structural components which in themselves may form a conversion system for older plate benders.

Abstract: A weapon system using a line of sight guidance system is provided with a missile containing two symmetrically located optical receivers. Information contained in a beam into which a missile is launched is used by the two receivers and associated processor means to derive roll position for the missile. Because the roll signal is derived electronically, mechanical means for determining roll position of the missile in the form of a conventional roll gyro, for example, may be eliminated. Elimination of the mechanical roll gyro from the missile permits much higher launch accelerations than are realistically feasible with missile control systems employing mechanically derived roll data. A processor located in the missile receives its signals from the pair of optical receivers. The processor uses the data from the first receiver to derive the position error of the missile relative to beam center.

Abstract: An overspeed protection system is provided which utilizes simplified construction for detecting overspeed conditions of a rotating device. In the preferred embodiment, a single up/down counter is employed in an overall sequence which includes a first time period during which the counter is counted up from a preselected value by a series of pulse representations of speed for the rotating device. After the expiration of the first time period of the sequence, the counter value is compared to an overspeed limit selected during the previous sequence. If that limit is exceeded, an overspeed condition is detected by the system. In a second time period of the overall sequence, the counter is down counted by the pulse representations of speed. After the expiration of the second predetermined time period of the sequence, the counter value is compared to the original preset value to determine the rate of change in device speed.

Abstract: A preformed, thin metal printing plate is provided which permits the plate to snap on and lock to the printing cylinder of an offset printing device so that the plate is juxtapositioned the cylinder along the entire plate area between a leading edge of the plate and a reverse bend part of a trailing edge of the plate.

Abstract: A high efficiency heat return fireplace unit is provided which includes an enclosure having outer and inner housings. The inner housing defines a fire box which communicates with the atmosphere through a suitable flue-chimney structure. The inner housing is spaced from the outer housing so as to define a heat chamber about the fire box. At least the bottom wall of the inner housing has an undulating shape in cross section so that the bottom wall defines a series of heat pipes along the bottom of the fire box. The heat pipes communicate with the heat chamber. A plurality of hot air returns extend depthwise along the top of the fire box. The hot air returns also communicate with the heat chamber and return heated air to the room in which the fireplace is located.

Abstract: A device is provided finding particular application in amusement or advertising applications, and includes an enclosure generally having a conventional beverage container shape. The enclosure includes a cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end. Means for attaching a solar cell to the first end of the enclosure includes a structure closing that end. The closing structure has a sleeve extending outwardly from it. The sleeve has a first end integrally formed with the attaching means and a second, free end. The second free end of the sleeve is adapted to receive an electrical motor. The motor includes a rotatably mounted shaft having an end extending outwardly of the enclosure. The outwardly extending end of the shaft has one of a plurality of terminations attached to it. The shaft and termination design determines the kind of movement imparted to the enclosure by the motor upon irradiation of the solar cell by a suitable source of electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: A sizing screen for sizing particulate materials, for example, is provided which uses a plurality of wire loops arranged to define a plurality of parallel wire strands extending between a first end and a second end of a screen frame. The frame has anchor means mounted at its first end and tension means at its second end. In the simplest form of the invention, pairs of wire strands are adjusted simultaneously by the tension means. In more advanced forms of the invention, means are provided for adjusting pluralities of the wire loops, each wire loop adjustment corresponding to two wire strand adjustments. The frame is constructed so that the wire strands have a double crown. One crown extends along the width dimension of the frame, and a second crown extends along the length dimension of the frame. The double crown arrangement promotes more even spreading of material as that material travels along the wire screen and is important in maintaining wire strand position.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a machine tool under automatic control is provided which uses the actual path of the tool in all directions of motion for comparison with a mathematically ideal path to detect tool error. Machine tool position is obtained from independent feedback devices on each axis of tool movement. The system monitors the machine control commands independently of a machine control command generating means, the machine control command generating means commonly bring a computer of a conventional type. Thus, a monitoring loop is placed about the entire machine tool, that loop being capable of detecting malfunction or mispositioning of the tool, as that tool operates under automatic control. An independent dynamic braking means enables the system of this invention to bring the machine to a stop without part scrappage in the event of a machine shut down, occurring for example, because of a power system failue, or mispositioning error detection.

Abstract: A lock is provided which is particularly well adapted for use with a two wheel vehicle. Preferably, the lock includes an enclosure having a shaft mounted to it. A spool or reel includes spaced end plates and a central storage hub between the plates. The reel is rotatably mounted to the shaft. The spool or reel holds reaches of steel cable of other like securing means. A free end of the cable has an eyelet formed on or attached to it. A housing is mounted to the enclosure which contains a suitable locking device including a plunger. The housing has an opening in it sized to receive the free end of the cable. The plunger is movably mounted between a first position, where the plunger is spaced from the reel, and a second position, where the plunger engages the reel. The lock is used by encircling the object, passing the eyelet through the opening in the housing, and passing the plunger through the eyelet and reel.