Abstract: An article dispenser discloses a vessel for storing at least one of the articles. Such dispenser has a sphere pivotally suspended from the vessel for rotation in only one direction about a singular first axis that is offset from a second axis and which second axis passes through the center of gravity of the sphere. The first axis lies in a plane that bisects the sphere into a pair of hemispheres where one of the hemispheres is heavier than the other hemisphere. The lesser heavy hemisphere has a cavity overlying and adjacent to the first axis and also adjacent to one of the pivotal suspension points. The article is conveyed from its stored location within the vessel into the cavity and from the cavity to a location external to the vessel by impelling the sphere. A variation of the disclosure includes a sphere that has an axis at which the sphere is pivotally rotated and which axis passes through the center of gravity of the sphere.

Abstract: A pet-handbag carrier combination has a lower compartment with two oppositely disposed generally rigid sides. A swivable gate is provided integral with one of the sides of the carrier. The carrier also has an upper compartment with two swivable sections attached to the lower compartment. A window may be provided in one of the rigid sides generally consisting of a screen mesh to enable air to circulate for the pet within the lower compartment and to provide visibility for the pet. A removable transportation strap or handle may be attached to locations provided for such near the ends of the upper compartment.

Abstract: A charge transfer multiplying feedback A/D converter is provided wherein a CCD component is part of the converter and feeding a source follower and a comparator to provide a charge feedback path into the CCD converter and also to provide a resetting signal to a primary charge storage well within the CCD component. The primary charge storage well has a charge capacity corresponding to one-half of the full scale value of the converter. A charge applied to the converter is indicative of the instantaneous value of an analog input signal to the primary charge storage well. A secondary charge storage well is also provided for temporarily storing excess charges which overflow from the primary charge storage area into such secondary storage well.

Abstract: Two multimode optical fibers connected mutually at several locations along their lengths can act as an encoding or decoding structure depending on which terminals are used for the input/output of the data. Two multicoupled lines have one input which acts as the matched filter for another input, thus enabling easy correlation of data. The performance of such a structure was simulated and the results are discussed.

Abstract: A charge transfer device is provided having a first group of electrodes embedded in a semiconductor material and a second group of electrodes embedded in a contiguous overlying layer electrically insulating material. An improvement in this device includes means for injecting charge into such device having a number of additional components consisting of a first additional electrode which is embedded in-part in the semiconductor material, and a second additional electrode which is embedded in the insulating material. The first additional electrode is energized by a bias voltage and the second additional electrode is energized by a clock signal.

Abstract: A tile, generally used for roofing purposes, made of metal or synthetic material, has two portions, one portion has a convex upper surface and another portion has a concave upper surface. These portions are integral with each other and do not overlap one another. The underfaces of these portions exhibit cavities thereat. The length of one of the portions is greater than the length of the other portion. When laid upon a roof area the ends of the tiles will be made to overlap a predetermined length of the tile to give the appearance of a roof formed with conventional spanish mission tiles. Adjacent or contiguous tiles are interlocked by means of a curled corner of the other portion of the tile.

Abstract: A multi-channel adaptive threshold circuit usable to extract affirmative detection impulses from a plurality of detection circuits each having a different background noise level. The circuit comprises a plurality of analogous detection circuits whose outputs are coupled in parallel between a threshold circuit and threshold activation device such as a switch which grounds all outputs when in the ON position. The input to each detection circuit, which is a composite of sporadic affirmative return pulses and continuous background noise, is passed through a unidirectional conducting device, such as a base-to-emitter junction of a transistor, to charge a capacitor to a value which is a function of the continuous background noise. When the threshold activation device is turned off, the output plate of the capacitor of each detection circuit is applied to a fixed threshold circuit.

Abstract: Apparatus for searching a large field of view to detect a modulated optical signal source utilizing an optical detector having a field of view capability less than the total field of view sought to be searched. A constant drive motor is coupled to a geneva five slot single pin mechanism which is fixed to a drum rotably mounted to a housing. A detector and associated focusing optics are positioned at the bottom of the housing with a housing window positioned on one side of the housing. Five reflective surfaces are positioned around the circumference of the drum so that the geneva mechanism intermittently rotates the drum to sequentially position each reflective surface to reflect optical energy passing through the housing window to the detector apparatus. The reflective surfaces are positioned at the varying angles around the drum so that different segments of the total field of view sought to be searched are sequentially interrogated.

Abstract: A self-stabilizing optical scanner system comprising a multi-faceted mirror includes a plurality of large and small facets formed on or attached to a gyro rotor, which rotor is adapted for being gimbal mounted, such that as each facet is rotated through the optical path of an energy receiving lens system, a detector is optically scanned across a field of view along a first dimension. In one embodiment, each mirror facet is inclined at a different angle to the rotor spin axis such that as the rotor revolves a two-dimensional pattern is scanned; and in a second embodiment a driven mirror is disposed in the optical path of the received energy so as to provide scanning along the second dimension.

Abstract: A thick lens or prism with at least one spherical shaped surface is utilized in conjunction with a glass fiber delay line to create a sensitivity, boresight and range accuracy test unit for a laser rangefinder, which test unit may be built into the laser rangefinder. This test unit performs laser rangefinder sensitivity and boresight tests in a small volume with relatively simple components having a minimum of weight making its incorporation into most laser rangefinders very practical.

Abstract: A scan conversion system having a synchronization generator that provides typical TV-style timing signals. A multivibrator connected to the generator has a two-state logic output of equal time duration to the timing signals of the generator. A binary logic circuit is activated by the multivibrator to trigger the scan converter wherein alternate read-write pulses are provided by the two-state logic of the multivibrator so as to eliminate picture flicker exhibited by the conventional system on the TV display.

Abstract: An analog-to-frequency converter to provide an open-loop encoder of analog signals. An analog signal is injected into a voltage-to-frequency (VFO) converter to change the analog signal to a duty cycle having an UP-time to DOWN-time ratio equal to the ratio between the input analog voltage and an externally applied precision voltage level. The duty cycle signal is then "ANDED" with a clock signal to form a VFO signal pulse train which is essentially the clock signal during the UP time of the duty cycle signal. The maximum count of a clock signal counter determines the sampling period. The VFO pulses are accumulated during the sampling period so that when the clock signal counter reaches the maximum count, the accumulated number is transferred to a storage register and the accumulator reset to zero in preparation to receive and accumulate the VFO signals of the next sample period. This transfer is made in response to signals from a time-gate generator.

Abstract: A constant false alarm rate (CFAR) moving target indication (MTI) radar system, operable in various electronic countermeasures (ECM) environments is disclosed. A modified Dicke-Fix circuit is used to drive the MTI. Operation of the invention results in automatic restoration of signal level out of a filter. Thus the invention provides a CFAR-MTI that is not degraded significantly by swept jammers and is not captured by off-frequency jammers.

Abstract: A multi-channel multiplexer for converting multi-channel parallel information to single channel serial information. In the preferred embodiment, the invention utilizes the delay characteristics of charged-coupled devices (CCD) to sequentially delay simultaneous inputs and add them at the output thereby performing a parallel-to-serial multiplexing function. Multiple delay gate electrodes coupled to clocks having varying frequencies are utilized to sequentially delay the charge being transferred.

Abstract: Due to the long dwell time required for doppler processing, most doppler systems are particularly vulnerable to electronic counter measures environments (jamming). Such vulnerability manifests itself by registering numerous false alarms and by receiver saturation. The proposed system will not deviate significantly from an ideal constant false alarm rate (CFAR) device when operated in an electronic countermeasure (ECM) environment nor will its sensitivity degrade as in conventional systems.

Abstract: A flat panel liquid crystal display system formed by sandwiching a thin layer of liquid crystal material between a front electrode structure, split into rows or columns, and a back electrode structure formed into desired patterns and including addressing circuitry is described. Single polarity operation of a liquid crystal display system in which the direction of current flow in the liquid crystal material is reversed at the frame rate is a feature of the invention. Operation is accomplished so as to permit gray scale rendition as response to an applied video signal. Addressing circuitry demonstrating the applicability of large scale integration (LSI) techniques is also an important element of the invention.

Abstract: A variable pulse width circuit comprising a semiconductor switch and a circuit of a pair of capacitors in series with the switch. The capacitors have a rectifier joining one side of said capacitors. The capacitors are in series with the load and are connected to a charging circuit. Two current paths are provided to enable charge of such capacitors under conditions where wide and narrow pulse widths of load current are obtained. Also obtained are higher and lower amplitudes of voltage pulses from the charging circuit.

Abstract: A device for performing Haddamard transform operations including a first matrix of interconnected electronic cells, and a second matrix of interconnected electronic cells connected to the output of the first matrix, the electronic cells being charge coupled devices. A rectangular wave generator is electronically connected to the first and second matrices. The first matrix comprises a plural number of rows of such electronic cells serially connected to each other, the output of each one of the rows being connected to an input of each one of the cells corresponding to one of the rows of the second matrix. As a result a solution of on-focal plane Haddamard transform is obtained by recording the Haddamard sequencies at a common terminal of the second or output matrix.

Abstract: An improved laser cooling system for high repetition rate lasers in which a flashlamp is cooled by conducting the heat generated in the lamp directly to a holder which is a solid thermal conductor formed by the structure of the pump cavity and in turn to a heat sink without using flowing gas or liquid in the cavity or space surrounding the flashlamp. The flashlamp is fixedly mounted on the holder with a gap or space therebetween. A thin layer of barium sulfate powder or any other suitable material (which can physically conform to the outside surface of the flashlamp envelope while providing adequate thermal conductivity between the flashlamp and the holder, and adequate optical reflectivity) is then packed in the gap between the flashlamp envelope and the holder in order to reflect light efficiently and to provide a good thermal contact between the holder and the flashlamp.