Abstract: An enhanced protective coating to prevent interaction between constituents of the environment and devices that can be damaged by those constituents. This coating is provided by applying a synergistic combination of diffusion barrier and physical barrier materials. These materials can be, for example, in the form of a plurality of layers of a diffusion barrier and a physical barrier, with these barrier layers being alternated. Further protection in certain instances is provided by including at least one layer of a getter material to actually react with one or more of the deleterious constituents. The coating is illustrated by using alternating layers of an organic coating (such as Parylene-C.TM.) as the diffusion barrier, and a metal coating (such as aluminum) as the physical barrier. For best results there needs to be more than one of at least one of the constituent layers.

Abstract: A method and composition for the deposition of a thick layer (10) of diamond or diamond-like material. The method includes high temperature processing wherein a selected composition (12) including at least glassy carbon is heated in a direct current plasma arc device to a selected temperature above the softening point, in an inert atmosphere, and is propelled to quickly quenched on a selected substrate (20). The softened or molten composition (18) crystallizes on the substrate (20) to form a thick deposition layer (10) comprising at least a diamond or diamond-like material. The selected composition (12) includes at least glassy carbon as a primary constituent (14) and may include at least one secondary constituent (16). Preferably, the secondary constituents (16) are selected from the group consisting of at least diamond powder, boron carbide (B.sub.4 C) powder and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method of energy load management for the heating and cooling of a building. The method involves utilizing a wallboard as a portion of the building, the wallboard containing about 5 to about 30 wt. % a phase change material such that melting of the phase change material occurs during a rise in temperature within the building to remove heat from the air, and a solidification of the phase change material occurs during a lowering of the temperature to dispense heat into the air. At the beginning of either of these cooling or heating cycles, the phase change material is preferably "fully charged". In preferred installations one type of wallboard is used on the interior surfaces of exterior walls, and another type as the surface on interior walls. The particular PCM is chosen for the desired wall and room temperature of these locations.

Abstract: A robotic vehicle (10) for travel through an enclosed or partially enclosed conduit or pipe including vertical and/or horizontal conduit or pipe. The robotic vehicle (10) comprises forward and rear housings (32 and 12) each provided with a surface engaging mechanism for selectively engaging the walls of the conduit through which the vehicle is travelling, whereby the housings (32 and 12) are selectively held in a stationary position within the conduit. The vehicle (10) also includes at least three selectively extendable members (46), each of which defines a cavity (56) therein. The forward end portion (50) of each extendable member (46) is secured to the forward housing (32) and the rear end portion (48) of each housing is secured to the rear housing (12).

Abstract: A method and circuitry for sampling periodic amplitude modulations in a nonstationary periodic carrier wave to determine frequencies in the amplitude modulations. The method and circuit are described in terms of an improved motor current signature analysis. The method insures that the sampled data set contains an exact whole number of carrier wave cycles by defining the rate at which samples of motor current data are collected. The circuitry insures that a sampled data set containing stationary carrier waves is recreated from the analog motor current signal containing nonstationary carrier waves by conditioning the actual sampling rate to adjust with the frequency variations in the carrier wave. After the sampled data is transformed to the frequency domain via the Discrete Fourier Transform, the frequency distribution in the discrete spectra of those components due to the carrier wave and its harmonics will be minimized so that signals of interest are more easily analyzed.

Abstract: A method (10) for independently controlling each steerable drive wheel (W.sub.i) of a vehicle with two or more such wheels (W.sub.i). An instantaneous center of rotation target (ICR) and a tangential velocity target (v.sup.G) are inputs to a wheel target system (30) which sends the velocity target (v.sub.i.sup.G) and a steering angle target (.theta..sub.i.sup.G) for each drive wheel (W.sub.i) to a pseudovelocity target system (32). The pseudovelocity target system (32) determines a pseudovelocity target (v.sub.P.sup.G) which is compared to a current pseudovelocity (v.sub.P.sup.m) to determine a pseudovelocity error (.epsilon.). The steering angle targets (.theta..sup.G) and the steering angles (.theta..sup.m) are inputs to a steering angle control system (34) which outputs to the steering angle encoders (36), which measure the steering angles (.theta..sup.m). The pseudovelocity error (.epsilon.), the rate of change of the pseudovelocity error ( ), and the wheel slip between each pair of drive wheels (W.sub.

Abstract: A device for measuring mass flow of gases which utilizes a substantially buoyant pressure vessel suspended within a fluid/liquid in an enclosure. The pressure vessel is connected to a weighing device for continuously determining weight change of the vessel as a function of the amount of gas within the pressure vessel. In the preferred embodiment, this pressure vessel is formed from inner and outer right circular cylindrical hulls, with a volume between the hulls being vented to the atmosphere external the enclosure. The fluid/liquid, normally in the form of water typically with an added detergent, is contained within an enclosure with the fluid/liquid being at a level such that the pressure vessel is suspended beneath this level but above a bottom of the enclosure. The buoyant pressure vessel can be interconnected with selected valves to an auxiliary pressure vessel so that initial flow can be established to or from the auxiliary pressure vessel prior to flow to or from the buoyant pressure vessel.

Abstract: A variable frequency microwave furnace system (10) designed to allow modulation of the frequency of the microwaves introduced into a furnace cavity (34) for testing or other selected applications. The variable frequency microwave furnace system (10) includes a microwave signal generator (12) or microwave voltage-controlled oscillator (14) for generating a low-power microwave signal for input to the microwave furnace. A first amplifier (18) may be provided to amplify the magnitude of the signal output from the microwave signal generator (12) or the microwave voltage-controlled oscillator (14). A second amplifier (20) is provided for processing the signal output by the first amplifier (18). The second amplifier (20) outputs the microwave signal input to the furnace cavity (34). In the preferred embodiment, the second amplifier (20) is a traveling-wave tube (TWT). A power supply (22) is provided for operation of the second amplifier (20).

Abstract: An end effector for use with robotic arms and like devices that utilizes a flexible band to draw an object against an anvil having a concave surface. One typical convex surface is created by a V-block, with an apex of the V being centrally located. If an object to be grasped is fragile, the contour of the concave surface closely matches the surface of the object. Typically the movement of the band is effected by a linear actuator, with the anvil remaining fixed relative to a support base. Several embodiments are described that utilize variations in drawing the band toward the anvil, with one of these embodiments described in detail in the form of a fabricated unit. One embodiment includes a cover element that can be moved over an object after the grasping thereof, with this cover potentially serving various functions. Movement of the cover can be effected with a second linear actuator.

Abstract: A device for controlling the pouring of a molten material from a crucible or other container. The device (10) includes an annular retainer ring (12) for mounting in the drain opening in the bottom of a conventional crucible (16), the retainer ring defining a opening (14) therethrough. The device (10) also includes a plug member (22) having an annular forward end portion (24) for force-fit reception in the opening (14) of the retainer ring (12) to selectively seal the opening (14) and for being selectively forced through the opening (14). The plug member (22) has a rear end portion (26) for being positioned within the crucible (16), the rear end portion (26) including stop means for prohibiting the rear end portion from passing through the opening (14) in the retainer ring (12) when the forward end portion (24) is selectively forced through the opening.

Abstract: A natural food product, in the form of potato snacks or treats, is disclosed. This product is the result of deep frying thin peelings of white potatoes. Presoaking of the peelings provides improved color and crispness. The product is a snack food highly concentrated in minerals without the attendant quantity of carbohydrates that exist in other potato snack foods.

Abstract: A device is described which, when inserted under the rim of a toilet bowl in contact with the side wall thereof, uniformly distributes water over the surface of the bowl walls. This aids flushing material from the toilet. In many types of toilets, this also reduces the quantity of water required for each flushing operation. The device is flexible whereby installation and removal are facilitated in any shape of conventional toilet bowl.

Abstract: A process is described for the production of dense metastable phases of carbon which have characteristics similar to diamond. Particulates of the metastable carbon are produced by reacting silicon carbide or a silicon carbide precursor, such as a silane or silicon metal, with a fluorocarbon, such as carbon tetrafluoride at a temperature greater than about 800.degree. C. A preferred range is from about 900.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C. The reaction may be carried out in a high voltage electrical diacharge, or other plasma, or in a furnace. The presence of a "promoter" metal, such as nickel and iron, increases the reaction rate and the quantity of the metastable carbon phases. Relatively large quantities of these diamond-like particulates are produced, and their properties are such as to make them useful for many of the same applications for which commercial diamonds are utilized. They are also useful in numerous high temperature applications.

Abstract: An electrographic sensor for the generation of coordinate signals corresponding to contacted positions on the sensor is described. This sensor is of particular value for placing in intimate contact with the nonplanar face of a cathode ray tube or the like. The sensor has a rigid, optically transparent substrate with a nonplanar configuration matching the nonplanar face of the CRT to reduce parallax. This normally involves a radius of curvature, in one or more directions, in a range of 15-50 inches (38-127 cm). The surface of the substrate which will not contact the CRT is coated to provide a very uniform, substantially transparent, electrically resistive layer, and electrodes are connected to the resistive layer whereby orthogonal electrical potentials may be applied to the layer. Overlying and spaced from the resistive layer is a semirigid transparent cover sheet, the face toward the resistive layer being appreciably conducting.

Abstract: A folding knife is described which may be disassembled without the use of tools for the purpose of cleaning the interior, changing blades or the like. The knife has a pair of side plates each having a slot of nonuniform width near each end that align with corresponding slots in the facing plate. Annularly grooved pins fit in each aligned set of slots. A back spring is positioned between the side plates, and a pivot therethrough engages a cooperative pair of holes in the side plates. One grooved pin passes through a circular opening in the tang of a blade, the pin being the pivot for the blade. A second grooved pin passes through a circular opening in a locking cam unit, the pin being the pivot for the cam. When rotated in one direction the cam unit locks the grooved pins in the slots and tensions the back spring against the blade tang.

Abstract: The construction of a folding-blade pocket knife or the like is described having an improved means for mechanically assisting the movement of the blade from a closed position to an open position or the reverse. The means includes a turning handle pivoted to an exposed portion of a blade pivot and a spring-loaded detent element in cooperation with specifically located indentations in the turning handle. Furthermore, a locking lug on the turning handle is provided to cooperate with a recess in the knife handle to prevent unintentional movement of the knife blade.

Abstract: An electrographic sensor for determining planar coordinates is described whereby graphical material to be analyzed may be placed beneath, or projected against, the rear surface of the sensor. This sensor is of particular value for placing on the face of a cathode ray tube. The sensor includes a rigid, optically transparent substrate having an extremely uniform, substantially transparent resistive layer applied to one surface, small electrodes in contact with the resistive layer and individual resistors connected between adjacent electrodes to produce a resistance network around the perimeter of the substrate. Means are provided to produce orthogonal electrical fields in the resistive layer whereby the contacting of the resistive layer with a conductive stylus produces voltage signals at the stylus which are proportional to the coordinates of the point of contact. The second surface of the substrate may be made translucent for projecting optical images thereagainst.

Abstract: An eye cooler is described to minimize discomfort of the eye region during sunbathing and, at the same time, to permit tanning of the area covered by the cooler. This is accomplished using a pair of flexible liquid-filled lenses, the walls of the lenses being formed from a very thin plastic film. The lenses are joined to each other by a nose bridge section, and means are included to hold the cooler in place on the wearer in contact with the skin. The liquid within the lenses, such as water, serves as a heat sink whereby heat is transferred through the thin plastic from the skin into the water to provide the cooling effect.In a special embodiment, the plastic and the liquid are chosen so as to provide a desired degree of transmission of the ultraviolet radiation wavelengths which produce tanning. The u.v. transmission of the total lens can be made equivalent to that of suntanning preparations, for example.