Abstract: A false tenon structure for use in "split log" structures of various cross-sectional configurations, the tenon being of the appropriate cross-section and having at an end a cradle shaped to accept an adjacent tenon in an end portion thereof and transversely therethrough, and planar interfacing surfaces at the end thereof with one of the interfacing surfaces defining a projection such that left hand and right hand, i.e., mirror image alternatives, of the tenon may be stacked with one tenon in the cradle of the adjacent tenon and, secured to a building corner by fasteners driven through the projection, and abutted against split log facades to present a realistic appearance of conventional full log mortise and tenon structures, or of stacked members of other cross-sections.

Abstract: A test signal generating system and method is disclosed that is particularly well suited for servicing of television receivers and the like. A plurality of system outputs are produced that may be utilized to cause test patterns to be displayed on the image-producing device of a unit to be serviced, which test patterns are particularly useful in servicing TV receivers for checking and adjusting, if necessary, various characteristics such as linearity and pincushion distortion in scanning circuits, operation of electron beam convergence and/or color phasing and matrixing circuits where the TV receiver to be serviced is a color television receiver. The system is lightweight and portable yet produces a plurality of outputs to enhance out-of-shop servicing of TV receivers by providing greater capability without unduly complicating the same. To this end, the system employs a single rotary switch for output selection and utilizes digital circuitry.

Abstract: A combustion detection device that senses the presence of a fire and provides an alarm indication of the same by essentially shorting the input leads from a power supply. An ionization detector is utilized to sense the products of combustion and provide an output indicative thereof, which output is coupled through a field effect transistor to an operational amplifier where the output is compared with a reference voltage that can be varied as desired. When an output from the ionization detector supplied through the field effect transistor exceeds the reference voltage, an output is provided from the operational amplifier to a triggering circuit connected between the power supply leads to essentially short the leads as an alarm indication of a sensed fire condition. A light-emitting diode is connected to the triggering circuit to give a visual alarm indication, and calibration leads are also provided to facilitate calibration of the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for bundling firewood. Relatively large pieces of wood, preferably first split and cut into convenient lengths, are compressed and while compressed have a strap applied therearound after which the applied pressure is released to form a bundle of firewood that is tightly banded. The apparatus includes a base section having a pair of spaced upwardly opening U-shaped members upon which the pieces of firewood are stacked with the end portions of the firewood supported by the U-shaped members. A pressure platen section is mounted above the base section and includes a second pair of U-shaped members that are downwardly directed and aligned with the U-shaped members of the base section so that, as the pressure platen is moved downwardly, the pieces of wood therebetween are compressed. The pressure platen section is moved upwardly and downwardly by a hydraulic ram and about eight tons of pressure is preferably exerted to compress and contour the wood into a cylindrical bundle.

Abstract: A solar actuated boiler which receives the incident rays of the sun, magnifying them and concentrating them at precise multiple points. This concentration results in an aqueous solution, under pressure, being heated to temperatures resulting in hydrokinetic motion. The heat from this solution will then be convected through a system of piping, deposited and stored in the systems heat storage vault. This stored heat is then convected through a companion system of piping for the purpose of, but not limited to, such uses as heating, domestic hot water, air-conditioning and electrical energy.

Abstract: An ice anchoring device, and particularly an ice hammer, having a relatively thin walled, partially open or fully closed channel, with opposed interior walls at at least a portion of the channel, and, preferably, parallel outer walls, which, when impacted upon ice, fractures the ice internally of the channel while producing a basically undisturbed void in the ice sufficient to accommodate the anchoring device. Preferably the channel is in the form of an initially closed tube having an inwardly sloping bevel from a cutting edge defined at the end of the tube, and an opening in the tube spaced back from the end of the tube to facilitate removal of fractured ice. The method is practiced by inserting the tube into ice with force and localizing the destructive forces inwardly to the volume within the channel thereby avoiding weakening and fracturing of the remaining exterior portion of the ice in which the device is anchored.

Abstract: A monitoring system is disclosed that is particularly well suited for use in connection with combustion in a cloud seeding generator. The monitoring system includes an indicator light the energization of which indicates a specific combustion state and normally indicates that combustion has occurred. Energization of the indicator light is controlled by a comparator which has one input connected with a thermocouple positioned in the combustion chamber to monitor the combustion state. The cloud seeding generator is preferably mounted in an aircraft and, when so mounted, the indicator light may be remotely located as, for example, on the aircraft instrument panel to indicate combustion and/or ignition as well as proper operation of the cloud seeding generator.

Abstract: A breakback form tie for constructing wallforms to contour concrete in which the form tie has at the end portions thereof engaging means for interfacing with brackets, an enlarged cross section positioned inwardly of the engaging means, plug means preferably in the configuration of truncated conical members positioned between the engaging means and the enlarged cross section with the enlarged, base portion of the conical members oriented outwad from the center of the tie, and a frangible section to facilitate breakback positioned inwardly of the enlarged cross section in order that the end portions of the tie may be severed at the frangible section and the severed section of the tie and plug means concurrently removed from a concrete wall formed around the tie.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving solar energy reflected from a heliostat configuration in which the apparatus is formed of converging vanes defining cavities therebetween, and preferably converging towards a cavity. The vanes may partially or completely define an enclosed volume. Surfaces of the vanes are provided with reflective surfaces near the outer portions of the receiver, selective surfaces at the intermediate portions and, optionally, absorbing surfaces at the interior portions. Cooling means are provided within the vanes of the receiver adjacent the selective and absorbing surfaces. In a preferred embodiment, a transparent barrier is provided transverse to the vanes substantially at the change from the reflective to the selective surfaces, and an infrared absorbing heat transfer fluid is flowed inwardly from the transparent barrier to the cavity to cool the receiver and absorb energy irradiated from the vanes and cavity.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing extreme pitch trim configurations for aircraft capable of flying at low-speeds, and particularly aircraft having blown primary lift-producing surfaces. The apparatus includes a movable horizontal stabilizer to provide pitch trim and an elevator pivotally attached to the horizontal stabilizer to provide transient pitch control. Control of the elevator movement is provided by a control tube extending from a horn attached to the elevator to a bell crank member attached to the horizontal stabilizer. The bell crank is also connected to a push tube movably attached to the airframe and arranged to be aligned with the pivot axis of the horizontal stabilizer in the neutral position. Thus, the horizontal stabilizer may be pivoted around its mounting axis to provide substantial pitch trim while concurrently maintaining the range and symmetry of elevator movement.

Abstract: Type II superconductive materials having greatly diminished vortex pinning as a result of maintaining the ratio of the average scale of structural disorder of the materials to vortex core size to not greater than about 120% of the minimum such ratio, superconductive devices utilizing such materials, and a method for producing such materials.

Abstract: An electrical quantity measuring device is disclosed that includes a probe unit presenting high impedance, which device is suitable for measuring voltage. The components of the measuring device, except for the probe unit, are housed in a cabinet having a meter mounted thereon for external viewing. The probe unit has a contactor and provides an output signal indicative of the predetermined quantity of an element to be measured during contact of the element with the contactor and a ground lead. A high impedance between the contactor and the probe output is provided by a plurality of field effect transistors, and an operational amplifier, the gate of the first of which transistors is connected with the contactor and the gate of the second of which receives a feedback signal from the processing circuitry of the measuring device within the cabinet. A third field effect transistor is connected with the first field effect transistor and compensates for leakage current.

Abstract: A stimulating and valving system is disclosed that is useful for milking of animals such as cows. A stimulator, that includes one or more stimulator units each of which has biased elements, is releasably positioned on one or more teats of the animal to be milked and a warm liquid such as water is connected through the stimulator units and ejected therefrom onto the associated teat or teats in order to induce milk let down. Each biased element has resilient gripping teeth to engage the teats of the animal to be stimulated. After the supply of liquid is terminated and the teat cups of a milking apparatus have been positioned on the animal, milk is withdrawn from the animal through a valve under the control of a control unit that has an input responsive to the temperature of the milk being withdrawn.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed that is particularly useful for milking of animals such as cows. The system includes a control unit to control functioning of a stimulator and a milking apparatus, including automatic termination of stimulation and milking, removal of the milking apparatus after milking, and rinsing (or sanitizing) and draining of the apparatus to ready the same for milking of another animal. A stimulator controlled by the control unit applies a warm liquid to one or more teats of the animal to be milked for a predetermined period of time to induce milk let down. After a valve has been placed in milking position to connect the milk line to the teat cups of the milking apparatus and the teat cups have been placed on the stimulated animal, milking of the animal is commenced and will continue until automatically or manually terminated.

Abstract: A single or multichannel electrical connector including a male connector having at least two prongs depending resiliently from a base, the prongs each having defined in the outer edge thereof a notch with at least one of the notches having at least one conductor exposed at the bottom portion of the notch, the conductor extending internally through the prong, the prongs also having end portions with outwardly facing mutually inclined surfaces, the male connector being adapted to fit a female connector having an opening defined therethrough and configured to receive the prongs with the sides of the notches engaging the front and back endwalls of the female connector adjacent the opening and the connector in the bottom of the notch engaging a contact in a sidewall of the opening in the female connector such that the male connector may be inserted by engaging the opposed inclined planes of the prongs within the opening of the female connector, deforming the prongs towards one another to pass through the female co

Abstract: A single or multichannel electrical connector including a male connector having at least two prongs depending resiliently from a base, the prongs each having defined in the outer edge thereof a narrow notch with at least one of the notches having at least one conductor exposed at the bottom portions of the notch, the conductor extending internally through the prong, the prongs also having end portions with outwardly facing mutually inclined surfaces, the male connector being adapted to fit a female connector having an opening defined therethrough the configured to receive the prongs with the sides of the notches and the connector at the bottom of the notch engaging a protruding contact in a sidewall of the opening in the female connector such that the male connector may be inserted by engaging the opposed inclined planes of the prongs within the opening of the female connector, deforming the prongs towards one another to pass through the female connector thereupon again expanding the prongs to bring the conta

Abstract: Method and apparatus for orienting and measuring fibrous particles by conducting longitudinally oriented fibrous particles through a beam of radiation and measuring the radiation scattered in a direction aligned with the length of such particle and, independently, also measuring the amount of radiation scattered transverse to the length of the particle. Preferably, the measurements are accomplished utilizing a sensor having an inactive center portion substantially corresponding to the area of undisturbed beam of radiation, a first photosensitive area in a portion of the sensor aligned with the length of the particles, and a second, independent photosensitive area transverse to the length of the particle. Signals generated by the two photosensitive areas are added to determine the size of the particles, and the ratio between the signals is established to determine the aspect ratio of the particle.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing selectively engageable and disengageable traction surface, on the periphery of a vehicle wheel by means of an apparatus mounted to a fixed portion of a vehicle, selective positioning of a journalled outer portion of the apparatus to engage and rotate with the outer, or tire, portion of the wheel, or, alternatively, to retract to a stored inactive position. The apparatus further provides for positive deployment with spring-loaded extension pressure, accommodation of localized variations in diameter and resilient mounting of traction bars.

Abstract: A solar energy system for selectively absorbing or reflecting radiant energy entering through a window of a structure, the system comprising a window drape having a decorative side and a back side, and a removable liner adjacent the backside of the window drape. At least one side of the liner or window drape backside is a radiant energy reflecting surface and another of said sides is a radiant energy absorbing surface. Thus, depending upon the season of the year, the system may be arranged to selectively provide the appropriate surface to optimize or minimize the radiant energy maintained within the structure.

Abstract: A combustion product indicating device for use as a calibration or surveying instrument is disclosed. The device senses the presence of combustion and provides an indication of the same including an indication of the amount of combustion sensed within predetermined limits. An ionization detector is utilized to sense the products of combustion and provide an output indicative thereof, which output is coupled through a field effect transistor to a pair of operational amplifiers, which amplifiers function as followers with the latter amplifier having a reference input that may be varied to adjust the reading of a meter, which meter receives the output from the operational amplifiers. Optional circuitry is also provided for providing a voltage output that varies within predetermined limits and is indicative of the amount of combustion sensed. A method for calibrating combustion detectors is also disclosed.