Abstract: An improved piston assembly for high-power internal combustion engines such as supercharged diesel engines. The piston includes separate head and skirt portions. An elongated bearing member having an external journal surface is formed across the bottom of the piston head. A wrist pin, which is attached to or integral with a connecting rod, defines a generally tubular shaped bearing member having an internal bearing surface in which the piston head bearing member is journaled to permit rotational movement between the connecting rod and the piston head. The external journal surface on the piston head is supported by the wrist pin along its entire length to prevent any flexing of the wrist pin when high compressive forces are applied to the piston head. The skirt is connected to the wrist pin by thrust bearings which engage an external journal surface on the wrist pin substantially along its entire length to permit rotational movement between the piston head and the piston skirt.

Abstract: A balanced bridge chopper circuit including four metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) is driven by a remote oscillator connected through an isolator to modulate low-voltage low-frequency input signals at their remote source into a square wave A.C. output signal that can be conducted to a common point where it is amplified and demodulated for better linear measurement of said low-voltage signals. The oscillator is connected through the isolator to the bridge circuit in such a manner that opposing pairs of the bridge transistors are simultaneously conducting. The isolator may comprise a novel photovoltaic isolation device or it may consist of an isolation transformer or of other types of electrical isolation devices.

Abstract: An improved roll former for imparting a predetermined symmetrical curve to an advancing elongated metal strip in a tube mill. The roll former includes two identical rollers, each having a contoured surface for contacting and shaping one half of the metal strip. Each roller is mounted on a shaft which extends substantially perpendicular to a form radius in a central region of the section being formed by such roller. The shafts are mounted for simultaneous pivotal adjustment in both the same direction about a point and in opposite directions about such point to compensate for camber in the strip and to receive different sized rollers.

Abstract: A spark plug having an internal auxiliary spark gap in series with an ignition noise suppressor in a center electrode is disclosed. One side of the series gap is formed by a conductive ball which also supports the suppressor.

Abstract: An improved medical restraining board for temporarily restraining, for example, a patient's forearm and wrist during intravenous administration of fluids. The arm board includes an elongated flat rigid support member which is padded on at least one side with a substantially flat sheet of flexible material having a plurality of spaced enclosed gas-filled pockets formed therein. The support member and padding are enclosed within an outer cover formed from a porous hydrophobic material, preferably of porous spun-bonded polyethylene fibers. In a modified embodiment, the support member and padding are enclosed within a microporous sealed inner cover and the outer cover is disposable and has a moisture-absorbent lining.

Abstract: An improved modular breadboard for temporarily mounting and interconnecting electrical components to form an electronic circuit. The breadboard includes two panel assemblies which are mounted on leg brackets to extend parallel and spaced apart. Modules mounting preselected circuit components or circuit subassemblies are releasably locked between the panel assemblies with spring loaded fingers on one or both of the panel assemblies. The modules and the panel assemblies are provided with a plurality of solderless spring terminals and binding posts for temporarily connecting wires and circuit components to form the experimental circuit.

Abstract: An improved straight flow check valve construction is disclosed for use as intake and discharge valves in fluid compressors and other similar applications. The valve includes a valve inlet block and a valve outlet block which are attached together at generally planar abutting surfaces. A valve stop insert is positioned therebetween in a recess formed in the inlet block. At least one pair of valve ports extends through the inlet block, the valve stop insert and the outlet block and such ports are shaped to have elongated parallel cross sections in a plane perpendicular to the ports. Each port is closed by a separate valve plate. The valve plates for each pair of ports are mounted in the inlet block between the two ports for pivoting between closed and open positions and a single elongated V-shaped spring extends between the two valve plates for simultaneously biasing both valve plates to the closed positions. When the valve plates are in the open positions, the ports are streamlined.

Abstract: An improved combined environmental control and fire protection system for a building is disclosed. Water is circulated from cooling apparatus including a closed circuit cooling tower and, when necessary, refrigeration apparatus through supply lines to air handling indirect heat exchangers, lighting fixtures and other heat sources for absorbing heat. The water then circulates through return lines to the cooling apparatus. Automatic sprinkler heads are connected to at least the return lines for fire protection. A pressure sensor detects any drop in water pressure in the circulating system caused by the opening of one or more sprinkler heads and switches the system to a fire protection mode. The pressure sensor opens a valve to connect a pressurized water supply tank to the sprinkler heads. Check valves and motorized valves controlled by the pressure sensor protect the heat exchangers, lighting fixtures and other heat sources from high pressures when the system is operating in a fire protection mode.

Abstract: An improved high voltage pulse power supply for a spark plug test fixture. AC line voltage is applied through a voltage step-down transformer, a half wave rectifier and an electronic switch to the primary winding of a conventional ignition coil. During the rise time of positive half cycles, the rectified voltage is applied through the electronic switch to the ignition coil primary. As the positive half cycle begins to fall towards the zero crossover, the electronic switch is opened. The magnetic field collapse in the ignition coil produces a high voltage negative pulse which is applied to a spark plug under test. The peak voltage of the negative pulse is adjusted by controlling the peak current in the ignition coil primary.

Abstract: An improved method and structure for forming wiring channels in a concrete floor. Parallel trenches are formed in a concrete floor slab when the slab is poured. A metal cover placed over each trench has a metal U-shaped channel attached thereto for dividing the trench into at least two and preferably three separate wire raceways with the center raceway completely shielded by the channel and cover. Access boxes are selectively positioned over knockouts in the cover plate. Metal channels are positioned to extend perpendicular to the trenches for forming main distribution ducts. A concrete surface is then poured over the slab to extend flush with the tops of the access boxes and the main distribution ducts and a cover plate is attached to enclose the main distribution ducts. The resulting floor structure has embedded therein parallel wiring raceways spaced across the floor with spaced accesses into each raceway and main distribution ducts interconnecting the parallel raceways.

Abstract: Improved apparatus for injecting vapors, such as water vapor in the form of low temperature-low pressure steam, into the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. A controlled flow of air is drawn through a vapor generator by the intake manifold vacuum and the resulting air-vapor mixture is discharged through a nozzle into the intake manifold. The vapor generator contains a level controlled body of liquid for forming the vapor. Air enters the generator at the bottom of the liquid and rises through the liquid past a heater and a dispersion member which disperses the air into small bubbles. The heater is operated from the engine cooling system and heats the air and liquid sufficiently for generating steam at the subatmospheric pressures available from the intake manifold. The resulting steam-air mixture is injected into the intake manifold for controlling combustion. In a modified embodiment, liquid is also injected directly into an engine carburetor during acceleration.

Abstract: An improved spark plug for use in an internal combustion engine having a capacitive discharge ignition system. The spark plug includes a conventional metal shell supporting an insulator having a center electrode bore extending therethrough. A center electrode mounted in the insulator bore includes an electrode tip which defines a spark gap with a ground electrode. An auxiliary spark gap is formed within the insulator bore immediately above the tip. A low resistance inductive suppressor is mounted above the auxiliary spark gap and has an end attached to a terminal for connection to the capacitive discharge ignition system.

Abstract: An infrared solar energy collector is disclosed. The collector comprises a heat absorber which in a first embodiment is a tube through which a heat transfer fluid is circulated. The heat absorber is disposed within a larger glass tube. In a modified embodiment, the heat absorber is in the form of a heat pipe which conducts heat to a heat transfer fluid circulated through a manifold. A wick carrying a volatile fluid may also surround the heat pipe. Absorbed heat evaporates the fluid which is in turn condensed on the cooler manifold. Either the entire interior of the glass tube surrounding the heat absorber is under reduced pressure, or an annular region between the surrounding glass tube and a second, larger diameter surrounding glass tube is under reduced pressure. An energy director such as a reflector within the enclosing glass tube directs solar energy on the heat absorber.

Abstract: An improved method for making leak-proof connections to fuel tanks and other hollow articles rotationally molded from synthetic resinous materials, and particularly from relatively soft materials such as polyethylene. Prior to molding the article in a conventional rotational mold process, one or more male or female studs or similar threaded fittings are bolted to or otherwise temporarily held against the interior surface of the mold at a location which corresponds to the location for the leak-proof connections in the finished article. When a number of threaded fittings are located relatively close together or are spaced around an opening in an article, the fittings are preferably interconnected by wires or other metal support members which is embedded in the finished article. The support member strengthens the connection and also maintains a fixed spacing between the fittings. The article is then rotationally molded such that the fitting is embedded in the wall of the finished article.

Abstract: A motion picture projector having an improved electric transport system for incrementally advancing film through a light gate. A constant, but adjustable, velocity rotating shutter periodically interrupts the projected picture to permit advancing the film through the light gate to the next frame. As the shutter moves to a position blocking the projected picture, a shutter position detector generates a signal for triggering a control circuit which drives an electric servomotor to rotate a film drive sprocket. The servomotor is driven to rotate the sprocket to advance the film one frame and then to hold the sprocket in a fixed position to prevent any motion of the film while the picture is projected. Power is applied from a non-linear control circuit to the servomotor. Error signals applied to the servomotor are of a peak magnitude when the servomotor is stopped with the film framed in the light gate so that small position errors drive the servomotor to the desired position with a maximum torque.

Abstract: An improved piston assembly for high-power internal combustion engines such as supercharged diesel engines. The piston includes separate head and skirt portions. An elongated tubular-shaped bearing member having an internal bearing surface and an external journal surface is formed across the bottom of the piston head. A connecting rod passes through an opening in the lower center of the bearing member and is attached to a wrist pin which rotates against the internal bearing surface of the tubular-shaped bearing member to permit rotational movement between the connecting rod and the piston head. The wrist pin is supported by the bearing surface along its entire length to prevent any flexing of the wrist pin when high compressive forces are applied to the piston head. The skirt is connected to the piston head by thrust bearings which engage the external journal surface of the bearing member substantially along its entire length to permit rotational movement between the piston head and the piston skirt.

Abstract: An improved film supply and take-up transport for use with a motion picture projector. At least two horizontal film platters are connected through bearing plates to a single vertical drive shaft. A circular film winding core is selectively positioned concentric with the shaft on one platter. The core engages a mechanism for locking the platter through the bearing plate to the drive shaft for operating the platter in a take-up mode. A motor is controlled to rotate the drive shaft for winding the film onto the core at the same rate that the film is advanced through the projector. Film is supplied to the projector from the center of a film coil on another platter which is coupled through its bearing plate to the drive shaft. A brake is intermittently operated to slow the supply platter below the speed of the drive shaft to maintain a desired film supply rate.

Abstract: An improved system for lighting a floor area in a building. A plurality of lighting fixtures mounted in a ceiling structure for lighting the floor area are connected in one or more branch circuits. Each branch circuit is defined by a plurality of plural conductor branch circuit cables which distribute power to the fixtures. Each cable connects in series or parallel to both the next cable and the next fixture in the branch circuit. Circuit connections are easily modified for changing power distribution and switching needs by selective insertion of adapters between two series connected cables or between a cable and a connected fixture. Adapters provide for switching circuits and for converting circuit connections.

Abstract: A balanced bridge chopper circuit including four metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) is driven by a remote oscillator connected through an isolator to modulate low-voltage low-frequency input signals at their remote source into a square wave A.C. output signal that can be conducted to a common point where it is amplified and demodulated for better linear measurement of said low-voltage signals. The oscillator is connected through the isolator to the bridge circuit in such a manner that opposing pairs of the bridge transistors are simultaneously conducting. The isolator may comprise a novel photovoltaic isolation device or it may consist of an isolation transformer or of other types of electrical isolation devices.

Abstract: An adjustable dwell cyclic timing device. An element having a timing surface with a radius or other measurement varying from a minimum value to a maximum value and back to a minimum value, and preferably having generally a heart shape when the element is in the form of a disc, is rotated in synchronism with a timing cycle. A sensor is positioned to sense the presence and absence of the timing surface in a region between the minimum and maximum radii or other measurements only when the element is rotated through a predetermined angular segment for generating a cyclic timing signal during a preselected time segment in each cycle. The sensor position is adjustable for changing the preselected segment of the timing signal in each cycle to provide a desired starting point and dwell for the generated timing signal.