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.

Abstract: An improved lamphousing having a magnetically stabilized arc lamp. The arc lamp, such as a high-pressure short-arc xenon lamp, is mounted within the lamphousing such that the arc is positioned at the focal point of a reflector formed from a paramagnetic material. One or more permanent magnets are mounted on the exterior of the reflector to establish a magnetic flux within the reflector which stabilizes the plasma flame sufficiently to permit horizontal operation of the arc lamp at any current levels especially below the rated level for that arc lamp.

Abstract: Improved method and apparatus for measuring the effective operating resistance of an unknown resistance element to which repetitive high voltage pulses are normally applied during operation. As each high voltage pulse is applied to the element, the voltage across the element and the current through the element are simultaneously sampled during voltage peak or at any other desired point in each pulse. The voltage and current samples are digitized and used in digitally computing the effective operating resistance of the unknown element. The computed resistance is displayed on a digital indicator.

Abstract: An improved electrostatic spray gun for the deposition of powdered coating material on a workpiece is disclosed. The spray gun includes a housing having a barrel to which a nozzle is attached for directing the powdered material to the workpiece. A charging electrode, which is connected to a high voltage power supply, is mounted on a diffuser assembly which is clamped between the nozzle and the housing, on which the nozzle is threaded. A regulated gas flow supplied through the housing and the diffuser assembly provides a gas shield around the charging electrode to prevent a buildup of the coating material on the electrode. A novel pneumatic safety interlock continuously monitors the pressure of the gas supplied to the diffuser assembly. The interlock turns off the high voltage power supply and a pump for the coating material in response to a drop in such pressure resulting from a loose nozzle.

Abstract: Apparatus for electronically modifying spark advance and dwell in a spark-ignited internal combustion engine. Conventional cam driven breaker points on the engine are initially set for the desired maximum spark advance. The signal from the breaker points is electronically delayed to reduce the spark advance by a predetermined constant value independent of the engine speed. Dwell is also electronically controlled to a predetermined constant value independent of the engine speed.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the temperature of the insulator tip of a spark plug being operated in an internal combustion engine. A thermocouple is embedded in the surface of the insulator tip adjacent the spark gap for sensing temperature. The output of the thermocouple is connected through an electro-optical ignition voltage isolation circuit to circuitry which maintains a substantially constant temperature signal during the time interval that ignition voltage is applied to fire the spark plug. The temperature signal may drive a temperature indicating display or devices such as chart or tape recorders to produce records which may be used in analyzing either operation of the spark plug or combustion.

Abstract: A heating plant monitor system for visually signalling the presence and location of a malfunction or abnormal condition is disclosed. The system is particularly adapted for use with residential or mobile home heating systems and includes a visual display panel with indicator lights with each indicator light corresponding to a particular system condition or component to be monitored. The arrangement of the light sequence on the panel corresponds to the order in which each component should be checked by a serviceman so that the condition of the entire panel, when one or more malfunctions occurs, will indicate which component should first be checked for malfunction and which other components need not be inspected. Other household components, spaces or services can also be monitored for the presence of an operating abnormality or for water, smoke, etc., by adding monitors and indicator lights to the basic heating plant system.