Abstract: A parallel beam brake apparatus for dual and triple axle trucks and a single beam brake apparatus for single axle trucks each comprise spaced, pivotably mounted bell crank levers which engage a fluid operable actuator between one pair of arms and engage a pair of push rods with the remaining arms. Improved spherical joints between the arms and the push rods facilitate force tranmsmission without allowing push rod rotation. A unique pivot geometry between the bell crank levers and the brake beams facilitates assembly and improves stress distribution between the levers and the beams. The actuator includes a slack adjustor mechanism in which a spiral power spring unwinds to drive a lead screw and take up slack or is wound by the rotating, translating lead screw to add slack.

Abstract: There is provided an expendable device for use with a standard immersion sensor for a molten metal bath to simultaneously hold a standard immersion sampler in juxtaposition to the sensor when the sensor is in its protective sleeve at the end of a lance ready for immersion into the bath. This device provides another expendable heat insulating protective sleeve for accepting in its end the sampler with means being provided for maintaining a side by side relationship between the sampler sleeve and the sensor sleeve during immersion. This combination may advantageously have a vent pipe extending between the sleeves to allow air displaced from the sampler by influx of the sample to vent to a region above the molten metal bath by way of a passage in the sensor sleeve.

Abstract: A fluid brake system has a brake pipe, a control valve device, a brake cylinder and a brake rigging, and in addition, a handbrake pipe, a protective device, a fluid pressure releasable spring handbrake cylinder, and a manually operable handbrake device for selectively governing brakes of the brake rigging under varying conditions, as when air supply is disconnected from a train. A moveable fulcrum in the manual handbrake device permits manual release of spring applied handbrakes in combination with a resetable toggle locking connection to a handbrake rod.

Abstract: A moveable contact plunger assembly for interconnection of electrical wires between adjacent railway cars. The assembly has a plunger with a shoulder which fits in abutment with a mating shoulder in an aperture of a dielectric connector block. A follower element is arranged for electrical contact with the plunger. A spring is arranged to allow axial deflection of the plunger relative to the follower element and of the follower element relative to the dielectric block shoulder. Electrical continuity between the plunger and the follower element is obtained by means of a wire which is crimped to the follower and to the plunger. A guide pin mounted on the follower element and a guide slot on a spring barrel portion of the plunger coact with the spring so as to allow axial travel of the follower and of the plunger as well as a rotating motion of the plunger during its axial travel.

Abstract: Apparatus for indicating the presence of power on the third rail of a transit system having two running rails and a third rail includes a first connector for connecting to the third rail and a second connector for connecting to one of the running rails and a circuit for indicating the presence of a voltage between the first connector and the second connector and thereby indicating a voltage between the one running rail and the third rail, the means for indicating including visual and audible signaling apparatus. In some forms of the invention the apparatus may include an annunciator and a strobe light. Other forms of the invention include third and fourth connectors which are magnetically held to the rails.

Abstract: A protection valve device for a spring parking brake control system has a pipe bracket for connection in a normally pressurized brake pipe, the pipe bracket having connected thereto a protection valve, a charging reset valve and a charging check valve. The protection valve has a chamber at one side of a piston normally pressurized by pressure at a spring parking brake cylinder port and monitors the spring parking brake cylinder pressure to vent fluid from the brake pipe to automatically cause an emergency brake application if such pressure indicates a spring parking brake is applied. The charging reset valve prevents the venting of brake pipe fluid during charging of the brake pipe and spring parking brake system.

Abstract: A noncontact switch couples power from A and B radio frequency sources to a load and an antenna in three modes. Mode I couples the A source to the antenna and the B source to the load; Mode III is B to antenna and A to load, and Mode II couples both A and B sources to the antenna. The structure includes a first 3dB, 90.degree. coupler coupled to the sources and a second 3db, 90.degree. coupler coupled to the load and the antenna. A third 3dB, 90.degree. coupler is coupled in a first path between the first and second couplers. A pair of reflective terminations coupled to ports of the third coupler are mechanically controllable to one of three phase-shift conditions; 0.degree. for mode I, 90.degree. for mode II and 180.degree. for mode III. A fixed phase shifter couples the first and second 3dB, 90.degree. couplers by a second path. Each reflective phase shifter is a coaxial circuit including the parallel combination of first and second series inductance-capacitance circuits.

Abstract: An expandable immersion oxygen sensor for molten metal is provided with an improved oxygen reference electrode including Cr, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, NiO, and Fe and the oxygen electrode and thermocouple are secured in the face of the sensor by resin-sand to reduce initial overshoot and failure due to thermal shock.

Abstract: A fluid pressure control portion for a fluid brake motor is inserted in a fluid pressure control passage between a triple valve and a brake motor for a particular car truck. This portion comprises a proportioning valve connected to an inshot valve through a pipe bracket to proportionally reduce brake pressure on a particular brake motor, after inshot at the same pressure as other brake motors of the same vehicle to adjust braking in accordance with lighter loading of end trucks for articulated freight cars.

Abstract: A fluid flow sensor especially adapted for use in solid state electronic system. The sensor employs a heated thermistor in a first sensing network with a temperature compensation means, the two being connected in common to a sensor point. A second network includes a threshold adjusting means and a diode power supply fluctation circuit connected to a threshold point. The two networks are connected in a bridge circuit across a power supply. The thermistor responds to temperature changes associated with air flow changes to produce a change in circuit condition at the sensor point relative to the threshold point. A utility circuit responds to these changes in circuit condition to provide a desired response. The compensation network includes a plurality of diodes arranged to approximate the response of the heated thermistor to changes in power supply voltage such that the voltage at the threshold point closely tracks the voltage at the sensor point in response to any such changes.

Abstract: A multistationed integrated life safety system in which each station will be situated at a diffferent location and have complete capabilities in terms of local fire protection, fire detection, control and/or monitoring and controlling the security of an area. Each station communicates with four adjacent stations so that when an event occurs at one station, that station is programmed to cause that information or that new status to be transmitted to each of the four adjacent stations. Thus, each station will be interconnected or networked to four other stations to provide multiple location control and annunciation so that each station may act independently.

Abstract: A shock absorber has a reserve fluid supply chamber near one end and a cylindrical housing portion adjoining the reserve supply chamber containing a spring for biasing a piston to pressurize liquid in the reserve supply chamber. The piston moves a shaft axially carrying an indicating disc, the periphery of which can be viewed through viewing openings in the cylindrical housing when the supply chamber liquid is exhausted. Snap action of the indicating disc is accomplished by a detent ring in a groove about the periphery of the disc and a complimentary groove about the inner periphery of a transparent sleeve that also seals the viewing opening against dust and the like.

Abstract: A photoelectric smoke detector which operates on the scattered light principle and involves a light source, and a photosensor placed at an angle to the light beam such that it is normally not illuminated, the light source and photosensor being located within a dark detection chamber having air entry ports that restrict ambient light; smoke particles entering the smoke chamber produce interruption of the light beam, thereby scattering light onto the photosensor. The detection chamber is formed within a cup-shaped grill which can be readily removed from the housing by rotation of the grill to disengage a locking mechanism; the grill is provided with an end wall and, integrally formed therewith, spaced inner and outer cylindrical side walls, the inner side wall being defined by baffles which include scoop fins that are used to trap light, but which also function to scoop air into the chamber and cause air turbulence for mixing the smoke particles thoroughly; the outer side wall having windows for entry of smoke.

Abstract: A waveguide having reduced windloading yet a relatively wide bandwidth for the dominant mode of propagation comprises an elongated cylinder having substantially parallel plates forming an interior waveguide portion which in cross-section is a doubly-truncated circle. The plates are symmetrically disposed about the central axis of the elongated cylinder.

Abstract: A method, and apparatus for practicing the method, is provided for the transit of one or more cables through an opening in a bulkhead while preventing electromagnetic interference and electromagnetic pulse energy from passing through the opening. A housing of electrically conductive material is positioned in the opening and secured around its full perimeter in electrically conductive contact with the bulkhead. The sheathing of each cable is treated so that the conductive shield of each cable is exposed. The cables pass through the housing with their exposed shield being within the interior of the housing. The end portions of the housing are sealed, such as by the use of deformable material. Electrically conductive material, such as shot, granules, powder, grease, liquids or the like, is used to fill the interior of the housing to form conductive paths between the shield of each cable and the housing. The material may be in the form of particulates, semi-liquid, or liquid, including conductive coatings.

Abstract: A photoelectric smoke detector operating on a scattered light principle. The photosensor is connected at the input of an operational amplifier, such amplifier functioning as a threshold detector, saturation pulse amplifier and fixed pulse width compensator. Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a special RC network connected from the output of a first transistor of a flasher section or subcircuit, which provides pulse power to the light source, to the input of a second transistor in such flasher circuit. As a consequence of this arrangement, when the LED serving as the light source tends to age, with a corresponding increase in its impedance, an appropriate signal is fed back from the aforenoted output of the first transistor to the input of the second, thereby to increase the pulse width of the output signal through the LED such that it is no longer, thereby compensating for the fact that it is no longer as bright.

Abstract: A train having at least a pair of control cabs spaced along the train interconnected electrically. Electric signals transmitted between the control cabs allows for fluid braking signals to be propagated from both control cabs toward each other. Each car of the train includes a device for modifying a test signal transmitted between the control cabs in response to a specified condition. The signal modify device can be a tuned circuit and may indicate brake status or a hot journal.

Abstract: An apparatus to monitor a circuit in which an AC voltage source is connected to a plurality of paralleled current consuming loads, such as heaters, including a reactive load in parallel with the current consuming loads at a point in the circuit more distant from the voltage source than any of the current consuming loads being monitored, a phase shift detector connected to the current consuming loads and at a point in the circuit between the voltage source and the nearest current consuming load being monitored, the phase shift detector being sensitive to the shift in current phase induced by the reactor load, and an alarm connected to and actuated by the phase shift detector which provides a warning when the phase shift induced by the reactive load is lost, indicative of a failure in the circuit.

Abstract: A multimode electronic circuit for driving bells or other electromagnetic devices. An important feature of this design is that it allows one circuit to function in a variety of modes: either in the vibrating mode or single stroke mode, both being operative with either an AC or DC source.

Abstract: A television broadcasting system uses an antenna diplexer to combine signals generated from visual and aural power amplifiers. The diplexer comprises first and second hybrids coupled together by transmission lines which have aural-frequency cavities for reflecting aural energy from an aural input port to an antenna output port of the second hybrid. In the event that the visual power amplifier fails, it is desirable to revert to multiplexed operation, in which the aural power amplifier amplifies a combined visual and aural signal. This mode of operation is accomplished by combining the low-level aural signal with the low-level visual signal, by putting the combined visual-with-aural multiplexed signal through the aural power amplifier, and by simultaneously shorting the transmission lines between the second hybrid and the aural cavities.