Abstract: A noise barrier wall having a transition area in the region of at least one unbounded edge and which employs controlled diffraction of sound to enhance the sound reducing properties thereacross. The transition area of the noise barrier is provided with either a row of absorptive shaped splitter panels, or a row of pickets, or other means of controlled transparency which provide acoustical shadowing equal to or greater than that of a solid wall for the frequency regions of interest.

Abstract: A carburetor having means for utilizing the pressurized lubricating oil which has been heated by the engine, to heat the idle mixture adjusting needle valve area and the main fuel jet nozzle area. Divided oil passages are provided within the carburetor structure for circulating the heated oil from the engine to the ice-susceptible areas before returning it to the engine's lubricating system for reheating. Flow adjustment means are provided for regulating the flow through the divided passages.

Abstract: A self-powered fiber optic interconnect system in which electrical output from data transmitting equipment is converted in a transmitter unit to optical signals in a fiber optic cable for transmission to a receiver unit for reconversion to electrical signals for data receiving equipment and a power source separate from the transmitting and receiving equipment so that the interconnect system can be completely interchangeable with an electrical copper wire interconnect system. When the data transmitting equipment is a computer with parallel data output, the transmitter unit converts the parallel output to serial data output for transmission to the receiver unit over a single fiber optic cable and the receiver unit reconverts the output to parallel data for the data receiving equipment.

Abstract: A wickless heat pipe assembly comprising a pair of conduits each having a vaporization region at one end and a condensing region at the other. The vaporization regions are configured to prevent the heat-transferring fluid, while in liquid form, from flowing downwardly into their respective conduits. A pair of liquid return passages connect each condensing region with the vaporization region of the opposite conduit through a check valve. Cyclically alternating changes in pressure in the two conduits are produced by alternately applying heat to the two vaporization regions. The pressure differentials cause any liquid collected at the condensing region to be returned to the vaporization region. This positive pumping action of the heat transfer fluid permits the heat pipe assembly to operate in almost any attitude and is particularly suitable for the downward transfer of heat.

Abstract: Apparatus for converting ocean surface wave energy into useful rotational kinetic energy. A refractive horn and ramp provides reflectionless impedance transformation of ocean surface wave energy at the input to the system. Wave energy, in the form of breakers, which are massive pulses of essentially pure kinetic energy, from the output of the horn/ramp are then smoothed and transformed directly to mechanical rotation. Smoothing is accomplished by the inertial properties of a "liquid flywheel". The rotational kinetic energy may be extracted by means of a turbine to provide useful work. Discharged water is returned to the ambient ocean through a low terminal velocity diffuser. The entire structure may be located offshore and the discharged fluids may be used for auxiliary purposes.

Abstract: An antistatic liquid, and method of use thereof, comprising an ionizable electroconductive polymer, an alcohol and a suitable solvent, for suppressing electrostatic charges which might otherwise develop in certain procedures relating to the manipulation and transport of microspheres, microbeads, or other microscopic particles, as well as the suppression of the reformation of polymers which might otherwise interfere with such procedures.

Abstract: Control circuit system wherein low level signals are delivered through small (miniature) gauge control conductors to remote control circuit breakers to control connection of load devices to load bus through use of solid state circuitry. Such control may be used between the flight station of an aircraft and the various load centers remote therefrom, in an automobile or in an industrial or utility system. The circuitry is also responsive to faults in the load circuits, and current limiting warning lights (CLWL's) located in the power supply of the control conductors may limit current and indicate the status of faults in the control and/or remote power circuits. A large number of CLWL's for the different circuits may be arranged in a matrix at a control station and means with corresponding load identifying indicia are provided to facilitate changes and correlation of lighted CLWL's with respect to the controlled load switching device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for heating and storing a fluid contain the fluid in a heat insulated space and prepare by heating of a heat transfer medium in a first region located at a distance from that space a vapor having a certain pressure and being condensable through transfer of heat to the contained fluid. A second region of a pressure lower than the mentioned vapor pressure is provided by heat transfer to the contained fluid in the mentioned space. The vapor is passed to the lower pressure second region into heat transfer relationship with, but physically separate from, the mentioned fluid and is converted by heat transfer to said fluid to a condensate in that lower pressure second region whereby the fluid is heated. The condensate is maintained physically separate from the fluid and is recycled from the second region to the first region.

Abstract: A test probe apparatus having a housing movable into engagement with a printed circuit device connected to a circuit board with a plurality of electrical contact members extending at various angles to the circuit board, and a plurality of contact probes mounted by said housing for engaging each of said contact members with a constant force insufficient to damage their connection to the circuit device, and a mounting device for holding the housing in engagement with the circuit device while attached to the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A broadband sound attenuating, acoustically lined, duct of varying cross-sectional shape but in the usual case having a constant cross-sectional area, and wherein the duct liner is configured to maintain an essentially constant acoustic resistance and scaled acoustic reactance throughout provided by means of changes in the effective depth of the liner. Design tradeoffs permit some variation in the cross-sectional area of the duct with concomitant changes in liner properties. In all cases, the duct is designed so that every section along its major axis is optimally tuned to absorb most efficiently some part of the frequency spectrum of interest. The device is particularly suitable for sound suppression of jet aircraft engines.

Abstract: Power controllers comprising solid state elements responsive to control signals of low power from a remote control location selectively close and open relatively high power circuits to load devices, and including logic circuitry for opening selectively closed power circuits upon occurrence of overloads therein. The controllers also act upon their failure to respond to commands to open or close the power circuit by blowing a protective fuse in the former case and signaling in the latter. The controllers may employ power darlington switches for closing and opening the power circuits. All or most of the logic circuitry may function in providing the control and the overload or mode failure response for two or more load devices.

Abstract: An infrared acquisition device is described which surveys a relatively large field of view in which an emissive target is likely to appear. An optical system focuses an image of the target onto a mosaic of separate detectors arranged in concentric fields and so arranged that the appearance of the target image on the outer or peripheral field will reposition the optical system so as to move the image onto the inner or central field. Chopper means are provided for modulating the signal for processing into servo control signals and also for discriminating against background radiation.

Abstract: Low level control circuitry for controlling a plurality of spaced electrical load devices in an airplane is provided with parallel logic operable to provide for simultaneous manual or condition-responsive dropping of a preselected plurality of said load devices that are considered low priority. Program cards which may be in the form of printed circuit diode boards or separate programmable wiring matrices permit programming to preselect different combinations of load devices for low-priority treatment in response to different levels of emergency and or other logic signals.

Abstract: A status indicating and current limiting circuit includes a pair of lamp filaments connected in parallel to provide a high reliability for status indication of a monitored switch. The circuit indicates the status of the lamps as well as the open or closed status of the switch. In one embodiment, the pair of lamp filaments are serially connected in parallel between a source of current and the switch so that both the lamp filaments emit bright light when the switch is closed. The lamps are also connected to ground potential through a resistive element to maintain current flow through the lamp filaments when the switch is open, the current being at a level just below the current flow necessary to dimly light the filaments. In the event of a failure of one of the filaments, the other filament will begin to emit a dim but visible light even though the monitored switch is open indicating the failure of the one lamp filament.

Abstract: A current limiting and fault indicating circuit for connection between a load and a source of electrical current including a pair of tungsten lamp filaments connected in parallel. The lamp filaments are chosen so that the current drawn by the load during the normal operation of the load produces only a small voltage drop. In the event of an overload or a short circuit, however, the increased current flow through the lamp filaments will heat the filaments to incandescence and the non-linear increase in impedence will absorb the source voltage and indicate the circuit to malfunction by the emission of bright light. The current flowing as a result of the fault will be limited to the rated current of the lamps.

Abstract: A navigation method and system suitable for highly accurate all-weather navigation of vehicles such as ships and aircraft. An initial position of the vehicle relative to a plurality of known points each located at predetermined geographic positions is first determined. The distance or range of the initial position from each of the plurality of known points is determined and when the vehicle moves to a second and unknown position, the difference between the propagation time of electromagnetic wave energy transmitted from each of the plurality of known points at the initial and second positions is determined to thereby determine an incremental change in the distance to the second position from each of the plurality of known points.

Abstract: A one-piece molded grommet for routing a cable inserted therethrough and to protect the cable from bending, cutting and foot traffic. A cavernous tab or foot in the form of a split sleeve portion disposed in a first plane is attached to a vertically oriented barrel portion through which an inserted cable is elevated from the cavity of the tab to a second plane generally parallel to the first. A flange member or pad is attached to the barrel portion at the second plane and includes a bore at an angle to the cable's introduction to the cavernous tab. A vertically oriented slit is provided in the barrel and the flange member to facilitate installation and removal of the cable to the grommet. The slit is off-center relative to the bore in order to provide a saddle of protective material for the cable therein should pressure be applied to the top of the grommet.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for measuring the impedance of oscillatory systems, or elements of such systems, which exhibit nonlinear behavior at high excitation amplitudes. Excitation of the element being tested, which element may be either acoustical, electrical, or mechanical, is in the form of a combination of a high-intensity biasing signal having a broadband spectrum, and a low-intensity pure sinusoidal tracer signal. The tracer signal is retrieved at an appropriate measuring point in the test system by means of highly-selective filtering. Although the broadband signal comprises the real or basic test signal input to the test element, the retrieved tracer signal is substituted therefor for the purpose of deriving the element's impedance through the use of conventional impedance algorithms. Algorithm solutions thus provided correspond to the response of the element to the entire spectrum of the broadband excitation.

Abstract: An improved cooling system wherein printed circuit cards are made into modules of two cards each with an enclosed space between them inside the module. The modules cooperate with a rack which carries air passages, and upon connection of the module into the rack, air flows from one side of the rack through the module space, thus cooling the cards from their rear surfaces, thence out of the module, and returned via the other side of the rack.

Abstract: An improved system of pitch control for aircraft having a "flying tail"; i.e., a movable horizontal stabilizer with at least one movable elevator thereon. The human or automatic pilot input commands operate the elevators, and then the elevator response is used as part of the command to operate the stabilizer.