Abstract: An improved material particularly suited for the thermal insulation of building structures, such as residential housing, and a process for making the same, are disclosed. The thermally insulating composite comprises a low-density, cellular, fiber-containing, cementitious material and at least one structural surface element made of the cellular, fiber-containing, cementitious material, the structural surface element of which has a higher density than the low-density, cellular, fiber-containing, cementitious material from which it is formed therefrom and integral therewith. The thermally insulating composite is made by placing a foam of the low-density, cementitious material having entrapped gas therein, in an enclosure at least part of which is permeable to the gas and the liquid medium of the foam, and applying pressure to a surface of that enclosure to remove the gas and the liquid medium at the permeable enclosure.

Abstract: The circuitry and structure of a levitated ball inclinometer are disclosed. A ferromagnetic ball is centerized between pairs of electromagnets by electromagnetic forces of magnitudes sufficient to offset the gravitational forces imposed on the ball. The electric currents required are therefore proportional to the forces and can be used as measurements to determine inclination.

Abstract: A novel composite explosive comprised of conventional explosive material and a mixture of boron and at least one other metal is disclosed. The other metal must be capable of exothermically reacting with boron to produce intermetallic compound and an energy release of at least about 1.0 kcal/gm. In a preferred embodiment of the composite explosive, pellets of a stoichiometric mixture of boron and titanium are mixed with cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX). By mixing the boron and at least one other metal which forms an intermetallic compound with boron in an exothermic reaction wherein the heat energy release is at least about 1.0 kcal/gm and adding a conventional explosive material to the mixture, there is an improved method of forming a mass of hot or molten particles in an environment when the conventional explosive is detonated.

Abstract: An improved material particularly suited for the thermal insulation of building structures such as residential housing. The material comprises an inorganic, low-density cellular thermally insulating foam comprising a gypsum matrix having minute cavities homogeneously distributed therein. The material has a dry density of less than about 6 pounds per cubic foot and a thermal coefficient of less than about 0.37. The gypsum matrix includes therein approximately 1 to 15% by weight of cement, approximately 0.5 to 7% by weight of mineral wool and at least approximately 0.25% by weight of chopped glass.

Abstract: Multiple electrical connections between circuits in axially displaced housings are made by mounting the connectors so that they are at right angles to the axis of the housings.

Abstract: Pressure measurements of drilling mud inside the drill string and outside by transducers mounted in an instrumentation sub near the drill bit provide rapid notice of the instrusion of fluids or solids into the borehole and also permit appropriate adjusting of the mud pumping pressure.

Abstract: A diagonal type MHD generator channel frame element, having a polygonal configuration which is preferably rectangular, is formed from two different pairs of pre-formed hollow bars, one of the pairs serving as the electrode members, while the other pair serves as the electrode-interconnecting diagonal members. The electrode members have cross-sectional profiles corresponding to that of a parallelogram while the diagonal members have rectangular cross-sectional profiles. Pre-formed coolant passages are defined within the members in an entirely enclosed manner, and the cross-sectional profiles of the passages correspond to those of the members within which the passages are defined.

Abstract: Fiber reinforced ceramics are produced without pressing or sintering by treating the fibrous reinforcement with an aqueous slurry comprising an alkali silicate and a ceramic powder and thereafter drying.

Abstract: A method of coding to provide command signals simultaneously to selected devices is disclosed. Each device is assigned a different power of the same integer. Commands are then signaled to the desired devices by sending a series of pulses, the total of which is the sum of the integer raised to the power of each the devices to be commanded. Thus if devices having powers of 0 and 3 are to be commanded, and the integer is 2, 9 pulses would be sent. (2.degree.=1, 2.sup.3 =8, 1+8=9). Each different total will signal a unique device or a unique combination of devices.

Abstract: In lieu of passing all air to be conditioned over an evaporator coil which is cold enough to cause a substantial amount of water vapor to condense; only a portion of the air is cooled to this extent. The remaining air is cooled to a higher temperature (at which negligible water vapor condenses). The total work to recompress the vaporized refrigerant is thereby reduced.

Abstract: Improved wicks for recirculating condensed vapor back to the discharge zone of a metal vapor laser are disclosed. The wicks are generally tabular in configuration and may be formed of sintered metal or of a metal substrate with a porous plasma sprayed layer thereon. Compatible wick metals are taught for use with different active vaporized metals.

Abstract: There is disclosed the manner in which a reflector for a solar energy collector is designed. The absorber is a right circular cylinder and is contained in an evacuated glass shroud. The glass shroud prevents the use of the reflector design technique of the prior art, and instead calculations are performed as if an absorber having a smaller diameter were to be used.

Abstract: An electric signal representative of the rate of insolation is integrated to determine if it is adequate for operation of a solar energy collection system.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing data whereby a digital control signal is generated for effecting the presentation of a selected portion of a map image on a raster display. The data includes stored data words describing characteristics of line segments utilizable to construct the image. The line segments include line vectors representative of elongated features of the image and boundary vectors identifying boundaries between image areas of different brightness. Processing of the data is accomplished by means of two control loops. The first control loop performs selected macrosteps including arithmetic manipulations, on the data words to effect generation of the digital control signal. The second control loop effects selection of the macrosteps to be performed by the first loop and routes the data words within the generator in response to the instant data being processed by the generator.

Abstract: In communication system comprising plurality of earth stations tied together by relay (e.g. satellite-borne) in which status of individual subscriber line interface units must be continually reported to central control unit, only status changed since previous interrogation cycle is reported, with unchanged units being skipped over. When control is via satellite-borne relay, control unit sends interrogation commands to different stations at such time intervals that the report from one station arrives just as that from another station ends. For long transit times, this may result in all interrogation signals being transmitted before the first report in the sequence is received.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for detecting and measuring vibrations of a selected portion of a drill string in a bore hole. The vibrations are detected by a transducer which produces an electrical signal representative of the vibrations. The signal is applied to a band-pass filter which produces an output signal representative of vibrations occurring at frequencies within the pass band of the filter. The pass band is repetitively stepped through a predetermined frequency range under the control of digital circuitry.

Abstract: A single pair of conductors in a drill cable in a borehole is used not only to transmit power into the hole, but to transmit control commands into the hole, and to communicate sensor data back up to the surface. A frequency for power and communication of 1 kHz is employed; but this is frequency modulated by deviation of about 5 percent to transmit commands down-hole. A different non-interfering phase modulation is used to send data back to the surface by causing a susceptance (preferably capacitive) to be connected across the supply cable to signify a binary pulse. The alteration in phase between current into the cable and potential across it is observed at the surface and the pulses so detected are processed by conventional data processing techniques.

Abstract: A double-walled well casing for use in containing a fluid which is hotter than the ambient. The cavity between the double walls may contain insulation. Seals which maintain the inner and outer pipes in concentric relationship are designed to relieve the axial compressive stress on the inner pipe (resulting from thermal expansion relative to the outer pipe) by being stressed beyond their yield points.

Abstract: An evacuated, double-walled, tubular housing contains a sheet metal fin which is biased against the inner tube. A metal tube carrying the fluid to be heated is placed in heat transfer relationship with the fin. A plurality of collectors can be placed in an array with the fluid carrying tubes the only connection.

Abstract: Ceramic electrode is brazed to compliant support, a plurality of curved metal strips mounted on edge, opposite edges being brazed to cooling block. Compliance permits expansion and distortion of electrode when heated without development of stress damaging to brazed joints or to electrode.