Abstract: Metal matrix composites are manufactured in a vacuum die casting machine. Solid aggregate material, at least 65 volume percent, is placed in a die, the die is evacuated and heated, and molten metal is driven by a piston to infiltrate the solid aggregate material where it subsequently solidifies to form a metal matrix composite.

Abstract: As the dielectric constant and the halfwave voltage of electro-optic crystals having a fourfold axis of rotary inversion are oppositely dependent on the absolute temperature, but their product is nearly independent of temperature, temperature compensation in an ac voltage measuring system utilizing such an electro-optic crystal is provided by measuring the time averaged current through the crystal. Good electric isolation is achieved by a current sensing circuit which produces a pulsed light signal having a pulse rate proportional to the time averaged current through the crystal. The pulsed light signal is converted to an electrical signal for input to a digital computer which calculates therefrom, and from a reference current and voltage measured at a reference temperature, and a time averaged voltage measurement, a temperature correction factor which is applied to the crystal halfwave voltage used by the computer in calculating the instantaneous value of the voltage to be measured.

Abstract: A vacuum die-casting machine has a bellows forming a sealed enclosure between the rear of the fill chamber and the piston rod. A vacuum is applied to the enclosure during evacuation of the die cavity and charging of the fill chamber with molten metal. As the piston moves forward, an inert gas at about atmospheric pressure is introduced into the enclosure and extends into the feed tube.

Abstract: In a master speed regulator system for a multi-stand rolling mill, a control system and method for switching a pivot stand via a bumpless transfer back and forth from the second stand to the last stand depending on the phases of the mill and while the mill is operating. A microprocessor is used for recalculating the master speed reference B1, the integral values for the master speed reference integral controller, and the outputs for the tension/automatic gauge integral controllers for the new pivot state based on conditions of the previous pivot state.

Abstract: An improved electric motor has a stator, and a hysteresis cylindrical ring formed of magnetic metallic material disposed within the stator cylindrical core with an annular air space between the hysteresis cylindrical ring and the stator core, and a rotor cylindrical sleeve formed of non-magnetic material relatively rotatably mounted within the hysteresis cylindrical ring on a suitable shaft. The improvement includes several interrelated elements. Firstly, the hysteresis cylindrical ring has four longitudinal, generally-rectangular slots spaced 90.degree. apart, and extending from an inner surface of the hysteresis cylindrical ring. Secondly, a permanent magnet is provided only in each of the slots. Thirdly, the rotor cylindrical sleeve has 4 longitudinally-extending, non-magnetically-retentive projections thereon, the projections being spaced 90.degree. apart. The rotor cylindrical sleeve thereby provides longitudinally-extending, annular air duct in each of the 4 sections.

Abstract: A linerless closure which provides an effective seal against oxygen penetration and moisture evaporation includes a cap with an inner annular member defining an annular outwardly directed sealing edge which forms a line seal with the inner cylindrical surface of a container wall and an outer annular member defining an annular inwardly directed sealing edge which seals against the outer cylindrical surface of a container wall.

Abstract: Coarticulated speech segment data are extracted from spoken carrier syllables and digitally compressed for storage using adaptive differential pulse code modulation (ADPCM). Beginning seed quantization and PCM values are generated for each coarticulated speech segment and stored together with the ADPCM encoded data in a coarticulated speech segment library. ADPCM encoded data are recovered from the coarticulated speech segment library and blown back using the initial quantization and PCM seed values to reconstruct and concatenate in real time the sequence of coarticulated speech segments required by a text to speech program to generate a desired high quality spoken message. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the coarticulated speech segments are diphones.

Abstract: A computer routing band switcher is controlled by icons on a display screen which are programmable to represent any one of a number of devices, which can have multiple inputs and outputs, connected to a cross-point switching matrix. Routing is implemented by selection through use of a touch screen or a mouse of an icon representing a desired source device followed by one or more icons representing desired destination devices. In response to inputs through use of the icons, the computer generates control signals for the switching matrix which, instead of cables, utilizes printed circuit boards with a high density pattern of input and output signal tracks separated by shielding tracks and selectively interconnected by a plurality of modular cross-point switching units arranged together with the output tracks in groups, with only one unit in each group connected to any one input track, but with all of the units in each group connected to all of the output tracks.

Abstract: A knee brace has a rigid posterior strut behind the knee joint in the popliteal area with terminal portions adjacent, but spaced from the lateral and medial sides of the knee. A prophylactic embodiment of the invention has a lateral inferior rigid support member pivoted on the lateral terminal portion of the strut and secured to the leg, and a medial superior rigid support member pivoted on the medial terminal portion of the strut and secured to the thigh. Stiff anterior, generally triangular, cuff members each have one edge secured to one of the rigid support members and an opposite vertex detachably, pivotally secured to the opposite terminal portion of the strut. A functional brace in accordance with the invention has both lateral and medial rigid support members pivoted on the terminal portions on the posterior strut, additional stiff anterior generally triangular cuffs criss-crossing above and below the knee join and stiff posterior cuffs between the pairs of rigid support members.

Abstract: A microprocessor based tie relay controls a tie circuit breaker between a main bus and a transfer bus to which any one of a number of feeder lines may be connected through a disconnect switch when the feeder circuit breaker associated with that feeder line is out of service. Settings for the protection characteristics of each of the feeder relays controlling the feeder circuit breakers are stored in non-volatile memory together with a default protection characteristic suitable for protecting any of the feeder lines. The appropriate protection characteristic for the feeder line connected to the transfer bus is selected for use by the tie relay in controlling the tie circuit breaker. This selection may be made manually by an operator, or preferably automatically by the microprocessor of the tie relay which monitors the states of the feeder circuit breakers and of the disconnect switches and selects the settings associated with the feeder line whose feeder circuit breaker is open and disconnect switch is closed.

Abstract: An actuator-cylinder valve connection mechanism has a bonnet nut with external threads and receives an outer valve stem, a valve body having an upper end with internal and external threads with the internal threads in engagement with the external threads of the bonnet nut, and either a jam nut or an actuator housing of the actuator having a downward extension with internal threds in engagement with the external threads of the upper end of the valve body. Clearances, apertures, and a direct contact of the jam nut or the actuator housing against the top surface of the upper end of the valve body cause any impact or inertial forces to be circumvented from the jam nut or the housing and into the valve body, thereby entirely bypassing the sealing mechanism which is comprised of the bonnet nut.

Abstract: A dispensing fitment is temporarily retained in a conventional screw cap for application to a container as an assembly by axial ribs extending radially outward from the cylindrical sidewall of the fitment to engage the cap threads, and by thin planar fins extending radially outward from the base of each rib parallel to the end wall of the fitment and into the cap thread. An internal bead on the fitment snaps over an external groove in the container neck to secure the fitment to the container so that the fitment remains affixed to the container when the cap is removed for dispensing product from the container through a dispensing opening in the fitment end wall.

Abstract: Flaws in an electrically conductive sample object are detected by cancelling the magnetic field generated by a detection current passed through the sample object by passing the current back through an unflawed field cancelling object placed next to the sample object, and measuring the uncancelled field produced by any flaw, preferably with a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Elongated objects such as tubes and rods are fed through a sleeve which forms the field cancelling object, with the current applied to the elongated member and passed to the field cancelling sleeve through sliding contacts.

Abstract: A tamper evident closure integrally molded in a straight draw mold without slides or cams has a cap skirt, a tamper band radially spaced from the free end of the skirt and extending radially outward, and an anchoring member, spaced radially outward of the tamper band. The tamper band is connected to both the cap skirt and the anchoring member by tearable connections in the form of scored membranes, or preferably, discrete circumferentially spaced radially extending frangible bridges. The tamper band has a circumferentially extending gap and an integral pull tab extending radially outward from one end through a gap in the anchoring member.

Abstract: A tamper evident overcap has a tear band which is offset radially from both a ring member sonically welded to a container shoulder and a cap, by generally radially extending frangible bridges. The bridges are severed by applying force to a pull tab extending radially and axially from the tear band in alignment with a gap in the ring member so that there are no undercut faces on the overcap which can consequently be molded in a straight draw mold without cams or slides.

Abstract: A resealable container enclosure includes a fitment with an annular body which snap fits over the mouth of a container, a resilient frusto-conical wall integrally molded with the annular body in a convex configuration to extend outward from the container, and a spout extending outward from frusto-conical wall. The enclosure includes a cap which, as it is screwed onto the container, engages the spout and deforms the resilient frusto-conical wall into the concave configuration producing bending moments which cause the spout to pop-up as the resilient frusto-conical spout returns to the convex configuration upon removal of the cap. A plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs extending axially and radially along the inner surface of the resilient frusto-conical stiffen the frusto-conical wall in the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Abstract: A dispensing fitment has a perforated end wall with a peripheral edge which wedges against a tapered portion of a container opening, and a cylindrical skirt terminating in tabs which extend through a minimum diameter of the container opening and flare radially outward to engage the opening below the minimum diameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly analyzing ac waveforms containing dc offset by generating digitized samples of the waveform to be analyzed with alternate samples separated by ninety electrical degrees. Alternate samples are paired for calculation of the magnitude and phase of the waveform. A suitable microcomputer performs a calculation using pairs of the most recently generated samples. Using the pairs of samples, the microcomputer calculates the dc offset, and the peak magnitude of the waveform which may be voltage or current. The phase angle of the waveform can also be calculated if required. The method and apparatus are particularly useful with protective systems where the calculation is necessary to determine whether there is a fault on an electric power transmission line. In addition, the effects of dc offset are eliminated and thereby false trips are avoided. A reliable system having a fast response time at relatively modest cost is provided.

Abstract: A voltage measuring system utilizes an electro-optic voltage transducer (EOVT) in which two beams of polarized light injected into one end of an electro-optic crystal parallel to its fourfold axis of rotary inversion are reflected back through the crystal by a prism so that the optical inputs and outputs, including polarizers, collimators, optic fibers, and fractional wave plates where required, are all located at one end of the crystal, which is preferably connected to the low side of the voltage to be measured. The EOVT is supported substantially only at the end with the optical inputs and outputs, with the free end on which the prism is mounted being substantially unsupported. In one embodiment of the invention, a triangular prism is used to reflect the polarized light back through the prism, in another a pyramid prism is utilized.

Abstract: Pickup coils for imaging magnetometers are formed from plural turns of a conductor with varying spacing between turns selected so that the Fourier transform of the coil turns function which is the filter function of the coil, has no zeroes within the spatial frequency bandwidth of the magnetic field generated by a two or three dimensional current to be imaged. Various exemplary coil configurations are presented including a Gaussian distribution for the turns of a planar coil.