Abstract: Electronic focusing for television pick-up cameras and the like is effected by removing video synchronization information and discontinuities from the video signal, bandpass filtering the sync-free video signal below television cut-off frequency, producing a current therefrom and rectifying to charge capacitance which is integrated into a voltage, and periodically discharging the voltage to indicate a measure of average value of amplitude of signal which is maximized to focus the camera lens.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with a puzzle type game involving an equilateral triangle assembly of hexagonal-form sub-assemblies of side-by-side components, wherein adjacent sub-assemblies share two common components and are held together in assembly but adapted for rotation of each sub-assembly around its own center.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with a novel technique for automatically fitting the output response characteristic curve of a measurement sensor to that of an ideal or reference sensor through determination of output variations in response to the same input stimulus near one end or point of the curve, storing the differences for automatic correction of the measurement sensor output by effectively superimposing the curves at such end, determination of output variations at another end or point of the curve, and effectively relatively pivoting the measurement sensor output curve about the said one end to cause substantial superposition of the other end or point of the curve and the span therebetween, thereby to provide stored signals for automatically correcting the output response of the measurement sensor, when in subsequent measurement use, over the complete characteristic response curve between its ends or selected points.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with the application of reducing or oxidizing gases, for use in electrochemical cells and the like embodying catalytic electrodes or barriers, at edge regions of such electrodes or barriers external to the cell electrolyte and the portions of electrodes or barriers contacting the electrolyte.

Abstract: To increase performance levels of pressurized water pumps, a hydrostatic joint arrangement (pressure seal) permits a controlled flow to occur between two chambers containing the same fluid placed under different pressures. This arrangement includes a metal bearing (3) attached to a rotary movable shaft (4) and a float (5) which is capable of unrestricted axial movement, whereby minimum flow of fluid between the bearing and the float can produce sufficient force for gradually raising the float (5), while maintaining a pressure seal. The bottom portion (7) of the float (5) contains openings (8) which are connected to a source of pressurized fluid by means of intake ducts (9), thereby to provide fluid flow between the bearing and the float regardless of the pressure difference between the two chambers.

Abstract: A novel seal around conduits passed through walls of fluid-containing housings embodying a stretchable annular butyl-rubber-like sheet washer stretch-fitted upon the inner end of the conduit and conformed to the inner wall portion of the housing around the conduit and held there-against by the pressure of the fluid against the washer irrespective of the contour or irregularities or material of the inner wall surface.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with a linear antenna array mounted on a conductive longitudinal boom, as in a Yagi-type array or the like, having a plurality of assymmetrical transversely extending folded half dipoles and linear extensions thereof disposed at successive longitudinally spaced locations along the boom, with the folded half dipoles of successive antennas extending from opposite sides of said boom.

Abstract: The invention refers to cylindrical bearings for guiding a shaft, such as for pumps, with each bearing element comprising a centering ring made of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient higher than that of the material of the shaft (for example, polytetrafluoroethylene), arranged essentially coaxially to the shaft, with a play such that upon an appropriate process cooling step, the ring is hooped to the shaft, and at a moment that each bearing element is motionless and fixed.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with the automatic diagnosis of the failure of tri-state, two-state and other electrical or electronic devices or components connected to common bus nodes through the pulling of such nodes to high or low voltage state levels during the disabling of all devices connected to the common bus node(s) in order to determine if a failed device is interfering with the normal bus operation; and if so, to proceed automatically to compare parametric measurements of the failed common bus node(s) with purposefully failed selected devices, one by one, to locate the device interfering with the normal bus operation.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with the very shallow-water holding the live fish on flat trays in a dry oxygen-saturated atmosphere to obviate the requirement of large volumes of water, and special compartments, especially, though not only, in transport applications.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to self-raising ocean platforms which possess multiple legs and multiple jacking mechanisms of the double rack and pinion type with opposite sets of teeth. In accordance with the invention, each double rack 4 contains sets of obliquely cut teeth, with at least one rigid component constituting a lateral thrust-block 7 being situated between the platform structure 2 and each platform leg 1, in such a manner that this arrangement provides force, c, which tends to press one portion of the platform leg 1 against the thrust-block 7, thereby ensuring constant positioning of the pinion teeth 5 in relation to the set of teeth located upon the rack 4.

Abstract: The present invention concerns marine platforms designed for carrying out drilling operations at sea. More precisely, it concerns platforms equipped with a number of retractable pads, which, in the retracted position, allow the platform to be moved by flotation, and, in the support position on the sea bottom, allow the platform to be raised above the surface of the sea by means of elevator devices, consisting of at least a pair of pinions for each pad, these pinions engaging with racks provided for the purpose. According to the invention, the safety device includes, for each pinion-equipped pad (1), at least one pair of pinions (8-9) mounted on a support chassis (12) attached to the platform, together with a brake on each pinion axle (10-11) engaging the same side of the rack. The preferred manner of attaching the support chassis to the platform is by means of a joint mounted on an eccentric (14) which allows for horizontal displacement to compensate for lateral play using a cam, for example.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to reduce the total power consumed by a coupling for inducing a high-frequency alternating current in the rails of a railroad track for the purpose of transmitting information to trains traveling along the track.According to the invention, the coupling consists of two conductive coils made of a conductive strip attached to an insulating strip, the conductive strip being arrayed, in the portions of the coupling that are parallel to the rail, in a plane parallel to the sides of the central rib of the rail and on either side of it, the insulating strip separating the central rib of the rail from the conductive strip. The two coils are connected in such a way that the same current flows in the same direction through both.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with improved bottom-edge margin indicators for typewriter paper and the like using an optical sensor-monitor wherein spurious effects of the edge of the paper exiting from the bottom margin sensor region and pre-printed material thereon are obviated, and in which the sensor-monitor of the bottom edge of the paper is preferably carried by the platen shield itself in manner that is particularly advantageous for optical sensing of the paper, with the sensor maintained in extremely closed proximity to the paper irrespective of its thickness, and adapted for simple and ready adjustment, if desired, to vary the margin setting.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with problems of energy conservation and more effective utilization at desired critical times only in, for example, sonar-triggered underwater elapsed time strobe photography of objects or scenes or in applications having similar problems; accomplishing such and other ends by restricting optical and sonar monitoring to relatively low periodicity intervals until the desired object has come within range, whereupon the apparatus automatically changes mode to take rapid successive strobe photographs or other records supplemented by contemporaneous sonar recording.

Abstract: A robotic control system and technique is disclosed involving image sensing of an object to be subjected to robotic action, to obtain analog image signals that are converted into binary image signal matrices which, through the use of a mask algorithm image processor (MAIP), are analyzed, and selected signals thereof corresponding to predetermined portions of the object defining points of interest at which robotic action is to be effected are fed to a computer to control movement of a robotic arm, tool or the like to effect some physical action at said predetermined points of interest of the object, in real time.

Abstract: The present invention applies to those auto-elevating marine platforms, as for deep-sea drilling and the like, outfitted with a number of legs and a number of associated jacking mechanisms of the rack and pinion type set with the rack's teeth in opposition, wherein a flexible coupling (5), the axis of compression of which is inclined, is placed between the support-framework (2), where the pinions (3) are mounted, and the main structure (1) of the platform in such a way that a relative freedom of movement between the support-framework (2) and the structure (1) is permitted. The intention is that the axis of compression of the flexible coupling (5) passes substantially directly through the instantaneous center of rotation of the upper part of the leg.

Abstract: An improvement in apparatus for the secure transmission of information through rails in zones of propagation independent from the sections of the track block-section system embodying the use of series resonant circuits tuned to the information carrier frequency and connected between the rails at the end of a transmission zone and comprising two identical series resonant circuits disposed in parallel and each comprising a capacitor in series with the primary winding of a transformer, with the secondary windings of the two transformers being connected in series and in opposition, so that an oscillating signal appears at the terminals of the circuit thus formed in the case of failure of one of the resonant circuits.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with a process of and apparatus for producing relatively low energy electron beams through pulsed cold-cathode beam generation in a mode of operation involving an important intermediate region of a substantially linear depth-dose profile characteristic that reduces the sensitivity to possible voltage variations, and with improved triggering structures that significantly improve reliability and minimize erratic pulse generation and missing pulses, thus particularly adapting the process and apparatus for such stringent applications as production-line sterilization of surfaces, materials or workpieces passed by the apparatus.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with novel water-tight boxes for submergence in the sea, containing preferably fresh-water ice produced in another location and inserted into the box, with cooling means associated with the box that compensates for heat from the environment surrounding the box that would otherwise commence to melt the ice.