Abstract: A combination interior illumination and reading light assembly for a vehicle. The assembly comprises a lamp housing 1, a lamp 5 disposed within the housing, a reflector 3associated with the lamp 5 and a diffuser lens screen 7 for providing diffuse illumination to the vehicle interior. A movable lens element 10 is associated with the reflector 3 and has a focusing lens 9 which serves to provide a directed reading light beam. The lens element 10 also transmits light through its sidewalls to illuminate the diffuser lens screen 7. The lens element 10 is received in a ball-type socket defined by a circular aperture in the diffuser screen 7 and is rotatable relative to the screen 7 in the manner of a captive ball to enable the direction of the reading light beam to be varied at will.

Abstract: A unit fuel injector combines an injection nozzle, a fuel pumping unit, and a solenoid valve with a mechanism for precise adjustment of the air gap size in the solenoid. Activation of the solenoid and closing of the spill port in the solenoid valve results in fuel injection from the injection nozzle. Controlling the duration and timing of the solenoid voltage pulse controls the quantity of fuel injected and injection timing, while an adjustment of the size of the solenoid air gap permits fine adjustment of the quantity of fuel injected at a given voltage pulse duration. Adjustment of the air gap size in the solenoid for the unit fuel injector uses a differential thread arrangement. Relative rotation takes place between two pairs of threads so that the accuracy of adjustment is determined by the difference between the pitches of the two pairs of threads.

Abstract: A tape deck, which incorporates a non-contacting take-up reel rotation sensing means and associated sensing circuit for enabling the capstan and take-up reel drive mechanism, includes a magnet which only rotates with the take-up reel when it is driven in the take-up direction. If the take-up reel changes direction, due to tape windup on the capstan, the magnet stops and the sensing circuit disables the drive mechanism to prevent excessive tape windup on the capstan.

Abstract: An adjustable liquid thermal compensator mechanism which provides both an actuation end attached to an expandible volume portion of a liquid chamber and a manually controlled adjustable volume portion that is used to calibrate the stroke of the compensator by allowing the addition or release of fluid from the chamber. A supply reservoir is interconnected to the compensation chamber through a valve which provides the increased or decreased amount of fluid during chamber adjustment.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ignition system in which a parameter of the charge in a cylinder prior to ignition is measured in order to predict the burning characteristics of that charge and the timing of the spark for igniting that charge in the same cycle is varied in dependence upon the measured parameter in such a sense as to reduce cycle to cycle variations in the engine output torque. A hot film anemometer integrated into the spark plug provides a measurement of the charge velocity, this being one parameter which can predict the burning rate of the charge.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring and controlling potential residual stress relief mechanisms in composite epoxy resin materials. Passive and injected, or active, acoustic signals originating in or propagated through a specimen material during the formation process produce signatures identifiable with known residual stress relief mechanisms. Real-time control of material temperature and external pressure during formation in response to acoustic signals measured or observed in relation to desired acoustic signature minimizes formation of undesired material properties.

Abstract: A distributorless ignition system of an internal combustion engine has a supplementary spark energy module to increase spark energy. Two ignition coils each have secondary coils with split secondary center taps. Each of the primary windings is coupled to its own ignition module. The supplementary spark energy module is coupled to each of the split secondary center taps. A pair of spark plugs is coupled to one of the secondary windings and another pair of spark plugs is coupled to the other secondary winding.

Abstract: An electronic amplifier control switch for controlled operation of a power amplifier connected to the output of an audio signal generating device and having an associated electronic equalizer/attentuator switching circuit that is switchable between its two modes by a manually settable switch.

Abstract: A ceramic resonator element having high Q, high dielectric constant, and a low temperature coefficient of resonant frequency is enclosed within a cavity to form a composite microwave resonator having reduced dimensions and weight as compared to a simple cavity resonator. A pair of tuning screws extend into the cavity along orthogonal axes to tune the structure to resonance along these axes at frequencies near the fundamental resonance of the ceramic element. Several such cavities can be formed in a short length of waveguide by the use of transverse partitions at spaced intervals and coupling between cavities can be accomplished by using simple slot, cross or circular irises. In each cavity, a mode-perturbing screw is positioned along an axis 45.degree. from each of the orthogonal tuning screws, such that resonance along either of the orthogonal axes is coupled to excite resonance also along the other.

Abstract: A planar oxygen pumping device (10) has a first and second oxygen ion conductive solid electrolyte material layer (12, 18). A first electrode (16) is between, and in contact with, the first electrolyte material layers and the second electrolyte material layer. A second electrode (14) is on the first electrolyte material layer. A third electrode (20) is on the second electrolyte material layer. At least one of the first and second electrolyte layers has a porosity sufficient to establish at the first electrode (16) an oxygen concentration dependent upon the ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: Method for growing HgCdTe (15) upon a CdTe substrate (5) using a HgTe source (3) and close-spaced vapor phase epitaxy (CSVPE). A processing temperature T of between 520.degree. C. and 625.degree. C. is employed over a processing time t of between approximately 1/4 and 4 hours. The thickness A of the grown HgCdTe (15) is a linear function of processing time t. The mole fraction x of cadmium in the HgCdTe (15) is a linear function of temperature T and an exponential function of the mole fraction y of mercury in the source (3). The lower the relative amount of mercury in the source (3), the greater the relative amount of mercury in the end product (15), and vice versa. Any crystal plane and any axial orientation of the CdTe substrate (5) can be used without affecting the rate of growth of the HgCdTe (15), the single crystal nature of the HgCdTe (15), or the mirror-like finish of its surface.

Abstract: A coupling assembly for joining a guidance module housing to a bulkhead of a guided missile. The coupling assembly includes a plurality of levers extending through slots in the housing and bulkhead of the guided missile with a plurality of threaded fasteners extending through the levers and engaging a plate member integral with the housing. The threaded fastener is torqued to impart a pivoting motion to the lever about a fulcrum integral with the plate such that axial directed forces are transferred from the outer periphery of the lever to the housing which is forced to abut the bulkhead.

Abstract: Disclosed is a seal which provides effective hermetic sealing of insulated metallic feedthroughs in metallic containers. The device has particular applicability in the fabrication of pressurized metal/gas battery cells such as those used in spacecraft. A conductive terminus protrudes through a metallic vessel which may be pressurized. It is desired to maintain electrical separation between the terminus and the wall of the vessel by means of a dielectric, which is compressed between the terminus and a metallic boss to provide a hermetic seal. The compressive force is applied radially outwardly by means of drawing a nondeformable pin through a hollow cylindrical barrel constituting the terminus, thereby slightly deforming the barrel and grossly deforming the dielectric. The pin may be either pulled out of the barrel from within the vessel or pushed into the barrel from outside the vessel, but in each case force is applied radially outwardly in a gradual, relatively frictionless fashion.

Abstract: A coaxial cable coupler that provides a low impedance through conductor for a passive coaxial transmission cable and a high impedance tap to periodic transmission means and receiver means. The tap connection is a removable connection that is formed by a resilient electrical conductor compressed between exposed portions of the main transmission through conductor and an exposed tap conductor interconnecting the high impedance networks of the transmission means and the receiver means.

Abstract: At least two oscillators (20) are power combined using planar transmission lines, e.g., microstrip, stripline, or suspended substrate. A portion (42) of each oscillator (20) is preferably implemented in suspended substrate while an impedance matching portion (24) is preferably implemented in microstrip. Each oscillator (20) comprises a two-terminal negative-resistance active device power source (22) such as a negative resistance diode. The sources (22) are all operated in phase in the even mode. Stabilizing resistors (8) connect adjacent oscillators (20) to keep the sources (22) in phase. A diplexer (29, 33) within each oscillator (20) isolates the RF output (and RF input when injection locking is employed) from the individual DC biases used for sources (22), controls out-of-band impedances, and isolates oscillators (20) from each other. The outputs of the oscillators (20) are summed at a common junction (12) via planar transmission line spokes (10) having equal lengths.

Abstract: A distributorless ignition system of an internal combustion engine has a supplementary spark energy module to increase spark energy. Two ignition coils each have secondary coils with split secondary center taps. Each of the primary windings is coupled to its own ignition module. The supplementary spark energy module is coupled to each of the split secondary center taps. A pair of spark plugs is coupled to one of the secondary windings and another pair of spark plugs is coupled to the other secondary winding.

Abstract: In a housing for a high energy laser, an aperture is formed to allow projection of the beam from the laser. A transparent membrane is attached over the aperture in order to prevent contaminants from entering the housing and provide a low cost, low distortion window to the projected beam.

Abstract: This circuit measures both the resistance and the capacitance of the parallel RC circuit that is the equivalent of any substantially non-inductive two-port device. Thus, the circuit can measure any resistance, capacitance, RC network, or diode, including photovoltaic diodes. The invention uses an operational amplifier, an audio A.C. oscillator and a voltage measuring device such as a digital RMS voltmeter. The resulting apparatus is small, inexpensive, accurate, and easy to operate. The resistance is measured with the audio oscillator set for a low frequency (such as 70 Hz); the capacitance is measured when the audio oscillator is set at a high frequency (such as 20 KHz). The resultant values can either be calculated using simple formulas or can be displayed directly using an analog or digital circuit.

Abstract: The rate of change of throttle position in an internal combustion engine is used to stabilize throttle response when controlling the throttle to a desired position in response to a fuel demand. A constant voltage is generated which controls the throttle position to achieve a direct level of manifold absolute pressure. The constant voltage is equal to the difference between a command voltage representing a desired manifold absolute pressure and a feedback voltage which is the sum of a first product of a first constant and a voltage representing actual manifold absolute pressure and of a second product of a second constant and a voltage representing throttle velocity.

Abstract: This specification discloses an engine control apparatus to limit engine speed. Various sensors can be used to generate electrical signals which are processed by logic means to generate a signal to limit engine speed. There is thus provided an additional safeguard against uncontrolled vehicle acceleration. Typical sensed operating conditions used to determine the need for an output limiting engine speed include engine speed, vehicle speed, throttle angle position, engine load and a brake sensor.