Abstract: Solar energy (called energy to the extent it is thermodynamically useful) is focussed by an inflated, buoyant reflector for heating lithium circulating through an MHD conversion system. Hydrogen and nitrogen are added to the heated lithium, finely divided iron serving as catalyst to obtain lithium amid. The hydrogen has been produced by electrolysis of water. The lithium-lithium amid mixture (liquid) is mixed with pressurized nitrogen to obtain a two phase flow in which the liquid is accelerated; focussed into a jet passing through the MHD converter to obtain hydrazine and additional electrical energy e.g. for the hydrogen electrolysis; and returned to the solar heater. The gas (N.sub.2) is separated; subjected to recuperative heat exchange with itself; and low temperature isothermic compression under direct contact with a liquid which in turn is, ultimately, air cooled. The entire assembly is of elongated construction wherein the main active elements are arranged along a center axis e.g.

Abstract: A burner having a burner body in which combustion air is injected in an air flow pattern which establishes a relatively stagnant air region positioned within the flow of combustion air. A pilot flame injector is positioned to generate a pilot flame extending into the stagnant air region. The pilot flame can, thus, be maintained during the operation of the burner because the stable air conditions within the stagnant air region minimize disruption of the pilot flame by the flow of combustion air.A method for maintaining a uniform pilot flame within a burner operating over a range of combustion air flow rates by introducing combustion air into the burner and providing the combustion air with a flow configuration that establishes a stagnant air zone within the burner that is relatively independent of the flow rate of the combustion air. The pilot flame is then positioned within the stagnant air zone.An injector for feeding finely divided fuel to a burner.

Abstract: A noise-suppressing circuit suitable for insertion between a receiving antenna and an RF receiver to suppress noise in the RF signal received by the receiving antenna includes a bandpass filter circuit connected to receive as an input the RF signal received by the antenna, and connected in series to a blanking circuit which employs a JFET to remove from the filtered RF signal the unwanted noise spikes. The bandpass filter attenuates the components of the RF signal that have frequencies outside of the passband, and after the blanking circuit has removed the noise spikes, it passes the remainder of the filtered RF signal to the RF receiver. In a preferred embodiment, the bandpass filter circuit includes a parallel resonant circuit, and the blanking circuit includes a series resonant circuit connected between the drain and the gate of JFET of the blanking circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus combining a flush toilet including a toilet bowl and water supply tank and a device for preventing the flow of water into and out of the supply tank. The supply tank includes a ball float and an outlet water control plunger which is located adjacent to a vertically extending pipe mounted at the base of the tank. A tubular sleeve is installed over the pipe and includes thereon an outer sleeve and a control arm that is pivotedly attached to the tubular sleeve and positioned below and generally opposite to the ball float. A plunger is mounted onto and extending out from the tubular sleeve and is positioned above and generally opposite to the water control plunger. A triggering device is provided to activate the control arm and the plunger to contact the ball float and water control plunger to stop the flow of water into and out of the supply tank.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing alpha-numeric characters for plotting an incoming signal at rates on the order of one page every seven seconds for rapidly verifying that the system producing the incoming signal is operating properly. Both printing and plotting are done by styli mounted on a moving carriage and individually electrified to produce marks on a specially prepared paper. The styli are moved back and forth across the paper, marking in both directions. The carriage is not stepped across the page, but instead is moved smoothly from one side to the other side under control of a velocity servo. A controller generates and applies velocity command inputs to the servo, based on the position of the carriage as sensed by an optical encoder, and based on certain characteristics of the incoming signal. A first buffer memory accumulates the incoming signal until a line has been stored for plotting, while a second buffer memory is applying its accumulated contents to the printhead.

Abstract: A portable, lightweight, free-standing tub accessory for use in conventional shower stalls has a generally planar bottom wall and a vertical side wall enclosure extending therefrom to define a container open at the upper end. A panel of the vertical side wall has a cylindrical form and is slidable to provide entry and exit from the container. A drain opening is formed in the bottom and includes means designed to be actuated by the foot of an occupant by sense of feel only, and an adjustable seat may be provided within the tub.

Abstract: A transducer for launching ultrasonic test signals is stimulated by an electrical signal which is of trapezoidal contour. Particularly the trailing edge of the signal is to decline at a rate similar at least as to order of magnitude to the rise time, and occurring in synchronism with a natural zero crossing of the vibration of the transducer to fully develop at least one full ultrasonic oscillation.

Abstract: The tool includes a mandrel on which is seated and axially held an exchangeable milling cutter, coupled to the mandrel by a clutch drive ring for shell end mill arbors, for transmitting the torque during the milling procedure. In addition, a stop element is mounted on the mandrel, held against an axial displacement, but permitting relative rotation of the mandrel for operating the cutter, whereby particularly a thrust bearing is used between the mandrel and the stop element. The stop element is adjustable and limits the longitudinal movement of the cutter. To prevent any damage to the chamfer-area around the housing-bore hole by the cutter, the stop has to be adjusted accurate to the gauge, in reference to the cutting edge geometry of the cutter teeth, so that just a thin blade of material of the outer ring lip remains. The whole device is centered with the mandrel in the bore of the bearing or bushing which is to be removed after cutting one ring lip.

Abstract: Hot pipes are tempered in an oil bath contained in a tapered, covered pan; a flap is temporarily opened for feeding, but closed when oil vapor develops, to be sucked off without contaminating the environment. Pan and cover structure are supplemented to prevent uncontrolled escape of vapor during treatment. Different handling devices for pipes in the interior of the pan are described.

Abstract: An analyzer for measuring the combined NO and NO.sub.2 concentrations includes a hollow cathode lamp with nitrogen/oxygen filling emitting radiation which is alternatingly passed through two narrow-band interference filters, one having a transmission range clearly outside any NO absorption bands and its NO.sub.2 absorption equals the difference of the absorption coefficients for NO and NO.sub.2 in the transmission band of the other filter. These two beams pass through a measuring gas cell and are photoelectrically detected for further processing.

Abstract: An electrically programmable and erasable ROM (EPROM) is accessed via a selector and an address counter, all mounted on a PC board which includes also a regular VCC bus. The EPROM output lines feed an output circuit, parts of which may be on other boards. The board, however, has additional terminals connected to the EPROM output lines in addition to a protective circuit limiting the voltage level in the output circuit in case high reprogramming signals are applied by an external unit to some of these additional terminals for programming via the EPROM output terminal. One of the latter terminals connects to the VCC input of the EPROM and a Schottky diode connects the VCC bus to that input to protect the latter bus from a higher-than-normal supply voltage needed during reprogramming.

Abstract: A compression belling machine for precision belling simultaneously of a plurality of plastic pipe ends. This is accomplished by selectively feeding groups of pipes, the ends of which are to be belled, first into a heating unit and then, transferring them by an endless conveyor, simultaneously into a belling station having a plurality of molds one-half of each of which molds is stationary and the other half of which may be moved apart from its mating half to permit insertion between the separated halves of a heated end of one pipe. Each of the molds is entirely separate from the other molds and each mold may be removed from the apparatus for replacement. All mold halves, however, are moved together by a common hydraulic head. Control means are provided to operate a novel sequential type feeder and so that pipes may be selectively deposited into the heater and then aligned with their ends properly inserted into the particular mold cavities.

Abstract: A portable cooler for use in transporting medicines or the like which must be kept at lower than room temperature includes an insulative housing containing a coolant compartment and a medicine compartment, each having its own lid, and heat sinks in the compartments thermally connected by a heat tube. Water ice, dry ice, or a chilled gel may be utilized as the coolant. The whole assembly is enclosed in a carrying case about the size and weight of a carrying case for binoculars or a camera.

Abstract: A radiating cable is constructed from an inner conductor and a concentric outer conductor being separated from each other by a dielectric spacer; the outer conductor has openings of similar size and configuration but their density varies periodically in axial direction. In one example, the openings are arranged in circumferential rows and axial rows, the number of openings for circumferential row varies periodically in axial direction. In another example, a single axial row has its openings spaced in a periodically variable spacing.