Abstract: A connector, plug, or socket, for light-conducting fibers or fiber bundles includes a support element which is mounted upon a PC board and has a base aligned with and covering a light-receiving or light-emitting electric circuit element. A spring, or one leg of a spring, is mounted to extend above the base, and an aperture in the spring or leg will register therewith when deflected away from the bore. Upon release of the leg, a threaded-through fiber, or fiber bundle, is clamped and resiliently urged against the window of the circuit element.

Abstract: A ship drive system with main engine, main transmission and propeller shaft is supplemented by a transmission branch permitting power transmission in both directions. The branch includes an auxiliary engine, an a.c. generator selectively connected to that auxiliary engine and a controlled transmission unit interposed between the generator shaft and a branch shaft from the main transmission. The unit includes two planetary gear sets of different transmission ratios, their sun gears are mounted on the generator shaft, and a common spider for two sets of planet gears is mounted on the branch shaft; the two internal ring gears for the planetary gears are selectively, one at a time or none, immobilized for power transmission at the respective speed ratio.

Abstract: A spacer is coiled about a drawn, seamless copper tube, and a metal foil or metallized paper ribbon is folded around the coiled spacer. A blend for foaming is injected into the unoccupied space between the folded foil or ribbon and the inner tube, to generate a cyanurate-modified polyurethane foam network in which phosphorous or halogen molecules are embedded by chemical bond. A flame-resistant ribbon is folded about the metal tube. The resulting product and further details of the process are described.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting sunlight and directing the collected sunlight into the interior of the building to provide illumination, so that the energy used for artificial illumination can be conserved, includes a collector, a light pipe, and a diffuser. The collector includes an immovable flared trumpet-like hollow tube having a highly reflective interior surface and having its larger aperture oriented to maximize the sunlight received at a particular time of day. The larger aperture is closed by a transparent cap which supports a secondary reflector that extends forward of the larger aperture. The secondary reflector serves to reflect into the hollow tube light travelling at a low angle of incidence with respect to the larger aperture to compensate for the reduced efficiency of the larger aperture to low-angle light.

Abstract: A clutch assembly includes axially aligned shafts, one driving and one driven, the driving shaft including a plurality of slots and the other a plurality of apertures aligned with the slots. Elongated roller bearings are positioned in the slots and apertures to lock the shafts together, a resilient member being used to urge the bearings radially inwardly. In the event that one of the shafts slows substantially relative to the other, the bearings move radially outwardly to declutch the shafts.

Abstract: A two-beam, infrared gas analyzer includes a front and a rear detection cell in each path filled with gas of the type to be detected; and a pressure-differential chamber with capacitor pick-up is connected to these front and rear cells. The rear cells are constructed to ensure substantially complete absorption of all radiation of the absorption band being characteristic of the component to be detected. In one example, filters are interposed between front and rear cells for broadband, i.e., nonselective attenuation. Alternatively, the rear cells are connected to a reservoir of the same gas to attenuate pressure variations. Either case enhances frequency selectivity by reducing cross sensitivity.

Abstract: The plug in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,995 is improved as to the contact carrier by providing slots in an orientation so that thermocouple leads can be laterally inserted before hanging over ridges for contact-making with annular contacts of a socket member in the holder. The orientation of the slots permits lateral placement of the thermocouple leads through the ridges, but the leads will hang over them in a location azimuthally offset from the slot through the respective ridge.

Abstract: The signal read-back from a magnetic disk is processed in dependance upon the track diameter in order to cut higher frequencies for outer tracks and to boost high frequencies for inner tracks for, respectively, correcting flat signal portions and eliminating or reducing peak displacement. The circuit develops a signal-amplitude-modifying factor in form of a cosine function of the frequencies of the read-back signal as applied. Two thus modified read-back signals are developed, varying oppositely in strength in dependance upon the track diameter. These two signals are combined to obtain the selective cutting or boosting as required.

Abstract: Ultrasonic test equipment for testing the welding seam a thick wall includes transducers arranged in tandem and along the welding seam, whereby a tandem pair inspects in any instance two surface-near zones (inner and outer surface) as well as an interior zone. One of the transducers of the pair participates in a function test. Two pairs cover the same zones, but from opposite sides.

Abstract: The retort chamber for generating gas by applying hot steam to coal in a fluidized bed is heated by meandering tubes, dipping into the bed, and being suspended from long, hollow boxes which, in turn, are particularly suspended in the retort chamber. The boxes support also manifold tubes connected to the heating tubes and being further connected to a heating fluid feed and distribution as well as a collecting and discharge system.

Abstract: The planetary gear system includes two parallel operating planet gears interposed between an input and an output shaft, with a common planet gear carrier secured to the output shaft and two telescoped intermediate shafts for the sun gears. These intermediate shafts are resiliently mounted for radial balance while a particular gear coupling between the input shaft and the two intermediate shafts ensures torsional balance between the two branches. This branch coupling, providing torsional balance, is described in considerable detail.

Abstract: A tube or pipe for the conduction of hot fluid is suspended in the vertical by means of an anchor, pivotally linked to the long arm of a two-arm lever which is pivoted on the tube or pipe and has its second, short arm linked to a pivot-near point of a one-arm lever, and is in line with a rod extending between this one-arm lever at right angles thereto and axially along the pipe or tube to a remote connection point on the tube. The long-arm portion of the one-arm lever is spring-biased; the compression of the spring varies with vertical displacement of the tube or pipe, but the two-arm lever is pivoted by exactly the same amount when the tube is displaced and when, upon expansion, the one-arm lever is pivoted, which pivot motion is transmitted upon the two-arm lever.

Abstract: A fabric elastomer composite includes a relatively thin elastomer membrane having a stretchable fabric joined thereto. The composite is thin, lightweight, waterproof but vapor permeable, and stretchable at least 100% in each direction. Various garments such as athletic wear and thermal products may be fabricated which are warm, waterproof and stretchable. Various types of joints are disclosed to assure watertight qualities.

Abstract: A unique and improved turbomachine for increasing the pressure of one fluid stream by an energy exchange with that of another fluid stream, at relatively high efficiency, includes a housing supporting a compressor turbine wheel for rotation on bearings. Low pressure fluid enters the compressor, driven at the same rpm and by the turbine, such that the tangential velocity of the fluid leaving the compressor is increased. A high pressure fluid enters the housing through an ejector nozzle and is expanded and mixed with the fluid leaving the compressor, the mixed fluid flowing through the turbine. Since a greater amount of fluid flows through the turbine than through the compressor, there is a sufficient amount of energy to drive the compressor and to provide an output from the turbine which is at a pressure higher than that of the fluid entering the compressor. Various forms and systems are described.

Abstract: A hangfire protection system for an externally powered gun includes a recoil sensing mechanism cooperating with a sear latching mechanism such that in the event of a hangfire, a sear engages a safety link on the chain drive assembly to keep the bolt locked. If the round fires, gun function continues; if the round does not fire there is a delay of a sufficient time to assure that the round is a dud, and it is ejected. The details of the mechanical hangfire protection system are described.

Abstract: A cylindrical vessel is provided with inlet and outlet tubes extending axis parallel, excentrically and diametrically opposed into the vessel from the top. The tubes have radial apertures and are closed on the bottom. A gamma ray detector sits also on the bottom. Blowing directly against the wall of the vessel is avoided and the resulting flow pattern is vortex-free and laminar to avoid stagnation zones.

Abstract: The tunnel-erase-type guard band "writing" along the tracks of a disk in a disk file is controlled by the same microcomputer which controls transducer repositioning in the seek mode. The micro-computer meters different delays for onset and cessation of erasing in relation to a signal (write gate) accompanying the data to be recorded; and these delays are longer for tracks having smaller diameters. The leading and trailing edges of the write gate signal trigger interrupts for the microcomputer, the interrupt channel is released only after the particular delay has been metered.

Abstract: A rotatable cassette holder is disclosed which avoids the necessity of having to remove the cassette and grid from the cassette holder in order to reposition them in a different orientation. Prior art cassette holders were capable of holding the cassette and grid in only two orientations, and to change orientation necessitated removing the cassette and grid from the cassette holder, turning them, and inserting them back into the cassette holder. In this process the expensive and fragile grid was sometimes accidentally dropped and broken. To avoid this possibility inherent in the prior art cassette holders, the cassette holder of the present invention is rotatable to permit the cassette and grid to be reoriented without having to be removed from the cassette holder. In a preferred embodiment, the extent of the orientation is limited by stops and repeatable positioning is achieved by an indexing mechanism employing a detent.