Abstract: A logging system 2 is described in which an input signal value is compared by a signal processor 12 to a trigger-band 34 and an inner-band 36 centered about a previously logged value 34 and changing at a previously determined rate of change. When the trigger-band is exceeded at point 40, intermediate points are logged representing the maximum and minimum points since the last logged point and the point at which the inner-band was left. The intermediate points enable a more accurate subsequent reconstruction of the actual signal to be made from the logged values.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved specimen cell for maintaining a scanning electron microscope specimen under nearly physiological conditions during observation when said specimen includes liquids having a relatively high vapor pressure. A cavity in the specimen cell mounts an open or closed specimen module which is scanned by the electron beam through a small aperture. During preparation of the electron microscope for observation, the aperture is closed by a door so as to prevent evaporation of liquids from the specimen. The door is mechanically or electronically opened to facilitate observation thus minimizing the exposure of the specimen to the desiccation and/or destructive vacuum effects. Furthermore, the aperture is sized so as to provide a resistance to vapor flow through the aperture while permitting bidirectional electron flow facilitating the electron microscopic observation of the specimen.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for on-line measurement of a lathe cing tool position using a measuring head with a rotatable square plate engaged with three cylindrical plungers and a positioning mechanism for pivoting the measuring head. The positioning mechanism includes a movable member mounted on a base on the lathe headstock and a rotating unit for rotating the movable member about an axis. A stop member is provided to stop the movable member at a locating position. The measuring head includes a square plate supported inside a housing and rotatable about a y-axis therein. The plungers extend into the housing to contact the plate near its corners. In response to a force applied by a cutting tool mounted in a turret, the plungers move respectively in +x, -x, -z directions relative to the housing to cause the square plate to rotate correspondingly.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic circuit for determining the phase difference between an input signal and a reference signal where both signals are of the same frequency. Furthermore, the circuit provides an amplitude output indicative of the input signal even when that signal is obscured by noise. A chopper is supplied with the obscured signal input and a reference signal input and provides an output to an integrator which provides a control voltage for a voltage controlled phase shifter which supplies an out of phase input to the chopper. The input to the voltage controlled phase shifter is of the same frequency as the signal obscured by noise. A further output of the voltage controlled phase shifter is 90.degree. out of phase with respect to the reference supplied to the chopper and thus is in phase with the signal obscured by noise and provides the desired marker output. This marker output is also supplied as a reference to a second chopper which is also supplied with the obscured signal as an input.

Abstract: Disclosed is a building panel curved along the major and minor axes which can be manufactured from a plurality of strips of building material each having the same geometric shape. A mold is provided upon which a first layer of geometrically identical strips is temporarily fastened. In a preferred embodiment, at least a second layer of strips is provided over the first layer and bonded thereto by an epoxy adhesive. Because all of the strips have the same geometric shape and can be mass produced and a compound or complex curvature panel can be made at extremely low cost. Additionally, disclosed is the application of such a compound or complex curved panel to the housing and in the preferred embodiment, boat building fields. Additionally disclosed is the method of applying such a panel to the building of a boat hull.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pyroelectric shear meter which can be utilized as a pyroelectric vorticimeter in which a pyroelectric substrate has a heater element located thereon and two conductor elements located adjacent the heater element. The conductor elements are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of the heater element and located on the same side of the longitudinal axis. A fluctuating power supply is connected to the heater element causing a fluctuating surface charge distribution which varies as a function of the temperature of the substrate in the vicinity of each of the spaced apart conductor elements. Differences in charge redistributions sensed at each of the spaced apart conductor elements is an indication of the differences in flow velocity due to shear in the vicinity of the shear meter. The orienting of two shear meters with heating elements at 90.degree.

Abstract: A device for preventing a flag from wrapping around a flagpole, especially one which is inclined at an angle with the vertical. The flag is mounted along one edge to a support member which in turn is pivotally mounted for rotation about the flagpole. A semi-flexible rod is sewn into the hem along a lower edge of the flag. This semi-flexible rod is pivotally attached to the support member such that it can pivot from a position perpendicular to the support member to a position essentially parallel with the support member. Thus, the flag can be stored by folding the semi-flexible rod parallel with the support member and the material of the flag wrapped around the support member and/or the flagpole. When not in storage, the semi-flexible rod extends the lower portion of the flag outward from the flagpole effectively preventing the flag from wrapping back around the flagpole and becoming entangled.

Abstract: Disclosed is a monitor apparatus which can be worn by a patient and will provide an indication of activity levels over a number of subsequent time periods. A transducer which is energized by the ambulatory subject's movement, provides an activity pulse into a temporary memory. At the end of a standard timing interval, for example fifteen (15) minutes, a digital code word representative of the total number of activity pulses in that standard timing interval is fed into a solid state memory. The temporary memory is then reset and counts the activity pulses over the next standard timing interval. In this manner, activity levels for any number of sequential time intervals can be recorded without hindering the patient's movement. A contol logic circuit, which is externally triggered, causes the permanent memory to sequentially readout the activity levels of subsequent standard timing intervals for use in studying the activity levels of ambulatory subjects.

Abstract: An agricultural machine for picking up and chopping crop, particularly green crop such as grass to be made into silage, and comprising a picking up device for collecting crop from ground over which the machine is travelling and at least one chamber to which the crop is delivered from said picking up device through a lateral opening and the chamber containing a reciprocable ram movable towards and away from stationary knives in an open end of the chamber, the ram preferably having knives on its face presented towards the stationary knives, the movement of the ram towards the stationary knives causing the knives to co-operate to chop up the crop, the cut crop being discharged from the open end of the chamber into a collector cage.

Abstract: An i.e. engine fuel control system includes a main fuel control which controls fuel flow to the engine in accordance with one or more engine operating parameters. The operation of the fuel control can be modified by a roughness sensing circuit which produces a roughness signal output dependent on the magnitude of fluctuations of engine speed. This output is applied to an integrator which provides a limited authority trim signal to the fuel control in accordance with the time integral of the error between the roughness signal and a speed-dependent reference signal generated by a speed-shaping circuit.

Abstract: A bucket conveyor includes a plurality of spaced buckets which pass through a loading zone with gaps between adjacent buckets. Flexible sheets are enclosed at their leading ends to a fixed part of the conveyor and extend over the buckets in the loading zone to cover the gaps and so prevent material passing between the gaps. The trailing end of one sheet extends beyond the leading end of the following sheet.

Abstract: A permanent magnet is fixably mounted on a typical golf shoe to retain a thin metal disc when placed thereon. The disc, which is brightly colored, may be removed from the magnet to mark the position of a golf ball on a putting green. The disc may then later be placed back on the magnet where it is retained for further use.