Abstract: A retrofit power accessory for a turret mill provides a motor drive for changing machine tool speed, replacing a handwheel. A frame is attached to the mill by a pair of adjustable brackets which accommodate various models of mills. The frame carries a spider coupling which attaches to the rotatable machine shaft formerly holding the hand wheel. The spider coupling is driven by a gear motor on the frame through a timing belt and timing gears to positively drive the machine shaft. A manual switch controls the motor in either direction to effect the desired machine tool speed change. A rotary knob is also coupled to the spider coupling to allow manual intervention.

Abstract: Crystals are grown in ribbon shapes by an apparatus for supporting a film of source material, capacitive electrodes contacting the film and heat pipes in thermal contact with the electrodes for first heating the material through the electrodes to near its melting temperature and then for controllably cooling the electrodes, an rf heater using the electrodes for melting the film in a zone, a heat pipe for causing solidification along one surface of the melt zone to form a ribbon, a pulling mechanism for moving the ribbon from the melt zone, a heater for melting bulk replenishing material to replenish the melt, and an auxiliary heating device for heating the ribbon after leaving the zone to prevent dendritic growth by maintaining low axial temperature gradients.

Abstract: A vibration detector for sensing imbalance of a part in a balancing machine uses an eddy current proximity detector for sensing vibration movement of a portion of the machine. To prevent spurious signals due to magnetic fields varying at the part rotation frequency, a mu-metal can is secured to the vibrating portion of the machine, an electrically conductive coupon is attached inside the can for vibrating movement therewith, and the proximity detector is spaced from the coupon by a small gap for producing AC signals representing the vibration amplitude.

Abstract: Crystals are grown in ribbon shapes by an apparatus for supporting a film of source material, capacitive electrodes contacting the film and heat pipes in thermal contact with the electrodes for first heating the material through the electrodes to near its melting temperature and then for controllably cooling the electrodes, an rf heater using the electrodes for melting the film in a zone, a heat pipe for causing solidification along one surface of the melt zone to form a ribbon, a pulling mechanism for moving the ribbon from the melt zone, a heater for melting bulk replenishing material to replenish the melt, and an auxiliary heating device for heating the ribbon after leaving the zone to prevent dendritic growth by maintaining low axial temperature gradients.

Abstract: Crystals are grown in ribbon shapes by an apparatus for supporting a film of source material, capacitive electrodes contacting the film and heat pipes in thermal contact with the electrodes for first heating the material through the electrodes to near its melting temperature and then for controllably cooling the electrodes, an rf heater using the electrodes for melting the film in a zone, a heat pipe for causing solidification along one surface of the melt zone to form a ribbon, a pulling mechanism for moving the ribbon from the melt zone, a heater for melting bulk replenishing material to replenish the melt, and an auxiliary heating device for heating the ribbon after leaving the zone to prevent dendritic growth by maintaining low axial temperature gradients.

Abstract: An infrared imager and a color TV camera view the same scene and the output signals are mixed and fed to a color television monitor so that the scene at night is visible in a black and white format with warm objects appearing dark, and bright colors such as lights appear in natural color superimposed on the black and white image.

Abstract: A security system has a wall mounted assembly for installation adjacent an entry door and includes a motion detector for sensing intruders, an alarm for sounding a warning, an alarm circuit, a radio receiver responsive to two codes, and an electric door striker. A portable miniature transmitter has two transmission codes to activate the receiver, one for toggling the alarm circuit between armed and disarmed condition and for releasing the door upon disarming the alarm circuit. When the circuit is armed the motion detector is able to activate the alarm. The second transmission code activates the alarm if the circuit is armed. Remote self contained motion detector and transmitter units for use in other rooms use the second code to activate the alarm when motion is detected by those units.

Abstract: A liquid dispenser suitable for metering fertilizer concentrate into a lawn irrigation system has a canister coupled to a main stream water passage by a cotton wick which passes through an aperture between the canister and the passage. A relief hole permits pressure equalization between the canister and the passage. Very low feed rates are possible without danger of clogging by dirt.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing crystalline ribbons of a material from a "crucible-less" configuration of bodies of the material including possible deposition on a substrate. Means for capacitively coupling electromagnetic energy into a source body of material are provided to appropriately induce electrical current gradients in order to control and restrict the molten zone and supress net loss of the heat of fusion from the balance of the ribbon-like body. The melt zone is replenished from any direction with ribbon or a bulk source to sustain the shape and size of the growing ribbon-like body. The heat of crystallization is selectively removed by a heat sink from one end of the melt zone in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of pulling.

Abstract: To avoid non uniform brightness or flickering of a vacuum fluorescent display especially at low brightness levels anodes energizing pulses sent to each end of the display are coordinated with the AC filament current so that successive pulses or group of pulses are initiated at opposite phases of the filament current at sufficiently high rates to time average the light variations of a critical flicker fusion period to obtain uniform perceived display brightness.

Abstract: To prevent electrochemical corrosion in a conventional float operated variable resistance fuel level detector due to alcohol in the fuel a current pulse is applied to the detector unit once a minute for a period of 1/1000 second. A solid state circuit stores the level reading between pulses and drives the fuel gauge.

Abstract: A single capacitor is used to measure the oil level in an engine or transmission and compensate the sensed capacitance for changes in dielectric constant. Measurements are made for two different running conditions, one giving a capacitance reading dependent only on dielectric constant and one giving a capacitance dependent on oil level as well as dielectric constant. The transmission application uses a capacitor that is fully immersed in oil when the engine is off and partly immersed when the engine is idling, so that both types of measurements can be obtained. The engine application uses a capacitor having an upper section spaced from a lower section. Only the lower section is immersed during engine idle to render dielectric constant information, while the upper section is partly immersed when the engine is off.

Abstract: It will thus be seen that the method for measuring the level of a liquid contained in a reservoir which is subjected to varying accelerations is carried out by means of a level sensor which signals when the level of the liquid drops below a predetermined level, and a warning device which is activated if the sensor signal is applied thereto uninterruptedly for a predetermined minimum period of time and results in maximizing functional reliability of the warning signal issuing means during all types of movement situations of the reservoir, while false alarms are virtually eliminated. This is accomlished in that each occurrence involving the uninterrupted application of a sensor signal for a period which is longer than the predetermined time period (t.sub.1) is registered as an event, and in that the warning device is activated after a predetermined number (n) of events have been registered within a predetermined period of time (m).

Abstract: A gage for quickly testing complex articles for conformance to a standard comprises a fixture configured according to the standard for holding the article and clamping the article into engagement with bearing surfaces. The bearing surfaces are instrumented with force sensors so that articles that deviate from the standard will produce force signals deviating from standard signals. A programmable controller quickly evaluates the signals to accept or reject the article.

Abstract: A single meter measures the gloss and the distinctness of image (DOI) of a painted surface for quality evaluation of the finish. A DOI signal is obtained by a prior method of focusing the reflected image of a moving shutter onto a slit and measuring the light passing through the slit. The rate of increase of the resulting signal is used as a measure of DOI. The same signal is integrated over a preset time period covering the upper part of the signal rise to yield a value proportional to gloss.

Abstract: An electric gage driving a pointer has an extended spindle so that the gage movement can be substantially spaced from the pointer. The gage includes a spindle, an armature driving the spindle, a bobbin supporting a bearing for the spindle and electrical coils around the bobbin. An outrigger support remote from the bobbin and adjacent the pointer holds another spindle bearing which may be misaligned with the bobbin. The bearing on the bobbin accommodates the misaligned spindle.

Abstract: A magnetic shaft angle encoder uses a gear or toothed wheel for inducing periodic electrical pulses in an inductive pickup. The teeth are evenly spaced and every tooth generates a signal as it passes the pickup. A reference tooth is slightly shorter than the others so that the period of the pulse it generates is shorter than the others and is easily detected to obtain an accurate shaft index position. Since a pulse is produced for every tooth, the pulses provide an excellent means of instantaneous speed sensing.

Abstract: A microbend fiber optic sensor uses a dual wavelength to determine the effect of microbending without interference from unwanted signal fluctuations arising from component changes, for example. Periodic microbending losses in single mode, step index fiber optics depend critically upon the wavelength whereby a modulation wavelength can be chosen close to a reference wavelength so that both are affected equally by the unwanted fluctuations but only the modulation wavelength is affected by the microbending. The ratio of the two signals or a log of the ratio yields a value which responds only to the microbend induced signal.

Abstract: An air core electrical gauge incorporates on the bobbin an annular biasing magnet magnetized in a direction to return the meter pointer to zero in the absence of a gauge driving current. A method of manufacturing the gauge includes magnetizing the biasing magnet after it is secured to a bobbin portion but optionally magnetizing the guage armature at the same time.

Abstract: Seals in an automotive body are inspected for leaks by sensing ultrasonic energy passing through a seal. Either of an ultrasonic emitter or detector is scanned along a seal outside the body by a robot and the other is inside the body. The emitter operates at frequencies of 65 to 80 kHz and repetitively sweeps through a range of 6 kHz. The body may be either open or closed.