Abstract: A bicycle sprocket drive which utilizes a crank having a number of splines and a sprocket having mating indentations or slots in its face. The splines and the mating radial slots have tapered driving faces. By forming the tapered slots into the front face of the sprocket, as by a stamping process, the removal of material from the sprocket is avoided. The resulting back faces of the sprocket slots, because they are displaced from the remainder of the sprocket, serve to provide the desired alignment of the drive sprocket with the rear or driven sprocket of the bicycle.

Abstract: A method for transposing the time of an event as read at a remote station with one clock to the time frame of another clock at a master station when the clocks are not synchronized and are of insufficient accuracy to provide measurements to within a few microseconds relative to other time measurements which are likewise transposed to refer to the master clock. A list of TV line 10 synch pulse times are maintained at the master for a specific number of recent line 10 pulses. Along with the time reading for the event, the line 10 synch pulse time as read at the remote is sent to the master. The list of line 10 synch times maintained at the master is examined to find the time by the master clock for the same line 10 and the difference between the time by the remote clock and the time by the master clock is used as an indication of the time correction factor to be applied for the transposition.

Abstract: A diaphragm for pressure transducers which will be suitable for measuring small differentials is constructed by perforating, either partially or completely, the diaphragm material. The resulting diaphragm will require very small pressure differentials to obtain full scale deflection as compared with an unperforated diaphragm. The ideal configuration for the perforations is a series of convoluted slots etched completely through the diaphragm material from an inner radius, which may define one plate of a capacitive type transducer, to an outer radius near the periphery of the diaphragm. When the diaphragm is etched all the way through, it is covered with a thin plastic film, which may be cemented to the diaphragm or just sealed to it at its edges.

Abstract: A differential pressure transducer assembly for measuring flow in dirty and solids bearing fluids utilizes small barrier diaphragms located at the pressure taps of a flow measuring restriction. The barrier diaphragms are of minimum size and minimum thickness with a minimum volumetric compliance and are connected to a pressure receiving body by equal length capillaries of minimum i.d. A measuring transducer with a diaphragm having low volumetric displacement for measured differential pressures and having minimum volume diaphragm cavities is connected to the capillaries by equal and minimum volume cavities in the pressure receiving body.

Abstract: A one shot voltage to pulse width converter is provided for producing a digital representation of an analog input signal voltage. The circuit includes an integrating amplifier circuit whose output is kept at a reference potential except when it is being ramped up in response to connection of an input signal to the integrating amplifier during a fixed input sample period or down after the fixed input sample period expires. The circuit also includes a comparator connected to compare the output of the integrating amplifier to the reference potential with the output of the comparator switching an output circuit between two different levels so that the pulse width of the output is related to the magnitude of the input signal. When the input signal is not connected to the integrating amplifier its output is held at reference potential by a negative feedback from the comparator output to the integrating circuit input.

Abstract: A device for immersion in a molten metal to determine a parameter of the molten metal including a parameter determining element and a first elongate section. The first elongate section is a replaceable section including a paper tube having a refractory coating on its outer surface. This replaceable section includes a first connector at one end thereof for detachably receiving the parameter determining element and for mechanically and electrically connecting the parameter determining element thereto. The replaceable section further includes a second connector at its other end with the second connector being electrically connected to the first connector. Also provided is a second elongate section having a third connector at one end for detachably receiving the second connector and for mechanically and electrically connecting the third connector to the second connector.

Abstract: An electrostatically bonded capacitive pressure measuring transducer constructed with a silicon diaphragm member sandwitched between a top silicon support plate and a bottom silicon support plate each of which has a via hole extending therethrough, a thin layer of borosilicate glass interposed between the diaphragm and each of the support plates, a metallized deposit extending through the via holes and over a part of the surface of each of the glass layers opposite the diaphragm to form with the diaphragm two variable capacitors which will be electrically contacted by spring loaded plunger type contacts, and a layer of platinum silicide deposited on the top of the silicon diaphragm and the top of each of the silicon plates as an electrical contact coating providing a contact surface for the plunger type contacts.

Abstract: A ball valve is provided which has a ball stem machined to have a through hole connecting the inlet and outlet port of the valve body when the stem is in a first rotational position. The valve body has a drain port which is aligned with the axis of the stem. When the stem is rotated 90.degree. the drain is connected to both the inlet and outlet ports. This connection is provided by a slot extending over 180.degree. of the periphery of the ball end of the stem in a plane normal to the axis of the through hole.

Abstract: An anti-rotation locking assembly is provided for preventing rotation of a surface such as in a housing member with respect to a threaded shaft as on a body to which the housing member is threadably mounted. There are provided two opposing flats or relief surfaces on the end of threaded shaft extending beyond the housing surface. A recess is provided in the surface around the hole for accepting a locking c-ring. The recess has a non-circular profile in the plane of the surface to prevent rotation of the ring in the hole. A ring having an outer profile matching that of the recess is provided. The ring has outer dimensions and a shape to its sides which will cause its periphery to engage and cam over the sides of the recess. A threaded nut is provided for threading on the shaft over the ring to press the sides of the ring into the recess so as to cause the ring to grip the flats and engage the sides of the recess upon tightening.

Abstract: A method for coding a data signal for transmission and reception which includes the steps of generating a prefix signal which is a train of pulses at a multiple or submultiple of a selected baseband frequency, then generating a data stream following said prefix with the data stream having one binary state transmitted at said baseband frequency and the other transmitted at another frequency. The data stream is terminated with a suffix having a waveform different from that of the two binary states.

Abstract: The structure consists of a substrate, a set of interdigitated electrodes deposited on the substrate surface. The electrode fingers have a period less than the substrate thickness. A first water permeable polymer film is deposited over the electrodes and a conductive mesh is formed over the first polymer film. A second polymer film is deposited over the mesh burying the mesh between the two polymer films. The spacing between openings of the mesh is less than the thickness of the second polymer film. The square of the sum of the two polymer film thicknesses is minimized so that the response time is minimized. The mesh conductivity is made greater than a minimum value so that the resistive component of the impedance is small compared with the capacitive impedance, and thus the device impedance is independent of any instabilities in the conductive mesh impedance.

Abstract: A method for correlating in a digital data acquisition system the time sequence of a group of events at locations remote from the master station. The method corrects the time tags on the events record for the signal transmission time between the master and remote stations and also takes into account the turnaround time at the remote station.

Abstract: A capacitive pressure transducer whose diaphragm is formed of single crystal, highly doped silicon by etching in opposite sides the recesses which define the deflecting region of the diaphragm. This deflecting region serves as one electrode of the transducer. Two support plates of silicon are anodically bonded to opposite sides of the diaphragm along its periphery using thin layers of borosilicate glass to form with the etched recesses pressure receiving cavities. These thin layers of borosilicate glass are interposed between the diaphragm and a support plate, and extend over the entire surface of the support plate facing the diaphragm to provide for electrical isolation as well as the bonding between the diaphragm and the support plates. These layers of glass are made as thin as possible consistent with the need to maintain the stray capacitance below a certain value.

Abstract: A bulkhead feedthrough for capacitive pressure transducers including a feedthrough body portion welded in a cylindrical opening in a pressure receiving body in which the transducer is mounted. The feedthrough body provides a pressure seal for the transducer cavity and carries conducting rods in holes in the body. The rods are insulated from the body and holes are drilled in the end of each rod from the transducer side to receive spring loaded plunger type contacts which are inserted in the holes so that the plunger protrudes to contact the transducer elements. The dimensions of the feedthrough body and the thermal coefficient of expansion are such that the space between the feedthrough body and the pressure receiving body varies with temperature changes so that the resulting volume changes are sufficient to compensate for the changes in volume of the silicone oil in the transducer cavities.

Abstract: A method for optimizing combustion air flow to a furnace. As the air/fuel ratio changes or is periodically perturbated, the corresponding change in heat loss to the stack due to the change in the amount of combustibles in the flue gases is maintained equal to the change in heat loss to the stack due to changes in the amount of excess air in the flue gases. The control is carried out by continuously modifying the air/fuel ratio in the appropriate direction to maintain that equality.

Abstract: Transferring mastership in a multi-master communications channel of a system having a plurality of intercommunicating stations is accomplished by a method which includes the grouping into a logical loop of high traffic stations those stations which must be serviced frequently, and the grouping into at least one other logical loop of low traffic stations those requiring less frequent service. The token signifying mastership is passed from station to station in the high traffic loop at a maximum speed compatible with the work to be done by each station until a predetermined time period has lapsed since the mastership was passed through the low traffic group. Upon expiration of that time period, mastership is passed sequentially through the low traffic loop stations. Mastership is then returned to a previously determined high traffic loop station.

Abstract: A thermocouple open-circuit detector is made insensitive to noise pick-up in the thermocouple by increasing the bias on the detecting amplifier beyond the point where it would be affected by the noise and providing a means for reducing that bias during the period when the pulses that test the thermocouple are present. The test pulse will then trigger the detecting amplifier on when the thermocouple is open.

Abstract: The small volume recirculator includes a mixing chamber for receiving recirculated slurry from an inlet arranged to carry the slurry on its return path from the analyzer. An impeller is provided in a housing which is connected to the mixing chamber by way of an opening such that the housing receives the slurry from the reservoir through the opening and provides passage by way of an output tube to the analyzer. The connection between the housing and the chamber is sufficiently direct so that a vortex is set up in the mixing chamber. This provides the mixing. The impeller is rotatably mounted by shaft means which extends above the level of the slurry to a power drive train in avoidance of any shaft seals in the slurry path.

Abstract: A communications system with a local network having two metallic cables providing redundant channels between stations of a group with redundant optical rings forming a highway interconnecting those networks. An optical-electrical interface connects the networks and the ring.This interface includes an optical detector producing a corresponding electrical signal, an optical transmitter which repeats the detected message, and a control element connecting the output of the detector with the transmitter. A control signal supplied over one metallic line from the station which is transmitting to its interface causes the control element to disconnect the detector and transmitter to prevent operation of the combination as a repeater. The transmission is then supplied over another metallic line from the station to the transmitter and thence around the ring until it is converted to an electrical signal at the corresponding detector.

Abstract: There is provided a method for measuring a parameter whose value is calculable as an integral with time of a function of at least one variable so as to make possible the use of a microprocessor when measurements of such variables are desired. The variable is sampled periodically at a frequency asynchronous with the wave form which the variable follows and then there is periodically calculated the value of the function by summing the values for the function determined by the samples taken during the time between the calculations, thus determining the desired integral.