Abstract: A docking mechanism for the docking of a space vehicle 11 to a space station 12 comprising a flexible tunnel frame structure which is deployable from the space station. The tunnel structure comprises a plurality of series connected frame sections 21, one end section of which is attached to the space station and the other end attached to a docking module 15 of a configuration adapted for docking in the payload bay of the space vehicle 11. The docking module is provided with trunnions 41, 42 adapted for latching engagement with latches 17 installed in the vehicle payload bay and with hatch means 44 connectable to a hatch of the crew cabin of the space vehicle. Each frame section 21 comprises a pair of spaced ring members 31a, 31b interconnected by actuator-attenuator devices 33 which are individually controllable by an automatic control means to impart relative movement of one ring member to the other in six degrees of freedom of motion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described which facilitate the growing of silicon ribbon. A container for molten silicon has a pair of passages in its bottom through which filaments extend to a level above the molten silicon, so as the filaments are pulled up they drag up molten silicon to form a ribbon. A pair of guides surround the filaments along most of the height of the molten silicon, so that the filament contacts only the upper portion of the melt. This permits a filament to be used which tends to contaminate the melt if it is in long term contact with the melt. This arrangement also enables a higher melt to be used without danger that the molten silicon will run out of any bottom hole.

Abstract: A continuous flow ash lockhopper includes an ash hopper at the outlet of a high temperature, high pressure reactor vessel containing heated high pressure gas, a fluidics control chamber having an input port connected to the ash hopper's output port and an output port connected to the input port of a pressure letdown means, and a control chamber connected to a variable pressure control fluid (gas or steam) supply for regulating the pressure in the control chamber to be equal to or greater than the internal gas pressure of the reactor vessel, whereby the reactor gas is contained while ash is permitted to continuously flow from the ash hopper's output port, impelled by gravity. The fluidics control chamber may be provided with a variable port to inject control fluid at a desired velocity.

Abstract: A method of effecting the in-flight departure of an astronaut from a shuttle craft, and apparatus therefor. A plurality of rocket assemblies with a lanyard for each are provided, although only one rocket assembly is used for one escape. The astronaut is carried in a parachute harness which is selectively connectible by the astronaut to one of the lanyards. A safety lever is moved when the astronaut pulls the lanyard. An ignition system is subsequently actuated when the lanyard is pulled further by the astronaut. Two rods push their corresponding rocket out through the side hatch of the shuttle craft. When the lanyard grows taut, one means fires the rocket. Subsequently, other means pull the parachute ripcord.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive crystal oscillator is provided which employs negative voltage gain, single pole response amplifiers. The amplifiers may include such configurations as gate inverters, operational amplifiers and conventional bipolar transistor amplifiers, all of which operate at a frequency which is on the roll-off portion of their gain versus frequency curve. Several amplifier feedback circuit variations are employed to set desired bias levels and to allow the oscillator to operate at the crystal's fundamental frequency or at an overtone of the fundamental frequency. The oscillator is made less expensive than comparable oscillators by employing relatively low frequency amplifiers and operating them at roll-off, at frequencies beyond which they are customarily used. Simplicity is provided because operation at roll-off eliminates components ordinarily required in similar circuits to provide sufficient phase-shift in the feedback circuitry for oscillation to occur.

Abstract: Three aluminum-lithium alloys are provided for high performance aircraft structures and engines. All three alloys contain 3 wt % copper, 2 wt % lithium, 1 wt % magnesium, and 0.2 wt % zirconium. Alloy 1 has no further alloying elements. Alloy 2 has the addition of 1 wt % iron and 1 wt % nickel. Alloy 3 has the addition of 1.6 wt % chromium to the shared alloy composition of the three alloys. The balance of the three alloys, except for incidentql impurities, is aluminum. These alloys have low densities and improved strengths at temperatures up to 260.degree. C. for long periods of time.

Abstract: A far infrared (FIR) range responsive photodetector. There is a substrate (28) of degenerate germanium. A a plurality of alternating impurity-band (32) and high resistivity (30) layers of germanium are disposed on the substrate (28). The impurity-band layers (32) have a doping concentration therein sufficiently high to include donor bands which can release electrons upon impingement by FIR photons of energy hv greater than an energy gap .epsilon.. The high resistivity layers (30) have a doping concentration therein sufficiently low as to not include conducting donor bands and are depleted of electrons. Metal contacts (36, 38) are provided for applying an electrical field across the substrate (28) and the plurality of layers (30, 32). In the preferred embodiment as shown, the substrate (28) is degenerate n-type (n.sup.++) germanium; the impurity-band layers (32) are n.sup.+ layers of germanium doped to approximately the low 10.sup.16 cm.sup.-3 range; and, the high resistivity layers (30) are n.sup.

Abstract: A system for docking a space vehicle 11 to a space station 12 where a connecting tunnel for in-flight transfer of personnel is required. Cooperable coupling mechanisms 51, 52 include docking rings 56, 61 on the space vehicle 11 and space station 12, respectively. The space station is provided with a tunnel structure 15, a retraction mechanism 30, and a docking ring 56 attached thereto. The vehicle coupling mechanism 52 is designed to capture the station coupling mechanism 51, arrest relative spacecraft motions while limiting loads to acceptable levels, and then realign the spacecraft for final docking and tunnel interconnection. The docking ring 61 of the space vehicle coupling mechanism is supported by linear attenuator actuator devices 63 each of which is controlled by a control system (FIG.

Abstract: A microwave radar signal is generated (16) and split by a circular (20). A phase shifter (24) introduces a plurality of phase shifts into a first part of the split signal which is then transmitted (36) by antenna (34). A like plurality of phase shifts are introduced by the phase shifter into the return signal (40) from the target. The circulator delivers the phase shifted return signal and the leakage signal from the circulator to a mixer (44) which generates an i.f. signal output at the doppler frequency. The i.f. signal is amplified (46l ), filtered (54), counted (58) per unit of time and the result displayed (62) to provide indications of target sense and range rate. An oscillator (50) controls rate of phase shift in the transmitted and received signals and provides a time base for the counter. The phase shift magnitude increases may be continuous and linear or discrete functions of time.

Abstract: In a transverse-pumped, solid-state laser, a nonabsorptive cladding surrounds a gain medium. A single transverse mode, namely the TEM.sub.00 mode, is provided. The TEM.sub.00 mode has a cross-sectional diameter greater than a transverse dimension of the gain medium but less than a transverse dimension of the cladding. The required size of the gain medium is minimized while a threshold for laser output is lowered.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling power to a preciptator 27. After each spark the power to the precipitator is reduced to zero, increased along a fast ramp 15 for a fixed period of time and then increased along a slow ramp 17 until a spark occurs. The fast and slow ramp data is computed and stored (memory 48) and then retrieved after each spark. The data retrieved is the data corresponding to the firing angle at the last spark. Apparatus is provided (selector 51 and memory 52) for dividing (frequency divider 45) the retrieved slow ramp data by a number to select the number of sparks per minute. Also the AC current and the AC voltage in the power to the precipitator are detected and the RMS values are obtained (32 and 34) and compared 35 and if the difference is above a predetermined value the power is disconnected (relay 36 and contacts 23 and 24).

Abstract: A small and simple system is provided for cooling or heating a small component by flowing air or other fluid over it, which does not require any macroscopic moving parts. The system includes a transducer and reflector that are spaced apart with the component between them, and with the transducer being operated at a frequency resonant to the spacing between it and the reflector. The resulting standing wave pattern produces acoustic streaming which results in the circulating of air or other fluid in the environment across the component. The system is especially useful in the reduced gravity environment of outer space because of the absence of any buoyancy-induced convection there.

Abstract: A gripping device 10 for providing large moment-carrying capability for handling long cylindrical work-pieces W of a wide range of diameters. The device 10, which may be attached as an end effector for a robotic arm, includes two spaced pairs of parallel jaw type gripping members, 87, 102 and 101, 98. Each gripping member includes a gripping pad 110d with a contour which accommodates the grasping of cylindrical objects of different diameters. Movement of the gripping members between a fully open position (FIG. 3) and a fully closed position (FIG. 4) is controlled by a pair of concentrically arranged inner and outer output drive shafts 56, 59, each of which is provided with a pair of arms (81,82 and 83,84) extending in generally opposed radial directions of the shaft axis and to which a gripping member is pivotally attached near its distal end.

Abstract: A quantity of reagent grade tin metal or compound, chloride-free, and high-surface-area silica spheres are placed in deionized water, followed by deaerating the mixture by boiling and adding an oxidizing agent, such as nitric acid. The nitric acid oxidizes the tin to metastannic acid which coats the spheres because the acid is adsorbed on the substrate. The metastannic acid becomes tin-oxide upon drying and calcining. The tin-oxide coated silica spheres are then placed in water and boiled. A chloride-free precious metal compound in aqueous solution is than added to the mixture containing the spheres, and the precious metal compound is reduced to a precious metal by use of a suitable reducing agent such as formic acid. Very beneficial results have been obtained using the precious metal compound tetraammine platinum(II) hydroxide.

Abstract: A device and method rapidly quantifying the relative distention of the bladder of a human subject are disclosed. Ultrasonic transducer 1, which is positioned on subject 2 in proximity to bladder 16, is excited by pulser 3A under command of microprocessor 4 to launch an acoustic wave into patient 2. This wave interacts with bladder walls 12,13 and is reflected back to ultrasonic transducer 1, when it is received, amplified and processed by receiver 3B . The resulting signal is digitized by analog-to-digital converter 5 under command of microprocessor 4, and is stored in data memory 6B.

Abstract: A block of electrically-conductive material which is to be formed into a body with internal and/or external surfaces that approximate hyperboloids of one sheet is placed so that its axis is set at a predetermined skew angle with relation to a travelling EDM electrode wire and the electrode wire is then moved into cutting proximity of the body. Thereafter, by revolving the body about its own axis, the external and/or internal surfaces of the body will be cut into an approximate hyperbolic surface of revolution depending upon whether the body is positioned with the cutting wire outside of the body or in a previously-formed longitudinal passage in the body. As an alternative technique, elongated channels can also be cut into the walls of the body by successively orienting the body to a selected number of angular positions with the electrode wire being either outside of the body or in a previously-formed passage in the body.

Abstract: An octapeptide of the formula: ##STR1## wherein each A.sub.1 and A.sub.2, independently, is H, C.sub.1-12 alkyl, C.sub.7-10 phenylalkyl, R.sub.1 CO (where R.sub.1 is C.sub.1-20 alkyl, C.sub.3-20 alkenyl, C.sub.3-20 alkinyl, phenyl, naphthyl, or C.sub.7-10 phenylalkyl, R.sub.2 OCO (where R.sub.2 is C.sub.1-10 alkyl or C.sub.7-10 phenylalkyl), provided that when one of A.sub.1 or A.sub.2 is R.sub.1 CO or R.sub.2 OCO, the other must be H; A.sub.3 is CH.sub.2 -A.sub.6 (where A.sub.6 is pentafluorophenyl, naphthyl, pyridyl, or phenyl); A.sub.4 is o- m- or p-substituted X-Phe (where X is a halogen, H, NO.sub.2, OH, NH.sub.2, or C.sub.1-3 alkyl), pentafluoro-Phe, or .alpha.-Nal; A.sub.5 is Thr, Ser, Phe, Val, .alpha.-aminobutyric acid, or Ile, provided that when A.sub.3 is phenyl, A.sub.1 is H, and A.sub.2 is H, A.sub.5 cannot be Val; and A.sub.7 is Thr, Trp, or .beta.-Nal; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: A polyimide composition consisting essentially of recurring units having the following structural formula: ##STR1## is produced by the copolymerization of a bismaleimide and bis[4-(3,4-dimethylenepyrrolidyl)phenyl]methane.

Abstract: A masking method which precisely controls porosity of a perforated titanium sheet having suction strips of a defined width includes separately taping suction strip areas and bonding land areas and then applying a coating of maskant material over the tape in the vicinity of the suction strips. Gaps formed on opposite sides of the suction strips are filled with the same maskant material and the bonding land tapes are removed after the masking material is semi-cured. The entire aerodynamic surface of the titanium sheet is covered with strips of tape and overlapping pieces of tape form seams in the vicinity of the bonding surface margins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyorganoborosilane ceramic precursor polymer comprising a plurality of repeating units of the formula: ##STR1## with the segments being linked together by second units of the formula: --[(R.sup.2)--Si--R.sup.3)--q, where R.sup.1 is lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl, or ##STR2## and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently selected from hydrogen, lower alkyl, vinyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl, n is an integer between 1 and 100; p is an integer between 1 and 100; and q is an integer between 1 and 100. These materials are prepared by combining an organoborohalide of the formula R.sup.4 --B--(X.sup.1).sub.2 where R.sup.4 is selected from halogen, lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl, and an organohalosilane of the formula: R.sup.2 (R.sup.3) Si(X.sup.2).sub.2 where R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently selected from lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl, and X.sup.1 and X.sup.