Abstract: A pumped loop two-phase heat transfer system, operating at a nearly constant temperature throughout, includes a plurality of independently operating grooved capillary heat exchanger plates supplied with working fluid through independent flow modulation valves connected to a liquid supply line, a vapor line for collecting vapor from the heat exchangers, a condenser between the vapor and the liquid lines, and a fluid circulating pump between the condenser and the heat exchangers.

Abstract: A gas cup extension assembly (10) is mounted on a standard electric welding torch gas cup (11) to enable welding in areas with limited access. The gas cup assembly (10) has a tubular insert (14) that fits within the gas cup (11) but extends a lower externally threaded portion (17) downward through the gas cup exit opening. A tubular extension (18) is screwed onto the threaded portion (17) so as to be placed tight against the lower edge of the gas cup (11). The upper portion (20) of the extension has a rim (21) to define the outer perimeter of the seat edge about the entrance opening so a gasket (24) may be placed to effect an air tight seal between the tubular insert (14) and tubular extension (18). The tubular extension (18) will have its lower portion (19) shaped as desired for the particular welding activity and may easily be replaced with another extension having a different shaped lower portion.

Abstract: A 3-by-3 convolver utilizes 9 binary arithmetic units (10) connected in cascade for multiplying 12-bit binary pixel values p.sub.i which are positive or two's complement binary numbers by 5-bit magnitude (plus sign) weights w.sub.i which may be positive or negative. The weights are stored in registers (13, 14 and 15) including the sign bits (shown separately for convenience). For a negative weight, the one's complement of the pixel value to be multiplied is formed at each unit by a bank of exclusive OR gates under control of the sign of the corresponding weight w.sub.i, and a correction is made by adding the sum of the absolute values of all the negative weights for each 3.times.3 kernel. Since this correction value remains constant as long as the weights are constant, it can be precomputed and stored in a register (16) as a value to be added to the product PW of the first arithmetic unit.

Abstract: A small component package employing a ring frame 11 of a mouldable polyamide-imide thermoplastic directly moulded onto a heat conducting base plate 10 with integral moulded anchoring pins of the thermoplastic material engaging corresponding bores 21 and 22 through the base plate. The other edge of the ring frame 11 is metalized as is the interface area 13 with a cover plate 12 of the same thermoplastic material for a soldered seal. Multiple solid electrical leads 17, 18, 19, 20 are moulded into the ring frame 11 during the base plate-to-ring from moulding operation to provide an inexpensive, sealed package which is also light in weight. Threaded inserts 14 facilitate a firm connection to an external heat sink surface along surface 10a of base plate 10.

Abstract: 4-Aminophenoxy cyclotriphosphazenes are reacted with maleic anhydride to produce maleamic acids which are converted to the maleimides. The maleimides are polymerized. By selection of starting materials (e.g. hexakis amino or trisaminophenoxy-trisphenoxy-cyclotriphosphazenes), selection of molar proportions of reactants, use of mixtures of anhydrides and use of dianhydrides as bridging groups a variety of maleimides and polymers are produced. The polymers have high limiting oxygen indices, high char yields and other useful heat and fire resistant properties making them useful as, for example, impregnants of fabrics.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber (12) within which an instrument (22) to be calibrated or tested is placed, is fitted with an ion gun (14) having an ion source (48). The source (48) has an electron emitting filament (60) positioned adjacent one end of an ionization chamber (71), with a negatively biased grid (72) located behind the filament (60). Gas is injected into the source (48) by a gas flow regulator (54) in one end (52) of the source (48). The chamber (71) is surrounded by a plurality of independently energizable coils (82, 84, 86, 88, 90), with the last coil (90) being operated at the highest current level, thus producing the highest magnetic flux. This presents a region (160) of magnetic repulsion to the electrons produced by the filament (60) and causes them to be confined between the grid (72) and the region (160), greatly increasing the chances that an ionization collision will occur between the electrons and atoms of injected gas.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for growing crystals using float zone techniques. A rod (34) of crystalline materials is disposed in a cylindrical container (36), with a space being left between the rod and container walls. The space is filled with an encapsulant (72), selected to have a slightly lower melting point than the crystalline material. The rod is secured to a container end cap (38) at one end and to a shaft (60) at its other end. A piston (64) slides over the rod and provides pressure to prevent loss of volatile components upon melting of the rod. Prior to melting the rod the container is first heated to melt the encapsulant, with any off-gas from this step being vented to a cavity behind the piston. The piston moves slightly forward owing to volume change upon melting of the encapsulant, and the vent passageway (74) is closed. The container is then moved longitudinally through a heated zone (32) to progressively melt sections of the rod as in conventional float zone processes.

Abstract: In acoustic emission non-destructive testing, broadband frequency noise is distinguished from narrow band acoustic emission signals, wherein the latter are valid events indicative of structural flaws in the material being examined. This is accomplished by separating out those signals which contain frequency components both within and beyond (either above or below) the range of valid acoustic emission events.

Abstract: A crystal growth apparatus (10) having a heated spherical growth container (12) is filled with a crystalline material in solid or liquid form. The crystalline material is heated by resistance heating wire (58) to a predetermined temperature, whereupon the application of heat to the crystalline material is reduced and the accumulated heat is drawn off and dissipated by a seed crystal (76) attached to a rod (70) of heat conductive material, which in turn is attached to a heat dissipating member (72). This results in the formation of a single, defect-free crystal on seed crystal (76), which grows outward in a generally spherical configuration as more heat is removed.

Abstract: A space spider crane 15 is provided for the movement, placement, and/or assembly of various components on or in the vicinity of a space structure 120. Space spider crane 15 is comprised of a small central body 16 to which manipulators 24 and legs 25 are attached. The legs 25 are equipped with constant pressure gripping end effectors 29 to safely grip space structure 120. Walking by legs 25 or repairing and placing by the manipulators 24 may be controlled either by computer software 140 or a remotely situated human operator 135, who maintains visual contact with the space spider crane via television cameras 22 located at strategic positions on space spider crane 15. One possible walking program consists of a parallel motion walking program that results in small central body 16 alternatively leaning forward and backward relative to end effectors 29.

Abstract: A portable gas removal system for withdrawing a flammable gas from a low pressure subterranean formation wherein the gas is aspirated from a well with water, the mixture of gas and water are introduced into a receiving chamber where the aspirated gas is stripped and mixed with air and an air-gas mixture is withdrawn having a gas concentration lower than the explosive limit.

Abstract: A bracket hinge and bracket members (10, 10') with a spring biased and movable locking member (30). The locking or latch member (30) has ear parts (38, 39) received in locking openings (25, 25') where wedging surfaces (40, 41) on the ear parts cooperate with complimentary surfaces (42, 42') on the bracket members for bringing the bracket members into a tight end-to-end alignment when the bracket members are in an extended position. When the locking member (30) is moved to an unlocking position, pivoting of the hinge about a pivot pin (32) automatically places locking pins (70, 71) in a circular shaped groove (55) on the locking member (30) to retain the locking member (30) in an unlocked position. In pivoting the hinge from an extended position to a folded position, longitudinal spring members (80, 81) are placed under tension over annular rollers (60, 61) so that the spring tension in a folded position assists in return of the hinge from a folded position to an extended position.

Abstract: The radiation pattern of a beam at elevation angles near the horizon is improved for phased array antennas by control of the radiation field intensity near the horizon to reduce multipath disturbances, and to improve the axial ratio of a circularly polarized phased array antenna. This is accomplished by placing a parasitic phase shifting element directly below the antenna beam axis. The waveguide section is designed to produce a phase shift in the portion of antenna radiation energy passing through it to cancel some of the radiation energy in the direction of the horizon. The spacing of the waveguide section in front of the antenna is determined empirically for optimum results, i.e., for reduction of beam power below about 20.degree. without affecting beam power at high elevation angles.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a mechanical force actuator which is light weight and manipulatable and utilizes linear motion for push or pull forces while maintaining a constant overall length.The mechanical force producing mechanism comprises a linear actuator mechanism (22,23) and a linear motion shaft (11) mounted parallel to one another. The linear motion shaft (11) is connected to a stationary or fixed housing (12) and to a movable housing (26) where the movable housing (26) is mechanically actuated through actuator mechanism (22,26) by either manual means (21) or motor means (20). The housings (12,26) are adapted to releasably receive a variety of jaw or pulling elements (28) adapted for clamping or prying action. The stationary housing (12) is adapted to be pivotally mounted to permit an angular position of the housing to allow the tool to adapt to skewed interfaces. The actuator mechanisms (22,23) is operated by through a gear train (19) to obtain linear motion of the actuator mechanism.

Abstract: A composite piston structure is disclosed which provides a simple and reliable means for joining a carbon-carbon or ceramic piston cap 11 with a metallic piston body 13. Attachment is achieved by means of a special geometry which compensates for differences in thermal expansion without complicated mechanical fastening devices. The shape employs a flange created by opposed frustoconical shapes 12 and 19 with coincident vertices 15 intersecting on the radial centerline of the piston in order to retain the piston cap. The use of carbon-carbon for the piston cap material allows a close fit between the piston and a cylinder wall, eliminating the need for piston rings. The elimination of extra mechanical parts of previous composite pistons provides a lightweight composite piston capable of extended high temperature operation.

Abstract: A spring (10) includes a tube (12) having an elliptical cross section, with the greater axial dimension (22) extending laterally and the lesser axial dimension (24) extending vertically. A plurality of cuts (20) in the form of slots passing through most of a wall of the tube (12) extend perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis (16) extending along the tube (12). An uncut portion (26) of the tube wall extends along the tube (12) for bonding or fastening the tube to a suitable base, such as a bottom (28) of a seat cushion (30).

Abstract: A multi-body aircraft with an all-movable center fuselage 20 which translates relative to two side fuselages 22. At subsonic and transonic flight the center fuselage 20 is in a forward position. At supersonic speeds the center fuselage 20 moves aft so as to ensure optimum aerodynamic interference at particular Mach numbers. This provides an increased shock strength and greater surface area so that significant reductions in zero-lift wave drag can be achieved. This concept allows for a significant increase in the wing aspect ratio which would improve high-lift performance at all speed without incurring a significant supersonic zero-lift wave drag penalty. In addition, an improved low-fineness ratio, high-speed performance is achieved at all speeds and for all flight conditions.

Abstract: A video controlled solid state range finding system includes an opto-electric camera and a helium neon laser. The laser applies coherent light to a beam splitter which applies a reference beam to the camera and an outgoing beam to a first angularly variable reflector which directs the outgoing beam to the object. An incoming beam from the object is reflected to a second angularly variable reflector and thus to the camera via the beam splitter. The first and second reflectors are configured with respect to the beam splitter so that the distance D travelled by the outgoing beam is the same as the distance travelled by the incoming beam from the second reflector to the beam splitter. The reference beam produces a reference signal and the incoming beam produces an object signal at the camera. The difference between the reference and object signals is used to vary the angle A between the outgoing beam and the reference line (31), and the angle B between the incoming beam and the reference line.

Abstract: A railway bogie or a vehicle is so suspended to axleboxes on a plurality of wheelsets that each wheelset can yaw about a center of yaw, move laterally and move vertically relatively to the frame of the bogie or vehicle. Each axle box has a pair of radially opposed arms extending vertically and links extend from the arms in opposed directions laterally to the plane containing the axis of the axle. The links are ball jointed to the arms and also at their other ends. One link is connected to the link on the other side of the frame via a mechanism transmitting motion across the frame. Such a mechanism may involve a beam pivoted to the frame, bell cranks connected by struts, a torsion bar with arms projecting from it or hydraulic conduits between links which are hydraulic piston and cylinders. The mechanism may be repeated on the other side or the links on that side may simply be jointed to the frame. The purpose of the mechanism is to inhibit longitudinal movement of the center of yaw of each wheelset.

Abstract: A three axis attitude control system for an orbiting body, such as a spacecraft, comprises a motor driven flywheel supported by a torque producing active magnetic bearing. Free rotation of the flywheel is provided about its central axis and together with limited angular torsional deflections of the flywheel about two orthogonal axes which are perpendicular to the central axis. The motor comprises an electronically commutated DC motor, while the magnetic bearing comprises a radially servoed permanent magnet biased magnetic bearing capable of producing cross-axis torques on the flywheel. Three body attitude sensors for pitch, yaw and roll generate respective command signals along three mutually orthogonal axes (x, y, z) which are coupled to circuit means for energizing a set of control coils for producing torques about two of the axes (x and y) and speed control of the flywheel about the third (z) axis.