Abstract: An exhaust processor having a housing and a diesel particulate trap or filter retained within the housing is provided with a particulate trap seal. The housing includes an inlet for introducing a combustion product into the housing and an outlet for exhausting combustion product from the housing. The trap includes a monolithic cellular structure having two opposing ends. The structure includes a plurality of intermediate walls arranged to provide a plurality of substantially parallel passages. The intermediate walls and passages extend longitudinally from the housing inlet to the housing outlet. The exhaust processor further includes plugs for closing alternate passages at opposite ends of the particulate trap. Additionally, the exhaust processor includes a seal on the peripheral edge at each end of the outer wall of the particulate trap to block the passage of combustion product through the passages adjacent to the outer wall.

Abstract: A catalytic converter includes a longitudinally disposed body portion having first and second shell halves and an interior through which the combustion product can flow. A manifold is provided for forming a passageway between the body interior containing a reducing catalyst and the body interior containing an oxidizing catalyst. The manifold includes first and second manifold halves, with each manifold half including a pair of flanges which extend perimetrally and substantially completely along the interior wall of one shell half. The manifold flanges are disposed substantially parallel to the interior wall and coupled thereto. The manifold flanges include a portion which is recessed inwardly from the interior wall and first and second mating sections. The recessed portions include air holes for introducing air into the passageway between the reducing catalyst and the oxidizing catalyst.

Abstract: An evaporative cooler is disclosed which incorporates a media having a plurality of generally plate-like structures. The plates include a plurality of fins having slot-like depressions dimensioned thin enough to exhibit capillarity, yet thick enough to exhibit good heat transfer characteristics when filled with chilled water. The capillary slots are arranged to effect distribution of the water over substantially the entire surface of the plates forming the media. In one embodiment, the slot-like depressions of adjoining plates are alternately spaced, and aligning projections are provided to align adjoining plates with respect to each other.

Abstract: A banding strap for attaching a heat shield to a muffler comprises a strap for encircling the muffler and heat shield, the strap including an underlying end segment and an overlying end segment, each including outwardly projecting shoulder sections providing abutments for crimping to interlock the end segments and tighten the strap around the muffler and heat shield. The outwardly projecting shoulder section in the overlying end segment forms an inwardly opening bight for receiving the outwardly projecting shoulder section in the underlying end segment. Each shoulder section includes an inwardly projecting indentation so that the indentation of one of the shoulder sections nests within the indentation of the other of the shoulder sections when the shoulder sections are engaged to prevent lateral misalignment of the end segments with respect to each other.

Abstract: A mechanical connection for securing a reinforcing strip to a flange on a deep-drawn receptacle, such as an oil pan, includes a tab formed on the outer edge of the flange, and opposed notches formed on edges of the reinforcing strip. The notches are aligned with the tab, and the tab and a segment of the side wall of the receptacle are staked into engagement with the notches to secure the strip to the flange.

Abstract: Cloud cover information over a selected portion of the earth, such as that obtained from a satellite (10) is converted into digital form and stored in a picture memory RAM (40). The memory can be interrogated and displayed on a television monitor (100) or transmitted by a television station (110). Geographical information, such as the location of water bodies and land masses, stored in a map memory ROM (50), and this memory is interrogated at the same time as the picture memory to generate a color subcarrier which is added to the video from the picture memory. The hue of the combined picture is varied according to the intensity of the video signal from the picture memory by means of a combinational logic circuit (60).

Abstract: Information from a weather radar system (10) is gathered by a data transmitter (20) and sent to a data receiver (25) via a telephone or data line (30). The radar video information for each radial is divided into segments and temporarily stored in a memory (45). Only the information in those segments which are to be recorded in a random access memory (140) in the data receiver (25) are transmitted. The selection within the data transmitter (20) is made by a programmable read-only memory (95), and the placement of the data into the receiver random access memory (140) is made by programmable read-only memories (130 and 135). Synchronizing pulses representing each radial (102) and antenna position (14) are also transmitted.

Abstract: A tube-to-plate connection and method for making it utilize a plate defining an aperture where the tube is to be attached to the plate, with the portion of the plate surrounding the aperture including a flange extending away from the plane of the plate. The tube side wall lies generally within the flange. The flange and tube wall are simultaneously cut or staked radially by a piercing cutter-staker which pierces the walls of both flange and tube wall to prevent axial movement or rotation of the tube with respect to the flange.

Abstract: A mechanical connection of a first tube to a second tube, in which the first tube has a radially inner dimension and the second tube has a radially outer dimension permitting close sliding engagement of an end of the second tube within an end of the first tube. The connection includes staked segments spaced apart circumferentially about the first and second tube side walls. Each staked segment includes simultaneously formed projections formed by a staking or piercing knife in the side walls of both tubes.

Abstract: An assembly for a catalytic converter includes a housing and a catalyst-supporting substrate, or monolith. The housing includes upper and lower halves. One of the housing halves includes an enlarged perimetrally extending lip region. The other housing half includes a perimetrally extending insertion portion for insertion into engagement with the lip region. The housing halves are compression-loaded one within the other to either a predetermined force or a predetermined depth of insertion. This shoebox-like assembly is fabricated by supporting the lower housing half on a perimetrally extending ridge formed in the lower housing half and applying force to a perimetrally extending ridge formed in the upper housing half until the predetermined force has been reached or the insertion portion has reached a predetermined depth of insertion within the lip region. The assembly is compact and utilizes a minimum of space on a vehicle.

Abstract: A space heater having two heating elements and a motor/fan combination for circulating air over the heating elements to supply heated air to an environment includes a system for controlling the operation of the heating elements and the motor in response to heating requirements of the environment. The control system includes a first circuit for sensing temperature to determine a heating requirement to maintain a desired ambient temperature of the environment, a second circuit for independently activating and deactivating the heating elements in according with the heating requirements determined by the first circuit, and a third circuit for activating, deactivating, and variably controlling the volume of air circulated by the motor/fan in accordance with heating requirements determined by the first circuit. The heater housing includes a main housing portion housing the heating elements, an ambient air intake opening, a heated air exhaust vent, and the motor/fan.

Abstract: A scanning type magnetic tape recorder comprises a deck including a rotatable scanning assembly mounted and at least one transducer and at least one capstan mounted in spaced relation to one side of the scanning assembly. A rotary drive is connected to rotate the transducer and the capstan at correlated speeds. A cassette, having a supply hub and a take-up hub in spaced relation, contains a quantity of tape movable between the hubs, and a drive belt passing in contact with portions of the tape wound on both the hubs. The cassette having an opening at one end of a size to fit around said scanning assembly.Guides in the cassette locate a length of the tape between the hubs, away from the belt and across the opening in position to form a turn around the scanning assembly in response to placement of the cassette on said deck. A first roller guides a length of the belt where separated from the tape to one side of said opening for driving by the one capstan.

Abstract: A fireplace heat exchanger grate comprising an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold and a plurality of heat exchanger tubes or pipes providing communication between the inlet and outlet manifolds. First and second duct sections are in open communication respectively with the inlet and outlet manifolds. A low-profile connector duct section extends across the front of the fireplace in open communication with both the first and second duct sections. The connector duct section includes an internal baffle between its connections to the first and second duct sections. A blower is connected to a first end of the connector duct section. Flow from the blower is directed by the baffle into the first duct section, through the inlet manifold, the heat exchanger tubes and the outlet manifold to the second duct section and outwardly through exhaust vents in the connector duct section on the downstream side of the internal baffle.

Abstract: A tube-to-plate connection includes a plate defining an aperture where the tube is to be attached to the plate, the portion of the plate surrounding the aperture including a flange extending away from the plane of the plate and providing, at its distal extent, a lip which projects radially inwardly toward the axis of the aperture. The end of the tube lies generally against the lip to prevent movement of the tube longitudinally further through the plate. The flange includes an opening for receiving a radially deformed portion of the tube side wall adjacent the end of the tube to prevent rotation of the tube in the plate. The flange and tube end include portions adjacent the lip which are flared to prevent movement of the tube longitudinally out of engagement with the plate.

Abstract: A radial sweep generator circuit generates a series of radial sweep lines in succession to simulate a rotating sweep line which extends from the center of a video display to the periphery of the display. The display consists of a rectangular matrix of display positions arranged in lines and columns which are scanned in a raster scanning format. A vector number generator generates a vector number signal corresponding to one of the radial sweep lines which is to be displayed. A vector origin counter determines the display position on the periphery of the matrix from which the sweep line is to originate. A vector line generator is responsive to the vector number generator and to the vector origin counter for providing video display pulses.

Abstract: A video recorder and playback system for storing video information consisting of video frames successively presented at a standard frame rate, each frame having first and second interlaced video fields, and for playing back the video information in a desired sequence to produce a video output signal, providing either slow motion or normal motion effects when viewed on a monitor, includes a frame recorder. The frame recorder has a rotatable recording medium, first and second transducer means for recording and playing back video frames in recording tracks on the recording medium, and means for rotating the medium at the standard frame rate such that a video frame is recorded in each of the recording tracks. A field store is responsive to the recorder for storing a field of video information replayed from the recorder. A switch is connected to a field store and to the recorder for providing at the switch output video information from the field store or the recorder in response to a delay field signal.

Abstract: A tube-to-plate connection includes a plate defining an aperture where the tube is to be attached to the plate, the portion of the plate surrounding the aperture including a flange extending away from the plane of the plate and providing, at its distal extent, a lip which projects radially inwardly toward the axis of the aperture. The end of the tube lies generally against the lip to prevent movement of the tube longitudinally further through the plate. The flange includes an opening for receiving a radially deformed portion of the tube side wall adjacent the end of the tube to prevent rotation of the tube in the plate. The flange and tube end include portions adjacent the lip which are flared to prevent movement of the tube longitudinally out of engagement with the plate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for video signal recording comprises helically scanning a plurality of transducer heads (20-23) sequentially along separate parallel paths (30-32) of equal width on a record medium (10) at a rate such that a plurality of the scans occur within a field interval, and diverting the signal in predetermined sequence to different ones of the heads. The scanning of said heads and diverting of the signal to different heads is arranged to cause some redundant recording of information in different ones of the paths, information recorded in a path that is adjacent an edge of the medium having corresponding redundant information recorded in an internal path that is bounded by other parallel paths.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for video signal recording comprises helically scanning a plurality of transducer heads sequentially along separate parallel paths of equal width on a record medium at a rate such that a plurality of the scans occur within a field interval, and diverting the signal in predetermined sequence to different ones of the heads. The scanning of said heads and diverting of the signal to different heads is arranged to cause some redundant recording of information in different ones of the paths, information recorded in a path that is adjacent an edge of the medium having corresponding redundant information recorded in an internal path that is bounded by other parallel paths.