Abstract: Device which is independent of the main propulsion system of a ship, and which can be used selectively as a passive rudder or as an active maneuvering mechanism, and consists of one or more blades, a wheel body, a transmission and one or more control units.When the wheel body is stationary, in response to commands from the control unit or units, the blades can be oriented separately by means of the transmission and can be coupled or uncoupled to set the required angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ship. In that case, the device acts as a passive rudder.When the wheel body is rotating, the position of the eccentrically located blade or blades is varied during a rotation of the wheel body so that a resulting thrust is generated on account of the hydrodynamic forces which act on the blade or blades. The direction of the thrust can be set in any desired direction by means of the control unit or control units and the sun wheel or the sun wheels of the transmission.

Abstract: Armored tank housings for all combat, scouting, infantry and supply tanks of different types and sizes and operating as track vehicles are based by selecting a tank housing so that it corresponds to the size of the largest tank size involved. The housing is formed of floor plates, side walls and roof plates. The various plates and walls forming the housing are arranged so that they can be automatically welded together along longitudinal seams. Where transverse seams are required in the floor plates and the roof plates the transverse seams are arranged so that they do not interrupt the longitudinal seams. As required, additional armor can be mounted on the side walls and the roof plates. The housing is arranged so that the components for movement, for orientation and for military tasks are located at the same locations in the housing for all of the different types and sizes of tanks for which the housing is intended.

Abstract: A process for detecting a phase boundary surface between layers of fluids which are not intermixable with one another includes the steps of penetrating at least one of the fluids with sound waves to strike a reflector, receiving the reflected sound waves, comparing the transmitted sound waves to the reflected and received sound waves, using the comparison to determine the acoustic propagation impedance, and using the results to determine the position of the phase boundary layer.