Abstract: An optical inspecting apparatus and the method thereof, including a series of optical units for rapidly acquiring the three-dimensional surface profile of a moving object. Each optical unit contains a multiple-beam light source to project a number of luminous spots on the object surface which are imaged through a properly oriented line-array camera. The surface position on both sides of the object, and thus the object thickness, is inferred at the position of each luminous spot from an analysis of their camera image. The projected luminous spots are preferably elliptically shaped and the line array elements are elongated in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal axis in order to reduce speckle and other optical noise. The described optical configuration results in a superior performance in terms of spatial resolution and response speed.

Abstract: A hard to simulate, readily distinguishable from counterfeits, optical interference authenticating device comprises a substrate, and two optical interference coatings in interfacial contact on one side of the substrate, one of the optical interference coatings being a contrast coating, the other of the optical interference coatings being a form depicting coating for depicting a form relative to the contrast coating. The optical interference coatings each comprising at least one optical interference layer the material and thickness of which has been selected for the coatings to have different, particular, known spectral reflectance and spectral transmittance characteristics from one another when viewed at a particular angle, such that the form depicting coating is visible by reflected or transmitted light of particular coloration, when viewed at the particular angle, at least in part by optical interference of light partically reflected or transmitted at the interfacial contact.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes an apparatus and a method for detecting the presence of flaws in a moving sheet of material. The apparatus comprises a light source for projecting a light beam; a beam shaping unit for shaping the light beam into a predetermined structured light pattern, and projecting the structured light pattern onto a portion of the surface of the sheet; an optical unit for collecting light emitted from the portion of the surface; and a light detecting unit for receiving the light collected by the optical unit and generating an electrical signal indicative of the intensity of the light generated from the portion of the surface. A signal processing unit is provided for filtering the electrical signal, the signal processing unit having predetermined characteristics specifically adapted to match an expected electrical signal corresponding to the predetermined structured light pattern.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically detecting transient motion from a scattering surface. A laser beam having a predetermined frequency is directed onto such a surface to thereby scatter the laser beam and produce a scattered laser beam defining an optical wavefront and having an optical spectrum with a central peak at the laser frequency and a sideband on either side of the central peak. The laser beam scattered by the surface is caused to interfere with a reference beam derived from the scattered laser beam and having an optical wavefront substantially matching the wavefront of the scattered beam and an optical spectrum with a single peak at the laser frequency and no sidebands, to obtain an optical signal which is detected and converted into an electrical signal representative of the transient motion.

Abstract: The present disclosure makes a grating assisted optical waveguide device.

Abstract: An RF switch for use e.g. in space has a pair of rotary switch contacts mounted for rotation into and out of a closed position in which a switch connection is established between the switch contacts. A dielectric material is located between the switch contacts, the dielectric material and the switch contacts constituting a capacitive RF connection between the switch contacts in the closed position to eliminate multipactor discharge and ionization and to improve heat dissipation.

Abstract: Apparatus for eviscerating fresh scallops immediately after they have been shucked from the shell, which apparatus cleanly strips membrane, roe and entrails from the edible adductor muscle without causing damage to the latter. No ageing, chemical or heat pretreatment is required. The apparatus includes a feed hopper which meters product flow single file onto one end of a set of two horizontal, counterrotating pinch rollers. A horizontal open bottom trough directs and contains the scallops on the top surfaces of the rollers. The rollers are critically sized and knurl textured and supported in rolling contact so as to nip and downwardly strip off soft entrails and membrane but support the firm cylindrical meat (muscle tissue). Water sprays and high speed cylindrical rotary brushes clean the rollers from below. The rollers have left and right hand helical grooves which advance the product along the rollers from the hopper to a discharge end while being processed.

Abstract: A continuous, low severity process for dewatering peat. The process comprises the steps of flowing a slurry of peat through a reactor directly heated by the addition of live steam to heat the slurry to a temperature of between 160.degree. C. to 200.degree. C., subjecting the heated slurry to intense mechanical shear and mixing, and then, after a period of between 1 to 3 minutes, quenching the product.

Abstract: A sorbent tube trace sample releasing apparatus comprises a tubular casing for connection at a downstream end to, say, a gas chromatograph, a spring loaded valve in the bore of the casing, a valved, purging gas inlet downstream of the spring loaded valve and a sorbent tube receiving end portion upstream thereof, surrounded by a heating coil, and fitted with an O-ring seal adjacent an upstream side of the spring loaded valve. The tubular casing is connected to a sample entry of a gas chromatograph and purging gas is fed to the gas chromatograph. The purged casing is then heated by heating coil with a sample carrying sorbent tube inserted in with the casing, spring loaded valve and sample carrying end of the sorbent tube heated, the sorbent tube is then used to open the spring loaded valve while a carrier gas is fed along the sorbent tube to release the sample.

Abstract: A transconductance amplifier for emitting an output current that is a replica of a input voltage has its accuracy enhanced by a current comparator having a first magnetic core, a second magnetic core, a pair of ratio windings electromagnetically coupled with both the cores, and a detection winding electromagnetically coupled with the first core but not with the second core. A first of the ratio windings is connected in series with the output current of the transconductance amplifier. A high value resistor is connected in series with the second of the ratio windings across the input voltage of the transconductance amplifier whereby the current in the second ratio winding accurately reproduces the waveform of the input voltage. A further amplifier has its input connected to the detection winding. The output of this amplifier is so connected as to add a correcting current to the output current of the transconductance amplifier and thus provide the necessary accuracy enhancement.

Abstract: Novel processes are provided for the preparation of useful materials from tubers of Jerusalem artichoke or similar inulin-containing plants. In one process, a flour is prepared from such tubers which comprises the steps of: macerating the tubers to a pumpable fluid homogenate, preferably in an environment of steam; heating the pumpable fluid homogenate at a temperature ranging from about 150.degree. C. for a time ranging, respectively, from about 15 seconds to about 10 minutes; subjecting the heated, pumpable fluid homogenate to spray-drying in a stream of hot gas, and recovering a flour comprising a mixture of monosaccharides, small oligosaccharides and large oligosaccharides, e.g. about 50-60% small fructooligosaccharides and about 40-50% large oligosaccharides. In another process, a food-grade accidulant, preferably acetic acid is added, either before, during or after the macerating step to provide an acidified, pumpable fluid homogenate of such tubers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transition between a "stripline" and a "microstrip" transmission line which uses printed circuit board materials and processes. The transition, which includes a stripline region and a microstrip region, also includes a transitional region in which a quasi coaxial line section is provided in the stripline region near the termination of the upper ground plane. A double tapered double slot line is used to avoid discontinuity. The two slots taper to minimum width at the termination of the upper ground plane, and widen in the transition to the microstrip region. The transition is of wideband operation (e.g. from near DC to 20 gHz) and of high performance.

Abstract: A fungicide which is particularly effective against benomyl resistant fungi is selected from the group of fungicides represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 and n is 1, 2, 3 or 6 or R is phenyl. The method comprises applying as a suspension an effective amount of the one or more fungicides selected from the formula to benomyl resistant fungi, such as benomyl resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea.

Abstract: A holder assembly for a plastic bag of a frozen liquid, e.g. blood plasma, is designed to be manually removably mounted on an arbor that projects into a microwave oven cavity from a wall thereof. The holder is metallic and has a circular base from which a peripheral wall projects upwardly to a rim across which an apron extends. A semi-flexible bar of microwave transparent material is mounted to extend across the holder to retain the bag therein. A plurality of such arbors, e.g. four, are disposed around the oven cavity whereby a number of bags can be heated simultaneously. Each arbor is rotatable for agitating the bag holder assembly and hence the bag therein. Devices associated with each arbor detect the presence of a bag holder assembly on such arbor and also detect the temperature of thawing liquid in the bag supported in each bag holder assembly. A controller to which this information is supplied drives the oven through an appropriate program that ensures that none of the bag contents overheats.

Abstract: A building of generally spherical configuration has a lower portion and an upper portion and includes an outer skin of first triangular panels and an inner skin of second triangular panels. Substantially all of the panels are light-transmitting, and may be made of glass. Partitions extend from the lower to the upper portion of the building between the two skins and divide the inter-skin region into a plurality of sectors running from the lower to the upper portion of the building. Particulate insulative material is provided, along with apparatus for selectively filling the sectors with insulative material by delivering insulative material to the upper ends thereof, and to selectively empty the sectors of insulative material by withdrawing insulative material from the bottom ends thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for quantitatively determining the different forms of sulphur present in a solid matrix, e.g. coal. The novel method comprises intimately mixing finely divided coal with a finely divided solid diluent material, e.g. silica, which is inert to sulphur under reaction conditions. This mixed sample is then burned within a confined combustion zone at a predetermined elevated temperature and the combustion gases from the combustion chamber are continuously removed. These gases are passed through an infrared analyzer which continuously monitors the intensity of the infrared spectra for sulphur oxycompounds in the combustion gases. The infrared intensity is measured as a function of evolution time of sulphur oxycompound from the sample to obtain peaks in an infrared intensity-time pattern indicative of different forms of sulphur.

Abstract: A potentiometric electrochemical sensor for detecting gaseous concentrations of arsenic oxides or arsenic-bearing species at elevated temperatures. The sensor is comprised of: an ionically conducting solid state membrane which may be made of silver zirconium arsenate, sodium beta-alumina or silver beta-alumina; a reference electrode which may be silver wire packed in silver powder; and a working electrode which may consist of a platinum mesh electrode or a silver wire exposed to the arsenic oxide-bearing gas. The probe is responsive to arsine [AsH.sub.3 ] concentrations in the range 5-1000 ppm in oxidizing gases, such as air, which have been raised to the temperature range 600.degree.-900.degree. C. The compound silver zirconium arsentate is also novel.

Abstract: A current ratio device for use in constructing a current transformer comprises a first magnetic core, a second magnetic core, a measuring winding electromagnetically coupled with the first core but not with the second core, and a compensating winding electromagnetically coupled with both cores. An externally powered amplifier has its input connected to receive the voltage waveform across the measuring winding. Its output provides a compensating current through the compensating winding equal to a magnetizing current required to magnetize the second core. The amplifier output also provides a measuring current through the measuring winding in the direction opposite that of the compensating current and equal to the compensating current multiplied by the ratio of turns in the compensating and measuring windings.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a method and apparatus for measuring magnetic losses in a ferromagnetic material specimen. According to the invention, an alternating magnetic field having a predetermined frequency and an amplitude which is modulated at a frequency lower than the predetermined frequency is applied to the specimen, and a temperature modulation at a surface of the specimen having the applied field is measured. The magnitude of magnetic losses in the specimen is determined from the measured surface temperature modulation. The method and apparatus of the invention do not necessitate winding coils around the ferromagnetic material specimen, and also enable one to obtain information about the distribution of magnetic losses in the specimen.

Abstract: A circuit for detecting the positions and intensities of peaks in a digital input signal (which may be a digitized version of a signal from a CCD forming part of a three dimensional imaging device) employs a second derivative of the input signal for validating the presence of each input peak. Each validation signal enables an interpolation circuit that determines the position of a peak by finding the location of a zero crossing point of a first derivative of the input signal. Each validation signal also enables a maximum detector for measuring the intensity of each peak. The arrangement does not require resetting after each detection of a peak and is less sensitive than prior devices to noise or DC or low frequency components.