Abstract: A magnetically linked twin-valve assembly is electromagnetically actuated in response to excitation of a single solenoid winding. Valve-body structure features relatively thick non-magnetic and magnetic slabs which are bonded into a consolidated body block, in laminated alternation, prior to machining the same for dual-valve purposes. Two spaced guide bores through the body block accommodate movement of separate valve members of magnetic material; the upper end of each of these valve members is upwardly exposed in confronting relation with one to the exclusion of the other pole face of the U-shaped core of an electromagnet, whereby a single magnetic circuit, established by the U-shaped core and the valve members, relies upon the middle slab of magnetic material to complete the circuit by magnetically linking both valve members. Inlet and outlet flows of pressure fluid pass through separate chambers formed primarily in the lowermost slab on the respective guide-bore alignments.

Abstract: In a position detection probe having a magnetostrictive wire stretched between a head and a reflective foot end termination, and a magnet displaceable along the probe and using the sonic pulse propagation time from the magnet to the foot end termination as a position detection parameter, compensation for thermal expansion and thermal change of propagation velocity is made by measuring the wire resistance and calculating a compensation from the resistance. The probe is excited by an electrical pulse having a known current. The voltage across the wire is measured at a time when the current has stabilized to a precise value, and resistance is determined from the current and voltage.

Abstract: An aircraft fueling nozzle has a body with a bearing sleeve mounted within the body. The nozzle has a poppet having a stem which is guided by the bearing sleeve. A seat is mounted in the nozzle body for forming a seal with the poppet head. The seat is retained in the body by a resilient lip which encompasses the seat projecting outward and interacts with an inwardly projecting lip on the body. The nozzle has a linkage for moving the poppet including an actuator located upstream of the bearing sleeve which is connected to an arm which overarches the bearing sleeve and is connected to the poppet. The actuator includes a crank which is connected to the arm and an actuator shaft which connects to the crank by interfitting splines. The nozzle further includes a swivel for rotatably coupling the nozzle body to a fuel supply. The swivel includes a replaceable annular bearing ring. The nozzle includes recesses for receiving the lugs of an aircraft fueling flange to secure the flange to the nozzle.

Abstract: An oxygen sensor constructed as a coulometric sensor and capable of detecting oxygen concentrations in the range of 1% or greater concentrations. The coulometric sensor utilizes a gas flow path which has a predetermined section constructed with oxygen-permeable tubing, wherein a portion of the oxygen flowing through the gas flow path will permeate into the sensor to generate an electric current flow indicative of the permeating oxygen level. The length of the tubing section which is constructed from oxygen-permeable material maybe selectively adjusted to control the relative attenuation of oxygen flow through the sensor.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for extracting dissolved gases from oil in an electrical transformer and for analyzing those gases using a plurality of gas sensors, a signal processor, and a neural network.

Abstract: A failsafe or self-monitoring sensing edge for an overhead door includes a channel mounted on the bottom edge of the door having a pair of downwardly extending arms which are spaced apart. An outer covering of soft material is attached to the channel for enclosing the arms. The covering supports within a rigid, separate free-floating actuating member extending upwardly through the arms. On one end of the channel is a light source and the other end is a photoswitch. When the covering is depressed upwardly as a result of an obstacle in the path of the door, the actuating member blocks the light beam and the photoswitch gives off a signal, which can be used to terminate or reverse motion of the door.

Abstract: A coupling for coupling a foot pedal to a sensor used to control the throttle of a vehicle's engine. A shaft assembly is provided including a shaft having ends configured to interconnect the rotative movement of a pedal with the shaft of a potentiometer. The shaft is provided with bearings, a cross pin and the mounting for pedal return springs. A housing assembly is produced from a pair of identical castings that together provide the seats for the bearings, cross pin and springs mounted to the shaft. The housing halves split the housing lengthwise. With the halves separated, the shaft assembly is placed in the seats of the bottom half and the top half is assembled to the bottom half to complete the assembly. The seat for the cross pin provides the stops to prevent axial movement of the shaft and to provide restricted rotative movement of the shaft.

Abstract: On-line control of a process is achieved by feedforward computations of manipulated variable setpoints modified during each of frequent optimization cycles by feedback trim determined by actual versus predicted effects of setpoint changes on the process controlled variables. Process, economic, contractual and equipment parameter values are continuously polled and collected and used to compute the optimal setpoints for the manipulated variables before the feedback trim is applied. Drift factors are added to the feedback trim to provide on-line calibration of key measuring instruments. Drifts in process performance are updated on-line periodically through self-tuning routines computed as calibration factors for predictor and control equations based on rigorous process simulations and actual plant performance. The equations take the form of polynomials in which each term contains an adjustable coefficient and only a single variable process parameter.

Abstract: A system for measuring the permeability of membranes, particularly with reference to water vapor, utilizing a diffusion cell having a first water vapor chamber and a second gas flow chamber, the chambers being separated by the membrane to be tested. Gas flow through the gas flow chamber is conveyed to an infrared gas analyzer and to a gas flow sensor; the infrared analyzer provides an electrical signal representative of the water vapor content of the gas, and the gas flow sensor provides a signal representative of the rate of gas flow through the system; the analyzer signal is conveyed to an amplifier and the gas flow sensor signal is utilized to adjust the gain of the amplifier, the output of the amplifier thereby presenting a water vapor signal which has been adjusted to compensate for air flow through the system.

Abstract: A solenoid valve assembly including a diaphragm assembly which is conformed to the poppet and which moves therewith. The poppet is integral with or mounted to the pole piece of the solenoid. The poppet is shaped to conform to the shape of the valve seat. The valve seat has an annular groove to allow flushing of the valve in both open and closed positions.

Abstract: A method and composition for dispersing oil spills, wherein methyl benzoate and a surfactant is used to disperse the oil is described. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and compositions wherein the surfactant is a biodegradable detergent.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, in a fluid flow valve having a body and having a movable member with lower face, the movable member being movable between a position spaced from a sealing position in the body when the valve is in an open position and movable to the sealing position when the valve is in a closed position, the improvement including: an annular sealing member disposed in the outer periphery of the lower face of the movable member to sealingly engage a portion of the body when the valve is in the closed position.

Abstract: A pulse-width modulated (PWM) circuit provides current through a load by opening and closing main electronic switches which connect the load to a power supply. Each main electronic switch connects with an auxiliary switch, connected in series with a diode, the auxiliary switch and diode being called "recovery paths". The recovery paths provide a path between the load and the associated main switch, on one side, and the power supply on the other. A first train of pulses, derived from a command signal, drives the main switches, and a second train of pulses, derived from the first pulse train, controls the switches in the recovery paths. One arranges the second train such that the recovery paths carry current only while the main switches change from on to off, or from off to on. In this way, the recovery paths carry part of the current that would otherwise flow transiently through the main switches, due to the inherent inefficiencies in semiconductor switching.

Abstract: An improved electrical service pedestal is provided, which has a lower portion and an upper portion, the latter of which features a pivotally mounted first section to permit easy access to a meter disposed there within. A second section disposed forward of the front of the first section is independently openable to permit a clear viewing of a meter disposed within the apparatus. The lower portion includes an openable front door, spaced from an openable interior door as well as a stepped and swept or other raceway for the wiring from the utility to the user's meter. Access to the raceway is gained through a removable side door.

Abstract: A magnetic-latching of either of the selected operating positions of a two-position valve utilizes a generally toroidal magnetic circuit that is established by spaced inner and outer annular walls which are connected at their axial ends, with an inlet-port fluid-flow connection at one end to the interior of the inner wall, and with an outlet-port fluid-flow connection from the interior of the inner wall. The inner wall has a gap between axially spaced first and second annular pole faces. A single electrical excitation coil is coupled to the magnet circuit at overlap with the inner annular wall on one side of the gap. A disc-shaped armature is compliantly supported for axially shuttled displacement in the gap in alternating abutment with one to the exclusion of the other of the pole faces.

Abstract: A pulse-width modulated (PWM) circuit alternately applies voltage from a power supply across a load, and alternately establishes one or more non-powered, closed paths for freewheeling current. The circuit includes pairs of switches connected to the load and also connected to the power supply. PWM signals derived from a command signal drive the switches in such a manner as to create the freewheeling current paths in a desired pattern and sequence. The circuit effectively reduces ripple current in the load while also substantially reducing the amount of current flowing through the power supply filter capacitor. Thus, the size and rating of the power supply can be reduced. One can use the invention to drive a load in a multiple-phase environment, and also in the context of a three-phase trapezoidal drive.

Abstract: Apparatus for continous production of flake ice comprises one or more refrigerated discs mounted on a hollow shaft. Each disc rotates in the vertical plane and includes a plurality of narrow internal channels which extend substantially over all of the operative portion of the disc and are of substantially equal length. The discs form the evaporator of a refrigeration circuit, and an evaporative refrigerant is circulated to the channels in each disc via the hollow shaft. During each cycle, water is applied to both external flat surfaces of each disc at a first angular location and the film of water which adheres thereto freezes as the disc rotates. The ice sheet so formed is removed from both sides of the disc at a second angular location by scraper blades.

Abstract: A ball valve has a housing which rotatably carries a ball. The housing has inlet and outlet ports. The ball has two ports which may be rotated to align with the housing's ports. The ball carries a cartridge in a cartridge compartment located transverse to the ball ports. The cartridge has inlet and outlet ports between which a cartridge flow passage is defined. A strainer is located within the cartridge flow passage. The ball and cartridge may be rotated to an orientation in which the ball ports are substantially transverse to the housing ports, from which orientation the cartridge may be extracted from the ball and housing and the strainer may be removed from the cartridge.

Abstract: A micronaire testing apparatus includes a vertically movable carriage for receiving a test chamber formed by two telescoping cylinders. A scale is positioned below the carriage so that the chamber may be automatically weighed. Based on the weight information recorded for a sample, cylinders are telescoped together to produce an air flow test chamber of volume calculated to produce a constant density sample. A pivoting lid is used to close the top of the test chamber, and is spring biased to the open position. A latch bar is biased to a position firmly holding the lid in its closed position, and the carriage presses the test chamber against the lid to produce a peripheral seal of the lid.

Abstract: A lock structure for mounting between first and second supporting surfaces including a cup mounted on the first surface, a housing mounted on the cup, a rocker arm located within the housing and pivotally mounted on the cup, a keeper mounted on the second supporting surface, interengaging surfaces between the rocker arm and the keeper for effecting a locking relationship therebetween, a spring located between the housing and the rocker arm to bias the rocker arm in a locking position relative to the keeper, and an actuator shaft keyed to the rocker arm and rotatably mounted in the housing and having a curvilinear groove therein for receiving a mating key for pivoting the actuator shaft and the rocker arm keyed thereto out of locking engagement with the keeper.