Abstract: A rainfall and precipitation gauge, in which the weight of collected fluid is continuously measured and recorded in positive increments in a collection vessel with a force gauge or load cell, and where the fluid is discharged once the collected fluid has reached a certain weight. In particular, the rainfall and precipitation gauge can include an armature which is magnetically coupled to a magnet and provides resistance to the weight of collected fluid. The weight of the collected fluid, once sufficient or beyond a threshold, can constitute a force in opposition to the magnetic attractive force and cause the collection vessel to pivot from a collection and measurement position to a fluid discharge position.

Abstract: A sensor housing and cosine diffuser are provided for the detection and measurement of ultraviolet (UV) irradiance. The cosine diffuser has a tiered structure to efficiently receive and transmit incident light that passes over and/or through the sensor housing structure. The sensor housing structure can be configured to have an irregular, serrated, castellated, and or repeating prong and/or tooth sequence to form a cutoff comb, through which incident light is attenuated. The attenuation of light in turn reduces measurement error caused when too much or too little incident light, relative to the actual intensity and irradiance of ambient incident light, reaches and transmits through a cosine diffuser due to the variation of the zenith angle of incident light over the course of a day.

Abstract: A sensor housing and cosine diffuser are provided for the detection and measurement of ultraviolet (UV) irradiance. The cosine diffuser has a tiered structure to efficiently receive and transmit incident light that passes over and/or through the sensor housing structure. The sensor housing structure can be configured to have an irregular, serrated, castellated, and or repeating prong and/or tooth sequence to form a cutoff comb, through which incident light is attenuated. The attenuation of light in turn reduces measurement error caused when too much or too little incident light, relative to the actual intensity and irradiance of ambient incident light, reaches and transmits through a cosine diffuser due to the variation of the zenith angle of incident light over the course of a day.

Abstract: An onboard diagnostic memory module is configured to plug into the OBD II port and has a real-time clock and power supply, a microprocessor powered from a standard OBD II port, microprocessor operating firmware, and an attached memory (7 MB). In operation, the onboard diagnostic memory module is preprogrammed with data collection parameters through microprocessor firmware by connection to a PC having programming software for the module firmware. Thereafter, the onboard diagnostic memory module is moved into pin connection with the OBD II port of a vehicle. Data is recorded on a “trip” basis, preferably using starting of the engine to define the beginning of the trip and stopping of the engine to define the end of the trip.

Abstract: An onboard diagnostic memory module is configured to plug into the OBD II port and has a real-time clock and power supply, a microprocessor powered from a standard OBD II port, microprocessor operating firmware, and an attached memory (7 MB). In operation, the onboard diagnostic memory module is preprogrammed with data collection parameters through microprocessor firmware by connection to a PC having programming software for the module firmware. Thereafter, the onboard diagnostic memory module is moved into pin connection with the OBD II port of a vehicle. Data is recorded on a “trip” basis, preferably using starting of the engine to define the beginning of the trip and stopping of the engine to define the end of the trip.

Abstract: An onboard diagnostic memory module is configured to plug into the OBD II port and has a real-time clock and power supply, a microprocessor powered from a standard OBD II port, microprocessor operating firmware, and an attached memory (7 MB). In operation, the onboard diagnostic memory module is preprogrammed with data collection parameters through microprocessor firmware by connection to a PC having programming software for the module firmware. Thereafter, the onboard diagnostic memory module is moved into pin connection with the OBD II port of a vehicle. Data is recorded on a “trip” basis, preferably using starting of the engine to define the beginning of the trip and stopping of the engine to define the end of the trip.

Abstract: A cylindrical housing is provided with outside protecting louvers and central cylindrical aspirated flow paths. First, the surrounding louvers are circular and slope downward at their cylindrical inner and outer edges so as to deflect radiation outwardly of the shield and permit cooling by ambient wind. Second, these surrounding louvers along the upper surface are each provided with vertical convection flow apertures to permit natural convection currents. Third, the housing and the louvers are given a small spatial separation to prevent heat conduction. Fourth, a motor driven fan is placed at the top of the central cylindrical flow path. Air is drawn from the bottom of the housing at a screen-guarded circular opening. Air then passes around an aerodynamically shaped radiation baffle into the sensor chamber of the shield. Fifth, air drawn between the walls of the protecting housing is drawn along at least two flow paths.

Abstract: A portable, pocket sized instrument for measuring wind speed and indicating wind direction wherein a multiple number of vanes of varying size and spacing are radially and orthogonally fixed to a disc and wherein the force of the wind against the vanes causes the disc to rotate against the restraining torque of a spring. Wind speed is indicated by angular rotation of the disc and wind direction is indicated by the orientation of the instrument at the time of maximum reading. A foldable handle protects the mechanism and increases the convenience of positioning the instrument.

Abstract: An optical device for vertically positioning a sextant to minimize the "tilt error" which occurs in a measured angle of altitude whenever the sextant is not held orthogonal to the horizon. The optical device can be fixed to the sextant and provides in the sextant's viewing area a secondary horizon which will align with the direct horizon only when the sextant is in a vertical orientation. The device is capable of periodic calibration and can be pivoted out of the line of sight when the sextant's user is initially locating the celestial body whose altitude is being measured.

Abstract: An improved optical measuring instrument having an image combining mirror which reflects part of the light from one source and transmits part of the light from another source and superimposes such reflected and transmitted light over the entire surface of the mirror is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment an improved sextant is disclosed using the image combining mirror. Sextants are double reflecting optical devices which are generally used to measure the angle between a celestial object, such as the sun, the moon, or a star, and the horizon. This measurement is used primarily in navigation for determining the user's location at sea. Prior sextants split the viewing area of the horizon mirror into two fields of view: one-half horizon and one-half celestial object. The improved sextant uses a horizon mirror which combines and overlaps (superimposes) the horizon and celestial images over the entire viewing area.

Abstract: In a corner cube radar reflector of the octahedral radar reflector cluster type wherein three planar radar reflecting plates are orthogonally disposed all in planes of non-coincidence to the horizon, an improved holder is disclosed. Typically first and second tapered members are conformed to the apexes of upwardly and downwardly opposed corner cubes with the upper cube in the "catch rain" position. The tapered members are urged one towards another and fastened to a vertical support, which support can either be rigid or alternatively tensive. There results a support for the reflector in which the designed corner cubes are addressed with optimum solid angle disposed to the horizon from which radar interrogation will most probably occur.