Abstract: An angular velocity sensor based on a ring laser, wherein at any given time beam components of oppositely directed wave trains can be decoupled, having photo-receivers for the decoupled beam components, and means for the generation of signals which correspond to intensity differences of the decoupled beam components. In accordance with the invention a photo-receiver is provided for each decoupled beam and detector means is provided to analyze the output signals from the photo-receivers both for amplitude and frequency. The detector means may consist of a subtractor, a pulse-former and a counter. A rotation-direction detector may also receive an output signal from the pulse-former and feed this as a plus or minus sign into the counter.

Abstract: Disclosure is directed to an apparatus for producing a microwave discharge n a supersonic gas flow such that the available microwave energy is deposited in the gas as completely and uniformly as possible through a substantial cross-section of the flow channel. The flow channel is provided within a waveguide and microwave energy is caused to be propagated through the waveguide substantially in the direction of the gas flow. A supersonic nozzle is provided in the channel dividing the channel into an upstream plenum and a downstream low pressure region, and the electric discharge occurs in the low pressure region just beyond the nozzle throat.

Abstract: A latent heat accumulator is disclosed including an upright container hav, in a major volume first section, a latent heat storage medium, and a passage for a heat exchange medium extending through the charge in the first section. The passage is of the type of a conduit provided with intake openings at different levels. The flow of heat exchange medium through the conduit generates low pressure at the intake openings with the result that a part of the surrounding charge of the heat storage medium is drawn into the conduit for thorough intermixing and heat transfer. The intake openings are preferably protected to prevent large solidified particles of the heat storage medium from blocking the openings or from entering the conduit. The invention improves the heat transfer capacity and reduces the charge of the heat storage medium entering the associated heat exchange circulation system while retaining a relatively simple structure of the accumulator.

Abstract: To ensure that a body will be independent of gravitation for the performance of tests, an evacuable protection box is provided which encloses contact free the body from all sides.The protection box has contactless scanning units to monitor the position of the body in its inside. It is conducted along three axes by a guiding system firmly connected to the spacecraft.The movements along each of the three axes is accomplished by driving means controlled by the scanning units so that the protection box follows changed positions of the body relative to the spacecraft.

Abstract: An assembly as used to test material in a specimen within a high temperat range. The specimen or workpiece is clamped into a clamping mechanism having two clamping heads that are movably disposed with respect to each other. A divided workpiece end holder is disposed within an inwardly enlarged opening form on the facing front walls of each clamping head. A measuring apparatus including two elongation measurement holders are disposed at two laterally displaced locations along the length of the workpiece or specimen. A shoulder configuration is located at the laterally displaced locations on the workpiece. As the specimen is pulled apart by the clamping mechanisms located at each end thereof, the material between the shoulders is elongated. A particular rod and tube arrangement is used to measure the relative movement occurring between the elongation measurement holders disposed at the shoulder locations on the workpiece.

Abstract: Hydrogen evaporating in a liquid hydrogen tank is fed to a fuel cell generating electrical energy used to drive a cooling unit which cools the tank.

Abstract: An injection head introduces H.sub.2 and O.sub.2 into one end of an elongate combustion chamber. At the same time, water is injected into the chamber through peripheral ducts to form a water curtain, or through inlets in the injection head, or through apertures facing away from the injection head in water-cooled tubing extending in a plane perpendicular to the chamber axis.

Abstract: A latent heat accumulator is disclosed including a vessel for receiving a tent heat storage medium and a circuit for a heat exchanger medium. The heat exchanger medium is immiscible with the latent heat storage medium, has a different density than the heat storage medium and is openly conveyed through the heat storage medium. The vessel contains a collecting chamber for the heat exchanger medium and has a heat exchanger arranged therein. An external heat carrier medium flows through the heat exchanger for transfer of heat between the heat carrier medium and the heat exchange medium. The accumulator is characterized in that a first heat carrier medium for adding heat and a second heat carrier medium for withdrawing heat are conveyed in the heat exchanger in separate conduit systems which are in heat-conductive contact with each other and with the surrounding heat exchanger medium.

Abstract: A blue-flame oil burner including a flame-tube, a wall extending transvery of the flame-tube and defining the upstream end thereof, the wall having therein a metering orifice through which air enters the flame-tube, the orifice being the only air inlet into the flame-tube, an oil atomizing nozzle positioned upstream of the wall and discharging an oil spray through the orifice into the flame-tube, and a mixing tube positioned within the flame-tube co-axially of the orifice and having its upstream end spaced axially from the wall by a distance such that the peripheral area of the space between the wall and the upstream end of the mixing tube and defined within an imaginary upstream extension of the peripheral wall of the mixing tube to the transverse wall is between one and three times the difference between the cross-sectional area at the upstream end of the mixing tube and that at the orifice, the mixing tube having a length, L, and a diameter, D, such that the ratio L/D is between 1.0 and 1.

Abstract: The measuring equipment is used for the optical monitoring of cracks in mrial test pieces, which are loaded by a loading device. A television camera trained on the test piece is connected to a discriminator which converts the image points of the television image into binary pulses. The binary pulses of the television image are stored from time to time in a store. A comparator compares the contents of the store with the binary pulses of a consecutive television image and ascertains deviations between two consecutively-taken television images. The number of the non-coincident binary pulses of the compared television images is counted and indicated.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic actuator is disclosed, particularly for use with control surfaces in aircraft. The actuator includes a regulating piston and cylinders and rapidly-operable switching valves for the positioning of the piston in the cylinder that are operated by the supplying of discrete volumes of operating fluid thereto. Switching pulses are applied to the valves by a computer, and a sensor that is responsive to each activation of the switching valves applies an answering pulse to the computer wherein a valve breakdown can immediately be recognized. The sensor may be responsive to changes in pressure and/or flow between the valves and the cylinder located at the valve body.

Abstract: A disc is centered and secured on a shaft by means of flexible webs which extend parallel to the shaft and lie against the inner surface of a central aperture in the disc, and by radially extending tongues fixed to the shaft and entering into corresponding radial slots in the disc. As the assembly rotates, the webs are urged outwards by centrifugal force, to apply a radial compression force to the material of the disc.

Abstract: An oil burner including an oil atomizing nozzle to be mounted upstream of a ransverse wall in a cylindrical flame tube and to discharge oil through an aperture in the wall through which air also passes into a cylindrical mixing tube positioned co-axially within the flame tube and open at its downstream end. The flame tube has a length at least twice its diameter and a diameter between 2.0 and 2.5 times the diameter of the mixing tube. At least one passage adjacent the transverse wall communicates between the interior of the flame tube and the interior of the mixing tube to recirculate combustion gases from the downstream end of the mixing tube to the upstream end thereof. The peripheral wall of the mixing tube adjacent its downstream end is perforated.

Abstract: A latent heat accumulator gives up its heat when a heat exchange medium is assed through the accumulator and around a circuit containing an external heat sink. The heat storage medium in the accumulator changes its state from liquid to solid as it gives up heat. In order to prevent heat exchange medium from being trapped by the heat storage medium as it solidifies, the exchange medium is always introduced directly into a zone where the storage medium is liquid.

Abstract: A method of charging and discharging a heat accumulator is disclosed, when a heat exchange medium is passed through a heat accumulator medium. The heat exchange medium can either be heated or cooled external to the heat accumulator medium. If it is heated, it gives up its heat to the accumulator medium, and in doing so changes from the gaseous to the liquid state. If it is cooled, it absorbs heat from the accumulator medium, and in doing so changes from the liquid to the gaseous state. In both cases, the opposite change of state is brought about by the heating or cooling external to the heat accumulator medium.

Abstract: An electro-hydraulic actuator is disclosed, particularly for use with control surfaces in aircraft. The actuator includes a regulating piston and cylinders an rapidly-operable switching valves for the positioning of the piston in the cylinder that are operated by the supplying of discrete volumes of operating fluid thereto. Switching pulses are applied to the valves by a computer, and a sensor that is responsive to each activation of the switching valves applies an answering pulse to the computer wherein a valve breakdown can immediately be recognized. The sensor may be responsive to changes in pressure and/or flow between the valves and the cylinder located at the valve body.

Abstract: Apparatus for receiving electromagnetic radient energy is disclosed, inclng a radiation detection element, a movable optical element for directing the radiation toward the detection element, and a drive system for automatically adjusting the position of the optical element to cause the radiation to always be directed toward the detection element. The drive system includes a pivotally mounted permanent magnet connected with the optical element, a plurality of coils arranged circumferentially about the magnet, and radiation-responsive control circuit for selectively energizing the coils to produce a magnetic field that displaces the magnet and the optical element to maintain direction of the radiation upon the radiation detection element.

Abstract: A compound material for temperatures up to about 1250.degree. C. or 1350.degree. C., respectively, and a method for producing the same, are disclosed, including a pair of joined layers one of which is a corrosion- and high-temperature-resistant alloy, the other layer consisting of a refractory material with high strength at high temperatures. The layer having the weaker mechanical strength at high temperatures is thinner than the other layer, the ratio of layer thickness preferably being between 1:5 and 1:2. A further alloy layer may be provided on the opposite side of the refractory layer, thereby to define a three-layer laminate. A thin layer of diffusion barrier material, such as platinum or palladium, may be provided between the refractory and alloy layers. The method for producing the laminate includes the step of detonating an explosive layer to exposively clad the alloy layer on to the refractory layer.

Abstract: A 45.degree. rotary mirror illuminates a detector through an optical colling system and while facing downwards picks up a direct or primary line scan of objects located below in the plane of scanning. While facing upwards, the rotary mirror picks up a secondary line scan indirectly from below by reflection from a non-revolving plane mirror at an acute angle to the axis of rotation of the rotary mirror, which angle corresponds to the base angle of stereo scanning when the primary line scans are correlated with corresponding secondary line scans that respectively precede them by an interval corresponding to the travel time of the movable craft upon which the line scanner is carried along a base line distance determined by the inclination of the non-revolving plane mirror. That inclination is adjustable about a hinge axis perpendicular to the direction of travel of the carrying aircraft or spacecraft.

Abstract: A cryogenic apparatus cools an object to, and maintains it at, very low terature and is of the kind in which a refrigerating medium comprising superfluid helium II is evaporated from a supply container into an evacuable exhaust system through a throttle element. Such element includes a valve comprising a valve element displaceable relative to a valve sleeve, and the element and sleeve define a passage gap which, in the normal control range, has a width of less than 10 .mu.m and a length determined by the position of the element relative to the sleeve. Such valve may have an additional control range in which the width of the passage gap is greater than 10 .mu.m. The valve element may be a cylindrical plunger which is axially movable within the sleeve and which defines with the sleeve over at least part of its movement an annular gap having a width less than 10 .mu.m.