Abstract: The method and device for locating underground utilities within an area includes traversing the area with a plurality of underground utility sensors and obtaining area location data to locate the area traversed. The sensor data and area location data are used to map the location of one or more utilities within the area traversed.

Abstract: A photonic, wide-band analog to digital converter and method for converting an analog electrical signal to a digital electrical signal by electrical signal processing wherein the analog electrical signal is first converted to an optical signal having a wavelength which is a function of the amplitude of said analog electrical signal. The optical signal is then filtered in a plurality of optical filter channels to create N optical bit signals forming an N bit binary word indicating the wavelength of said optical signal. These optical bit signals are then each converted to an electrical bit signal to form an electrical binary word.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically measuring a railroad track condition using a railroad truck with metal track engaging wheels as a reference platform from which a line of sight reference plane spaced from the track is created. Measurements are successively taken between the track and the reference plane as the railroad truck moves along the track.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for human presence detection in vehicles where a vehicle vibration sensor is provided to sense vehicle vibration. This vibration signal is processed to obtain a measure of vehicle vibration independent of vehicle damping. Also, a seismic sensor senses ground vibrations in the area of the vehicle simultaneously with the sensing of vehicle vibration, and if the ground vibration exceeds a first threshold, the measure of vehicle vibration is discarded. Similarly, an infrasonic sensor may be used to sense infrasonic wind vibrations adjacent to the vehicle simultaneously with the sensing of vehicle vibration. When the infrasonic vibration within a desired frequency range exceeds a second threshold value, the measure of vehicle vibration is discarded.

Abstract: The continuous, high speed, tomographic imaging system moves a closed package containing concealed objects continuously along a conveyor belt past three spaced sensing stations. At each sensing station a plurality of X-ray sources each emit a fan beam in the same scan plane which passes through the package to a plurality of detectors opposite to the X-ray sources. One scan is a vertical perpendicular scan plane relative to the direction of travel of the package along the conveyor belt and the remaining two scan planes are horizontal scan planes at right angles and transverse to the direction of travel. One horizontal scan plane is a left to right scan plane while the remaining scan plane is a right to left scan plane. Each detector provides multiple energy outputs (5) for the same data point in a scan slice, and the detector outputs are stored until all three sensing stations have scanned the same cross sectional view of the package in three directions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inspecting and sorting agricultural products which includes launching each product individually from an input transport unit with substantially no change in speed or direction across a gap to an output transport unit. Fixed line scan camera and photocell units are mounted at spaced intervals around the gap to simultaneously optically line scan in the same plane the surfaces of the product. A plurality of simultaneous line scans are sequentially taken at intervals timed to the speed of the input transport unit as the product travels across the gap, and data obtained from the sequential line scans is used to determine the size, shape, weight, color and other characteristics of the product. The product is graded based upon this characteristics and is sorted based upon its grade by a mechanical sorting unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for accurately locating a train or a track repair vehicle along the track, or to locate accurately a track defect. When measuring track geometry, i.e. gage, cross level, warp, the measuring device moves foot by foot along the track and senses and stores a historical profile of various track geometry parameters. The historical profile is stored in a form usable in a processor in the geometry measuring equipment on a train or repair vehicle. The vehicle is run for a set distance to generate a real time profile which is correlated with the historical profile to get a match and a starting location. Then the vehicle proceeds foot by foot correlating the real time profile with the historical one so that an exact location on a specific track can be determined.

Abstract: An electromagnetic test system induces large current pulses in a component of a system under test. The pulse waveform may be selectively varied, and possible waveforms include square wave pulse, double exponential, and damped sinusoid waveforms. In a preferred embodiment, these waveforms are generated by simultaneously triggering a plurality of modular signal injector units having ferrite cores hinged to permit positioning of a system component under test (such as a cable or antenna) along their central axes without disturbing connections of the tested component within its system. The injector units are resonance tuned to induce a particular signal in the component under test when triggered, and the modular construction of the system permits selective connection of different injector units to provide different desired total induced signals.

Abstract: A shredding and feeding system for an incinerator, wherein a shredding chamber is isolated from atmosphere by means of an airlock through which material to be incinerated passes into the shredding chamber. The oxygen content of the shredding chamber is maintained below a predetermined level to minimize risk of explosions and premature incineration of material.

Abstract: The crosslevel measuring adapter includes a battery-powered electronic level sensor, a processor unit, a display, and data, display and power switches mounted in a housing through which an inclination measuring bar passes. The adapter unit may be mounted anywhere intermediate the ends of the bar which engage spaced railroad tracks during a measurement cycle. When the power switch is activated, the adapter initiates a zero mode to determine an automatic zero offset value to be automatically applied to subsequent crosslevel measurement values. The adapter calculates warp and crosslevel index values from a plurality of crosslevel measurements, and if the warp or crosslevel index values exceed respective threshold levels, automatic display of the value is initiated. Otherwise, measured crosslevel values are automatically displayed and calculated values are displayed by activation of the display switch.

Abstract: A shredding and feeding system for an incinerator wherein a shredding chamber is isolated from atmosphere by means of an airlock through which material to be incinerated passes into the shredding chamber. The oxygen content of the shredding chamber is maintained below a predetermined level to minimize risk of explosions and premature incineration of material.

Abstract: The apparatus and method for the field measurement of bearing lubricant involves obtaining a control pressure value which is indicative of the pressure which would be generated by injecting a known, controlled volume of air or gas into a test bearing at the existing ambient temperature and pressure. Then, the same controlled volume of air or gas is injected through a valve controlled opening in the test bearing housing by an injection fixture which is sealed to the housing and which is connected to an injector for such controlled volume. Once the controlled volume is injected, the actual pressure in the test bearing is sensed and compared with the control pressure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of an organic fluid has a pair of strips of fabric-like material joined together at one end in overlapping fashion by a bond formed from an organic fluid imbibing material sorbed into the common ends of the strip. The imbibing material is a latex polymer such as tertiary-alkylstyrenes. When the organic fluid contacts the bonded joint the imbibing material softens. A tensile force may be applied across the bonded joint by a resilient member which may be connected to mechanism for actuating electrical circuitry to signal the disjoining of the strips when the joint is softened sufficiently by the presence of the organic fluid.

Abstract: A general purpose modular acoustic signal generator includes an outer casing unit having a plurality of disengageably connected sections and an insert unit removably positioned in that outer casing unit. The insert unit has a piezoelectric acoustic generator disc mounted thereon and defines a Helmholtz resonator on each side of the acoustic generator disc. A single outer casing is usable with a plurality of different insert units so a single outer casing unit can be associated with a plurality of different Helmholtz resonators.

Abstract: The coded acoustic alarm transmitter/receiver system includes a transmitter for selectively providing both an audible alarm in the audio frequency range and a silent alarm in the ultrasonic frequency range. These alarm signals may be provided by a plurality of signals of different frequencies transmitted simultaneously in either the audio or ultrasonic frequency ranges. Receiver units are tuned to receive specific frequencies from a specific transmitter or group of transmitters.

Abstract: Burning a waste fuel blend at very high temperatures (typically greater than 4000 deg. F.) for a very short period of time (typically a matter of milliseconds) in a primary combustion zone to break the complex hazardous/toxic hydrocarbons into less complex chemicals (such as CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2, OH, HCl, and Cl.sub.2), passing the products of the primary zone into a secondary zone in which the products are maintained for a longer time (typically about 2 secs.) in turbulent conditions with excess air at lower combustion temperatures (typically 2000 to 2600 deg. F.) to reduce the primary zone products to a mixture of H.sub.2 O, CO.sub.2 and acids such as HCl, and quenching the products of the secondary zone.

Abstract: The personal acoustic alarm unit produces an audible alarm signal in the audio range to alert persons in the area of the signal transmitter. This audio alarm signal is formed by a plurality of simultaneously generated audio frequency sonic signals, each of which has a different audio frequency. Receiver units are turned to receive the audio frequency sonic signals from a specific transmitter or group of transmitters.

Abstract: Burning a waste fuel blend at very high temperatures (typically greater than 4000 deg. F.) for a very short period of time (typically a matter of milliseconds) in a primary combustion zone to break the complex hazardous/toxic hydrocarbons into less complex chemicals (such as CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2, OH, HCl, and Cl.sub.2), passing the products of the primary zone into a secondary zone in which the products are maintained for a longer time (typically about 2 secs.) in turbulent conditions with excess air at lower combustion temperatures (typically 2000 to 2600 deg. F.) to reduce the primary zone products to a mixture of H.sub.2 O, CO.sub.2 and acids such as HCl, and quenching the products of the secondary zone.

Abstract: The method for the automatic electronic recognition of a program unit broadcast by radio waves includes the formation of a plurality of reference signal segments from the program unit and the processing of such segments to obtain digitized reference signal segments which are then normalized and stored. When the program unit is broadcast, the broadcast signal is processed to generate successive digitized broadcast signal segments which are correlated with the digitized, normalized reference signal segments to obtain correlation function peaks for each resultant correlation segment. The spacing between the correlation function peaks for each correlation segment is then compared to determine whether such spacing is substantially equal to the reference signal segment length.

Abstract: The present invention includes a fiber optic seal (2) including a transparent seal body (4) having two spaced apart cavities (12,14,52,54) formed therein. Both ends (36,38) of a fiber optic cable (28) are respectively secured within the spaced apart cavities (12,14,52,54). A microprocessor-based electronic verifier (60) injects light into one of the cable ends (38) via a plurality of illumination light guides (20) fixed within the seal body (4) between an external surface (6) thereof and the illumination cavity (12). Light emitted from the remaining end (36) of the fiber optic cable (28) is transmitted from the detection cavity (14) to the exterior surface (6) of the sealed body (4) via a plurality of detection light guides (24) fixed within the seal body (4). Thereafter, the light is measured and converted by the electronic verifier (60) to provide a seal signature.