Abstract: A shock sensor comprises a housing defining an interior space. The space includes a cylindrical side surface and an end surface, the surfaces being formed of an electrically conductive material. An insert is positioned in the space and includes an electrically conductive support surface which defines a recess facing the conductive end surface. A volume of mercury is contained in the recess. The support surface is wetted to the liquid, and the end and side surfaces are not wetted to the liquid, so that the liquid moves into electrical contact with the end surface and/or side surface in response to shocks and is thereafter restored.

Abstract: A jitter switch comprises a casing defining therein a chamber in which an armature is freely movable in longitudinal and transverse directions. Positive and negative terminals communicate with the chamber. The armature is freely movable longitudinally to make contact with either of the positive and negative terminals. In every longitudinal position of the armature, the armature and terminals define transversely opposite conductors. The armature is freely movable in the transverse direction to bring the transversely opposite conductors into engagement.

Abstract: A glass-to-metal seal including a metal member such as Pd or a Pd-Ru alloy and a glass member wherein the glass member is in contact with the metal member and forms a glass-to-metal seal therewith. The seal can include an outer body surrounding the glass member and forming a seal therewith. The outer body has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the glass member and the seals between the outer body, the glass member and metal member are compression seals. The glass-to-metal seal is made by directly glassing onto the metal member in a furnace having an atmosphere which prevents outgassing of hydrogen from the metal member into the interface between the glass member and metal member. After the glass-to-metal seal forming step, the outer body can be metallurgically bonded to another component without chemically cleaning the outer body and the metal member can be metallurgically bonded to another member such as a gold wire without plating the metal member prior to the bonding step.

Abstract: An electric resistance welder comprises a frame and a movable arm mounted to the frame for gravitational movement relative thereto. A movable electrode is carried at an end of the movable arm. A stationary electrode is spaced opposite the movable electrode to accommodate a plurality of workpieces therebetween, with the movable electrode resting against the workpieces and gravitationally biased toward the stationary electrode. An electric pulse is conducted through the electrodes and workpieces for heating and softening the workpieces to enable the arm to accelerate toward the stationary electrode at the acceleration of gravity, whereby the movable electrode collapses the workpieces toward one another. A stop is arranged to be engaged by the arm for terminating travel of the arm when the movable electrode has traveled a predetermined distance toward the stationary electrode, and subsequent to termination of the electric pulse.

Abstract: A shock sensor has a mercury-wetted insert for supporting a mercury mass normally space from a terminal. The mercury and terminal are contained within a sealed housing. When the sensor is subjected to a shock, the mercury is redistributed and protrudes from the insert so as to contact the terminal and complete a circuit between that terminal and another terminal that is normally in communication with the mercury.

Abstract: A switch and alarm system capable of detecting any one or more of the conditions of angular tilt, vibration or sudden movement includes a conically shaped movable contact suspended within an aperture in a fixed contact. The cone forming the movable contact is preferably suspended with its apex down to thereby render it inherently unstable, and hence sensitive to any applied vibrations. The sensitivity of the switch to the conditions to be detected can be adjusted by varying the height of the movable contact relative to the stationary contact to thereby vary the spacing between the two contacts. In addition, the radial position of the cone relative to the aperture in the stationary contact can be adjusted to permit the switch to be used in a variety of applications.

Abstract: A tilt switch formed of a cap and header welded together at their rims to form an enclosure, and assuming the rims to be horizontal, on electrode passing vertically through one of the cap and header via an insulator. The inside of the enclosure and the electrode are mercury wettable and only enough mercury is provided to wet the inner surface of the enclosure with a thin layer of mercury, plus a small pool of mercury into which the electrode extends while the electrode is vertical or within a predetermined small conical angle from the vertical, the pool of mercury responding to gravity to bare the electrode when the predetermined conical angle is exceeded by tilting the switch.

Abstract: An attitude insensitive mercury relay including a hermetically sealed non-magnetic enclosure composed of a header and header cap welded together in a high pressure hydrogen atmosphere, including one or more stationary contacts extending insulatedly into the enclosure and a magnetic diaphragm as armature, in the form of a single planar tight spiral having physically separated turns. In one form of a the device, the interior of the enclosure and the diaphragm may be mercury wettable, excluding only an insulating feedthrough button as provided for a stationary contact, and also excluding a portion of the face of the contact, which is intended to sustain impact by the armature, the mercury wettable portion of that face being indented with respect to the impact area, and the quantity of mercury in the enclosure being sufficient, but only sufficient, to sustain a thin layer of mercury on the mercury wettable surfaces. In other forms the enclosure may be non-metallic, e.g.