Abstract: A relay apparatus which comprises an armature, means for pivotally mounting the armature, first and second pole pieces dimensioned, configured and disposed for cooperation with the armature, a magnetic circuit including at least one coil, a plurality of iron shunt lamina spanning the magnetic circuit intermediate at least one of the coil and the first and second pole pieces, and a plurality of copper washer slugs in the magnetic circuit intermediate at least one of the first and second pole pieces and the iron shunt lamina. The invention also includes a method of immunizing a relay from alternating current.

Abstract: A ball screw supported Z stage for use in a wafer prober is disclosed. The present invention provides the capability of precisely positioning and rigidly supporting a work surface in a low profile package.

Abstract: An assembly which includes a linkarm joining a valve having a rotatable mounted first shaft on which a butterfly is mounted and a actuator having a second shaft which reciprocally moves in a linear path. The linkarm includes a plate having first and second apparatus for engaging the first shaft and first and second apparatus for engaging the second shaft. The first and second apparatus for engaging the first shaft includes apparatus limiting engagement between the first shaft and the first and second apparatus for engaging the first shaft to specific angular positions. The specific angular positions are rotated with respect to each other in some embodiments.

Abstract: The autofocus system disclosed herein utilizes grazing angle illumination of a spot on the surface of a semiconductor wafer approximately on the axis of the projection lens so that the position of the spot varies as a function of the spacing between the lens and the wafer. The spot is viewed, also at grazing angle, by an optical system which projects an image of the spot towards a set of detectors. The beam is split and the split beams are directed against oppositely facing reflective surfaces on an angularly oscillatable mirror. After reflection from the mirror, the respective split beams are detected so as to generate respective pulse signals corresponding to the passing of the respective spot image past a predetermined position.

Abstract: The gas outlet of a pipe or other sparging device is encompassed by a cover or cap which is located between the gas outlet and the mixing impeller at the bottom of a vessel. The cap is closed at the top and has a side wall so that the gas bubbles disperse around the lower rim of the wall. The wall may be non-symmetric, such as square in cross section, so as to be at different radial positions with respect to the gas outlet. The gas bubbles, even if released in pulses are distributed spatially and in time. The lower rim is preferable serrated (as a saw tooth edge) with the teeth being of different height, thereby further spreading the distribution of the bubbles as they are dispersed. The overlap or distance between the rim and the gas outlet is such that a sufficient quantity of gas is confined around the outlet to damp pressure pulsations when the pressure of the gas at the outlet does not significantly exceed the hydrostatic pressure at the outlet into the liquid.

Abstract: Chuck mechanisms quickly connect and enable quick disconnection of an impeller shaft of a mixer from the drive shaft of the motor unit. A spindle has a keyway which enables a key, either a detent key which is movable in the keyway or a key which is provided by pins extending from the shaft, to be aligned in locking position where the key transfers the thrust from the spindle to the shaft or an unlocked position where the shaft is rotated out of the locking position and may be removed from the spindle. The key is retained in locking position by an outer sleeve or collar having a slot which enables the key to move away from the shaft when the shaft is rotated to the unlocked position. When the collar is rotated to move the slot away from the key, the key is locked against outward movement.

Abstract: This invention relates to cab signalling systems that receive various permissible maximum speed signals and decode the maximum speed signal to inform the engineman of a train of the current maximum safe speed that a train may travel. The apparatus of this invention accomplishes the foregoing by utilizing a single digital filter and a microprocessor to decode the various transmitted maximum speed signals and to verify that the decoded maximum speed signal represents one of the permissible maximum safe speeds.

Abstract: A three phase voltage regulator system uses a transformer having primary, secondary and tertiary windings for each phase which are closely magnetically coupled to each other and are connected to provide a four wire (wye) three phase output on three hot lines with a neutral line, and a three phase input which is also wye connected, but where the neutral need not be connected to an input neutral line. The voltage across each primary phase winding is regulated by a series connected regulator circuit. The regulator circuit may derive voltages from the respective tertiary winding which either bucks (subtracts from) or boosts (adds to) the input voltage so as to maintain the primary winding voltage substantially constant. A controller which is responsive to the output voltage from the secondary windings controls the regulators and responds to output voltages of their respective phases.

Abstract: A projection system provides a primary mirror with a thin nearly concentric shell which functions as a first mirror at shorter wavelengths for exposure purposes and functions as a second mirror surface at longer wavelengths for alignment purposes. The coating on the front surface of the shell is reflective to the exposing wavelengths and transmissive to the alignment illumination, and the coating on the back of the shell is reflective to the alignment wavelengths. This provides good focus and alignment of the images over two spectral regions.

Abstract: A system for automatic operation of rapid transit vehicles in a railway yard. The vehicles have a receiver system which is responsive to information communicated thereto and a control system responsive to the receiver system for controlling the continued operation of vehicle. The invention includes: a first entry/exit track circuit having at least one transmitting system for transmitting vehicle control information to vehicles within its section of the first entry/exit track circuit, and at least one switching system for reversing the first entry/exit track circuit; a second entry/exit track circuit having at least one transmitting system for transmitting vehicle control information to vehicles within its section of the second entry/exit track circuit, and at least one switching system for reversing the second entry/exit track circuit.

Abstract: A technique and arrangement for lowering the mismatch normally obtained, thereby increasing the bandwidth, in a standard rectangular-to-coaxial waveguide "T" junction coupling in an antenna system, such arrangement including, in a T-junction of a coaxial transmission line to a waveguide transmission line in which measured impedance values in the range of approximate 30 MHz in the UHF band must be within a 1.1:1 circle of voltage standing wave ratio, the improvement which achieves minimal reflection over said range of frequencies, according to which a diconical slug is connected between an upper and lower portion of the coaxial transmission line and mounted for support within the structure of the waveguide transmission line, and in which said diconical slug includes back-to-back conical sections such that the large diameter rims of the sections confront each other.

Abstract: A parking brake having an output lever connected at a first pivot point to a brake rod, at a second pivot point to a automatic fluid responsive actuator and at a third point to one end of a chain of a standard manual releaseable parking brake unit. The other end of the chain is connected to a reset lever which is activated by the automatic actuator to reset the manual parking brake unit after manual release and during automatic release. The automatic actuator includes an air bellows to drive a piston, and a simple interlock valve connecting the air spring to a brake line.

Abstract: Jitter is measured by applying a first clock signal to a device-under-test, measuring the phase difference between the jittered clock signal received from the device-under-test and a reference clock signal, and converting the phase difference to a jitter measurement. The phase difference is measured by counting the number of high frequency clock pulses between a transition of the jittered clock signal and a transition of the reference clock signal. The phase difference is converted to a jitter measurement by determining the highest and lowest phase difference count and taking the difference between the highest and lowest count. The phase of the reference clock signal can be adjusted as a function of the highest and lowest count by determined the mean value of the highest and lowest count and adjusting the reference clock to be of this mean value.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for loading and unloading semitrailers on a train of flat cars by coupling the semitrailers to power driven stanchions respectively, providing the power driven stanchions with automatic control in the form of proximity sensors for governing movement of the semitrailers in accordance with proximity of adjoining semitrailers and automatically steering the stanchions along a guide path to load and unload the train.

Abstract: A suppression control device comprises a relay valve together with respective temporary and permanent diaphragm operated circuit breakers for governing suppression of a cab signal penalty brake application that can be used with either of two principal types of locomotive braking systems as well as being adapted to automatically adjust to changes in brake pipe pressure settings of 90 psi and 110 psi.

Abstract: A valve actuator for an associated valve which includes apparatus for opening and closing an associated valve and a first housing in which a first diaphragm is disposed to define first and second chambers on respective sides of the first diaphragm. The apparatus also includes a valve actuator having a housing in which is disposed a second diaphragm to define a third chamber. The valve actuator includes apparatus connecting the second diaphragm to the apparatus for opening and closing the valve; and fluid coupling apparatus connecting the second chamber and the third chamber. The apparatus for opening and closing the valve includes a crank arm carried on a shaft.

Abstract: Probes are formed on a support in a pattern to engage pads on an integrated circuit chip and leads on a printed circuit board. As a preliminary step, a thin layer of a conductive material may be formed on the support. The probes may then be formed by (a) providing facsimiles of the probes on a disposable member, (b) providing a photoresist on the support, (c) adhering the facsimiles to the support in a relationship providing for an easier removal of the disposable member from the facsimiles than the support, (d) developing the photoresist in the areas not occupied on the support by the facsimiles, (e) removing the disposable member, and then the facsimiles, from the support, (f) forming the probes on the support in the spaces previously occupied by the facsimiles and (g) removing the photoresist from the support.

Abstract: An optical projection system has been provided which is particularly suited for use in microlithography and includes a source of exposure energy for generating a beam of energy. A primary lens and mirror are located in the path of the beam for receiving the beam and passing only a portion of the beam therethrough. A refractive lens group is located in the path of the portion of the beam for receiving and transmitting that portion. A reticle element is located in the path of the portion of the beam and has a uniform thickness having a pattern on one surface thereof and an unpatterned portion adjacent thereto. The reticle element is positioned for permitting the portion of the beam to pass through its thickness and for reflecting the portion of the beam back through its thickness and the refractive lens group to the primary lens and mirror.

Abstract: A probe card provides an interconnection between pads on an integrated circuit chip and leads on a printed circuit board to test the chip operability. The card includes a dielectric substrate having a substantially planar surface and at least one channel disposed in such surface in a particular direction. Electrically conductive material is disposed in the channel to contact a conductive, preferably resilient, probe having a first portion disposed in the channel in abutting relationship with the planar surface on the support. Detents are provided in mating relationship in the channel and on the support to position the probe precisely in the channel. A second probe portion extends from the first portion at an angle to the first portion. A probe tip is at the end of the second portion to contact a pad on the chip.

Abstract: An environmental monitoring system in which a controller is arranged to test the workability and reliability of a plurality of detector units on a cyclic basis. Each unit has an analog sensor and an analog to digital converter for converting the analog sensor voltage to a digital value in a range of 0 to N. Each unit responds to a test instruction to cause the sensor analog output to assume an alarm value. The sensor output is limited to a maximum value that under a no drift condition of the analog to digital converter, its corresponding digital signal value will be intermediate a tolerance range of values, the upper limit of such range being less than N. The controller includes a test routine program for both issuing the test instruction and for determining if the digital signal test value is within the tolerance range and issuing a trouble output indicative of the test value being outside the range.