Abstract: Two methods of determination of the chemical changes induced in a film of material such as photoresist that has been exposed to electromagnetic radiation. Two methods use measurement of polarized light reflected by the film mounted on a substrate to determine a real refractive index or a complex refractive index of the film. Two other methods use measurement of polarized light by the film mounted on a (partly) transparent substrate to determine a real refractive index or a complex refractive index of the film.

Abstract: A system for use with a rail for carrying a moving conveyance, the rail having a web portion, a base portion and an increased width top portion, the system serving to heat the rail top portion to decrease the accumulation of snow and ice thereon, including studs secured to the rail web portion, such as by spot welding, at spaced intervals along the length of the rail, a series of elongated carrier members each defined in cross-section normal the length thereof by an upper trough forming portion and a lower clamping portion, the clamping portion having openings spaced along the length thereof in register with and arranged to receive the studs affixed to the rail web portion and being positionable in a first position wherein the trough forming portion is exposed to receive a heating cable therein and in a second position wherein the heating cable is in close proximity to the top rail portion whereby heat supplied by the cable is readily transmitted to the rail top portion.

Abstract: A digital signal is used for railway track circuit signalling. A digital signal comprises a pseudo-random binary sequence selected from a set of such sequences. The set is chosen to give the lowest possible cross-correlation between different sequences, to minimize the risk of false identification. Gold codes are suitable. One of the sequences indicates the absence of a train from the track section and this code is generated until an indication is given by a train detector that a train is present. Generation of the train absence signal is then inhibited, and other sequences are generated providing information to the train. The generated sequences are received and coded in a fail-safe decoder.

Abstract: The process of molding thermal insulating blocks and electrical heating units with a mold having a horizontal filter screen in which a slurry containing a mass of inorganic fibers, water, and a binder is mixed to randomly orient the fibers and thereafter poured into the mold to divide the liquid component of the slurry into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the liquid component of the slurry being drained through the screen and the second portion remaining with the fibers, thereafter vibrating the screen and mold to drain a portion of the second portion of the liquid component of the slurry through the screen to produce a filter mat, thereafter drying the filter mat to remove the remaining liquid component of the slurry from the mat, and thereafter heating the filter mat to bond the fibers to each other. An electrical heating element may be mounted on the mold before the slurry is introduced into the mold.

Abstract: A transformer apparatus which includes a core and first and second coils which are each magnetically coupled to the core. Each coil is generally cylindrical and have a circumferential surface and first and second axial extremities. Shielding is disposed around at least the first coil comprising a web shaped metallic, non-magnetic, electrically conductive generally rectangular member. The member has a first portion extending around substantially the entire circumferential extent of at least one coil and the member further includes second and third portions extending respectively about a substantial portion of each of the first and second axial extremities.

Abstract: There is provided a system for measuring a selected ion in a solution so as to avoid noise pickup from AC parasitic currents and measurement offset from DC parasitic currents, such as are frequently found in pH measurements on low conductivity grounded solutions like high purity water. The system in one form has an operational amplifier with an ion selective electrode connected to its inverting input, a counter electrode connected to its output, and circuit common connected to the non-inverting input, so that the potential of the ion selective electrode is continuously driven to circuit common. The reference electrode of the system is connected to a high impedance measuring circuit for measuring the voltage level of that electrode with reference to circuit common as a measure of the concentration of the selected ion in the solution.

Abstract: A signal conditioner for a linear variable differential transformer having a first amplifier which senses the differences in amplitude between secondary alternating current voltages in the two secondaries respectively, and a second amplifier which compares the phase of the difference signal from the first amplifier with the phase of one of the secondary alternating voltages. A conditioned signal A.sub.out is output by the signal conditioner according to the equation A.sub.out =K.sub.1 V.sub.s1 +K.sub.2 (V.sub.s1 -V.sub.s2) where K.sub.1 and K.sub.2 are constants, and V.sub.s1 and V.sub.s2 are instantaneous voltages across the respective secondaries.

Abstract: A calorimetry system for measurement of the heating value of coal having a combustor 24 and a mixing unit 30 wherein heat from combustion gases is transferred to air. The system has a gravimetric feeder 64 for providing coal at a measured mass feed rate; the coal including any moisture present therein. The coal is pulverized in an air-driven mill or pulverizer 14 which is fed coal from the feeder and is separated by a cyclone separator 16 into two streams; one carrying coal and air mixed together in a controlled ratio to the combustor. The air which drives the separator, together with fines of the coal and moisture is fed to an afterburner 26 of the combustor so that the thermal dynamics of the entire coal stream is involved in the heating value measurement. Instrumentation measures the flow rates of cooling air, primary air which carries the coal streams into the combustor and secondary combustion air as well as the mass flow rates of the coal into the combustor as measured with the gravimetric feeder.

Abstract: An empty-load valve device has a single housing competing coaxially a load sensing push rod, a load sensing piston, a ratio piston, a ratio valve and a spring for retracting the push rod to a normal position. The load sensing push rod actuates the ratio piston to open an equalizing valve to fill an equalizing volume from a control valve and to permit the ratio piston to limit brake cylinder pressure upon sensing an empty car.

Abstract: A modulation valve device for governing pressure in a brake pipe has coaxial accelerating and releasing valves provided wherein accelerated application and release pistons are dovetailed together to reduce the size and the weight of the modulating device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring power and power losses of light transmissions in fiber optic cables. The apparatus includes a tester having a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the transmitter provides at one end of a fiber optic cable a test signal of a known wavelength of light modulated at a known or signature AC frequency. The receiver detects the transmitted signal at a second end of the cable, determines the modulating frequency of the transmitted signal for identifying the transmitted wavelength of light and measures power of the AC signal. If measuring the power loss, the receiver further compares the power intensities of the transmitted signal with the power intensity of a stored reference for determining the power loss associated with the transmission of a known wavelength of light.

Abstract: In order to remove liquid from a slurry of water and powdered material, and particularly from a slurry containing spent powdered ion exchange resins and other media used to decontaminate water in nuclear power plants, a vessel is filled with the slurry. The vessel contains filters, particularly panels which are arrayed in the upper portion of the vessel and through which water is filtered leaving a body ("cake") of the powdered material in the vessel. The filters are surrounded on at least their sides and top by a bag of pliant material. This bag defines a variable volume region and may be evacuated to compress the cake against the filters, prevent breaking suction at the filters and enabling them to continue to remove the water remaining in the cake so that additional water may be removed from the cake and discharged from the vessel, leaving a compact mass which efficiently utilizes the volume of the vessel, thereby preparing the vessel and the dewatered slurry for disposal.

Abstract: In order to separate liquids from slurries containing particulate material, and particularly from slurries of water and spent ion exchange materials which are used for water conditioning in the operation of nuclear power plants and must be disposed of without any significant volume of free standing water therein, a vessel is provided which is filled with the slurry. The bottom of the vessel is conical and defines a region for the collection of water which passes thereto radially through a structure which filters the water and supports a bed of the particulate material thereon. A discharge tube extends longitudinally of the vessel into the region. A level sensor is disposed alongside the tube. A passage into the top of the vessel is provided for blowing air through the bed to force interstitial water through the bed into the region.

Abstract: A method for making an end connection for a shaft made of composite material, which accommodates for differences in stiffness, thermal expansion, and chemical resistance between the shaft and the member connected thereto and operates under oscillating torque, thrust, and bending loads, and also provides for manufacturing flexibility in enabling the shaft and connection to be produced as separate parts which are formed when final assembly is to occur. The connection has a male insert which is inserted into the end of the composite shaft. Axial and circumferential grooves are cut in the surfaces of the male insert and the shaft. These grooves are aligned to form circumferential and axial keyways which intersect each other. Material is injected into the keyway and polymerizes to form structural keys which transmit the thrust and torque, while locking the insert member and the shaft permanently together.

Abstract: A variable capacitor, which may be a humidity sensitive capacitor, and a fixed reference capacitor are connected at a node. The node is clamped at a reference potential during a first phase of a two phase measuring cycle as the variable capacitor is charged to a fixed voltage and the fixed capacitor is charged to a feedback voltage. The node is unclamped during the second phase and the capacitors are connected in a series loop to allow a redistribution of the charge in the capacitors or force a reversal of that charge with a voltage source. The deviation of the node from its reference potential after charge redistribution occurs is used as input to a feedback circuit which integrates that deviation over a number of cycles until it provides a feedback voltage of magnitude sufficient to cause the node deviation to be reduced to zero. A second reference capacitor can be supplied to provide an offset.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for effecting vital functions notwithstanding the fact that non-vital hardware is employed. A vital processor is implemented using non-vital hardware in the form of a digital computer which may for example be a microprocessor. The vital processor accepts binary input values and, based on a series of logical expressions relating output values to input values, determines the appropriate output values. Rather than employing a single bit to represent the condition of a particular input or output, unique multibit binary values or names are used. Each input or output has assigned to it at least two unique multibit values, each satisfying the code rules of a different code. Thus rather than representing a closed contact as a single 1 bit, and an open contact as a single 0 bit, the closed contact is represented by a unique multibit name which satisfies the code rules of a first code.

Abstract: A hanger means having a pair of spaced apart raised portions such that, upon connection of the hanger means with a suspension system isolator means, these raised portions restrict motion of the hanger means relative to the isolator means by being spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to the width of that passageway. These two raised portions are formed by coining one end of the hanger means so as to form, as a first raised portion, a lip and upsetting another portion of the hanger means, spaced apart from that lip, to form an annular collar, as a second raised portion.

Abstract: This invention is a transfer system for controlling and initiating the flow of metered amounts of materials. The aforementioned materials may be radioactive ash, radioactive calcined salts, cement, flour, or pharmaceuticals. The apparatus of this invention comprises: a vertical non-converging conduit which acts as a storage hopper; a stationary platform located at the downward end of the conduit to allow the radial outward flow of the material; a translatable hollow piston that acts externally but coaxially to the conduit and platform to interrupt the radial flow of material; a hopper located below the platform for accepting the material; and a housing that encloses and supports the hopper and platform and provides a dust tight seal around the apparatus of this invention.

Abstract: An assembly which includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, wires extending from the windings, a core at least partially disposed within the windings, a mounting flange, a housing surrounding at least a part of the windings and apparatus for mounting a fuse block on the transformer. The apparatus for mounting includes a tongue extending within the housing and a potting compound disposed in the housing.

Abstract: An improved slot forge type furnace, including a front or workstation wall constituted of vacuum formed modules of fibrous insulating material; the wall in the form of an arch, is assembled of a number of elongated modules, sometimes referred to as logs, which are adhered together and compressively positioned abutting the interior side thermal lining and arched top of the furnace. As wear develops in the bottom edge of the front arch wall, which edge defines the top of the slot, the wall is removed, its bottom edge is cut back, and the wall is repositioned.