Abstract: There is provided a connectivity scheme for heterogeneously coupling computer systems of dissimilar architectures, such as a client/server system to a mainframe system, using a high speed, low overhead protocol. The connection uses a channel-to-channel protocol, such as a Bus and Tag connection or ESC on connection. The scheme allows mainframe systems, particularly non-IBM and non-IBM plug compatible mainframes, to communicate with each other and with IBM and IBM plug compatible mainframes over the same high speed interfaces using large block sizes. Thus, the scheme provides non-IBM and non-IBM plug compatible mainframes to appear as peers in a channel-to-channel network.

Abstract: There is provided an alarm system for detecting and warning of the presence of alarm and trouble conditions in a plurality of zones. The system comprises a control panel having a central processing unit and a plurality of alarm devices, each having a microprocessor, that are electrically coupled to the control panel. In particular, the present invention is a two-tier monitoring system such that each alarm device monitors its zone for a shorter rolling time period and the control panel monitors the same zone of the alarm device for a longer rolling time period. An electronic circuit of the alarm device, including the microprocessor, reads and processes data received from various sensors of the alarm device. Periodically, the alarm device updates a first reference value stored in its memory based on the data received from the sensors during the shorter rolling time period.

Abstract: A connector apparatus for an electrical appliance which includes a body having first and second spaced opposed faces. The body has a slot defined therein that passes completely through the body between the first and second opposed faces thereof. The slot has first and second spaced and opposed faces. The connector includes a generally planar metallic lug having first and second sides. The lug has at least first and second projections extending therefrom. The projections engage the body when the lug is disposed within the slot. In some forms of the invention the lug includes a third projection and the third projection also engages the body when the lug is disposed in the slot. The lug and the slot may be elongated and the respective directions of elongation may be substantially aligned when the lug is disposed within the slot.

Abstract: A mixer gearbox assembly for driving a mixer shaft capable of receiving either a complete electric drive motor on a first face of the gearbox housing for operatively coupling with a first end of a long cross-shaft in the housing, or alternatively a partial electric drive motor on a second face of the gearbox housing for operatively coupling with an opposite end of the cross-shaft. In an alternative configuration for use with only a partial motor, an assembly containing otherwise identical components is provided with a short cross-shaft replacing the long cross-shaft, which short shaft is supported by a single bearing and is colinearly matable only at the outer end thereof with the drive shaft of a partial electric motor. The rotor and short shaft act as a unitary structure when assembled.

Abstract: There is provided a gate valve arrangement consisting of at least one sealing ring defining a valve seat, and having a reciprocable gate plate in sealing contact with the valve seat, which effects a pressure seal in one direction on the seat and at the same time allowing the seat to vent in the opposite direction to relieve pressure within the gate valve.

Abstract: A clock compensation circuit includes a clock tree; a reference clock; a phase detector for detecting relative phase information of the tree clock and the reference clock; a controller, coupled to said phase detector, for determining and controlling the amount of delay necessary to shift the output of the clock tree in phase with the reference clock; and a programmable delay logic coupled to said controller. The programmable delay logic comprises a string of delay elements that selectively participate in a delay string for shifting the tree clock in phase with the reference clock.

Abstract: An automatic addressing scheme for a life safety system having a local rail, and a plurality of modules inter-connected by the local rail, a first of the modules being a central processing unit, and the remainder being I/O modules having a variety of functions, as well as a common line forming part of the local rail; an arrangement is provided for detecting the location of each of the I/O modules and assigning addresses thereto without human intervention, the arrangement including a resistor and transistor, capable of being conductive to ground, associated with each I/O module. A constant current source is located at the central processing unit, connected by the common line to the resistors in series circuit, and with a common address input means connected from the central processing unit to said common line and thereby to the I/O modules.

Abstract: There is provided a phone control system for a life safety network which comprises a panel arrangement, a control center module, a loop controller module, a transponder and a remote handset. The panel arrangement has a local rail for receiving a plurality of control modules and for interconnecting the control modules in which inter-module data is transmitted and received along the local rail. The control center module and the loop controller module are control modules positioned on the local rail. The control center module includes a processor, a memory portion, input keys for receiving user input, an output screen for displaying alpha-numeric text output, a central handset for communication of voice messages along a voice communication line. Similarly, the loop controller module includes a processor, a memory portion, and a data line interface for receiving and transmitting loop controller signals along a loop controller line. The transponder and remote handset are position remote from the panel arrangement.

Abstract: A motor and fan apparatus a centrifugal fan including a generally circular impeller having a plurality of generally radial vanes. The apparatus also includes a common shaft on which the impeller and the rotor are mounted in axially spaced relation. A circular pan shaped cover encloses the impeller and has a centrally disposed inlet and a wall disposed around the periphery of the impeller in spaced relationship from the periphery of the impeller. A fluid barrier is disposed axially adjacent to the impeller. The barrier and the cover collectively direct fluid flow from the periphery of the impeller in an axial direction parallel to the shaft. The apparatus includes a housing disposed axially adjacent to the barrier. The housing has a generally toroidal shaped part and a smaller generally circular shaped part, the generally toroidal shaped part and the generally circular shaped part are disposed in generally concentric relationship.

Abstract: There is provided a dynamic switch organization for error correction of a data path. The dynamic switch organization includes a data path for transmitting data information and control information and a crosspoint switch fabric having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs along the data path. The crosspoint switch fabric has an arbitration bus and crosspoint switch boards coupled to the arbitration bus such that the boards are synchronized to process data in parallel. The crosspoint switch fabric also includes a control entity for directing data from one of the inputs to a particular one of the outputs, and the data includes data bits and check bits. The control entity is distributed among the crosspoint switch boards such that each board includes a portion of the control entity.

Abstract: A power transformer is provided with a housing having a plurality of apertures for receipt of a bushing well of a bushing assembly. Each bushing assembly includes a bushing well adapted to be secured in one aperture of the power transformer, and a bushing adapted to be connected to a terminal in the bushing well to permit the conducting of electric current between the bushing assembly and the transformer. The bushing assembly further includes a connector for connecting the bushing conductor to a terminal positioned in the bushing well. The power transformer may include a cap to cap the unused bushing wells. The cap is, preferably, a plate structure that attaches to the lip of the bushing well and uses the dielectric formed by the air enclosed by the cap and the bushing well to prevent sparking over to adjacent sites and corona discharge, to prevent accidental contact with the live terminal therein, and to guard against contamination of the well.

Abstract: There is provided a dynamic switch organization for error correction of a data path. The dynamic switch organization includes a data path for transmitting data information and control information and a crosspoint switch fabric having a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs along the data path. The crosspoint switch fabric has an arbitration bus and crosspoint switch boards coupled to the arbitration bus such that the boards are synchronized to process data in parallel. The crosspoint switch fabric also includes a control entity for directing data from one of the inputs to a particular one of the outputs, and the data includes data bits and check bits. The control entity is distributed among the crosspoint switch boards such that each board includes a portion of the control entity.

Abstract: There is provided a switching system that includes a plurality of input lines for transmitting time division multiplexed data signals, and a conversion means for receiving and converting the respective data signals into a non-time division multiplexed, parallel format, group of N data signals. The system also includes a crosspoint switch having a group of N/K outputs, a first group of N inputs connected to the respective outputs of the conversion means, and a second group of N/K select or control inputs. In addition, a control means includes connection memory that constitutes a means for addressing the crosspoint switch at the select inputs, and the outputs of a group of N/K multiplexers are connected to the select inputs and the inputs of the group of N/K multiplexers are connected to the control means.

Abstract: A standby power system is provided having power conversion, output voltage control, and line-fault detection systems that make possible a significant reduction in the cost of the system. The standby power system provides backup power to a load, such as a computer system, when main AC line power fails. A system DC battery voltage is converted to an AC output voltage signal at line voltage levels by a power conversion system including a high frequency push-pull inverter, a light-weight low-cost high frequency transformer, a rectifier, and a line frequency inverter. The high frequency inverter is controlled to provide high frequency battery voltage pulse bursts separated by low frequency zero voltage dead times which are boosted by the transformer to line voltage levels and rectified by the rectifier. The line frequency inverter is controlled to provide the rectified line voltage level pulse bursts to the standby power system output in the form of a stepped square wave output signal at line frequencies.

Abstract: A feeder system for measuring and controlling the massed feed rate of particulate fuel material, such as coal particles, made up of a group of volumetric feeders and a gravimetric feeder coupled to the group of volumetric feeders. The system controls the fuel feed rate of the volumetric feeders based upon data communicated from the gravimetric feeder.

Abstract: A life safety system having message priority of a network of panels, each panel including a first module in the form of a central processing unit, and a plurality of local I/O modules connected to the central processing unit and to each other. To establish a message priority in communication between the panels, including a two-state token form of coded invitations to transmit messages, the first state of the token represents the low priority invitation and the second state of the token represents the high priority invitation. Moreover, to further establish message priority including the passing of tokens continuously between panels to determine if any panel has the high priority message, that panel having the high priority message preempts communication of such messages between panels by first capturing the high priority state token.

Abstract: An alarm system for detecting and warning of the presence of alarm and trouble conditions in transponders located in a plurality of zones consisting of a loop controller having a plurality of input signal and power supply lines connected to the respective transponder units, and having a plurality of initiating and indicating devices in a respective plurality of circuits. Further, the system has a module, including a microcontroller, connected in each of the transponder units to the plurality of input lines and to the plurality of circuits, the module being capable of initiating communication of the conditions of the circuits to the loop controller. Moreover, it includes a plurality of smoke detectors, which are connected in the circuits and to respective modules. A load shed arrangement is provided for sensing the alarm conditions of the smoke detectors and reporting their conditions to the loop controller.

Abstract: A method for controlling an inverter to improve the ability of the inverter to support power factor corrected (PFC) loads under transient conditions is provided. Changes in the load being provided power by an inverter may cause the RMS output voltage level of the inverter to drop. A PFC load may respond to such drops in the applied voltage level by increasing its current demand. This may cause the inverter current limit to be reached, forcing the inverter to be turned off, and causing the load to be dropped. This problem is avoided by responding to such load changes by immediately increasing the RMS output voltage level of the inverter to a level sufficient to minimize the voltage drop and prevent excessive current demands from the PFC load. The output voltage level of the inverter is then gradually reduced from the high voltage level to prevent the occurrence of oscillations due to interactions between the PFC load and the inverter controller.

Abstract: There is provided a fault tolerant clock system for a synchronous design using N-way combinatorial voting schemes for N greater than 3. The system comprises a plurality of clock circuits for generating clock signals and a voting circuit that is connected to each clock circuit for receiving the clock signals and generating an output signal. The voting circuit produces an output signal that is in agreement with a majority of the clock signals and maintains the output signal at a previous output level when the majority of the clock signals is not detected by the voting circuit. From another viewpoint, the voting circuit maintains the output signal at the previous current level when a minority of agreeing clock signals is not detected by the voting circuit.

Abstract: An improved immersible magnetically-coupled mixer has a plurality of rollable bearing assemblies readily cleanable by flushing in place and easily removable and replaceable without damage to either the mixer impeller or the bearings. The rollable bearings are resistant to corrosion, capable of running without lubrication, and have low propensity for batch contamination through wear. The rolling and fixed elements of the bearings are impervious to attack by the process materials being mixed, the rollable elements, preferably balls, can be formed of a hybrid ceramic such as silicon nitride, and the races can be formed of a nickel-beryllium or cobalt-chromium-tungsten alloy.