Abstract: Two new barium magnesium fluorides, Ba.sub.2 Mg.sub.3 F.sub.10 and BaMg.sub.3 F.sub.8, can be prepared by solid state reactions of barium fluoride and magnesium fluoride by heating in controlled atmospheric conditions at a temperature from about 700.degree. C to about 850.degree. C. In the BaF.sub.2 -MgF.sub.2 binary system, compositions containing from about 40 to 85 mole percent of MgF.sub.2 when activated by europium alone or in combination with manganese have been found to luminesce when excited by ultraviolet light, cathode rays, or with x-ray bombardment. Lamps incorporating these materials afford benefits of high temperature stability and x-ray intensifying screens incorporating these materials yield a speed equal to or better than present screens employing calcium tungstate.

Abstract: Apparatus for high voltage conditioning cathode ray tubes having internal electrodes connected to external base pins includes a container having a pair of electrical contact members therein and passing therethrough to a high voltage potential source and to a conditioning potential source with a liquid having a dielectric strength greater than the dielectric strength of air disposed within the container for immersing the base pins therein to effect contact thereof with the electrical contact members of the container.

Abstract: A mixture of starting materials, corresponding to an oxide composition within an area of the ternary diagram for (Hf,Zr)O.sub.2, A.sub.2 O, P.sub.2 O.sub.5 formed by connecting end member points defined by the molar compositions: 45 (Hf,Zr)O.sub.2 - 10 A.sub.2 O - 45 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; 45 (Hf,Zr)O.sub.2 - 45 A.sub.2 O - 10 P.sub.2 O.sub.5 ; and 10 (Hf,Zr)O.sub.2 - 45 A.sub.2 O - 45 P.sub.2 O.sub.5, reacts to form large single crystalline essentially hexagonal particles of a new compound (Hf.sub.1-x Zr.sub.x).sub.3-y A.sub.4y (PO.sub.4).sub.4, and an aqueous-soluble second phase removable by washing. The large single crystalline hexagonal particles are useful as the luminescent material in x-ray intensifying screens, with band emission which overlaps at least partially the absorption edge of an x-ray film base to give good image resolution without crossover distortion.

Abstract: Sintered and unsintered articles of refractory metal carbide and cementing metal having thicknesses greater than those obtainable by tape casting a slurry of ingredients onto a substrate, and having a cross section of substantially uniform appearance, are described, as well as a laminating method for producing such articles, the method comprising; (1) pressing the top surface of one or more unsintered flexible tape cast sheets against a smooth rigid surface to achieve a top surface smoothness comparable to the bottom surface smoothness achieved by tape casting, and (2) forming a laminate of at least 3 unsintered flexible tape cast layers by bringing the respective smooth surfaces of the layers into mutual contact and pressing the layers together to achieve bonding.

Abstract: Apparatus for fabricating an implosion-resistant cathode ray tube envelope includes a support member for upholding the envelope and a tightening member movably affixed to the support member and having fixed and rotatable members formed to receive an over-lapping loop of metal strapping therebetween and responsive to activation of the rotatable member to exert a force on and effect movement of one portion of the metal strap in a given direction and exert force on and effect movement of the other portion of the metal strap and the tightening apparatus in a diametrically opposite direction. The metal strapping is positionally located on the envelope by a strap-locating guide.

Abstract: A half-duplex digitally-controlled telephone communication apparatus for permitting half-duplex communication between local and remote subscribers. Analog speech of one subscriber to be transmitted to the other subscriber is converted to a digital format, processed by real-time speech processing apparatus, stored in a delay buffer, and processed in modem apparatus for transmission to the other subscriber. In accordance with the present invention, the delay buffer provides a delay of a sufficient duration to compensate for inherent delays in the system in detecting the presence (or absence) of speech signals and serves to prevent the loss to the remote subscriber of portions of speech of the local subscriber, especially the onset of speech or rapid utterances of the local subscriber.

Abstract: Luminescent materials having a host of controlled amounts of barium oxide, controlled amounts of lithium oxide, and the balance aluminum oxide when activated by divalent europium alone yield a blue emission when excited by ultraviolet light and activated by europium in combination with divalent manganese yield a bright green emission under ultraviolet light. The host can be a solid solution of the foregoing oxides or it can contain alpha alumina and spinel as additional phases. These materials are used to produce lamps having enhanced emission characteristics as compared to lamps employing luminescent materials having a host of aluminum oxide in combination with barium oxide and activated by europium or europium manganese or to lamps employing magnesium gallate, activated by manganese.

Abstract: In a frost detector mounted proximate cooling fins of refrigeration apparatus, an emitter directs pulses of infrared radiation in the direction of the fins. When there is frost buildup on the fins, the frost reflects the radiation back towards a detector, the detector and emitter being mounted at a slight angle to each other.

Abstract: A video processing system for a television receiver is shown. The video processing system includes a gain controlled stage through which a video signal is coupled. The gain of the stage is controlled to provide contrast control of the video signal. The video signal is also applied to an aperture correction circuit which develops an aperture correction signal including pre-shoot and over-shoot transient responses. The aperture correction signal is also coupled through the gain controlled stage so that it is amplified or attenuated by the same amount as the video signal. The output of the gain controlled stage is coupled to an output stage. A portion of the video signal from the output stage is compared to a reference voltage in a black level control circuit. The control signal from the black level control circuit is applied to the output stage to control the black level of the video signal. The disclosed video processing system is further adapted for fabrication in integrated circuit form.

Abstract: A high power factor conversion circuit suitable as a ballast circuit for lamps includes a full-wave rectifier coupled to an AC potential source and providing a pulsating DC potential. A high frequency inverter is coupled to a load circuit and to a feedback rectifier circuit supplying a rectified high frequency potential to an energy storage feedback circuit which provides energy in a manner to inhibit a decline in the pulsating DC potential thereby providing a substantially uniform DC potential to the high frequency inverter.

Abstract: A seismic and pressure wave sensor adapted to be buried in the earth to detect disturbances comprises a deformable tube containing an incompressible liquid in which a force-responsive transducer is immersed. The output of the transducer is an alternating signal having spectral components corresponding to both seismic (10-100 Hz) and pressure (< 1 Hz) type earth vibrations produced by human footsteps remote from and near to the buried sensor. In order to provide perimeter protection, an even-numbered plurality of such sensors are arranged in a row along a single curved or straight line and are electrically connected in parallel with the polarities of successive transducers reversed. A single processor connected to the outputs of such plurality of sensors has frequency-separated band-limited channels for isolating and detecting seismic and pressure signals, respectively, and for audibly, visually or otherwise indicating the pressure of either or both signals.

Abstract: An electrical contact having a contacting portion and a body portion adjoining said contacting portion. Positioned on a preselected area of the body portion are a plurality of irregular-shaped particles. An ideal use for the contact is within an electrical connector, said connector also disclosed.

Abstract: A DC controlled amplifier is used to control the chrominance gain, and hence the color saturation, of a television receiver. The voltage on the wiper of a Color Control variable resistor and the output of an Automatic Color Level (ACL) detector are combined in a summing network to provide a DC voltage to the controlled amplifier. The ACL detector develops an output voltage that tends to maintain the peak-to-peak chrominance signal, and therefore the color saturation, at or below a threshold level. A control tracking circuit varies the threshold level in accordance with the voltage on the wiper of the color control variable resistor, thereby maintaining the dynamic range of the Automatic Color Level Control System relatively independent of the setting of the Color Control.

Abstract: A flashtube has an hermetically sealed glass envelope containing an inert gas and a pair of electrodes between which an arc discharge path is defined during lamp operation, and an insulated external trigger wire at the outer surface of the envelope. The trigger circuit includes a safety feature in the form of a sealed spaced gap to prevent an arc from occurring in the flashtube in the event that the flashtube envelope is cracked or broken.

Abstract: A high-voltage type photoflash lamp filled with a filamentary combustible material and oxygen and having an ignition structure comprising a pair of spaced apart lead-in wires bridged at their inner ends by a mass of primer material. An insulating sleeve encloses one of the wires, with the end of that wire extending beyond the open end of the sleeve. Formed at an angle from the other lead-in wire is a terminating portion which overlies and is spaced from the open end of the sleeve to provide a predetermined gap between the terminating portion and the end of the sleeved wire. The primer material is disposed to cover the open end of the sleeve and bridge the gap.

Abstract: An electrical heating element for ovens, furnaces and other infrared light applications comprises an elongate tubular envelope of thermally translucent refractory material such as pure alumina enclosing an elongate coiled refractory metal conductor which is capable of carrying a linear power loading of at least one hundred watts per inch. Refractory spacers along the coiled conductor and envelope hold the conductor spaced from the envelope and coaxial therewith so that the conductor attains heat in excess of the temperature limit of the envelope.

Abstract: A phototherapy irradiation chamber having substantial uniformity of irradiance therewithin comprises an array of vertical fluorescent lamps surrounding the irradiation space. Reflectors are located within the array at the top and bottom thereof. The ends of the lamps extend beyond the reflectors.

Abstract: A controlled current source circuit using PNP mirror transistors and having wide frequency bandwidth as well as correction for D.C. offset, said circuit comprised of first and second PNP transistors, one of which is connected as a diode, the base terminals of which are commonly connected, the collector terminals of each of which are connected respectively to first and second terminals of a current bias means providing control of emitter-base characteristics and correction for offset caused by base currents, the emitter terminals of which are each connected respectively to first and second resistors, the resistors connected to common potential source, wherein mirror currents are tapped from the connections between the emitter terminals and the resistors and wherein the output mirror current is the collector current of an NPN transistor, the base and collector terminals of which are respectively connected to the collector and emitter terminals of the second PNP transistor.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting electrical connecting pins or terminals into preformed holes in a circuit board, the apparatus comprised of a vibrating table means and a press means having parallel first and second plattens, a parallel intermediate platten positioned between the first and second plattens by resilient means, the first platten having perpendicularly attached stand-off posts aligned with pin guide holes in the intermediate platten and with pin clearance holes in the second platten, the first and second plattens having slidably attached positioning means for positioning the intermediate platten in two different positions during operation, a pin loading means with template having slidably attached gate means and having tapered holes, the gate means having holes alignable with the pin guide holes and the tapered holes.

Abstract: Cathode ray phosphor compositions that are resistant to photodeposition slurries consist essentially of discrete particles of a phosphor material having a core of silver-activated zinc sulfide and a coating over a substantial amount of the external surfaces of a composition represented by the formula, Mg.sub.2 P.sub.2 O.sub.7 :Al.sub.4 (P.sub.2 O.sub.7).sub.3 . xSiO.sub.2 wherein the coating is at a sufficient level on the surfaces to provide a PO.sub.4 content of the composition of from about 0.05% to about 0.2% by weight and the SiO.sub.2 content sufficient to impart flowability. The coating composition is formed by a slurry process that enables a uniform and adherent coating to be deposited on the surfaces of the particles of silver-activated zinc sulfide.