Abstract: An animal feeder includes a feed reservoir having a cavity for holding a feed material, and a feed dispensing assembly coupled to the feed reservoir. The feed dispensing assembly includes a check valve to allow selective access to the feed material. The check valve inhibits feed leakage from the feed reservoir during pressure fluctuations within the feed reservoir.

Abstract: A mechanical load fuse assembly, particularly designed for lifting cables used with helicopters, consists of first and second end assemblies. An axial shear pin is releasably secured between the first and second end assemblies; and this shear pin is calibrated to have a breaking point of a pre-established amount when axial forces are applied to it. A protective sleeve is located over the shear pin between the first and second end assemblies when the shear pin is releasably secured. This protective sleeve has first and second positions of operation. A coil spring is used to normally bias the protective sleeve to the first position. In this position, radially projecting pins on the first and second end assemblies engage corresponding slots on the protective sleeve to prevent relative rotation of the first and second end assemblies relative to one another, so long as the sleeve is in the first position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting a variable parameter of a dynamic system in response to a signal representative of the system performance so as to optimize system performance with respect to that parameter. A first signal related to system performance is extracted from the dynamic system and is thereafter coupled to a plurality of performance index blocks, each of these blocks for operating on this signal according to a different predetermined characteristic transfer function. The output level from a selected performance index block is periodically sampled and the sampled level is compared with a previously sampled level to provide a positive or negative difference signal. A first pulsed signal is formed wherein pulses and zero levels are respectively representative of the incidence of opposite polarity levels in the difference signal.