Abstract: Apparatus for continuously casting strip material comprising a casting drum rotatable about a first axis, a pair of cheek members including portions slidably engageable with sides of the casting drum mounted for rotation about a second axis spaced from said first axis and a casting belt wrapped around a portion of the cheek members together defining a converging casting arc. The cheek members include peripheral surfaces engageable by marginal edges of the casting belt which maintain a variable casting gap between a casting surface on the belt and a casting surface on the drum. The eccentric mounting of the cheek members with respect to the casting drum cause the spacing between the belt and the drum to decrease as the end of the casting arc is reached. The cheek members each include tapered side surfaces which together with the casting drum define ear receiving recesses that increase in a radial direction as the end of the casting arc is approached.

Abstract: A flexible joint 13 is employed to sealingly connect a pair of tubular members 16, 18 while still permitting limited articulated movement therebetween. The flexible joint 13 includes a housing 26 with upper and lower ring-like plates 32, 34 coaxially arranged about the tubular members 16, 18. A pair of annular elastomeric bearings 40, 42 are positioned within the housing 26 and act against shoulders 44, 46 of the tubular members 16, 18 to flexibly retain the tubular members 16, 18 within the housing 26. A bellows 20 sealingly couples the tubular members 16, 18 together while permitting movement therebetween. An annular chamber 56 formed between the bellows 20 and housing 26 is filled with a fluid, such as silicon or oil. Means is provided for adjusting the volume of the chamber 56 or volume of fluid in the chamber 56 to maintain an approximately zero pressure differential across the bellows 20.

Abstract: Provided is a collapsible antenna formed of one or more generally planar and vertically inclined inflatable panels. According to the invention, each of the panels has a continuous outer wall, a continuous inner wall and a plurality of web partitions extending between the inner and outer walls to form a series of tubular members. The inner wall of the collapsible antenna is at least partially covered by a metallic material and a plurality of dipole elements are affixed to the web partitions and spaced from the inner wall in a predetermined relationship such that the antenna will operate at a preselected frequency when inflated.

Abstract: A hand-held joystick has spaced-apart groups of accelerometers and is free to move or rotate on multiple axes. Each group has, for example, three mutually perpendicular accelerometers, with each one producing an electrical signal responsive to linear acceleration along one axis. The signals are combined to derive a definition of acceleration of the joystick along the three mutually perpendicular linear axes and/or rotation about these axes. The combined signal is used by an electrical control system which provides input to a device being controlled. The signal to the device under control is responsive to the motion of the joystick.

Abstract: A digitizing system for automatically recording data points representative of, for example, sheet metal templates having varying shapes is disclosed. A stylus connected to a tracing arm is guided along the edge of a template. As the arm moves, digital scales generate a stream of encoded electrical pulses which yield direction and distance information. These pulses are then decoded, counted, and stored. If the operator has selected the automatic digitize mode, a data point is automatically stored each time the stylus moves a predetermined distance in the X, Y, or Z direction. The present invention also provides an improved method of optimizing or compressing the stored set of data points.

Abstract: A metal structural component (10) is formed by placing metal tubes (16) between two metal sheets (12) and plastically deforming the tubes (16) by injecting pressured gas therein. The injected gas expands the tubes by superplastic deformation until diffusion bonding occurs between the metal sheets (12) and expanded tubes (16) to form the desired support structure between the metal sheets (12).

Abstract: A riser tensioner system 10 includes a pair of supports 14, 16 affixed to an offshore platform in spaced apart relation to one another. A shaft 24 extends between the supports 14, 16 and is pivotally coupled thereto by an elastomeric bearing 26. A central support 22 is pivotally coupled to the shaft 24 at about the midpoint between the supports 14, 16 and fixedly coupled to coil springs 30 or elastomeric springs 100 coaxially arranged about the shaft 24 and extending between the central support 22 and each of the supports 14, 16. The central support 22 is also coupled to a riser 12 so that relative movement between the offshore platform and the riser 12 causes the central support 22 to pivot on the shaft 24 and wind or unwind the coil springs 30 or elastomeric springs 100 for relative upward and downward movement thereof. A pretensioner mechanism 42 increases the force exerted by the springs 30 or elastomeric springs 100 to increase the upward force applied to the riser 12.

Abstract: An apparatus for gas purification is provided by means of charge build-up in an ionization means and subsequent electrostatic separation of ionized dirt particles in a separation means, which comprises collection surfaces arranged along lanes which are passed by the gas flow. These lanes are formed between fixed voltage-carrying plates and rotatable, grounded discs. The plates and the discs have substantially the same spacing to one another where a substantially stationary cleaning means strips off the deposited dirt particles on the discs. The arrangement provides an operation essentially independent of the contaminant or pollutant, high efficiency and uncomplicated production.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a generally cylindrical windscreen member attached to the bottom of a ladle with its axis generally vertical and concentric with a tap hole in the bottom of the ladle through which molten metal flows when released by a valve. An apertured cover plate is telescopically fitted over the windscreen. The cover plate is supported by a wire harness assembly coupled to the underside of the ladle for suspending the cover plate in a hanging relationship beneath the ladle. Lift line apparatus is provided for changing the elevation of the cover plate with respect to the ladle and windscreen in response to changes in the application of tension to the lift line. The cover plate is configured to rest upon, and form a seal with, the upper rim of an ingot mold when the cover plate is lowered while positioned above and aligned with the ingot mold. The windscreen and cover plate are made from a fibrous ceramic low density material to facilitate manual handling.

Abstract: A system of printed circuit boards is interconnected by using connectors having electrically conductive assemblies that include both pins and sockets. The pins of the assemblies of one connector pass through apertures in the printed circuit boards and engage the sockets of assemblies of another connector on the other side of the printed circuit board. In this manner any number of printed circuit boards may be interconnected to form continuous electrical circuits from one printed circuit board to the next and also provide a mechanical means of holding the system of printed circuit boards together.

Abstract: The flooring structure of this invention controls electrostatic charges. The normal presence of moisture will not affect the flooring structure's ability to control electrostatic charges. A moisture detector circuit will, however, indicate the presence of moisture, and can activate means for drying this moisture. The resistance of the flooring structure can be adjusted so that electrostatic charges are dissipated at different rates. Multiple flooring structures with different resistance values can be placed side by side.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hole profile gage comprising a probe that senses deviations in the contour of the inner surface of a bore while it is retracted through the bore. The profile gage includes a processing unit that samples the output from the probe, develops a profile for the hole, and evaluates whether the profile is within predetermined tolerance limits. In a preferred embodiment, the probe comprises a split ball probe coupled with a transducer. In use, the probe is retracted through the bore by a spring coupled with a damping device.

Abstract: An encoder circuit utilizes a pair of digital memories clocked at a slower write than read rate to compact analog input data, blanking and synchronization pulse intervals, and generate NTSC video. The NTSC formatted data may be stored utilizing conventional NTSC tape or disc recording equipment or may be transmitted, duplicated, monitored or transcribed utilizing readily available NTSC video equipment. A decoder circuit is provided to reprocess the NTSC video formatted data and restore it to its original form by removing the synchronization and blanking intervals and, utilizing a pair of digital memories clocked at a faster write than read rate, re-stretch the data which was compacted in the time dimension by the encoder circuit.

Abstract: High pressure gas cutting process useful for drilling large numbers of holes in large surface area workpieces such as air frame components and the like. The procedure utilizes a cutting tool which has an internal fluid passageway extending through the shank portion thereof and terminating in at least one discharge port adjacent a cutting edge of the tool. As the cutting tool is rotated and advanced into the workpiece in the course of the cutting operation, a high pressure gas is supplied into the cutting tool passageway under an applied pressure of at least 500 psia. The gas, which may be an inert gas such as nitrogen, is discharged from the cutting port into the tool with an expansive cooling effect. The gas then flows outwardly through the hole and exits the hole with sufficient velocity to entrain and remove the drill cuttings from the hole. A liquid lubricant can be employed to prolong the life of the cutting tool.

Abstract: This invention provides for a spring-balanced loading arm with a positive lock-down device use in a material handling system. It includes a swivel arm which is pivotally connected at one end to a support structure for swivel movement both in horizontal and vertical planes relative to the support structure. There is also provided an extendable lock-down device for positively locking the swivel arm. One end of the lock-down device is pivotally connected to the support structural and the other end is fixedly connected to the swivel arm. The lock-down device is adapted to be locked in position at several predetermined lengths. When the lock-down device is locked in a given position, it also positively locks the swivel arm and prevents any vertical movement of the loading arm.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for controlled crystal growth. The apparatus involves two tandemly aligned heat pipes separated by a conductive sleeve. The heat pipes establish two different isothermal temperature zones while the sleeve defines a gradient zone. A crystallization zone is located in this gradient zone. The method for controlled growth of a crystal involves lowering an ampoule through the gradient zone at an effective rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for stabilizing the frequency at which a laser cavity oscillates comprising a passive system which provides a plurality or continuum of optical paths of differing lengths. The various paths correspond to differences in mode parameters in the cavity, and involve compensating changes in polarization, beam direction, beam divergence, and the like, in exchange for a constant optical path length in the laser cavity. The unchanging optical path length results in a stable frequency of oscillation despite physical changes in the cavity which might otherwise alter that path length.

Abstract: A method for applying a uniform sealant coating over the portion of a fastener exposed above a panel includes applying a sealant retaining shell over the exposed portion of the fastener to define a closed volume between the shell, fastener and panel. The shell has an aperture, removed from the mouth of the shell, for receiving sealant therethrough. An injection nozzle receiving structure for receiving a sealant injector nozzle therein is provided adjacent and substantially aligned with the aperture. Sealant is injected into the shell through the injection nozzle receiving structure and through the aperture therein to fill the area between the fastener and the shell. A pressure is selected for injecting the sealant such that injection is stopped when the shell is filled. The sealant is allowed to cure and the retaining shell is removed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical reimaging system which incorporates multiple sets of lenses to transmit an image from one plane to another in the form of image segments which are detected by one or more discrete detector arrays. Signals generated by the detector array or arrays can be used to recombine the image segments to reproduce the image transmitted from the first focal plane. These image segments can be contiguous or separated, inverted or not, depending on the lens arrangment and magnification used. In infrared applications, all or a portion of the reimaging system may be cooled to reduce contaminating warm radiation.

Abstract: A system of printed circuit boards is interconnected by using connectors having electrically conductive assemblies that include both pins and sockets. The pins of the assemblies of one connector pass through apertures in the printed circuit boards and engage the sockets of assemblies of another connector on the other side of the printed circuit board. In this manner any number of printed circuit boards may be interconnected to form continuous electrical circuits from one printed circuit board to the next and also provide a mechanical means of holding the system of printed circuit boards together.