Abstract: A rotatable rectifier assembly has four rectifiers each comprising a group of bead type diodes mounted between axially spaced electrical conductors, the conductors being pre-loaded together to enable the diode connections to better withstand centrifugal forces. The assembly includes a spacing material to take up manufacturing tolerances and thereby ensure that each of the diode groups takes a substantially equal proportion of the applied pre-load.

Abstract: An aircraft flight control is operated by an electric motor by way of a flywheel and a stepless variable speed ratio device. A device, for example an over-running clutch, is provided so that movement of the flight control by external forces does not cause the motor to generate a reverse current in its electrical supply.

Abstract: A starting aid for a diesel engine comprises a housing (10) having a longitudinal passageway (12). Fuel is admitted to an upstream section (13) of the passageway via an inlet opening (14) and the fuel exits a downstream section (16) of the passageway via outlet openings (17). An electromagnetically-controlled plate valve (18) regulates a flow of fuel from the upstream, to the downstream section of the passageway, and a helical heater coil (32) heats the fuel as it passes along an annular part (31) of the downstream section (16) of the passageway (12).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing elements of active material for use in the construction of electrodes for secondary electro-chemical cells characterized by comprising the steps of:rolling active material mixture in a first direction to produce elongate strip,cutting the strip to define cut sheets of rolled material,transporting a cut sheet in said one direction on a movable end, first, conveyor,moving the movable end of said first conveyor to transfer said cut sheet to a stationary, second conveyor extending substantially perpendicular to said first conveyor,operating said second conveyor to transfer said cut sheet in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction to a laminating station wherein the cut sheet is laminated with other cut sheets, and,rolling the laminated cut sheets in said second direction. An apparatus for use in the manufacture of active material elements is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is drawn to a pump having a piston which is reciprocable within a cylinder. The cylinder has a closed end including a liquid outlet and port means to introduce a liquid into the closed end of the cylinder. The piston has on its peripheral surface a helical groove means fluidly connected to the closed end of the cylinder and a second groove to communicate the port with the closed end of the cylinder when the piston is in a position between a location in which the port directly communicates with the closed end of the cylinder and a location in which the port communicates with the helical groove means. The second groove in the peripheral surface of the piston is located between the helical groove means and the part of the piston adjacent to the closed end of the cylinder. The second groove also communicates with a cutaway portion in the wall of the cylinder that is coaxial with the axis of the port.

Abstract: An improved manufacturing method produces small orifices in a succession of work pieces according to a desired flow specification. After the work pieces are subjected to one or more preliminary processing steps, an apparatus, preferably an electro discharge machine, is used to produce a small orifice in each work piece. A gas, preferably nitrogen, is flowed through the orifice produced in a work piece, and the pressure drop of the gas flowing through the orifice is measured, preferably by a pressure gauge capable of providing both a visual display for a human operator and an electrical signal for a microprocessor. The pressure drop is compared to a correlation of pressure drop and the desired flow specification. The results of the comparison are used to determine whether an adjustment is needed to the apparatus and/or one of the preliminary processing steps.

Abstract: A lamp assembly suitable for use on a vehicle roof includes an elongate support member (11) of hollow cross section and a plurality of individual lamp units (12-17) secured to the support member at points spaced along the length of the support member. Electrical connecting leads (37) of the lamp units are disposed in the hollow interior section of the support member (11) and the lamp units (12-17) each comprise a body (31, 31a) housing the lighting assembly of the unit and having opposite ends closed by closure members (32) at least one of which is transparent. The closure members (32) of all of the lamp units (12-17) of the assembly are of similar shape, and the lamp unit bodies are of the same cross-section.

Abstract: A method of monitoring combustion within a cylinder of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine comprising deriving first and second electrical signals representative of light intensity within the cylinder by means of first and second optical transducers of spaced spectral response, said first and second optical transducers observing the combustion event at a common location, or at closely adjacent locations, and, establishing a signal representing the ratio of said first and second electrical signals, said ratio signal being used as, or to obtain, a control parameter for an engine control system. The invention also resides in apparatus for monitoring combustion in accordance with the above method.

Abstract: An adaptive control system and method is provided for a power producing engine having at least one control parameter which affects an engine output, where the engine has a drivetrain combination having at least one resonant frequency. A base value is established for one control parameter in accordance with engine operating conditions. The one control parameter is preferably perturbed about the base value in accordance with a perturbation waveform having a frequency greater than the at least one resonant frequency of the drivetrain. The perturbation waveform has a cycle including a first part and a second part. A positive perturbation is applied to the perturbed parameter during the first part of each cycle and a negative perturbation is applied to the perturbed parameter during the second part of each cycle. The engine output is monitored and the slope of the engine output is calculated with respect to at least one control parameter for the engine so as to obtain a desired value of the slope.

Abstract: A knock detection system for an internal combustion engine comprises an input for receiving a signal from a vibration-sensing transducer, an amplifier to which the input is connected and a rectifying and integrating device connected to the output of the amplifier, the amplifier comprising a variable gain amplifier and feedback device being provided for controlling the gain of the variable gain amplifier in dependence upon variations in the output level of the rectifying and integrating device. The gain control which is exercised tends to maintain the integrator output level within an optimum band so as to overcome problems due to input offset voltage errors.

Abstract: A throttle body butterfly valve controlled by electrical signals in a drive-by-wire arrangement includes a mechanical coupling cable (9) arranged to close the throttle if the valve is locked in the open throttle condition.

Abstract: A belt of linked cartridges is supplied to a traversable gun by way of flexible chutes, one of which is secured at its respective ends to a relatively fixed part and to a structure which is traversable with the gun. The chute so secured has a loop which rests on a support element and is of sufficient length to accommodate the full range of traverse of the gun.

Abstract: A missile flight control system includes a plurality of fins movable by actuators and a corresponding plurality of valves each of which regulates gas flow through a pair of outlets which are oppositely directed perpendicularly of the missile axis, the valve being operated by respective ones of the actuators.

Abstract: A rectifier has a d.c. return terminal and two d.c. output terminals. The elements of the rectifier are connected so that d.c. currents through the output terminals are discontinuous and that the sum of these currents is continuous d.c. output. Switches are provided to connect the d.c. output terminals to a common supply terminal for a load, or to isolate the output termnals from each other and from the load.

Abstract: A lamp which is designed to emit light of a specified color comprises a housing having a light-transmitting front cover which is juxtaposed to a colored decorative panel. One or more optical filters are disposed within the housing. The optical filters are positioned in the housing so as to intercept light before it is emitted through the front cover. Each filter colors the light in a mixture of said specified color and a color which is complementary to that of said front cover.

Abstract: An optical fibre connector comprising a first member composed of a rigid material and formed in one surface thereof with an elongated groove for axially receiving respective end portions of a pair of optical fibres to be interconnected, a second member substantially identical with the first member and engageable therewith such that said grooves are in registration and can locate therebetween the end portions of said pair of fibres, with the end portion of each fibre being fixed relative to a respective one of the members, and a resilient element which, when said first and second members are interengaged, co-operates with said first and second members.

Abstract: An electromagnetically operable fluid control valve includes a valve member slidable in a bore coupled to the armature of an electromagnetic device which includes a stator structure. The armature is of cup shaped form and is coupled to the valve member by a flange on the armature which is trapped between a pair of spaced plates carried by the valve member. The distance between the plates is determined by a spacer slightly thicker than the flange and smaller than the flange to allow for slight misalignment of the armature and the valve member.

Abstract: A fuel injection pump of the reciprocating plunger type has a plunger having a head engaged by a tappet assembly. The tappet assembly includes a roller engageable with a cam lobe of a cam to impart inward movement to the plunger. Outward movement of the plunger is effected by a lever assembly having a forked end engaging the head and a roller for engagement with a cam lobe.

Abstract: A fuel system for a compression ignition engine includes a body defining a mounting for a fuel injection nozzle. The body also accommodates a reciprocable piston fuel pump having a piston which is actuable by an engine driven cam. The body also defines a surface which in use locates against a surface on the engine cylinder head. The surface is well removed from the bore in the cylinder head of the engine which contains the injection nozzle. In this manner forces applied to the body during operation of the system are applied to the cylinder head of the engine in an area which is sufficient strong to withstand the forces.

Abstract: In having a method of welding together metal components (A,B) a high restraint geometry (as defined in the Specification) the components are urged into abutment and a high energy density weld is effected at a location in said abutment by means such as a focussed laser beam (L). In order to compensate for the high restraint geometry of the components which prevents them from deformation such as to accommodate welding stresses, an additional force (J) is applied, for example by a roller (K), to urge the components together adjacent to the position at which the weld is effected. The method is advantageously employed to form a continuous elongate weld between a plateform and web of a brake shoe.