Abstract: A method and apparatus for in situ drilling of a precise hole in an erected structural element and inserting in such hole in pressed-fit relationship a cylindrical strain gauge. A guide block is provided having a precision hole corresponding to the diameter of the hole desired in the structural element. The guide block has unthreaded bolt holes for attachment of the guide block to the structural element and guides a reamer to produce a precise hole in the structural element. The guide block also has threaded holes for advancing a push plate against a force-transmitting bushing which is insertable through the precision hole in the guide block into abutting relationship with an end face of a cylindrical strain gauge to force the gage into press-fit relationship with the precise hole in the erected structural element.

Abstract: An apparatus for analyzing metal alloys includes an electronic unit connected to a hand-held probe unit. The probe unit includes a radiation detector enclosed in a detector housing and a radiation source enclosed in a source housing. The detector housing is generally cylindrical in shape and has an aperture formed in its sidewall. The source housing is formed as a hollow, generally right triangular prism with an open base attached to the detector housing over the aperture and tapering to a tip having an aperture formed therein. The triangular shape of the source housing permits contact measurements in hard to get at places. A shutter drive mechanism is utilized to move a shutter means between a first position blocking radiation and a second position passing radiation from the source to the aperture in the tip of the source housing.

Abstract: A device is provided for enabling the signal generated by a sensing device to be presented which is representative of the property sensed of a flowing material over a conveyor, or the like. The output is presented for observation and/or as a usable input to control means responsive to the sensed property. A pair of signals, one with a slow time constant, the other with a fast time constant, is derived from the sensing device signal. An output signal is in turn derived from one of the two signals, normally the slow. From the event rate in the sensing device, the expected statistical deviation is computed and utilized as the threshold of divergence of the pair of signals. When the divergence exceeds the threshold, the fast signal is switched to be the same value as the slow signal so that no perceptible perturbation appears in the output and the output signal is derived from the fast signal.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for monitoring and indicating the amount of material in a hopper or a bin includes self-test circuitry for automatically testing both a material level sensor and circuitry for storing the output signal generated by the sensor. During the normal operation of the monitoring apparatus, the value of the sensor output signal is compared with the values of predetermined maximum and minimum reference signals. If the sensor output signal is greater than the predetermined maximum value or less than the predetermined minimum value, the test circuit generates a failure indication to the operator of the apparatus. In order to test the sensor output signal storage circuitry, the test circuit disables the sensor and generates a simulated sensor output signal to the storage circuitry. The test circuit then compares the stored signal with the simulated signal and generates a failure indication if they are different.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for analyzing a sample of material by the X-ray fluorescence method includes a hand-held probe unit connected to an electronic unit. The probe unit includes a radiation source for radiating the material sample and a radiation detector responsive to the X-ray radiation from the material sample for generating a plurality of sample signals representing the elements in the material sample. The probe and electronic units each include a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter for transmitting the sample signals from the probe unit to the electronic unit. The electronic unit includes random access memories for storing the sample signals and a library of groups of signals representing the elements of known materials. A keyboard is provided for adding signals to the library and/or storing the sample signals in the library. A microprocessor and associated circuitry compare the sample signals with the stored groups of signals and generate an identification signal if a match is found.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring and indicating the amount of material at a given level in a plurality of hoppers or bins includes a detector for sensing and indicating the build-up of the material on the side walls of the hoppers. A sensor positioned at each hopper senses the amount of material at the given level and generates a pulsed output signal which is accumulated over a predetermined time interval to represent the amount of the material at the given level in the hopper. The value of the accumulated output signal is compared with the values of first and second reference signals to generate "full" and "not full" indications respectively. Typically, the indications are a continuous "not full" light when the hopper is empty, a flashing "not full" light as the hopper is filled, a continuous "full" light when the hopper is full, and a flashing "full" light as the hopper is emptied.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the level of material in a plurality of hoppers or bins includes a radiation source and sensor associated with each hopper. Each sensor generates an output signal representing the incidence of radiation passing through the material in the respective hopper. The sensor output signals are supplied to individual sample/hold circuits where they are temporarily stored. A central control circuit cyclically reads the stored signals from the sample/hold circuits and then generates a reset signal to clear the sample/hold circuits. The central control circuit compares the sum of the sensor output signals for each sensor over a predetermined time interval with at least one reference signal representing a predetermined material amount to generate a status signal for each hopper. A plurality of indicator circuits are responsive to respective condition of the status signals for visually and/or audibly indicating to an operator the status of the material level in the associated hopper.

Abstract: A method of placement of transducers on a pipe in positions where their beam axes intersect a point on the locus of points where the incremental flow is equal to the average flow is shown and described.

Abstract: A coupling device for attachment of a sonic doppler flowmeter to pipes or conduits is shown and described. In this coupling, a temperature compensated liquid wedge is used to couple the transducer to the wall of the pipe or conduit, and means are shown and described for eliminating bubbles from the liquid wedge region.

Abstract: A weighing apparatus for a vertical material feeder which feeds particulate material from a storage bin through a prefeeder agitator and a feeder bowl to an outlet pipe. The weighing apparatus includes a radiation source and detection means positioned on opposite sides of the path of travel of the material through the feeder bowl for generating a signal representing the mass of material in the path. The weighing apparatus also includes a speed sensor for generating a signal representing the speed of the material through the feeder bowl and means responsive to the mass signal and the speed signal for generating a signal representing the rate at which the material is being fed through the feeder bowl.

Abstract: In a switching circuit for controlling the level of material in a container, a first counter accumulates pulses generated at a rate inversely related to the level of the material up to a first predetermined total. A second counter accumulates clock pulses up to a second predetermined total representing a fixed counting interval. The counters are connected in a race circuit wherein the one to reach its predetermined total first resets both counters and controls the race circuitry. The first counter sets a control circuit to indicate a low level condition or to activate an alarm, and the second counter resets the control circuit to indicate a high level condition. After the control circuit has been set by the first counter, the race circuit is responsive to a third predetermined total of the first counter, less than the first predetermined total, representing, for example, a level to which a container is to be filled.