Abstract: A spark plug (80) having a center electrode (82) with a cylindrical body and having a tip (84) at one end and a terminal (123) near the other end with an insulator (86) extending around the center electrode (82). A ground shield and retainer unit extends around the insulator (86) and includes a threaded portion (88) near one end and a ground electrode (85) near the other end, having a portion thereof aligned with the center electrode tip (84) to form a spark gap, with a sealing portion (92) disposed therebetween for sealing the engine combustion chamber from the outside environment when the spark plug (80) is installed. The ground shield and retainer unit can be formed from two parts (88,90) which are deformed during manufacturing to be in mechanical engagement and securely holding the insulator (86) in place. The spark plug (80) can also have two or more center electrodes (82,84) with two or more corresponding ground electrodes (83,85) projecting from the ground shield (90).

Abstract: A vandal resistant light signal unit consisting of a modular integrated circuit arrangement having an insulative circuit board, which has a first broad area layer of conductive material on one side of the circuit board and a second broad area layer on an opposite side of the circuit board. The first layer defines a positive energy plane and the second a negative energy plane. Also, the unit has a plurality of independent series circuits connected in parallel to respective spaced points or nodes on the oppositely located layers of conductive material. Moreover, the broad area layers are connected to opposite sides of a power supply, and these layers constitute an arrangement for resisting vandalism occasioned by projectiles directed at said light signal unit.

Abstract: A method is provided for transferring control of a railway vehicle from a controlling wayside controller that controls a first zone within which the railway vehicle was previously positioned, to an adjacent wayside controller that controls a second zone within which the railway vehicle has traveled, wherein the second zone is adjacent to the first zone and separated from the first zone by a predetermined boundary in a communication based signaling system. The method utilizes information requests and control transfer requests that are transmitted and received by each of the controlling wayside controller and the adjacent wayside controller and the railway vehicle in accordance with method steps which are performed asynchronously, independently, and in parallel for each of the controlling wayside controller, the adjacent wayside controller, and the railway vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method of monitoring light emitted from a light emitting diode (LED) display device, which typically has a plurality of selectively energizable display segments which are grouped to form desired shapes and/or alphanumeric characters, is provided, particularly for use in an Aspect Display Unit (ADU) that requires vitality when utilized in the railroad industry as a component of an Automatic Train Protection system utilized in the railroad industry. In a preferred embodiment, each particular segment of the LED display device is independently monitored by an accompanying independent dual photo-transistor circuit when a non-vital output periodically drives each segment to a known electrical state and then back to the original state. A first and a second photo-transistor is used for each segment of the LED display.

Abstract: An auxiliary power system comprises two turbogenerators sharing a single combustor for delivery of elevated pressure and temperature gas to both the turbogenerators, a single fuel system for supplying elevated pressure fuel to the single combustor, and a single electronic unit for conditioning the electrical power input and output. The auxiliary power system also comprises first and second recuperator means operating in association with the dual turbogenerators for transferring heat from turbine exhaust to air entering the single combustor. The entire recuperator volume is used in both the single and dual turbogenerator operating modes.

Abstract: Cab signalling apparatus for use on-board a vehicle which is propelled on tracks having a cab signal transmitted through rails. One or more plate mounted antenna is positioned above a rail to induce therein a signal representative of the cab signal current in the rail. A cab signal coil is mounted on at least one of the plates having an orientation generally perpendicular to the rail to receive a cab signal. A second noise coil is mounted on at least one of the plates to sense EMI representative of the undesired EMI induced in the cab signal coil. The preferred embodiments are that the plates have a generally rectangular profile and in some embodiments the plates will have a square profile. The respective noise and cab signal coils are angularly displaced from each other. In some embodiments a single core is used having both noise and cab signal coils mounted thereon, while other embodiments use multiple plates. On single plate embodiments the noise and cab signal coils may be overlapped or interleaved.

Abstract: A system and method of communicating via digital radio between a train and a device positioned at the wayside of a railway system, wherein the device detects defects at the wayside and information related to the defects is transmitted from the wayside to the train for display in the locomotive cab. A communications unit having a microprocessor control circuit and a transceiver is electrically coupled, preferably by serial connection, to the defect detector along the wayside. The transceiver of the communications unit is in radio communication with an existing transceiver in the head-of-train (HOT) unit located in the locomotive cab at the head-end of the train. The head-of-train unit has a microprocessor control circuit that drives a display which is preferably alphanumeric, for the purpose of displaying messages related to the defects detected by the defect detector at the wayside, and subsequently transmitted between the transceiver of the communications unit and the transceiver of the HOT unit.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for production of 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane, HFC-227ea. In particular, the invention provides an inexpensive process for producing HFC-227ea in good yield by reacting 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane, HFC-236fa, with elemental fluorine in an inert gas.

Abstract: An improved thermal energy storage system and a process for thermal energy storage and transfer are disclosed. The cooling medium, a clathrate forming mixture, comprises water, and a hydrofluorocarbon having at least three carbon atoms and a molecular diameter less than about 7 .ANG.. Preferably the hydrofluorocarbon is selected from hydrofluoropropanes and more preferably is selected from the group consisting of CHF.sub.2 CHFCHF.sub.2, CF.sub.2 HCF.sub.2 CH.sub.2 F, CF.sub.3 CHFCH.sub.2 F, CF.sub.3 CH.sub.2 CF.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3 CF.sub.2 CH.sub.3, CF.sub.3 CHFCF.sub.2 H, CF.sub.3 CH.sub.2 CF.sub.3, CF.sub.3 CF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 H, CH.sub.2 FCF.sub.2 CF.sub.3, CHF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 CH.sub.3, CF.sub.3 CF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 CH.sub.3, CF.sub.3 CF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 CF.sub.2 H, and CF.sub.3 CFHCFHCF.sub.3.

Abstract: An improved switching system for controlling a radar control unit includes a radar hold switch and lock release switch on a remote control. Depression of the hold switch places the radar in a hold or standby mode. Upon depression and holding of the lock switch tracking of the target vehicle occurs. Upon release of the lock switch the displayed vehicle speed will be locked on the lock window of the radar with the radar unit being placed in a standby mode. A subsequent depression and release of the lock/release switch clears the locked target speed and maintains the unit in a standby mode. Underlying logic utilized by the signal processor analyzes signals corresponding to the positions of the hold and lock switches so as to direct the radar into the appropriate mode.

Abstract: A wheel detector for indicating the presence of a rail vehicle on a set of spaced rails is disclosed. The wheel detector transmits a radar pulse signal and samples a portion of the signal corresponding to a target area on one of the rails. The wheel detector will generate an indication signal if a change in the reflectivity of the received signal corresponding to the target area is detected. The wheel detector may additionally include multiple transmitters and receivers to provide redundancy, and be configured to determine the linear velocity and direction of a wheel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vapor phase process for the production of difluoromethane, HFC-32. The process of this invention provides for the preparation of HFC-32 by a process that exhibits both good product yield and selectivity.

Abstract: An interband prediction method for image data decomposition and reconstruction in which a coder decomposes image data using pyramid subband image data decomposition. The resulting DC subband is further decomposed and is used to generate first predictors for various allowed geometries. The method then generates a predictor set for each pixel in the decomposed image in which the predictors for each pixel are ranked. The method further generates a message identifying the predictor in each predictor set to be used in the reconstruction of the data. In the reconstruction of the image data, the DC subband image data is used to generate a second predictor set identical to the first predictor list. The desired predictor for each pixel identified by the messages is used in conjunction with the DC subband image data to generate estimated next-level DC subband image data. This process is repeated until the estimated next-level DC subband image data is a predicted estimate of the original image data.

Abstract: A car space measurement apparatus for tracking a rail vehicle position on a track is provided, which includes a wayside sensor and a supervisory processor. The wayside sensor senses multiple track parameters that are representative of the rail vehicle position. The supervisory processor receives selected track parameters and determines the rail vehicle position therefrom. Also the supervisory processor asynchronously displays a track position indication representative of the rail vehicle position. The apparatus can have an operational mode, a calibration mode, and a self -test mode. The selected track parameters are analog track phase signals. The supervisory processor can include an analog signal processor, a phase processor for determining the track position indication and a control processor for asynchronously receiving and displaying the track position indication. The asynchronous interface can be a asynchronous computer bus interface.

Abstract: A highway crossing gate control circuit is provided which minimizes the "pumping" oscillation of a highway crossing gate arm which is driven up by a permanent magnet motor. A preferred embodiment of the control circuit utilizes a p-channel MOSFET in a power down module of the control circuit to restrict power from being applied to the motor when the gate arm is in an up position and is intended to be held in the up position by a hold clear device which acts as a mechanical break. Provision is included for dynamic braking on the gate arm moving downward after an initial drive down mode.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sensing motionlessness for sensing motionlessness in a land-based vehicle is provided. The apparatus can include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) mounted in a predetermined orientation on the vehicle and a programmable computer. The IMU can have an inertial sensor which generates a plurality of motion signals. More than one inertial sensor can be used and, in that case, each of the sensors can be mounted in a second predetermined orientation with respect to the others, such as an orthogonal orientation, thereby creating a selected spatial reference frame. The inertial sensor can be one or more accelerometers, or one or more gyroscopes, or an accelerometer-gyroscope combination. The computer receives the motion signals and determining a motion state of the vehicle therefrom. The computer provides the motion state to a target application which acts in accordance therewith.

Abstract: The invention provides for a cab signaling apparatus and method for use on board a railway vehicle propelled on a set of spaced rails by a traction motor. The cab signaling apparatus may reduce a noise component within a signal having a primary cab signal component and reduce a cab signal component within a signal having a primary noise component. The cab signaling apparatus may further include an adaptive filter to cancel the noise component within the signal having a primary cab signal component without specialized tuning of the cab signaling apparatus. The cab signaling apparatus may include a false code monitor for identifying a true cab signal code and a track signal monitor for identifying a true cab signal in the presence of noise.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method to separate and recover oils and recyclable plastic from plastic contaminated with oil. The invention utilizes the different solubility of oil in as liquid or supercritical fluid as compared to a gas to effect separation of the oil from the plastic.

Abstract: A protective bottle jacket for transporting a container, bottle or the like is provided. The protective jacket has a bottom portion having a base and walls projecting upwardly from the base for receiving and protecting the bottom portion of the container and a top portion having walls for covering the top portion of the container. The protective jacket has means for selectively and releasably interlocking the bottom and top portions together. The interlocking means comprises a male member disposed on one of the bottom and top portions and a passage disposed on the other of the bottom and top portions for slidably receiving the male member between an unlocked and locked position in response to rotation of the top and bottom jacket portions, wherein the passage lockably receives the male member and attaches the top and bottom portions together in the locked position and wherein the male member does not lockably engage the passage in the unlocked position.

Abstract: A railroad searchlight signal for producing light signals of selected colors. The searchlight uses a reflector that has an inner surface of reflective material and a focal point. One or more light emitting diodes are provided at the reflector focal point. When a current is supplied to the light emitting diode from a variable current power source, a light having a color that varies dependent upon the current is produced. The colored light produced at the light emitting diode is then directed outward of the reflector as a beam. At least one color filter that allows light of a respective color to pass therethrough is preferably provided proximate the reflector. Light that passes through the color filter is detected by a light detector such as a photovoltaic cell, a phototransistor or a photodiode.