Abstract: A water filter has an elongated base with an inlet opening near one end thereof to which is secured an adaptor ring for attachment to a water faucet. A first outlet opening on the base dispenses unfiltered water and there is a channel defined within the base that leads toward the other end, with an externally-operable valve being included for selecting between unfiltered flow to that outlet and flow down the channel. Located near the other end of the base is a mounting on which sits a water filter cartridge that communicates with the channel, and the cartridge delivers filtered water to a second outlet. A number of features include a color indicator to exhibit degree of cartridge usage, a reversible adaptor ring to accommodate different faucets and there are different aerator structures. Of particular note is the replaceable cartridge which includes a deflector for obtaining better usage of the main filtering material, an exteriorally-mounted first filter and an internally-mounted second filter.

Abstract: An electronic and mechanical fuel feeding system comprises a mechanical fuel induction system coupled with an electronic fuel injection system through a diverter valve in fluid communication with a mechancial pump. The diverter valve includes a valve actuator responsive to an electrical signal to couple the inlet of the diverter valve with the outlet of the valve connected in fluid communication with electronically controlled injector nozzles. Alternatively, absence of an electrical control signal at the valve actuator causes coupling of the inlet of the diverter valve to a second outlet coupled in fluid communication with a mechanical carburetion system. In the preferred embodiment, the electronic fuel injection system comprises a control circuit responsive to changes in engine speed, manifold pressure, exhaust gas temperature and cylinder temperature so that accurately metered amounts of fuel are delivered by the injector nozzles to the engine cylinders.

Abstract: Disclosed is a valve trim design for use in reducing valve cavitation. Valve and seat are axially movable and have frustoconical facing surfaces which form an annulus therebetween to control flow. The seat has an external frustoconical surface and a plurality of pairs of ports communicating with an internal bore. The ports are aligned so that flow from the ports impinge upon each other within the interior chamber of the valve seat to reduce cavitation.

Abstract: A showerhead includes a housing which defines different sets of spray outlets and includes a mounting for the housing that defines a path of water flow from an inlet. Formed on the housing are circumferentially-spaced grooves and formed on the mounting are mating lugs. Lands disposed between successive ones of the grooves include a cam surface which elevates in continuation toward the entrance of a next groove and then terminates in a step leading toward the bottom of that next groove, as a result of which the assembly atop the lands and subsequent movement of the lugs over the cam surface lockingly drops the lugs into corresponding ones of the grooves. The mounting includes a handle through which water flows and which is removably received within arms of a bracket to which water is supplied and therefrom led into the handle. A channel within the body of the bracket accepts a shank projecting from a pivot ball which sealing seats within a nut that, in turn, is threaded onto a water-supply pipe.

Abstract: A seal continuously maintains a condition of fluid sealing between a housing and a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, independently of the speed of rotation of the shaft. The seal includes a higher speed seal and a lower speed seal each disposed between the housing and the shaft. One of the seals is positioned axially stationary with respect to the shaft. The other of the seals is mobile (either axially or radially) with respect to the shaft, between a first position in sealing contact with the housing and shaft, and a second position out of sealing contact with the housing and shaft. Preferably, the lower speed seal is mobile, so as to be moved out of contact with the shaft when the higher speed seal operates effectively, so as to minimize wear on the seal.

Abstract: Process for producing zirconium oxide blue-black coatings on zirconium alloy substrates by treating said alloys with molten salts containing small amounts of oxidizing compounds. The molten salts are sodium cyanide and combinations of sodium chloride and potassium chloride.

Abstract: A device for metering pressurized fuel from a fuel pump and to an engine. The device includes a housing having a fuel inlet port connected to the fuel pump, a fuel outlet port connected to the engine and a fuel return port connected to the fuel tank. A valve member is contained within the interior of the housing and is rotatable between a first position and a second position. The valve member includes a cam surface which variably restricts fluid passageways extending between the inlet port and both the return port and outlet port as a function of the rotational position of the valve member. A control system selectively activates a stepper motor to rotatably drive the valve member between its first and second rotational positions while a transducer coupled to the valve member provides a feedback signal to the control system indicative of the rotational position of the valve member.

Abstract: An exhaust manifold for multi-cylinder, opposed piston engines includes a collector, a plurality of conduits, each connecting an exhaust port from a cylinder to the collector and each conduit includes a thermal expansion joint to permit differential thermal expansion between the engine body and the substantially hotter exhaust conduit and thus to avoid undesirable stresses in the conduits. Preferably, the expansion joint is formed by overlapping portions of conduit sections which include axial as well as radial clearances therebetween for thermal expansion. In the event that the engine is to be turbocharged, the manifold can be covered with a thermal blanket to prevent heat losses from the exhaust system. In such a case, the expansion joint includes a resilient seal member between the overlapping conduit portions which seals the conduit sections to each other despite substantially similar thermal growth in each of the insulated blanketed conduit sections.

Abstract: A tub is supplied with hot water through a water circulation system including a pump, a water filter and an electric flow-through heater energized through an electric contactor upon closure thereof. A user of the tub is urged to service the water circulation system upon clogging thereof. For this purpose, water flow fluctuations occurring in the circulation system upon restriction of the water circulation system are sensed and closure of the contactor is precluded for a time interval of predetermined duration in response to a sensing of water flow fluctuations.

Abstract: Space multiplexed time integrating acousto-optic correlators can achieve multiple signal correlations with an infinite range delay search. In some embodiments, two stage synchronization may be achieved an N channel demodulation may be achieved with automatic synchronization realignment.

Abstract: A turbocharger having a main housing with a throughbore through which a tubular bearing carrier is coaxially positioned. A shaft extends through the bearing carrier and is rotatably secured to the bearing carrier by a pair of axially spaced bearing assemblies, each having an inner race, an outer race and bearing elements entrapped therebetween. A pair of spacers are coaxially positioned around the shaft in between the bearing assemblies so that an outer axial end of each spacer abuts against the outer race of each bearing assembly. A helical compression spring in a state of compression urges the spacers axially away from each other to equalize the axial compressive load on each bearing assembly and thereby minimize bearing skidding and uneven wear.

Abstract: A seal member particularly adapted to seal leakage gaps between turbine vanes in a variable geometry turbine vane assembly comprises a sheet metal strip having a first flange and a second flange angularly disposed with respect to the first flange. The first flange is an anchoring flange comprising separated segments adapted to be secured to a turbine wall on one side of the leakage gap. The other flange is a sealing flange adapted to engage the member on the opposite side of the gap. The spring tension of the metal strip urging the sealing flange against the member can be enlarged or replaced by various means for urging the sealing flange against other member such as a differential pressure across the seal member and the formation of the sealing strip with heat sensitive metals.

Abstract: A solid state relay circuit is provided which controls the application of power to multiple loads in a manner which prevents the simultaneous application of power to more than one load. Photovoltaic diode arrays along with phototransistors are employed to control MOSFET output switching devices.

Abstract: Time, space and frequency multiplexed time integrating acousto-optic correlators and exemplary uses thereof. The correlators utilize a plurality of radio frequency (RF) modulators, each operating at the same or a different RF frequency to provide excitations to an acousto-optic cell representing the sum of the outputs of the modulators. A corresponding plurality of detectors are positioned so that light from the acousto-optic cells corresponding to the correlation output of various pairs of the RF modulators is incident to a respective one of the detectors. Uses for the correlators include demodulation and synchronization applications.

Abstract: A turbine engine construction comprises an accessory drive mechanism in which accessories are mounted circumferentially around the turbine casing. The engine includes a planetary gear mechanism driven by a shaft extending axially outward from compressor and turbine sections of the engine, and forwardly of the air intake in the turbine casing. Accessory drive assembly includes a planetary gear mechanism having a ring gear exposed through circumferentially spaced apertures in the turbine casing to driven gears extending outwardly from accessory housings secured to the periphery of the turbine casing.

Abstract: The present invention provided a balancing arrangement for an eight cylinder horizontally opposed internal combustion engine construction having a housing and a four throw crank shaft rotatably mounted within the housing. A pinion is coaxially attached to each axial end of the housing and includes a counterweight radially spaced from the axis of rotation of the crank shaft. At least one idler pinion is rotatably mounted to the housing and in mesh with each crank shaft pinion and each idler pinion includes a weighted portion radially spaced from its axis of rotation. Both the counter weights and the weighted portions of the idler pinions are angularly spaced from each other by a predetermined amount so that, during rotation of the crank shaft, the centrifugal force vectors of the crank shaft counterweight and idler pinion weighted portions cancel the primary moment generated by the piston reciprocation acting on axially spaced positions along the crank shaft.

Abstract: An electronic ignition system for a reciprocal piston, spark ignition internal combustion engine includes sensors which generate output signals representative of the rotational position and speed of the engine output shaft. A computer responsive to the sensor inputs generates an output signal which electrically connects a source of electrical energy to the primary coil of an ignition transformer for a predetermined period of time prior to the desired energization of the spark plug regardless of the rotational speed of the engine output shaft, but dependent on the voltage of the source of electrical energy. Initiation of the predetermined period is dependent on a manually set spark advance.

Abstract: An actuator control system is disclosed using fluid dispensing means to selectively add or remove fluid from a closed actuator system, whereby the movement of the actuator is volume rather than pressure responsive.