Abstract: The invention is a television camera apparatus (10) wherein bright objects are attenuated to fit within the dynamic range of the system, while dim objects are not. The apparatus receives linearly polarized light from an object scene (12), the light being passed by a beam splitter (20) and focused on the output plane of a liquid crystal light valve (16). Light valve (16) is oriented such that, with no excitation from cathode ray tube (22), all light is rotated 90.degree. and focused on the input plane of video sensor (28). The light is then converted to an electrical signal, which is amplified by amplifier (30) and used to excite CRT (22). The resulting image is collected and focused by lens (24) onto light valve (16), which rotates the polarization vector of the light to an extent preportional to the light intensity from CRT (22). The overall effect is to selectively attenuate the image pattern focused on sensor (28).

Abstract: Apparatus for adapting a general purpose end effector device (10) to a special purpose end effector (A) is disclosed which includes an adapter bracket assembly (B) which provides a mechanical and electrical interface between the end effector devices. The adapter bracket assembly (B) includes an adapter connector post (46) which interlocks with a diamond-shaped gripping channel (28) formed in closed jaws (18) and (20) of the general purpose end effector (10). The angularly intersecting surfaces of the connector post and gripping channel prevent any relative movement therebetween. Containment webs (42, 44) constrain the outer finger plates (22a, 22b) of the general purpose jaws (18, 20) to prevent pitch motion. Electrical interface is provided by conical, self-aligning electrical connector components (60, 62) carried by respective ones of said end effectors (A, 10).

Abstract: A damping seal between a high speed rotor member (30) and stator member (33) that separates pressurized fluid compartments which is characterized by the rotor member having a smooth outer surface and the stator member having its bore surface roughened by a plurality of pockets or depressions.

Abstract: A high gradient directional solidification furnace is disclosed which includes eight thermal zones throughout the length of the furnace. In the hot end of the furnace, furnace elements (25, 26, and 40) provide desired temperatures. These elements include Nichrome wire (28) received in a grooved tube (30) which is encapsulated by an outer alumina core (32). A booster heater (40) is provided in the hot end of the furnace which includes toroidal tungsten/rhenium wire (42) which has a capacity to put heat quickly into the furnace. An adiabatic zone is provided by insulation barrier (62) to separate the hot end of the furnace from a cold end. The cold end of the furnace is defined by heating elements (80 and 90). A heat transfer plate (70) provides a means by which heat may be extracted from the furnace and conducted away through liquid cooled jackets (72).

Abstract: A rack (10) for laboratory bottles and jars for chemicals and medicines has been designed to provide the maximum strength and security to the glassware in the event of a significant earthquake. The rack (10) preferably is rectangular and may be made of a variety of chemically resistant materials including polypropylene, polycarbonate, and stainless steel. It comprises a first plurality of parallel vertical walls (14, 32, 33, 16, etc.), and a second plurality of parallel vertical walls (18, 30, 31, 20, etc.) perpendicular to the first plurality of walls. These intersecting vertical walls comprise a self-supporting structure without a bottom which sits on four legs. The top surface of the rack is formed by the top edges of all the vertical walls, which are not parallel but are skewed in three dimensions. These top edges form a grid matrix having a number of intersections (22, 24, etc.) of the vertical walls which define a number of rectangular compartments having varying widths and lengths and varying heights.

Abstract: A laser velocimeter covariance processor which calculates the auto covariance and cross covariance functions for a turbulent flow field based on Poisson sampled measurements in time from a laser velocimeter. The device will process a block of data that is up to 4096 data points in length and return a 512 point covariance function with 48-bit resolution along with a 512 point histogram of the interarrival times which is used to normalize the covariance function. The device is designed to interface and be controlled by a minicomputer from which the data is received and the results returned. A typical 4096 point computation takes approximately 1.5 seconds to receive the data, compute the covariance function, and return the results to the computer.

Abstract: A cable reel assembly particularly adapted for, but not limited to, a system for providing electrical connection of power and data signals between an orbiter vehicle (12), such as a space shuttle, and a recovered satellite (14) and being comprised of two mutually opposing ring type structures (18, 20) having .+-.180.degree. relative rotation with one of the structures being held in fixed position while the other structure is rotatable. Motor controlled berthing latches (16.sub.1, 16.sub.2, 16.sub.3) and umbilical cable connectors (17.sub.1, 17.sub.2) for the satellite are located on the rim (26) of the rotatable ring structure (18).

Abstract: A REDOX cell to operate at elevated temperatures and utilizing the same two metal couples in each of the two reactant fluids is disclosed. Each fluid includes a bismuth salt and may also include a lead salt. A low cost, cation permselective membrane separates the reactant fluids.

Abstract: A gallium arsenide photo-responsive device (40) is provided with an intermediate, transparent layer (28) of refractory metal or alkaline earth metal forming a tenacious bond between a non-hydroscopic oxide layer (24) and a noble metal Schottky barrier layer (30). The device has a gallium arsenide substrate with a predetermined type conductivity and a gallium arsenide epitaxial layer (16) with the same type conductivity but a lower charge carrier concentration grown on the substrate. The oxide layer (24) is formed to cover the epitaxial layer (16) and the transparent metal layer (28) followed by the noble metal layer (30) are deposited upon the oxide layer. An interdigitated ohmic contact (32) is then formed upon the noble metal layer.

Abstract: A method for determining the alignment of adjoining metal objects is provd. The method comprises producing an X-ray image of adjoining surfaces of the two metal objects, the X-ray beam being tangential to the point the surfaces are joined. The method is particularly applicable where the alignment of the two metal objects is not readily susceptible to visual inspection.

Abstract: The sealing of the gas path in a gas turbine engine at the blade tips is improved by maintaining a minimum clearance between the rotor blade tips and the gas path seal. This is accomplished by taking advantage of an increase in volume during controlled oxidation of certain intermetallic compounds which have high melting points.The increase in volume closes the clearance subsequent to a rub between the blades and the seal. Thus, these compounds re-form the tip seal surface to assure continued engine efficiency.

Abstract: A device which corrects aerodynamic spin wherein a parachute 38 exerts anti-spin forces on an aircraft 10 to effect spin recovery. The dual parachute towlines 30 and 32 are each attached to the parachute 38 and are attached to the rear fuselage equidistant to and on opposite sides of the aircraft centerline, at 25 and 27. As the parachute 38 is deployed during spin, the parachute force 40 acts through only the towline 30, and exerts its force outboard of center on the aircraft 10. As a result, the parachute exerts not only an anti-spin torque, but additionally causes the aircraft to roll, creating a gyroscopic anti-spin rolling moment. The additional anti-spin rolling moment facilitates spin recovery by permitting a relatively smaller parachute to accomplish spin recovery equivalent to that of a larger parachute attached to the center of the rear fuselage.

Abstract: A method for determining hydrocarbon conversion factors for a flowmeter 17. A mixture of air, O.sub.2 and C.sub.x H.sub.y is burned and the partial pressure of O.sub.2 in the resulting gas is forced to equal the partial pressure of O.sub.2 in air. The flowrate of O.sub.2 flowing into the mixture is measured by flowmeter 13 and the flowrate of C.sub.x H.sub.y flowing into the mixture is measured by the flowmeter 17 conversion factor is to be determined. These measured values are used to calculate the conversion factor.

Abstract: Sugars are converted to a mixture of solvents including butanol by a fermentation process employing a coculture of microorganisms of the Clostridium genus, one of said microorganisms favoring the production of butyric acid and the other of which converts the butyric acid so produced to butanol. The use of a coculture substantially increases the yield of butanol over that obtained using a culture employing only one microorganism.

Abstract: A system is described for loading newly mined material such as coal, into a shuttle car, at a location near the mine face where there is only a limited height available for a loading system. The system includes a storage bin (18) having several telescoping bin sections (20-23), and a shuttle car (14) having a bottom wall (64) that can move under the bin. With the bin in an extended position and filled with coal (FIG. 3), the bin sections can be telescoped (FIG. 4) to allow the coal to drop out of the bin sections and into the shuttle car, to quickly load the car. The bin sections can then be extended, so they can be slowly filled with more coal while awaiting another shuttle car.

Abstract: Metal, preferably divalent copper, cobalt or nickel, phthalocyanine tetraamines are used as curing agents for epoxides. The resulting copolymers have high thermal and chemical resistance and are homogeneous. They are useful as binders for laminates, e.g. graphite cloth laminate.

Abstract: Metastable ionization detectors used for chromatographic analysis usually employ a fixed high voltage for the ionization potential. For this reason, the operating range is limited to about three orders of magnitude. By use of the technique disclosed in the instant invention, operating ranges of about nine orders of magnitude are obtained.The output current from a metastable ionization detector (MID) is applied to a modulation voltage circuit. An adjustment is made to balance out the background current, and an output current, above background, is applied to an input of a strip chart recorder. For low level concentrations, i.e., low detected output current, the ionization potential will be at a maximum and the metastable ionization detector will operate at its most sensitive level.

Abstract: Phosphorus-containing polyimides and copolyimides are synthesized in a two-step polycondensation reaction from 1-[(diorganooxyphosphonyl)methyl]-2,4- and -2,6-diaminobenzenes and tetracarboxylic anhydride. The diorgano position of the diorganooxyphosphonyl group includes alkyl, such as ethyl, substituted alkyl, such as 2-chloroethyl, and aryl such as phenyl. The tetracarboxylic anhydrides include compounds such as pyromellitic dianhydride and benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the polyimides is reduced by incorporation of the (dialkoxyphosphonyl)methyl groups. Both the molecular weight and the thermal stability of the polymers are reduced with increasing concentration of the phosphorus moieties.

Abstract: An improved mechanical extensometer for use with a constant load creep test machine 10, wherein the dead weight of the extensometer is counterbalanced by two pairs of weights 70,90 and 80,100 connected through a pulley system 68, 78, 88 and 98 to rod extension 55,56 and 59,60, leading into the furnace 20 where test sample S is undergoing elevated temperature (above 500.degree. F.) tensile testing. Novel gripper surfaces, conical tip 119 and flat surface 122, are provided in each sample engaging platens 38 and 40 to reduce the grip pressure normally required for attachment of the extensometer to the specimen and reduce initial specimen bending normally associated with foil-gage metal testing.

Abstract: A variable length strut device (A) is illustrated for connecting two associated structures which includes an outer load bearing shell (B), a drive assembly (C), a length varying compliance assembly (D) positioned by drive assembly (C), and a strut rod locking assembly (E). Load bearing shell (B) includes a connecting part (32) adapted for connection to a first associated structure. A strut connection rod (58) has a connecting part (88) adapted for connection to a second associated structure and a distal end having a piston driver (74) slidably carried in a housing 44 of compliance assembly (D). Two compliance pistons (62, 64) act in opposing directions on the piston driver to provide longitudinal compliance in a compliance mode of operation. Locking assembly (E) includes locking balls (90) which are urged in a locking ring (92) as locking bolt (82) is urged to the left by fluid pressure.