Patents Assigned to United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
  • Turbine flow meters
    Patent number: 4408498
    Abstract: A turbine flow meter (1) of the kind in which a bladed rotor (14,53) is rotated by the flow about an axis lying in the general direction of the flow. The length of the blades (13, 54) does not exceed 0.3 of the radius to the blade tips, each blade being twisted over its length in proportion to its radius. The maximum twist is such that at no point is the angle relative to the rotational axis greater than fifteen degrees. No visible clear path exists through the area of the blades for the fluid. A force transducer (56, 57, 63) is mounted in the fluid flow path to enable a measurement of momentum to be provided so that in conjunction with a measure of the speed of rotation of the rotor, the mass flow rate of the fluid can be deduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: James H. Heath
  • Information processing
    Patent number: 4409617
    Abstract: An information processor for rendering input data compatible with standard video recording and/or display equipment, comprising means for digitizing the input data over periods which are synchronous with the fields of a standard video signal, a store adapted to store the digitized data and release stored digitized data in correspondence with the line scan of a standard video monitor, the store having two halves which correspond to the interlaced fields of a standard video signal and being so arranged that one half is filled while the other is emptied, and means for converting the released stored digitized data into video luminance signals.The input data signals may be in digital or analogue form.A second stage which reconstitutes the recorded data also is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Norman P. Whitehead, Kenneth D. Boness, Roger Martin
  • Catalyst supports and fluid treatment devices
    Patent number: 4397772
    Abstract: A device for treating a fluid, in particular a supported catalyst for motor vehicle exhaust gas purification. The device comprises one or more short helically wound lengths of wire at least a surface of which comprises a solid surface coating for interaction with the fluid. For catalysis the coating is a catalytically active material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Michael L. Noakes, James A. Cairns
  • Method of preparing a catalyst
    Patent number: 4397770
    Abstract: A catalyst suitable for use in the treatment of motor vehicle exhaust emissions is made by contacting a substrate, preferably of an aluminium bearing ferritic alloy, with a first sol of refractory material followed by drying and firing, and preferably then contacting with a second sol of refractory material, which additionally contains a salt convertible to catalytic material, followed by drying and firing. The sols are obtained from refractory material, e.g., alumina, made by a vapor phase condensation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: James A. Cairns, James L. Woodhead, John D. F. Ramsay
  • Ejector
    Patent number: 4396355
    Abstract: An ejector 110 having an additional nozzle 173 for issuing a fluid at a relatively high pressure through a throat 113 of the ejector 110 into an outlet 114 from the throat 113, so as to clear any material lodging in the outlet 114 and/or the throat 113. The additional nozzle 113 may be co-axial with the main nozzle 140 of the ejector 110, or angularly disposed from it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Charles K. S. Wilmot, Claude L. Stockwell, Victor R. Phillips
  • Facilities for the examination of radioactive bodies
    Patent number: 4394895
    Abstract: A facility for the examination of radioactive bodies in which carriages, each transporting one or more radioactive bodies, travel along a shielded passage to bring the bodies to examination stations spaced along the passage. The transverse sectional dimensions of the passage are not much larger than the corresponding dimensions of the carriages in order to maintain the radioactive region as small as possible. Equipment for the examination of the radioactive bodies is located outside the shielded passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Maurice E. Ginniff, Eric K. Richardson
  • Method of forming high resistivity regions in GaAs by deuteron implantation
    Patent number: 4394180
    Abstract: A process for producing regions of high resistivity in gallium arsenide, and other related compounds and mixed crystals which show electrical behavior which is similar to that of gallium arsenide, in which deuterons are implanted into a substrate made of the semi-conductor body with energies up to a maximum value corresponding to a desired depth of penetration into the body. Apparatus for carrying out the process also is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, Kenneth Steeples, Ian J. Saunders
  • Transport apparatus
    Patent number: 4392435
    Abstract: Transport apparatus comprises a drive unit and a slave unit movable in unison along a predetermined path. The slave unit is disposed beneath the drive unit to move along a tunnel with work stations located at intervals along the tunnel. The drive unit carries electromagnets which when energized levitate the slave unit within the tunnel, controls being provided to maintain the slave unit at a desired position relative to the drive unit. The roof of the tunnel is formed from a magnetically transparent material, such as glass. The slave unit is thereby physically isolated from the drive unit. As a result the drive unit is shielded from any hostile environment within the tunnel and resulting, for example, from the transport of radioactive or toxic materials by the slave units. This simplifies repair and maintenance operations on the drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Brian R. Moody, Duncan B. Lowe, Derek W. Lowe
  • Condensation heating apparatus and method
    Patent number: 4392049
    Abstract: An apparatus or a method for heating a component by the condensation thereon of a suitable vapor, for example to make a soldered connection in condensation soldering. The vapor is produced by passing a heat transfer oil through a vaporizer comprising permeable electrically conductive material, and is introduced into a heating chamber containing the component. The heating chamber is held at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, and a condenser chamber is connectable to the heating chamber for condensing the vapor at the end of the heating cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Peter D. Bentley, James F. Pollock
  • Production of porous gels and ceramic materials
    Patent number: 4389385
    Abstract: The invention relates to gels produced by dispersing solid primary particles of an inorganic substance in a liquid to form a sol containing colloidal particles which are aggregates of the primary particles and drying the sol to produce a porous gel.The gels find applications in chromatography. Calcined gels give porous ceramic materials suitable for use as catalyst supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: John D. F. Ramsay
  • Catalyst device and method
    Patent number: 4388277
    Abstract: A device and method for use in the catalysis of a chemical reaction having a container with a fluid inlet thereto and a fluid outlet therefrom and a plurality of catalyst bodies assembled therein.In order to enhance the mixing of reactants in the device, the catalyst bodies are randomly arranged in the container and in order to reduce resistance to flow of reactants through the device, the catalyst bodies each have a plurality of internal channels of an ordered, pre-determined size and arrangement for permitting substantially unrestricted flow of reactants therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: Christopher J. Wright
  • Affinity chromatography separation process
    Patent number: 4385991
    Abstract: The invention discloses a process for the selective separation of a chemical component from a fluid substance which comprises contacting the fluid substance with a composite material having affinity chromatography properties, said composite material comprising an affinity chromatography agent retained within the pore structure of a porous rigid support material and said affinity chromatography agent being capable of selectively sorbing the chemical component from the fluid substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Alan Rosevear, Patrick Mattock
  • Hot pressing of ceramic materials
    Patent number: 4382053
    Abstract: The hot pressing of ceramic material in dies forming a column, each die being shaped to interfit and cooperate with adjacent dies to cause densification of ceramic material within the dies when pressure is applied to the column. The column of dies is passed intermittently through a fixed, heated zone and pressure is applied to the column intermittently to move the dies through the heated zone and, as a separate step, to compress the column and cause densification of ceramic material in the dies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: Frank Rigby
  • Forming of materials by extrusion
    Patent number: 4378686
    Abstract: A construction of wheel suitable for apparatus for the continuous forming of materials by extrusion and which has an endless groove in its periphery, comprises forming the wheel in two abutting parts joined in a radial plane within the groove base width, the two parts being held in abutting relationship during use of the wheel in performing extrusion. The joining plane need not extend all the way to a driving shaft to which the wheel is secured for rotation, so providing a separation zone which can be used for cooling the wheel material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: John A. Pardoe
  • Method of making oxygen ion conducting solid electrolyte device
    Patent number: 4378385
    Abstract: The present invention relates to electrical devices and to the preparation thereof.According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrical device having a portion comprising an oxygen ion conducting solid electrolyte wherein the portion comprising an oxygen ion conducting solid electrolyte has been formed by a method including deposition onto a substrate from a solution or dispersion.There is also disclosed a method for the preparation of an electrical device in accordance with the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: Antony E. Hughes
  • Preparation of dense ceramics
    Patent number: 4372902
    Abstract: The invention is concerned with preparation of dense ceramics, in particular silicon carbide.Silicon carbide is a useful structural material but difficulties of densifying by sintering have in the past created problems in the production of silicon carbide components. It is however known to use boron and carbon as additives to assist densification by sintering. In this invention a further improvement in densification is effected by carrying out such sintering in a carbon-containing reducing atmosphere such as a methane containing atmosphere. Surface silica which inhibits densification is thereby removed but without removing fine carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Ivor E. Denton, John W. Henney
  • Manipulators
    Patent number: 4367998
    Abstract: A manipulator consisting of a slave assembly, a master unit, and a control circuit. The movement of the various components of the slave assembly are actuated by electric stepping motors, and the slave assembly itself comprises a pantograph linkage having a wrist at one end of an extended link of the linkage. A jaw assembly connected to the wrist is arrranged to be operated by a fluid circuit which is pressurized by an electric pump and regulated by the action of a throttling device that has a plunger held over an opening by an electric solenoid. Movement of the plunger is detected by the change of impedance of a sensing coil as the plunger enters the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1983
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventor: Roy Causer
  • Method of coating titanium and its alloys
    Patent number: 4364969
    Abstract: A process for improving the wear resistance of, and reducing the frictional forces between, bodies made of titanium or its alloys, in which surfaces liable to wear are coated with a layer of a metal such as tin of aluminium which is then bombarded with ions of a light species such as nitrogen, carbon, boron, or neon so as to cause the metal to migrate into the titanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Geoffrey Dearnaley, Robert E. J. Watkins
  • Apparatus for continuous extrusion
    Patent number: 4362485
    Abstract: Apparatus for continuous extrusion has a rotatable wheel with an endless groove therein, a relatively stationary shoe member overlying part of the groove lengthwise, a portion of the shoe member projecting part way into the groove and being constituted at least partly by a die assembly which includes a separate and replaceable abutment member which projects into the groove to block it. The die assembly can have separate and replaceable components constituting a feed chamber, a die throat, and optionally a mandrel supported in the die throat for producing tubular extrusion products. Cooling of the die assembly is also envisaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1982
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: Harold K. Slater, James Duckworth
  • Cerium compounds
    Patent number: 4356106
    Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds and more particularly to cerium compounds.According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a process for the preparation of a dispersible cerium compound which comprises heating a substantially dry cerium (IV) oxide hydrate in the presence of a deaggregating agent to cause deaggregation of aggregated crystallites in the cerium (IV) oxide hydrate and produce a dry dispersible cerium compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1982
    Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
    Inventors: James L. Woodhead, Graham Raw