Abstract: An acoustic method for measuring the quantity and installed density of thal insulation includes introducing a sensing apparatus comprised of one or two acoustic transducers which are so placed as to measure the attenuation and/or phase shift of acoustic waves passing through the insulation. The thermal conductivity for a given insulation material may be monitored as a function of insulation depth by relating the acoustic amplitude and/or phase to a predetermined relationship for that particular insulation material. The relationship may be simply a set of tabular guides relating the quantity of insulation to an amplitude or phase value. This method may be applied to material in an enclosed space, an attic for example where remote access would be desirable, or to material in an open space.

Abstract: The sound created by moving and chewing of insect larvae infested inside an agricultural commodity is acoustically detected and amplified, and thereafter transduced into an electrical signal which is electrically amplified for observation.

Abstract: A method and device for determining the internal structure of the body by means of ultrasound beams from transit time measurement. An iterative solution of integral equations is used to calculate the actual path which the ultrasound beams follow through the object.

Abstract: Disclosed is a rotating machinery diagnosis system with an AE technique, which comprises: an AE sensor mounted on a rotary machine for sensing an acoustic signal of the rotary machine; envelope detector means for obtaining an envelope signal from the acoustic signal from the AE sensor; waveform-feature processor means for performing signal processing so as to detect a feature of waveform of an output waveform signal from the envelope detector means; feature decision means for judging whether the feature of waveform belongs to a continuous type or a burst type and/or to a rotation-synchronous type or a rotation-asynchronous type on the basis of an output signal from the waveform-feature processor means; and diagnostic output means for outputting and displaying an output signal from the feature decision means, whereby it is possible to perform judgement simultaneously as to a plurality of kinds of abnormality.

Abstract: Variable focusing in a phased array sector scanner is provided by selectively delaying the operation of a plurality of analog to digital converters thereby skewing sampled data. The skewed sampled data is then stored in a digital memory, and further focusing of the data is realized by selectively delaying the readout of data from the memories.

Abstract: The nature of the flow pattern in a pipeline carrying both a liquid and a gas depends on the flow rates of the two phases. The flow pattern is characterized by measuring the void fraction or the average density along at least one chord across the pipeline (12) and by determining the distribution of liquid around the periphery of the pipe wall. The void fraction may be measured by the absorption of gamma rays from a source (14); while the peripheral distribution may be determined from the attenuation of ultrasonic plate waves propagating through sectors of the wall between transmitters (18) and receivers (20).

Abstract: An electrodynamic transducer (10) is disclosed for non-destructive material testing comprising at least one internal pole shoe (16) of an electromagnet with core (12) and magnetic winding (14). The end section (18) of the internal pole shoe (16) is arranged eccentrically in relation to the center axis (29) of the core (12) and is designed to rotate with the core (12) about the center axis (29) thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for measuring the wall thickness of bodies by means of ultrasonic pulses. The ultrasonic pulses are created in the bodies and reflected on the walls. The transit times of the ultrasonic pulses reflected on the walls are measured. The wall thickness is determined from the transit times by considering the respective sonic speed in the body. The measured signals obtained with a receiver are each compared with a threshold value that is set to a low base value (17a) at the beginning of the measurement. With each measured signal exceeding the associated threshold value (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d respectively) the threshold value is reset to the amplitude of the measured signal. The times from a specified starting time are measured up to the measured pulses that exceed the threshold values. The maximum value of the time corresponds to the transit time of the back wall echo (13).

Abstract: A transducer for sensing transient elastic waves in metallic components particularly in steel weldments below water on offshore structures comprises a piezoelectric sensing element (1) for coupling to the metallic component and shielded from noise arriving in directions other than the component by an elastomeric encapsulation (22) such as of aerated polyurethane.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an improved a seismic detector comprising: a container for containing liquid therein, liquid means being contained in the bottom of the container, a source of light for illuminating the inside of the container, a sensor means having at least one photoelectric device for transforming the light inside the container into electric signals, and a signal processor means for generating an output when the output of the sensor means exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reconstructing an acoustic image of an object using a central processing unit programmed to process data derived from acoustic energy that has been transmitted at multiple frequencies and scattered by the object. Electronic signals are propagated at multiple frequencies and transduced into acoustic energy waves which are propagated toward an object. Transducer receivers detect the acoustic energy waves after they have been scattered by the object and the detected acoustic energy waves are then electronically processed and input into a high-speed digital computer which may comprise a central processing unit and/or a central processing unit in combination with an array processor.

Abstract: A flexible hinge device comprises a laminar silicon body having a groove portion etched away to define a thin flexible strip joining two rigid end portions. The silicon forming the hinge is usually of a single crystal structure. Break-off supports may be provided to support the structure prior to use.

Abstract: A star sensor which includes a charge-coupled device (CCD) for detecting light rays of a star and for producing an output representative of the distribution of the light rays of the star over the CCD. The CCD output is filtered and a detecting circuit is used for finding the points where the output signal voltage of the filter equals a predetermined level. A computing circuit compares the output of the detecting circuit to a reference voltage to locate peak values of the CCD signal. A data processor uses the generated outputs which correspond to the peak values to calculate the brightness and position of the star.

Abstract: A method of measuring the composition of an oil and water mixture flowing in a pipeline includes the steps of extracting a sample of the mixture from the pipeline, measuring the speed of sound transmission of the mixture which may be carried out either in the pipeline or in a portion of the extracted sample, separating the water from at least a portion of the extracted sample, measuring the speed of sound transmission of the sample of the mixture having the water separated therefrom, and comparing the determined speed of sound transmission of the mixture and the speed of sound transmission of the sample having water separated therefrom to determine the ratio of oil and water in the mixture.

Abstract: Ultrasonic testing device with a test head which includes an electromechanical transducer, especially a piezoelectric oscillator, with an ultrasonic equipment and with a shielded cable which connects the test head to the ultrasonic equipment. The test head has two electrically conducting shields which surround the transducer in cup-fashion. The two shields are connected to the outer conductors of the triple coaxial cable. The outer conductor of the cable is connected to a metal housing of the ultrasonic equipment and is grounded.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic test instrument for the nondestructive testing of materials. The instrument includes a transit time measuring circuit and an amplitude and time gate circuit. According to the invention, to measure the amplitudes and the corresponding transit times of a number of echo signals falling within a predetermined measurement range, the output of the amplitude and time gate circuit is connected to the input of a presettable counter which outputs a signal whenever the number of counted pulses is equal to the preset value of the counter. The counter output is connected to the transit time measuring circuit and by way of a second time gate circuit to the amplitude measuring circuit so that amplitude evaluation is carried out only during the time interval defined by the second time gate circuit.

Abstract: The method of the present invention reduces a binary digital image in size by a factor F by a method including the steps of: storing the image in bit sequence; removing one or more rows of bits along the vertical axis of the image to convert i rows of bits to j rows of bits where 0.5i.ltoreq.j<i; modifying a line adjacent to each line discarded to preserve selected information from the discarded line; repeating the steps of removing and modifying a predetermined number of times to achieve a reduction by a factor F1 along the vertical axis; rotating the image in a first direction by ninety degrees; removing one or more rows of bits along the original horizontal axis of the image to convert i rows of bits to j rows of bits where 0.5i.ltoreq.

Abstract: An electronic device enters pattern data upon activating a matrix of keys with a finger. A comparing section compares measured data in a counter (register C) for measuring the time interval from the release of a key till the depression of the next key, with a value set in a memory (register E) for storing a predetermined externally set time interval. When the measured data in the counter reaches the set value in the memory, a character recognizing section performs character recognition on the entered data.

Abstract: A Compound echo-ultrasound imaging system in which the intensity of pixels in an image is a nonlinear function of the amplitude and frequency of echo signals. The dynamic range of a synchronous FM detector in the system is increased by effectively filtering from the echo signals all instantaneous frequencies which would produce intensity levels greater than a corresponding signal of equal amplitude at the carrier frequency of the ultrasound pulses. Filtering may be effectively accomplished by setting the Corner Frequency of the synchronous detector to the carrier frequency of the transmitted pulses.

Abstract: A scanning and monitoring system employing automatic image analysis of an image field, object or group of objects over a period of time together with the detection and analysis of one or more other variables, such as generated by sensors sensing changes in or degrees of magnetism, magnetic spin, self radiation, induced radiation, color, temperature, internal structure such as grain or crystalline structure, flow and/or other variables relating to selected objects in an image field under analysis and/or selected portions of such image field. Image information derived from the analysis of reflected light, X-ray, sonic, magnetic spin or nuclear magnetic resonance or other variable or a combination of such variables, is sensed, converted to signals such as analog video signals which are digitized and automatically computer analyzed with time wherein the time variable is recorded by means of codes and used in the automatic analysis.