Abstract: A combination of a compass and a connecting arrangement. The compass includes a compass housing having a base wall, a circular wall connected to and upstanding from the base wall and a transparent window connected to the circular wall to define a sealed chamber in which is located the compass works. The compass housing has a radially outwardly extending flange thereon which is greater in dimension than the outer diameter of the circular wall. The connecting arrangement includes a strap for securing the compass housing to an archer's bow. The strap includes an elongated, uniformly thin strip of material having oppositely facing surfaces. The strap has a centrally disposed, circular-shaped first hole therethrough, the diameter of the circular-shaped hole being less than the diameter of the aforesaid flange. The compass housing is received in the circular-shaped first hole, the flange abutting the second surface on the strap.

Abstract: A device for defining a plane to determine relative elevations comprising in combination a stationary housing (7) having an aperture (8) and locating a pair of vertical reflecting surfaces (6) at right angles to each other which may be a pair of mirrors (5) or a right angle prism (32) and a levelling rod or staff (14) adapted to be positioned at a vewing distance from the housing (7) and incorporating a light source (12) and an eyepiece (15) whereby an observer at the location of the levelling rod (14) can move the light source (12) up and down the levelling rod (14) until a reflection of the light from the light source (12) is seen in the pair of reflecting sufaces (6). A reading can then be taken on the levelling rod (14) at a point midway between the eyepiece (15) and the light source (12) which defines a horizontal line from the reflecting surfaces (6).

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the diameter of sheet material wound on a reel, and for setting the tension on sheet material as it is wound on the reel. According to one embodiment, the diameter of a take-up reel including sheet material wound thereon is determined from the angle of rotation or instantaneous angular speed of the take-up reel, and movement of the sheet material as obtained from rotation of a circular element such as a drive roller in a pinch roller drive system which rotates in proportional to sheet material movement. In another embodiment, the diameter of a reel in a reel-to-reel transport system is determined from the angles of rotation or instantaneous angular speeds of the supply and take-up reels, the total amount of sheet material in the system, and the packing factor of the sheet material rewound on the take-up reel.

Abstract: An apparatus for visualizing relative motion between two moving objects in two-dimensional plane is provided. A planar base has a first compass rose printed thereon. Rotatably attached to the center of the first compass rose is a means for indicating a present course of a first moving object relative to a true bearing indication on the first compass rose. A second moving object assembly consists of a second compass rose rotatably attached to a means for indicating a present course of the second moving object relative to a true bearing indication on the second compass rose. The true bearing indication on the second compass rose is aligned to be equivalent to the true bearing indication on the first compass rose. Attached at the centers of the first and second compass roses is a means for tethering the second moving object assembly to the first compass rose.

Abstract: A measuring device for determining the angle of rotation has a coil body (11) having two cores (12, 13) which are approximately semicircular in cross section and are offset relative to one another in the axial direction. Further the cores (12, 13) are offset by 180.degree. relative to one another in the radial direction. A coil (20, 21) in a working connection with a measuring part (22) of electrically conductive and/or ferromagnetic material is wound on each of these cores (12, 13). The measuring part (22) is constructed as a sleeve segment and covers half the circumference of the coil body (11). The measuring part (22) is directly connected by a carrier (23) with the shaft (17) whose rotational movement is to be determined. The shaft (17) is supported in the coil body (11) along a relatively long distance. This has the advantage that the complete sensor can be mounted at a holding device. Accordingly the costly adjustment of the sensor during final assembly is dispensed with.

Abstract: Markers particularly adapted for golf courses have a base with numerical indicia formed thereon. The indicia are preferably raised above the base and have a color that contrasts with the color of the base. In one embodiment the base and the numerical indicia both have upstanding fibril members which resemble the grass surface surrounding the yardage marker. The markers are formed in a mold wherein a fusible material, which may be a vinyl plastisol, having the color desired for the numerical indicia is introduced into the indicia-forming cavities in the mold and gelled. The fusible material having the color desired for the base is then poured into the base-forming cavity. An anchoring fitting is inserted into the base-forming cavity so that a portion thereof will be encapsulated in the material forming the base. After all the components of the marker are received within the mold, it is heated to fuse the fusible material within the mold into an integral whole.

Abstract: Methods and systems for acquiring offset data for aligning co-rotatable in-line machine shafts. Two sets of offset data, each set for example representing relative displacement in a radial direction between a reference point referenced to one of the shafts and a particular point on the other of the shafts at given angular positions, are collected at a plurality of measurement angular positions. The measurement angular positions are not necessarily the 0.degree., 90.degree., 180.degree. and 270.degree. angular positions at which measurements are traditionally taken. Preferably, measured offset data is collected during continuous rotation of the shafts in their normal direction of rotation or at convenient positions where the rotation is halted. Measured offset data may be collected at as few as three angular positions, but preferably is collected at more than three angular positions, and typically at a multiplicity of angular positions such as thirty or forty.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automatic and simultaneous checking of holes comprises plug gauge devices (11-16) with gauging heads (70, 71) and elements for coupling to a support. The coupling elements are substantially constituted by parallel shafts (29-32) displacing the gauging heads (70, 71) from a rest position to a measurement position, and vice versa, through rotational displacements automatically controlled by relevant actuation devices (60-65). The angular position of the shafts is detected by transducers (52-55), which are connected to a processing unit (58) also receiving the signals of the gauging heads (70, 71). The plug gauge devices comprise further heads (86-89) coupled to rotatable rods (82, 83) for simultaneously gauging diametral dimensions of a hole (10) communicating with the other holes (4-9) and transversal to them. The apparatus is particularly adapted for checking the holes of a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the length of textile material wound onto a lap beam and in particular, onto a dyeing beam, having (a) a pressure roll bearing upon the beam lap and mechanically connected with a displacement detecting transducer that emits measurement impulses, (b) a beam-driven shaft encoder that emits a predetermined number of calculation impulses for each revolution of the beam, and (c) a computer that calculates the partial lengths of the laps (lt) from the measurement impulses and the calculation impulses. The displacement detecting transducer is movably or slidingly interengaged with an elongated linear member in the form of a toothed rack hinged so that a projection of one end always intersects the longitudinal axis of the lap beam.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining the caster angle and the steering angle inclination of a steerable wheel on a vehicle. The wheel is supported on a member which has freedom of motion along the fore-and-aft and transverse axes of the vehicle and freedom of rotation about a mutually perpendicular rotation axis. When the wheel is turned both right and left to a given steering angle from the straight ahead direction, a rotary encoder measures the steering angle and an X-axis encoder and a Y-axis encoder measure the linear displacement along the transverse and fore-and-aft axes, respectively. These measurement values, along with known values of axle height and wheel camber angle, are supplied to a computer which calculates the caster angle or the steering angle inclination, or both, in accordance with a functional relationship of the measured values and known values.

Abstract: A core 4 is mounted on a machine tool for indexable rotation about an axis 2A, so as to bring respective cassettes 10 into position where they can be operated on by tools held in the machine tool spindle 6. The cassettes 10 may hold workpieces 14,14A for machining. After machining, the workpiece 14A is measured by a probe 20 held in the machine tool spindle 6. A pre-calibrated artifact 26 held on another cassette 10 is then indexed into the same position as previously occupied by the workpiece 14A, and comparative measurements are made of the artifact. The accuracy of these comparative measurements is increased because the artifact 26 resides on the machine tool in the same thermal environment as the workpiece during the machining, and because the measurements are made in the same position within the working volume of the machine tool, so that the same regions of the machine tool's measurement scales are utilized.

Abstract: A self-locking safety belt reeling device comprising a reeling arbor disposed in a belt housing is further provided with a spring housing attached to the belt housing. A return spring and a shock-absorbing spring are arranged inside the spring housing whereby the return spring has a greater spring force than he shock-absorbing spring. A coupling wheel with a wheel shaft is rotatable supported inside the spring housing for coupling the return spring to the shock-absorbing spring such that, in a first operational state, the return spring and the shock-absorbing spring together function as a reeling spring, and, in a second operational state, only the shock-absorbing spring functions as the reeling spring. The coupling wheel is actuatable as a function of a reeling state of the safety belt. A rotational oil damper with a spindle is connected to the spring housing and the spindle is fixedly connected to the wheel shaft of the coupling wheel to prevent sudden shock during the reeling process.

Abstract: An electronic compass is described for use in vehicles. The compass employs a magnetoresistive sensor for sensing the earth magnetic field and the sensor is operated in alternate set/reset bias modes. The compass is provided with deviation compensation by a closed loop system including measurement of the sensor output signals and an offset current strap for nullifying the vehicle deviation field.

Abstract: A flux-gate sensor orientation method which minimizes display jitter in electronic compasses which employ an n-point display or which calculate headings using the arctangent method. The method entails orienting the flux-gate sensor in a direction of plus or minus .+-.360.degree./2n relative to actual magnetic direction, so that instability points occur at display point boundaries. The method of the present invention finds application in microprocessor-based electronic compass systems but also makes possible the construction of a simple electronic compass employing small scale integration logic instead of a microprocessor.

Abstract: A sighting arrangement for an archer's bow having a handle, a pair of limbs, an arrow seat, a ballistic string system including cams, mounted at an end of each limb and a peep sight incorporated in the string system. The arrangement includes a sight housing having spaced parallel outer horizontal and vertical sides, one of which includes means mounting the sight housing with the handle in position so that the vertical sides are substantially coplanar with a longitudinal axis of the handle. A sighting element is pivotally mounted by bearings provided in side walls of the housing so that the sighting element is pivotable relative to the handle so that it will always extend along true vertical regardless of the vertical angle of the bow when in shooting position. A sighting opening is formed also in the sighting element which includes traversing vertical and horizontal cross hairs.

Abstract: A linear measurement device having a digital readout provides rapid and direct measurement of center-to-center, center-to-edge and edge-to-edge distances. The device includes an endpiece assembly secured to an elongate beam. A slider assembly is disposed on the beam for bi-directional translation therealong and includes an electronic distance measuring and readout assembly. The endpiece assembly and the slider assembly each include portions of three sets of locating structures which cooperate to position the slider relative to the beam to effect linear measurement. A first set of locating structures comprises a pair of cones for locating the centers of circles and measuring therebetween. The second set of locating structures comprises a cone and a pin for measuring the distance of the center of a circle from an edge. The third set of locating structures includes two pairs of pins disposed in parallel spaced relationship for making edge-to-edge and diagonal measurements.

Abstract: A levelling apparatus utilizes a control system for obtaining the average plane of an object placed on a mounting member from the coordinates of at least three points in a specified area of the object including points which are not on the same straight line and for instructing supporting system for supporting the mounting member to control the average plane so as to have the desired attitude. In this way, three-dimensional attitude control of the object is enabled.

Abstract: A winding machine has its winding cores entrained in a swing circle on a turret from and to a winding location at which a pair of oppositely driven rollers can cooperate with the core to wrap a web on the latter selectively in opposite senses. A swing arm or pair of swing arms engages the web from opposite sides to sever the web and wrap the free end of the severed web onto the core in the respective sense.

Abstract: For lifting and grasping a starting portion of a film located in a coil, the method includes driving a coil by a friction wheel abutting against an outer surface of the coil with an end edge of a starting portion of the coil located arbitrarily on the outer surface, placing a separating wedge under a prestress on the outer surface of the coil and lifting the starting portion of the film from the coil by an edge of the separating wedge, and first turning the coil against a latter uncoiling direction, and after a recognition of a position of the end edge of the starting portion of the film turning the coil in the uncoiling direction.

Abstract: A touch probe comprises an ultrasonic vibrating horn having a piezoelectric element which is sandwiched between electrodes and converts an RF electrical signal into ultrasonic vibration, and a feeler to be brought into contact with an object to be measured. The horn is ultrasonically vibrating in accordance with the ultrasonic vibration of said piezoelectric element. The probe further comprises a device for inputting an RF electrical signal between said electrodes so that the RF electrical signal substantially coincides with a mechanical natural frequency of said ultrasonic vibrating horn and a touch detecting device for monitoring a current between said electrodes to detect a touch between the object to be measured and said feeler in accordance with a change in current value produced at the moment said feeler touches the object to be measured.