Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for measuring physical properties of a sample material at controllable temperatures and pressures. The apparatus includes a sample cell for holding fluid and/or solid samples. The cell includes at least one optically transparent window permitting visual and electromagnetic energy observations of the sample. A probe functions within the cell to collect a subsample for movement to apparatus for measuring properties and for returning the subsample to the cell. One form of optically transparent window is a sapphire. The cell is intended for measurements of physical properties at temperatures from about -40.degree. F. to about +400.degree. F. and at pressures from vacuum to at least 20,000 pounds per square inch.

Abstract: To permit individual evaluation of the combustion processes in the respective cylinders (1a-d) of an internal combustion (IC) engine (2), individual optical pick-ups (3a-d; 4a-d) are coupled to the respective cylinders, the output signals either in optical or electrical form are conducted to separate pick-ups for individual evaluation or, alternatively, the output signals are combined and then again separated out by a steering circuit. Individual evaluation can be accomplished by locating light guide fibers from the sensors in a predetermined position with respect to opto-electrical transducers; by forming scanning windows, for example by a rotating disk (19, 20) rotating n in synchronism with the engine and permitting passage of light from the respective fibers of the light guides to respective pick-ups; or by combining the light outputs from the respective sensors (4) either optically by intermixing light guide fibers in a common cable (6'), or electrically in an equivalent OR-circuit (FIG. 8: R.sub.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the density profile of a layer of liquid includes a plurality of individual tubes arranged in side-by-side fashion, each of the tubes having an inlet opening in its lower end. A vacuum manifold is connected to the apertured upper ends of the tubes. The apertures in the lower ends of the tubes are vertically staggered and the tubes are vertically oriented with the lower ends of the tubes immersed in the liquid, so that the inlet openings are differentially spaced from the surface of the liquid. The application of a vacuum to the tubes causes liquid from the different levels to be drawn into the tubes, the height of the liquid in the tubes above the surface being proportional to the density of the liquid drawn into the tubes through the inlets.

Abstract: In a knock detecting apparatus for an internal combustion engine, a comparator receives at one input a knock detection signal from a knock sensor and at the other input a knock discrimination level signal produced by a knock discrimination level generator in accordance with the knock detection signal of the knock sensor. A mask circuit inhibits the passage of the comparison output signal of the comparator during a period in which a number of noises are generated from the internal combustion engine and at the same time interrupts the operation of the knock discrimination level generator.

Abstract: A balancing machine is used to measure the unbalance of a rotor by obtaining a first reading representative of the vector sum of the unbalance of the rotor and an amount comprising the product of the mass of the rotor and its eccentricity relative to the axis of the balancing machine. A second reading is obtained after shifting the rotor 180.degree. relative to the balancing machine while maintaining the same eccentricity, and the second reading is then subtracted from the first to obtain a final reading representative of the true unbalance of the rotor without influence of its eccentricity relative to the balancing machine. The final reading is used to effect a true balance of the rotor, and an arrangement is provided to accomplish such balance.

Abstract: A knocking sensing apparatus for sensing a knocking taking place in an internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes a diaphragm adapted to operate in response to the pressure of cooling water circulated in the engine, magnetism generating device, magnetic circuit including the diaphragm, and a magnetic flux detecting device adapted to detect in a manner like alternating current the change in the magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit caused by the operation of the diaphragm.

Abstract: An engine subject to knock induced vibrations of at least two characteristic knock frequencies and noise vibrations processes the output of a vibration sensor in, for example, a square law device to generate a product component only when vibrations occur simultaneously at both characteristic knock frequencies. The amplitude of the product component is proportional to the product of the amplitudes of the two characteristic knock frequency components for an improved signal to noise ratio; and the frequency of the product component is equal to the difference of the characteristic knock frequencies. A band pass filter passes the product component to further signal processing apparatus including a comparator which generates a knock signal when the amplitude exceeds a reference. The knock signal may be used in a closed loop system to control knock in the engine.

Abstract: In an anti-skid braking system, an improved sensor responsive to forces aciated with decleration of the vehicle road wheel. The sensor comprises a housing driven at a speed related to road wheel speed; an annular inertia mass is connected to the rotary housing via a multi-convolution hair spring wound to bias the inertia mass against the direction of housing rotation. Deceleration of the housing causes the inertia mass to angularly advance relative to the housing. A cam-follower mechanism translates the angular advance into linear motion of an output stem member located on the housing rotational axis. Stem member movement can be used to effect pulse control of the anti-skid braking system.

Abstract: The nose unit is formed by a hollow body of revolution having an annular flange and attached to a rotatable spindle. A series of crank-plates provided with studs for securing the rim of a vehicle wheel can be pivotally mounted on the annular flange. The crank-plates can then be positioned correctly by means of guiding grooves formed in a disk which is rotatably fitted within the annular flange. A cup acted upon by a spring is housed within the interior of the hollow body and cooperates with a cone for centering a wheel rim having a central bore. Vehicle wheels having rims of the central bore type or of the closed type can be balanced without any need for preliminary disassembly of the disk or of the cup, the centering cone being introduced either on the front side or on the rear side of the rim.

Abstract: A rectifier rectifies the output of a sensor which senses vibrations of an engine. The output from the rectifier is supplied through a smoothing circuit to a comparator where the smoothed rectified output from the smoothing circuit and the output of the sensor are compared to obtain a signal representing knocking when the knocking occurs. This signal is used to cut off supply of the rectified signal from the rectifier to the smoothing circuit during knocking.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for monitoring the length of a liquid column such as the filling level of a beverage bottle. A predetermined high frequency signal is applied to a parallel circuit wherein, in one branch, a liquid column is connected by means of electrodes coupled to the ends of the column such that the column, i.e., a filled bottle, will produce more or less resonance in the first branch. The increase or decrease of resistance at resonance in the first branch will be reflected in a corresponding change in the power or current detected in the second branch. In instances where preset limit values are exceeded, an error is indicated and the improperly filled bottle is removed. When monitoring the filling level of beverage bottles, the latter are successively guided past the electrodes, with the upper electrode being coupled to the necks of the bottles through an air gap.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for sensing liquid level of the invention includes a plurality of thermocouple elements that are formed by connecting two kind of thermocouple wires alternately in series into a plurality of thermometric contacts. The two kind of thermocouple wires have different thermoelectric powers SA and SB and have a variety of predetermined lengths. The invention can sense with high reliability a liquid level of a sensed liquid by changing electromotive forces from these thermocouple elements into binary signals by using fewer thermocouple elements than the conventional apparatus. The invention also includes thermocouple elements for parity check to self-diagnose the sensed result to inspect easily and securely errors in operation due to disconnections in the thermocouple elements or external noises.

Abstract: A nondestructive eddy current or ultrasonic articulated probe mechanism automatically detects rolling mill roll surface defects for use with a defect test system. The articulated probe mechanism is mounted on a traversing roll grinder carriage, is automatically positioned over the test roll, and has a probe head with controlled fluid bearing, air or liquid, to automatically maintain probe head-to-test roll gap. One or multiple eddy current, or ultrasonic, probes in the head generate anomoly test signals which, together with a probe head temperature sensor signal, are suitable for processing in an appropriate test instrument.

Abstract: A laser accelerometer produces an output, phase modulated beam which is polarized in a direction perpendicular to the direction from which acceleration forces are applied. In the accelerometer a laser beam is directed through a resonant cavity toward a detector. A proof mass disposed adjacent the cavity, stresses the cavity in response to acceleration force. Acceleration detunes the cavity. Detected changes in the cavity output results in a feedback voltage change being coupled to the cavity and to an output detector. This change in voltage to restore cavity resonance is proportional to the input acceleration.

Abstract: An analog compensation circuit for compensating for mechanical instrumentation resonance. The transfer function of the instrumentation resonance phenomenon is determined, and the compensation circuit is constructed to produce the inverse transfer function of the instrumentation resonance transfer function. The input of the compensation circuit is connected to the electrical instrumentation output signal. With the instrumentation resonance modeled as the equivalent of a second order filter, the compensation circuit includes sections for producing at a combined output a first intermediate signal representative of a constant term, a second intermediate signal representative of a first derivative term, and a third intermediate signal representative of a second derivative term.

Abstract: A method of ascertaining the state inside a melting furnace of a radioactive waste, which method comprises: blowing a gas into a molten matter in the melting furnace by using at least two slender tubes disposed at an upper and lower points with a gap .DELTA.h between said points; detecting a back pressure difference .DELTA.P at the slender tubes to determine the density .rho. of the molten matter; and determining the level h of the molten matter in the furnace using the density .rho.. It is also possible to detect the formation of a bridge inside the furnace due to a non-molten solid matter of the waste charged into the furnace.

Abstract: A gravity meter is provided which has a support framework which supports a suspension system having a weight arm to which a reaction mass is attached. The reaction mass includes a dielectric mass which extends partially into a cavity between a pair of conductors. Changes in either the ambient gravitational field or the electric potential on the conductors causes the dielectric mass to be moved into or out of the cavity between the conductors allowing both fine tune calibration of the device by means of varying the electric potential and direct readout of the device by measuring the electric potential required to equilibrate the conductor and dielectric system. The suspension assembly includes a pair of parallel spindles rotatably mounted on hinges secured to the support framework with the spindles being interconnected by a zero length mainspring and temperature compensating framework.

Abstract: A satellite single axis drag compensation system improves stability and ects damping of movements of a cylindrical proof mass by providing an elongated, perpendicularly magnetized permanent magnet in the core of a current carrying rod that extends coaxially through a central bore of the proof mass, the proof mass being constructed as a composite structure of alternate cylindrical layers of diamagnetic silver and paramagnetic aluminum to reduce magnetic susceptibility thereof.

Abstract: A comparator compares, either before or after being rectified, a signal obtained from the vibration signal representing the vibrations of a spark ignition internal combustion engine and which has passed through a signal transmitting circuit, with a reference level signal from a reference level signal forming circuit to produce a knock signal representing the occurrence of knocking when the former signal is greater in magnitude than the latter. The reference level signal forming circuit rectifies and smooths the vibration signal to produce a rectified smoothed signal, and includes a first amplifying circuit which amplifies the rectified smoothed signal to produce the reference level signal, mentioned above.

Abstract: A system is described for acoustically controlled rotation of a levitated object (12), which avoids deformation of a levitated liquid object. Acoustic waves (50, 52 in FIG. 6) of the same wavelength are directed along perpendicular directions across the object, and with the relative phases of the acoustic waves repeatedly switched so that one wave alternately leads and lags the other by 90.degree.. The amount of torque for rotating the object, and the direction of rotation, are controlled by controlling the proportion of time one wave leads the other and selecting which wave leads the other most of the time.