Abstract: Ionic superatomic materials that can be solution-processed into completely amorphous and homogeneous thin films are disclosed herein. The amorphous materials disclosed herein have tunable compositions and have electrical conductivities of up to 300 siemens per meter, thermal conductivities of 0.05 watt per meter per degree Kelvin, and optical transparencies of up to 92%. Application of these thin-films are also provided herein.

Abstract: A worktop jig comprising a jig frame, wherein the jig frame comprises a pair of opposed end members and a pair of opposed side members; the opposed end members and the opposed side members together define a rectangular aperture within the jig frame; the opposed end members and the opposed side members each define an upwardly facing surface and the upwardly facing surfaces are arranged to lie in a common plane; and each of the opposed side members defines a downwardly facing surface, wherein each side member downwardly facing surface carries an angled elongate base element, whereby when the angled base elements of the worktop jig are located on a planar substrate, the common plane of the jig frame is angled with respect to the plane of the substrate

Abstract: A system for deploying sonar for surveying in deep water includes a submerged movable platform deployed in the deep water at a depth below a thermocline and surface wave action, a propulsion mechanism for moving the platform through the water in a controlled manner, and a multibeam echosounder attached to the platform, wherein the echosounder includes a Mills Cross transmitter and receiver array. A method for deploying sonar for surveying in deep water comprises deploying a submerged movable platform in the deep water at a depth below a thermocline and surface wave action, employing a propulsion mechanism for moving the platform through the water in a controlled manner, and employing a multibeam echosounder attached to the platform, wherein the multibeam echosounder comprises a Mills Cross transmitter and receiver array.

Abstract: A jig for profiling the end of an elongate workpiece, especially a coping or crown molding section, comprises a support for a sample to be copied, and for a profiling comb to be pushed against the sample to define a cam surface. A cutting tool can be mounted to follow a path defined by the cam surface, to cut the workpiece end to match the shape of the cam surface. The profiling comb is movable between a first position facing the sample support to form a profile and a second position in which the profile can contact the cam follower on the movable mounting. In its second position the comb extends at an acute angle to the longitudinal direction of the workpiece support, which is configured to support the workpiece at an acute angle about its longitudinal axis corresponding to the angle at which the comb is fixed.

Abstract: A control system comprises a TRAS actuator 14, a VAFN actuator 40, and a control arrangement 52 operable to control the operation of the TRAS actuator 14 and the VAFN actuator 40, wherein at least one control circuit 54 of the control arrangement 52 is a common control circuit, common to the operation of both the TRAS actuator 14 and the VAFN actuator 40.

Abstract: A router jig for profiling the end of an elongate workpiece, and in particular a coping or crown moulding section, comprises a support for a sample whose profile is to be copied, and for a profiling comb in the form of an array of parallel plates held in contact with one another by retaining means such as rods extending between a pair of support blocks, each said plate being individually and reversibly slidable in one direction relative to the others and having a contact surface at one end thereof whereby the contact surfaces of adjacent plates can pushed against a sample in the support to define a cam surface corresponding to the profile to be copied and a movable mounting on which a cutting tool can be mounted to move and follow a path defined by the cam surface, by means of a cam follower pin or the like, to match the shape of the cam surface. Means are provided for locking the plates of the profiling comb against said sliding movement.

Abstract: A control system comprises a TRAS actuator 14, a VAFN actuator 40, and a control arrangement 52 operable to control the operation of the TRAS actuator 14 and the VAFN actuator 40, wherein at least one control circuit 54 of the control arrangement 52 is a common control circuit, common to the operation of both the TRAS actuator 14 and the VAFN actuator 40.

Abstract: The invention relates to conductive materials particularly to serve as a heater. Heating means formed by or with electrically conductive materials are known and particularly effective for its flexibility is that sold under the British, Community and US Registered Trade Mark INDITHERM. Conductive rails are used to provide electrical connection to a source of power that need to have a commensurate flexibility, and the object of the invention is to ensure the maintenance of power to the full length of the conductive rail. This objective, is met by a construction comprising spaced first rails for the supply and return of electrical power, the said rails having a flexibility compatible with the semi-conductive material, and there being a supplementary rail attached to each first rail along the length thereof, the supplementary rails being flexible and having strength characteristics greater than those of the first rails.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which displays an oscillating voltage due to the creation of charge domains which includes a plurality of semiconductor layers and at least two electrodes spaced from one another in the direction of the layers, an upper of which has a composition and/or dimensions predetermined so that a charge therein balances a depletion from a surface charge of the upper layer on application of a potential difference across said electrodes. The electrodes may be in contact solely with the upper layer. A method of manufacturing the device is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to conductive materials particularly to serve as a heater. Heating means formed by or with electrically conductive materials are known and particularly effective for its flexibility is that sold under the British, Community and US Registered Trade Mark INDITHERM. Conductive rails are used to provide electrical connection to a source of power that need to have a commensurate flexibility, and the object of the invention is to ensure the maintenance of power to the full length of the conductive rail. This objective, is met by a construction comprising spaced first rails for the supply and return of electrical power, the said rails having a flexibility compatible with the semi-conductive material, and there being a supplementary rail attached to each first rail along the length thereof, the supplementary rails being flexible and having strength characteristics greater than those of the first rails.

Abstract: A sample analyser for bulk materials such as sugar cane includes a shredding means which finelly divides the material and deposits a sample on an endless conveyor (2). The sample is compressed and its upper surface (30) is levelled, to ensure a fixed presentation height relative to the reading head of an analyser (48) such as an infrared spectrometer. A plate (20) may be used to control the presentation height of a moving sample. Alternatively, the sample may be deposited in compartments mounted on the conveyor, smoothed mechanically or manually, and then moved beneath the analyser (48). Each sample is placed on top of the remnant, if any, of a previous sample, thus preventing contamination of the upper surface (30) by the latter.

Abstract: A rolling mill has roughing, intermediate and finishing roll stands on a first side of a billet reheating furnace, and a breakdown mill on an opposite second side of the furnace. Billets are heated to an elevated rolling temperature in the furnace and are then ejected to the second side of the furnace for rolling in the breakdown mill before being directed back through the furnace for continued rolling into finished products at the first side of the furnace in the roughing, intermediate and finishing roll stands.

Abstract: The dimensions of a product passing through the finishing block of a roll rolling mill are measured. Where the dimensions of the product exiting the last finishing stand are out-of-tolerance, a calculation is made to determine the extent to which the roll parting of the work rolls of one of the two last finishing stands must be adjusted to bring the product into tolerance. Based on the calculated adjustment, progressively smaller adjustments are made to the roll partings of the work rolls of the upstream finishing stands to distribute the work which must be performed on the product to bring the product into tolerance.

Abstract: An apparatus for laterally arranging bars, particularly ferrous bars, moving longitudinally along a roller conveyor in a rolling mill. The bars are initially confined laterally into a compact group centrally located between the conveyor sides. The compact group is then subdivided into a plurality of laterally spaced bar packs which are then run over one or more magnetic separating rollers to achieve a desired lateral separation between each bar.

Abstract: Line-scanning equipment, especially for aerial photography of terrestrial scenes, has an infra red scanner which causes the scanning beam to sweep repeatedly across the scene in the direction at right angles to the direction of travel of the aerial vehicle. As the angle of departure of the scanning beam from the vertical increases the strip of the scene being viewed in any one scanning cycle widens progressively so that the total strip has the shape of a `bow-tie`. A mechanically-actuated shutter is provided to restrict the recorded image to only that part of the recording beam information which is derived from a parallel-sided ground area within the `bow-tie`; and a correcting lens is employed to ensure that the final image is parallel-sided.

Abstract: An apparatus for laterally separating a group of elongated magnetic elements, for example steel bars which are moving longitudinally along a conveyor. A rotatable fanning roll extends transversally across the path of the bars. The fanning roll has a magnet associated therewith. The magnet attracts the bars towards the fanning roll while simultaneously creating repulsion forces tending to laterally separate the bars. A deflecting roll located in advance of the fanning roll is employed to deflect the bars out of their normal path of travel in relation to the surface of the fanning roll to thereby produce a momentary separation between the front ends of the bars and the fanning roll. During this momentary separation, the magnetically induced repulsion forces are not impeded by frictional resistance between the bars and the surface of the fanning roll, and this in turn improves the resulting lateral bar separation.