Abstract: Apparatus for diffusion bonding, brazing, or joining between respective surfaces of two parts, e.g., the exterior wall of a first annular cylinder and the interior wall of a concentric second annular cylinder, includes a cylindrical body having a circumferential cavity positioned between upper and lower ends thereof. A flexible annular membrane is disposed concentrically over the cavity, and respective upper and lower ends of the membrane are each sealingly hinged to the body. The body is assembled coaxially within the first cylinder, and the assembly then inserted coaxially into the second cylinder to the desired axial bonding position. The cavity is pressurized, causing the membrane, and responsively, the first cylinder, to expand radially within the second cylinder. The temperature of the parts is then raised and maintained for a selected period of time to bond the respective walls of the two cylinders to each other.

Abstract: A method for applying a mixed metal oxide catalyst to a metallic substrate for the creation of a robust, high temperature catalyst system for use in decomposing propellants, particularly hydrogen peroxide propellants, for use in propulsion systems. The method begins by forming a prepared substrate material consisting of a metallic inner substrate and a bound layer of a noble metal intermediate. Alternatively, a bound ceramic coating, or frit, may be introduced between the metallic inner substrate and noble metal intermediate when the metallic substrate is oxidation resistant. A high-activity catalyst slurry is applied to the surface of the prepared substrate and dried to remove the organic solvent. The catalyst layer is then heat treated to bind the catalyst layer to the surface. The bound catalyst layer is then activated using an activation treatment and calcinations to form the high-activity catalyst system.

Abstract: System for determining whether magnetic ink is present on specific areas of a document bearing magnetic ink characters. Signals are produced as a magnetic read head passes over the area in question on the face of the document. These signals are routed to apparatus which operates in response to the signals by providing outputs of a first kind when magnetic ink is present and outputs of another kind when ink is not present or is not present in sufficient amount to produce a signal exceeding a threshold value. Logic means responsive to the signals of the first and second kinds establish the presence or absence of magnetic material.

Abstract: A voltage regulator for converting an unregulated input voltage into a regulated D.C. voltage. The voltage regulator includes a driver transformer which periodically receives energizing current from a voltage source through a transistor switch. A switching regulator controller regulates the conduction time of the transistor so as to control the amount of energizing current supplied to the driver transformer. The driver transformer secondary windings drive the base of output transistors which, when conducting, connect the primary windings of an output transformer to the voltage supply. A capacitor is connected in parallel with the primary winding of the driver transformer so as to short circuit the primary winding of the drive transformer when the driver transistor is turned off. The current flow in the secondary of the driver transistor causes removal of the stored base charge from the output transistors which decreases the turn off time of the output transistors.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for detecting overlapped documents in a document processing apparatus by detecting the translucency of the documents. The disclosed apparatus includes a transport path for guiding documents and drive wheels for moving the documents along the transport path. Four LED (light source) phototransistor (light detector) pairs are located across the transport path. One LED-phototransistor pair is used together with electronics to detect when a document is present. Two LED-phototransistor pairs are used together with edge detection electronics to detect sudden significant changes in document translucency from the immediately previous translucency of the same document as the documents pass thereby.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for controllably moving a load in a return mode back to a first or home position by a motor driven shaft, which shaft moves the load toward a second position in a forward mode to track a moving object field. An apertured fan-shaped timing disk or element is secured to the rotating shaft to move therewith. A position feedback sensor senses the angular displacement of the shaft by generating a feedback signal upon optoelectronically sensing an aperture in both the forward and return modes. An optoelectronic sensor detects the passage of the moving object field to provide a return signal after the object field has passed a predetermined position. A motor and its amplifier controllably move the load back to the first position in the return mode in response to the return signal. The inertia of the system causes the shaft to rotate to move the load to the second position in the return mode after responding to the return signal.

Abstract: D.C. power supply having a reactive buck automatic D.C. voltage regulator which directly controls the rectified D.C. output of a loosely coupled transformer thereby providing load regulation from an unregulated alternating current source. The load current passes through the secondary winding of an auxiliary buck transformer and is stepped down to a much lower value in the primary winding of the auxiliary buck transformer. The primary winding of the auxiliary buck transformer is coupled to an isolated winding on the core of a ferroresonant C.V.T. transformer which receives the unregulated alternating current input signal, and the coupling between the isolated winding and the primary winding of the buck transformer effects a bilateral energy transfer between the two transformers which effects a real time reactive compensation which regulates the D.C.

Abstract: A system for detecting the occurrence of a fault in a solenoid utilization system when the fault is manifested by the solenoid armature or plunger being seated either too early or too late. A predetermined time interval is established such that the seating of the solenoid armature or plunger during this time interval is regarded as acceptable. A cusp detector circuit detects the point in time at which the solenoid plunger or armature seats and if it is within this predetermined time interval, it is recognized as acceptable, but if it is detected either too early or too late, an indication is generated that a fault exists and the occurrence and probable nature of the fault may be flagged. A test mode is provided whereby the predetermined established time interval can be considerably narrowed so that maintenance can be performed on the system so as to insure that the solenoid armature or plunger seats at exactly the proper time.

Abstract: An improved switching regulator converts an unregulated DC voltage into a regulated DC output voltage and maintains regulation over the entire range from maximum load current through zero load current. The improved regulator employs a plurality of series switching paths connected between the unregulated DC input and a summing node at a filter capacitor output. Each series switching path includes a power switching element, a catch diode and a series inductor. The other end of the summing node is connected through a current limiting circuit to the DC regulated output, and at least a portion of the voltage at the summing node is fed to a voltage error amplifier and used to control the duty cycle of the series switching elements. Feedback from the current limiting circuit can override the voltage error amplifier control should the maximum current limit be exceeded.

Abstract: A digital tachometer for generating electrical pulses at a rate indicative of the speed of rotation of a shaft-like member. A first toothed disk having N teeth is affixed to the shaft and a housing having a second set of M teeth is fixed with respect to the shaft and positioned around the toothed disk. As the shaft rotates, individual ones of the teeth on the outer periphery of the disk which is affixed to the rotating shaft alternatively pass into and out of close proximity to individual ones of the teeth of the outer housing resulting in periodic increases and decreases in the reluctance of the system. A sensing coil is positioned with respect to the housing so as to generate an electrical current which varies as the reluctance changes from one polarity to another as the shaft rotates.

Abstract: A solenoid control system wherein the duration of actuation of a solenoid is a function of the workload imposed thereon so that the current to the solenoid is always turned off as soon as the solenoid plunger or armature is seated. Solenoid control logic responds to an external demand for the energization of the solenoid and enables a solenoid drive circuit which supplies current to the solenoid coil. The level of current builds in the solenoid coil until the solenoid plunger or armature is pulled in. The current continues to build as the solenoid plunger or armature is drawn in until that point at which the reluctance of the magnetic circuit is changing faster than the current in the solenoid coil is able to build. From this point until the solenoid plunger is seated, the current drops. As soon as seating has occurred, the reluctance ceases to change and the current once again begins to build in the solenoid coil.