Abstract: A cartridge for a magnetic disk drive has a rigid shell and a flexible door which covers an opening through which read/write heads engage the recording medium. The flexible door is guided outside of the shell to an open position as the cartridge is inserted into the drive. A projection on a flexible arm in the drive catches a hole in the flexible door to open it as the cartridge is inserted into the drive. The door which opens along the outside of the cartridge conserves space so that the recording medium can be large for a given form factor drive.

Abstract: A disk cartridge comprises a flexible disk rotatably mounted in an outer casing. The outer casing comprises upper and lower shells that mate to form the casing. Each of the upper and lower shells has an inner surface disposed in facing relation to a respective surface of the disk. A number of radially extending stabilizers are arranged on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower shells so as to induce a predetermined standing wave pattern in the flexible disk as the disk spins at high speeds, and to maintain the standing wave patter as the recording heads of a disk drive move radially over the surface of the disk. Additionally, at least one pair of opposing projections are disposed on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower shells near a head access opening in the front peripheral edge of the cartridge. The opposing projections have a spacing, S, and serve to center the edge of the disk during head loading operations.

Abstract: A linear actuator for carrying read/write heads into engagement with a recording medium includes a carriage and a subcarriage. Flexible springs mount the subcarriage to the carriage. A voice coil motor has a coil mounted on the subcarriage. Initial energization of the coil causes linear movement of the carriage flexing the springs to produce small incremental movement of the heads. Further energization of the coil causes movement of the subcarriage on the bushings to provide coarse adjustment of the actuator.

Abstract: A system and method are provided wherein binary communications signals are received, and sequences of values of like types of these, such as positive ones, positive zeroes, negative ones, and negative zeroes, are observed. Responsive to a sequence of like-type signals, a reference potential is driven generally in the direction of value of these signals, and most responsively in the direction of the greatest signal degradation. A reference potential for each type is then stored, and the one of these having the most degraded amplitude is selected, and an indication of the percentile of its degradation is provided.

Abstract: An N-way power divider/combiner having isolated outputs using printed circuit board geometry that forms a ring of power resistors and output tramsmission lines spiraling around the ring to reduce the size of the circuit is disclosed. Both sides of the printed circuit board are used to achieve further size advantages. The invention thus provides a high-power radio frequency divider/combiner circuit that is much smaller than previous circuits that are able to handle equivalent power levels.

Abstract: A feed network for a multiterminal antenna which provides excitation to the antenna independent of ground. The feed network provides a voltage differential between terminals of the antenna instead of between a common ground point and a terminal so that the antenna achieves enhanced broadband performance via an attached balun for each coaxial cable. The feed network is comprised of a base, through which a plurality of coaxial connector extend, and a plurality of printed circuit boards positioned so as to define a centerline through the feed network. The printed circuit boards have a first side having a first, wide twin lead and a second side having a second, narrow twin lead such that the electrical signals conducted by the feed network are balanced between each pair of first and second twin leads. The twin leads of the printed circuit board are electrically connected to a corresponding connector of the plurality of coaxial connectors.

Abstract: A roping training appartus is adapted to simulate on a fixed platform the relative movement between a rider and an object to be roped in certain roping maneuvers, particularly heading and heeling in Dally team roping. The roping training device includes an elongated roping target and a mount simulator for supporting a trainee in a riding position within a desired training distance range from the target body. The target body is mounted on a target body pivot mechanism to allow the roping target body to pivot about a substantially vertical target rotational axis and the mount simulator is mounted on a mount pivot mechanism enabling the mount simulator to pivot about a substantially vertical mount rotational axis. The mount rotational axis and the target rotational axis are offset a desired initial heeling separation distance along an X coordinate axis and a desired initial heading separation distance along a Y coordinate axis, the X and Y axes being substantially perpendicular and defining a horizontal plane.

Abstract: A device for coupling and aligning a rotatable disk with the motor used for rotating that disk is disclosed. The end of the motor drive shaft includes a drive spindle having a V shaped slot in its surface. This slot accepts an aligning pin which protrudes from the center of the disk. When the aligning pin is at the apex of the V slot, the disk to be rotated is concentric with the drive spindle. A drive pin, which is mounted eccentrically on the drive spindle, is in contact with a lip on the outer surface of the disk hub. Rotation of the drive spindle causes interference between the drive pin and the lip thereby imparting rotatational momentum to the disk as well as a centering force on the aligning pin.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for mounting disk drive motors. The motor spindle and the drive shaft are rotatably supported by the disk drive chassis. The drive shaft of the motor extends through the printed circuit board of the disk drive and into a central aperture in the motor stator. Between the motor stator and the printed circuit board is a stator-spacer which positions and aligns the stator. The stator is mechanically mounted and electronically connected to the printed circuit board by means of stator retaining pins. The rotor bell of the motor is coaxially mounted to the drive shaft and inductively disposed about the stator.

Abstract: A magnetic storage device comprising a rigid apertured cartridge containing a flexible magnetic disk and a Bernoulli surface is disclosed. The cartridge contains a reference surface which is integral with the Bernoulli surface and serves to align and flatten the Bernoulli surface when the cartridge is inserted into a disk drive. The cartridge is configured such that the flexible magnetic disk is maintained in operative association with the Bernoulli surface. The aperture of the cartridge serves as an entry point for the motor spindle and transducer of the disk drive. The cartridge is partially enclosed by a slidable shutter which protects the Bernoulli surface and flexible disk when the cartridge is not in use.

Abstract: A device and process for stabilizing two coaxially joined flexible magnetic disks is disclosed. Two or more flexible magnetic disks are coaxially joined by a coaxially located spacer. One of the disks is juxtaposed to and rotated against a flat stable Bernoulli surface. A second disk spaced by the spacer from the first disk contains centrally located perforations into which air can flow. When the disks are rotated at high speed air flows into the perforations and radially out from between the disks, thus forming an air cushion or air bearing between the disks. The apparatus and process thus provides two floppy disks stabilized by a single Bernoulli surface.

Abstract: A device for aligning a disk contained in a cartridge with a motor and transducer of a disk drive is disclosed. A record disk contained within a rigid apertured cartridge is inserted into a disk drive for use with that disk drive. Insertion of the cartridge into the disk drive causes engagement of a reference surface of the cartridge with a reference surface of a spicule member contained within the disk drive. The spicule member carries the transducer and drive spindle of the disk drive. The spicule member also contains a clamping device which ensures proper engagement of the cartridge reference surface and the spicule reference surface. The result is the proper alignment between the disk contained in the rigid cartridge and the transducer and motor spindle carried by the spicule member.

Abstract: A thermo-electric temperature controller for a liquid chemical bubbler container in which a thermally conductive platform in the housing is heated or cooled by thermo-electric devices for heating or cooling a liquid chemical bubbler container to maintain a preset temperature. The housing is formed with a side opening door to provide an access opening which allows installation and removal of the bubbler container laterally of the housing into a position on the thermally conductive platform.

Abstract: An ink jet printer including a drop deflecting arrangement for directing drops from a jet drop stream to a plurality of print positions on a print receiving medium. The printer includes a print head which produces at least one jet drop stream directed generally toward the print receiving medium. The stream emerges from the print head as an electrically grounded fluid filament which then breaks up into drops. A pair of electrodes is positioned on opposite sides of the fluid filament above the point of drop formation and extends along the path of the jet drop stream for a substantial distance. A means is provided for supplying first and second deflection potentials of equal magnitude but opposite polarity to the electrodes such that a deflection field, normal to the path of the jet drop stream, is produced. The ground plane of the field is aligned with the fluid filament so that drops produced are not charged.

Abstract: A fluid jet printer is disclosed having a print head which generates a plurality of jet drop streams, and a drop charging means including a notched charge electrode plate in which a plurality of charge electrodes are defined by electrically conducted coatings within notches spaced along one edge of the plate. A mounting means pivotally supports the charging means such that the charge electrode plate may be pivoted between an operating position in which each charge electrode partially surrounds a corresponding one of the fluid filaments emerging from the print head, and a retracted position in which the charge electrodes are retracted from the fluid filaments. The charge electrode plate is pivoted into its operating position after start-up of the print head means and, further, is pivoted into its retracted position prior to shutdown of the print head means. By this technique, fluid contamination of the charging means by jet drops which are generated unstably at start-up and shutdown is prevented.

Abstract: An orifice plate cleaning system having a source of solvent, an elongate orifice plate having a plurality of orifices therethrough and an elongate plate face composed of a solvent-wettable material and oriented to be inclined downwardly from the horizontal, and a solvent conduit for depositing solvent at an upper end of the plate face so that solvent flows downwardly by gravity to wet the plate face completely and remove dried ink deposits therefrom. The system includes a vacuum tube adjacent a lower end of the plate face to remove the solvent containing dissolved ink from it.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a print head for producing at least one jet drop stream from a fluid filament emerging therefrom, and charge electrode for inducing electrical charges on drops formed from the fluid filament. The charge electrode is movable into and out of an operating position in which it is adjacent and at least partially surrounds the fluid filament. A deflection field is established prior to start-up in which the field has a non-zero electrical potential in the region of the fluid filament. At start-up and shutdown of the printer, the charge electrode is retracted from its normal operating position and drops are charged by the deflection field. As a consequence, the charge electrodes are not contaminated by ink from the unstable jets. The drops in the jet drop streams are, however, charged and deflected to a catcher by the deflection field. After stable operation is obtained, the charge electrode is moved into its normal operating position.

Abstract: A temperature controller for liquid chemical bubbler containers comprising a rectangular cabinet that is separated by an upright partition into a container receiving compartment at one side of the partition and a circuit components compartment at the other side of the partition. A thermoelectric heating and cooling apparatus is mounted in the container receiving compartment above the bottom of the housing and defines a fan chamber therebelow. An axial flow propeller fan is mounted below the heat sink on the thermoelectric device and is arranged to deliver a portion of its air discharge to the heat sink for cooling the same and to deliver another protion of its air discharge to the circuit components compartment for cooling the circuit components therein.

Abstract: A retractable aircraft step module comprises a streamlined fairing having a recess for receiving a retractable step member which is connected to the fairing by spaced apart pivot links which together with the step member and the body member form a four bar linkage. The linkage includes a deflectable pivot connection between one of the links and the step member which provides a biasing force to maintain the step member in the retracted position. The deflectable pivot connection is provided by a pivot beam mounted on the step member and including a counterdeflection adjustment for preselecting the maximum biasing force. The step member and the fairing are adapted to mount on the exterior of an aircraft fuselage and are preferably constructed of reinforced plastic.