Abstract: An improved bilge water level monitor, alert and control system for boats and other vessels. The system provides a method of detecting excessive leakage of water into the bilge and in response to the excessive water in the bilge, triggering an alarm to notify the operator and others and energizes bilge pumps to remove the excessive water. The system is designed with many redundancies in the sub elements and subsystems for safety. The system provides a means for reducing the likelihood of exhausting battery power in the event of a significant seawater leakage problem. The electrical power rating of the monitoring circuitry components is relatively low, thereby reducing the size and weight of those components relative to prior bilge pump monitoring and alert systems. There is no electrical wiring exposed to bilge water during system operation thereby reducing damage to the wiring components.

Abstract: An improved bilge water level monitor, alert and control system for boats and other vessels. The system provides a method of detecting excessive leakage of water into the bilge and in response to the excessive water in the bilge, triggering an alarm to notify the operator and others and energizes bilge pumps to remove the excessive water. The system is designed with many redundancies in the sub elements and subsystems for safety. The system provides a means for reducing the likelihood of exhausting battery power in the event of a significant seawater leakage problem. The electrical power rating of the monitoring circuitry components is relatively low, thereby reducing the size and weight of those components relative to prior bilge pump monitoring and alert systems. There is no electrical wiring exposed to bilge water during system operation thereby reducing damage to the wiring components.

Abstract: A method and system for enhanced instruction dispatch efficiency in a superscalar processor system having a plurality of intermediate storage buffers, a plurality of general purpose registers, and a storage buffer index. Multiple scalar instructions may be simultaneously dispatched from a dispatch buffer to a plurality of execution units. Each of the multiple scalar instructions generally include at least one source operand and one destination operand. A particular one of the plurality of intermediate storage buffers is assigned to a destination operand within a selected one of the multiple scalar instructions. A relationship between the particular one of the plurality of intermediate storage buffers and a designated one of the plurality of general purpose registers is stored in the storage buffer index at that time when the instruction which has been dispatched is replaced in the dispatcher by another instruction in the application program sequence.

Abstract: A method and system for permitting single cycle instruction dispatch in a superscalar processor system which dispatches multiple instructions simultaneously to a group of execution units for execution and placement of results thereof within specified general purpose registers. Each instruction generally includes at least one source operand and one destination operand. A plurality of intermediate storage buffers are provided and each time an instruction is dispatched to an available execution unit, a particular one of the intermediate storage buffers is assigned to any destination operand within the dispatched instruction, permitting the instruction to be dispatched within a single cycle by eliminating any requirement for determining and selecting the specified general purpose register or a designated alternate general purpose register.

Abstract: A sump apparatus for use in a marine vessel comprises a tank, a pump communicating with the tank for evacuating the tank, and a pump control mechanism for energizing the pump in response to a predetermined height of water in the tank. That mechanism comprises a housing defining an air chamber, a switch disposed in the chamber and operably connected to the pump, a switch actuating diaphragm mounted in the housing for actuating the switch. An air vent conduit communicates with the chamber, and a flow restrictor desensitizes the diaphragm relative to momentary changes in the water pressure acting on the diaphragm. The pump control mechanism can be mounted in a side wall of the tank, or to a removable top lid of the tank so as to be removable with that lid. The pump control mechanism may include a timer operably connected to the switch and pump for deactivating the pump after a predetermined period of pump operation sufficient to evacuate the tank.

Abstract: An adjustable device for rigidly holding any one of several different types of automotive hydraulic system master cylinders during assembly, disassembly, testing, maintenance, bleeding, and repair procedures, and a method of using same is described. A drip pan is provided to catch drips emanating from a master cylinder being held, if desired.

Abstract: A barrier system is provided for blocking a roadway to prevent passage of a vehicle. The barrier system comprises a series of inflatable bags connected to a flexible net, and energy dissipating units connected to ends of the net. The system is normally located in a subterranean chamber when deactivated. When activated, the air bags are inflated and rise above the ground surface while pulling the net upwardly therewith. A vehicle which impacts the barrier is rapidly decelerated under the energy dissipating action of the air bags, energy dissipating units, and net.

Abstract: A plurality of data processor units are connected to a common bus which is connected to first and second interleaved storage units. The system is a synchronous one in which timing means establish a series of information transfer intervals. One or more of the processor units contain apparatus for selectively commencing an address transfer on the bus to one of the storage units during a transfer interval; the storage transaction initiated by the address transfer will require more than the one transfer interval to complete. One or more of the processors have means for monitoring the bus in order to determine whether an address on the bus has been transferred to the first or the second storage unit during a particular transfer interval. The address transfer apparatus further includes apparatus responsive to the monitoring apparatus for selectively transferring the next subsequent address to the other of said storage units to thus achieve alternating interleaving between storage units.

Abstract: A funnel device for filling containers having either vertically or otherwise oriented filling inlets with fluent material. The device is adapted when in use to be supported by a given container's filling inlet, and is orientable relative to such inlet so as to be capable of receiving and conducting fluent material to such container while a user has free use of both hands. To increase filling speed, the device is provided with a novel venting system which is designed to rapidly vent a large volume of air or gas in a safe manner from a container being filled with the device. Part of the venting system may also be manipulated to form a siphon which can be used to drain excess material from the funnel device in the event the container is overfilled.

Abstract: An apparatus including centrifugal, magnetic and screening components for separating contaminating solid magnetic and/or non-magnetic particles from a fluid. The centrifugal, magnetic and screening components, during the operation of the apparatus, are supported by and enclosed within a housing. The housing is readily openable to provide access to all of the components for cleaning and/or repair and/or replacement, and the components are so related that fluid "starving" of a system in which the apparatus is in series with other components is substantially prevented.

Abstract: A tire caliper that can be made of very few parts and that can be very quickly and easily used to compare the diameters of the road engaging tread portions of a plurality of tires.