Abstract: A member of selected shape embodying a refractory metal material such as a titanium aluminide preferably having reinforcing elements disposed therein is provided by combining constitutents of the refractory metal material surrounding the reinforcing elements, by consolidating the constituents and elements and forming them into the selected shape, and by reacting the constituents with each other for forming the refractory metal material in situ within the selected shape, at least one of the constituents also preferably being reacted in situ within the selected shape with metal material of the reinforcing elements for forming an intermetallic compound which securely holds the reinforcing elements in position within the selected shape.

Abstract: A shield for electromagnetic radiations comprising a laminated sheet having exterior layers of copper which sandwich an interior layer of a ferromagnetic alloy taken from the class consisting of nickel-iron compounds having from about 42 to about 80 percent nickel by weight and iron as a substantial portion of the remaining material. The layers are metallurgically bonded to each other by sintering or the like. According to a second embodiment, a laminated sheet is provided having exterior layers of copper which sandwich plural interior layers of ferromagnetic material, the layers of ferromagnetic material having progressively higher permeability and being capable of shielding interference of progressively lower energy level when travelling in a direction away from the direction of the source of interference. A typical laminated sheet in the direction away from the source of interference is copper/permendur/80/copper.

Abstract: A composite material has portions of a first material such as a metal or ceramic having coatings of a metal material thereon disposed in a metal matrix material and having a diffusion-bonds between the coating and matrix materials securing the portions of the first material at selected locations in the composite material.

Abstract: A stiffened composite metal panel is made by providing a layer of metal with spaced grooves of a depth less than the thickness of the metal layer for defining separable strips of the layer and, after arranging stripes of bond-preventing material between limited portions of the respective separable strips and a second metal layer, the metal layers are passed between pressure bonding rolls with reduction in the thickness of the layer materials to metallurgically bond a portion of each separable strip to the second metal layer to form a composite metal panel while leaving a portion of each separable strip free of such bonding at the location of the bond-preventing stripe. The separable strips are then broken apart along the grooves and folded away from the second metal layer to form precisely located stiffening ribs in the composite panel.

Abstract: Reinforced structural elements are produced by taking two or more sheets of the same or different malleable metal and applying a pattern of thermally decomposable stop-off material on an interfacial surface, solid phase green bonding the sheets one to another by squeezing them through squeezing rollers and sintering the sheets to improve the metallurgical bond therebetween. The composite can be formed into complex configurations having compound reentrant surfaces and then raised above a predetermined temperature to decompose the stop-off material to generate gas and inflate the sheets contiguous to the pattern. The stop-off material can be chosen to decompose essentially completely at a temperature above the predetermined temperature which facilitates forming prior to inflation or the material can include a portion which decomposes at the sintering temperature of the metallic sheets employed giving a two stage inflation.

Abstract: A non-contacting position sensor has an exciting coil in a plane and has a sensing coil in an intersecting plane so sensing coil portions are symmetrical around an exciting coil portion in mutually inductive relation to that portion of the exciting coil portions. A ferrite member magnetically shields those sensing coil portions from other portions of the exciting coil and a housing mount the sensor for relative movement with respect to magnetically permeable or electrically conductive inductance-modifier on an object whose position is to be monitored. Movement of the inductance-modifier as the object moves modifies mutual inductance between the respective sensing coil portions and the exciting coil portion so that, when the exciting coil is driven, the sensing coil provides a signal representative of the object position. If desired, an additional sensing coil is disposed in a third plane to provide X-Y position sensing.

Abstract: Reinforced structural elements are produced by taking two or more sheets of the same or different malleable metal and applying a pattern of thermally decomposable stop-off material on an interfacial surface, solid phase green bonding the sheets one to another by squeezing them through squeezing rollers and sintering the sheets to improve the metallurgical bond therebetween.The composite can be formed into complex configurations having compound reentrant surfaces and then raised above a predetermined temperature to decompose the stop-off material to generate gas and inflate the sheets contiguous to the pattern.The stop-off material can be chosen to decompose essentially completely at a temperature above the predetermined temperature which facilitates forming prior to inflation or the material can include a portion which decomposes at the sintering temperature of the metallic sheets employed giving a two stage inflation.

Abstract: A non-contacting position sensor has an exciting coil disposed in a plane and has a sensing coil located in an intersecting plane so that portions of the sensing coil are disposed symmetrically around a portion of the exciting coil in mutually inductive relation to that portion of the exciting coil. Ferrite means magnetically shield those sensing coil portions from other portions of the exciting coil and housing means are provided to mount the sensor so that those coil portions are conveniently positioned for relative movement with respect to magnetically permeable or electrically conductive inductance-modifying means on an object whose position is to be monitored. Movement of the inductance-modifying means as the object moves then modifies the mutual inductance between the respective sensing coil portions and the exciting coil portion so that, when the exciting coil is driven, the sensing coil provides a signal which is accurately and reliably representative of the object position.

Abstract: A contactless travel keyboard has first and second coils with elongated loop portions arranged at each key station so that, when an electrically conductive key element at the station is in a key-up position spaced from the coils, electrical input to the first coil results in magnetic induction of a relatively small output signal of a first polarity in the second coil and so that, when the key element moves to a key-down position relatively closer to the coils, electrical input to the first coil induces a current in the key element to magnetically induce a control signal of opposite polarity in the second coil sufficient to reverse the polarity of the output from the second coil. The keyboard includes means responsive to the reversal in polarity of the output signals from the second coils for determining which keys are in a key-down position.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive pressure transducer is disclosed wherein pressure in the range of zero to 1000 psi can be accurately measured. The pressure transducer apparatus includes a diaphragm causing the pressure to be applied unidirectionally on sensor material having the property of undergoing changes in magnetic induction when a pressure is applied thereto, the change in magnetic induction being related to the applied pressure. The change in magnetic induction is measured and thus provides a measurement of the applied pressure. Several embodiments are also disclosed for measuring vacuum. In these embodiments force is also applied unidirectionally on the sensor material.

Abstract: A temperature sensor particularly adapted for use with digital displays or controls comprises an oscillator circuit coupled to a capacitor formed of ferroelectric material in order to provide a linear relation of frequency with temperature. Both chip and multilayer capacitors are shown to be useful as the sensing element.

Abstract: A magnetic transducer head has a plurality of magnetic laminations secured together in stacked relation to each other to form a magnetic core having a pair of pole faces disposed in spaced, facing relation to each other with a small gap therebetween and to define other surfaces of the core adjacent to the gap which are adapted for sliding engagement with the magnetic surface of a recording tape. Electrical coil means are inductively coupled to the core. Alternate magnetic laminations of the core incorporate materials of different magnetic and physical characteristics so that the laminations cooperate in determining the characteristics of the core. The materials of some laminations preferably display a relatively high maximum induction while other laminations incorporate materials having a relatively high initial permeability, thereby to facilitate use of the transducer both in recording and reproduction.

Abstract: A low-power infrared information transmission system, the transmitter of which is compact, portable and capable of being powered by a low-voltage battery power source for an extended period of time, utilizes a unique infrared light pulse position modulation technique. The system is capable of transmitting information from a DC signal to a relatively high frequency AC signal. The system is utilized, for example, to transmit medical information from medical electrodes affixed to a patient via a portable infrared transmitter to a receiver unit which monitors and analyzes the patient's condition; to provide a remote control unit such as the controller for a video game or a TV on/off/channel selector, and, to provide a portable communications device such as a portable microphone or telephone set.

Abstract: A medical patient condition monitoring system includes a portable battery-operable transmitter module which transmits monitored conditions of the patient via infrared energy to the receiver input stage of a medical monitoring and display unit. In one embodiment, the transmitter module which may be worn on the patient's person includes medical electrodes which are coupled to the patient's skin to receive electrical signals generated by the patient's anatomy. A voltage-controlled pulse position modulator circuit is coupled to the medical electrodes for generating pulses controllably positioned in time from a reference frequency in dependence upon the amplitude of the signal generated by the medical electrodes. An infrared light-emitting device is coupled to the output of the pulse position modulator circuit for generating infrared energy bursts in synchronism with the pulses generated by the modulator circuit.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive pressure transducer is disclosed wherein pressure in the range of zero to 1000 psi can be accurately measured. The pressure transducer apparatus includes a diaphragm causing the pressure to be applied unidirectionally on sensor material having the property of undergoing changes in magnetic induction when a pressure is applied thereto, the change in magnetic induction being related to the applied pressure. The change in magnetic induction is measured and thus provides a measurement of the applied pressure. Several embodiments are also disclosed for measuring vacuum. In these embodiments force is also applied unidirectionally on the sensor material.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive pressure transducer is disclosed wherein pressure in the range of zero to 1000 psi can be accurately measured. The pressure transducer apparatus includes a diaphragm causing the pressure to be applied unidirectionally on sensor material having the property of undergoing changes in magnetic induction when a pressure is applied thereto, the change in magnetic induction being related to the applied pressure. The change in magnetic induction is measured and thus provides a measurement of the applied pressure.

Abstract: A process for forming an electrical resistance heater on a metal substrate. At least one layer of a composition of a polyamic acid or polyamide-imide polymer and a solvent therefor is applied to a surface of the substrate. The substrate and layer are heated to remove the solvent and to effect only partial curing of the polymer thereby to form a partially cured insulating layer. A composition of a mixture of a polyamic acid or polyamide-imide polymer, a solvent therefor and flakes of an electrical conductivity-modifying material is applied to the insulating layer thereby to form an overlying layer having an electrical conductivity substantially greater then that of the insulating layer. The substrate, insulating layer and overlying layer are thereafter heated for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to at least partially cure the overlying layer.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive pressure transducer is disclosed wherein pressure in the range of 0 to 1000 psi can be accurately measured. The pressure transducer apparatus includes a diaphragm causing the pressure to be applied unidirectionally on sensor material having the property of undergoing changes in magnetic induction when a pressure is applied thereto, the change in magnetic induction being related to the applied pressure. The change in magnetic induction is measured and thus provides a measurement of the applied pressure. Several embodiments are also disclosed for measuring vacuum. In these embodiments force is also applied unidirectionally on the sensor material.

Abstract: A circuit breaker device which is particularly useful with direct current such as in an automotive application comprises a main creep-acting thermostatic strip member mounted on a second auxiliary U-shaped thermostatic member, the U-shaped member being attached to the strip with the high and low expansion layers being dissimilar or reversed in order to obtain increased contact force prior to actuation and faster contact opening and in effect, greater differential after actuation. One leg of the U-shaped thermostatic member is mounted on a base plate, the other leg cantilever mounts the thermostatic strip. A contact is located on the free distal end of the thermostatic strip and is adapted to move into and out of engagement with a stationary contact supported on the base plate but electrically insulated therefrom. A special insulator pad mounts the stationary contact and is received on and locked in place on the base plate.

Abstract: An electrical resistance heater on a metal substrate. Bonded to a surface of the substrate is an insulating layer of a cured polyimide or polyamide-imide resin. A second layer of a cured polyimide or polyamide-imide resin having dispersed therein at least approximately 60% by weight of graphite flakes is bonded to the insulating layer. Intermediate and bonded to a portion of the insulating layer and an opposing portion of the second layer is an electrically conductive stripe which provides a high conductivity path to interconnect the second layer to an external electrical circuit. The stripe is formed from a cured polyimide or polyamide-imide resin having dispersed therein flakes of a conductive metal. The layers are flexible and the second layer and stripe have electrical conductivities which are not substantially degraded during operation at temperatures of at least 200.degree.C. for extended periods of time.