Abstract: A sensor panel including a transmit coil for producing a magnetic field in response to a source signal, a plurality of receive elements, each responsive to changes in the magnetic field incident thereon to provide an output, and a cancellation circuit arranged to remove from the outputs any signal induced in each receive element by the transmit coil. The receive elements are arranged in a matrix to provide an indication of the shape of a detected object. The sensor panel can be incorporated as part of a detection apparatus for use in airports and the like, and can also be used to detect buried landmines and ordinances.

Abstract: In a data switching system, the ingress and egress ports of a memoryless cross-bar switch are controlled by an arbitration method. The arbitration method uses a three phase process involving (i) a request phase in which each ingress port sends its connection requests to egress ports to which a connection is required, (ii) a grant phase in which each egress port uses a grant pointer to select one of the requests directed to it using a grant pointer, and generates a grant signal, and (iii) an accept phase in which each ingress port selects one of the received grant signals to accept, so defining an ingress to egress port connection across the cross-bar switch. The transition sequences for each of the grant pointers are mutually exclusive, so that any synchronisation of the grant pointers is eliminated on the next arbitration cycle. This is arranged by a setting of the paths taken by request and grant signals.

Abstract: A foliar fertiliser composition providing for an enhanced crop characteristic in a crop. The composition is made of soluble compounds of the following trace elements in the following ranges of relative proportions of the respective element by weight, 0.5 to 4.0 copper, 2.0 to 10.0 zinc, 2.5 to 12 manganese, 5 to 14.0 iron, 0.5 to 6.5 boron, 0 to 0.3 molybdenum.

Abstract: Video programming signals are generated by a digital television broadcasting service in response to recording information entered by a user at a website of the broadcaster. The website contains schedule information which is transmitted to the user. In response to user selection, an output signal is generated containing information identifying programs to be recorded. The information includes start and finish time, date, and channel information, or may be Programme Delivery Control codes. The information also includes address information for the user's recorder. The information is multiplexed with the digital broadcast signal such that video programming signals are broadcast to the user's video recorder. The signals are received by a digital decoder which checks for a unique video identifier address that matches the user's video recorder.

Abstract: A smoke generator in which a supply of smoke making fluid is caused to pass cyclically down tubing (20). In a heat exchanger, an electrical current is passed along the tubing to heat the tubing and a sensor (54) is arranged to sense the tube temperature. Electrical power is controlled to heat the tubing cyclically so that fluid in the tubing is burnt off, every cycle of the power being switched on or off, thus reducing clogging.

Abstract: An arbitration process sets the connections to be made between ingress and egress ports of a crossbar switch of a data switching system. A weight parameter is used for each pair of ingress and egress ports. Connection requests are generated indicating ingress ports to be connected to egress ports. A selection is made among conflicting connection requests, to produce a connection proposal for each egress port. Any connection request for which respective weighting parameter is zero is not selected. When one of the connection requests is realised, the weight parameter corresponding to this connection is decreased by one. All the weight parameters for a given egress port are re-set to default values in the case that there are no connection requests for that egress port with non-zero weights.

Abstract: There is disclosed a masking unit (REQMSK) for use in a data packet switching system. The data switching system being of the type having a memoryless cross-back switch (SM) providing cyclic connections under the control of a switch arbiter (SCARB) between ingress routers (IR0, IR1, IR2 and IR3) and egress routers (ER0, ER1, ER2 and ER3). Each of the ingress routers (IR0-IR3) is provided with incoming packet buffering on a virtual output queue basis (VOQ0.0, VOQ0.1, VOQ0.2, and VOQ0.3 for ingress router IR0). Each virtual output queue also produces a connection request signal REQ0.0 to REQ3.3 when the corresponding queue has a data packet in it. The masking unit REQMSK is arranged to randomly mask out correlated connection requests.

Abstract: An electrical device (20), in particular an energy regulator or infinite switch, comprises a body portion (22) with one or more electrical elements (33, D, B, C, 47) mounted thereto. The body portion (22) and the electrical element(s) (33, D, B, C, 47) mounted thereto define an assembly having a minimum dimension which is termed the “thickness” of the assembly. At least one terminal (25, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63) is also mounted to the body portion. The terminal has a mounting portion (27) and a contact portion (26) with the mounting portion (27) extending transversely to the thickness dimension to thereby result in a low-profile electrical device.

Abstract: In a turbine having a rotor and a plurality of stages, each stage comprising a row of buckets mounted on the rotor for rotation therewith; and wherein the buckets of at least one of the stages are cooled by steam, the improvement comprising at least one axially extending cooling steam supply conduit communicating with an at least partially annular steam supply manifold; one or more axially extending cooling steam feed tubes connected to the manifold at a location radially outwardly of the cooling steam supply conduit, the feed tubes arranged to supply cooling steam to the buckets of at least one of the plurality of stages; the manifold extending radially beyond the feed tubes to thereby create a debris trap region for collecting debris under centrifugal loading caused by rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical device for the measurement of flow rates of fluid through a pipe. The device broadly comprises a narrow frequency light source, an optical delivery system, a collector for light scattered from particles in the fluid, and a photo detector. In a preferred embodiment, the optical delivery system and the collector are contained within the pipe.

Abstract: A process for preparing a supported transition metal catalyst comprising a particulate organic or inorganic support material, a transition metal complex and a compound capable of forming metallocenium ions comprises the following process steps: a) contacting a solution of a compound capable of forming metallocenium ions with a second solvent in which this compound is only sparingly soluble, in the presence of the support material, b) removing at least part of the solvent from the support material and c) contacting a solution of a mixture of a compound capable of forming metallocenium ions and a transition metal complex with a second solvent in which this mixture is only sparingly soluble, in the presence of the support material obtained as described in a) and b).

Abstract: The steam cooling circuit for a gas turbine includes a bore tube assembly supplying steam to circumferentially spaced radial tubes coupled to supply elbows for transitioning the radial steam flow in an axial direction along steam supply tubes adjacent the rim of the rotor. The supply tubes supply steam to circumferentially spaced manifold segments located on the aft side of the 1-2 spacer for supplying steam to the buckets of the first and second stages. Spent return steam from these buckets flows to a plurality of circumferentially spaced return manifold segments disposed on the forward face of the 1-2 spacer. Crossover tubes couple the steam supply from the steam supply manifold segments through the 1-2 spacer to the buckets of the first stage. Crossover tubes through the 1-2 spacer also return steam from the buckets of the second stage to the return manifold segments. Axially extending return tubes convey spent cooling steam from the return manifold segments to radial tubes via return elbows.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for the preparation of an aqueous fabric softening composition comprising;

Abstract: A bearing and a bearing alloy composition are described, the bearing alloy comprising in weight%: tin 5-10; copper 0.7-1.3; nickel 0.7-1.3; silicon 1.5-3.5; vanadium 0.1-0.3; manganese 0.1-0.3; balance aluminium apart from unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: A data card housing (32) is provided which has a reading region (34) and a loading region (33). A data card is to be located at a reading position, and the reading region (34) has grooves (36) for guiding the card to the reading position. The loading region (33) has a supporting surface (31), and is arranged such that force can be applied to a major face of the card, to slide the card along the supporting surface (31) and into the guide grooves (36). Further, the reading region (34) is arranged such that force can be applied to the major face of the card to further slide the card to the reading position.

Abstract: A telephone apparatus connects to a telecommunications network via an exchange line. It has signal recognition for detecting and recognizing calling line identity (CLI) and called number identity (CNI) signalling transmitted over the exchange line. The apparatus causes an incoming call to be transferred to a second exchange line in response to specified CLIs and/or CNIs.

Abstract: A vibration damper assembly for a ring resonator of a vibrating structure gyroscope has a female portion attachable to a body of the gyroscope so as to have limited resiliency with respect to the body in a direction substantially perpendicular to the body. A male portion is fixedly attachable at one end to a resonator of the gyroscope, projectable into the female portion and fixedly attachable at its other end in and to the female portion. The assembly permits damping of vibratory movement of the resonator in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto whilst retaining stiffness and freedom to vibrate for the resonator in the plane thereof.

Abstract: A display device includes a shutter layer of liquid-crystal material arranged in cells to shutter input light selectively, a cover layer 5 on the shutter layer, and a set of phosphors 7 on the cover layer, corresponding to the cells, to be activated by the input light and provide the display image. To prevent crosstalk the active cell areas 10 defined by the electrode overlaps are smaller than the corresponding phosphors. This prevents crosstalk between cells even when input light that is not fully collimated is used and also allows space for thicker and/or broader electrodes 12 leading to the cells, reducing resistance, and for other components such as TFTs.

Abstract: A gas turbine rotor stacking fixture includes upstanding bolts for reception in aligned bolt holes in superposed aft disk, wheels and spacers and upstanding alignment rods received in openings of the disk, wheels and spacers during the rotor stacking assembly. The axially registering openings enable insertion of thin-walled tubes circumferentially about the rim of the rotor, with tight tolerances to the openings to provide supply and return steam for cooling buckets. The alignment rods have radial dimensions substantially less than their dimensions in a circumferential direction to allow for radial opening misalignment due to thermal expansion, tolerance stack-up and wheel-to-spacer mismatch due to rabbet mechanical growth. The circumferential dimension of the alignment rods affords tightly toleranced alignment of the openings through which the cooling tubes are installed.

Abstract: In catalyst systems of the Ziegler-Natta type modified during their preparation and comprising as active constituentsa) a titanium-containing solid component which is obtained by reacting a compound of titanium with a compound of magnesium, a halogen, an inorganic oxide as support, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkanol and a carboxylic ester as electron donor compound,and also as cocatalystb) an aluminum compound andc) if desired, a further electron donor compound,the titanium-containing solid component a) is prepared by first, in a first stage, admixing an inorganic oxide as support with a solution of a chlorine-free compound of magnesium in an inert solvent, stirring this mixture for from 0.5 to 5 hours at from 10 to 120.degree. C. and subsequently reacting it while stirring continually in an inert solvent with a C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkanol in an at least 1.