Abstract: A welding system includes an engine-driven welder generator that produces welding power. A welding torch receives the welding power and applies it to a stick electrode to initiate and maintain a welding arc. A parameter of the welding power, such as voltage, is monitored, such as to determine whether spikes occur during a short time after arc initiation. Based upon the monitored parameter, the engine speed is controlled. The engine speed may be increased or maintained at an elevated level if the monitored parameter indicates that particular types of electrode are being used, such as XX10 or cellulose electrodes.

Abstract: A welding system includes an engine-driven welder generator that produces welding power. A welding torch receives the welding power and applies it to a stick electrode to initiate and maintain a welding arc. A parameter of the welding power, such as voltage, is monitored, such as to determine whether spikes occur during a short time after arc initiation. Based upon the monitored parameter, the engine speed is controlled. The engine speed may be increased or maintained at an elevated level if the monitored parameter indicates that particular types of electrode are being used, such as XX10 or cellulose electrodes.

Abstract: A welding system includes an engine-driven welder generator that produces welding power. A welding torch receives the welding power and applies it to a stick electrode to initiate and maintain a welding arc. A parameter of the welding power, such as voltage, is monitored, such as to determine whether spikes occur during a short time after arc initiation. Based upon the monitored parameter, the engine speed is controlled. The engine speed may be increased or maintained at an elevated level if the monitored parameter indicates that particular types of electrode are being used, such as XX10 or cellulose electrodes.

Abstract: A welding system includes an engine-driven welder generator that produces welding power. A welding torch receives the welding power and applies it to a stick electrode to initiate and maintain a welding arc. A parameter of the welding power, such as voltage, is monitored, such as to determine whether spikes occur during a short time after arc initiation. Based upon the monitored parameter, the engine speed is controlled. The engine speed may be increased or maintained at an elevated level if the monitored parameter indicates that particular types of electrode are being used, such as XX10 or cellulose electrodes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing for real time automated control of the position of a blade on a earth-moving machine. The method includes providing a geography altering machine, including a blade and a computer, the computer having stored therein a reference line and a three dimensional computer model of a desired topography, providing a user defined offset relative to the reference line, determining a blade position in local coordinates, converting the local coordinates to reference line coordinates, utilizing the reference line coordinates and the user defined offset to calculate blade movement commands, and moving the blade in a direction required by the blade movement commands.

Abstract: A gas burner assembly that comprises a gas burner and a plate. The gas burner includes a first surface having an indentation and a second surface defining a gas chamber between the first surface and second surface. The plate is attached to the gas burner such that the plate covers at least a portion of the indentation to define a gas collection area between the plate and the indentation. The indentation comprises at least one gas collector aperture permitting gas transmission from the gas chamber to the gas collection area. The indentation and the plate each include an electrode assembly receiving aperture.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing for real time automated control of the position of a blade on a earth-moving machine. The method includes providing a geography altering machine, including a blade and a computer, the computer having stored therein a reference line and a three dimensional computer model of a desired topography, providing a user defined offset relative to the reference line, determining a blade position in local coordinates, converting the local coordinates to reference line coordinates, utilizing the reference line coordinates and the user defined offset to calculate blade movement commands, and moving the blade in a direction required by the blade movement commands.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of recovering elemental phosphorus from a sludge that contains water, dirt, and elemental phosphorus. In the first step, the sludge is melted. A mixture is formed of the melted sludge and about 0.5 to about 5 wt % of an oxidizing agent, based on the weight of elemental phosphorus in the sludge, and about 75 to about 580 wt % water, based on the weight of the sludge. The mixture is stirred until a continuous elemental phosphorus phase forms. The purified phosphorus phase is separated from the mixture.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of recovering elemental phosphorus from a sludge that contains water, dirt, and elemental phosphorus. In the first step, the sludge is melted. A mixture is formed of the melted sludge and about 0.5 to about 3 wt % of an oxidizing agent, based on the weight of said elemental phosphorus in the sludge, and about 75 to about 400 wt % water, based on the weight of the sludge. The mixture is stirred until a continuous elemental phosphorus phase forms. The purified phosphorus phase is separated from the mixture.

Abstract: A circuit for use in a DMM utilizes an auxiliary A/D converter to measure the battery voltage of the DMM and displays the result on the LCD display screen of the DMM. The user receives a numeric indication of the battery voltage measured, rather than a simple good/bad or bar graph indication. The voltage measured provides the user with a quantitative indication which allows the user to determine how close the battery is to being exhausted. Thus, the user can be made aware of a weakened state of the battery before operation of a backlight further drains the battery to an unacceptably low level.

Abstract: A method by which a microprocessor based handheld multi-meter, or other handheld electronic instrument, can communicate with a computer or other microprocessor based device through the measurement input jacks of the handheld multi-meter. A handheld meter, thus equipped, can receive control or calibration data from, and provide test or calibration data to, a host computer or microprocessor based accessory or other instrument. To enable this capability, the handheld meter employs dual-signal, single-axis jacks, for example split banana jacks, for one or more of its signal and ground receptacles. The handheld meter and the computer, or another microprocessor based instrument or accessory device that the meter is to communicate with, are equipped with mutually compatible software and appropriate hardware to support single signal path communication.

Abstract: A digital high-pass filter derived from a digital low-pass filter of conventional design. The digital low-pass filter periodically calculates respective low-pass filter output values. Corresponding high-pass filter output values are then calculated by subtracting the low-pass filter output values from input samples provided by digitizing an input signal. The high-pass filter output values are then used to generate samples which are applied to a digital-to-analog converter for outputting a high-pass filtered replica of the input signal. The digital high-pass filter compensates for sudden, relatively large changes in the input signal by comparing the low-pass filter output value to the input sample and, in the event that there is a large discrepancy therebetween, setting the low-pass filter output value to the input sample before calculating the high-pass filter output value.

Abstract: A fast response, low-pass filter comprising a slow response low-pass filter and a fast response low-pass filter. Both of these low-pass filters receive an input signal, and their respective outputs are compared to each other. When the output of the slow response filter differs from the output of the fast response filter by a predetermined value, the response time of the slow response time filter is increased so that it can more rapidly follow the input signal. The fast response time low-pass filter can be implemented with either analog low-pass filters or by digital low-pass filters.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the stability of Vitamin D in liquid nutritional products which contain hydrolyzed protein or free amino acids as nitrogen sources. Vitamin C is added before or after a preliminary heat treatment of the liquid nutritional product and at a concentration exceeding 300 mg/l, such that the initial concentration of Vitamin C is at least 300 mg/l during the shelf-life of the liquid nutritional product. An emulsifier is added to the liquid nutritional product prior to preliminary heat treatment, the emulsifier being a diacetyltartaric acid ester of monoglycerides and diglycerides. Cystine is added following the preliminary heat treatment.

Abstract: A method for improving the stability of Vitamin D in liquid nutritional products which contain hydrolyzed protein or free amino acids as a nitrogen source. Vitamin C is added to a liquid nutritional product at a concentration exceeding 300 mg/l, such that the concentration of Vitamin C is at least 300 mg/l during the shelf-life of the liquid nutritional product. Preferably the addition of Vitamin C occurs after the completion of preliminary heat treating of the liquid nutritional product. Alternatively, the addition of Vitamin C occurs prior to the preliminary heat treating of the liquid nutritional product. Preferably, an emulsifier is added to the liquid nutritional product prior to preliminary heat treating, with the emulsifier being a diacetyltartaric acid ester of monoglycerides and diglycerides; and cystine is added following the completion of preliminary heat treating.

Abstract: An automatic blood pressure monitor having a blood pressure cuff, an air pump applying pressurized air to the cuff, an air valve selectively venting the cuff, and a pressure transducer generating an output signal having a D.C. component indicative of the steady-state pressure in the cuff, and an A.C. component indicative of oscillometric pulses. The pressure transducer output is amplified and applied to an analog-to-digital converter which generates a digital word indicative of the steady-state cuff pressure. The amplified pressure transducer output is also applied to one input of a differential amplifier having an output that is applied to an analog-to-digital converter having a limited operating range. The other input of the amplifier receives an offset signal from a voltage source to offset the amplified pressure transducer output so that the output of the differential amplifier will not exceed the operating range of the analog-to-digital converter.

Abstract: A process for the removal of sulfur dioxide from gasses produced by processes resulting in off gases at elevated temperatures as in the combustion of sulfur containing fuels such as coal and fuel oil by contacting the gasses with a composition including a source of calcium, and a catalytically effective amount of a molybdenum containing catalyst for the oxidation of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide which then reacts with the calcium compound to form calcium sulfate.

Abstract: A blood pressure monitor having a motor driven air pump for inflating an blood pressure cuff, and a control system for controlling the voltage applied to the motor to regulate the rate at which the cuff is inflated. The control system utilizes a microprocessor to calculate a desired inflation rate and then compare the desired inflation rate with the actual inflation rate to generate a control signal in the form of a pulse-width modulated square wave. The square wave is low-pass filtered to generate a voltage reference that is applied to one input of a comparator. The other input of the comparator receives a feedback signal indicative of the voltage applied to the motor. The comparator generates a sqaure wave having a duty cycle that is a determined by the polarity of the comparison at its inputs. The square wave modulates a semi-conductor switch which, in turn, controls the voltage applied to the motor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for smoothing raw oscillometric table data in the region around systolic blood pressure to reduce respiration interference is disclosed. Systolic blood pressure is determined by averaging intermediate systolic pressures calculated in association with dual thresholds instead of a single threshold. Interpolation is used between adjacent applied cuff pressure values having table entries located on either side of each of the upper and lower threshold values. Normalization of the table is employed to improve interpolation resolution.

Abstract: An off-the-road vehicle has wheel sets of the same or different forms such as rolls or differentially driven wheels with a hydraulic motor and gear reduction drive for each wheel set. An engine driven variable displacement fluid pump is fed by return lines from the motors, and a fluid control system is provided including a valve associated with each motor and a restricted delivery line from each valve to its associated motor, an unrestricted delivery line from each valve to the other motor, and a restricted line connecting the two motors. Each valve is biased toward a first position by a spring and fluid pressure at the associated motor and has ports connecting the pump and restricted line to the associated motor in a first position, each valve being movable toward a second position by pump output pressure and having parts connecting the pump and the other motor through the unrestricted lines in the second position.