Abstract: A shutter assembly includes left and right shutter doors hingedly mounted between upper and lower horizontal frame members secured over an opening to be shuttered. Vertical stiles serve as the left and right frame members of each of the shutter doors. The vertical stile on the unhinged side of one of the shutter doors includes a vertical flange that engages and secures the vertical stile on the unhinged side of the other shutter door when both doors are closed and locked. The two vertical stiles framing each door retain left and right pivot strips to which a plurality of louvers are mounted for rotation. A louver tilt rod mechanism is attached to and hidden from view behind one of the vertical styles of each of the doors and operates to mechanically link the louvers for movement in concert. A wire rope is positioned longitudinally within each of the louvers to prevent a breach of the shutter assembly through attempted bending of the louvers.

Abstract: An electronic key identifier includes first and second opposing surface segment sensors which can be clamped into engagement with the opposite sides of the blade of an unknown key blank. Each side of the key blade includes collinear surface segments separated by one or more recessed segments. Electrical conductors within the surface segment sensors contact the raised surface segments and discharge electrical energy through the grounded key blade. Appropriate electronic circuitry interfaces the conductor of the surface segment sensor with a computer to generate an electronic image of the two key blade sides. By comparing the electrical image of the unknown key blade with a database of electrical images of known key blades, the unknown key can be identified to allow the operator of a key cutting machine to quickly complete the key identification process.

Abstract: An integral resistive angle measurement device employs a printed circuit board having electronic components mounted on the front surface thereof and having a pair of sensor plates etched into the back surface thereof and a metallic web mounted between the pair of sensor plates on the back surface of the printed circuit board. Containment of the resistive sensor fluid adjacent the sensor plates is accomplished by soldering a sensor cover to an etched sealing ring on the back of the circuit board. The sensor plates etched into the back of the printed circuit board, in combination with the sensor fluid, act as variable resistors whose resistance changes as a function of their angle of rotation from a reference position. An output signal across these variable resistors is in or out of phase with an applied reference signal. The output signal is demodulated with the same reference signal and then filtered to a DC level that corresponds to the angle of rotation.

Abstract: An integral angle measurement device employs a printed circuit board having electronic components mounted on the front surface thereof and having a pair of sensor plates etched into the back surface thereof. Containment of the sensor fluid adjacent the sensor plates is accomplished by soldering a sensor cover to an etched sealing ring on the back of the circuit board. The sensor plates etched into the back of the printed circuit board, in combination with the sensor fluid, act as variable resistors whose resistance changes as a function of their angle of rotation from a reference position. An output signal across these variable resistors is in or out of phase with an applied reference signal. The output signal is demodulated with the same reference signal and then filtered to a DC level that corresponds to the angle of rotation. An output stage serves as a driver and also as a means for permitting the user to remotely control the electronic gain of the angle measurement device.

Abstract: A two axis sensor is provided for detecting angular movement relative to either of two mutually perpendicular axes. The device includes a two-axis sensor comprising an upwardly directed, spherically shaped common electrode, an upwardly directed spherically shaped insulating member uniformly spaced from the common electrode to form a cavity therebetween, the common electrode and the insulating member being sealed to each other about respective peripheries thereof, with a dielectric fluid contained in the cavity, a plurality of detecting electrodes provided on an underside of the insulating member, the detecting electrodes formed by a selectively applied conductive surface coating on the underside, and means for detecting variations in capacitance proportional to movement of the sensor relative to each of two mutually perpendicular axes by reason of movement of the dielectric fluid within the cavity.

Abstract: A two axis sensor is provided for detecting angular movement relatice to either of two mutually perpendicular axes. The device includes a two-axis sensor comprising an upwardly directed, spherically shaped common electrode, an upwardly directed spherically shaped insulating member uniformly spaced from the common electrode to form a cavity therebetween, the common electrode and the insulating member being sealed to each other about respective peripheries thereof, with a dielectric fluid contained in the cavity, a plurality of detecting electrodes provided on an underside of the insulating member, the detecting electrodes formed by a selectively applied conductive surface coating on the underside, and a device for detecting variations in capacitance proportional to movement of the sensor relative to each of two mutually perpendicular axes by reason of movement of the dielectric fluid within the cavity.

Abstract: A differential capacitance detector comprising two pulse generators and a comparator. The width of each pulse generator output is representative of the capacity of each of two capacitors whose differential is to be determined. A comparator provides a third pulse whose width is the difference of the width of the pulses input from the pulse generators and is representative of the capacitance differential between the two capacitors.

Abstract: An apparatus for sensing and measuring changes in inclination and providing a digital readout. By sensing pulse width changes rather than amplitude, the apparatus provides improved immunity to instability and environmental changes. A variable frequency scale factor oscillator allows choice of readout units. Any preset angle may be selected as a zero reference. The capability is provided to hold any reading displayed for any desired period of time. An overrange indicator is actuated when the linear range of the sensor has been exceeded. Digital output signals derived from the sensor are applied to gate an angle generator which is responsive to correction factor signals to adjust the digital count in accordance with stored offset data. The digital signal count is incremented or decremented in accordance with a signal representing the sign of inclination, derived from the sensor pulse widths and applied to gate the angle generator accordingly.

Abstract: An angular measuring system consisting of one or more sensors that transmit angular measurements to a central control unit where numerical readout of any selected sensor is provided. A threshold can be preset at individual sensors or the control unit for an allowable angular deviation, beyond which a warning device is actuated. The circuitry permits locating the sensors remotely from the console and provides precision and stability of operation. Low power consumption permits extended operating periods with internal batteries. False alarms are minimized by incorporating a hysteresis loop in the threshold detection circuitry.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing dynamic measurements of the grade of a road bed provides correction for accelerations of the carrying vehicle. A tilt transducer, responsive to both the angle and sense of inclination and to accelerations of the vehicle is used to measure the angle of displacement. The time rate of change of velocity signal derived from the motion of the vehicle is used to provide a signal corresponding to the vehicular acceleration. The acceleration signal level is adjusted to cancel acceleration sensed by the transducer, thereby providing an output reflecting the true angular grade reading.