Abstract: The subject of the invention relates to a positioning system having a control that integrates a GPS receiver for determining the system's operating coordinates. The control can interface with either radio or cellular telephone transceivers, or receivers for receiving GPS coordinate data via remote radio or cellular transceivers or senders, in order to process the local GPS coordinate data using logarithms for solving triangles with various geometrical propositions to establish and control the sensor positioner and to automatically maintain a sensor fix on remote objects or vehicles transmitting their GPS coordinates. The positions control is configured with a target operating mode that permits an operator to manually steer the positioner to desired positions at which information is desired, and to engage the control to make use of, at targeted time, positioner angular data stemming from the positions dive assemblies encoders to automatically maintain a sensor fix on desired targeted positions.

Abstract: A method for the onboard locating and tracking of remotely located targets from a search vehicle. These functions are accomplished by first receiving two separate location signals onboard the search vehicle. The first location signal corresponds to the location of the target and is transmitted by way of a transmitter to a transceiver positioned onboard the search vehicle. The second location signal corresponds to the location of the search vehicle itself, and is received by way of a receiver located onboard the search vehicle. These first and second location signals are processed together by a control processor to determine a relative location between the target and the search vehicle. The control processor then moves an image acquisition device, which includes a camera, in accordance with the relative location, and then visually captures the target with the camera. Visual contact is then maintained by continuously repeating the above described process.

Abstract: A positioning device (10, 10') including a mounting base (16), a yaw assembly (18) for imparting yaw movement relative to the mounting base (16) and a pitch assembly (22) for imparting pitch movement relative to the mounting base (16) is disclosed. The yaw assembly (18) comprises a yaw table (20) rotatably mounted to the mounting base (16) and the pitch assembly (22) comprises a pitch wheel (24) rotatably mounted to the yaw table (20). The positioning device (10, 10') includes a pitch motor (28) located on the yaw table (20) for rotating the pitch wheel (24) relative to the yaw table (20) and a yaw motor (38) located on the yaw table (20) for rotating the yaw table (20) relative to the mounting base (16).

Abstract: The information station uses a computer for receiving, storing and transmitting digital electronic signals which represent digitized information corresponding to printed text or graphics. A facsimile transceiver is used to digitize the printed information and also used to reprint a hard copy from digital electronic signals received from the computer. The computer has a serial interface including a synchronous communication interface and modem for communicating with the facsimile transceiver. A switching circuit, responsive to the computer, switches between three switching states to selectively connect to modem to an external telephone line or to connect the facsimile transceiver to an external telephone line or to connect the modem and facsimile transceiver in order to implement a local information station mode. Digital electronic signals stored in the computer may be off-loaded to a video tape recorder by means of a video interface circuit.

Abstract: A rotary and linear actuating device is disclosed for imparting precision rotary and linear movement to an external member or assembly. In a preferred form of the invention a rotatable assembly is rotated about an axis within a housing by selectively varying the relative pressures of an actuating fluid in at least a pair of fluid pressure chambers defined by the housing, the rotatable assembly and at least a pair of vane members extending therebetween. An elongated shaft member is rotationally fixed relative to the rotatable assembly and is supported by at least a pair of linear bearing assemblies to allow linear movement of the elongated shaft member along said axis. The linear bearing assemblies remain a fixed axial distance from one another in order to adequately support heavy loads on the elongated shaft member and the external member or assembly attached thereto.

Abstract: For feeding short rods, which term includes tubes, such as clinical thermometer tubes with bulbs at one end, a feeding hopper has downwardly-converging bottom walls terminating in an elongated gap between their lower edges forming an elongated slot. Reciprocable horizontally beneath the slot is fluid-pressure-operated ejector plunger which feeds, one at a time, the short rods to a horizontal receiver composed of a pair of spaced parallel guide bars separated by a distance large enough to pass the rod but to detain the bulb, whereupon the rod pivots around the detained bulb to swing downward into the slot and comes to rest between the bars with the bulb uppermost and the rod suspended vertically from the bars.

Abstract: Mounted upon a servo-motor-driven longitudinally-reciprocable X-axis carriage is a servo-motor-driven laterally-reciprocable Y-axis carriage carrying an air cylinder with a vertically-reciprocable and rotatable piston rod. Mounted atop the piston rod is a fixed horizontal arm carrying a rotary actuator and a reciprocating motor respectively rotating and reciprocating a movable horizontal arm mounted on the fixed arm. Also mounted on said fixed arm and rotatable by a stepping motor is a horizontal narrow-angle video camera with high resolving power. An inclined reflector mounted on the outer end of said movable arm reflects into the horizontal camera light rays from articles underneath on a work carrier. A stationary vertical overhead wide angle video camera of lower resolving power is fixedly mounted above said work carrier and focussed thereupon.

Abstract: Vertically bored for horizontally swingable mounting on a vertical pivot pin fixed in a base is an upstanding mirror holder support post containing a horizontal partly-cylindrical recess thereacross, the horizontal axis of which intersects the vertical axis of the pivot pin. Mating with the partly-cylindrical recess and coaxial therewith is a horizontal partly-cylindrical convex mirror holder with a flat front mirror mounting face thereon. A first set screw locks the post in its horizontally-adjustable position relatively to the pivot pin, whereas a second set screw locks the mirror holder in its vertically-adjusted position relatively to the mirror holder support post.

Abstract: To determine whether or not all of the required holes have been formed in a multiple-hole workpiece, as by a punch press, the workpiece is placed in an inspection arrangement containing a system of multiple mirrors adapted to reflect a laser beam from a laser beam source through the multiple holes in the workpiece to a laser beam sensor which preferably is electrically connected to an acceptance or rejection indicator or actuator or to the press control system. If all of the holes have been properly punched or otherwise formed, the sensor recognizes that fact and permits the next workpiece to be fed to the press and the inspected workpiece to be conveyed onward as accepted.

Abstract: Mounted adjacent and in alignment with the workpiece supporting portion of a workpiece-shape-altering machine, such as the lower die of a stamping press, is a laser beam source, the outgoing beam from which passes through a beam splitter which divides the entering beam. One of the two emergent beams from the beam-splitter is a workpiece position-inspecting beam which passes in a grazing direction across one portion of the top of a workpiece resting upon the lower die for subsequent stamping by the upper die of the press. This beam continues onward to a mirror which reflects it in a grazing direction back across another portion of the top of the workpiece to a workpiece position detector. The other emergent beam from the beam splitter is a workpiece presence-inspecting beam which is obstructed by the workpiece, if present on the lower die, so that it does not reach the workpiece presence detector therebeyond.