Abstract: A powered fastener driver includes a driver unit, a handle unit, and a handle extension. The handle unit is selectively and removably attachable to the driver unit. The handle extension has a first end and a second end, the handle extension being selectively and removably attachable to the driver unit at the first end, and being selectively and removably attachable to the handle unit at the second end. The powered fastener driver is adjustable between a first configuration in which the handle unit is directly attached to the driver unit, and a second configuration in which the driver unit is attached to the handle extension at the first end, and the handle unit is attached to the handle extension at the second end.

Abstract: A rack assembly for drying short lumber pieces is provided. The rack assembly includes unitary racks for supporting each tier of lumber pieces in a stack. Each rack includes transverse stickers to separate it from the preceding tier and a number of longitudinal tracks to guide the placement of the short lumber pieces. The pieces are arranged end-to-end in rows extending the length of the rack and the rows are arranged side-by-side across the width of the rack. A method of using such a rack to facilitate the drying of lumber is also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus designed to expose the power of manipulating data transfer and ownership to the compiler has been given. The key ideas behind the XDP methodology are its separation of data transfer from local computation, its non-blocking semantics to allow overlapping of communication with computation, and its unified treatment of data and ownership transfer. In addition, XDP offers the compiler a convenient platform for doing optimizations involving data movement by providing mechanisms for delayed communication binding and generating generalized compute rules. Compile-time data and data ownership transfers are accomplished independent of the target machine architecture. The run-time symbol table given here to support XDP is implementable as an extension to most high-level compiler intermediate languages. The applicability of XDP is quite general, and is not restricted to the optimization of communication for distributed memory machines.

Abstract: A direct-fired kiln for drying lumber having a reversible powered air-mover mechanism for producing air circulation within the interior of the kiln in either of opposite directions. Selectively controlled air withdrawal conduits returning air to a fuel burner outside the kiln are adjusted so that air is always withdrawn from the side of a load within the kiln where circulated air is exiting from the load.

Abstract: A drier which has a reversible power operated air mover for circulating air through multiple loads in either of opposite directions. An exhaust duct means is provided for removing moisture-laden air in a region between the loads, and a dilution air means is provided for introducing dilution air into this region. Means is provided for heating the dilution air introduced. The means for introducing air and with drawing air and for heating the air have the same operating characteristics irrespective of the direction of air movement.

Abstract: A method for changing brain wave frequency to a desired frequency determines a current brain wave frequency of a user, generates two frequencies with a frequency difference of a magnitude between that of the current actual brain wave frequency and the desired frequency but always within a predetermined range of the current actual brain wave frequency, and produces an output to the user corresponding to the two frequencies. One apparatus to accomplish the method has a computer processor, a computer memory, EEG electrodes along with an amplifier, a programmable timing generator responsive to the computer processor for generating the two frequencies, audio amplifiers and a beat frequency generator driving a visual frequency amplifier.

Abstract: A kiln controller controls the drying of lumber in a kiln by executing a drying schedule and adjusting the drying schedule in response to actual measured conditions in the kiln. A computer within the controller controls heating coils, spray nozzles and vents in the kiln to achieve the conditions prescribed in the drying schedule. The computer first executes a routine whereby the kiln temperature is brought up to a desired initial temperature. Then the computer concurrently executes the drying schedule and a routine wherein it monitors the temperature, vent load and spray nozzle activity, and automatically adjusts the duration of the current step in the drying schedule.

Abstract: A method of bounding, from above and below, the probability of uncovering a fault in a logic portion of an integrated circuit having embedded memory. The circuit must be designed according to a specified set of design rules. Then one or more probabilities of fault exposure is calculated for a modified system with the memory portion removed, with its inputs directly connected to its outputs. This probability can be related, by provided relations, to upper and lower bounds of the fault exposure in the unmodified system. The relationships rely upon how the logic portions process given test vectors to control the unremoved memory portion.

Abstract: First and second ported ducts are associated with a drying chamber. A flow control housing has first and second compartments communicating respectively with the first and second ducts. These compartments also have openings which communicate with atmosphere. A fan is employed which draws air from the drying chamber into one of the ducts and through one of the compartments to atmosphere. At the same time a fan on a common shaft draws in make-up air from the atmosphere and forces it through the other of the compartments and into the other duct for discharge into the dryer. The fans are reversible, and the flow control housing is combined with a double acting heat exchanger which extracts heat from exhaust air in one compartment and transfers it to the other compartment for preheating make-up air. A damper is provided in the flow control housing on the atmosphere side thereof for precise control of exhaust and make-up air.

Abstract: A pulse forming network with distributed inductance and capacitance is diosed for use in a magnetic modulator. The magnetic modulator has a magnetic core with a primary winding and a secondary winding around it. The pulse forming network includes an inner winding of flattened wire around the magnetic core and connected to one end of the secondary winding for receiving an induced voltage. The pulse forming network also includes a metal foil shield around the inner winding, so that the induced voltage may be stored capacitively between the inner winding and the shield. When the magnetic core saturates, the impedance of the secondary winding drops, so that the pulse forming network discharges through a load. The shape of the pulse through the load is determined by the inductance of the inner winding and the capacitance between the inner winding and the shield.

Abstract: Elements x in a domain A are hashed into a range B by selecting any one of a plurality of hashing functions which collectively form an almost universal.sub.2 class of functions. The data element to be hashed is separated into individual sub-strings x.sub.1 through x.sub.n of no more than log.sub.2 (b) bits in length, where b is an integer, and the hashing algorithm is a polynomial of the form f.sub.y (x)=(y.sup.0 x.sub.1 +y.sup.1 x.sub.2 + . . . +y.sup.n-1 x.sub.n) (mod b). In general, for a finite field of b=p.sup.k elements, where k is a positive integer, there will be a hash function defined by the formula f.sub.y (x)=y.sup.0 x.sub.1 +y.sup.1 x.sub.2 + . . . +y.sup.n-1 x.sub.n, where the addition and multiplication operations are those defined by the finite field and y is an element of the field. In a second embodiment, the hashing is a two-stage process defined by g.sub.z (f.sub.y (x)), where f.sub.y (x) is defined as above and g.sub.z is a function selected from a known universal.sub.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for performing a hashing operation on an N bit number under control of a prespecified N bit hashing constant which comprises performing N/K finite field partial multiplications of the object to be hashed by the hashing constant, utilizing K logic and combinatorial circuits all of which operate in parallel to completely evaluate the number in N/K operations.Another feature of the present invention is that the hashing constant loaded into the system may be changed at will with a resultant changing of the hashing characteristics to suit a particular class of objects to be hashed. This is done by a "select" operation.

Abstract: Means for achieving square wave charging of pulse forming networks in line ype pulsers which include parallel pulse forming networks with charging inductors connected between the PFNs. The cumulative value of the distributed inductance of the charging inductors is chosen so that when combined with the total capacitance of the PFNs, the charging network pulsewidth equals the interpulse period.

Abstract: A novel microwave power divider is disclosed that is a combination of an ort junction circulator and a novel isolator-mismatch device for each circulator port other than one input port and divides microwave signal power incident to the input port into any desired ratio among the output ports and isolates all the ports from microwave power reflected back toward the divider after being propagated through the divider and thus prevents interaction among line devices, e.g. amplifier units, that are fed by the output ports. Also a novel microwave power combiner is disclosed that is a combination of an N-port junction circulator and a novel isolator-reflector device for each port other than one output port to combine at the one output port identical microwave signals or microwave signals that differ in frequency or phase incident to the isolator-reflector devices. The microwave power combiner, like the microwave power divider, provides isolation among the signal transmission lines.

Abstract: A novel microwave power divider is disclosed that is a combination of an N-port junction circulator and a novel isolator-mismatch device for each circulator port other than one input port and divides microwave signal power incident to the input port into any desired ratio among the output ports and isolates all the ports from microwave power reflected back toward the divider after being propagated through the divider and thus prevents interaction among line devices, e.g. amplifier units, that are fed by the output ports. Also a novel microwave power combiner is disclosed that is a combination of an N-port junction circulator and a novel isolator-reflector device for each port other than one output port to combine at the one output port identical microwave signals or microwave signals that differ in frequency or phase incident to the isolator-reflector devices. The microwave power combiner, like the microwave power divider, provides isolation among the signal transmission lines.

Abstract: A standby microwave transmitter power amplifier tube is switched into a microwave power distribution system for a phased array in microseconds when any transmitter tube feeding any one of the radiating elements falls and all the radiating elements continue to be fed by respective transmitter tubes after the switching is completed, the switching being accomplished by changing electrical length of a quarter-wavelength waveguide stub to one-half wavelength by switching a reciprocal latching ferrite phase shifter in the stub, in response to termination of microwave power from one of the feed tubes.

Abstract: A standby microwave transmitter power amplifier tube is switched into a mowave power distribution system for a phased array in microseconds when any transmitter tube feeding any one of the radiating elements fails and all the radiating elements continue to be fed by respective transmitter tubes after the switching is completed, the switching being accomplished by changing electrical length of a quarter-wavelength waveguide stub to one-half wavelength by switching a reciprocal latching ferrite phase shifter in the stub, in response to termination of microwave power from one of the feed tubes.