Abstract: A chain merchandising apparatus includes a frame, a cabinet secured to the frame, and a chain support mounted to the frame and located within the cabinet for supporting a plurality of chain containers. A chain cutter is moveably fixed to the apparatus so as to be facilely and safely selectively adjustable vertically and horizontally in relation thereto for permitting a user to position the chain cutter substantially adjacent to a preselected chain container supported on the chain support.

Abstract: A chain merchandising apparatus includes a frame, a cabinet secured to the frame, and chain support means mounted to the frame and located within the cabinet for supporting a plurality of chain containers. A chain cutter is moveably fixed to the apparatus so as to be facilely and safely selectively adjustable vertically and horizontally in relation thereto for permitting a user to position the chain cutter substantially adjacent to a preselected chain container supported on the chain support means.

Abstract: The turn signal actuator for motor vehicles consists of thumb actuated switches attached to the hand control accelerator-brake control grip and signal arm actuators attached to the steering column. The thumb actuated switches are used by the vehicle driver to activate the signal arm actuators rotating the turn signal arm clockwise for right turns or rotating the turn signal arm counterclockwise for left turns. Because the thumb actuated switches are attached to the hand control accelerator-brake control grip, they are used to signal vehicle turns with momentary thumb pressure without releasing or changing the settings of the hand control accelerator-brake control grip.

Abstract: The invention is a flywheel with apparatus that permits the flywheel's rotational inertia to be controlled during rotation. A flywheel attached to a drive shaft has at least two control masses attached such that they can move radially approximately orthogonal to the rotational axis in channels and slots in the flywheel structure. The control masses are mechanically attached to a shaft collar which rotates with and axially translates on the surface of the splined drive shaft. An electrical actuator controls the axial position of the shaft collar on the drive shaft and the resultant radial position of the control masses on the flywheel. The flywheel inertia is the sum of the inertias of the flywheel, shaft collar and the inertia of the control masses which is a function of their radial displacement relative to the rotational axis as controlled by the electrical actuator.

Abstract: A method for determining the configuration and location of an object with respect to an X, Y, X coordinate frame. The exterior surface of the sobject is equipped with a plurality of retroreflector surfaces capable of reflecting range measuring laser beams back to their sources. Three lasers, "A", "B", and "C", are located orthogonally to one another to define the reference coordinate frame. The lasers are used to determine the range distance to each of the retroreflector surface within the coordinate frame. The space defined by the coordinate frame is divided into four quadrants and the location of the retroreflector within a particular quadrant determines the value of variables qx and qy to be used in association therewith. Then, for each retroreflector.sub.n, the measured ranges from the laser to the retroreflector are designated as RA.sub.n, from laser A, RB.sub.n from laser B and RC.sub.n from laser C.

Abstract: The invention is a mechanism that measures, at any rotational speed, the torque transmitted from an electric motor rotor to an motor shaft and transfers the electrical characteristics representing the measured motor torque to slip rings external to the motor housing. The motor housing supports the motor shaft in bearings. The motor rotor is attached to the motor shaft by torsionally compliant structure, and the motor rotor is radially supported relative to the motor shaft by bearings which maintain the motor air gap when the torsionally compliant structure deforms. The rotational angular deformation of the torsionally compliant structure is measured by deformation measurement means within the motor housing. Electrical conductors are passed through a spacer in the form of a cylindrical shaft sleeve between the motor shaft and one of the motor bearing races to slip rings external to the motor housing.

Abstract: The torque transducer for rotating machines enables precise measurement of the torque transmitted between a torquing means and a driven load at any rotational speed. A torsionally compliant means is concentrically attached between the torquing means and load shaft attached to the driven load. The torsionally compliant means' angular deformation representing torque is measured between capacitive elements attached to the torquing means and capacitive elements attached to structure attached to the load shaft. An electronic circuit transforms the differential capacitance created by the torsionally compliant means's angular deformation to a voltage proportional to torque.

Abstract: The three degree of freedom micro-gravity simulator is a machine system that enables close duplication of three of the six weightless degrees of freedom of a space environment in the gravity field on earth's surface. The three degrees of freedom are two translational degrees of freedom orthogonal to the gravity vector and one rotational degree of freedom parallel to the gravity vector. The mechanism concept that duplicates the weightless environment eliminates all but air bearing forces acting on the object being tested in the plane orthogonal to the gravity vector without adding significant mass to the test object or confining the test object translational or rotational movements in the plane orthogonal to the gravity vector. The machine consists of at least three test object support platforms which permit small test object movements relative to the support platform without applying forces to the test object.

Abstract: This invention is a rotary actuator in which the angular momentum of a ratationally pointed structure is offset by the angular momentum of a compensating inertia. The compensating inertia structure is rotational driven relative to the pointed structure across a differential gear which assures the ratio of the rotational rate of the compensating inertia to the rotational rate of the pointed structure is a negative constant. The differential gear consist of a stationary gear fixed to the base vehicle, a platform gear axially coincident with the stationary gear but free to rotate relative to the stationary gear being fixed to the pointed structure. Planetary gears mesh with the stationary and planetary gears and are driven relative to the compensating inertia structure by planetary drive motors.

Abstract: Large space structures are generally constructed of very stiff beams with little structural damping. Periodic activities such as instrument pointing can cause small beam deformations which can accumulate over time in the frequency vicinity of structural resonances. The beam vibration damping system is a low mass, add-on system of structure, sensors, actuators and controllers that measures and controls the lateral translational velocity of a damped point on the beam relative to a reference point on the beam. The beam vibration damping system mast structure is erected about normal to the beam at the reference point with a deformation measurement mechanism attached to the end mast structure displaced from the beam axis, and attached the damped point on the beam by a cable. A controlled tension mechanism is also attached to the end of the reference structure displaced from the beam axis, and is attached by a cable to the damped point on the beam.

Abstract: The momemtum compensated actuator in this invention directly torques the compensating inertia relative to the pointed structure with the harmonic drive used to insure the rotational rate ratio between the compensating inertia and pointed structure is constant at all times. Improvements to the actuator are:1. a harmonic drive wave generator shaft coupling that is torsionally very stiff with no backlash about the wave generator rotational axis, but is compliant to small wave generator motions orthogonal to the rotational axis due to harmonic drive ring gear-flexspline tooth mesh errors;2. a shaft link between the pointed structure and the base vehicle with a threaded means to compressional preload all the rotational structure support ball bearings;3. a means to provide a rotational bias rate to the actuator rotational reference structure assuring that during pointing each rotating structure support ball bearing race has a different rotational rate eliminating non linear stiction friction effects.

Abstract: The differential gear momentum compensated actuator is a mechanism that maintains the rotational rate of a planetary carrier relative to a sun gear a constant negative multiple of the rotational rate of the pointed device relative to the sun gear enabling momentum compensation, but when the angular rate of the pointed device relative to its support bearing races is zero, large non linear friction torques act on the pointed device and prevent precision device pointing. The improved rate biased differential gear momentum compensated actuator is a mechanism for rotationally articulating the sun gear relative to the base vehicle at a biased angular rate while the pointed device independently tracks the target angular rate. The bias angular rate of the rotational reference sun gear results in each pointed device support ball bearing race having a different rotational rate thus preventing stiction friction torques from acting on the pointed device.

Abstract: A storage compartment with a hinged cover which acts as an armrest is fixedly attached to the frame of a wheelchair and does not interfere with wheelchair folding, armrest frame removal, or occupant operation of propulsion rings and brakes. The storage compartments store small articles, identification, and money.