Abstract: A motor/generator unit is disclosed which is arranged to be fitted in the drive train of a vehicle, such as a hybrid vehicle. The unit comprises an electrical machine (10, 12) and a housing arrangement (14, 16). The housing arrangement comprises an inner housing (14) arranged to accommodate the electrical machine, and an outer housing (16) arranged to fit around the inner housing. This can allow the electrical machine to be provided as a self-contained unit suitable for use in different applications.

Abstract: A rotor disc is disclosed for an axial flux permanent magnet rotating electrical machine. The rotor disc (12) comprises a plurality of laminations in a radial direction through the rotor disc, and a plurality of slots which pass radially through successive laminations for accommodating permanent magnets (14). The rotor disc may be formed from a spirally wound strip of material, or from groups of laminations.

Abstract: A conductivity sensor configuration which has essentially no external electrical field so that the calibration of the sensor is not affected by the existence of nearby external objects or fouling on the exterior parts of the sensor. Additionally, the sensor is relatively insensitive to electrode fouling or electrode polarization. The sensor includes a tube through which the liquid to be measured flows. An inner electrode plate extends partially along the length of the tube dividing the central portion of the tube into two sections. Two inner electrodes are located on the inner wall, one on each side, and two outer electrodes are located on the inside of the tube opposite the inner electrodes.

Abstract: A conductivity sensor configuration which has essentially no external electrical field so that the calibration of the sensor is not affected by the existence of nearby external objects or fouling on the exterior parts of the sensor. Additionally, the sensor is relatively insensitive to electrode fouling or electrode polarization.

Abstract: The fluid conductivity sensor disclosed herein is adapted for the non-contacting measurement of fluid conductivity and utilizes first and second insulating tubes, each of which is provided with both the driving transformer and the sensing transformer. The sensor is immersed in the fluid to be tested so that the tubes fill with the fluid. The driving transformer's are oppositely poled so that the current induced in one tube tends to return through the other tube. Shrouds are provided which link the corresponding ends of the tubes and operate to obstruct in-fluid current flow not linking both of the tubes. Accordingly the influence of objects nearby in the fluid is substantially eliminated.

Abstract: A multiple axis joystick employs positionable and fixed electrode assemblies having mutually orthogonal sets of spaced apart electrodes. The electrode spacings depend on the rotational and translational movements of the positional electrodes relative to the fixed electrodes. A signal generator applies an electromagnetic signal to one set of the electrodes. The signal is coupled to the closest associated electrodes of the other set of electrodes to a degree dependent on the rotation- and translation-induced spacings. A controller sequentially detects and processes each coupled signal voltage to determine a degree of deflection in the X-, Y-, Z-, roll-, pitch-, and yaw-axis directions of one set of the electrodes relative to the other set of electrodes.

Abstract: A safelock system for removable gears is provided having a self-seating gear segment rotatably mounted on a helical ball spline for bi-directional axial movement with respect to the gear teeth to be locked. A relubrication structure is provided to service the interior of the ball spline. The interlocking teeth are two-dimensionally tapered from the point of initial engagement. Diverse biasing structures are employed to facilitate the axial self-seating reaction of the gear segment after initial engagement with the gear to be locked.

Abstract: A capacitively coupled, six axis joystick (320) employs a sensor electrode (310) having a perpendicular pair of slots (312, 314) and a fixed electrode assembly (300) having capacitor electrodes (C.sub.S) formed on three mutually orthogonal surfaces of planar circuit boards (302, 304, 306) that are complementarily nested within the slots of the sensor electrode. When nested together, the capacitor electrodes are separated from faces of the sensor electrode by spacings that depend on the rotational and translational movements of the sensor electrode relative to the electrode assembly. A signal generator (352) and address decoder (354) sequentially apply an alternating signal to the capacitor electrodes. The alternating signal is coupled to the closest associated faces of the sensor electrode to a degree dependent on the rotation- and translation-induced spacings.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for creating heat by electromagnetic induction between relatively rotating components. In RAT applications, part of the nose cone (34) is formed from electrically conductive material (106) which is in thermally conductive relation to the nose cone exterior. A magnetic field is created by components (60) that are spaced apart from the electrically conductive material and relatively rotatable with respect to that material. The electrically conductive material intersects the magnetic field, at least in part, such that eddy currents are created in the electrically conductive material by relative rotation with respect to the magnetic field. These eddy currents create heat which is conducted to the exterior surface of the RAT nose cone. Preferably, the magnetic field is created by a pair of spaced-apart permanent magnets (60) mounted on a support plate (62) inside the RAT hub (28) and immediately behind the nose cone.

Abstract: A system for determining a property, such as conductivity, of a material in which a sensor provides a square wave sensor output signal the value if which is selected to the proper in response to a square wave driver signal. The sensor output signal is compared with a feedback signal to produce an error signal. A forward circuit responds to the error signal and provides an in-phase component thereof which is integrated to provide an integrated DC output signal. A feedback signal provides an in-phase square wave feedback signal the peak-to-peak amplitude of which has a precisely selected relationship with the integrated DC output signal for comparison with the square wave sensor output signal to reduce the error signal to zero. The integrated DC output signal can be digitized and suitably processed to provide a signal which represents the property of the material to a high degree of accuracy.

Abstract: An acoustic current meter in which a CW burst is transmitted first in one direction along each acoustic path and then in the reverse direction along such path so that a single receiver system may be used and phase shift and/or d.c. offsets canceled. Four orthogonal components of current are measured so that the axis contaminated by the center support strut may be eliminated from further computation. A direction sensor includes a 3 axis magnetometer using feedback to minimize current requirements and a two axis accelerometer aligned therewith as a tilt sensor.

Abstract: A pole-mounted pruning tool having a shank adapted to support a cutting implement in a disposition suitable for severing a branch or the like. The shank merges into a hook having a jaw. The hook has a slot through which a cutting blade pivots during a pruning operation, the cutting blade cooperating with the jaw to severe a limb to be trimmed. The cutting blade biasing member, which urges the blade into a normally open position outside the bight of the jaw, is substantially received in a recess of the shank so that the pruning tool is less susceptible to becoming caught in congested foliage areas during pruning operations.

Abstract: Difficulty in achieving the disconnection of two relatively rotatable elements (14) and (30) is avoided in a simple manual connect-disconnect operator which includes a coupling shaft (42) for interconnecting the rotary members (14), (30) and a translatable carrier (38) which journals the coupling shaft (42) for rotation about an axis and further mounts the coupling shaft (42) for movement between connect and disconnect positions. A yoke (60) is mounted on a pivot (66), (100) and is connected to the carrier (38) to move the coupling shaft (42) upon pivotal movement of the yoke (60). The support shaft (108) is mounted for reciprocating movement along its longitudinal axis and a handle (132) is pivotally mounted on the support shaft (108).

Abstract: In a jet aircraft having a drive which rotatably drives an airframe mounted accessory drive (12), a system for controlling the connection of the drive to the airframe mounted accessory drive is disclosed which permits the manual connection and disconnection of a rotatable shaft (18) from a driven shaft (22) with high reliability by a manually movable handle (30) which is connected to a fork (88) which is rotatable between first and second positions which translates a movable carrier (20) which carries the driven shaft between first and second positions. The system has minimal backlash which insures high integrity in sensed positions of the system which is necessary for safe operation of the aircraft.

Abstract: A pressure transducer capable of measuring very high pressures with great accuracy. The transducer includes a metal structure enclosing a volume which forms a resonant cavity to provide the tuning element in a UHF oscillator. The resonant cavity provides an inductance and a variable capacitance, the capacitance being variable as a function of the pressure to be measured. A transistor oscillator is very loosely coupled to the tuned circuit and provides positive feedback to maintain the oscillation. Due to the loose coupling between the transistor and the tune circuit, changes in the input reactance of the oscillator circuit have very little affect on the frequency of the tuned circuit. The frequency varies as a function of the pressure and provides an indication thereof. Two embodiments of the transducer are described. A first embodiment includes two concentric tubes, a section at the center of the outer tube being reduced in diameter to form an annular gap to provide the variable capacitance.

Abstract: A seawater probe for measuring a physical parameter which includes a sensor element having an electrical characteristic dependent on the parameter and a detector circuit for deriving a measurement signal corresponding to a measured value of the electrical characteristic, the improvement including a reference element having a known, stable value of the electrical characteristic connected in series with the sensor element, the reference and sensor elements being powered by a single power supply, means for selectively connecting the sensor and reference elements separately in the detector circuit, and means for calibrating the detector circuit using the known value of the electrical characteristic of the reference element and the measurement signal derived when the reference element is in the detector circuit.

Abstract: A power transmission disconnect device with an operational interlock wherein a pair of clutch members are selectively engageable to transmit power from an input gear to an output shaft. Remotely operable means acts through a throwout sleeve to position a disconnect shaft to have the clutch members either engaged or disengaged. An operational interlock responsive to the speed of an input gear to the disconnect device prevents actuation of the clutch to either engaged or disengaged position when said speed is above a predetermined speed. Sensors are associated with the structure to assist in proper operation of the disconnect device.

Abstract: Circuit for measuring the relative change in conductivity between two cells which include a test biorigion and a control biorigion as the test cell biorigion conductivity changes as a result of analyte modecules binding to receptor sites in the test cell biorigion. The invention includes circuitry for driving a current through each of the cells and for measuring the voltage drops across the test and control cells as a function of time. A novel two-stage ac analog-to-digital convertion circuit in which the initial conductivities are measured via a successive approximation process, while the relative conductivities are monitored during a test interval via a tracking technique is included. The circuitry is controlled by a digital controller which can vary the parameters of the measurement processes so as to make the circuit adaptable to the measurement of a wide variety of substances using different cell configurations and/or electrolytes.

Abstract: Novel ethenylphenol indoles of the formula ##STR1## wherein R and R.sub.1 are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 5 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 3 to 7 carbon atoms, cycloalkylalkyl of 4 to 7 carbon atoms and aralkyl of 7 to 12 carbon atoms optionally substituted with 1 to 3 members of the group consisting of halogen, methyl, ethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, methylthio, --CF.sub.3, --NH.sub.2 and --NO.sub.2 or R and R.sub.1 together with the nitrogen atom form an optionally unsaturated heterocycle optionally containing a second heteroatom selected from the group consisting of --O--, --S-- and ##STR2## R' is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a together with X is .dbd.0 and b is hydrogen or a together with b is a carbon-carbon bond and X is hydrogen, the dotted line indicates the possibility of a double bond with the compounds having the trans configuration if a double bond, A is selected from the group consisting of ##STR3## and --(CH.sub.2).sub.n --, n is 2,3,4 or 5, R.

Abstract: Novel 6-amino-7-hydroxy-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-imidazo[4,5,l-j-k][1]-benzazepin-2-(1 H)-one derivatives of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 8 carbon atoms optionally substituted with a hydroxyl, aryl and aryloxy of 6 to 10 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 3 to 7 carbon atoms optionally interrupted with a heteroatom optionally substituted with alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and the wavy lines indicates that the 7-OH and 6-amino have the trans configuration and their non-toxic, pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts having remarkable anti-hypertensive and hypotensive activity and vasodilatatory activity and their preparation.