Abstract: A protective helmet includes a head cap, which surrounds and moves with a wearer's head, and an outer shell which surrounds the head cap. The outer shell is movable both radially and circumferentially relative to the head cap. An energy absorbing flexible liner is located between the head cap and the outer shell. The liner is attached to the outer shell and the head cap so that neither the head cap nor the head of the wearer is otherwise attached to the outer shell. The liner establishes a preset initial relative position and spacing between the head cap and the outer shell and compliantly absorbs energy imparted to the outer shell during a helmet impact to enable the outer shell to move relative to the head cap during the helmet impact and to be returned to the initial relative position with the head cap following the impact.

Abstract: An anchor hook supporting device is for use with an anchor hook having a hook end for engaging a first surface of a support member and a shank end which includes an eyelet opening for receiving a rope or cable. The supporting device includes an attachment assembly for being secured to the shank end of the anchor hook and an engagement assembly for engaging one of a second surface of the support member and another surface which is fixed with respect to the support member. A biasing member having a first end secured to the attachment assembly and a second end secured to the engagement assembly biases the engagement assembly toward the attachment assembly to bias the shank end of the anchor hook and the engagement assembly toward each other for holding the hook end of the anchor hook on the first surface of the support member and the engagement assembly on the second surface of the support member or the other surface.

Abstract: An improved self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) includes a large cylindrical tank of a first diameter having a first weight when holding a first quantity of a breathable gas under a first pressure, an on/off valve, a pressure regulator and a gas distribution device. The improvement comprises replacing the large tank with at least two smaller cylindrical tanks, each of a second diameter which is substantially smaller than the first diameter and a pressure header in fluid communication with each smaller tank and the on/off valve. The smaller tanks and the pressure header have a second combined weight when holding a second quantity of the breathable gas under a second pressure. The second combined weight is substantially the same as or less than the first weight when the first and second pressures are substantially the same and the first and second quantities of the breathable gas are substantially the same.

Abstract: A self powered, self hoisting elevator apparatus for lifting objects from a lower supporting surface to or nearer to an origin at a predetermined height in a multistory structure comprises a light weight housing of sufficient strength for receiving and supporting the objects to be lifted. A cable is wound at least partially onto a rotatable member supported by the housing, the cable having a predetermined length sufficient to reach at least from the origin to the lower supporting surface and having a free end for securing the cable to a fixed anchorage proximate to the origin, the rotatable member rotating in a first direction when the housing is descending toward the lower supporting surface.

Abstract: A thermal clutch assembly is comprised of a radially inner rotatable member, a radially outer rotatable member a pair of axially spaced apart ring structures, and a thin tension web. The ring structures are both affixed to and rotate with one of the rotatable members and each has at least one substantially axial surface which may contact substantially axial surfaces of the other rotatable member. The tension web has high tensile strength, a high surface area to volume ratio, a thermally efficient flow arrangement to the surrounding medium, and high thermal conductivity. The tension web is secured to each of the two ring structures and substantially spans the space between the substantially axial surfaces of the ring structures, the web having a significantly higher thermal coefficient of expansion than the material between the substantially axial surfaces of the other rotatable member.

Abstract: An apparatus for safely evacuating a person within a prescribed weight range from a multistory building by enabling the person to exit from the interior of the building to the outside very quickly and to descend to the ground or lower surface alongside the exterior of the building to attain a descent speed of less than four feet per second to land injury-free, the apparatus comprising a housing, a harness affixed to the housing for affixing the housing to the person, a cable of predetermined length within the housing, having a free-end with a securing member for affixing it to an anchorage proximate the descent point, and a descent slowing energy dissipating mechanism within the housing driven by the playout of the cable as the person descends, which enables the person to attain automatically within his descent a descent speed of less than four feet per second determined by the intersection of the graph of the curve that describes the rate of energy dissipated as a function of the descent speed and the graph

Abstract: An apparatus for safely evacuating a person from a multistory building by enabling the person to exit from the interior of the building to the outside very quickly and to descend to the ground or lower surface alongside the exterior of the building sufficiently slowly to land injury-free, the apparatus comprising a housing, a harness for affixing the housing to the person, a cable of predetermined length within the housing, having a free-end with a securing member for affixing it to an anchorage proximate the descent point, and having an energy dissipating mechanism within the housing driven by the playout of the cable as the person descends, having the characteristic that the slope of the rate of energy dissipated exceeds the slope of the rate of potential energy released as a function of descent speed at their point of intersection, and the characteristic that the intersection occurs at the sufficiently slow descent speed without the person's control.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for detecting a leak in a valve and the magnitude of the leak. The valve has an upstream seal, a downstream seal and an inner cavity isolated by the seals. The apparatus comprises a mechanism for generating random pressure pulses in the inner cavity, a first sensor for detecting the onset of each pressure pulse and generating a trigger signal, a second sensor for sensing pressure pulses within the inner cavity and generating a representative second signal for each sensed pressure pulse and a third sensor located either upstream of the upstream seal or downstream of the downstream seal. The third sensor senses pressure pulses and generates a representative third signal for each sensed pressure pulse. Analysis circuitry samples and synchronously averages the second and third signals to determine the existence and magnitude of a seal leak.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for on-line detection of leaky emergency shutdown or other valves in a fluid transport system having an upstream pipe, a downstream pipe and the valve connected between the upstream pipe and the downstream pipe for controlling fluid flow through the system. The valve has at least one upstream seal and at least one downstream seal and an inner cavity effectively isolated by the seals from the fluid flow stream through the system. The apparatus comprises a first transducer in fluid communication with the fluid flow stream at at least one of: a predetermined distance upstream of the upstream seal; and a predetermined distance downstream of the downstream seal. The first transducer is for sensing pressure pulsations resulting from at least one of: dynamic energy due to fluid flow through the transport system; and transient energy within the fluid in the transport system after the valve is closed and for generating representative electrical signals as a function of time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for on-line detection of leaky emergency shutdown or other valves in a fluid transport system having an upstream pipe, a downstream pipe and the valve connected between the upstream pipe and the downstream pipe for controlling fluid flow through the system. The valve has at least one upstream seal and at least one downstream seal and an inner cavity effectively isolated by the seals from the fluid flow stream through the system. The apparatus comprises a first transducer in fluid communication with the fluid flow stream at at least one of: a predetermined distance upstream of the upstream seal; and a predetermined distance downstream of the downstream seal. The first transducer is for sensing pressure pulsations resulting from at least one of: dynamic energy due to fluid flow through the transport system; and transient energy within the fluid in the transport system after the valve is closed and for generating representative electrical signals as a function of time.

Abstract: A device for measuring strain parameters of a stem, shaft or other cylindrical member of virtually any size or diameter includes a pair of generally flexible holders, each holder supporting a substrate having at least one strain gage thereon. Each substrate is bonded in a predetermined aligned position on the cylindrical member relative to the other substrate to permit strain measurement of the cylindrical member. The holders each include at least one guide. A flexible tensioning band engages the guide on each of the holders for placement and retention of the substrates in the predetermined positions. The band is tightened to provide pressure on the substrates during bonding for proper bonding of the substrates to the cylindrical member to provide adequate transfer of strain. In an alternate embodiment a single holder having a single strain gage substrate thereon is employed.

Abstract: A method for detecting the integrity of a bond between strain gages and the circumferential surface of a rod having an intended use comprises bonding at least four strain gages to the surface of the rod in a predetermined orientation, each of the strain gages being connected to a separate strain gage bridge circuit. The rod is used for its intended use and each of the strain gage bridge circuit outputs a plurality of instantaneous first, second, third and fourth output signals, each being associated with one of the strain gages. A plurality of instantaneous bonding values are calculated from the output signals equal to the sum of the first signal and the fourth signal minus the sum of the second signal and the third signal. If the instantaneous bonding values remain constant, the bond integrity of the strain gages is good whereas if the bonding values are not constant, the bond integrity of at least one of the strain gages is poor.

Abstract: A system to determine the position of an electrically conductive element movably positioned in a housing, like a metal disc in a check valve, with greater accuracy and resolution than single magnet systems includes first and second A.C. electromagnets positioned in close proximity to the element on opposing sides of the housing. The magnets are excited with A.C. currents to generate magnetic fields which penetrate the housing and the element. The magnetic fields are sensed by a magnetic field sensor. A control portion of the system includes a microprocessor configured to allow an operator to adjustably select and set a common frequency, individual amplitudes and a phase difference between the two currents supplied to the two magnets so that the currents might be adjusted to cause the magnets to generate magnetic fields at least partially and preferably essentially cancelling one another at the sensor.

Abstract: A method for determining at least one operating parameter to determine the operating condition of a polyphase electric motor system comprises sensing the instantaneous current signal and the instantaneous voltage signal as a function of time for more than one electrical phase of the motor. The sensed current signals and the sensed voltage signals are both amplitude demodulated and phase demodulated to provide amplitude demodulated current and voltage signals as a function of time and phase demodulated current and voltage signals as a function of time. The resulting amplitude and phase demodulated signals are used to determine one or more of the following electrical parameters as a function of time: total real power, real power per phase, total reactive power, reactive power per phase, total apparent power, apparent power per phase, overall power factor, power factor per phase, electrical impedance per phase, and electrical balance.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining operability of a motor operated valve combination including a valve having a valve stem, a valve disc, a valve seat, and a motor operator having a motor drive interconnecting the motor to the valve stem for movement of the valve disc toward and into engagement with the valve seat to close the valve and a control switch for deactivating the motor. The method comprises the steps of sensing the real motor power of the motor as a function of time during valve closing with zero differential pressure applied to the valve at a first time. From the sensed information, the rate of motor power build-up is determined after the onset of valve wedging during valve closing at the first time. The real motor power of the motor is again sensed as a function of time during valve closing with zero differential pressure applied to the valve at a second time which is subsequent to the first time.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for detecting and identifying one or more resonantly vibrating blades of a turbine through the use of acoustic sensors imbedded in the stationary casing of the turbine is disclosed. The acoustic sensor signals are processed to separate the characteristic Doppler waveform from the accompanying random noise and periodic noise. Improved signal processing techniques which involve the evaluation of both an information-bearing resonant signal and its Hilbert transform via direct synthesis are disclosed.

Abstract: A system for determining shaft load parameters including shaft windup angle per unit length, torque output and power output in a generally cylindrical rotating shaft having an outer surface and a longitudinal axis extending through the center thereof includes a plurality of probes spaced apart from each other. Each probe has a first end and a second end, the first end of each probe being in facing relationship with the rotating shaft. A rigid frame commonly supports all of the probes at a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the shaft. The frame is supported in such a manner that the frame may vibrate or displace relative to the rotating shaft essentially as a rigid body. Targets on the outer surface of the rotating shaft are located for triggering a probe output response each time during shaft rotation that a target passes the first end of one of the probes.

Abstract: A system for determining shaft load parameters including shaft windup angle per unit length, torque output and power output in a generally cylindrical rotating shaft having an outer surface and a longitudinal axis extending through the center thereof includes a plurality of probes spaced apart from each other. Each probe has a first end and a second end, the first end of each probe being in facing relationship with the rotating shaft. A rigid frame commonly supports all of the probes at a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the shaft. The frame is supported in such a manner that the frame may vibrate or displace relative to the rotating shaft essentially as a rigid body. Targets on the outer surface of the rotating shaft are located for triggering a probe output response each time during shaft rotation that a target passes the first end of one of the probes.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for approximating the stem thrust during the operation of a motor operated valve combination including a valve having a valve stem, a valve disk, a valve seat, and a motor operator having a motor drive means interconnecting the motor to the valve stem for movement of the valve stem disk toward and into engagement with the valve seat to close the valve and a control switch for deactivating the motor.

Abstract: A method for approximating a stem thrust difference during the operation of a motor operated valve combination includes the steps of sensing the stem thrust of the motor operated valve combination as a function of time during valve closing at a first time. From the sensed information, the rate of thrust build-up is determined after the onset of wedging during valve closing at the first time. The real electrical power of the motor is then sensed as a function of time during valve closing at a second time which is subsequent to the first time. The rate of real motor power build-up after the onset of wedging during valve closing at the second time is determined from the sensed information. The ratio of thrust change to power change is approximated by dividing the rate of thrust build-up after the onset of wedging at the first time by the rate of real motor power build-up after the onset of wedging at the second time.