Abstract: A manifold of an engine has a liner, a housing and an insulating element covering and extending about the liner between the liner and the housing. The external surface of the housing is free of insulating elements. The insulating element is quilted and has ceramic fiber encased within fiberglass.

Abstract: A long plasma formation tube is imbedded in a high magnetic field, with magnetic field lines passing axially through the tube, and with the tube being placed proximate or inside of a resonant cavity. Electromagnetic energy resonates in the resonant cavity representing stored microwave energy. The power density of the stored microwave energy is a function of the cross-sectional area of the resonant cavity. A portion of the stored microwave energy is concentrated to increase its power density, and coupled into the plasma formation tube, which tube has a smaller cross-sectional area than the resonant cavity. The coupled energy excites a whistler wave in the plasma formation tube that forms the plasma within the tube. In one embodiment, the stored microwave power is concentrated by funneling it through a metallic iris that forms one end of the resonant cavity, with a tip of the plasma formation tube being positioned near the metallic iris.

Abstract: A ghost canceller which operates at IF and utilizes a storage mode heterojunction acoustic charge transport device (SM-HACT). The signal delay provided by the SM-HACT is increased by the operation of barrier electrodes which delay the movement of charge packets across the device, thereby eliminating the need for additional digital equalization. The tap weights of the SM-HACT are determined by the operation of a fixed correlator which responds to ghosts in a predetermined training waveform.

Abstract: A method for simultaneously sequencing both strands of a target DNA is provided. The method involves "shifting" one or both strands of the target DNA by addition or deletion of one or more nucleotides to one or both strands of the duplex to produce shifted DNA. Both strands of the shifted DNA duplex and the target DNA are sequenced and the sequences of the shifted and unshifted target DNA are compared. Since portions of the sequenced strands of the target and shifted DNA are identical, all or a portion of sequence of the target DNA can be determined.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the tension loading of a conveyor chain (12) utilizing a transducer (22) that is mounted on the chain to travel therewith and generate an electrical signal based on the tension of the chain (12) and a data logger (60) mounted on the chain for converting the electrical signal into tension data for storage in a memory (132) of the logger on the chain. The system also includes an infrared transmitter (146 ) for generating a position signal representing a predetermined position of the chain (12). The method utilizes the data logger (60) and involves mounting the logger on the chain and placing the chain under tension. The method further involves generating an electrical signal based on the tension of the chain, converting the electrical signal into tension data and storing the tension data in the memory on the chain.

Abstract: A linear acoustic charge transport circuit including an acoustic charge transport (ACT) device and a transconductance amplifier. In one embodiment the ACT device includes a bipolar injector. The ACT device can comprise either a thick channel ACT or a heterojunction ACT.

Abstract: A cleaner attachment for use with a vacuum source, such as a common vacuum cleaner or a central vacuum system, defined by a plurality of feathers arranged about the end of a tube defining the body of the attachment. The feathered covered end of the tube includes a series of openings along both the side wall and the end wall thereof, creating a vacuum type atmosphere with the feathers. In a typical assembly, the quills of the feathers are wire wrapped into position on the tube, and the wire wrapping overlaid by a heat shrinking material.

Abstract: A high definition television acoustic charge transport filter bank significantly lowers the amount of digital processing needed in a high definition television. The filter bank effects frequency shifting by undersampling input waveforms to create aliasing, and by sampling output waveforms to shift received signals up in frequency. The filter bank is highly accurate and inexpensive because of the simple acoustic charge transport filter structure, high charge transport efficiency, linear phase and sample data operation.

Abstract: A wheelchair tray assembly is provided which includes a horizontal tray and a vertical rod for pivotally mounting the tray to the leg of the wheelchair. A tubular member is mounted to the wheelchair leg for receiving the rod in a manner which allows the pivotal movement of the tray from in front of an individual in the wheelchair to an out of use position to the side of a wheelchair. The tray is preferably releasably coupled to the rod so that it can be selectively removed from the wheelchair for cleaning or transport of goods thereon. A locking mechanism can be provided so as to prevent inadvertent removal of the tray from the rod.

Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter for an acoustic charge transport (ACT) device that permits an ACT device to directly accept digital inputs. The digital-to-analog converter includes a plurality of digital-to-analog converter circuits that convert respective groups of digital information applied to the ACT device to corresponding analog voltages. The corresponding analog voltages are applied to respective input contacts that are isolated by charge barriers formed in a channel region of the ACT device. Each of the input contacts generates a charge packet having a charge magnitude corresponding to a numerical value of an input group of the applied digital information. The charge packets generated by each of the input contacts coalesces into a collective charge packet which then travels through the ACT device.

Abstract: An interface circuit for reading data to a programmable message display is provided wherein input power is reduced through sampling techniques and circuit complexity is reduced through multiplexing. Stable operation is providing in the presence of noise when the interface circuit is coupled to a device, such as a programmable controller. The circuit includes a plurality of input circuits which receive and condition a like plurality of parallel input data signals. A reference signal generating circuit is responsive to control signals from a microprocessor of the display to provide reference signals. A like plurality of comparator circuits are coupled to their responsive input circuits and to the reference signal generating circuit. Different banks of the comparator circuits sequentially compare the conditioned input signals with the reference signals. Isolation circuits are coupled to the outputs of the comparator circuits.

Abstract: An engine intake screen assembly is provided. A rotatable screen has a continuous peripheral skirt which telescopes with an upstanding housing ring-like flange so as to create a serpentine entry path for grass and other foreign matter trying to enter at the seam between the screen and the inlet. Entry can be further restricted through the use of a radially outwardly directed ring extension on the screen and/or a guard ring member. These parts can combine to form a trap pocket and/or to increase the serpentine nature of the entry path. In one version, the grass will form its own seal in the trap.

Abstract: An adaptive DCPM video encoder operates directly upon a digitized composite video signal to generate a bit reduced serial digital output signal. The encoder has a feed back loop in the form of a recursive filter with zero's at d.c. and the color subcarrier frequency of the digitized encoded video signal that determines a predicted value for subtraction from the digitized composite video signal to produce a difference signal having the color subcarrier frequency nulled out. The difference signal is quantized to produce a quantized difference signal from which the predicted value is derived. An inner loop determines from the quantized difference signal an offset value from which the presence of large step transitions in the digitized encoded video signal are detected. For large step transitions the offset signal is subtracted from the difference signal to produce an offset difference signal for input to the quantizer.

Abstract: A gun port assembly includes:(a) an armored closure,(b) structure forming a main port,(c) and a rocker arm pivotably carried by such structure to carry the closure into closing and opening relation to the port in response to pivoting of the arm,(d) and over-center spring mechanism biasing the arm to have a first stable position in which the closure extends in closing relation to the port, and a second stable position in which the closure is spaced away from the port, and the port is open.

Abstract: A gun port assembly includes:(a) a slidable closure,(b) structure forming a port and carrying the closure for sliding movement into and out of closing relation with the port,(c) a latching shoulder on the structure,(d) a latching lever pivotably carried by the closure and having a first portion engageable with the shoulder in closed position of the closure to block opening movement of the closure,(e) the latching lever having a second portion projecting for displacement by the user to pivot the lever first portion out of engagement with that shoulder and to displace the closure out of closing relation with the port.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed which provides for the placement of a border video signal around a selected object in a video image. A video image of the selected object is first inserted into a video image of a selected border video signal in a video mixing process by use of a key signal defining the selected object. The key signal is further processed to transform the step transitions associated therewith between the zero and full insert states into non-step transitions. The transformed key signal is thereafter used to control a subsequent mixing of the resulting image of the selected object inserted into the video image of the border video signal with a background image to produce a composite video image.

Abstract: An infusion device for a syringe having a tubular wall with a fluid dispensing opening at one end and an internal plunger. A device includes an element for driving the syringe plunger at a selected one of a set of predetermined spring-generated forces which are substantially constant over the range of motion of the plunger.

Abstract: An infusion device for a syringe includes a ratcheted stepper motor driven intermittently under the control of a control circuit to advance a syringe plunger driver. Different speeds are determined by the detected size of the syringe in the device. A clutch assembly disengageably connects the plunger driver to a drive belt driven by the stepper motor.A connector for a tubing set has a syringe-connect portion located in a recess of the connector, and cooperates with a force sensor in the device to detect occlusions. The connector has annular projecting portions with parallel, spaced apart actuating surfaces for engagement of the force sensor in either of two positions of the connector in the device. The connector is adapted to indicate to a sensor in which position it is located.

Abstract: A ring generator capable of supplying a plurality of predeterminedly selected distinct voltages each having a predetermined high amplitude and a predetermined frequency to a telephone line comprises a programmable computer having a low amplitude version of the plurality of voltages stored therein in digital form, the computer being responsive to predetermined control signals to select a desired one of the low amplitude version of the plurality of voltages stored therein, a first circuit arrangement coupled to the computer to convert the select one of the low amplitude version of the plurality of voltages to an analog version thereof and to increase the analog version to the predetermined high amplitude prior to coupling to the telephone line and a second circuit arrangement coupled to the first circuit arrangement, the telephone line and the computer to monitor the selected one of the plurality of voltage coupled from the first circuit to the telephone line to detect the operating condition of the ring genera

Abstract: A line switch for a digital telephone switching system utilizes distributed processing. The line switch comprises one or more switch modules. Each switch module is coupled to a central office switching system via one or more PCM lines which utilize common channel signaling. Each switch module comprises groups of line circuits, each line circuit being coupled to a subscriber line. Three separate distributed processor functions are provided in each line switch module. A first processor is utilized to communicate with the central office switching system is provided to control clock generation and rate conversion circuits. Each group of line circuits includes a third processor to control the operations of the line circuits and to gather information from the line circuit.A test bus is routed to the line circuits. The third processor may be utilized to automatically measure and adjust various transmission parameters.