Abstract: A hydraulic system including at least one hydraulic cylinder is provided with an anti-cavitation and overload relief valve having a housing, a first chamber within the housing in fluid communication with one end of the cylinder, and a second chamber within the housing in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir. A fluid passageway within the valve housing connects the first and second chambers. A movable valve assembly is positioned within the fluid passageway for operating in a plurality of modes for providing anti-cavitation and overload relief. The valve includes a stationary portion positioned within the fluid passageway between the first and second chambers having a valve seat. The movable valve assembly includes a poppet mechanism for sealingly engaging a valve seat of the movable valve element when the movable valve assembly is operating in first and third modes.

Abstract: In a pulsed gas laser, pulses of electrical or other energy are desirably converted in part into pulses of quantum mechanical pumping of the lasable gas, and unavoidably converted in part into pulses of heating of the lasable gas. According to this invention, efficiency and economy of operation are enhanced by exploiting the pulses of heating to propel and recirculate the gas through cooling means to freshen it thermally for further cycles of lasing, utilizing a structure comprising an acoustically tuned duct and an acoustic diode to establish proper phasing and direction of the pulsed and recirculating operation. The invention, although applicable to other gas lasers, is particularly applicable to electron beam ionized, electrical current sustained lasers. The invention reduces if not eliminates the cost, bulk and other disadvantages of a mechanical pump or other conventional recirculation equipment.

Abstract: A high pressure, high power, continuous wave electro-dynamic laser having one of the electrodes (preferably the cathode) made of a porous conductive surface and a backing material capable of broad band acoustic absorption. Such an arrangement effectively absorbs acoustic disturbances which arises primarily from a linear instability within the resonant cavity of the electro-dynamic laser and thereby substantially reduces output flux modulations within the resonant cavity.

Abstract: A hatch cover for closing and sealing a hatch opening has a latching mechanism at one side of the cover which includes a rotatable hub and plural latching arms extending in different directions from the hub towards a rim of the opening. Rotation of the hub in one direction causes the latching arms to engage the rim and tightly latch the cover to the rim while rotation of the hub in the opposite direction retracts the latching arms and frees them from the rim to enable removal of the cover from the opening. A shaft extends through the cover and is axially slidable and rotatable relative to it. The shaft is axially slidable relative to the hub and continuously engages it so that rotation of the shaft correspondingly rotates the hub. A handle fixed to the upper end of the shaft rotates the hub to activate the arms.

Abstract: A laser mirror adapted to prevent astigmatism of reflected laser beams where the mirror is used for "folding" the laser beam such that the incident laser beam direction is not normal to the reflective surface of the mirror. This is accomplished by the provision of slots of specified dimensions in the rear surface of the mirror that in use are disposed parallel to the major axis of the laser beam's image on the mirror. In this manner, the mirror is provided with two bending stiffnesses, one in the direction of the major axis that is greater than that in the direction of the minor axis such that the bending due to heating of the mirror in the direction of both axes is made at least substantially equal.

Abstract: An electronic injection carburetor is disclosed. Fuel under pressure is quantized for primary metering by an electronic fuel injector and input to a metered fuel chamber. The quantization occurs by controlling the duration of the opening time of the injector by an electronic control unit responsive to speed and manifold absolute pressure information. Secondary metering is provided as a function of the mass air flow through the throat of the carburetor by an actuator assembly controlling fuel input to the carburetor from the metered chamber. The actuator provides the secondary metering by changing the bias pressure on a flexible diaphragm producing a closure force on a needle valve that varies the flow of fuel from the metered chamber to an atomizing discharge nozzle in the throat of the carburetor.

Abstract: Devices for lifting and lowering the driven ends of large, heavy rotating conveyor rolls and having a rigid member provided with portions engaging bearing housings journalling the driven ends of the rolls. Rotatable members, operatively connected to the rigid member, lift and lower the engaging portions in a vertical path relative to a stationary surface mounting the bearing housings so that shims supporting the conveyor rolls in a common planar position may be removed or placed therebeneath, whereby conveyor rolls in the conveying system can be removed and installed.

Abstract: An exchangeable or removable nozzle arrangement for use in a fluidized bed furnace is movable and in sealing contact with a surrounding sleeve at one end of the nozzle and may be withdrawn from the sleeve through a valve at the other end of the sleeve. An inlet to the space between the sleeve and the nozzle is connected to a source of pressurized fluidizing gas. Upon removal of a nozzle, while the furnace is under load, the bed is maintained in its fluidized state.

Abstract: Herein described is an unstable resonator optical cavity for lasers which may have a square, rectangular or the like spherical concave primary reflection surface at one end of the cavity that intercepts the optical axis of the cavity at or adjacent to one of its corners and a more or less similar square, rectangular or the like spherical convex feedback reflection surface at the opposite end of the optical cavity that intercepts the optical axis at or adjacent to one of its corners arranged and adapted to define an unstable resonator cavity.

Abstract: A hatch cover for closing and sealing a hatch opening has radial latching arms connected at their inner ends to a rotatable arm-actuating hub on the bottom side of the cover at ball-and-socket connections and loosely connected to the cover near their outer ends. In one rotational position of the hub the arms overlap and apply clamping pressure to the rim of the hatch opening and in a second rotational position of the hub the arm-clamping pressure is released and the arms are retracted from the rim to enable removal of the cover from the opening. The hub rides on camming surfaces of the cover which are shaped so that as the hub rotates in a hatch-closing direction, the arms first extend over the rim of the opening and then pivot into clamping engagement with the rim about their loose connections to the cover, urging the cover through such connections into tight seated engagement with the rim.

Abstract: A method for preparing shaped, green ceramic compacts suitable for firing to form high density .beta."-alumina containing ceramic bodies comprising: (1) mixing between about 2.5 parts by weight and about 4.5 parts by weight of a ceramic composition comprising at least about 80 weight percent of aluminum oxide and from about 5 to about 15 weight percent of sodium oxide with 1 part by weight of a binder composition consisting essentially of between about 20 weight percent and about 35 weight percent of polyvinyl pyrrolidone having a number average molecular weight (M.sub.n) between about 20,000 and about 160,000 and between about 80 weight percent and about 65 weight percent of ethylene glycol; (2) extruding the mixture so formed through a die of desired configuration; and (3) heating the extrudate at temperatures and for periods of time necessary to evaporate the ethylene glycol solvent and burn off the polyvinyl pyrrolidone.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting and conveying glass sheets on a series of conveyor rolls having arcuately curved central portions normally disposed in an upper common horizontal plane for supporting a flat sheet of heat-softened glass to be bent and pivotable into a lower angular position out of engagement with said flat sheet upon engagement thereof along its marginal edge portions by the shaping rail of an upwardly movable female press member. Each conveyor roll is provided with a two-piece coupling comprised of a first section secured to the conveyor roll and a second section operatively connected to a drive arrangement. The sections are angularly rotated relative to each other to effect precise angular adjustments therebetween for varying the angular attitude of the associated conveyor roll in its lower position of use.

Abstract: A method of producing a lasable gaseous mixture for use in and operation of electron beam-sustainer carbon dioxide lasers comprising burning a hydrocarbon fuel to produce substantially oxygen free products of combustion, removing undesirable constituents to leave a gaseous mixture which can support laser oscillation comprising substantially only carbon dioxide, nitrogen and hydrogen, collecting the resulting gaseous mixture, and thereafter supply and use it as the active medium in an electron beam-sustainer laser.

Abstract: Working gas for an electron beam discharge laser is generated by an airbreathing, hydrocarbon fuel burning, turbocompressor engine and shaft power of the engine may be utilized to drive a generator to provide electric power to the laser or to drive a compressor to put the turbocompressor exhaust gases in compressed storage for later use in the laser, either mode affording savings in weight and cost of operating materials and/or specific energy conversion efficiency compared to prior art, electric, chemical and gas dynamic laser systems.