Abstract: An aircraft includes a fuselage having a lower fuselage part and a fluid tank located adjacent the lower fuselage part, the fluid tank being at least partially filled with fluid and an open cell foam material so that in the event of impact on the lower fuselage part, fluid is constrained to flow through the foam material to provide controlled deformation of the lower fuselage part.

Abstract: An optical fibre amplifier, laser or superluminescent source, consisting of a chalcogenide glass matrix hosting trivalent rare earth ions and which is doped with oxide in the form of a metallic oxide. The device utilizes the properties of the added oxide to improve the fabrication and efficiency of optical waveguide sources, in particular for applications around 1.3 &mgr;m. Specifically, the oxide broadens the wavelength range for pump absorption, broadens the wavelength range for light emission, increases the device efficiency through a change in lifetime of certain laser levels and modifies properties of the glass to prevent crystallization during fiber fabrication. The device exploits the intentional addition of oxide to improve amplifier, laser, glass and fiber properties.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for supporting drawers within a cabinet while relying solely on the floor of the cabinet for support. The preferred apparatus includes a pair of opposing vertical support members, a pair of horizontal stability members, and one or more sliding drawers. The vertical support members are adapted for mounting on the storage cabinet floor, horizontal base, or other platform located within a storage cabinet. Tabs are included on the vertical support members for attaching the horizontal stability members, although the drawers themselves might be used for horizontal support. The vertical support members are arranged and configured such that the width between them can vary depending on the size of drawer desired.

Abstract: An insulated garment which includes an outer fabric and an inner fabric and at least two layers of insulation between the inner and outer fabrics. A first layer of insulation contiguous to the outer fabric is a synthetic material and a second layer of insulation contiguous to the inner fabric is goose down. Stitching maintaining the inner and outer fabrics to the two layers of insulation is patterned so that the stitching of one of the layers of insulation is contiguous to mid-points between the stitching of the second layer of insulation.

Abstract: A method of oxidatively coupling methane onto a manganese oxide molecular sieve comprising:(a) passing methane through a microwave plasma activation flow reaction zone onto a manganese oxide molecular sieve, whereby polymer-free methane coupled products are produced; and,(b) recovering the polymer-free methane coupled products.

Abstract: A method of touching up tainted photographs in which one or more of the posers are photographed with closed eyes, in order to form opened eyes thereon. The method utilizes dry-transfers, with each dry-transfer being formed in the shape of an eye, with the dry-transfers being provided on a backing substrate, which substrate includes a plurality of rows of eye-shaped dry-transfers, each eye-shaped dry-transfer of each row being identical, with each row of such eye-shaped dry-transfers having eye-shaped dry-transfers that are of larger size than the adjacent, lower row, in order to provide a plurality of differently-sized eye-transfers, whereby photographs taken at different distances, different lenses, and the like, may be touched up by choosing that eye-transfer that has the most suitable size for a particular photograph and person photographed.

Abstract: A leak detection apparatus for pipe couplings includes a sleeve for enclosing a small volume on the exterior of a pipe joint with a flow passage on the sleeve for communication with a detection instrument; the sleeve may be a stiff but deformable polyurethane tube having separable edges including reinforcing strips embedded in the sleeve adjacent the edges; the sleeve may also be a fluid impervious fabric web that is, in use, wrapped about a pipe joint. The detection method includes a delay time after the pipe coupling is pressurized. It is also possible to release the pressure prior to sampling, as for example due to safety considerations. The leak detection apparatus includes means for conversion of leaked gas concentration to leak rate.

Abstract: In the continuous casting of an ingot of rectangular cross-section, the formation of convexly curved surfaces on the wider faces of the ingot is avoided, along the full length of the ingot, by progressively increasing the gap at least between the mid-points of the longer sides of the rectangular mould, without substantially altering the gap between the ends of said sides, as the rate of advance of the ingot through the mould increases from a relatively low initial speed. The mould is cooled and coolant is applied directly to the surface of ingot emerging from the mould. In an apparatus for putting the above method into practice, means is provided for varying the curvature of the long side walls of the mould progressively during a casting operation by the application of a flexing force arranged symmetrically with respect to the mid-point of each of the long sidewalls, the ends of the said side walls being restrained from transverse movement.

Abstract: The following chlorocyclopropanes have been found to possess utility as general inhalation anesthetics: 1,1-dichloro-2-methyl-2,3,3-trifluorocyclopropane, 1,2-dichloro-1-fluoro-2-methylcyclopropane, 1,1,2-trichloro-2,3,3-trifluorocyclopropane, 1,1-dichloro-2-trifluoromethyl-2,3,3-trifluorocyclopropane, 1,2-dichloro-1,2,3,3-tetrafluorocyclopropane, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloro-3,3-difluorocyclopropane and 1,1-dichloro-2,3,3-trifluorocyclopropane.THE PRIOR ARTIn the continuing search for general inhalation anesthetics, there has been recently discovered a few halocyclopropanes and methylhalocyclopropanes and some methyl halocycloproyl ethers. These compounds are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,865,950, 3,839,589 and 3,769,429 as well as in pending applications Ser. No. 499,761 (filed Aug. 22, 1974) for the methylcyclopropanes, and Ser. No. 451,677 (filed Mar. 15, 1974) for the methyl ethers.

Abstract: A latching ferrite phase shifter having a ferrite toroid is provided with inexpensive means for adjusting its magnetization to account for manufacturing inaccuracies and temperature changes. A small permanent magnet is mounted externally of the transmission line in which the ferrite is positioned. The permanent magnet applies parallel fields to the opposite sides of the toroid, selectively reducing magnetic flux density on one side.

Abstract: In the direct chill semi-continuous casting of an ingot of rectangular cross-section, the formation of convexly curved surfaces on the wider faces of the ingot is avoided, along the full length of the ingot, by progressively increasing the gap at least between the mid-points of the longer sides of the rectangular mould, without substantially altering the gap between the ends of said sides, as the rate of advance of the ingot through the mould increases from a relatively low initial speed. The mould is cooled and coolant is applied directly to the surface of ingot emerging from the mould. In an apparatus for putting the above method into practice, means is provided for varying the curvature of the long side walls of the mould progressively during a casting operation by the application of a flexing force arranged symmetrically with respect to the mid-point of each of the long sidewalls, the ends of the said side walls being restrained from transverse movement.

Abstract: The following newly synthesized bromofluoromethylcyclopropanes have been found to possess utility as general inhalation anesthetics: 1-bromo-1,2-difluoro-2-methylcyclopropane and 1-bromo-1-fluoro-2-methylcyclopropane.