Abstract: A shipping carton erecting and holding device comprising: a support structure for supporting a carton in an upright position during loading; and a discharge means for discharging a filled carton from the device which includes a U-shaped engaging member to engage one end of, and to extend at least partially around the sides of, a carton, and a pair of horizontal spaced-apart rails, positioned entirely between the side walls of the device and entirely forward of the rear wall; a drive means communicating with the U-shaped member to move it between a first position on the rails in which the member is positioned to engage one end of a said carton supported on said support structure, and a second position spaced generally horizontally from said first position whereby movement of said member from said first position to said second position will move a said carton off of said support structure and discharge it, the drive means being mounted along one side wall, entirely forward of the rear wall of the device.

Abstract: An automated bag filling mechanism particularly adapted to handle reclosable zipper lock-type plastic bags fed into the machine in a bag chain has a bag opening station, a filling station, a bag reclosing station, and a bag separation station, all successively serially arranged in the machine along a transport path in which the bag chain is conducted through the machine. Mechanical means are provided at each station to perform the functions of that station. The mechanical means are sequentially actuated and controlled by the movement of individual cam members keyed for rotation to a continuously driven rotary driveshaft. Means are provided to assure proper alignment or registration of each bag of the chain before the various work stations of the filling mechanism, despite tolerance variations in bag size, slippage in the drive devices, and/or slack development in the chain.

Abstract: A laterally shiftable draper header for a windrower is disclosed wherein a pair of draper sections are laterally shiftable on the header subframe to vary the position of the crop discharge opening between left, right and central positions. When the discharge opening is positioned at a central location between separated draper sections, it is necessary that the draper conveyors rotate in opposing directions to deliver crop material to the discharge opening. However, when the draper sections are positioned adjacent one another and shifted to one side of the machine or the other it is necessary for the draper conveyors to rotate in the same direction to convey crop to the discharge opening.

Abstract: A rear bagging receptacle for a power lawn mower has a lift-off collection bag and a flip-top lid. The collection bag has a frame sewn into a flexible fabric around its mouth, the frame allowing the bag to be rested on the laterally spaced, rearwardly extending legs of a handlebar frame. The flip-top lid has an integral, stiff, recessed member and yieldable, opposing fingers at a back end of the member to pivotably and detachably mount the lid to a crossbar of the handlebar frame. There, the lid pivots forwardly and downwardly to close over the mouth of the collection bag and exit of a discharge chute extending on the front edge of the collection bag. The lid also pivots upwardly and rearwardly to allow access to the collection bag and lift-off removal of the collection bag or disposable liner bag.

Abstract: The present invention provides a combine of the type having a laterally extending header with proximal and distal ends, and a wheel/feeder separator assembly extending rearwardly from the header. The invention includes the following components: a circle mounted to the header adjacent a rearward facing portion of the proximal end for facilitating pivoting of the header along a longitudinal axis extending through the center of the circle; a frame member pivotally mounted to and extending laterally outwardly from the feeder/separator assembly to support the distal header end, the frame member defining a frame member pivot axis extending at a rearwardly converging angle with respect to the longitudinal axis; and a header support wheel rotatably mounted to the frame member and disposed laterally outwardly from the frame member pivot axis for supporting weight from the header.

Abstract: A series of spindles is supported on a rail. A spindle brake is provided acting on a selected one of a pair of spindles which are driven to rotate by a belt. The spindle brake is supported on a holder. The holder is pivoted to the rail. A pair of levers pivotally attached to the holder are respectively pulled for pivoting the holder in one and the opposite directions. A brake element is supported to the holder. The brake element includes a brake surface. Pivoting of the holder pivots the brake element to bring the brake surface into braking engagement with the respective spindle. A belt lift-off roller is pivotally supported to the holder on an axis spaced from the holder axis and is so shaped and placed that pivoting of the holder to brake a particular spindle moves the belt lift-off roller to lift the belt off that particular spindle.

Abstract: Friction spinning apparatus comprises two rollers arranged in parallel closely spaced relationship so as to define therebetween adjacent the line of closest approach a throat and a fibre feed means for feeding fibres into the throat for twisting into yarn as shown in G.B. No. 2042599. The surface of each of the rollers has a roughness characteristic at most 250 micro inches (6.25 microns) and the roller having its surface moving from the fibre feed means into the throat has a roughness less than that of the other roller by from 20 to 100 micro inches (0.5 to 2.54 microns).

Abstract: An open end friction spinning device with two friction rollers driven in the same rotational direction and arranged adjacent one another to form a yarn producing wedge slot is disclosed. Single opened fibers are guided via a fiber feed channel subjected to a transport air stream. To facilitate and improve alignment of fibers in the wedge slot, a suction device for creating an auxiliary air flow in the draw-off direction of the yarn is provided in the area of the mouth of the fiber feed channel.

Abstract: The gas turbine power station, which is of the type utilizing an air reservoir, and is operated in accordance with the method for reducing the amount of NO.sub.x and for raising output, possesses an intermediate condensate-vessel and a main condensate-vessel for receiving the condensate which is produced in the compressor-air coolers. From the main condensate vessel, the condensate is introduced into the combustion chambers of the gas turbine, optionally after passing through a recuperator.

Abstract: A device for controlling the load distribution and speed of gas turbine systems and particularly gas turbine engines comprising for each engine a fuel control unit having a proportionally acting speed governor and a master speed governor for a common output shaft of the gas turbine systems and a load distributing control device. The master speed governor forms signals from the speed deviation and the load distributing control device forms signals from load deviations of the gas turbine systems from one another. The signals influence the speed set points of the proportionally acting governors through electronic operational amplifiers forming signal outputs from the deviation signals and preferably an auxiliary quantity and electronic summing amplifiers for adding the signal outputs together to form the control signals.

Abstract: The disclosure teaches an improvement in a free turbine type engine which comprises a power limit unit. The unit includes a first sensor for measuring pressure at the turbine inlet, and a second sensor for measuring temperature at the turbine inlet. A third means provides a measurement indicative of turbine exhaust pressure and may be a sensor located in the exhaust duct which is downstream of the turbine or may comprise means for providing outside ambient pressure readily available from existing aircraft instrumentation, e.g., altimeter. A processor means calculates shaft horse power (SHP) from the above measurements. Other means are provided for generating a reference signal, and the reference signal is compared with SHP. When SHP is greater than the reference signal, then fuel to the engine is controlled to reduce engine power. The unit can also be adapted for calculating torque, and for reducing the torque when the torque is greater than the reference level.

Abstract: An exhaust passage extends from an internal combustion engine to conduct exhaust from the engine. A filter is disposed in the exhaust passage to filter particles out of the exhaust. A burner is disposed in the exhaust passage upstream of the filter to burn off the particles deposited on the filter. Fuel is supplied to the burner for a preset time when the filter clogs. The supplied fuel is ignited in the burner. In the case where the fuel supplied to the burner ceases to burn prior to the end of the preset time, the fuel supply to the burner is interrupted.

Abstract: An apparatus controls the operation of a regenerative burner having a glow plug operable to ignite and burn a combustible mixture supplied into the burner to burn the exhaust particles collected in a trap located in the exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine when a trap regeneration requirement occurs. A control device is provided which detects a broken wire in the glow plug and stops the supply of combustible mixture to the burner in the presence of brokage of the glow plug wire.

Abstract: Exhaust system control apparatus for internal combustion engine having an exhaust line and a branch line thereon, and an opening and closing valve on said branch line adapted to open when the engine operates at low speed and to close when the engine operates at high speed. The ratio between the cross-sectional areas of the branch line and the exhaust line is about 0.6 to 0.8.

Abstract: A multi-cylinder hot gas engine having an equal angle, V-shaped engine block in which two banks of parallel, equal length, equally sized cylinders are formed together with annular regenerator/cooler units surrounding each cylinder, and wherein the pistons are connected to a single crankshaft. The hot gas engine further includes an annular heater head disposed around a central circular combustor volume having a new balanced-flow hot-working-fluid manifold assembly that provides optimum balanced flow of the working fluid through the heater head working fluid passageways which are connected between each of the cylinders and their respective associated annular regenerator units. This balanced flow provides even heater head temperatures and, therefore, maximum average working fluid temperature for best operating efficiency with the use of a single crankshaft V-shaped engine block.

Abstract: A fluid pressurizing device 10 having a master cylinder 12 with a cylindrical projection 52 that extends through the housing of a brake booster 14. The housing of the brake booster 14 has a front shell 56 located on a shoulder 54 of the cylindrical projection 52 and a rear shell 140 located against a shoulder 150. A nut carried by the cylindrical projection 52 engages the rear shell 140 to compress a bead 111 of a diaphragm 110 against a shoulder 57 on the front shell 56. A sleeve 80 connected to a hub member 70 retains a bead 108 of diaphragm 110 and bead 90 of a diaphragm 92 connected to the cylindrical projection 52. In response to an input force, a valve assembly 136 controls the development of a pressure differential across the diaphragms 92 and 110. The pressure differential acts on and moves the diaphragms 92 and 110 toward the first shell 56.

Abstract: A Stirling-cycle refrigerator comprises a plurality of Stirling-cycle refrigerator units each having a displacer defining an expansion chamber, a piston defining a compression chamber, and a circuit including a heater and a cooler and interconnecting the expansion chamber and the compression chamber, and a heat exchanger shared by the circuits and disposed between the coolers and the heaters for effecting heat exchange between working gases in the circuits. The heat exchanger may comprise a countercurrent heat exchanger, and the Stirling-cycle refrigerator units are operated in cycles which are 180.degree. out of phase with each other.

Abstract: In a cryogenic refrigerator, a valve member reciprocates to control fluid to and from chambers of variable volume. The valve member is moved in one direction by a cam and in the opposite direction by a fluid spring.

Abstract: An insert for a horizontal cryostat penetration comprises a plurality of foam plugs between which are disposed patches of copper or aluminum foil. The plugs and foil are disposed in a tubular conduit comprising thin wall, low thermal conductivity material. This plug provides thermal insulation and significantly reduces the formation of convection currents in the penetration which would otherwise significantly increase the rate of coolant evaporation. The insert assembly described is designed to be ejected from the penetration upon the build up of excessive internal pressure. The insert is also preferably disposed within another tubular conduit around the exterior of which there is disposed one or more string-shaped helically disposed lengths of sealing material. Accordingly, when this assembly is inserted within a third conduit, a helical coolant vapor path is formed for exterior venting.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for recovery of waste heat from thermomechanical pulping systems and the like in which waste heat in the form of steam exhausted from the mechanical pulper and latency chest portions of the thermomechanical pulping system are respectively passed through first and second evaporators which increase the enthalpy of the working liquid. The working fluid outputted from the first evaporator passes through a first compressor to significantly increase both pressure and temperature and further increase enthalpy. The working fluid at the outlet of the first compressor then undergoes desuperheating within an intercooling tank. The liquid phase of the working fluid is passed from said tank to the inputs of both evaporators, while the vapor phase merges with the working fluid outputted from the second evaporator and enters a second compressor to undergo further increases in pressure and temperature.

Abstract: A cooling device for use in ale coolers, automatic beverage machines, air-conditioning apparatus or the like, said cooling device mainly comprising a series-connected evaporator 3, a compressor 4, a lamella condensor 5 and an air displacing member 6 for generating a cooling air stream P along the condensor lamellae, wherein means, such as a polarity commutating electric motor or flaps, for inverting the direction of flow of the cooling air along the condensor lamellae at periodical intervals in order to blow back the dust deposited on the lamellae and to conduct it to the outside.

Abstract: A refrigeration system having compressor, condenser, surge receiver and multiple evaporator means, and high side control means including gas defrost means for selectively defrosting the evaporator means with saturated refrigerant gas, a surge control valve for the surge receiver means, and other means for operating the surge control valve in response to differential high side pressures, liquid levels in the receiver means and/or gas defrost operations to regulate refrigerant pressures within the surge receiver means.

Abstract: A refrigerating cycle apparatus has a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a capillary tube. The condenser includes a compressor main body for compressing a refrigerant delivered therein, a valve hole, a groove for connecting the valve hole and a suction port of the compressor main body, a pipe for connecting the valve hole and a delivery port of the compressor main body, an aperture for connecting the valve hole and a suction port of the condenser, and a valve plug movably mounted in the valve hole. The valve plug is adapted to move between a first position where the pipe communicates with the aperture through the valve hole in accordance with a difference in pressure at the suction port and delivery port of the compressor when the compressor is in operation and a second position where the pipe does not communicate with the aperture through the valve hole when said compressor is stopped.

Abstract: An ice making machine with an improved cube cutter is disclosed. A pair of oscillating pivotal cutter bars are disposed adjacent and beneath vertical ice making columns. The cutter bars are arranged to pivot in opposite directions so that as a rod or tube of ice falls therebetween, it is cut off into a cube, which then falls between the cutters into an appropriate receptacle.

Abstract: A refrigerator has a machine chamber disposed in a bottom part of a refrigerator body, a cover for covering the machine chamber, upper heat discharge passages formed in side edge portions of a rear surface of the refrigerator body, lower heat discharge passages formed in offsetted portions of both sides of the machine chamber cover, and heat discharge ports provided in a wall of each of the lower heat discharge passages for providing a communication between the lower and the upper heat discharge passages. A main condenser of the refrigerator is mounted on a top of the refrigerator body and is covered by a decorative cover.

Abstract: In an ice-cream maker comprised of a freezing tank provided with a heating system for pasteurizing its contents and of a storage container, which can be cooled and heated, the storage container is connected via at least one connecting line to the freezing tank. In order to construct such an ice-cream maker in such a way that, on the one hand, it remains possible to properly pasteurize the ice-cream mix but that, on the other hand, changes in the flavor of the ice-cream mix due to overheating or prolonged thermal loads are precluded, at least the storage container is arranged in a heating and cooling chamber.

Abstract: Both the leading and trailing ends of the respective yarns introduced to and removed from active knitting position are of uniform length on the inside of the sock when forming solid color patterned areas in the sock. The cutting of all yarn ends inside of the sock, enables the operator to easily evert and inspect the inside of the socks as they are removed from the knitting machine and eliminates the usual time consuming operation of cutting the yarn ends after the sock is knit. The cutting and clamping apparatus is illustrated in association with a four-feed solid color patterned knitting machine of the type normally employed in knitting argyle patterns in socks, and includes a vertically disposed suction tube with the lower end disposed within the upper end of the needle circle. A yarn clamping member is associated with the lower end of the suction tube and a hot wire cutter is positioned between the needle circle and the clamping member.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in a spring needle circular knitting machine utilizing a lay-in concept wherein one or more strands of lay-in yarn are combined with tie yarn and stitch yarn to create a limitless number of fabric surface effects. A combination tie presser and lay-in raising wheel is placed in close face to face relationship in each feed station with a tie stitch sinker burr. The combination presser and raising wheel has a camming surface that acts in concert with blade elements that mesh with the needles of the rotating needle cylinder. The camming surface closes the beards of the needles over the tie stitch yarn almost immediately after the sinker burr has inserted the tie yarn thereunder and holds the beards closed as the blades of the wheel raise the lay-in yarn over the closed beards. The camming surface then releases the beards allowing them to spring open to land the lay-in yarn over the tips of the needles.

Abstract: Elastic yarn is incorporated in different manners in two circumferential sections of the ankle and arch portions of the sock to provide compressive force and support to these areas of the wearer. The elastic yarn is incorporated in spaced-apart wales of each course of the ankle and arch portions and is floated inside of plural wales in the rear half of successive courses in the ankle and lower half of the arch to form mock ribs extending around substantially the rear half of the sock. The elastic yarn is incorporated in every other wale of single alternating courses and in the remaining wales of single intervening courses in the front half of the ankle and upper half of the arch to form a diamond pattern extending around substantially the front half of the sock. By incorporating the elastic yarn in two different manners in every course, the proper amount of compressive force and support is provided on the ankle and arch of the wearer.

Abstract: A portable small-sized washing machine is proposed. The washing tub of this machine has a capacity of washing about ten dishcloths at the most, each of these dishcloths being about 30 cm square.

Abstract: A continuous batch laundry system is disclosed which utilizes a plurality of longitudinally aligned modules with an inlet chute at one end and a discharge chute at the other end. Each module includes a stationary shell and a rotatably supported drum or cylinder within the shell. A plurality of support bearings are suspended from within the stationary shell and serve to support each cylinder for oscillatory and rotary movement about a horizontal axis. By utilizing suspended bearings variations in length and alignment due to thermal expansion and contraction may be easily accommodated. Individual cylinders each include a large opening in both spaced apart end walls for receiving and transferring articles between adjacent cylinders. A transfer chute associated with each cylinder is utilized to retain articles within a cylinder during oscillation and to transfer articles into an adjacent successive cylinder in response to rotation of the cylinder.

Abstract: An attache case having an electronically-controlled, electric combination lock assembly comprising a keyboard mounted flush with the external surface of the case, programming switches for selecting the combination for the lock mounted inside the case and a solar cell unit mounted flush with the external surface of the case for supplying energy for actuating the electronic controls and the lock mechanism. The keyboard and solar cells are mounted on either side of the case handle and are secured to internal reinforcing frame members of the case.

Abstract: A lock and door reinforcing plate device comprising plate members adapted to be secured to the opposite faces of the door by common bolt members which extend through the plates and the door and the lock assembly, a tube member is secured to the inner face of one of the plate members and extend through the door for encasing the usual lock cylinder assembly, the lock cylinder assembly is secured to one of the plates and is disposed within the tube in a manner substantially precluding unauthorized tampering or removal of the lock cylinder assembly thus substantially precluding unauthorized unlocking of the lock assembly.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy food can body and a method of forming the same whereby an uncoated high strength aluminum alloy sheet stock is blanked and drawn into a sized cup and redrawn by one or more redraws to form the sized can body. The end wall of the can body is formed into a pressure resistant profile, the side wall adjacent the open end is trimmed and outwardly flanged, a plurality of annular beads is formed in a central portion of the side wall, and at least the interior of the can body is coated with a material compatible with the food product to be packaged in the can. An end portion of the can side wall is ironed to reduce its thickness during at least one of the redraw operations.

Abstract: A mini hot strip mill comprises three close coupled mill stands including a first and second four high finishing mill and a two high roughing mill positioned therebetween. A first coiler furnace is positioned upstream and a second coiler furnace is positioned downstream of the mill. The mills may each be retained in their own mill housings or the finishing mills may be in separate housings and the roughing mill may be retained in supports connecting the finishing mill housings. The mills are closely spaced so that the finishing mills are maintained open while operating in a roughing mode so as to allow free passage of the slab being reduced and the roughing mill is maintained open while the two four high mills are operative in a finishing mode. Two motors connected through a gear box to said mill provide for independently driving the finishing mills in speed coordinated relationship and for jointly driving the roughing mill.

Abstract: A continuous rolling mill has horizontal roll stands and vertical roll stands disposed alternatingly with rolling guides between the work rolls of adjacent roll stands. The roll stands together with the rolling guides are movable in the direction crossing the rolling line to an exchanging position where the work rolls and the rolling guides are exchanged with new ones. The continuous rolling mill further has a supporting frame supporting the roll stands and movable to the exchanging position thereby to bring the roll stands and rolling guides to the exchanging position, and an offsetting device adapted to move one of the adjacent roll stands relatively to the other of the adjacent roll stands and to the frame in the exchanging position such that the rolling lines of the adjacent roll stands may be offset from each other.

Abstract: A process and device for drawing tubes by extrusion of a metal billet (4) placed in a receptacle (50) within which ramming of the billet (4) is carried out by first pushing the latter against a ramming insert (63) closing the receptacle (50), then perforating the billet by means of an axial mandrel (7), and finally replacing the ramming insert (63) in the axis of the receptacle (50) by an insert (65) holding a die. Drawing is carried out by extrusion of the billet. During ramming of the billet (4), a boss (41) is formed on the face of the latter turned towards the ramming insert (63) which is inscribed within an orifice (66) in the die and which has a plane face centered on an axis diverging from the drawing axis. The ramming insert (63) is provided for this purpose with an impression (8) which has recessed the desired shape.

Abstract: An electrical connector programming tool is provided which is operable "in-the-field" to program the bus bar of an electrical connector for a flat ribbon cable. The tool includes a tray subassembly adapted to removably retain a connector having a bus bar to be programmed, and a head subassembly having a plurality of selectively extendable tongues adapted to program the bus bar.

Abstract: A rescue device for achieving emergency access to automobiles or buildings or the like has a pair of pivotally connected lever arms is designed to be hydraulically operated by a tool connected between the two arms to power them to open prying jaws at the free ends of the lever arms. Manual actuation for the hydraulic operation is part of the device.

Abstract: A bending tool for semi-rigid coaxial cable makes bends possible with minimal damage to the cable. The tool contains two separate and independent series of superimposed cylindrical portions of gradually diminishing diameters along a linear path, oppositely directed away from a central support portion. Each of the cylindrical portions of one series is formed with a circumferential groove of like width and depth. Each of the cylindrical portions of the second series is formed with a circumferential groove of like width and like depth, but different from that of the one series.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring Reid Vapor Pressure, as defined in the ASTM D-323 procedure, of liquid hydrocarbon materials wherein a sample of material is drawn from a sample can into a sample chamber containing a bellows and then to a measuring chamber. An expansion chamber, containing a bellows, connects with a measuring chamber for adjusting the amount of air within the measuring chamber and for setting the pressure within the measuring chamber before introduction of the sample so that RVP measurement occurs at the appropriate pressure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing a proof or sample of an ink (as herein defined) as a preliminary to its being employed in a printing or coating process to enable its color and coating capability to be determined. A quantity of the ink is applied to a first roller the surface of which is engraved. The ink is evenly distributed over the roller using a doctor-blade set so as to wipe the roller surface clean and leave the ink only in the engravings. A second roller of resiliently deformable material is moved into contact with the inked roller so causing ink to be transferred to the surface of the second roller until equilibrium is reached and a sheet of the substrate to be inked or coated is introduced into the nip between the two rollers. Means is provided for cleaning the rollers after use.

Abstract: In a compact thermal flowmeter unit of the type wherein a portion of the fluid in a main flow path is shunted through a laminar-flow sensor passageway, that section of the main flow path which the sensor bypasses is occupied by an appropriate range-governing cartridge selected from among a family of externally-similar tubular flow-regulating cartridges each having a different flow capacity as determined by the totals of cross-sectional areas of its plurality of linear flow channels each exhibiting an effective ratio of length to cross-section which promotes laminar flow but is nevertheless advantageously relatively short.

Abstract: A flowmeter has a tank disposed between a discharge circuit and a supply circuit from which the tank is refilled when the level of the liquid in the tank falls below a predetermined level. A plunger is suspended in the tank by a force sensor. The output of the force sensor is used to measure the rate of flow from the tank to the discharge circuit except when the tank is being refilled. Flow from the tank during a refilling cycle is approximately measured in response to flow parameters in the discharge circuit which are independent of the force sensor and liquid level in the tank. The flow parameters in the discharge circuit are monitored and calibrated during each tank discharge cycle, and the new calibration values are used during the next tank refilling cycle, to obtain reasonably accurate continued flow measurement during each tank refilling cycle.

Abstract: A dry/dew/frost sensor comprising a plurality of sensor units, each sensor unit comprising a ceramic substrate (1, 2) whose permittivity is lower than ice and a pair of electrodes (3, 4; 5, 6) being arranged on the ceramic substrate in contact therewith, wherein adjacent sensor units are arranged so as to face each other at a predetermined distance so that the pair of electrodes (3, 4; 5, 6) may be opposed to each other, and the impedance between the pair of electrodes on each of the sensor unit varying with changes in three states, dry, bedewed, and frosted states.

Abstract: Portable measuring device, including a measuring instrument, a carrying strap fastened to the measuring instrument for hanging the measuring instrument around the neck, measuring lines electrically connected to the measuring instrument and passing through at least part of the carrying strap, measuring probes connected to the measuring lines, the measuring lines being in the form of flexible spiral cables between the carrying strap and the measuring probes, and at least one mounting disposed on the measuring instrument for fastening unused measuring probes hanging on the measuring lines.

Abstract: In a structure utilizing a pair of accelerometers vibrating in a direction normal to their force sensing axes, a circuit utilizing voltage-to-frequency converters is utilized to convert the analog output signals from the accelerometers to digital signals representing the translational motion and the angular rate rotation of the structure.

Abstract: A method of detecting inadequately supported sections or overloaded points in a pipeline including the steps of traversing the interior of the pipeline with an instrumentation pig, sequentially striking or vibrating the wall of the pipeline by means carried by the pig to introduce vibratory signals into the pipeline, receiving said signals from within the pipeline by listening to the sounds generated as a consequence of the striking of the interior wall, and detecting preselected characteristics of received sound which are indicative of unsupported sections or of points of load and stress concentration in the pipeline.

Abstract: An ultrasonic method and apparatus are described for determining the depth of cracks 12 in a pipe or conduit 14. The apparatus 10 includes a transmitting transducer 30 and a receiving transducer 40 that are placed on the outside surface of the pipe to one side of the pipe. The transmit transducer 30 is energized to direct a shear wave beam 34 of ultrasonic energy at the crack to generate a complex reflected wave front from the crack 12 which contains information as to the size of the crack in relation to the wall thickness. The recovery transducer 40 is moved relative to the transmit transducer until a peak or maximum amplitude reading is found. When the maximum amplitude is found, the distance between the transducers is measured. The measured distance is then correlated with information obtained from specimens 80 of the same material and wall thickness as the on-site pipe to determine the depth of the crack 12.

Abstract: The pressure of a gas within an enclosure is measured without making physical contact with the gas by focusing radiation from a laser onto a section of the gas and, while varying the intensity of the radiation, monitoring the section under measurement for electrical breakdown, as indicated by emitted light or suitable breakdown indicia, such as radio noise. The absolute gas pressure at the section of the gas under measurement is determined from a calibration curve relating the intensity of the beam to the pressure at which breakdown occurs for the particular gas being monitored.