Abstract: A method of forming an electrode is disclosed. A carbon nanotube is deposited on a substrate. A section of the carbon nanotube is removed to form at least one exposed end defining a first gap. A metal is deposited at the at least one exposed end to form the electrode that defines a second gap.

Abstract: An etching method of the invention includes arranging droplets including a film-forming material on a substrate, drying each of the droplets to form a dry film having a width smaller than the diameter of each droplet at the time of the arrangement, and performing etching while using the dry film as an etching protective film.

Abstract: A mask film includes a base material, a parting layer and a non-parting portion placed on the base material. Accordingly, an optimum adhesion strength of the mask film and a prepreg sheet can be maintained, and peeling between the mask film and prepreg sheet can be prevented. Further, by preventing the fusing adhesion between the mask film and prepreg sheet due to heat generated when forming penetration holes, a circuit board having an excellent quality is obtained.

Abstract: A process is revealed whereby resistors can be manufactured integral with a printed circuit board by plating the resistors onto the insulative substrate. Uniformization of the insulative substrate through etching and oxidation of the plated resistor are discussed as techniques for improving the uniformity and consistency of the plated resistors. Trimming and baking are also disclosed as methods for adjusting and stabilizing the resistance of the plated resistors.

Abstract: A method of creating electrical shorts within an interconnection structure, using a selective etch, to detect a region that is missing a protective hardmask in order to prevent future use of the defective device.

Abstract: A railroad brake line shutoff valve assembly for connecting a car mounted railway brake line to a brake line air hose. The assembly includes a shutoff valve with a stationary valve portion and a moveable valve portion. The stationary valve portion has a first fluid line attachment site and a second fluid line attachment site. Movement of the moveable valve portion to one position opens a flowpath through the valve between the first fluid line attachment site and the second fluid line attachment site. Movement of the moveable valve protion to another position closes the flowpath through the valve. The assembly includes a junction box having a first set of electric line attachment sites for connection of a set of car mounted electrical trainline conductors mounted on the railway vehicle and a second set of electric line attachment sites for connection of a set of electrical line end segments which terminate in a multiple contact electrical trainline connector.

Abstract: A technique for creating openings in a polycarbonate film entails providing a liquid chemical formulation that contains polycarbonate material, a liquid that dissolves the polycarbonate, and possibly one or more other constituents. The liquid is typically capable of dissolving the polycarbonate to a concentration of at least 1% at 20.degree. C. and 1 atmosphere. Examples of the liquid include pyridine, a ring-substituted pyridine derivative, pyrrole, a ring-substituted pyrrole derivative, pyrrolidine, a pyrrolidine derivative, chlorobenzene, and cyclohexanone. A liquid film (36A) of the chemical formulation is formed over a substructure (30) and processed to remove the liquid, thereby converting the liquid film into a solid polycarbonate track layer (38). Charged particles (70) are passed through the track layer to form charged-particle tracks (72) at least partway through the layer. Apertures (74) are created through the track layer by a process that entails etching along the tracks.

Abstract: A standard hermaphroditic pneumatic glad-hand coupler includes a data bus connector containing a pair of contacts, each contact having an axis tangential to the arc along which the connector is carried during rotation of the coupler during establishment of a pneumatic connection. The pair of contacts can be in the form of a pair of hermaphroditic contacts, or one female and one male contact. In the female/male version, the female contact is surrounded on all sides except the mating and termination ends by an elastomeric dielectric projection and the male contact is situated in a pocket bordered by elastomeric dielectric material and arranged to receive the elastomeric dielectric projection when the male and female contacts are mated together upon coupling the glad-hand coupler with an identical glad-hand coupler so as to surround both contacts and also isolate the contacts from each other.

Abstract: A radio frequency coupling device used in conjunction with a communications system for effecting free space communications between adjacent cars on a multi-car vehicle, wherein each of the cars has coupling arms for connecting the cars to each other, and wherein each of the cars further comprises radio frequency transceivers. The RF coupling device of the present invention is implemented by mounting the first coupler housing on a coupler arm of a first car, the first coupler housing comprising a first antenna element and a third antenna element configured so as to transceive separate channels of radio frequency energy substantially out of phase from each other. The second coupler housing is mounted on a coupler arm of a second car and comprises a second antenna element and a fourth antenna element and located near the first coupler housing when the coupler arms of the cars are mechanically joined together.

Abstract: A highwall mining system for mining aggregate material from a seam includes both a mining device for cutting aggregate material from the seam and thereby forming a drive in the seam and a conveying device for conveying mined aggregate material from the drive. The conveying device is formed of a plurality of modular conveyor units having a mechanism for releasably coupling together the conveyor units. A driving device is used for driving the mining device and the conveyor device into the seam to form the drive. A controlling device is employed to control forward movement of the mining device and the conveying device so that the mining device and the conveying device can move together at a predetermined rate of advance into the seam without there being any uncontrolled forward movement of the mining device and/or the conveying device in response to the incline of the seam and/or during the addition of a new conveyor unit to the conveying device.

Abstract: Electrical connections are provided between coupled railway cars by a connector which mates with the industry standard brake line air hose connector. Electrical contacts may be imbedded in the mating surfaces of two joined connectors, or on modules attached to the standard connector. The valve which admits air to the air hose connector after it is joined to another connector may also actuate a switch which completes electrical circuits when the air valve is opened. In cases where end to end reversal of a railway car would cause interchange of circuits, a compensating switch is provided.

Abstract: A retainer is provided for retaining a catch mounted to a first portion of a split ramp car in its unlocked position as a second portion of a ramp car exits a locking area in which it is previously locked. An arm portion of the retainer extends into the locking area and controls the operation of the retainer in response to the movement of the ramp and the locking area. A fluid coupler, automatically couples a first and second portions of a main reservoir pipe and a first and second portions of a brake pipe connected to each first and second portion of the ramp car respectively, when the ramp is in its raised and travel position. Valves in each of the main reservoir passages close the main reservoir passage when the first and second housings are separated and opens the main reservoir passages when the first and second housings are joined. An electrical coupler is also automatically coupled as the two portions of the ramp car are joined.

Abstract: A train car with mirror image electrical couplings having mirror image halves at each end for connecting train lines in each car to corresponding train lines in adjacent cars, regardless of the end-to-end orientation of the car, has selected pairs of train lines connected to corresponding pairs of switches for each end of the car for switching the halves of each selected pair of train lines between one or the other halves of the mirror image electrical couplings, depending on the orientation of the car.

Abstract: The communication link includes antennae mounted at adjacent ends of adjacent cars whereby electronic communications between the cars are effected by free space radio frequency coupling. The antennae are mounted in housings, which include radiation shields, and the housings are mounted on the coupling for physically coupling the cars together whereby the housings, and therefore the antennas, are maintained in fixed relationship to each other.

Abstract: The link permits communications between cars of a railway or subway trains. On at least a first one of the cars, a multiplexer multiplexes digital signals representative of the status of various systems on the car, and processes them into a first digital trainline signal. A transmitter includes a modulator which converts the digital trainline signal to a RF signal, and the RF signal is transmitted, by an antenna, through free space from the first car to a second car. The second car includes an antenna for receiving the RF signal, and a receiver for de-modulating the signal and converting it to a second digital trainline signal. A demultiplexer demultiplexes the second digital trainline signal into appropriate formats readable by the train systems on board the second car. Both the first and second cars include multiplexers and demultiplexers, and transmitters and receivers, so that communication is possible between the first car and the second car as well as between the second car and the first car.

Abstract: To couple the initiation and the chronological sequence of a coupling or uncoupling process of a mechanical middle buffer coupling and an electrical cable coupling with a common rotary drive with the smallest amount of control effort possible in a reliable manner, a coupling and uncoupling device has a shaft, which can be driven at right angles to the coupling axis and is fastened non-rotatably on an actuating arm that extends into a guide rail of the cable coupling and is consequently designed as a direct drive member of the cable coupling, wherein an uncoupling lever for the mechanical middle buffer coupling and the actuating arm are positively coupled via the shaft. A switching device for the coupling and uncoupling device with switches and initiating members or control cams controls the initiation and the chronological sequences of the coupling and uncoupling process of the mechanical middle buffer coupling and the electrical cable coupling.

Abstract: To couple the initiation and the chronological sequence of a coupling or uncoupling process of a mechanical middle buffer coupling and an electrical cable coupling arranged on it longitudinally displaceably in the direction of the coupling axis with a common rotary drive with the smallest possible amount of control effort and in a reliable manner, a coupling and uncoupling device is provided with a drivable shaft arranged at right angles to the coupling axis. An actuating arm is nonrotatably fastened to the drivable shaft, and the actuating arm extends into a guide rail of the cable coupling and is thus designed as the direct drive member of the cable coupling.

Abstract: An electrical connection portion for a railway car coupler having multiple contacts for being connected to train line circuits. The electrical connection portion includes a plurality of movable and stationary contact elements and a plurality of conductive studs assembled from the front side of an insulative block. There is a plurality of jumper plates electrically connected to selected ones of the conductive studs for establishing train line circuits.

Abstract: To be able to automatically operate an electric vehicle coupling with a contact bush, there is provided a one way drive which both advances the contact bush (for coupling) and retracts it (for uncoupling) via an eccentrically mounted rolling wheel and a slide rail in which the rolling wheel slides. The rolling wheel has an eccentricity of (.DELTA.x+.epsilon.)/2, where .DELTA.x is a desired advance and .epsilon. is a compression advance.

Abstract: Coupler control system for railway vehicles that provides isolation of the electric and pneumatic lines of a rail vehicle from its corresponding electric and/or pneumatic intervehicle interface when that end of the vehicle is in an uncoupled condition. A combination proximity sensor and switch is positioned within the mechanical hook coupling housing so as to sense the actual engagement of the mechanical hooks of a pair of vehicles. The switch then closes and becomes operative to initiate a coupling cycle during which the onboard electric and pneumatic lines are coupled to the associated electric and pneumatic interfaces to provide continuity with the vehicle to which it is coupled. Included in the circuitry for the sensor switch is a diode circuit arranged to permit looping of the sensor switch output across the electric interface onto the adjacent car and back through the interface through the use of only two interface connector pins per interface.

Abstract: The invention relates to an omnibus which is suitable for train formation, can be driven independently and can either be freely steered or guided on tracks. In order not to disfigure the omnibus front by protruding coupling devices, and to be able to carry out the coupling operation without an assistant from the driver's position of the particular omnibus to be coupled, it is envisaged that at least the front coupling is designed in the form of a bar which can be extended or retracted under remote control. In the extended state, the bar can be moved under control within limits and can be engaged with the counter coupling head of the omnibus in front. The coupled omnibuses of a train are simultaneously and uniformly controlled from the driver's position of the first omnibus with regard to all their traction and braking functions.

Abstract: An improved arrangement of a short coupling for rail vehicles includes a pair of plates connected to the short coupling which supports an axially displaceable electrical line coupling as well as a pneumatic line coupling and a centering pin and bore for engaging complementary centering pins and bores of a counter-coupling.

Abstract: An electrical cable coupling, in particular for a mechanical buffer coupling of a rail vehicle, comprising first and second coupling heads each including a contact carrier with a recess therein. One of the coupling heads includes two spaced centering pins and the other of the coupling heads includes two spaced bushings into which the centering pins are engaged to center the coupling heads with each other. A photoconductor insert is detachably and resiliently mounted into each of the recesses. One of the inserts has a protruding portion which fits into a recessed portion of the other of the inserts. A spring-loaded photoconductor member is shiftably mounted in the protruding portion and aligned with a fixed photoconductor mounted in the recessed portion. The recessed portion is covered by a slotted gate structure which is movable by sword-shaped lugs on the other coupling head.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically coupling pneumatic brake lines on railway wagons and other articulated vehicles. The apparatus comprises an axially and resiliently compressible tubular projection which is fitted to the end of the vehicle to extend outwardly beyond the coupling plane of the vehicle. The head at the free end of the projection is formed to align and connect airtightly with a similarly formed head at the free end of a like formation on an adjacent vehicle when the draw-gear of the vehicles is coupled. This action compresses each projection thereby opening a valve between the bore of the projection and the brake line of its associated vehicle. The valve is releasably locked in the open position so that if the vehicles are uncoupled deliberately or accidentally, air in the brake line will be dissipated thus applying the brakes of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle coupler in which at least one cable coupling box is mounted on the coupling head for cooperation with a like coupling box on another coupling head to effect coupling together of conduits, such as air and electric conduits, when the vehicle is coupled to another vehicle. The coupling head has guide rods extending in coupling direction on which the coupling box is slidably mounted. The connectors which connect the coupling box to the rods include elastic inserts permitting movement of the coupling box in the lateral direction of the guide rods to provide for alignment of the coupling box with the coupling box with which it cooperates.