It is an object of the present invention to make soldering instruments safer and easier to use. According to one aspect of the present invention, a non-heatsinking, protective shield is provided around the soldering tip of the solder iron. This heat shield covers the iron`s hot tip throughout the soldering process with the exception of the time needed to perform an actual solder connection using the tip. The shield protects the user or nearby personnel from harm when the soldering iron is at elevated temperatures (500{degrees}F to 800{degrees}F).Moreover, the shield is capable of preventing fires which might result if the iron`s tip inadvertently comes into contact with an object that can be easily ignited, e.g. paper. In addition, an air vacuum system is incorporated into the shield to remove the solder smoke.

In the fabrication of igniters, actuators, detonators, and other pyrotechnic devices to be activated by a laser beam, an integral optical glass window is formed by placing a preform in the structural member of the device and then melting the glass and sealing it in place by heating at a temperature between the ceramming temperature of the glass and the melting point of the metal, followed by rapid furnace cooling to avoid devitrification. No other sealing material is needed to achieve hermeticity. A preferred embodiment of this type of device is fabricated by allowing the molten glass to flow further and form a plano-convex lens integral with and at the bottom of the window. The lens functions to decrease the beam divergence caused by refraction of the laser light passing through the window when the device is fired by means of a laser beam.

An apparatus for crimp sealing and severing tubes flush or below a fixed surface. Tube crimping below a fixed surface requires an asymmetric die and anvil configuration. The anvil must be flat so that, after crimping, it may be removed without deforming the crimped tubes. This asymmetric die and anvil is used when a ductile metal tube and valve assembly are attached to a pressure vessel which has a fixed surface around the base of the tube at the pressure vessel. A flat anvil is placed against the tube. Die guides are placed against the tube on a side opposite the anvil. A pinch-off die is inserted into the die guides against the tube. Adequate clearance for inserting the die and anvil around the tube is needed below the fixed surface. The anvil must be flat so that, after crimping, it may be removed without deforming the crimped tubes.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for electrochemically refining spent nuclear fuel from a nuclear reactor and recovering purified uranium and a mixture of uranium and plutonium for use as fresh blanket and core fuel in a nuclear reactor. A combination anode and cathode is described for an electrorefiner which includes a hollow cathode and an anode positioned inside the hollow cathode such that a portion of the anode is near the cathode. A retaining member is positioned at the bottom of the cathode. Mechanism is included for providing relative movement between the anode and the cathode during deposition of metal on the inside surface of the cathode during operation of the electrorefiner to refine spent nuclear fuel. A method is also disclosed which includes electrical power means selectively connectable to the anode and the hollow cathode for providing electrical power to the cell components, electrically transferring uranium values and plutonium values from the anode to the electrolyte, and electrolytically depositing substantially pure uranium on the hollow cathode. Uranium and plutonium are deposited at a liquid cathode together after the PuCl{sub 3} to UCl{sub 3} ratio is greater than 2:1. Slots in the hollow cathode provides close anode …

An active, phase-coded, time-grating transponder and a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) and signal processor means, in combination, allow the recognition and location of the transponder (tag) in the SAR image and allow communication of information messages from the transponder to the SAR. The SAR is an illuminating radar having special processing modifications in an image-formation processor to receive an echo from a remote transponder, after the transponder receives and retransmits the SAR illuminations, and to enhance tile transponder`s echo relative to surrounding ground clutter by recognizing special transponder modulations from phase-shifted from the transponder retransmissions. The remote radio-frequency tag also transmits information to the SAR through a single antenna that also serves to receive the SAR illuminations. Unique tag-modulation and SAR signal processing techniques, in combination, allow the detection and precise geographical location of the tag, through the reduction of interfering signals from ground clutter, and allow communication of environmental and status information from said tag to be communicated to said SAR.

A single sensor, comprised of a tube located near the foaming liquid, and another well away from the first, are used to determine the existence of foam in the vicinity of the probe. Two sensors a known distance apart can be used to locate the froth assuming a uniform froth density. The present invention utilizes the pressure differential existing between process chamber ambient pressure and the froth pressure to determine the existence of a froth and its location. Where froth density is not constant, multiple sensors at differing heights with respect to each other, or a single movable sensor, are used. Information derived using the multiple or movable sensor yields unambiguous froth density and height data.

Durable zinc-oxide containing sorbent pellets for removing hydrogen sulfide from a gas stream at an elevated temperature are made up to contain titania as a diluent, high-surface-area silica gel as a matrix material, and a binder. These materials are mixed, moistened, and formed into pellets, which are then dried and calcined. The resulting pellets undergo repeated cycles of sulfidation and regeneration without loss of reactivity and without mechanical degradation. Regeneration of the pellets is carried out by contacting the bed with an oxidizing gas mixture.

A gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for use as a field portable organic chemical analysis instrument. The GC-MS is designed to be contained in a standard size suitcase, weighs less than 70 pounds, and requires less than 600 watts of electrical power at peak power (all systems on). The GC-MS includes: a conduction heated, forced air cooled small bore capillary gas chromatograph, a small injector assembly, a self-contained ion/sorption pump vacuum system, a hydrogen supply, a dual computer system used to control the hardware and acquire spectrum data, and operational software used to control the pumping system and the gas chromatograph. This instrument incorporates a modified commercial quadrupole mass spectrometer to achieve the instrument sensitivity and mass resolution characteristic of laboratory bench top units.

The present invention provides a process for treating both cations and anions by using a self-regenerating, multi-ionic exchange resin column system which requires no separate regeneration steps. The process involves alternation ion-exchange chromatography for cations and anions in a multi-ionic exchange column packed with a mixture of cation and anion exchange resins. The multi-ionic mixed-charge resin column works as a multifunction column, capable of independently processing either cationic or anionic exchange, or simultaneously processing both cationic and anionic exchanges. The major advantage offered by the alternating multifunction ion exchange process is the self-regeneration of the resins. Applications are to separation of nitrogen and sulfur isotopes.

The present invention relates generally to the removal of solid particulate material from high-temperature gas streams, and more particularly the removal of such particulate material by employing a barrier filter formed of a carbon-carbon composite provided by a porous carbon fiber substrate with open interstitial regions between adjacently disposed carbon fibers selectively restricted by carbon integrally attached to the carbon fibers of the substrate. In a typical utilization of a particulate-bearing hot gas stream, the particulate loading of the gas stream after cleaning is normally less than about 50 ppm and with essentially no particulates larger than about 10 microns. This carbon-carbon filter for removing particulate material of a particle size larger than a preselected particle size from a gas stream at a temperature greater than about 800 F, is produced by the steps which comprise: providing a substrate of carbonaceous fibers with pore-forming open interstitial regions between adjacently disposed fibers; and, sufficiently filling these open interstitial regions with carbon integrally attached to and supported by the fibers for providing the interstitial regions with throughgoing passage-ways of a pore size sufficient to provide for the passage of the gas stream while preventing the passage of particulate material larger than a …

A microengine uses two synchronized linear actuators as a power source and converts oscillatory motion from the actuators into rotational motion via direct linkage connection to an output gear or wheel. The microengine provides output in the form of a continuously rotating output gear that is capable of delivering drive torque to a micromechanism. The microengine can be operated at varying speeds and its motion can be reversed. Linear actuators are synchronized in order to provide linear oscillatory motion to the linkage means in the X and Y directions according to a desired position, rotational direction and speed of said mechanical output means. The output gear has gear teeth on its outer perimeter for directly contacting a micromechanism requiring mechanical power. The gear is retained by a retaining means which allows said gear to rotate freely. The microengine is microfabricated of polysilicon on one wafer using surface micromachining batch fabrication.

A security barrier for placement across a passageway is made up of interconnected pressurized tubing made up in a grid pattern with openings too small to allow passage. The tubing is connected to a pressure switch, located away from the barrier site, which activates an alarm upon occurrence of a pressure drop. A reinforcing bar is located inside and along the length of the tubing so as to cause the tubing to rupture and set off the alarm upon an intruder`s making an attempt to crimp and seal off a portion of the tubing by application of a hydraulic tool. Radial and rectangular grid patterns are disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method of separating strontium, and, more particularly, to a method of separating strontium from a sample of biomass potentially contaminated with various radionuclides. Radioactive strontium is a radionuclide which represents a hazard to man because of its long half-life and, if ingested, its tendency to be retained in the human body. In the event that radionuclides such as strontium or various actinides are ingested, it is desirable to monitor the discharge or release of these radionuclides from the human body through analysis of fecal matter. In laboratories and other facilities where potential for radionuclide contamination exists, fecal analysis for strontium is routinely conducted for individuals who are terminating from their position or are suspected of having been contaminated with radionuclides. Methods for separating and analyzing radioactive actinides from a biomass sample are well known and have been extensively developed for the US Department of Energy. These methods, described in the Department`s internal procedure, USDOE, RESL/ID, A-16, 1981, as well as in US Patent 5,190,881, involve the use of an iron phosphate precipitation step to separate actinides from a solution, or supernate. However, there are no established procedures for the separation of strontium from a …

A wedge and spring assembly for use in electromagnets or dynamoelectric machines having a housing with an axis therethrough and a plurality of coils supported on salient poles that extend radially inward from the housing toward the housing axis to define a plurality of interpole spaces, respectively between the housing and adjacent coils, the interpole spaces each extending in a direction generally parallel to the housing axis. The wedge and spring assembly includes a nonmagnetic retainer spring and a nonmagnetic wedge. The retainer spring is formed to fit into one of the interpole spaces, and has juxtaposed ends defining between them a slit extending in a direction generally parallel to the housing axis. The wedge for insertion into the slit provides an outwardly directed force on respective portions of the juxtaposed ends defining the slit to expand the slit so that respective portions of the retainer spring engage areas of the coils adjacent thereto, thereby resiliently holding the coils against their respective salient poles. Preferably, the spring retainer and wedge are self-locking wherein wedge is fabricated from a material softer than a material the retainer spring is fabricated from, so that the wedge is securely retained in the slit. The …

A stabilization and propulsion system comprising a series of loop-coils arranged in parallel rows wherein two rows form a magnetic rail. Levitation and lateral stability is provided when the induced field in the magnetic rails interacts with the superconducting magnets (SCM) mounted on the magnetic levitation vehicle. A multiphase propulsion system interconnects specific coils in a given magnetic rail and interacts with the SCM to produce a propulsion force to the vehicle.