Disclosed is a locking mechanism for an indexing spindle. A conventional spur gear having outwardly extending teeth is affixed to the spindle. Also included is a rotatably mounted camshaft whose axis is arranged in skewed relationship with the axis of the spindle. A disk-like wedge having opposing camming surfaces is eccentrically mounted on the camshaft. As the camshaft is rotated, the camming surfaces of the disk are interposed between adjacent gear teeth with a wiping action that wedges the disk between the gear teeth. A zero backlash engagement between disk and gear results, with the engagement having a high mechanical advantage so as to effectively lock the spindle against bi-directional rotation.

A chemical vapor deposition method for manufacturing tungsten-silicide thin-film resistors of predetermined bulk resistivity and temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) is disclosed. Gaseous compounds of tungsten and silicon are decomposed on a hot substrate to deposit a thin-film of tungsten-silicide. The TCR of the film is determined by the crystallinity of the grain structure, which is controlled by the temperature of deposition and the tungsten to silicon ratio. The bulk resistivity is determined by the tungsten to silicon ratio. Manipulation of the fabrication parameters allows for sensitive control of the properties of the resistor.

None

A method for real-time elemental analysis using laser-induced breakdown of the material under investigation and spectroscopic analysis of the light emitted from the plasma consequently formed is described. By delaying the observation of the emitted radiation, the unwanted background continuum and line spectra from excited ionic species can be rendered unimportant relative to the excited atomic line spectra, thereby producing sharp, well-defined characteristic identifying atomic spectral features. These features provide the indicia for detailed elemental analyses of substances. The method is quite general in that it applies to gases, surfaces, and particulates entrained in gases. It requires no electrodes and can excite atomic species like fluorine and chlorine which are difficult to observe by more conventional analytical procedures.

An apparatus and method for measuring the flow velocities of individual phase flow components of a multiphase flow is disclosed. Signals arising from flow noise disturbance are extracted from the flow, at upstream and downstream locations. The signals are processed through pairs of matched filters which are matched to the flow disturbance frequency characteristics of the phase flow component to be measured. The processed signals are then cross-correlated to determine the transit delay time of the phase flow component between sensing positions.

A seal assembly comprises a tube rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having two longitudinally spaced flanges projecting radially outwardly from the outer surface thereof. Slidably positioned against one of the flanges is a seal ring, and disposed between this seal ring and the other flange are two rings that are forced apart by springs, one of the latter rings being attached to a flexible wall.

A method of vitrifying soil at or below a soil surface location. Two or more conductive electrodes are inserted into the soil for heating of the soil mass between them to a temperature above its melting temperature. Materials in the soil, such as buried waste, can thereby be effectively immobilized.

A neutral beamline generator with unneutralized ion energy recovery is provided which enhances the energy recovery of the full energy ion component of the beam exiting the neutralizer cell of the beamline. The unneutralized full energy ions exiting the neutralizer are deflected from the beam path and the electrons in the cell are blocked by a magnetic field applied transverse to the beamline in the cell exit region. The ions, which are generated at essentially ground potential and accelerated through the neutralizer cell by a negative acceleration voltage, are collected at ground potential. A neutralizer cell exit end region is provided which allows the magnetic and electric fields acting on the exiting ions to be closely coupled. As a result, the fractional energy ions exiting the cell with the full energy ions are reflected back into the gas cell. Thus, the fractional energy ions do not detract from the energy recovery efficiency of full energy ions exiting the cell which can reach the ground potential interior surfaces of the beamline housing.

A uv preionized CO/sub 2/ oscillator with integral four-pass amplifier capable of providing 1 to 5 GW laser pulses with pulse widths from 0.1 to 0.5 ns full width at half-maximum (FWHM) is described. The apparatus is operated at any pressure from 1 atm to 10 atm without the necessity of complex high voltage electronics. The reinjection technique employed gives rise to a compact, efficient system that is particularly immune to alignment instabilities with a minimal amount of hardware and complexity.

Inductive storage pulse circuit device is disclosed which is capable of delivering a series of electrical pulses to a load in a sequential manner. Silicon controlled rectifiers as well as spark gap switches can be utilized in accordance with the present invention. A commutation switching array is utilized to produce a reverse current to turn-off the main opening switch. A commutation capacitor produces the reverse current and is initially charged to a predetermined voltage and subsequently charged in alternating directions by the inductive storage current.

A catalyst for the synthesis of hydrocarbons from carbon monoxide and hydrogen composed of palladium or platinum and cobalt supported on a solid phase is disclosed. The catalyst is prepared by heating a heterogeneous component of the palladium or platinum deposited on the solid support in a solution of cobalt carbonyl or precursors thereof. The catalyst exhibits excellent activity, stability in air, and produces highly desirable product fractions even with dilute gaseous reactants. The catalyst is preferably used in dilute slurry form, which is desirable from a heat transfer standpoint.

The invention is a process for producing improved electrical-junction devices. The invention is applicable, for example, to a process in which a light-sensitive electrical-junction device is produced by: (1) providing a body of crystalline semiconductor material having a doped surface layer; (2) irradiating the layer with at least one laser pulse to effect melting of the layer; (3) permitting recrystallization of the melted layer; and (4) providing the resulting body with electrical contacts. In accordance with the invention, the fill-factor and open-circuit-voltage parameters of the device are increased by conducting the irradiation with the substrate as a whole at a selected elevated temperature, the temperature being selected to effect a reduction in the rate of the recrystallization but insufficient to effect substantial migration of impurities within the body. In the case of doped silicon substrates, the substrate may be heated to a temperature in the range of from about 200/sup 0/C to 500/sup 0/C.

Novel substituted coumarin compounds and an improved method for their synthesis are disclosed. The preferred class of compounds are substituted at the 7-position. The method of synthesis comprises reacting a polyhydroxy benzene or a substituted phenol, with a ..beta..-alkoxy acrylic acid or nitrile, in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. By the inclusion of the catalyst in the reaction mixture, the reaction can be carried out under much milder experimental conditions and in increased yields. The method is also applicable to the preparation of substituted amino phenols.

A frequency-spectrum analyzer with phase-lock for analyzing the frequency and amplitude of an input signal is comprised of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) which is driven by a ramp generator, and a phase error detector circuit. The phase error detector circuit measures the difference in phase between the VCO and the input signal, and drives the VCO locking it in phase momentarily with the input signal. The input signal and the output of the VCO are fed into a correlator which transfers the input signal to a frequency domain, while providing an accurate absolute amplitude measurement of each frequency component of the input signal.

A self-actuating reactor shutdown system is described which has a thermionic switched electromagnetic latch arrangement which is responsive to reactor neutron flux changes and to reactor coolant temperature changes. The system is self-actuating in that the sensing thermionic device acts directly to release (scram) the control rod (absorber) without reference or signal from the main reactor plant protective and control systems. To be responsive to both temperature and neutron flux effects, two detectors are used, one responsive to reactor coolant temperatures, and the other responsive to reactor neutron flux increase. The detectors are incorporated into a thermionic diode connected electrically with an electromagnetic mechanism which under normal reactor operating conditions holds the control rod in its ready position (exterior of the reactor core).