A filtered cathodic arc deposition method and apparatus are described for the production of highly dense, wear resistant coatings which are free from macro particles. The filtered cathodic arc deposition apparatus includes a cross shaped vacuum chamber which houses a cathode target having an evaporable surface comprised of the coating material, means for generating a stream of plasma, means for generating a transverse magnetic field, and a macro particle deflector. The transverse magnetic field bends the generated stream of plasma in the direction of a substrate. Macro particles are effectively filtered from the stream of plasma by traveling, unaffected by the transverse magnetic field, along the initial path of the plasma stream to a macro particle deflector. The macro particle deflector has a preformed surface which deflects macro particles away from the substrate.

A vapor sample detection method where the vapor sample contains vapor and ambient air and surrounding natural background particles. The vapor sample detection method includes the steps of generating a supply of aerosol that have a particular effective median particle size, mixing the aerosol with the vapor sample forming aerosol and adsorbed vapor suspended in an air stream, impacting the suspended aerosol and adsorbed vapor upon a reflecting element, alternatively directing infrared light to the impacted aerosol and adsorbed vapor, detecting and analyzing the alternatively directed infrared light in essentially real time using a spectrometer and a microcomputer and identifying the vapor sample.

Combustion oscillation control in combustion systems using hydrocarbon fuels is provided by acoustically tuning a fuel-delivery line to a desired phase of the combustion oscillations for providing a pulse of a fuel-rich region at the oscillating flame front at each time when the oscillation produced pressure in the combustion chamber is in a low pressure phase. The additional heat release produced by burning such fuel-rich regions during low combustion chamber pressure effectively attenuates the combustion oscillations to a selected value.

The present invention is directed to a means of fabricating a gas-driven microturbine that is capable of providing autonomous propulsion in which the rapidly moving gases are directed through a micromachined turbine to power mechanical, electrical, or electromechanical devices by direct mechanical linkage of turbo-electric generator components in a domain ranging from tenths of micrometers to thousands of micrometers. By optimally selecting monopropellants or bipropellants to be the fuel set, a more efficient gas-driven microturbine can be realized from the increased mass flow rate of the gas stream due to the higher combustion reaction energies of these fuel sets. Additionally, compressed gas can be utilized to provide a high-flow gas stream for the gas-driven microturbine. The present invention is adaptable to many defense and non-defense applications, including the provision of mechanical power for miniature devices such as fans, geared mechanisms, mechanical linkages, actuators, bio-medical procedures, manufacturing, industrial, aviation, computers, safety systems, and electrical generators.

A method for analyzing metal in a fluid is provided comprising maintaining a first portion of a continuous filter media substrate at a temperature coinciding with the phase in which the metal is to be analyzed; contacting the fluid to a first portion of said substrate to retain the metal on the first portion of said substrate; preventing further contact of the fluid to the first portion of substrate; and contacting the fluid to a second portion of said substrate to retain metal on the second portion of the said substrate while simultaneously analyzing the first portion for metal. Also provided is a device for the simultaneous monitoring and analysis of metal in a fluid comprising a continuous filter media substrate; means for maintaining a first portion of said filter media substrate at a temperature coinciding with the phase in which the metal is to be analyzed; a means for contacting the fluid to the first portion of said substrate; a means for preventing further contact of the fluid to the first portion of substrate; a means for contacting the fluid to a second portion of said substrate to retain metal on the second portion of the said substrate; and …

A method and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a thermionic reactor over a wide range of operating power, including a thermionic reactor having a plurality of integral cesium reservoirs, a honeycomb material disposed about the reactor which has a plurality of separated cavities, a solid sheath disposed about the honeycomb material and having an opening therein communicating with the honeycomb material and cavities thereof, and a shell disposed about the sheath for creating a coolant annulus therewith so that the coolant in the annulus may fill the cavities and permit nucleate boiling during the operation of the reactor.

Cold pressed UC{sup 2} fuel compacts are sintered at temperatures greater than about 1850 C while in contract with a sintering facilitator material, e.g., tantalum, niobium, tungsten or a metal carbide such as uranium carbide, thereby allowing for a reduction in the overall porosity and leaving the desired product, i.e., a highly dense, large-grained uranium dicarbide. The process of using the sintering facilitator materials can be applied in the preparation of other carbide materials.

This invention is comprised of an apparatus for detecting the presence of a liquid in a region, including an electrically passive sensor adapted for contacting the liquid, and an electrically active detector. The sensor is a circuit with a pair of spaced-apart terminals connected to a switch that closes in the presence of the liquid. The detector carries an alternating current with a resonant frequency. When the sensor is placed in a region and liquid is present, the circuit of the sensor is closed. By bringing the detector close to the sensor, an alternating current is induced in the sensor that will, in turn, alter the resonant frequency of the detector. This change is signaled by a transducer. The switch can operate by a change in conductivity of a material between the terminals of the sensor or by expansion of a liquid absorber that pushes the two terminals together, or by a change in the conductivity of the space between the terminals as a result of the liquid. The detector generates an audible or visible signal, or both, in response to the current change.

The present invention relates to the electrical treatment of biological tissue. In particular, the present invention discloses a device that produces discrete electrical pulse trains for treating osteoporosis and accelerating bone growth. According to its major aspects and broadly stated, the present invention consists of an electrical circuit configuration capable of generating Bassett-type waveforms shown with alternative signals provide for the treatment of either fractured bones or osteoporosis. The signal generator comprises a quartz clock, an oscillator circuit, a binary divider chain, and a plurality of simple, digital logic gates. Signals are delivered efficiently, with little or no distortion, and uniformly distributed throughout the area of injury. Perferably, power is furnished by widely available and inexpensive radio batteries, needing replacement only once in several days. The present invention can be affixed to a medical cast without a great increase in either weight or bulk. Also, the disclosed stimulator can be used to treat osteoporosis or to strengthen a healing bone after the cast has been removed by attaching the device to the patient`s skin or clothing.

Optical thermometry is a growing technological field which exploits the ability of certain materials to change their optical properties with temperature. A subclass of such materials are those which change their color as a reversible and reproducible function of temperature. These materials are thermochromic. This invention is a composition to measure temperature utilizing thermochromic semiconductors.

This invention is comprised of an apparatus for measuring the flow of a fluid in a pipe using ultrasonic waves. The apparatus comprises an ultrasonic generator, a lens for focusing the sound energy produced by the generator, and means for directing the focused energy into the side of the pipe through an opening and in a direction close to parallel to the long axis of the pipe. A cone carries the sound energy to the lens from the generator. Depending on the choice of materials, there may be a quarter-wave, acoustic impedance matching section between the generator and the cone to reduce the reflections of energy at the cone boundary. The lens material has an acoustic impedance similar to that of the cone material but a different sonic velocity so that the lens can converge the sound waves in the fluid. A transition section between the lens and the fluid helps to couple the energy to the fluid and assures it is directed as close to parallel to the fluid flow direction as possible.

This invention is comprised of a proximity sensor based on a closed field circuit. The circuit comprises a ring oscillator using a symmetrical array of plates that creates an oscillating displacement current. The displacement current varies as a function of the proximity of objects to the plate array. Preferably the plates are in the form of a group of three pair of symmetric plates having a common center, arranged in a hexagonal pattern with opposing plates linked as a pair. The sensor produces logic level pulses suitable for interfacing with a computer or process controller. The proximity sensor can be incorporated into a load cell, a differential pressure gauge, or a device for measuring, the consistency of a characteristic of a material where a variation in the consistency causes the dielectric constant of the material to change.

This invention is comprised of an apparatus and method that combines a signal generator and a passive signal receiver to detect and record the path of partially or completely concealed electrical wiring without disturbing the concealing surface. The signal generator applies a series of electrical pulses to the selected wiring of interest. The applied pulses create a magnetic field about the wiring that can be detected by a coil contained within the signal receiver. An audible output connected to the receiver and driven by the coil reflects the receiver`s position with respect to the wiring. The receiver`s audible signal is strongest when the receiver is directly above the wiring and the long axis of the receiver`s coil is parallel to the wiring. A marking means is mounted on the receiver to mark the location of the wiring as the receiver is directed over the wiring`s concealing surface. Numerous marks made on various locations of the concealing surface will trace the path of the wiring of interest.

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.

A method, using a quartz crystal microbalance, to obtain simultaneous measurement of solid mass accumulation and changes in liquid density-viscosity product. The simultaneous real-time measurements of electrical parameters yields that changes in surface mass can be differentiated from changes in solution properties. Two methods to obtain the admittance/frequency data are employed.

This invention is comprised of a nozzle device for causing two fluids to mix together. In particular, a spray nozzle comprise two hollow, concentric housings, an inner housing and an outer housing. The inner housing has a channel formed therethrough for a first fluid. Its outer surface cooperates with the interior surface of the outer housing to define the second channel for a second fluid. The outer surface of the inner housing and the inner surface of the outer housing each carry a plurality of vanes that interleave but do not touch, each vane of one housing being between two vanes of the other housing. The vanes are curved and the inner surface of the outer housing and the outer surface of the inner housing converge to narrow the second channel. The shape of second channel results in a swirling, accelerating second fluid that will impact the first fluid just past the end of the nozzle where mixing will take place.

A stuffing tube integrity checking assembly includes first and second annular seals, with each seal adapted to be positioned about a stuffing tube penetration component. An annular inflation bladder is provided, the bladder having a slot extending longitudinally there along and including a separator for sealing the slot. A first valve is in fluid communication with the bladder for introducing pressurized fluid to the space defined by the bladder when mounted about the tube. First and second releasible clamps are provided. Each clamp assembly is positioned about the bladder for securing the bladder to one of the seals for thereby establishing a fluid-tight chamber about the tube.

This invention is comprised of a method of clustering using a novel template to define a region of influence. Using neighboring approximation methods, computation times can be significantly reduced. The template and method are applicable and improve pattern recognition techniques.

A method for converting hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide to carbon disulfide and hydrogen is provided comprising contacting the hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide to a bi-functional catalyst residing in a controlled atmosphere for a time and at a temperature sufficient to produce carbon disulfide and hydrogen. Also provided is a catalyst for converting carbon sulfides and hydrogen sulfides to gasoline range hydrocarbons comprising a mixture containing a zeolite catalyst and a hydrogenating catalyst.

This invention relates to high frequency (HF) radio signal propagation through fading channels and, more particularly, to simulation of fading channels in order to characterize HF radio system performance in transmitting and receiving signals through such fading channels. Fading channel effects on a transmitted communication signal are simulated with both frequency and time variations using a channel scattering function to affect the transmitted signal. A conventional channel scattering function is converted to a series of channel realizations by multiplying the square root of the channel scattering function by a complex number of which the real and imaginary parts are each independent variables. The two-dimensional inverse-FFT of this complex-valued channel realization yields a matrix of channel coefficients that provide a complete frequency-time description of the channel. The transmitted radio signal is segmented to provide a series of transmitted signal and each segment is subject to FFT to generate a series of signal coefficient matrices. The channel coefficient matrices and signal coefficient matrices are then multiplied and subjected to inverse-FFT to output a signal representing the received affected radio signal. A variety of channel scattering functions can be used to characterize the response of a transmitter-receiver system to such atmospheric effects.

An apparatus, near-electrode imager, for employing nuclear magnetic resonance imaging to provide in situ measurements of electrochemical properties of a sample as a function of distance from a working electrode. The near-electrode imager use the radio frequency field gradient within a cylindrical toroid cavity resonator to provide high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectral information on electrolyte materials.

Patent for Settling Basin-Separating Devices. This device improves the issue of unwanted discharge shown in prior devices