Abstract:
A buffer assembly for use in a piston-type powder-actuated tool, which buffer assembly provides for a longer useful life of the piston. The buffer assembly includes an elastomeric member which is disposed in the bore of the tool barrel, and which is fitted with a metallic cap. The tool barrel and metallic cap combine to control and constrain radial and longitudinal expansion of the elastomeric member, when the latter is impacted by the driven piston. In this manner, extrusion of the elastomeric member is prevented and, at the same time, the piston is prevented from contacting other hardened tool surfaces.
Abstract:
A new method of friction welding, particularly suitable for manufacturing BLISKS and BLUMS for gas turbine engine rotors, in which the disc or drum rotor is angularly reciprocated while the airfoil blades are pressed radially against the rotor circumference. A machine for carrying out the method has a workpiece holder and a counterbalancing member mounted for angular reciprocation and coupled together by torque transfer means to constitute a resonant system. In operation the machine is driven at or near its natural frequency of oscillation. The natural frequency can be tuned by adjusting the stiffness of the torque transfer means. The machine also includes a drive mechanism.
Abstract:
A guidance and retention member, for use with a nail-like fastener of the type adapted to be driven by a powder-actuated tool, comprising an axially elongate, hollow, cylindrical body adapted for telescopic retention on the nose of the fastener and of an even number of flexible, radially extending fins, wherein alternating ones of the fins are of substantially greater radial extent than the fins adjacent thereto. The shorter fins, although nominally of the same thickness as the longer ones, are more rigid by virtue of their lower length-to-thickness ratio and act to limit pre-firing eccentricity of the fastener relative to the tool.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for generating a signal to noise ratio (SNR) estimate. A conditional probability distribution function (CPDF) is rectified to suppress the condition, thereby creating a biased CPDF. Conditional offset moments are computed through an analysis of the asymmetry generated by the rectification. The conditional offset moments are then utilized to reduce the bias generated by the rectification to enhance the SNR estimate.
Abstract:
The frictional loads involved in a friction welding operation, for joining metal parts, may be several tons and the mass of the welding apparatus is correspondingly large. Thus, in addition to the energy which is converted into heat at the weld interface a substantial amount of work has to be done simply to overcome the inertial loads of the apparatus. An inertial load cancelling system is proposed in which a double acting gas spring arrangement is coupled to the welding oscillator output so that the work done in overcoming the inertia of the apparatus is returned to the system when the oscillator motion is reversed at the ends of each stroke. Thus, after the initial system input the oscillator has only to supply work to overcome internal frictional and that converted to frictional heat at the weld joint interface.
Abstract:
A series of sigma-delta modulators are connected in a cascaded architecture. Each sigma-delta modulator has a noise transfer function that defines a unique set of quantization noise transmission zeros. A circuit is coupled to the cascaded architecture and has a signal transfer function that is an approximation of the noise transfer function of a first sigma-delta modulator in the series of sigma-delta modulators.
Abstract:
Low pass equivalent processing is a method for use with a network analyzer, that gethers a sequence of NDATA samples, each sample including real and imaginary components of a signal, over a frequency range from F1 to f2 in frequency steps of (f2-f1)/(NDATA-1), where f1 is greater than zero. The sequence of samples is processed to estimate a characteristic of the signal with respect to a selected discontinuity in the signal. The sequence of samples is converted to time domain, to generate time domain data over a range from zero to t. The selected discontinuity is identified as lying within a range of t1 to t2. Next, the phase of the time domain data is unwound to correct a portion of the phase error resulting from the one sided spectrum that is not dependent on the distance to the discontinuity through the network. Next, the magnitude peak JMAX of the data samples between time range t1 to t2, is determined. The phase angles of the data at two points removed from the magnitude JMAX by a number of data points dependent on the type of biasing window used in measurement of the data are used to determine a slope through JMAX. From this information, an estimate is made of the location of the discontinuity in the network. The phase of the time domain data is unwrapped in response to that estimate of location according to an empirically derived equation.
Abstract:
The venting of fouled combustion gases from the bore of a piston-type powder actuated fastening tool is provided by forming a gas vent which defines a gas flow path extending through the piston pawl return mechanism mounting to the atmosphere. A gas chamber is provided within the pawl mounting which chamber is vented to the atmosphere. A series of baffles is disposed within the pawl mounting in the gas path to provide for cooling of the hot combustion gases.