Abstract:
A multiple function device has three circuits with a common control. One circuit is an oscillator which charges a condenser that is discharged through a gaseous discharge lamp by the sparking of a spark plug to give a stroboscopic timing light; one circuit is an ohmmeter which averages the values of voltage for dwell time and open circuit time to give percentage of cam dwell; and another circuit is an averaging meter which provides a voltage that is proportional to the number of times that the breaker points open. In the latter two instances the meter is calibrated with scales that read dwell time and R.P.M. directly.
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a strobe flash apparatus with a modular construction in which the gas-filled flash tube and the circuit components are mounted on a printed circuit board to form a circuit module. The circuit module is mounted in a tubular housing with the camera sync-plug interfitting in a through aperture in the housing wall to anchor the circuit module against axial and angular displacement. The flash tube plugs into a socket at one end of the module and is located within a transparent protective cover to afford 360* light emanation. The circuit includes a light sensitive silicon controlled rectifier located in registry with a window in the housing to afford use of the flash as a light triggered slave unit. An axially shiftable sleeve on the housing is positionable over the window when the flash is triggered with the camera shutter contacts. A neon ready light is located in the transparent cover adjacent the flash tube and blinks or pulsates to indicate that the power pack has recycled and is ready for firing. A high resistance bridge minimizes idling drain of the battery in the power supply, and a high resistance and low current in the semi-conductor isolated trigger circuit minimizes burn of shutter contacts.
Abstract:
A solid state guaranteed flash circuit for sequentially flashing a linear array of n photoflash lamps employs solid state thyristors in series with the lamps that are turned on sequentially following actuation of the shutter release in a time interval a magnitude less than the shutter opening, the sequencing being interrupted when a lamp is fired. A series current sensing impedance in combination with a thyristor senses the application of current to a continuous filament, while a second current or light sensing thyristor senses the flashing of good lamps. Either sensor can interrupt and reset the series RC gating circuits for the lamp circuit thyristors, but the first is released after a predetermined interval sufficient to sense a good lamp. When a shorted-circuited lamp or air lamp is sensed, the timing cycle restarts and the next lamp in the array is flashed while the shutter is still open.
Abstract:
An unattended flashing navigation beacon system comprising a solid-state thermoelectric generator to supply power to the system, a Zener voltage limiter to regulate the system voltage, a capacitor bank to store power supply energy during eclipse time, a solid-state flasher, a motorized lamp changer, a first time delay circuit means for controlling the amount of time said flasher is actuated and a second time delay circuit means for controlling the amount of time said flasher is eclipsed. The flasher and lamp changer are interconnected such that a relay is activated when a lamp burns out. The relay initiates operation of the lamp changer motor and simultaneously prevents the flasher from switching to the eclipse state until a new lamp bulb is placed into position at which time the relay turns off the motor and allows the flasher to resume operation.
Abstract:
A light source having a lamp envelope with electrodes positioned therein a predetermined distance apart. A gaseous medium is provided within the envelope which has a predetermined pressure for providing a minimum duration maximum intensity output light pulse characteristic of the gaseous medium when a voltage pulse of comparable duration is applied across the electrodes to ionize the gaseous medium. The voltage pulse is provided by a pulseforming circuit which is adapted to be changed to a predetermined voltage from a source of electrical energy to generate the voltage pulse having a time duration comparable to the duration of the output light pulse. A circuit is also provided for periodically connecting the pulse-forming circuit to the electrodes to discharge the voltage pulse through the gaseous medium.