Apparatus for Continuously Inspecting the Physical Characteristics of Particulate Matter.

• Main Authors: Berthel,Robert O, Plank,Vernon G, LaGross,Dennis L
• Other Authors: DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE WASHINGTON DC
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1985
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; Test Facilities; Equipment and Methods; Photography; *PATENTS; *TEST EQUIPMENT; *CAMERA COMPONENTS; *SNOW; CRYSTAL STRUCTURE; PARTICULATES; CRYSTALS; ICE; SAMPLING; CONVEYORS; VIEWERS; OBSERVATION; VIDEO FRAMES; INSPECTION; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; PAT-CL-358-107; *Snowflakes; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADD012132; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADD012132

This patent discloses an apparatus for continuously inspecting the physical characteristics of particulate matter having a collection and conveying system, a sampling compartment, and a camera system. The collection and conveying system transports particulate matter, in the form of snowflakes, for example, to a viewing areas in the sampling compartment. The camera system monitors the viewing areas in order to provide single or multiple images of the snowflakes on single video frames at suitable magnification in order to analyze the crystalline characteristics of the snowflakes under naturally occurring conditions. Supersedes PAT-APPL-442 493-82, AD-D010 041.