Abstract: A bluff body adaptive wake reduction system includes a series of fairings mounted to outer surfaces of the aft end of the road vehicle. The fairings are streamlined in geometry with an outer surface, a partially hollow core, and with a rear end surface curved such that left and right hand sides are convergent behind the vehicle. The fairings are coupled to at least one ram air inlet and also include at least one blown slot positioned on the rear end of the fairings enabling air flow to exit the fairings tangent to the rear end surface of the fairings. Air flow enters the system through the ram air inlets and exits through the blown slots. Air flow exiting the blown slots promotes flow traveling over the outer surface to remain attached to the outer surface and thus to the rear end surface. The rear end surface then deflects air flow to follow a convergent trajectory behind the vehicle in such a fashion as to reduce the size of the wake, and as a result reduce the aerodynamic drag.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a housing and a powerplant coupled to the housing and configured to rotate a drive shaft around its longitudinal axis. The aircraft may include at least one lift fan assembly coupled to its housing and including a gearbox and at least one lift fan. The gearbox is coupled to the drive shaft and configured to transfer rotational energy from the drive shaft to the lift fan or fans. The lift fan assembly or assemblies may include at least two pivot assemblies, the first pivot assembly configured to pivot the lift fan assembly on a first axis and the second pivot assembly configured to pivot the lift fan assembly on a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

Abstract: A rotating launcher system includes a plurality of rocket or missile housing tubes arranged in a circular pattern within a carousel, a set of frames, a cylindrical protective skin, an aerodynamically optimized nose cone with a bore, and an optional door covering the bore, enabling rockets or missiles to exit the launcher. The rotating launcher system may also include an aerodynamically optimized tail cone with a bore, and an optional door covering the bore, enabling exhaust from the rockets or missiles to exit the launcher. The rotating launcher system also includes an integral controller for an indexing motor, and an indexing motor enabling the bores of the nose and tail cones to align with different rockets or missiles in the carousel by either rotating the nose and tail cones, or by rotating the carousel.

Abstract: A rotating launcher system includes a plurality of rocket or missile housing tubes arranged in a circular pattern within a carousel, a set of frames, a cylindrical protective skin, an aerodynamically optimized nose cone with a bore, and an optional door covering the bore, enabling rockets or missiles to exit the launcher. The rotating launcher system may also include an aerodynamically optimized tail cone with a bore, and an optional door covering the bore, enabling exhaust from the rockets or missiles to exit the launcher. The rotating launcher system also includes an integral controller for an indexing motor, and an indexing motor enabling the bores of the nose and tail cones to align with different rockets or missiles in the carousel by either rotating the nose and tail cones, or by rotating the carousel.

Abstract: Vertical deflection circuitry for substantially eliminating rolling and bouncing in a video monitor, where, for example, the video monitor successively displays images produced by each of one of a plurality of non-synchronized video cameras and an incoming vertical synchronization (synch) signal to the monitor is merely a composite of the individual vertical synch signals generated by each of these cameras. Specifically, the vertical deflection circuitry generates the appropriate vertical sweep signal for a current one of these cameras from this composite synch signal so as to properly locate the corresponding video image generated by this camera on a display screen of the monitor.

Abstract: An ammunition feed system wherein a single layer of alternatingly opposing rounds of ammunition is conveyed in a magazine by a single closed loop conveyor disposed along a serpentine path. The opposing rounds are fed into a twister conveyor apparatus which aligns the rounds and conveys the aligned rounds onto a pair of parallel paths. The aligned rounds on the parallel paths are received by a pair of feed rotors for alternate insertion into a single gun feeding conveyor. Spent rounds are withdrawn from the conveyor by a pair of return rotors, which return the spent rounds to a second twister conveyor. The second twister conveyor reorients the rounds into an alternating opposed configuration and returns the rounds to the serpentine path. Each twister conveyor includes two pairs of sprockets oriented in a perpendicular configuration. Each pair of sprockets carries one closed loop of conveyor elements for conveying rounds.

Abstract: An ammunition feed system wherein a single layer of ammunition is conveyed in a magazine by two independent closed loop conveyors disposed side by side in parallel, serpentine paths. Live rounds are fed on parallel output paths into first and second expansion rotor systems which, in turn, supply the rounds to a pair of feed rotors which insert the rounds alternately into a gun feeding conveyor. Spent rounds are withdrawn from the conveyor by a pair of return rotors, which, in turn, supply third and fourth expansion rotors, which return the spent rounds to the first and second parallel serpentine paths. The feed and return rotors contain pockets for receiving rounds alternating with surfaces for guiding rounds and cooperate with the expansion rotors to double the rate at which ammunition exits the system over that at which it is transferred out of the magazine.

Abstract: An ammunition feed system wherein a single layer of ammunition is conveyed in a magazine by two independent closed loop conveyors disposed side by side in parallel, serpentine paths. Live rounds are fed on parallel output paths into first and second expansion rotor systems which, in turn, supply the rounds to a pair of feed rotors which insert the rounds alternately into a gun feeding conveyor. Spent rounds are withdrawn from the conveyor by a pair of return rotors, which, in turn, supply third and fourth expansion rotors, which return the spend rounds to the first and second parallel serpentine paths. The feed and return rotors contain pockets for receiving rounds alternating with surfaces for guiding rounds and cooperate with the expansion rotors to double the rate at which ammunition exits the system over that at which it is transferred out of the magazine.

Abstract: Circuitry is disclosed which compensates for magnitude and phase variations in the transfer function of a transmission medium. The medium is characterized by amplitude and phase variations in its transfer function wherein the amplitude variations produce increasing loss in the medium as frequency increases. The circuitry possesses an inverse characteristic to these variations, thereby generating a relatively flat magnitude characteristic for the medium-circuitry combination. The circuitry includes a buffer amplifier that receives a portion of an input signal, a network coupled to the amplifier and having zero-pole pairs in its signal transfer function, and a summer which has both the input signal and the output of the network as inputs. Accordingly, the compensation circuit has an overall transfer function which has fixed poles but adjustable zeros, these zeros being dependent on the amplifier gain and the portion of the input signal applied to the amplifier.

Abstract: Gun mounting apparatus is provided which includes a pivotable shoe for slidably engaging a mating bracket on a gun in order to support a substantial amount of the gun weight to facilitate movement of the gun and engagement of coaxial fittings along with quick release means for both engaging the coaxial gun fittings and enabling gun rotation in elevation thereabout.

Abstract: A universal gun mount and ammunition feed system wherein an M242 chain gun is disposed with its dual feed chutes vertically oriented and fed with a symmetrical dual feed arrangement wherein linked rounds are rotated 180 degrees and wherein flex chuting is mounted about the sides of the turret and extends upwardly into the feed mechanism, thereby preventing binding, excessive loading, and jamming.

Abstract: Circuitry is disclosed for regenerating a digital output stream referenced to an output timing signal from a digital input stream referenced to an input timing signal wherein the input and output timing signals are typically unsynchronized. Both the digital input stream and a delayed version of the input stream alternately serve as inputs to a dual-port memory. The output port of the memory emits the output stream under control of the output timing signal. Whenever the output stream is being transferred from the dual-port memory to an output buffer, the storing of data through the input port of the memory is temporarily suspended. In order to ensure that no input data is lost, the delayed input stream is presented to the memory after interrupt of the memory by the output timing signal. Prior to the interruption, the input port receives its input directly from the input stream. The delay interval is chosen to be commensurate with the output timing signal to preserve data input into the memory.

Abstract: An ammunition transport system employing a container wherein an endless wire rope ladder chain is mounted to move in serpentine fashion, the ladder chain including transport tubes disposed as the ladder "steps," which serve to move ammunition through the container. The ladder chain includes successive ladder segments joined together by mounting respective swaged end fittings in special connector tubes. The transport tubes snap onto steel balls disposed along the ladder, while the connector tubes are positively retained by pop-on retainers.

Abstract: Gun mounting apparatus is provided which includes a pivotable shoe for slidably engaging a mating bracket on a gun in order to support a substantial amount of the gun weight to facilitate movement of the gun and engagement of coaxial fittings along with quick release means for both engaging the coaxial gun fittings and enabling gun rotation in elevation thereabout.

Abstract: An image processing system, which receives asynchronous analog video output signals from a plurality of independently operating video cameras (preferably four) and simultaneously displays the image obtained from each camera, dimensionally reduced by a factor of two, on a non-overlapping basis on one video monitor, is described.

Abstract: An automatic gain control (AGC) and digitizing circuit, particularly suitable for use in digital video image processing and/or display systems, is disclosed. This circuit advantageously defines an active window within an image area and operates the AGC only on the active window in order to ensure that the active window is always displayed, on a remote monitor, with proper brightness and contrast. The active window can be located anywhere within the image area and can be set to encompass an area extending from only a single picture element to the entire image area.