Abstract: Valve apparatus including a generally cylindrical valve body member and at least one pilot valve located at the end of the valve body member. A supply valve is located within the valve body member and the supply valve and the pilot valve permit the non-throttling interruption of fluid flow as well as permitting the fluid flow pressure to maintain the supply valve in a positive or locked position. The non-throttling and locked operational features are made possible by the relationships of various areas upon which pressures are exerted and the supply pressure. Various embodiments of the invention are presented and these embodiments have convertible components which permit them to be converted into various types of operational configurations.

Abstract: A passive transponder which provides remote identification of objects including cargo and trailers, vehicles or a variety of objects which move through an interrogator beam. The passive transponder is mounted onto the vehicle or object or at the location to be identified. A transmitted beam from the interrogator is directed to the transponder. Some of the beam's energy is rectified and used to power digital electronic circuitry within the transponder which generates a signal with a serially-coded digital waveform. This signal amplitude modulates a harmonic generator in the transponder which produces and emits harmonic energy derived from the incident beam from the interrogator. This harmonic energy is readily identified by an interrogator receiver which is tuned to that harmonic of the incident signal. The transponder information from the interrogator receiver is decoded in the interrogator data processor to provide the desired identification number.

Abstract: A high load extendible structure including an elongated thin pre-stressed element which has a cross section whose interior portion is curved to form substantially one-half of the perimeter of a circle and whose two exterior portions are each curved in an opposite direction to each form substantially one-quarter of a circle of the same radius as the central portion when the pre-stressed element is unrestrained from a flattened condition. The element is capable of being rolled flat upon a roller and yet can be extended to support or push various loads and plastic beads are located along the edges of the pre-stressed element to provide protection from these sharp edges. An equation is presented for determining the required thickness of the element once the radii associated with the element and the radius of the roller and other parameters for a given application have been determined.

Abstract: A weapon system adapted to accurately fire projectiles in rapid succession which includes a weapon sighting, target designating and locating means that is operatively connected so that the weapon might be selectively fired when a visual image and an image derived from a reflected beam from a beam illuminated target, are superimposed within the weapon operator's sighting device. A remotely located beam generator is utilized to illuminate an intended target with a pulsed frequency beam, such as a laser. A beam receiver tuned to the same pulsed frequency, is responsive to the reflected beam and utilizes it to determine the relative position of the weapon and the target and processes this information to produce signals based upon the relative position of the target and weapon.

Abstract: A seat armrest and process of manufacturing same, including an armrest frame member and three shell members located around the frame member. All of the shell members have a depressed central portion and outer rim portions and one of the shell members is so sized so that it is slideable into one of the other shell members which is in turn connected to the arm frame member. The third shell member is then slideable over the other two combined shell members, and the inner wall of that shell member and the outer wall of the adjacently located shell member form a pocket in the seat armrest. A panel is also provided which is easily attachable to or removable from the armrest.

Abstract: An apparatus for collection of articles at the discharge ends of article sorting machines, particularly a plurality of sorting machines that are arranged one above the other in elevation, and where it is desired to collect articles discharged by the multiple sorting machines at common collection points without causing damage to the articles.

Abstract: An aircraft wing having a relatively thin airfoil cross section including a main body portion and a plurality of auxiliary airfoil sections disposed at the trailing edge of the wing and movable relative to the main body portion and to one another. In a normal cruise position the auxiliary sections and the main body portion form a complete airfoil having a substantially contiguous and unbroken exterior airfoil surface which preserves the high speed characteristics of the wing. At least two of the auxiliary sections comprising a leading auxiliary section and a trailing auxiliary section are movable about a common hinge member carried by the main body portion, while another auxiliary section also hingedly connected to the main body portion is positioned relative thereto in response to the position of the other auxiliary sections.

Abstract: A suction of fluid control valve for a submerged type pump for storage containers containing cryogenic fluids. The valve is normally open and includes a fluid control valve member having ports for communicating with the liquid stored in the storage container. A gas source is provided for producing relative movement between the valve members for sealing off the fluid ports and exposing the ports to thereby control the flow of the stored liquid into the pump housing.

Abstract: A collapsible container including a flat rectangular shaped base, an end wall portion rotatably connected to each end of the base and two slidable side wall portions whose ends slide into and are received by the edges of the end wall portions. Latches are provided on the side wall portions for locking the side wall portions to the end wall portions to prevent the side wall portions from moving when the container is in an inverted position. Leg members are also attached to the corners of the base and these leg members have stacking members which permit the erected containers to be readily stacked on top of each other. The container is also easily collapsible into a compact configuration with no loose components which might be subject to being lost.

Abstract: A control system including a jam isolating coupling for use in an aircraft including a plurality of related movable control members adapted to be moved in unison under normal operation conditions by appropriate separate and interconnected actuators. The related movable members are each provided with separate actuating shafts joined by a coupling which includes a sleeve which connects both shafts. Shearable rivets pass through suitable apertures in the sleeve and in one of the actuating shafts while the related actuating shaft is securely fastened to the sleeve by a plurality of bolts. The coupling structure is capable of accommodating any loads associated with the normal operation of the control system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for segregating different size articles in which the articles to be segregated are transported along a moving canted conveyor and permitted to slide onto the upper end of an inclined chute which has a divider located substantially parallel to the long axis of the chute. The shape and location of the divider causes the smaller size articles to be directed to one side of the divider and larger size articles to be directed to the other side of the divider. The segregated different size articles then pass to different portions of a second chute which is at a lesser incline than the first chute and this serves to reduce the speed of the articles. The segregated articles are contained in separate portions of the second chute by compact gates which can be individually activated to permit the segregated articles to slide off the lower end of the second chute.

Abstract: An article stacking apparatus for stacking flat randomly shaped articles and the like including a movable article transporter, inclined slides located beneath the transporter, and containers having three sides and an open top located at the lower end of the slides. The transporter, slides and the containers are uniquely configured to minimize the impact velocity of the article with the slide and to permit the random articles to be placed in a stack that has two flush sides. Elevators are provided for adjusting the height of the containers in accordance with the height of the stack, and sensors are provided which detect the height of the stack and feed appropriate signals to an elevator control circuit which controls the elevators.