Abstract: A firearm support includes a cylinder member which provides support without hindering the range of fire of a rifle or a pistol. The cylinder member is disposed on telescopic elongated elements which are fictionally clamped by a clamp. The firearm support further includes a perpetually open strap. Additionally, the firearm support is noiselessly foldable with one hand.

Abstract: A device for preventing the accidental discharge of a bullet from a firearm, including an attachment adapted to engage the muzzle end of a firearm barrel, a tubular body coaxially attachable with one of its ends to the barrel via the attachment, the bore of the tubular body is provided with an abutment, a stopper fixedly attachable to the other end of the body and having a central bore of a diameter exceeding the calibre of the firearm, an impact disk slidably disposed in the bore of the tubular body, and energy-absorbing and storing element interposed in the bore between the impact disk and the stopper. Upon the discharge of a bullet, the latter pierces the impact disk while transferring some of its kinetic energy to the energy-absorbing and storing element, causing the bullet to disintegrate into small particles escaping through the bore in the stopper.

Abstract: A fuze mechanism (1) for projectiles, rockets, bomblets and mines which is of the type including a fuze housing (2) and a self-destruct device containing a pyrotechnic delay arrangement (10) and a firing pin (11), with the fuze housing (2) having a side opening (5) for a transversely movable detonator carrier (4) which can be moved out beyond the outer housing contour into the armed position and which contains the pyrotechnic delay arrangement (10) and a fuze detonator (7). To manufacture fuze mechanisms (1) which are simple and free of spin and whose self-destruct devices are additionally provided with a delay time that is as long as possible, the firing pin (11) for the self-destruct mechanism is pivotably fastened to the fuze housing (2) in the region of the side opening (5).

Abstract: An interrupter in a pyrotechnic system for selectively arming or disarming a detonation propagation transfer line comprises a mechanism for driving a barrier to and from safe and arm positions using safe and arm actuators. The motion of each of the actuators is damped to prevent cycling from external transient forces. A safety mechanism comprises a mediate member slaved to the drive mechanism and a lock member. A safing key is inserted into the interrupter to drive the lock member into a position which limits the motion of the mediate member whereupon an attempt to drive the barrier from a safe position will be blocked by the lock member. The safing key will be captured in the interrupter such that it cannot be removed until the barrier is returned to the safe position. In the preferred embodiment, the barrier comprises a rod having a non-circular transverse slot disposed between the line segments.

Abstract: A fast acting valve for use in a stored energy projectile launching system. he valve has an inlet port for connection to a storage energy device, an outlet port for connection to a launching tube and an intermediate chamber. The interior of the valve seat communicates with one of the ports through a plurality of apertures that permit liquid to transfer between the ports. A cylindrical valve lies inside the cylindrical valve seat and sealingly, slidingly engages the interior of the cylindrical valve seat. A microprocessor-based control system provides a controlled velocity profile transfer of the valve between a first position in which the valve seals the ports and a second position in which the valve clears the ports.

Abstract: A blanking-off element, intended to be mounted on one end of a tube for storing and launching a munition to protect its interior from external attacks, embodies a cap intended to extend over the entire section of the tube end and to be fixed in a tight manner right along the edge of the tube end and to become detached at least partially with respect to the end at the moment of launching, characterized in that the cap is fixed to the interior of a protective cover made from pliable material which has a retaining lug fixed to the outside of the tube close to the end, whereby the cap is recovered by the protective cover at the moment of launching.

Abstract: A mechanical system for self-destruction of a munition, in particular a carrier shell submunition, is provided in a munition having a warhead initiated by a pyrotechnic sequence, a main striker and a priming device composed of a slide movable between a safety position and an armed position and which has a device for priming the charge. The self destruction system includes a secondary striker mounted inside a receptacle of a slide and a control device to release the secondary striker after a preset delay. Secondary striker is integral with a holding element and held abutting a seat by the urging of an arming spring. The control device of the secondary striker has a corrosive agent designed to chemically attack the holding element to release it from its seat. When the holding element is released, secondary striker is translationally moved to contact the detonator to destroy the munition.

Abstract: A sight apparatus is formed of a small housing having a curved top and an internally disposed chamber which is intended to be positioned generally at the location of a normal front sight as used with firearms intended for shooting remote targets. The housing incorporates a switchable light emitter such as an LED of substantial brightness which is positioned adjacent a small collimation chamber and exit aperture pointed parallel with the gun barrel axis toward the shooter's eye station. The brightness of this emitter output is selected with respect to the brightness of the ambient suround about the target so as to achieve enhanced brightness contour via physiological lateral inhibition within the shooter's eye. There then results a sharp sighting imagewhich represents gun tip positional data to the shooter. This data is available to the shooter even though both eyes are focused at the remote field of the target, generally at infinity, and defocused at the tip of the gun barrel.

Abstract: A lightweight mine extracting plow is provided that can be mounted on any type of armored vehicle to enable the vehicle to cross minefields in an attack formation or to assist the armored vehicle in escaping from scattered minefields, either laid by air or by artillery, by removing obstacles, such as mines, from all areas of land. The plow has tines which penetrate the land to extricate the mines. Blades are shaped to dispose the mines sideways out of the path of the tracks of the vehicle. A folding skid device controls articulation of the plow over ground undulations and extends forward to assist in bridging ditches. The skid has a device which automatically positions it in front of the plow and overturns it into a pre-operation mode. A mechanical lifting device is operable by reversing the vehicle to lift the plow out of the ground. Thereafter, the device automatically reverts to its pre-operation mode.

Abstract: A separating joint for use primarily in aerospace applications is provided having two operational components. The first component provides a very high force over a short stroke distance, using an explosively actuated expanding-tube, suitable for shearing connectors such as rivets. The second component provides a longer stroke, thrusting force to impart a separating velocity to the structures connected using this joint. The second component comprises a flexible bellows surrounding the expanding-tube. The bellows is inflated by gases that exit the expanding-tube, usually through vent holes in the tube wall. In operation, the detonation of an explosive cord in the tube causes the tube to expand and shear rivets or other connectors. The detonation gases then exit the tube to inflate the bellows, which further pushes the separated structures apart. This invention thus provides a high strength separable joint having relatively low weight and capable of providing a high thrusting force.

Abstract: A housing has a scored cylindrical casing that is designed to slidably fit into the barrel of a weapon and that is delimited by two side walls. After the casing breaks, due to the pressure of gases generated by a propellant charge, the housing is divided into at least two parts that are free to move relative to each other. Each housing part carries one casing element, ensuring gas tightness.

Abstract: A rocket motor or other gas generator the case of which is ventable at a predetermined temperature substantially greater than the ambient temperature range for storage and operation thereof and substantially less than the auto-ignition temperature of gas generant material contained therein so as to prevent catastrophic propulsion or burst in case of fire. In order to provide such venting without requiring any shaped charges or other auxiliary system for that purpose at all, the case is composed of a matrix-impregnated fibrous material wherein the fibrous material is characterized by having a melting point which is substantially higher than the ambient temperature range and which is substantially lower than the auto-ignition temperature of the gas generant material. The matrix material is preferably actinic radiation-curable at a temperature which is substantially lower than the melting point temperature of the fibrous material.

Abstract: A hypervelocity projectile launcher for use in perforating borehole casings provides improved penetration into the surrounding rock structure. The launcher includes a first cylinder of explosive material that defines an axial air-filled cavity, a second cylinder of explosive material defining an axial frustum-shaped cavity abutting and axially aligned with the first cylinder. A pliant washer is located between and axially aligned with the first and second cylinders. The frustum shaped cavity is lined with a metal liner effective to form a projectile when the first and second cylinders are detonated. The washer forms a unique intermediate projectile in advance of the liner projectile and enables the liner projectile to further penetrate into and fracture the adjacent rock structure.

Abstract: This invention relates to a safety explosion-sound generating type of bullet for a toy gun, and more particularly one having a cavity formed in a plastic body filled with a material which can produce an explosion-sound effect by collision with a hard object and it is covered by a thin layer. When the body is fired and lands against a hard object, the filling material produces a small explosion, like a sound produced by an actual gun. Furthermore, because the small explosion is produced within a very small bullet (for example, a BB), it is impossible to hurt people.

Abstract: A missile includes, as viewed successively in flight direction, a booster, a folded drag chute in a parachute housing, a cruise engine and a warhead. The booster is detachable from the drag chute before the opening of the drag chute and the drag chute is detachable from the cruise engine upon the activation of said cruise engine. The drag chute is accommodated in a parachute housing that is closed toward the booster and is open toward the cruise engine to which the booster is connected via a positive locking releasable due to axial tensile force. A separating charge for detaching the booster from the parachute housing is arranged between the booster and the base of the parachute housing at the booster side. The booster is connected to the parachute housing via a mechanical parachute release mechanism for releasing the drag chute from the parachute housing with a delay in comparison to the ignition of the separating charge.

Abstract: A system for launching a projectile includes a source of stored energy such s a pressurized fluid, a projectile within a launch barrel which communicates with the source of pressurized fluid, a fluid flow path between the two having at least one flow port, an object for blocking the at least one flow port and a valve for moving the blocking object and thereby allowing the pressurized fluid to enter the launch barrel and initiate launch of the projectile. The valve for moving the blocking object communicates directly with the energy storage device of the launch system and is used to move the blocking means by introducing fluid against a rear face thereof. In one embodiment of the present invention, the blocking object may be a disposable poppet. In an alternative embodiment, it may be the projectile itself. The launch system of the present invention has the advantages of being relatively simple, quiet and highly reliable.

Abstract: A supersonic fan nozzle for abrasive blast removal of coatings particularly for use with plastic abrasive media, provides much greater media particle velocity, a more uniform velocity profile, and a more uniform media particle distribution than prior art nozzles. The new nozzle has a constant height throat area about 1 inch long, about 1.57 inches wide, and about 0.125 inche high. The throat opens into a constant height diverging slot which diverges at about a 6.5 degree half-angle for about 9.5 inches to a final exit width of about 3.75 inches. A nozzle-to-hose coupling connects at one end to a conventionally sized blasting hose and at the other by a rectangular opening to the throat. Used with light plastic media entrained in an airflow stream at operating pressures of 15 to 80 psig, the nozzle has successfully removed coatings from a variety of delicate underlying substrates with little or no observable damage to the substrates.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor cooling system for imperforate non-metallic combustor liners has a wall positioned adjacent to the liners forming therewith a cavity. The wall has a plurality of inlets for admitting cooling air into the cavity and a plurality of outlets for exhausting the cooling air into a separate passageway after it impinges the liners. The exhausted cooling air is transferred upstream of the liner where it is combined with fuel for burning rather than discharged downstream as cooling film.

Abstract: An improved multiple-layered omnidirectional flexible joint disposed to flexibly connect between a convex spherical ball surface associated with a rocket motor nozzle and a concave spherical cup surface associated with a rocket motor case, the space between curved mounting surfaces being filled by overlapping spherically concentric layers constructed in an alternating manner of relatively rigid and relatively resilient materials interleaved and bonded to one another. The rigid layers are made of glass-fiber-reinforced epoxy-resin composite material, and extend outward beyond the edges of the resilient layers, so as to protrude toward the hot environment within the rocket motor case. The protruding edges of the glass-epoxy composite material layers tend to melt together, and thereafter protect the resilient layers from direct exposure to the intense thermal environment within the rocket motor case.

Abstract: A specialty boom and outrigger apparatus and method for use with an offshore skimmer device and a floating vessel for corralling buoyant substances. The apparatus has an elongated flexible boom with floating members and is connected to an elongated towing member with guide members. The towing member is connected to a mast with guide members and the mast is connected with a vessel with guide members.