Abstract: Mechanically cooperating assemblies on an undersea vehicle and an instrumation target assure the making of a rigid coupling for passing electrical, optical or fluid information between the vehicle and the instrumentation and reduce the complexity of such a coupling from a three-dimensional to a two-dimensional maneuver by the vehicle. An undersea vehicle locates a pair of spaced-apart vertical cables which are attached to an instrumentation target assembly and engages them anywhere along their length with a converging grabber assembly mounted on the forward moving underwater vehicle. After engaging the cables, the grabber assembly merely slides along the cables toward the instrumentation target assembly.

Abstract: A projectile launching baton is provided which includes a hollow barrel, a handle disengageably connected to the barrel, and a projectile held in a mouth of the barrel. An outer wall of the barrel is formed with a substance such as a polycarbonate or a rubber. An interior wall of the barrel may be formed of steel. Within the handle is located a mechanism for causing discharge of the projectile from the barrel. An alternating series of recoil prevention elements are lodged in the handle adjacent the barrel. These elements are preferably alternating rings of lead and air-filled flexible-walled pillows.

Abstract: A barrel-cleaning bullet contains a charge of cleaning fluid and an array of cleaning elements that extend about the exterior surface of the bullet. Upon firing of the bullet, a piston, slidably positioned in the cavity filled by the fluid, forces the fluid through at least one discharge port formed in the head of the bullet. The fluid is, thus, distributed along the walls of the gun barrel to treat accumulated deposits. As the projectile accelerates down the barrel, the cleaning elements contact the deposits to clean the barrel bore.

Abstract: A grip assembly for a hand gun, including two body panels which are received at opposite sides of a handle of the gun, and which may be formed either separately or integrally as a unitary body, with at least one grip element being mountable in fixed position relative to the body panels and relative to the handle. Preferably, the assembly includes both a forward grip unit and a back strap formed at least in part of deformable elastomeric material for cushioning contact of the grip assembly with the user's hand. The forward grip unit may have two side portions to be received at outer sides of the two body panels, with a forward strap extending between and interconnecting the side portions at the front of the handle. The body panels may be connected to the handle by extension of a pin through those panels and through an opening in the handle. The same pin may also extend through an opening in the back strap to secure the body panels, the forward grip unit, and the back strap in fixed relative positions.

Abstract: An impulse tank is provided in the free flood compartment of a submarine to ressurize a launcher tube from sea water that has been pumped into the tank for this purpose. The tank is defined in part by the submarine hull and in part by a diaphragm bladder that is designed to expand into the free flood compartment during this pressurization.

Abstract: Control and safety device for an externally powered automatic weapon include at least one rotor driven by a motor and have a stop cooperating with a locking part. The device has both a detent lever to control firing and a second lever subjected to the action of a rotating finger driven by the recoil of the weapon. The detent lever and the second lever are connected to the locking part by a system of slides and links which automatically stop the rotor by way of the locking part if ammunition should malfunction.

Abstract: A digital communication network adapts a conventional MIL-STD-1553 aircraft multiple weapons rack for carriage of smart weapons. The network is a communications, power, and signal management interface circuit which permits an existing single pylon wing RT/sub-bus to control a plurality of additional smart RT's. The network utilizes a sub-bus which includes an RT and a bus controller for the multiple stores. The output of the RT/sub-bus is divided to create a plurality of inputs to the additional RT's to establish a power and communications link with the aircraft controller. The network includes a processor which receives coded digital communications from the controller and selectively rebroadcasts those communications to one of the smart weapons on the rack designated by the coded communication.

Abstract: The present invention is a toy cap gun, which includes a gun housing having a forward end and a rearward end, a chamber, a barrel, a cap anvil, a hammer and a trigger. The chamber is formed of material which permits light from a cap firing flash to be visible therethrough, and the chamber further contains an effective amount of a glow in the dark material. Further, the chamber is movably located within the housing and the chamber and housing together are adapted to load and unload caps. The barrel is located at a forward end of the housing and the chamber. There is a rotatable cap anvil which is located on a rearward end of the chamber, extending into the chamber and adapted to hold caps. The hammer is located on the housing, is connected to a trigger mechanism and is located adjacent to the cap anvil for intermittently striking and detonating caps. There is a trigger mechanism extending from the housing and functionally connected to the hammer for intermittently impacting the hammer to detonate caps.

Abstract: The booster motors, each attached to and surrounding a centerbody, are mully connected to each other via one or more hollow manifold legs through which propulsive gases flow freely. At a predetermined time, the manifold cutter receives a signal activating the cutter to sever the manifold leg. Upon severance, the cut manifold leg still attached to the booster acts as a nozzle by venting residual propulsive gases and thereby propelling the booster away from the centerbody.

Abstract: A device for firing ammunition includes a combustion chamber accommodating several propellant charge members which latter contain a propellant charge and an ignition system for igniting the propellant charge. A fixedly disposed primary coil which receives an ignition signal is provided at the combustion chamber while a secondary coil is arranged in each propellant charge member, this secondary coil being connected to a resistor initiating the ignition system. The magnetic field, changing with time, which is produced by the primary coil penetrates the combustion chamber and induces a current in the secondary coils of each propellant charge member at the same time so that the ignition systems of all propellant charge members are simultaneously activated and ignite all propellant charges at once. On account of the simultaneous ignition of the propellant charge members, rapid firing sequences can be attained.

Abstract: A compensated barrel shroud that encloses and supports a firearm barrel provides a first portion of the shroud for receiving the barrel that extends from the firearm frame to an end of the barrel. There is a second larger diameter portion extending from the end of the barrel to a forwardmost outer end of the shroud. A securing nut engages threads at the end of the barrel and secures the barrel shroud to the barrel. An end cap is positioned at the forwardmost end of the shroud. The end cap has an outer hole with an inner diameter substantially equal to an inner of the barrel thereby forming an expansion chamber within the second portion. A plurality of slots are formed along a top surface of the second portion to allow expanding propellant gas from within the second portion to escape out of the slots. These slots are sized and arranged to provide a downward thrust to the barrel shroud to compensate recoil forces generated in firing a round.

Abstract: A self-defense device comprises a housing defining first and second fluid ejection orifices, at least a fluid reservoir, a fluid path from the reservoir to the orifice, a power source in electrical conducting relation with the fluid path for imparting an electrical charge to conductive fluid in the fluid path, and a mechanism for forcing fluid from the reservoir through the orifice for ejecting electrically charged continuous first and second fluid streams at a target.

Abstract: A high impact low penetration round includes a transparent casing and a plurality of deformable pellets fired from the casing as projectiles. The pellets are formed of a lead wax material that flattens and deforms upon contact with a solid object. Contact with a solid object discharges all of the kinetic energy associated with firing the pellet and transfers this energy to the object so that the pellet will not ricochet or penetrate the object. The pellets are shaped to tumble in the air to enhance energy loss and to aid in the detachment and distribution of the pellets. The rounds can be used as shotgun ammunition at close range to provide an effective anti personnel round with a lethality that diminishes rapidly after an effective range of about thirty-five yards.

Abstract: A system and process for neutralizing unexploded ordnances and clearing explosive infested areas such that maneuvers can be both readily and confidently continued without significant delay is disclosed. The system clears such unexploded ordnances infested areas by initially spraying the explosive infested area with a cryogenic liquid to neutralize the unexploded ordnances and reduce an output voltage of a detonator of the unexploded ordnances thereby rendering the unexploded ordnances inert, gathering the now unexploded ordnances and submerging the inert unexploded ordnances in a tank containing the same or similar cryogenic liquid so that the unexploded ordnances are maintained in a neutralized and inert state to allow for disposal.

Abstract: A flexible non destructing detonating cord including an inner sheath (2) of 99.5% pure aluminium or silver which is drawn down to an outer diameter of 0.85 mm so as to compress an NHS explosive core (1) to a density of between 1.2 and 1.6 g/cc. The cord also includes an outer sheath (3) of stainless steel which is drawn down to an outer diameter of 2.00 mm into gripping contact with the inner sheath and acts to prevent swelling of the cord when the explosive in the cord is detonated. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing the detonating cord.

Abstract: An abstract is provided which is capable of clearing encased explosives s as land mines. This apparatus combines a shaped charge jet with a plate penetrator. A depression is formed in a column of a first explosive material. The depression is provided with a metal liner such that detonation of the first explosive material forms a shaped charge jet. The shaped charge jet passes through a hole in a plate penetrator and exits the device without detonating a second explosive material. The shaped charge jet strikes the ground and imparts kinetic energy. As the energy in the shaped charge jet is consumed, the second explosive material detonates and drives the plate penetrator to supersonic velocities. Since shaped charge jet velocity exceeds the detonation velocity of the second explosive material, the shaped charge jet clears a path ahead of the plate penetrator.

Abstract: An improved launching system for use on a platform and for selectively and ontrollably dispensing one or more elements of predetermined shape in carrying out its mission as used on any suitable platform; such as, e.g., an aircraft. The system is generally made up of elongated sleeve means being closed at one end and also having an aerodynamic profile as required. Depending upon the requirements of the system, it can be provided with external or internal control means. The system is generally comprised of selectively programmable motor-driven, feed-screw propelling means. The propelling means is arranged within the sleeve means such that the propelling means when in a retracted position provides a chamber for receiving one or more elements to be temporarily stored in nested but axially aligned relation to each other until selectively dispensed.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for turning large diameter circular members in limited areas. A circular member having holes capable of receiving a pin is fitted with a semi-circular collar having an inwardly facing pin and outwardly facing ratchet holes capable of receiving a hydraulic ram pin along its outer radius. A jack having a hydraulic ram end on one end and a fixed rotating point at the other is used to apply a tangential force to the circular member so as to rotate the circular member.

Abstract: In a power press having a vertically moveable slide and upper and lower dies which may be transported to and from the power press by means of mobile bolsters, an automatic die change system utilizing microprocessor control. The microprocessor storing data regarding each die set and carrying out the die change operation based on that stored data. The microprocessor control permitting multiple steps in the die change procedure to be carried out simultaneously, thereby reducing the time necessary to effect a die change. The microprocessor control further reducing the time necessary to change a die set by adjusting the slide counterbalance pressure to a level within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An obscurant apparatus for use in forming a smoke screen. This apparatus ludes a hopper having a space for fluidizing a selective powder, an inlet jet nozzle extending through the hopper into the space, an outlet passage extending through the hopper and surrounding the inlet jet nozzle, spray means connecting to the outlet passage, and a compressed air source connecting to the jet nozzle.