Abstract: There is a machine for launching clay shooting targets. The machine comprises a target storage magazine, a delivery plate adjacent the base of said magazine and a user controllable delivery mechanism adapted to unload either one or a pair of said targets from the magazine onto the plane of the delivery plate. There is a throwing arm adapted upon release to move across the delivery plate from a cocked position behind the targets to a discharged position so that the targets are catapulted into the air from the delivery plate. The leading edge of the throwing arm is curved so as to be in contact with or sufficiently closely adjacent the targets when in the cocked position to avoid target breakage upon release and also provide close flight trajectories for said pair of targets.

Abstract: An apparatus for preionization of gas in a pulsed gas laser by means of soft X-ray radiation comprises an elongated cathode (26) which is heated by thermal radiation or electron bombardment and which is arranged parallel to a likewise elongated anode (18) in an evacuated housing.

Abstract: An alarm system for military objects of a laser-radiating hostile weapon system. A plurality of units for detecting impinging laser radiation are mounted on an airplane, for example. Each detection unit is arranged to detect in one of six directions along three mutually perpendicular axes. The detection units are coupled to output signals representing the direction of incoming laser radiation to processing electronics. Each detection unit has an array of detector elements in a first plane and a diaphragm equal in size to the array in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The diaphragm and array are arranged so that the direction of the laser radiation can be determined from the pattern of detector elements activated in response to laser radiation passing through the diaphragm.