Abstract: A crashworthy aircraft seat for protecting a passenger during a crash of the aircraft includes a support structure coupled to the aircraft, a seat assembly slidingly associated with the support structure, guide means coupled to the support structure for guiding upright members of the seat assembly as the seat assembly slides relative to the support structure, and means for variably attenuating kinetic energy as the seat assembly and the passenger move downward relative to the support structure from an initial static start position to an end position during the crash.

Abstract: A crashworthy aircraft seat for protecting a passenger during a crash of the aircraft includes a support structure coupled to the aircraft, a seat assembly slidingly associated with the support structure, guide means coupled to the support structure for guiding upright members of the seat assembly as the seat assembly slides relative to the support structure, and means for variably attenuating kinetic energy as the seat assembly and the passenger move downward relative to the support structure from an initial static start position to an end position during the crash.

Abstract: A crashworthy aircraft seat for protecting a passenger during a crash of the aircraft includes a support structure coupled to the aircraft, a seat assembly slidingly associated with the support structure, guide means coupled to the support structure for guiding upright members of the seat assembly as the seat assembly slides relative to the support structure, and means for variably attenuating kinetic energy as the seat assembly and the passenger move downward relative to the support structure from an initial static start position to an end position during the crash.

Abstract: The joint construction is employed between a military rocket motor and a warhead adapted to be propelled by the motor. The motor includes a motor tube with a cylindrical front portion having an internal cylindrical surface therein. The warhead comprises an adapter ring having a cylindrical rear portion with an external cylindrical surface which is telescopically receivable within the internal cylindrical surface. The internal and external cylindrical surfaces are formed with respective confronting aligned internal and external helical screw thread grooves for receiving a fusible substantially helical joint member to form a secure connection between the rocket motor and the warhead. The helical joint member is made of a material having a low melting temperature, preferably a eutectic metal alloy, whereby the heat of a fire or the like will melt the joint member to disconnect the warhead from the rocket motor. The motor tube has a front wall with a vent opening therein, normally closed by a plug member.

Abstract: The joint construction comprises a coupling ring slidably received in a motor tube connected to the front end of the military rocket motor. The coupling ring is formed with longitudinal slots alternating with flexible fingers having locking projections engageable with a locking channel and an adjacent locking flange within the tube. An adapter ring is connected to the warhead by first screw threads and is adapted to be connected to the coupling ring by second screw threads including external threads on the adapter ring and internal threads in the coupling ring. The adapter ring has a reduced tapered end portion for receiving a wedging tapered expansion ring made of a eutectic metal alloy having a low melting point. As the second screw threads are engaged, the expansion ring flexes the fingers outwardly by a wedging action and causes the projections to interlock with the channel and the flange.

Abstract: An energy absorber is provided. The energy absorber includes a thin panel (78) formed of composite materials (84) for reacting compression forces in the plane of the panel (78) between two opposed edges thereof. The panel (78) is constructed to resist overall bending failure when force is applied to the opposite edges. The energy absorber further includes force receiving structure (90, 92) for receiving forces directly to one of the edges and for receiving forces to the opposite edge of the panel (78) to initiate local folding parallel to the other edge for progressing crushing and local folding of the panel (78).