Abstract: An impact energy absorption system for aircraft seats and the like, comprising seat mounting means, a seat movable between a first unloaded position and a second crash induced position, a deforming die and an additional set of die jaws connected to the seat mounting and defining an aperture of variable size, and a deformable rod having a shoulder connecting the seat to the mounting the rod passing through the deforming die and the variable die jaws. During crash induced movement of the seat between its two positions the rod is pulled through the deforming die and the die jaws to absorb impact energy by deformation of the rod. The aperture defined by the die jaws is variable being adapted to allow for self adjustment of the aperture size and respective impact energy absorbing capacity corespondent to the weight of the seat occupant.

Abstract: A method and device for constructing a auxiliary hull, exterior to the primary hull of a ship, which has the capacity to absorb impact energy preventing primary hull puncture, and can be easily retrofitted to existing ship hulls. This method and device involves the use of energy absorbing members arranged in a truss-like formation to support the auxiliary hull shell. The auxiliary hull shell can be laminated to weaken interlaminar shear strength and further increase energy absorption during impact and thus prevent auxiliary hull puncture. This method and device also allows for the void spaces created between the primary and auxiliary hull shells to be filled with material which will, distribute the impact forces to the primary hull over a wider primary hull area, serve to support the auxiliary hull shell under hydrostatic forces and provide additional buoyancy forces if the auxiliary hull shell is punctured.

Abstract: A safety apparatus is installed in a vehicle provided with an air bag system having an air bag which is housed, when empty, in a container in front of a driver's seat. The air bag is inflated to protect the driver during a collision. The safety apparatus is provided with an impact diminishing mechanism for preventing a shoulder belt from being increasingly tensioned by the body of the driver any time before the inflated air bag acts on the driver with a maximum impact.

Abstract: A reversible impact damper is in series with an additionally provided irreversible deformation damper. The impact damper is a usual solid damper. The deformation damper has a deformation piston bearing against a piston rod of the impact damper on the one hand and on the other hand against crimps, which are formed in the wall of a slide tube displaceable relative to the housing of the impact damper and which are deformable.

Abstract: An inexpensive damper adapted to the stress frequency in the form of a shock absorber, in particular for vehicle seats, consists of an abutment (8), in which an absorber sleeve (2) of a thermoplastic material with a piston (1) guided therein with expansion bead (10) is clamped, wherein the absorber sleeve (2) is composed of a thermoplastic material having a tensile strength .sigma..sub.R of at least 40 MPa, an elongation at break .epsilon..sub.R of at least 60%, a tensile stress at yield .sigma..sub.S of at least 40 MPa and an elongation at yield .epsilon..sub.S of at least 3.5% (according to ISO/R 527 or DIN 53 455 in each case).

Abstract: The brake piston adjuster mechanism includes an expandable or deformable tube (80) which is attached to the piston (60) and engaged by a deforming member comprising a pin (190) having a threaded end (194) receiving thereon a nut (193) and tube expander (192). The nut (193) biases the tube expander (192) against a chamfered pin shoulder (191). The tube expander (192) has at least one inner diameter chamfer (198) which engages the chamfered pin shoulder (191) in order to impose preload forces upon the chamfered pin shoulder (191) and reduce stresses at a smaller diameter portion (195) of the pin. The (193) nut may be a castellated nut (193) which receives a locking wire or pin (200) extending through an opening (199) in the threaded end (194) of the pin (190).

Abstract: The invention relates to a connecting assembly for use in the propeller shaft in the driveline of a motor vehicle between the end of a tubular shaft, especially made of a composite material, and a connecting piece positioned coaxially relative to the shaft end. The shaft and connecting piece have connecting structures which inter-fit in the circumferential direction. The tubular shaft is designed to sustain without damage greater impacting force in the longitudinal axial direction than is required to displace the connecting piece relative to the shaft in this direction.

Abstract: Impact energy is absorbed by empolyment of a discrete elongate body of a ductile material arranged along a longitudinal axis to receive an axial impact force at a first end thereof along the longitudinal axis and apparatus arranged adjacent a second end of the body of ductile material for extrusion thereof, the body of ductile material being operative to transmit the axial impact force axially therethrough from the first end to the second end.

Abstract: A lightweight energy attenuating seat for a vehicle comprising apparatus for seating and integral impact energy dissipation and stroke guide apparatus including support apparatus for the apparatus for seating for absorbing impact energy that would otherwise be transferred thereto by permitting a regulated stroke thereof in a direction determined by the dissipation and stroke guide apparatus substantially parallel to a component of a force experienced by the integral apparatus.

Abstract: An impact absorber for a motor vehicle comprises a pair of telescopingly interfitted tubes which receive the impact energy axially and in which either the inner or outer tube is plastically deformed as the tubes are telescopingly contacted by the impact force. The outer tube receives a smaller diameter portion of the inner tube at one end and the outer tube projects at this end to have a large diameter portion whose diameter is greater than the inner diameter of the outer tube and is connected to the small diameter portion by a conical transition region.

Abstract: To brake a sabot accelerated in a launcher of a recoiless rifle tube a mandrel shaped braking sleeve is disposed in the tube and an intermediate space is provided between a tapered surface of the mandrel and the tube into which the material of the front edge of the sabot expanded. In this way when the sabot is accelerated against the mandrel, its front edge slides along the tapered surface, radially outwardly into the intermediate space. This functions to deform and positively stop the movement of the sabot before it leaves the tube.

Abstract: A displacement control device for damping relative movement between a structure and a support for the structure, and for absorbing energy when the relative movement exceeds a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A fatigue cycle sensor can integrate force with respect to time. The sensor has a body with a bore. A plunger is mounted in the bore for relative motion therethrough in response to force applied behind the plunger. The plunger is sized for an interference fit in the bore. This interference fit results in deformation in response to relative motion between the plunger and body. The foregoing sensor has many applications including estimating fatigue in weapons.