Abstract: A programmed shell casing ejector apparatus, for an automatic cannon having an axially reciprocating bolt assembly, includes an ejector member axially slidably mounted to the bolt assembly, a pair of cam tracks symmetrically fixed to a cannon mount, and a corresponding pair of cam track followers pivotally mounted to the bolt assembly to engage the ejector member and, as the bolt assembly recoils, the cam tracks. Ejection through an ejection port of a fired shell casing, held to a bolt face by an extractor, is caused when the ejector member is moved forwardly relative to the recoiling bolt assembly by the cam track followers as the followers move along the cam tracks.

Abstract: An open-framework receiver automatic cannon comprises a cannon barrel and a breech ring mounting the barrel and through opposite sides of which intermediate regions of first and second elongate rigid tubular support members are received, with longitudinal axes thereof parallel to, equally spaced to sides of, and coplanar with, a barrel bore axis. Forward and rearward ends of the support members are respectively interconnected by a barrel support and a detachable recoil buffer which includes a bolt sear. Reciprocating movement of a bolt and a bolt carrier assembly is guided by longitudinal slots in the support members and a plate mounted between the buffer and breech ring. Disposed in the support members are means for driving the bolt assembly forwardly on unsearing; apparatus for causing recoil of the bolt carrier after firing to enable bolt unlocking and inertia means for reducing bolt carrier bounce from the breech ring on forward impact.

Abstract: A percussion type projectile nose fuse includes a generally conical fuse body having a cavity open only to the base thereof. Disposed within the cavity is a firing pin, a sleeve and a ball igniter. A fuse tip portion is defined by a weakened region, open to the fuse body exterior surface, which ruptures upon tip impact with a target, thereby causing at least partial rearward penetration of the tip into the cavity. Upon such tip penetration, the tip severs a flange on the firing pin by driving it against the sleeve, and propells the firing pin rearwardly along the sleeve and into engagement with the ball igniter. By forming the sleeve substantially longer than the length of the firing pin, a time delay before ignition, equal to the firing pin transit time, is provided. A forward opening recess formed in the apex of the tip, with a thin deformable wall thereabout, provides shock absorption so that accidental rupture of the weakened region does not occur during normal handling and loading of the projectile.

Abstract: An elongated, aerodynamically improved ballistic projectile fuse, having an overall fuse length greater than its maximum diameter by a factor of approximately two, includes a lightweight aluminum fuse body having forward and rearward portions and an interiorily disposed firing pin with a shearable flange thereon. A steel sleeve mounted in the fuse body is provided for supporting the firing pin with a head portion thereof forwardly directed and exterior to the sleeve and for guiding the firing pin through the fuse body toward the rearward portion thereof subsequent to impact of the fuse with a target. A cap, enclosing the firing pin head, is configured for collapsing and impacting the head upon fuse impact with a target, thereby causing shearing of the firing pin flange and driving of the firing pin rearwardly toward detonation means disposed within the fuse body rearward portion. The cap is in turn enclosed by a windscreen which provides an aerodynamically streamlined, forward continuation of the fuse body.

Abstract: Anti-bounce apparatus for an automatic cannon reciprocating bolt assembly which includes a bolt, a bolt carrier and bolt mounted locking lugs, comprises means defining engagement surfaces contoured for enabling the forward moving carrier to cam the lugs into bolt locking relationship with a cannon breech at increasing velocity, without bouncing, carrier energy loss being thereby minimized and firing of a chambered shell by a carrier mounted firing pin being assured. Further comprising the anti-bounce apparatus is a plurality of inertially actuated locking collets connected to the bolt carrier for causing, responsive to impact of the carrier with the breech at the instant of firing, frictional locking between the carrier and portions of the cannon fixed to the breech, rearward bouncing of the carrier relative to the locking lugs, with consequent premature or erratic bolt unlocking, being thereby prevented.

Abstract: A method of constructing a welded metal skin boat hull includes forming a framework from transverse and transom frames connected to a margin plate and to a keel and stem assembly, and adjustably bolting to the frames and connecting together, as appropriate, longitudinal and transom stringers, outer surfaces of which are spaced outwardly from frame outer surfaces. Spacing of the longitudinal stringers on the frames divides the hull exterior into narrow longitudinal, non-compound curved regions, corresponding longitudinal hull skin panels being formed from flat sheets to bridge adjacent stringer pairs. Skin panel edges are clamped to corresponding stringers by external fairings adjustably bolted to the stringers, the bottom fairings being shaped as liftstrakes. A transom plate is tackwelded or clamped to the transom stringers. Frames, skin panels and fairings, are adjusted to realign the hull to specifications before welding.

Abstract: A multistage gas generator for use in a borehole for recovering hydrocarbons from the subsurface formations. The gas generator has an upper end and a lower restricted outlet. A pilot stage is located at the upper end and a plurality of spaced apart intermediate stages are located between the pilot stage and the lower restricted outlet. Hydrogen and oxygen are fed to the pilot stage for ignition. Oxygen is fed to a first intermediate stage and hydrogen and oxygen are fed to each of the other intermediate stages for injection into the gas generator. Excess hydrogen from the pilot stage is burned in the zone of the first intermediate stage and hydrogen and oxygen of each succeeding stage is ignited by the preceeding stage. Water for cooling purposes also is fed to each intermediate stage. Downhole valves selectively controllable from the surface are provided for the pilot stage and each of the intermediate stages.

Abstract: A dual magnetic tape cartridge includes a first reel-to-reel tape wound between two coplaner hubs. A tape loop, extending between the hubs, is guided along a first path and across a tape head access opening. The second tape, in belt form, is guided along a second path and across the tape head access opening at a different level. A drive belt, frictionally engaging first tape peripheries on the hubs, is entrained over portions of a forward drive roller and over portions of two spaced rear idlers. The second tape is entrained over slightly smaller diameter portions of the drive roller and over other portions of the rear idlers to thereby also function as a tensioning belt for the drive belt, causing greater tension in drive belt portions engaging the first tape on the hub acting as the takeup hub than in other belt portions engaging tape on the other hub.

Abstract: A pair of rails mounted on top of the sidewalls of a pickup truck bed, with each rail forming a channel with a slot at the top, to receive mounting feet of accessories. One accessory is in the form of three cover sections with mounting feet received in the channels, and with cover sheet portions that extend beyond the slots and down to at least the rail height to prevent the entrance of water into the truck bed. The rearmost section has a depending flange which lies below the level of the tailgate, so that when the tailgate is locked up, the accessories cannot be removed. When the sections are locked in their adjoining relationship, a U-shaped elastomeric member and a trough enable a complient, elastic seal between adjoining sections. The cover sections may have sidewalls of substantial height to allow use of the truck as a van or camper.

Abstract: Disclosed is a peripheral belt drive tape transport system wherein an endless loop drive belt, which is relatively stiff compared to the tape, peripherally drives tape wound supply and take-up hubs to transfer tape from one to the other and maintain a tension in the tape. The drive belt is supported by non-compliant guide means including a plurality of belt guide members, and has first and second portions extending in curved paths between the peripheries of said guide members while intermediately engaging the peripheries of the tape wound on the supply and take-up hubs respectively. The guide members have corresponding portions at first and second levels, the corresponding diameters of which afford different mechanical advantages. The drive belt engages the guide members at the first level. An endless tensioning belt engages the guide members at the second level for establishing a differential in tension between the first and second portions of the drive belt so as to produce a tension in the tape.

Abstract: A gas generator for use in a borehole for generating steam and other hot gases for use in recovering hydrocarbons or other fluids from underground formations. The gas generator comprises a housing forming a chamber with a combustion zone at one end and a restricted outlet at the other end. A second zone is located downstream of the combustion zone and a gas and water mixing zone is located between the second zone and the restricted outlet. The generator has a cooling annulus surrounding the chamber with passages leading from the annulus to the gas and water mixing zones. Methane is burned in the combustion zone with just enough oxygen to maintain the flame temperature below the decomposition temperature of methane to convert substantially all of the carbon to carbon monoxide and to form hydrogen. In the second zone, the carbon monoxide and hydrogen are burned with an additional supply of oxygen to increase the temperature and to form carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

Abstract: Fire control apparatus for an antiaircraft weapons system includes manual means for inputting both estimated roll angles and load (g) factors of a maneuvering target aircraft into a fire control computer. In response to other signals received from conventional target tracking and ranging means, the computer first calculates linearly projected future positions of the target aircraft. Corrections, which may be curvilinear, to these projected positions are then calculated from the inputed estimates of aircraft roll angle and load factor. A fire control commander selectively actuates manual controls to cause the fire control computer to combine this correction with the linearly calculated future positions, a substantially more accurate projection of aircraft-gun projectile intercept positions being thereby provided. Control signals corresponding to these new intercept positions are transmitted from the computer to conventional gun laying means to cause the gun to be aimed at the intercept positions.

Abstract: A dual magnetic tape cartridge includes a first reel-to-reel tape wound between two coplaner hubs. A tape loop, extending between the hubs, is guided along a first path and across a tape head access opening. The second tape, in belt form, is guided along a second path and across the tape head access opening at a different level. A drive belt, frictionally engaging first tape peripheries on the hubs, is entrained over portions of a forward drive roller and over portions of two spaced rear idlers. The second tape is entrained over slightly smaller diameter portions of the drive roller and over other portions of the rear idlers to thereby also function as a tensioning belt for the drive belt, causing greater tension in drive belt portions engaging the first tape on the hub acting as the takeup hub than in other belt portions engaging tape on the other hub.

Abstract: A method and a device for adding solid, powdered or grained material to melted metal includes the steps of and apparatus for inserting a tubular member below the surface of melted metal, blocking the rise of metal into the tube by means of gas pressure, introducing additive material into the tubular member and rotating the tubular member to sling additive material from the tubular member into the melted metal.

Abstract: An asynchronous, addressable multiplex system comprises a master station in parallel communication with a number of slave stations. Both the master and slave stations employ independently clocked UAR/T's (universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter) circuits for simultaneous data receiving and transmitting, the UAR/T's communicating directly with one another. The master station includes means for formatting data to be transmitted by its UAR/T into message blocks each several bytes long and intended for a particular slave station whose address is encoded only in the first byte of the block. The message blocks are transmitted separated from one another by gaps which are two bytes long. Each slave station receives all master station message blocks and has means for recognizing the gaps and for then comparing the address in the first byte thereafter with an assigned slave station address. If the addresses correspond, the entire message block is accepted by the slave station.

Abstract: A device for removing the wearing surface of a tire before resurfacing includes a pair of disks detachably fixed together and having a common peripheral groove of partial circular cross-section. A number of ring-shaped cutting bits having cutting edges at each end, each formed having a number of outer surface grooves parallel to the ring axis for causing a rough cut, are equally spaced around the disks in the peripheral groove, with part of the ring cutting edges exposed. When the disks are fixed together, the rings are clamped in the peripheral groove, secure holding of slightly different sized rings being enabled by slots in the disk circumferences which form sector parts each holding two cutting bits. Each ring may be formed with an outer, encircling groove, enabling the rings to be strapped to the disks for additional holding security.

Abstract: A wood cutting or scarfing and wood sawing apparatus includes a power saw having a pair of mutually spaced scarfing blades positioned in advance of the saw blade and aligned with side edges thereof. The scarfing blades, spring urged into engagement with a wood article being cut, sever surface fibers of the article in the cutting path of the following saw blade. Because the surface fibers are previously cut by the scarfing blades, the saw blade, which may thus be of a conventional crosscut type, does not tear the surface and a clean, smooth edged cut is provided. The apparatus is particularly adapted to laminated wood articles, such as conventional hollow core doors and plywood panels and sheets, which are otherwise difficult and relatively time consuming to cut without splintering. To enable cutting of doors and large panels or sheets, a large article support structure and a saw guideway are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ammunition magazine which may be made of plastic, pre-loaded with ammunition rounds and stored in the loaded condition for extended periods of time without deterioration. A spring motor is mounted on and drives an ammunition follower to urge the ammunition rounds toward the magazine's feed opening, and includes a drive gear which engages a gear rack formed on an interior wall of the magazine housing. The spring motor is disposed in an operationally unstressed condition during storage of the loaded magazine. To ready the magazine for use, a plastic strip having a gear rack formed thereon may be pulled from the bottom of the housing, thereby rotating an energizing gear which winds the spring motor to an operationally stressed condition.

Abstract: Disclosed is a free and separate carrier accessory adapted to underlie, carry and drop with a phonograph record through the changing and playing operation on the spindle of a record changer, the accessory including a generally disc-like metallic supporting body having a diameter equal to the record and having top and bottom shells connected together to form an elevated hollow central hub, an elevated hollow outer rim, and a flat annular flange joining the rim with the hub. The hub includes a free cap having a spindle hole therein, the cap being captured in a central opening of the hub and adapted for support in juxtaposition to an overlying record. Layers of flexible cushioning material in the form of annuli of precision cut upright pile fabric are attached respectively on opposite sides of the flange for engaging the recording area of overlying and underlying records.