Abstract: A mounting arrangement for mounting a slab of laser host material in a face pumped laser is provided which is operable to isolate the host from flexing caused by differential thermal expansion of the laser housing relative to the host mounting members. First and second stainless steel pedestals are respectively secured to the aluminum housing and first and second elongated, stainless steel rail support members are pivotally secured, respectively, through a pair of flex pivots each, to the first and second pedestals for isolating the support members from flexure of the pedestals. The host is secured between and to the rail support members by bonding with an RTV compound. In the preferred embodiment, one of the rail support members is provided with a diaphragm on one of its sides along the entire length thereof, to which is bonded one of the sides of the host, thus providing further isolation of the host from stresses caused by thermal expansion.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a dispersion control which continually displaces the aimpoint of the gun system about its nominal aimpoint in a pattern which is determined by the future slant range and the desired ballistic pattern for the specific target.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a three axis gun mount wherein the gun is mounted for movement in elevation and in train (azimuth) with respect to a platform which is disposed in a plane which is at an angle to the horizontal and which platform is mounted for movement about the zenith axis.An additional feature of this invention is the provision of such a mount wherein said platform is provided with unlimited rotation in either direction about the zenith axis.A yet additional feature of this invention is the provision of such a mount wherein the three axes of the mount, and the axis of the gun along which the firing impulse is applied to the mount, all have a common intersection.

Abstract: Ammunition sorting system including a plurality of storage hoppers each adapted to releasably store a different type of ammunition, and a conveyor system including in sequence a plurality of rungs, each rung having two alternative dispositions, one wherein the rung provides a pocket in the conveyor adapted to receive therein a round of ammunition from a hopper, the other wherein said rung precludes entry of a round into such pocket, and cams and followers for controlling the disposition of each rung as it passes each of the storage hoppers.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of sprocket which feeds rounds into the gun via an intermediate sprocket and which receives cases from the gun via another intermediate sprocket, and which may be intercoupled with either of two endless conveyors of ammunition.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a train of rounds carriers, adapted to come from a stationary supply, each carrier coupled to the next adjacent carrier by pivot means capable of unrestricted rotation, and each carrier carrying a respective round of ammunition; and a rounds orientation means, adapted to rotate in train as a function of the rotation in train of a gun and to intercept and orient each assembly of carrier and respective round, by rotation of its respective pivot means, to an orientation in train which is determined by the orientation in train of the gun.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of side stripping stripper which has a sprocket mechanism disposed on the closed side to positively drive both the rounds of ammunition and the respective links during the stripping operation.Another feature of this invention is the provision of a mechanism for receiving two feeds of linked ammunition and which has two, mutually interlocked, sprocket mechanisms, each disposed on the closed side of a respective feed of linked ammunition, so that one or the other sprocket mechanism is enabled to positively drive both the rounds of ammunition and respective links during the stripping operation of the selected feed of linked ammunition.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a quick disconnect and connect mechanism for the transmission of torsional power between two concentric shafts including a collar, spring means which biases said collar to a first disposition whereat it holds at least one element in a position interlocking said two shafts, and cam means for converting torsional movement of said collar to axial movement of said collar against the bias of said spring means to translate said collar to a second disposition whereat said element is free to unlock said two shafts.

Abstract: A disconnect arrangement is useful for disconnecting high speed generators, such as those utilized in aircraft electrical systems, from a driving source, such as an aircraft engine. The disconnect coupling includes splined members at either end of a stub shaft which are coupled respectively to the generator and the engine. A carbide knife-edged plate is pivotable about one end of the plate and, in the normal or deactivated position, an extension of a solenoid armature prevents the knife-edge from contacting the stub shaft. When energized, the solenoid armature is retracted releasing its engagement with the knife-edged plate, and a spring forces the knife-edge to engage the stub shaft at a relatively thin-walled portion thereof. Friction generated causes localized heating and the relatively thin wall of the stub shaft becomes plastic, the stub shaft then separating into two portions effecting disconnection of the generator from the engine.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of detonator assembly comprising a pair of face to face opposed, longitudinally aligned and spaced apart detonators, and an initiator disposed therebetween.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a reversible, D.C. shunt field motor having an armature and two separate field windings, each field winding being capable of producing rated field flux. The motor is capable of bidirectional rotation having one field energizable for CW rotation and the other field energizable for CCW rotation. A servo system couples the two field windings and has only one active control element in the high current armature circuit to control the magnitude of the armature current, and two low power amplifiers, each low power amplifier having an active control element and each controlling the magnitude of the field flux (and thereby the magnitude of armature current under certain circumstances) in a given respective direction.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a Gatling type gun having a firing/safing cam assembly having three dispositions: one permitting firing in one direction of rotation; another permitting firing in the other direction of rotation; and yet another precluding firing in either direction of rotation of the rotor, all by means of two independently operated cam elements and a continuum element operated as a function of the respective dispositions of said cam elements.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a Gatling type gun having a firing/safing cam assembly having three dispositions: one permitting firing in one direction of rotation; another permitting firing in the other direction of rotation; and yet another precluding firing in either direction of rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a gun bolt having a firing pin which is movable to and between an aft disposition whereat the forward end of said pin is aft of the face of the gun bolt and a forward disposition whereat said forward end is forward of said face, locking means movable to and between a locked disposition whereat said gun bolt is locked to fixedly close the chamber of the gun and an unlocked disposition, and intermediate means responsive to the disposition of said locking means for locking said pin in its aft disposition when said locking means is not in its locked disposition.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a mount for a Gatling type gun having a muzzle clamp which is journaled for rotation in a reciprocable mass and which reciprocable mass is journaled for longitudinal reciprocation with respect to stationary support guides. Additionally, the housing is coupled to the support structure by a combination of a recoil adapter and a rigid guide, one end of the adapter and one end of the guide having a common transverse attachment to the support structure, the other end of the adapter having a pivot to the housing which is journaled for longitudinal reciprocation to the guide. This arrangement increases the recoiling mass without significantly increasing the total weight, precludes bending of the recoil adapters, and reduces frictional interferences.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a Gatling type gun having a reduced diameter main cam provided by a rear dwell increment of angular rotation of the rotor which in turn is provided by a feed system wherein the bolt comes forward out of rear dwell after the round is placed upon the face of the gun bolt but before the round is centered on the face of the gun bolt. This is accomplished by permitting controlled longitudinal motion of the round while it is still being provided with transverse motion by the sprocket.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision of a gun bolt for a Gatling type gun having a carriage with a head journaled therein and a firing pin journaled in said head together with a cocking pin disposed in a slot passing through the firing pin, the head and the carriage with a detent disposed in a longitudinal bore of said head aft of said firing pin and having a portion thereof extending forwardly through a longitudinally extending bore in said firing pin and into a cavity in said cocking pin with a spring means disposed in said longitudinal bore of said head aft of said detent and biasing said detent into engagement with said cocking pin.

Abstract: An ammunition feeder for a gun is disclosed which has a first rotating sprocket driven positively at a uniform velocity for stripping rounds and a second rotating sprocket driven positively at a non-uniform velocity for transversely placing each round directly onto the face of the gun bolt of the gun.

Abstract: A feature of this invention is the provision for a Gatling type gun of a gun bolt of the oscillating head type having a gun bolt carriage with substantially radially projecting slides and a head with substantially radially projecting locking lugs, wherein the length of the radial projection of the slides is significantly greater than the length of the radial projection of the locking lugs.