Abstract: An arrangement that uses aircraft fuel as a heat sink for aircraft auxiliary oil systems for an aircraft having at least one engine operated by fuel and having an engine interface limit and including a fuel/oil heat exchanger for removing heat from the aircraft auxiliary oil systems and having a fuel outlet temperature, a temperature sensing for determining temperature of the fuel leaving the fuel/oil heat exchanger, a recirculating flow control valve having variable positions including an open and a closed position controlled by the temperature sensor, the fuel always going to the aircraft engine but also going through the flow control valve when the flow control valve is in the open position so that recirculation is minimized and maximum heat is rejected to the engine by the fuel outlet temperature of the fuel/oil heat exchanger when the fuel outlet temperature of the fuel/oil heat exchanger is controlled by the engine interface limit, a ram air heat exchanger for removing heat from the fuel leaving the rec

Abstract: A fluid actuator includes an internal lock assembly for locking an actuator piston to a cylinder of the actuator. A circumferential slot is located on the inner surface of the cylindrical wall for receiving locking latches which are radially extendable and retractable on the piston, and ball bearings are located between an inner aspect of each latch and a first abutment member on the piston. A second abutment member has a thickness less than about half the diameter of the ball bearings and is adapted to become wedged between the ball bearings and the first abutment means to force the latches radially outwardly into the slot for locking the piston relative to the cylinder and thereafter to abut only the latches to maintain locking.

Abstract: A collector for a liquid drop radiator for cooling at least one fluid droplet stream. The collector has a housing with at least one inlet for the at least one fluid droplet stream and one outlet and lies in a plane, and a pump disposed in the housing and which has a low pressure side and lies in a plane which is the same as the plane that the housing lies in. The at least one inlet of the housing converges towards the pump so that the at least one fluid droplet stream is directed towards the low pressure side of the pump and directed by the pump to the outlet of the housing.

Abstract: A clamping device for setting a detail which has at least one oversized throughbore to a fixture base which has at least one threaded throughbore, the clamping device has six degrees of freedom, a longitudinally adjustable body portion which has an upper threaded portion and a lower threaded portion and is fixed in space so as to form a firm point for longitudinal rotation eliminating bending of the body portion during the setting, a flange disposed on the body portion which separates the upper threaded portion from the lower threaded portion, and a clamping arrangement disposed on the upper threaded portion of the body portion which provides single load line jacking and clamping to adjust and hold the detail in position with relation to the fixture base so that lock-up of the clamping device and the detail is prevented.

Abstract: A transient air and surface contact vehicle for transporting a person has a fuselage structure for carrying a person. A vehicle support extends from the structure and abuts a surface and thereby supports the vehicle at a predetermined distance above the surface. A buoyancy control device mounted on the structure and on the vehicle support provides for the buoyancy required to keep the vehicle afloat while stationary and at low speeds. At high speed the dynamic pressures generated at the bottom of the struts provide the supporting forces. A power source is mounted on the structure for moving the vehicle along the surface at the predetermined distance above the surface. A position control mounted on the structure produces a positive pitching moment to cause the vehicle to become airborne, a negative pitching moment to maintain the vehicle in surface-following contact with the surface and both moments to control the altitude of the vehicle when it is airborne.

Abstract: A security mounting arrangement for securing at least one computer and at least one piece of peripheral equipment to a surface. The arrangement has a first pad which contains a mounting aperture and a plurality of peripheral apertures and is fixedly attached to each of the at least one computer, a lock for securing the first pad to the surface, epoxy is used for fixedly attaching the first pad to each of the at least one computer, a second pad fixedly attached to each of the at least one piece of peripheral equipment and containing an aperture, epoxy is used for fixedly attaching the second pad to each of the at least one piece of peripheral equipment, and a cable is used for securing each of the at least one piece of peripheral equipment to the first pad.

Abstract: A primary and at least one backup alternating voltage source are coupled to a common load to provide interrupt free electric current to the load through a simplified interconnecting network. Phase control of all but one of the sources is accomplished by monitoring the phase difference across choke coils coupling the sources to the load.

Abstract: A space-based solar operated power module is configured for storage aboard a shuttle and then automatic deployment in the assigned orbit. It includes an articulated base support which is coupled to the ship's frame during deployment, and a chassis module, which also serves as a housing for electrical components of the power supply, and which is connected to the base support. A pair of oppositely extended foldable arms are movably mounted on the chassis sides and each carries an assembly of collapsible solar panels for converting incident radiant energy to electrical energy. The chassis also supports radiator panels which extend from the top of the chassis in the craft's vertical plane. At the start of deployment the shuttle's remote controlled cargo arm is used for lifting the chassis and its appendages from the hold of the ship.

Abstract: To reduce the length of a tube thickened by swaging and to provide acceptable efficiency in use of material and vessel length for a high performance pressure vessel, the tube is locally corrugated, then conventionally swaged and subsequently pressurized to remove the corrugations.

Abstract: A transmitter for producing video and audio signals and transmitting the signals includes an encoder for encoding stereo audio signals with the video signals. The audio signals encoded by the encoder constitute a broadband audio signal of approximately 15 kHz. A receiver for converting signals received from the transmitter to a picture and stereo sound includes a decoder for deriving the stereo audio signals from the received signals.

Abstract: A method for passively determining the range of a target vehicle relative to a non-cooperating moving test platform is disclosed. The method includes the steps of moving the test platform along a single linear path at a constant speed, while simultaneously performing a succession of bearing and frequency measurements on a radiant signal emitted by the moving target vehicle. Similarly, the test platform may remain stationary so that its velocity is zero. The measured parameters, along with knowledge of the test platform's own position and velocity, permit the range to the emitter, its velocity and its transmitted frequency to be determined.

Abstract: First and second tabs are affixed to the surface of a body in close proximity with each other and in partially side by side relation. First and second optical fibers are affixed to the first and second tabs, respectively, and are movable therewith. The optical fibers are positioned transverse to the tabs and in alignment about a mechanical quiescent point in the absence of strain in the body. A source of light produces and directs light through the first and second optical fibers. A light detector detects light transmitted through the first and second optical fibers and determines the intensity thereof, which is proportional to the magnitude of compression and tension strains in the body.

Abstract: A self-contained, standby flight instrument includes sensors, processing circuitry, rechargeable power supply, voltage regulation circuitry, and display hardware arranged to provide a continuous display of aircraft airspeed, altitude, roll, pitch and heading regardless of any partial or complete failure in the primary instrumentation, an interrelated subsystem, or the electric power supply.

Abstract: A portable, adjustable structure for supporting an equipment unit at a distance above a support surface has a lower tower structural member placed on the support surface. Pivot support structural members are affixed to the lower tower structural member in a manner whereby the pivot support structural members are upright relative to the support surface. A plurality of struts are utilized to stabilize the lower tower structural member and the pivot support structural members on the support surface. A tower member is pivotally mounted on the pivot support structural members. The tower member has spaced opposite first and second ends. The equipment unit is affixed to the tower member at the first end thereof. The tower member is pivotally movable to a position substantially perpendicular to the support surface with the first end thereof spaced farther from the support surface than the second end thereof. Ballast is affixed to the tower member at the second end thereof.

Abstract: In a thermally driven multi-effect distillation process and apparatus liquid is introduced into a plurality of evaporating and condensing stages or chambers while heat energy is passed through the stages or chambers in a direction countercurrent to the direction of flow of the liquid which undergoes evaporation to form condensate and distilland in each stage or chamber while transferring the heat of condensation to the next downstream stage or chamber and maintaining a minimum temperature differential between stages or chambers, and separately removing condensate and distilland from each stage or chamber while rotating the stages or chambers about an axis passing through the points of introduction thereto of the liquid and heat energy. The apparatus includes a plurality of adjacent evaporation and condensation chambers and devices for introducing liquid and heat energy thereto in countercurrent directions. The walls of the chambers, formed of spaced heat conductive sheets, act to transfer heat.

Abstract: A valving system and modified anti-G flight suit are disclosed which operate in either of two modes. In an anti-blackout mode, pneumatic bladders in the flight suit are simultaneously inflated. In an anti-fatigue mode, the bladders are sequentially inflated in a repeated cycle so as to prevent pooling of blood and other body fluids in the leg and lower seat area.

Abstract: A test system for an electromagnetic brake system for a trailer, which includes a battery disposed in the towing vehicle for powering a plurality of brake electromagnets disposed in the trailer, an automatic controller for regulating current flow, resistors for both proportioning and balancing current flow among the plurality of brake electromagnets and between the towing vehicle and the trailer, respectively, the proportioning resistor is dropped from the system by a solenoid when the towing vehicle is put into reverse for testing, a gauge having both green and red zones is inserted into the system by a relay switch when the towing vehicle is put into reverse for testing, and a pushbutton for actuating the gauge is provided.

Abstract: A vane pivotally mounted atop a wind turbine, rotatably mounted on a support structure, rotates freely with the wind. A cam is affixed to and rotatable with the vane. A toothed wheel is stationarily affixed to the support structure. A pair of pawls are mounted atop the wind turbine in operative proximity with the cam and the toothed wheel. Thus, when the vane rotates to align itself with a new wind vector, the cam rotates with the vane and disengages one of the pawls from the toothed wheel thereby permitting the wind turbine to rotate in the direction of rotation of the vane until the wind turbine is aligned with the vane at which point both the pawls engage the toothed wheel, locking the wind turbine in aligned position with the wind.

Abstract: Canards are pivotally mounted on the fuselage of a variable sweep wing jet aircraft and project laterally with respect to the fuselage forwardly of the wings. The canards are positioned and configured to produce pitch control moments about the center of gravity. Thrust-vectoring devices extend from the jet engines of the aircraft for varying the thrust direction of such engines. A control system is mounted in the fuselage and extends to the wings, the canards and the thrust-vectoring devices for controlling the wings in angular positions relative to the fuselage, controlling the canards in rotary position relative to the fuselage and controlling the thrust-vectoring devices to control the thrust direction. The positions are controlled in coordination to overcome pitch departure, deep stall and spin, which might otherwise occur due to lack of nose-down pitch power, while also optimizing supersonic cruise and transonic maneuver performance of the aircraft.