Abstract: A co-axial table connector includes a wire-seizing mechanism that includes a pair of spaced, wire-seizing elements. An outer end of each element is angled inwardly so that both outer ends converge symmetrically with respect to each other. A cam member slidably fits over the elements and has divergent surfaces which come into camming contact with the convergent ends. This forces the elements inwardly and causes them to grip the end of a co-axial wire.

Abstract: A jig is provided for assembling various different wing skin panels, all having different airfoil profiles. The jig includes a frame that has a plurality of colinear attachment points. These points define a center line axis that is generic for any panel assembled on the jig. A set of headers is distributed along the attachment points, such set being replaceable by another for a different panel. The headers have edge recesses in which are placed the panels' stringers. Both stringers and headers are covered by a skin sheet which is held in place by webbings that are pulled and tightened against the skin. The webbings hold the skin against the stringers while the stringers, skin, and headers are moved to a fastening location where the skin is riveted or otherwise fastened to the stringers.

Abstract: A cylindrical roll drum housing (12) is mounted to the roof (18) of an aircraft fuselage. Enclosed in the housing (12) is a sensor (22) that pivots about an azimuthal axis (82). The sensor (22) normally looks outwardly through sliding window (20) that moves back and forth in correspondence with sensor pivoting. Pressurized air is blown directly across the window's opening (40), and is also blown directly into the housing (12). The window (20) has an inwardly directed airflow-deflecting edge which, in combination with the air blowing, is used to control boundary layer vortices across the window's opening so that they do not interfere with sensor properties.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming composite members has a frame assembly which is lowered onto a table. A sheet of vacuum bagging material, supported by the frame, covers a tooling surface on the table. Attached to the sheet is a downwardly depending seal which continuously extends around the sheet's periphery. This seal inserts into an upwardly opening channel that surrounds the perimeter of the table's tooling surface as the frame is lowered. The seal is inflated while in the channel and this provides in airtight seal between the sheet and tooling surface.

Abstract: A wall mounted electric heating device for warming or drying a person standing in front thereof by directing a stream of air on the person includes an elongated vertically upstanding housing adapted to be mounted on a wall and having an upper blower portion housing a blower for generating a downward flow of air over a thermostatically protected electric resistance heating element into an elongated, closed-bottom vent portion having a front wall provided with an elongated, narrow, rectangular front vent opening which has a length corresponding approximately to the height of a person standing in front of the device. The vent portion is defined by flat front, side and rear walls which continuously converge symmetrically with respect to each other to form a downwardly converging air flow conduit having a rectangular cross-section which decreases continuously along the length of the vent portion to its bottom thereof to ensure uniform airflow outwardly along the entire length of the front vent opening.

Abstract: A passenger door is connected to an aircraft fuselage by a hinge mechanism having an elongated goose-neck hinge member. One end of the hinge-member is pivotally connected to an idler crank arm that is pivotally connected to the fuselage. The other end of the goose-neck member is pivotally connected to the door. A guide arm connected to the door and carried by the idler crank arm controls door movement. An end of the guide arm has a pin that follows a groove in an "S"-shaped guide track. The shape of the track causes the guide arm to initially pivot and translate the door partially inwardly into the fuselage during opening movement, and then swing the door outwardly until it is parallel with the fuselage's outer surface.

Abstract: A high-temperature vacuum probe has a body and base positioned on opposite sides of a vacuum bag's wall. These parts are connected together by a differential screw drive which causes the bag to be tightly pinched between them.

Abstract: A semi-automatic track drill for use in drilling fastener holes for an aircraft body includes a pair of generally spaced, parallel rails. A plurality of slider bars extend between the rails and are connected thereto in a manner so that each bar can be slid along the length of the rails. Positioned between at least two of the bars is a drill carriage which is also slidably connected to the rails. A template having a series of alternating lands and grooves registers the carriage at preselected drilling positions. The drill assembly, including the template, is secured to the aircraft body by temporary clamping bolts which are positioned in a line along the body's surface.

Abstract: A rudder, brake and nose landing gear steering control assembly for an aircraft provides adjustable positioning of the assembly's control pedals relative to the pilot. Pedal adjustment is accomplished by pivoting the entire assembly, which includes pivoting an assembly frame and pedals, and linkage structure carried by the frame. The pedals are moved either nearer or farther to and from a pilot, depending on the length of the pilot's legs.

Abstract: An escape device such as an ejection seat system (10) has a propulsion system (42) that accelerates and changes the angular orientation of the device. The system (10) includes sensors (54) for determining certain parameters associated with device altitude, attitude, and sink rate. A microprocessor (36), operatively connected to both the sensors (54) and the propulsion system (42), operates the propulsion system so that the device will move at desired acceleration levels and turn to a desired attitude.

Abstract: Disclosed in an apparatus and method for self-cleaning a barrier-type air filter. In an aircraft, a filter may be located within an air delivery duct wherein normal airflow through the duct deposits airborne lint and the like on an upstream side of the filter. To clean the filter, an airflow discharge conduit interconnects the duct and the exterior of the aircraft from a position upstream of the filter. A valve is operatively positioned in the conduit for opening and closing the airflow path it creates. When both normal airflow is stopped and the valve is opened, a reversal of airflow through the filter takes place and the lint is removed therefrom.

Abstract: A rivet manifold feed device (10) including a manifold body (12) that receives a rivet feed passageway (22). The manifold body (12) includes a plurality of rivet feed members or spools (14, 16, 18, 20), a plurality of air feed ports (84), and a plurality of rivet feed ports (82). A separate air feed port (84) and a separate rivet feed port (82) is positioned adjacent each respective feed spool. Each spool reciprocates back and forth between a first and a second position, wherein each spool includes a separate passageway (70, 72) that is in registration with the rivet feed passageway in each position. A rivet placed in one of the passageways (72) is delivered into the rivet feed passageway when a spool shifts into one of the positions and the air feed port adjacent that spool blasts the rivet downstream through the rivet feed passageway.

Abstract: A vacuum chuck (36) moves back and forth from a feed gate (16) to a video imaging position. The chuck (36) has a vacuum line which attaches a fastener (15) to the chuck's forward end surface where it is held as the chuck moves. The feed gate (16) selectively permits or blocks fastener exiting movement from a track (12) and centers the fastener (15) relative to the chuck (36) before it is attached.

Abstract: A device is provided for automatically inspecting a fastener for defects prior to its installation in an assembly operation. The fastener is propelled by air or gravity along a feed line. The inspection device is connected in the feed line and has a cam member that is positionable into the fastener's path of travel for blocking it at a certain position. A television camera produces a video image of the stopped fastener, which shows the fastener's actual dimensions. A computer then compares the actual dimensions with the fastener's desired, which are prestored in the computer's memory. If the two substantially match, the fastener is known to be acceptable for installation.

Abstract: A programmable test station automatically performs static tests of electrical and pneumatic systems of jet aircraft engines. The test station automatically stimulates the systems to be tested on each engine and measures their response. A programmable data acquisition computer controls both stimuli and measurement, and generates data. The station is operatively connected to a plurality of engines simultaneously and tests certain systems on each in accordance with station user commands. The station includes a voice generator which permits the computer to "speak" to the station user for the purpose of receiving instructions and for communicating instruction acknowledgements and requests.

Abstract: An end-effector assembly provides lateral compliance for a cutting tool while counter-sinking a bore in a workpiece. The assembly has a first subassembly which is connected to a gantry. A second subassembly may extend or retract relative to the first, such movement being driven by hydraulic or air cylinders. A third subassembly carries the cutting tool and motor for driving the same. This latter subassembly is connected to the second subassembly by a plurality of compliant members which cause the third subassembly to extend and retract correspondingly with the second, but which permit the third subassembly to shift laterally relative to the second. In this situation, the motor and cutting tool also shift laterally along with the third subassembly.

Abstract: A fire wall constructed of a composite materials (10) includes a fire-protecting layer of intumescent material (16) integrated into the structure thereof. A plurality of layers of composite material (18) are laminated together to form the fire wall. An outer layer (14) is a shielding material such as fiber glass. Another layer (16) is an intumescent material in juxtapositional relationship between the outer shielding layer (14) and the composite layers (18). The shielding layer (14) and the intumescent layer (16) are co-cured with the composite layers (18) to make a fire wall having integrated fire-protection that is immediately usable without need of additional thermal protection materials.

Abstract: A system is provided for measuring tool wear of a rotating end mill. The system measures wear by monitoring the side-loading forces on the tool during cutting. The resultant side-loading forces FRES have tangential FT and radial FR components. The radial component FR increases correspondingly with tool wear. FRES and FT are measured directly and on the basis of these measurements FR is determined mathematically to provide an indication of tool wear.

Abstract: A filament and mandrel preheat apparatus is mountable to the payout assembly of a winding machine. The apparatus has heating tubes or electric torches that deliver a heated airflow of variable heat flux into a duct. The exit end of the duct is positioned near the filament and mandrel and preheats it during winding. The duct is rotatable so that the airflow can be directed away from the filament during either a pause or stoppage of winding.

Abstract: An automatic digestion system (10) is provided for digesting a continuous stream of wastewater prior to its analysis by a spectrometer system (12). The digestion system (10) includes a first metering pump (34) for drawing a continuous stream of wastewater (36) from a wastewater source (32). A second metering pump (38) draws a continuous stream of diluted nitric acid (40) from a source of acid (42) and mixes the acid with the wastewater to provide a stream of acidified wastewater (46). The acidified wastewater (46) is then heated, to digest the wastewater prior to its input into the spectrometer system (12).