Abstract: A carrier-less, anti-backlash planetary gear system that has an input sun gear, a force-balancing and planet-alignment "speeder" gear above the sun gear, a split ring gear that has a fixed lower ring gear coaxial with the sun gear and a rotating upper ring gear also coaxial with the sun gear. A preload bolt is used for securing the split ring gears together. Within the split ring gear is an even number of planet gears between the split ring gear and the sun gear. Each planet gear consists of an upper planet gear, and lower planet gear with the upper and lower planet gears splined together and pushed apart by a spring which causes separation and relative twist between the upper and lower planet gears. The lower planet gear meshes with the input sun gear and the fixed ring gear while the upper planet gear is driven by the lower planet gear and meshes with the rotating ring gear.

Abstract: A space suit sizing device using a ball nut and screw drive mechanism to shorten and lengthen components of a space suit. The device includes a rotatable member having an outer race formed on an inner surface thereof, and a translatable member having an inner race formed on an outer surface thereof. A plurality of recirculating balls are located in a space defined by the inner and outer races. As the rotatable member is rotated by hand, the translatable member is caused to move in and out of the rotatable member. Since one component of the space suit is connected to the translatable member, the length of this component varies in accordance with the position of the translatable member.

Abstract: Assemblies are disclosed for cleaning the inside walls of pipes and tubes. A first embodiment includes a small turbine with angled blades axially mounted on one end of a standoff support. An O-ring for stabilizing the assembly within the pipe is mounted in a groove within the outer ring. A replaceable circular brush is fixedly mounted on the opposite end of the standoff support and can be used for cleaning tubes and pipes of various diameters, lengths and configurations. The turbine, standoff support, and brush spin in unison relative to a hub bearing that is fixedly attached to a wire upstream of the assembly. The nonrotating wire is for retaining the assembly in tension and enabling return of the assembly to the pipe entrance. The assembly is initially placed in the pipe or tube to be cleaned. A pressurized water or solution source is provided at a required flow-rate to propel the assembly through the pipe or tube. The upstream water pressure propels and spins the turbine, standoff support and brush.

Abstract: An optically driven interactive Q-switch, i.e., a Q-switch that responds to a short pulse of light, for example, from external light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or diode lasers, is provided for producing an output laser pulse from electronic energy stored in a laser medium. Q-switching is thus achieved on demand by electrically pulsing the light source to produce a pulse of light directed onto a Q-switch medium in the laser cavity. Electronic control of the light pulse from the external source will thus provide not only efficient Q-switching frequency but also independent control of output laser pulse width with a fast rise time for each output laser pulse.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus relating to design, construction, integration and assembly of a space station. The present invention uses pre-integrated open (unpressurized) truss segments for modular construction of the space station. Each segment includes a truss structure and utility subsystems which may be fully assembled and tested on Earth. The segments may be latched together on orbit using a remote latching system. Utility subsystems, such as solar panels and radiators, are pre-integrated into the appropriate truss segment, and are deployable from the respective truss segment on orbit. Rails run lengthwise along the assembled truss. The rails may be used with a mobile transporter for translating truss segments with respect to the spacecraft as part of the space station assembly process. The rails may also be used with a mobile transporter for carrying crew personnel, a robotic arm, and other equipment.

Abstract: A submillimeter wave-generating integrated circuit includes an array of N photoconductive switches biased across a common voltage source and an optical path difference from a common optical pulse of repetition rate f.sub.0 providing a different optical delay to each of the switches. In one embodiment, each incoming pulse is applied to successive ones of the N switches with successive delays. The N switches are spaced apart with a suitable switch-to-switch spacing so as to generate at the output load or antenna radiation of a submillimeter wave frequency f on the order of Nf.sub.0. Preferably, the optical pulse has a repetition rate of at least 10 GHz and N is of the order of 100, so that the circuit generates radiation of frequency of the order of or greater than 1 Terahertz.

Abstract: This invention discloses, in one aspect, a personal rescue device for use in outer space which has an inflatable flexible tube with a shaper apparatus therein. Gas under pressure flows through the shaper apparatus and into the flexible tube. The flexible tube is mounted to the shaper so that as it inflates it expands and deploys lengthwise away from the shaper. In one embodiment a housing contains the shaper and the flexible tube and the housing is designed to facilitate movement of the expanding tube from the housing so the expanding tube does not bunch up in the housing.

Abstract: A plasma arc welding torch wherein a first plasma gas is directed through the body of the welding torch and out of the body across the tip of a welding electrode disposed at the forward end of the body. A second plasma gas is disposed for flow through a longitudinal bore in the electrode. The second plasm gas enters one end of the electrode and exits the electrode at the tip thereof for coacting with the electric welding arc to produce the desired weld. A shield gas is directed through the torch body for circulating around the head of the torch adjacent the electrode tip.

Abstract: A temperature sensor uses a type R thermocouple wire element in a ceramic sheath to sense temperatures up to 3,200.degree. F., and is particularly suitable for flexible insulations. The sensor includes a thermocouple wire embedded in a sheath having two sections disposed at right angles to each other. The junction of the thermocouple is located at one end of one of the sections and the lead wires extend from the other section. The section which includes the junction is secured to a flexible surface with ceramic cement.

Abstract: An area detection device for use with X-ray or ultraviolet radiation wherein light from an integrating device is passed through an optical fiber to fall on a phosphor-containing film which is capable of storing a diffraction pattern formed by the transmission of X-rays or ultraviolet radiation through a sample when the diffraction pattern is projected onto the film and also being capable of fluorescing in correspondence to the diffraction pattern. Fluoresced light from the film is directed back along the fiber and into the integrating device and is fed from the integrating device to a photomultiplier which sends a signal from which the diffraction pattern can be detected.

Abstract: High input impedance amplifiers are provided which reduce the input impedance solely to a capacitive reactance, or, in a somewhat more complex design, provides an extremely high essentially infinite, capacitive reactance. In one embodiment, where the input impedance is reduced in essence, to solely a capacitive reactance, an operational amplifier in a follower configuration is driven at its non-inverting input and a resistor with a predetermined magnitude is connected between the inverting and non-inverting inputs. A second embodiment eliminates the capacitance from the input by adding a second stage to the first embodiment. The second stage is a second operational amplifier in a non-inverting gain-stage configuration where the output of the first follower stage drives the non-inverting input of the second stage and the output of the second stage is fed back to the non-inverting input of the first stage through a capacitor of a predetermined magnitude.

Abstract: Gimballed scanning devices are an important aspect of space science. To achieve a scan pattern some means must be provided which impart to the devices an oscillatory motion. Various forms of machines have been employed for controllably conferring scan patterns on these scanning devices. Although they have included control moment gyroscopes, reaction wheels, torque motors, reaction control systems, and the like, rotating unbalanced mass (RUM) devices are a new and more efficient way to generate scans in gimballed devices or payloads. But they require power consuming and frequently complex auxiliary control systems to position and reposition the particular scan pattern relative to a target or a number of targets. Herein the control system is simplified. In the suspension system provided for payloads rotatably supported in gimbals payload rotation is restricted by a flex pivot so that the payload oscillates, moving in a scan pattern.

Abstract: Rotary actuators and other mechanical devices incorporating shape memory alloys are provided herein. Shape memory alloys are a group of metals which when deformed at temperatures below their martensite temperatures, resume the shapes which they had prior to the deformation if they are heated to temperatures above their austensite temperatures. Actuators in which shape memory alloys are employed include bias spring types, in which springs deform the shape memory alloy (SMA), and differential actuators, which use two SMA members mechanically connected in series. Another type uses concentric cylindrical members. One member is in the form of a sleeve surrounding a cylinder, both being constructed of shape memory alloys. Herein two capstans are mounted on a shaft which is supported in a framework. Each capstan is capable of rotating the shaft. Shape memory wire, as two separate lengths of wire, is wrapped around each capstan to form a winding around that capstan.

Abstract: A miniature dual-band two-way mobile satellite-tracking antenna system mounted on a movable vehicle includes a miniature parabolic reflector dish having an elliptical aperture with major and minor elliptical axes aligned horizontally and vertically, respectively, to maximize azimuthal directionality and minimize elevational directionality to an extent corresponding to expected pitch excursions of the movable ground vehicle. A feed-horn has a back end and an open front end facing the reflector dish and has vertical side walls opening out from the back end to the front end at a lesser horn angle and horizontal top and bottom walls opening out from the back end to the front end at a greater horn angle. An RF circuit couples two different signal bands between the feed-horn and the user.

Abstract: A preload release mechanism comprising a preload spring assembly (26) adapted to apply a preload to a first connector member (16) which is mounted on a support structure (14) and adapted for connection with a second connector member on an object (10). The assembly (26) comprises telescoped bushings (28,29) and a preload spring (25). A tubular shaft (41) extends through the spring assembly (26) and openings in the first connector member and support structure (14), on which it is clamped. A plunger rod (51) in the shaft (41) is provided with a tip end (52) and a recess in the rod near the other end thereof. A retainer (55) precludes passage of the rod (51) through the shaft in one direction and an end cap (62) closes the bore of the shaft at the other end and provides a shoulder which extends radially of the shaft.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining shear direction wherein a beam of white light is directed onto the surface of a liquid crystal coating to cause the white light to be dispersed (reflected) from the surface in a spectrum having bands of different colors in a fixed spatial (angular) sequence. The system is calibrated by locating a observer, e.g., a video and movie camera, such that a particular color band (preferably at or near the center of the reflected spectrum) is observed to thereby provide a reference color band. Because the application of shear causes either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the reflected spectrum dependent on the direction of the shear, a determination is then made of the reflected color band observed by the observer when the surface of the liquid crystal is subjected to shear to thereby determine the direction of the shear based on the directional (rotation) relation of the observed color band with respect to the reference color band in the spatial sequence of color bands.

Abstract: A single-pass method for accurate and precise temperature control in the -160.degree. to +90.degree. C. range, and which exhibited minimal set-point overshoot during temperature transitions. Control to .+-.2.degree. C. with transitions between set-points of 7.degree. C. per minute were achieved. The method uses commercially available temperature controllers and a gaseous nitrogen/liquid nitrogen mixer to dampen the amplitude of cold temperature spikes caused by liquid nitrogen pulsing.

Abstract: A circuit for high resolution decoding of multi-anode microchannel array detectors consisting of input registers accepting transient inputs from the anode array, anode encoding logic circuits connected to the input registers, midpoint pipeline registers connected to the anode encoding logic circuits and pixel decoding logic circuits connected to the midpoint pipeline registers. A high resolution algorithm circuit operates in parallel with the pixel decoding logic circuit and computes a high resolution least significant bit to enhance the multi-anode microchannel array detector's spatial resolution by halving the pixel size and doubling the number of pixels in each axis of the anode array. A multiplexer is connected to the pixel decoding logic circuit and allows a user selectable pixel address output according to the actual multi-anode microchannel array detector anode array size.

Abstract: The use of guanidine salts of organic fatty acids (guanidine soaps) as vehicles and binders for coating substrate surfaces is disclosed. Being completely organic, the guanidine soaps can be burned off leaving no undesirable residue. Of special interest is the use of guanidine 2-ethyl hexanoate as the vehicle and binder for coating problematic surfaces such as in coating alumina fibers with platinum or zirconia. For this application the guanidine soap is used as a melt. For other applications the guanidine soap may be used in a solution with a variety of solvents, the solution containing chlorometalates or powdered metals, refractories or ceramics.

Abstract: A structural panel assembly has a bi-directional core structure sandwiched between and secured to a pair of outer side wall members. The core structure is formed from first and second perpendicular series of elongated strip members having crenelated configurations. The strip members in the first series thereof are transversely interwoven with the strip members in the second series thereof in a manner such that crest portions of the strip members in the first series overlie and oppose trough portions of the strip members in the second series, and trough portions of the strip members in the first series underlie and oppose crest portions of the strip members in the second series. The crest portions of all of the strip members lie generally in a first plane and are secured to the inner side of one of the panel assembly outer side walls, and the trough portions of all of the strip members lie generally in a second plane and are secured to the inner side of the other panel assembly outer side wall.