Abstract: A highly improved elastomeric composition, process, and articles made thef, wherein the novel composition is characterized by greatly increased wear longevity, thermomechanical stability, highly improved tear and tensile strength at high temperature useage, in addition to high resistance to burning in open flame, as well as high resistance to cutting, chipping, cracking and crack propagation particularly in product use for tank track pads and other related track system elastomeric component products; wherein the improved composition is a unique combination of its respective polymer, filler, curing and antidegradant systems, in which the polymer system either consists of about 100 parts by weight of highly saturated nitrile polymer or of various novel blends of the highly saturated nitrile usually in majority amounts together with minority amounts of carboxylated nitrile, with or without additional minority or near equal parts of nitrile rubber; and wherein the curing system may include various blends of from

Abstract: A detachable or separable scraper bar attachment for various types of trad vehicles includes first, second, and third generally planar rectangular bar elements which when fixedly interconnected and attached to a vehicle's body frame form a generally U-shape or .mu.-shape configuration, of which the first and third bar elements constitute generally parallel legs of the u-shape or .mu.-shape portion. It is mounted with the legs generally also parallel to the vehicle's cylindrical drive sprocket hub subassembly. One leg is in close proximity to the hub to facilitate the scraping of collected mud or debris, and the other leg is adapted to be operatively rigidly attached to the vehicle frame; and the second bar element which constitutes a bight portion connecting the legs of the u-shape or .mu.-shape portion is notably canted at an angle of between about 45.degree. and 60.degree. to laterally deflect the scraped-off mud or debris away from the track paths.

Abstract: A portable, collapsible tank for storing liquids which may be assembled in op, bottom, and side wall subassembly sections. The sections may be transported in compact substantially flat sections and easily assembled and disassembled in the field to provide greatly differing fluid capacities as desired. Arcuately segmented, interconnectable combination joining and supporting rings including sealing gaskets are provided for assembly and support of the multi-segmented relatively light weight top, bottom, and side wall subassembly sections fabricated of fiberglass or Kevlar type reinforced plastic materials. Segmented top and bottom walls are also formed of light weight, compact plastic material plate sections and are disposed atop and beneath the interposed wall sections. The tank assembly is further supported and stabilized by a center support pole in combination with top and bottom flange assemblies respectively.

Abstract: The sensitive high resolution microminiature tactile sensor comprises an array of unique micromachined bossed silicon transducer cells in conjunction with requisite electrical circuitry and components, which collectively provide an ability to sense torque by detecting both normal and lateral applied loads, thereby opening a new frontier in tactile sensing. One preferred embodiment comprises a four column by four row array arrangement providing sixteen unique bossed closely spaced silicon diaphragm tactile transducer elements or sensors fabricated from a silicon body member. Collectively the close spacing between the microminiature tactile sensing elements approaches the resolution of the human hand. Electrical signal information from sensor-incorporated internal and external related circuitry components can be analyzed via computer devices to yield specific loading characteristics on the sensor surface. The upper surface of the transducer cell array is protectively covered with a thin polymer layer.

Abstract: A folding tactical bridge module and bridging system and method of deploy and retrieval. Each module is made up of three longitudinally collapsible units interconnected and folded in a side-by-side arrangement to be carried by a bridge transporter vehicle. Each unit includes an arched roadway portion made up of two arcuate segments with a hinge at the centerline and a truss hingedly connected at each longitudinal edge. Tensile links tie the edges of the arched roadway together. The module folds in two ways with the tie links nested between the vertically collapsed first folded roadway segments which in turn are nested between a pair of vertical trusses. The three units of each module are in turn folded a second time into a side-by-side compact relation upon a transporter deploying vehicle. The bridge may be expanded and emplaced by the bridge transporter vehicle and its two-man crew using self-contained extendable-retractable interconnectable traversing beams associated with each of its three units.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for determining the tire pressures of vehicles as y pass an instrumented checkpoint on a roadway. Rigid corrugations on the roadway set the tires into vibration with a waveform which is a function of tire pressure. The complex waveforms from each tire of a given vehicle are subjected to a spectral analysis and the results of such analyses are compared to each other to determine which, if any, of said tires have produced a spectrum different from the normal spectra produced by the other tires. This invention requires no apparatus mounted on the vehicles being checked.

Abstract: A radar attenuating composition is described for which incident microwave diation is absorbed and/or scattered, causing a significant decrease in retroreflectance of the object to which the composition is applied, that is, a reduction in the radar cross-section of the object. The radar attenuating composition or paint is prepared by uniformly mixing thin conducting fibers such as stainless steel fibers or carbon or graphite into a standard camouflage-type paint. The fibers act as electric dipole segments. The purpose of the countermeasure paint of the present invention is to reduce the amount of microwave radiation reflected back by a target to the receiver, i.e. reducing the amount of retroreflection.

Abstract: A strain sensitive coaxial cable is disclosed as comprising a centrally dosed conductor about which is disposed a first insulating layer, and a second conductor disposed coaxially about the center conductor, configured as a helix and dimensioned to loosely fit with respect to the first dielectric layer and to permit relative axial movement generally between the second conductor and the first dielectric layer, whereby more uniform signals, and elastic-inelastic strain discrimination are provided and spurious outputs eliminated. An outer protective sheath is disposed about the helical turns of the second conductor.

Abstract: A hand-held and hand-operated gripping device for extracting live rockets from rocket launch tubes is disclosed. The device has the ability to engage and grip an extraction bar extending across the exhaust end of a rocket motor and extract the rocket from the launch tube by a straight pulling action along the axis of the rocket. Jaws of the rocket extracting device are pivotally held on a frame member and are resiliently biased open. The jaws are closed by movement of a separate elongated finger grip bar toward a parallel bar of the frame member while the finger grip bar is in engagement with convergent cam faces of the pivoted jaws. The finger grip bar is captively held in free-floating relationship to the jaws and frame member.

Abstract: More effective camouflage patterns are generated by use of certain known tographic and photooptical contrasting procedures to obtain more desirable positive high contrast images representative of the natural background areas in which military equipment is intended to operate. Generating and using such camouflage patterns constitute a unique and novel use of such images which have predetermined color tones or values assigned to varying degrees of light, intermediate and dark contrast areas. The patterns may be applied onto the equipment in any of several conventionally known manners, thereby enabling otherwise artistically unskilled field soldiers to more effectively camouflage their equipment.

Abstract: A land mine resistant road wheel and track assembly for tracked vehicles which each road wheel includes a center hub surrounded by a plurality of fiberglass support rings whch are, in turn, surrounded by a fiberglass rim member. The entire road wheel is encapsulated in polyurethane which fills the spaces within and between the support rings, but which does not extend into the center hub or into bores aligned with the openings of the support rings, which bores receive mounting bolts for the road wheel. The road wheels are utilized singly and are received in circular grooves formed in the shoes which form the track. The shoes which form the track are made of fiberglass which is molded around a steel yoke. Each steel yoke is provided with a pair of key slots therethrough, each slot of which receives a link that rotates ninety degrees in order to lock in the key slot.

Abstract: A novel method for electronically determining the gross characteristics of he top layer of the earth's crust at a given location by using a passive seismic transducer as a sensing device for sensing background seismic noise in conjunction with as assembly of generally conventional miniature low power electronic components arranged in a system containing analog and logic circuits with a read-out meter calibrated to represent the detected background noise as seismic resonant frequency. The electronic determination of the crust character is in lieu of various conventional soil refractometry tests which are lengthy time-consuming procedures. The seismic resonant frequency has been found to be representative of the thickness and of the property or character of the crust at that particular geographical location.

Abstract: Methods for making and assembling various orthogonal multifaceted polydeltatrihedral self-supportable corner reflectors. Planar two-dimensional network or pattern products and orthogonal polyhedra products-by-process evolving from the various methods find unique applicability in the radar industry, the educational toy industry, the navigation aid/hazardous warning industry, and the lighting industry.

Abstract: An improved electronics system for transmission of low level analog signals rom a remote sensor to a control terminal utilizing a single pair of unshielded wires. A bi-directional exchange occurs between the sensor and control terminal which results in power and control being provided to the sensor which transmits analog signals and sensor status to the control terminal.

Abstract: A novel foldable and essentially self-opening, light weight, multi-panel ice which preferably is primarily useful as a collapsible, expendable or retrievable and reusable reflector type military decoy target, capable of reflecting microwaves, millimeter waves and light waves. Its ability to be folded relatively flat minimizes storage space requirements, thus allowing for many more units to be carried by troops in the field. With a spring-loaded "pop-open" character and capability of being constructed in several different forms or shapes, it has a unique essentially self-opening, self-orienting ability which facilitates a quick, easy and nearly automatic deployment. Functioning as a corner type reflector decoy, it reflects much more of the source-generated energy waves back to the source than would a normal size non-reflective article, irrespective of its deployed orientation relative to the source thereby deceiving the enemy into thinking that there is a large object such as a tank in that area.

Abstract: A generally flexible, quilt-like, broad band multispectral camouflage blat which embodies a matrix of commercially available laminated wide band, energy absorbing material which is precut into polygonal shaped panels to thereby effectively collectively absorb and suppress radar, heat and sound energy. The panels are either removably disposed or otherwise suitably bonded within complementary sized pockets in the blanket fabric and are oriented in a flexible grid-like arrangement. The blanket fabric, such as a KEVLAR nylon or the like, which by its very nature is impervious to water and many other contaminents, is further characterized by a low reflectivity at microwave radar frequencies, and may be visually camouflaged for different tactical environments.

Abstract: A method of cleaning and replacing fluids of hydraulic brake systems is pided. The method may be implemented to either clean the system and resupply the same type of fluid or replace one type of brake fluid with a new and different type of brake fluid. The method includes the use of an intermediate solvent fluid, generally in combination with air, to dilute the first contaminated brake fluid which, in turn, is displaced by the introduction of the new brake fluid, whether it be of the same or different type. The purpose of the intermediate fluid is to flush the contaminated fluid from the system as well as to alter the properties of the contaminated fluid. The use of the intermediate solvent induces a reversal of the phases of the two respective brake fluids by modifying the density of the fluid with which it is mixed.

Abstract: A rugged, relatively low cost, reliable warning device wearable on a person's body, preferably in the form of a bracelet or wristwatch. This device novelly utilizes the principal of natural sympathetic vibration or harmonic response of a fine metal reed, such as a finely drawn tungsten wire, to effect closing of an electrical circuit which hereby emits an appropriate warning signal or combination of signals. The device further embodies adjustable frequency of response calibration selection in combination with the selective electrical circuit features to promptly detect an excessive heartbeat or pulse rate. The signal emitted may be of audio, visual or sensory form or a combination thereof to warn the user against over exertion, stressful situations.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the ambient light intensity of a monitored area during consecutive time intervals whereby an indication is given whenever the difference in any one of these measurements and the immediately preceeding measurement exceeds a predetermined value. The output signal of a suitable light sensing device such as a photocell is converted to a pulse train having a frequency proportional to the ambient light level and supplied to one input of an AND gate. The other input of the AND gate is connected to receive consecutive, equal duration, timing signals generated by a one shot timer circuit controlled by a microprocessor. The output of the AND gate supplies a finite number of pulses to a pulse counter, also controlled by the microprocessor.

Abstract: A method for dissipating static electrical energy from air cushion vehicles hen operating more particularly in cold, low humidity environments, which method involves fabricating the skirt assembly from a flexible sheet material of at least semiconductive character which will provide a suitable dissipating grounding pathway to discharge potential static electrical energy generated during the aforesaid operation thereof. The method includes utilizing a coated flexible fabric material having at least one of its opposite surfaces coated with an elastomeric abrasion-resistant material, and embedding a plurality of electrically conductive flexible strands at least partially within said flexible fabric material, or alternatively embedding electrically conductive particles or fibers in a generally uniformly manner throughout a forming of its elastomeric composition.