Abstract: A clamp (16) has movable and fixed ledges (58, 82) extending forwardly towards one another from posts (38, 40) on the clamp's halves (34, 36). The movable ledge receives a door whose weight moves the ledge in a generally gravitaionally downward direction to move post (38) towards post (40) and to clamp the work piece therebetween. The fixed ledge is positioned in the path of movement of the door and the movable ledge to limit the movement and any excessive pressure which otherwise might be exerted on the door by the clamp halves. The clamp is mounted on a base (14) which comprises angled piping (20, 22) to form a two-dimensional support for the clamp and the door. Insulated electrical wires (22) extend through the piping. Sockets (26) are secured at one or more ends (24) of the piping, save for one, to provide electrical outlet connections for power tools. The insulated wire extends from the remaining piping end (32) for connection to a conventional electrical outlet.

Abstract: A fire control system (10) for a gun (12) pivotally mounted in elevation and in azimuth employs optical sighting of a target (16) manually via a telescope (26) fixedly directed substantially parallel to an axis of the gun (12). A laser range finder (24) directs its laser beam in a direction parallel to the telescope (26) to obtain target range. The system includes a control unit (42) which employs elevation, azimuth and range data to predict target track. The control unit (42) includes electric circuitry for offsetting the gun to provide for an intercept of the target by a projectile fired from the gun, and delay circuitry which delays a firing of the gun until the gun has been offset. Gun orientation is directed manually during tracking of the target, and passes to automatic control in response to a firing command.

Abstract: A telescope (10) is precisely pointed by a detent mechanism (32) in a sighting direction (18) after a motor (22) generally positions the telescope. The detent mechanism includes a roller assembly (60) precisely journalled at one end of an arm (38) which is biased into contact with a precisely formed V-groove (36) on the telescope by a spring 72.

Abstract: Cryogenic thermal switch (10) comprises base (30) which is clamped onto the flange of cold cylinder (24). Heat transfer ring (14) is positioned spaced between thermal clamp surfaces (36, 48) by means of support isolators (90,92,94). Springs (64) urge the clamp surfaces to clamp on ring (14) while metal tubes (70, 72, 74, 76) hold the clamp surfaces in a spaced position while at warm temperature. When the structure is cold, the metal tubes shrink and the springs (64) cause the surfaces to clamp on ring (14) for thermal conduction.

Abstract: A spectral analyzer and direction indicator is disclosed and is responsive to collimated or essentially collimated incident radiation. The spectral analyzer and direction indicator includes optical apparatus (13, 15, 113) for providing optical information including diffracted optical information. A detector structure (21, 23, 117) is responsive to the optical information to provide detection output information indicative of incidence direction and spectral content collimated or essentially collimated incident radiation. A processor (20, 120) determines whether the diffraction information includes second order diffraction.

Abstract: An opener (10) for removing a cork (36) from a champagne-type bottle (12)in a generally straight line comprises a frame (20, 22) contactable with the bottle by a pivotable annulus (60) so that the opener can be maintained generally immobile with respect to the bottle during removal of the cork. A pair of tongs (32) are slidable in channels within arms (30) so that the tongs may be moved towards and from the mouth of the bottle. The tongs are pivotable with respect to one another so that, when they are moved upwardly from the mouth of the bottle by a rack (46) engaging gear segments (50) on handles (54), the tongs can pivot towards one another to secure better engagement with the cork to effect movement of the tongs and the cork engaged thereby in a direction away from the bottle. The tongs are also pivotable to accommodate corks of different sizes, and the wires binding the cork to the bottle.

Abstract: A pyroelectric focal plane array useful for thermal imaging applications comprises a detector (10), comprises a reticulated and aluminized pyroelectric chip (12) interfaced with a signal processor chip (14) by thermally insulating bumps (30) coated with a thin conductive layer (38) to form a plurality of thermally insulative and electronically conductive interconnections (16) between detector chips (12) and processor chip (14).

Abstract: A power supply (20) incorporates a switching regulator circuit and a flyback transformer (26) having diodes (42) for unidirectional current flow from an output circuit of the transformer to a load (24). Substantially noise-free sensing of currents in both input (32) and output (34) windings of the transformer is provided by a sensing circuit composed of a sense winding (46) on the transformer and an integrator (50) coupled to the sense winding. The integrator provides an output signal proportional to volt seconds or flux which, in turn, is proportional to either the input current or the output current. The input current and the output current flow alternately due to a switching action of the regulator circuitry.

Abstract: A pair of rotating gimbals (12, 14) independently nutate and precess the line-of-sight (24) of a sensor (22) to generate a rosette pattern (26).

Abstract: Precise alignment, required for a low-loss electromagnetic interconnection between single and multiple stranded optical fiber conductors or waveguides, is achieved in a conventional electrical connector block. A pair of guide bushings having precise outer dimensions are secured respectively to the termini of the optical fiber conductors and these bushings, in their respective connector blocks, are adapted for insertion into a split tube having a precisely dimensioned inner diameter. The optical fiber conductors, being concentric with the bushings, thereby are precisely interconnected. For single fibers, the bushings and the split tube are cylindrical. For multiple stranded fibers or fiber bundles, the bushings and the split tube have identical polygonal cross-sections, which match precisely identical polygonally shaped fiber-receiving openings in the bushings.

Abstract: A folded optical system is provided in the form of a telescope (20) for viewing distant objects. At least two optical elements (22, 24) have curved surfaces (32, 34) for imaging rays of radiation from a distant object. The two surfaces are positioned so as to permit a series of reflections therebetween for magnification of the resulting focal length of the optical system and diminution in the overall viewing angle so as to attenuate any light which may emanate from sources of radiation disposed off an optical axis which intercepts the object being viewed. One or more of the optical elements may be provided with apertures (30) through which rays of radiation are directed to a sensor (26) of the radiation, the sensor being positioned on a image plane to receive an image of the objects being viewed. First and second ones of the optical surface may be concave and convex, respectively, or alternatively, each optical surface may be concave with a folding mirror being utilized in the reflection of rays therebetween.

Abstract: A hierarchical configurable gate array is disclosed and includes a plurality of cluster regions (10,20,30,40) arranged in different levels. The first level cluster (10) includes an integral number N multi-terminal components for providing canonical functions. The second level cluster (20) includes N first level clusters; and higher level clusters (30,40) each includes N clusters of the next lower level. Interconnect regions (13,15,17,19) are provided within each cluster for interconnections between the N elements of each level. Selected input or output ports for each element of a cluster are available for interconnection at more than one location.

Abstract: A unidirectional heat pipe (22) acting as a thermal diode or a heat switch, enables heat to be removed from electronic equipment (14) when temperatures outside of a missile envelope (12) are lower than those of the electronic equipment. When the temperature exterior to the missile envelope is greater than that of the electronic equipment, the heat therefrom is conducted to a package (16) containing phase change material which absorbs the heat from the electronic equipment, at which time the heat pipe acts as a thermal insulator. Heat is also removed from the PCM package by the heat pipe when exterior temperatures are lower than interior temperatures.

Abstract: Feed-through vias (38) of 8 mil and smaller diameter are placed on 25 mil centers or smaller so that the feed-through vias serve only as electrical connections and do not block channels between conductors (24a and 42a). The method for forming such feed-through vias and interconnections utilizes metallic resist (36 and 40) which covers the feed-through vias so that the metallic resist, along with conventional photoresist material, prevent undesired etching of the feed-through vias even in the event of misregistration of the photoresist material.

Abstract: A die (10, 40) for extrusion of optical grade fibers includes an insert (12, 42) placed under compression within a sleeve (14, 44). Tapered surfaces (18, 20 & 48, 50) between the insert and the sleeve enable axial assembly of the components when the insert is forced within the sleeve. Lubrication and interlocking between the components comprise either general lubricant and an interlocking ring (30) residing within grooves (26, 28) in the tapered surfaces, or a metal (60) which provides first a lubrication during assembly of the components and then a metallurgical diffusion bond therebetween.

Abstract: A laser amplifier buffer arrangement for selectively switching laser energy in a double pass laser amplifier. The buffer arrangement comprises a wedge of birefringent material which angularly separates incident laser energy into polarized components, and an electro-optic polarization switch which may be selectively controlled to circularly polarize the polarization components of light passing therethrough. A plane mirror is employed to reflect the polarized components back through the switch and wedge. The wedge and switch are aligned in a manner such that an arbitrarily polarized input beam is separated into two orthogonally polarizated components that traverse separate paths through the buffer. The polarized components are reflected back through the switch and wedge by the mirror which is aligned with the normal bisecting the polarization component separation angle.

Abstract: A plurality of integrated circuit wafers each having a plurality of cells disposed in a rectilinear array with the yield distribution of usable cells varying from wafer to wafer but in which there is a common yield distribution of at least Y usable cells or portions thereof in corresponding locations on N wafers (where Y and N are integers); a layer of electrical insulation that exposes the pads of the Y common yield distribution usable circuits to a second level of metalization which is formed into conductors by a first pad relocation mask which is common to the N wafers for effectively routing the exposed pads of the Y usable cells to master pattern circuit locations; and a layer of electrical insulation formed over the second level of metalization having master pattern vias formed therethrough which expose the pads at master pattern cell locations to a top layer of metalization formed into a common or master pattern of interconnects which interconnect the cells into the specific circuit type by a master pa

Abstract: A heat pipe has a large area vapor tube for radiant heat loss and has connected thereto a subcooled liquid return tube for a return of the condensed liquid to the evaporator portion of the vapor tube. Wicking material plugs return the liquid and provide equilibrium along the length of the system. The separate return of the liquid through liquid tube permits a long heat pipe which may have several thermal connections.

Abstract: Precisely curved, lightweight and low-cost reflectors for electromagnetic radiation are fabricated by use of a tool and a process in which a blank is planar stretched by uniformly applied isotropic and radially extending forces followed by deformation of the stretched blank to a precisely curved surface.

Abstract: A spectral analyzer and direction indicator system (10) is disclosed and includes first and second optical channels (20,30) for providing detected optical information indicative of incidence direction and spectral content of incident radiation. The first optical channel includes a reflector element (11) having a non-ruled section (11a) and a spectrally dispersing ruled section (11b); an analytical optical system (13); and a detector array (15). In the reflector element of the first optical channel the non-ruled section is tilted relative to the ruled section. The second optical channel includes a non-dispersing reflector element (17), an analytical optical system (19), and a detector array (21).