Abstract: A mechanism for testing electrical components in an ignition system of a diesel engine includes a metal jacket having receptacles passing through the jacket and also includes glow plugs fitting in the receptacles. The jacket has an inlet to admit water or other fluid from a pressurized source and also has an outlet to permit the fluid to escape from the jacket. The fluid flows through the jacket and thereby cools the receptacles, jacket and glow plugs. The testing mechanism includes a valve for metering the rate of flow of fluid into the jacket, the rate of flow being kept at a rate sufficient to prevent the jacket's temperature from exceeding a predetermined level. The glow plugs are connected to an electrical power source such as a battery, and a control circuit connected to the electrical power source and the plugs governs the cycle during which the plugs are electrically heated and then permitted to cool.

Abstract: A vehicle designed to survive mines exploding underneath it has an impact absorbing seat assembly for holding a human occupant of the vehicle. The assembly includes a seat having lower and upper seat members and includes a mechanism connected to the floor and the seat for absorbing the impact of the vehicle floor's buckling upward due to a mine blast. A plate is connected to the lower seat member just behind the legs of the occupant, and the plate swings on a hinge mounted to the lower seat member. In its normal position, the plate forms an acute angle with the floor and a lip of the plate contacts the floor such that the lip curves away from the seat. When the floor buckles upward, the plate swings outward relative to the seat, carrying the occupant's legs with it, thereby avoiding a vertical load transferring from the floor up the occupant's legs to the occupant's knees.

Abstract: A starting controller for a diesel engine. The controller has a microprocor that will provide a current to the glow plugs until they are heated to the desired operating temperature and will then distribute sequential pulses to the individual plugs until the engine reaches the desired operating temperature. The system can have a latching circuit that will prevent the preglow cycle from being reinitiated until the glow plugs have been allowed to cool to a level where reinitiation will not represent a substantial degrading effect on the glow plugs.

Abstract: A shock absorbing, tracked wheel assembly of an off-road vehicle has a set f spoke-like structures radiating from the assembly's center or spider. The spoke-like structures include cylinders affixed to the spider and pistons axially translatable in the cylinders. The pistons are biased radially outward by coil springs in the cylinders. The springs' action is dampened by a flow restrictive collar girding the piston and separating fluid in the cylinder into separate chambers. Struts extend from the pistons and the struts have track engagement shoes on their outer ends. The shoes have a generally arcuate sector that engages a track or band in tractive contact with the ground. Rotating the struts about their longitudinal axis will vary the distance between the cylinder and the track shoe so that tension on the track can be adjusted. Sufficient strut rotation allows the track to be removed from the assembly for purposes of track repair or replacement.

Abstract: An engine accessory retards or advances one or more cam shafts of an engine relative to the crankshaft during engine operation. The accessory acts n the timing chain that engages wheels on cam shafts and crankshaft. The accessory includes a rod translatably mounted to the engine, wherein a hydraulic cylinder or an electric motor translates the rod in accordance with signals from an electronic controller. The signals from the controller are in response to values of selected variables related to engine condition or are in response to manual input. Chain engagement wheels are journalled on either end of the rod. One chain engagement wheel mates with the part of the timing chain approaching the crankshaft wheel. The other chain engagement wheel mates with the part the chain travelling away from the crankshaft wheel.

Abstract: A system provides a controlled supply of heat from an automotive engine to attery on board the vehicle. The system has a fluid circuit, a portion of which passes through an insulated box containing the battery and thereby heats the battery. Another portion of the fluid circuit bypasses the box. The fluid circuit has one or more valves for selectively interrupting flow of heated fluid to the box, the valves operating in response to driver input or signals sent by a temperature sensor in the box. The box itself is comprised of rigid side walls of insulative material, a floor of the same material and a lid that closely fits to the side walls in only one orientation relative to the box. On the box's inner peripheral surface is a heat reflective layer to which is mounted the battery heating coil of the fluid circuit. A low heat conductive spacer borders air gaps between the battery and the heating coil.

Abstract: The method herein images an object repeatedly moving about an axis. The mod uses signals to track the object's position with respect to the axis while a camera views the object. A reflection is cast from the object toward the camera in such a way that the camera scans both the reflection and the object. The camera outputs representations of video lines, which depict parts of the object and the reflection. These video lines have known positions relative to a reference plane, which passes through the image plane of the camera. Certain of the video lines are selected. The selected lines come from a chosen position relative to the reference plane and occur within a chosen time of the position signals. The selected video lines are arrayed according to their particular position signals and are used to compile a planar composite image representing the object's outer periphery. The composite image is conformed to a shape resembling the periphery, thereby creating a three dimensional representation of the object.

Abstract: A modified pintle assembly for an armored personnel carrier is secured to a swingable ramp at the rear of the carrier. The assembly comprises a back late affixed facially on the ramp and dogleg plates fixed to the back plate. The dogleg plates pivot on one of the ramp's hinges. A downwardly open shroud is fixed to the back plate and elongate plates. The shroud accommodates an extension block. An inner end of an extension block fits closely within the shroud and is pivotally connected thereto. A pintle is attached to the outer, free end of the extension block. The extension block and pintle are movable together between a deployed position in which the they extend away from the ramp and a retracted position in which they lie along the ramp. A lock pin through the shroud retains the extension block and pintle in either the deployed or the retracted position.

Abstract: A method to determine the probability of detection, P(t), of targets within infrared-imaged, pixelated scenes includes dividing the scenes into tar blocks and background blocks. A plurality of .DELTA.T metrics are applied to the blocked scenes to derive various .DELTA.T values for each scene. Factor analysis is then used on the various .DELTA.T values to derive a relative .DELTA.T for each scene. The scenes are divided again, into cells of pixels, in accordance with a plurality of clutter metrics. These clutter metrics are used to derive various clutter values for each scene. Factor analysis is used on the various clutter values to derive relative clutter values for each scene. The relative .DELTA.T values and the relative clutter values are used in determining the probabilities of detection of the targets in the scenes. Based on the probabilities of detection, the optimum scene or set of scenes is selected.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pressurizable inner multi chambered tube for a tire having resilient radial walls in the body sealingly the chambers from one another. A ring shaped manifold on the tube communicates to the chambers by a check valve at each chamber, the check valves permitting fluid flow from the manifold to the chambers but preventing flow in the reverse direction. A valveless fluid passing fixture on the manifold permits the manifold to be connected to a source of pressurized air. If one chamber of the tube looses pressure, the remaining tubes will expand in an angular, circumferential direction and slide on the manifold so as to take up space formerly occupied by the one, depressurized chamber. The check valves of the remaining chambers will be released from engagement as the remaining chambers slide on the manifold.

Abstract: An arrangement of a track laying combat vehicle towing a trailer utilizes a curved rail affixed to the aft end of the combat vehicle and generally tered about a vertical axis passing near the volumetric center of the combat vehicle. The hitch connection between the combat vehicle and the trailer includes a wheeled carriage that rides on the rail. Because of the rail and carriage, the outward swing of the combat vehicle aft end, which is in the opposite direction from the combat vehicle's turn direction, do not appreciably affect the trailer.

Abstract: A fastener comprises a nut surrounding a collar that in turn surrounds a t, the nut and collar holding a bracket element against a mounting surface. The collar fits closely but slidably within the nut. Of the nut or collar, one has a boss that rides upon a cam surface of the other, so that a camming relation exists between the nut and collar. Turning the nut relative to the collar will thus squeeze the collar into an interference fit with the post so that the fastener attains a locking configuration. A groove adjacent the cam surface accepts the projection and retains it such that the fastener maintains its locking condition. A predetermined torque is needed to rotate the projection to the groove, whereby the fastener is a torque controlled fastener.

Abstract: A method of analyzing the radar cross section of a target vehicle determines the contributions to total radar cross section of various vehicle design details. The method includes obtaining ISAR images of the vehicle with a radar at a known position relative to the vehicle. A visible three-dimensional set of images of the vehicle is created. The visible images have the same point of view as the ISAR images. Each visible image is matched by one or more corresponding ISAR images in terms of distance from the target and angular position of the target relative to the vehicle's axis of rotation. The corresponding ISAR images are used to paint the visible images so as to produce one or more rendered composite images of the vehicle. A relation is then found between chosen vehicle details and bright zones in the composite image.

Abstract: A piston for a high performance engine has a crown and a skirt integrally formed with the crown. A step is defined about the crown and an annular channel is machined in the step. A ring belt facially encircling the crown sealingly covers the annular channel so as to form an enclosed passageway where the coolant circulates. The piston has passages by which coolant under pressure is sent to the crown. The crown has a coolant entry duct communicating the passages to the annular channel and has a coolant exit duct communicating the annular channel with a cavity in the skirt.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to image events with a camera having a focal plane ay of sensors on a charge coupled device whose parallel vertical registers clock signal charges to a horizontal register. The method includes sending a first clock signal to first gates on vertical register zones proximal to the sensors, and sending a second clock signal to second gates on distal vertical register zones remote from the sensors. A first transfer pulse on the first clock signal causes first signal charges in the sensors to transfer to the proximal zones, and then the first signal charges dissipate into the substrate of the charge coupled device. A second transfer pulse of the first clock signal occurs at a predetermined interval after the first transfer pulse and second signal charges transfer to the proximal zone. The second signal charges are clocked off the charge coupled device to become part of a video signal.

Abstract: A tail pipe protector for military vehicles is formed with a plurality of gs shaped and joined to form a structure with free ends on the legs that will adapt to the various types of tail pipes. The structure is clamped in position to hold the protector in place and the clamping results in the structure being rigidified by the same action.

Abstract: A vehicle exhaust orientation assembly directs an extremely hot, forceful haust gas flow from a tank or other vehicle that is towing a trailer or the like. The assembly has a transition shroud affixed to the exterior of the vehicle over its exhaust portal. A drum is rotatably connected to the shroud by rollers on the drum which engage a track on the shroud. Several anchoring structures are mounted on the shroud about the drum. The structures can hold the drum in one of several rotational positions of the drum on the shroud. Flow directing fins in the drum are pivoted by a linkage which can engage a tab on the drum so as to lock the fins in a selected pivot position. Rotational force is imparted to the drum and fins by flanges obliquely attached to the fins so that the fins are spun by the exhaust flow from the tank.

Abstract: A method to create a holographic projection adjusts both for relatively sl and relatively large head movements of the human viewer. Basically, the method includes sending sequences of images on an optical path from a projector to an eyebox array, the images in the sequences being views of the object from different angles. In the method's first step, the sequences of images are sent to a quasi-cylindrical mirror having two or more arcuate zones. Each zone corresponds to a particular range of viewer head positions and to a particular sequence of images, and each image reflects from a different, characteristic location in its associated zone. Once the images reflect from the quasi-cylindrical mirror, they pass through an HOE in the optical path to the eyebox array. Any given sequence of images is sufficient for an eyebox array whose width accommodates relatively small head, motions of the viewer.

Abstract: A method for obtaining spectral radiation data for points in a field of view utilizes a broad band variable filter to produce different intensity distributions on a photocell array. The array is in the focal plane of a camera and photocell locations correspond to points in the field of view. The variable filter has a sequence of optical train elements comprised of a first linear polarizer, a body of optically active material, a retarder and a second linear polarizer. A series of radiance measurements are taken at each photocell of the array and at least one of the optical train components is repositioned between measurements. For each photocell, a collection of photocell values is stored in a computer memory and is converted to a system of linear equations. Intensities for spectral components of light incident thereon are derived for each photocell. The method can be used to create a two-dimensional intensity map for the pixel array for each wavelength measured.

Abstract: A method of making a robust sprocket for a tracked combat vehicle includes orming flat steel plates from stock metallurgically dissimilar to and harder than that of the track shoes, the thickness of the plates being at least 0.72 times the axial width of track shoe pockets engaging teeth of the sprocket. The sprocket's teeth are formed by water jet machining, so that the metallurgy of the sprocket and the sprocket's flatness are unaffected by the tooth formation process, and so that the bearing surfaces of the teeth are smooth. After tooth formation, selected zones of the teeth are then hardened.