Abstract: A hose fitting assembly has a fitting, a spool that translates into the fitting and a sleeve sliding along the spool onto the fitting. The fitting has a bore, an exterior channel, and apertures connecting the exterior channel to the bore. Disposed at the apertures are elements radially intrudable into the bore. An ring-like spring in the channel keeps these elements at the apertures and biases them into the bore. A bevelled part of the spool forces the intruding elements and spring out from the bore as the spool's plunger portion sealingly slides in the bore. The sleeve coacts with outward motion of the spring to lock the spool to the fitting, the sleeve aligned in its locking position on the fitting by a shoulder on the fitting.

Abstract: An expansion linkage effects nearly perfectly straight translation of an ansion module relative to a trailer. The linkage has two relatively longer cross arms pivoted together at their intersection. One cross arm is additionally pivoted at its mount to the trailer and the other cross arm is additionally pivoted at its mount to the module. At opposite ends from the mounts, the cross arms have relatively shorter linkage arms pivoted thereto. The linkage arm pivoted to the trailer-mounted cross arm also pivotally connects to the module, and the linkage arm pivoted to the module-mounted cross arm also pivotally connects to the trailer. The intersection of the cross arms is 2/3 to 3/4 the distance from pivot axes at the cross arms' mount ends to pivot axes at the cross arms' opposite ends.

Abstract: An adaptor assembly for a pallet or platform allows plural cargo carrying nfigurations for the pallet. The assembly has a pocket at the edge of the pallet's bed, the pocket having opposed sides, a web therebetween facing the edge of the bed and a ledge between the sides. The pocket has a gap between the sides adjacent to and coplanar with the ledge. A clamp passing through the gap has a mediate section faced on the edge, the mediate section opposing the web and contacting the sides of the pocket. First and second legs of the clamp join to the mediate section and bear on opposed sides of the bed, the mediate section and the legs together forming a C-shaped structure closely received on the bed. A flange extends inboard of the pallet from the first leg and provides a cargo tie-down point. The clamp has one position where the flange is above the bed and has an inverted position where the flange is below the bed.

Abstract: A quick-attachment fastener has an elongate barrel and a plunger translatable in forward and aft directions in the barrel. A pivot pin in the barrel extends through the plunger and has an axis fixed relative to the barrel. An arm on the pin swings between a retracted position in the barrel and a deployed position where the arm extends from the barrel. An aft facing part of the plunger engages the arm so that a spring biasing the plunger urges the arm toward the deployed position. A forward facing part of the plunger opposes the arm so that aft plunger translation swings the arm to the retracted position.

Abstract: A nonlinear shock absorber is disclosed. The device has a housing filled with hydraulic fluid and contains a relatively heavy mass or piston supported by a helical coil. The helical coils disposed and shaped so as to provide a nonlinear resistance to a shock applied to the housing. During shock absorption fluid flows contra to the piston movement with a corresponding elongation of the helical coil spring causing the coil spring to engage an inner wall of the housing to provide for frictional dampening.

Abstract: A vehicle has a frame on which are mounted road wheels or a track. A cargo ed tilts on the frame about pivot mechanisms connected between the frame's aft end and a location on the bed remote from its ends. A spool on the frame rotates in response to road wheel or track rotation. A cable winds on the spool and around a pulley on the frame, passes through a slide block on the bed, fixes to a cargo module and pulls the module slidingly onto the vehicle during vehicle motion. The cable can later be removed from the pulley and connected directly to the cargo module, so that vehicle motion will now cause the cable to pull the module off the vehicle.

Abstract: An anti-lock system for preventing vapor lock is disclosed. It has a temperature sensor which controls the vehicle fuel pump to circulate liquid fuel through the majority of the fuel system when the under hood temperature is above a certain level to maintain liquidity at all times and prevent the formation of vapor in the fuel system.

Abstract: A method to attach a cotter pin to a receptor at its through hole includes using a flat slider key whose aperture has surface zones against which the pin's legs bias into a conforming slidable fit. The key is initially remote from the legs' free ends and is oriented perpendicular to a plane defined by the legs. The key is slid along the legs, which are forced toward each other without eliminating the gap therebetween. The key is then pivoted until the legs close so as to fit their free ends into an entry of the receptor's hole. Once the legs' free ends are in the hole, the key is returned to its original orientation. The legs are then passed through the key further into the hole until their free ends exit the hole and spread apart more than hole's width.

Abstract: A device for quickly coupling and decoupling conduits comprises a fitting ving spaced exterior surface concavities in an annular array and axially facing shoulders at the concavities, the fitting defining a bore open to one conduit. The device has a tube fixed to another conduit and sealed slidingly with the bore, and also has a receptacle translatable along the tube for rotatably receiving the fitting. The receptacle defines an opening where the receptacle enters, an orifice through which the tube passes and an annuler channel about the fitting. A spring axially mobile in the channel interferingly girds the fitting and has a first and second segments. The second segments protrude closer than the first segments to the device's central axis and fit the concavity. The device has a pin in the channel protruding radially inward further than a zone of the second segment but not as far as a zone of the first segment, whereby the pin is usable to selectively prevent spring rotation relative to the receptacle.

Abstract: The present invention is a hand operated throttle control system for use h a fuel flow control mounted on an internal combustion engine. A hand piece assembly mounted on the vehicle rotated has an actuator so rotation of the hand piece causes a corresponding rotation of the housing. The actuator has a hydraulic structure which uses the rotation of the hand piece to cause a corresponding hydraulic pressure to cause fuel control modification.

Abstract: An improved modular armor system is disclosed where at least two hooks are sed to hold a modular armor construction in place on a light weight vehicle hull. The hooks may have an associated cushioning means which will help protect the vehicle and crew as well as position the armor.

Abstract: The application describes an automatically deployable terrain marking dev used to identify off-road safe-travel lanes for vehicles. The marking device has a base comprising a heavy ground engagement dish and a canister set on the ground engagement dish. The canister holds reagents of a foam formation system that can be triggered to form a expanding fluid foam that later hardens. A flexible inelastic base wall forms part of the base and mates to the ground engagement dish to form a sealed compartment containing the canister. A flexible tube frame assembly is communicated with the canister such that the tube frame assembly extends and expands during foam formation. The frame assembly thus has both a compact condition in which at least a part of the assembly folds upon a portion of the base and has an expanded condition in which the assembly is filled with hardened foam.

Abstract: The method for routing communications is designed for a particular set of entities including robotic vehicles and a control center governing the vehicles. The method includes the construction of variable length informational transmissions whose components are arranged in a fixed order. The transmissions are modularly formatted so as to be compatible with a universal OSI-RM communication model.

Abstract: A remotely operated mechanism is used to mount an engine in a compartment ere connections between the engine and compartment are difficult to access or see. The mechanism comprises a mounting adapter which is fit to the engine and which mates to a mounting block connected to the floor of the compartment. The adapter has a ridge, an adapter bore through the ridge, and a facial flat on either side of the ridge. The mounting block has a channel whose sides closely receive the ridge, and has two block bores along a common axis. Mounting flats on the block interface with the adapter's flats when the block and adapter are fully engaged. To fasten the adapter to the mounting block, a plunger is biased to translate in one of the block bores until a keeper of the plunger fits closely both in the ridge bore and the other block bore. The plunger position is controlled by a cable connected thereto, and a locking device on the cable releasably fixes the cable in a selected position.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved structure for rubber bodies such as pads on track units or tires on road wheels for tracked vehicle such as tanks. The rubber bodies have an array of bores with metallic inserts recessed in the bores. The inserts stiffen the pad or tire to reduce deformation under load and the heat produced thereby, and also transfer the heat to the surrounding air. In one embodiment, the inserts are cups closely fitting in the bores and having fins or other protrusions extending from the cup into the rubber body. In other embodiments, the inserts comprise heads near an exposed surface of the rubber body and shanks extending from the heads to a metal substrate underlying the rubber body and forming part of the track unit or road wheel.

Abstract: A new imaging technique increases the effective frame rate of a video cam to a rate as high as one million Hz. In this technique, raw video signals are taken from the camera's sensors before the camera's logic does any signal processing. These signals are sent to an interface unit which selects signal segments for creating a composite image, the segments' size being as small as one or two pixels. Portions of the video signal that are not selected are given a zero value by the interface unit. The video signals are thereafter sent to the camera's signal processing logic, which converts the video signals into signals representing frames comprised of raster scan lines. The selected video signal segments become discrete portions of frames which are collected by a frame grabber. The frame grabber counts the times it has collected each discrete frame portion, determines an average value for each discrete portion, and builds the composite image from the averaged frame portions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device to mount an accessory to a vehicle wherein the accery can be moved between a deployed position or a retracted position. The device has a mounting bracket removably fixed to the vehicle and has cylinders fixed to the mounting bracket. The device also has shafts translatably received in the cylinders, an accessory bracket fixed to the shafts, and a shield bracket on one of the shafts between the mounting bracket and the accessory bracket. The device has a lane marker dispenser or other accessory pivoted on the accessory bracket about the same axis as a shield pivots on the shield bracket. The shield and its bracket are translatable toward or away from the accessory bracket on this axis. The device additionally has structure for locking the shield to the accessory after the shield is translated toward the accessory.

Abstract: A valve sleeve is made from a tube having smooth inner and outer diametri surfaces by forming a shallow channel on the tube so that a channelled region of the tube is thinner than other regions of the tube. The tube is confined in a sleeve whose inner peripheral surface conforms with the tube's outer diametrical surface, but the sleeve's inner peripheral surface also defines a gap with the channelled region of the tube. Next, the tube is pressurized to deform the channelled region outward into the gap. As a result, there are both a concavity on the inner diametrical surface of the tube and a smoothly surfaced transition between the concavity and the other regions. Finally, the tube is removed from the sleeve and a port aperture is drilled in the radially outer part of the concavity. As an alternate method, a tube of constant tube wall thickness may be placed in an internally channelled confinement and then pressurized so as to distend regions of the tube wall outward.

Abstract: Applicant's device improves rapidly firing guns. When such a gun fires, applicant's device delays departure of the gun bolt from the chamber or barrel zone holding a spent round's casing until barrel pressure drops to a safe level. The device has a hollow piston which is translatable fore and aft along the barrel and which has an orifice communicated to a duct from an inner barrel diameter to an outer barrel diameter. The duct slants forward toward the gun muzzle in a radially outward direction so as to direct expanding propellant gas from the barrel against a forward internal surface of the piston. Momentum of the gas keeps the piston in its most forward position and the piston solidly connects to the bolt so that the bolt stays at the chamber when the piston is pressurized.

Abstract: An identification board for a combat vehicle mounts to a panel of the vehe within a generally planar space envelope at the panel. The board comprises a pair of upright channels having an open upper end and a closed lower end, faciae oriented at an oblique angle to a horizontal reference plane and gradins oblique to the faciae and alternated with the faciae. The faciae and the gradins together defining sheet edge zones closely and slidingly fit with the channels. First faces of the faciae have a layer reflecting one or more light frequencies, and second, oppositely oriented faces of the faciae have means to render the second face less reflective of the light frequencies than the layer.