Abstract: A double locked threaded fastening assembly includes a nut and a bolt. The bolt has a head at one end and threads adjacent its other end with a plurality of axially extending grooves located adjacent to the threads intermediate the threads and the bolt head. The nut has a work piece engagement end and a hollow bore extending through that end into the nut. A first portion of the bore proximal to the work piece engagement end is free of threads and a second portion distal from the work piece engagement end includes internal threads. The internal threads of the nut are capable of threading onto the external threads of the bolt to clamp a work piece under a clamping load between the head of the bolt and the nut.

Abstract: Induction heating of thermoplastic composite materials is accomplished to form a continuous bonded joint. A zone of optimum heating can be created by an induction heating coil mounted within and adjacent to the drum of a hollow circular roller of non-conductive material (i.e., transparent to the RF field) so that an induction heating field can be created and localized to create a zone of optimum heating at the joint area of the material to be bonded. Simultaneously pressure to that area can be applied by the circular roller. In a preferred form, the roller is semi-rigid to permit spreading of the contact surface with the joint area to avoid absolute contact line loading. A hand held induction heating unit with a finger operable power switch can be moved in a back and forth manner over the joint to apply heat when the switch is turned on and effect consolidation when the switch is turned off.

Abstract: A system for converting the output of a constant speed motor to variable fluidic flow at the ends of a linear actuator comprising a drive gear coupled with an electric motor for concurrent rotation at a fixed rotational speed; a driven gear operatively coupled to the drive gear; a drive train operable in response to rotation of the drive gear to rotate the driven gear, the gear train including adjustment mechanisms for selectively varying the rotational orientation between the drive and driven gears; a pump having a pair of spaced cylinders in axial alignment with pistons coupled through a reciprocal connecting shaft and with a connector rod pinned at its midpoint to the connecting shaft for oscillation; rigid links coupling the ends of the connector rod with the drive and driven gears so that rotation of the drive and driven gears will oscillate the connecting rod and reciprocate the connecting shaft at a speed correlated to the orientation of the adjustment mechanisms of the gear train; and fluidic lines co

Abstract: Piezoelectric discs are mounted within conical members, one of which is contact with a mirror. Electrodes are applied across the piezoelectric discs. Voltage applied to the electrodes cause the diameter of the disc to contract deforming the conical members and moving the mirror. The conical members provide mechanical amplification resulting in mirror movements to control the path length in a ring laser gyroscope.

Abstract: A laser gyroscope is formed as a sealed, unitary assembly of mirrors optically contacted to a monolithic gyro block without any means, such as Brewster windows, for isolating the laser plasma from any of the mirrors. The mirrors are fabricated with hard multilayer dielectric films which can withstand plasma exposure. A magnetic mirror utilizing the transverse Kerr effect to separate the frequencies of counter-propagating beams, and to avoid lock-in, includes a Ni-Fe alloy layer over which is directly deposited a thin iron or iron alloy layer to form a rotationally switchable Kerr effect combination. The magnetic field for switching is generated by an electric current developed in two pairs of orthogonally disposed wires embedded in the substrate immediately below the iron and Ni-Fe alloy layers.

Abstract: A tool system for an integrated manufacturing and assembly system includes a plurality of profile boards which are connected together with connector boards. The profile board include a profile edge which define a mold line surface. Each of the profile boards includes a slot for each connector board which is connected to it. Each connector board includes a slot for each profile board which is connected to it. Each slot in both of the profile and the connector boards has opposing edges. One of these opposing edges serves as a locator edge for precisely and accurately positioning the respective profile boards to the connector boards and the respective connector boards to the profile boards. The other edge of the respective slots serves as a non-locator edge. Wedges fitting against the non-locator edges are used to fixedly maintaining the profile boards connected to the connector boards.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing aircraft includes constructing a definition of the aircraft in a computer memory and then defining in the memory a first tool for forming a component part of the aircraft and a second tool for assembling a component part made with the first tool. The definitions of the first and second tools are downloaded to a tool forming device which is operated to form the first and second tools essentially independent from one another.

Abstract: A semiconductor window which is transparent to light in the infrared range and which has good electrical conductivity is formed of a substrate material having a semiconductor coating having a dopant included therein. The coating is diffused, grown or deposited on one surface of the substrate and is controlled to obtain both low electrical resistivity and high infrared transmissivity. The coating can be formed of the same material as the substrate or can be a different material. Windows having particular thermal properties are formed utilizing zinc selenide and zinc sulfide as the substrate.

Abstract: A method of assembling the separate components of a multi-component article includes generating a master definition of the article as a graphic data set in a 3-dimensional graphics computer system including coordinate points precisely locating the design definition in a three dimensional coordinate system. Data sub sets of the master definition are selected for component parts of the article including coordinate points. The data sub sets are transferred to a tool and component parts of the article are formed on the tool utilizing the data sub sets. The formed parts include physical markings thereon corresponding to the coordinate points of the master design definition. The data sub set are further downloaded to a microprocessor controlled measuring device. The measuring device is calibrated to the master design definition utilizing the physical markings on one of the parts.

Abstract: An improved universal mount system for receiving a sensing device positionable in a plurality of locations and orientations comprising in combination a base having a plurality of threaded leveling lugs extending therethrough for independent adjustment of the corners of the base, the base also having upwardly extending plates with apertures therethrough; a table having a pair of downwardly depending plates each with an arcuate slot and a thumb bolt extending therethrough into the aperture of an adjacent upwardly extending plate for tilting of the table with respect to the base; and a platform having an instrument mounting bolt extending through an elongated slot for mounting of an instrument to the platform, the platform also including a linkage for coupling parallel upper and lower plates for elevational adjustment purposes.

Abstract: An improved adaptor capable of coupling a theodolite target with respect to an aperture extending through tooling, the adaptor comprising a cylindrical disk having an exterior surface of a size to be received within the aperture of the tooling, the disk having an interior surface formed as an opening to define a space in which a theodolite target is to be received, the disk having a hole in the interior surface extending radially with respect to the axis of the disk, the hole being of a size to receive the cylindrical base of the theodolite target to be received, a threaded aperture extending through the disk into the hole, and a set screw mounted in the threaded aperture for fixedly securing the theodolite target in position in the disk for viewing from either or both sides of the tooling. Also disclosed is the method of using such an adaptor.

Abstract: A method of forming a metal-containing surface on a fiber-reinforced composite plastic article is disclosed. The method entails using a "metal cloth" which is prepared from fibrillated polytetrafluorethylene containing metal or other particles entrapped in the fibrils. The resultant molded or laminated shaped articles exhibit improved wear resistance and other properties due to the integration and encapsulation of the metal cloth into the plastic surface.

Abstract: A flow field seeded with small particles is illuminated by collimated, monochromatic laser light sheet 16. Doppler shifted scattering from particle motion is imaged by an optical system 22. An optical frequency-to-intensity converter 24 is located at the image plane such that the transmitted image contains a simultaneous two-dimensional measurement of flow velocity along a direction determined by a laser beam and observer (converter) direction. These images can be observed directly or through a TV-2-D array camera and monitor or processed through a computer system 28.

Abstract: A charge accumulation and multiplication photodetector has a unit cell composed of three gates formed on a substrate. The first gate serves as a photodetector and charge integrator. The second gate serves as a transfer control gate and the third gate serves as an avalanche multiplication gate. In operation the transfer gate is closed and in response to a photon flux charge is accumulated in the first gate. After an integration time period to collect charge, the avalanche gate is biased into an avalanche ready state and the charge transfer gate is then enabled allowing for a rapid transfer of the integrated charge from the accumulator gate to the avalanche gate. The displacement current of avalanche induced charge across the avalanche gate is utilized as signal output of the device.

Abstract: A test subject is mounted in front of a radar antenna for measurement of a radar cross-sectional signature of the test subject. The test subject is mounted on an electrically conductive rotator mounted coplanar with an electrically conductive shield, there being a clearance space between the rotator and the shield to allow for rotation of the rotator. An electrically conductive seal is disposed in a shelf of the front surface of the shield in the manner of a fairing to provide a smooth surface of the shield which covers the clearance space for minimizing reflections of radiation, and for deflecting any reflections of radiation from the antenna away from the antenna. A rotator rotates the platform, and a tilt mechanism tilts the shield for variation in elevation angle. The foregoing apparatus is mounted within an anechoic chamber.

Abstract: Path length error is computed from the output frequencies for the two states of magnetization of the magnetic mirror. The path length error signal is used to adjust the location of a path length control mirror to drive the path length error signal to zero. A table is provided for computing the path length control error signal for different regions in the graph of frequency versus gyro angular rate. In effect, the error signal is the difference between a reference frequency which depends on the temperature of the laser structure and an average of the output frequencies corresponding to the two magnetization states of the magnetic mirror.

Abstract: A scaled releasable fastener for temporarily joining a plurality of sheets through apertures located in the sheets has a body with a work engaging surface and an opposite surface. The body includes a longitudinal bore extending through the body from the work engaging surface to the opposite surface. A pair of laterally expandable work engaging pins are positioned in the bore. Each of the pins has a work engaging shoulder. A spreader member is fixedly carried by the body and is positioned between the work engaging pins for laterally spreading the pins apart upon retraction of the pins into the bore. An elongated element is positioned in the bore in association with the pins for moving the pins in the bore. A portion of the elongated element extends out of the body from the opposite surface of the body with the remaining portion of the elongated element located in the bore and connected to the pins. Indicia marks are located on the elongated element to be readable against the opposite surface of the body.

Abstract: Polymerized foam material in flat billet form is enclosed in a heat-retaining envelope and heated to forming temperature then promptly loaded into an innovative unheated forming press and accurately formed before cooling below forming temperature. The heat-retaining envelope has an expansive skin on one side and a contractive skin on the other side to facilitate bending without wrinkling or other distortion. The forming press utilizes a rigid male form punch and a spring-tensioned elastic belt, supported on a pair of variably-spaced rollers, initially presenting a flat compliant surface upon which the heated workpiece is placed. Pressure from the form punch progressively deflects the workpiece and the belt, which becomes a compliant mold member conforming itself and the workpiece progressively around the form punch to yield an article of required carved shape, free of wrinkles or tool creep distortions.

Abstract: Measurement of radar cross section is provided by a rotatable platform which supports a test subject to be measured, the rotatable platform and a rotator thereof being enclosed within a fixture configured as a body shaped as an airfoil. A second rotator rotates the fixture body to face a radar antenna which illuminates the test subject, the orientation of the fixture body being selected to minimize a radar cross section of the fixture body. The configuration of the generally airfoil shape minimizes radar cross section in a preferred direction of the body. A metallic seal in the form of a thin foil overlays an interface between the rotatable platform and a surface of the fixture in the manner of a fairing which reduces spurious reflections from the vicinity of the rotator, the seal being formed of a foil having a thickness substantially less than one-quarter wavelength of radiation of the antenna to inhibit generation of reflections from the seal.

Abstract: An improved cable clamp strip for securing wires of a cable bundle in a predetermined orientation comprising: (1) a mounting base formed of a flexible, molded plastic with notches formed in its side edges for increased flexibility in a first direction and with notches formed in its lower surface for increased flexibility in a second direction; (2) closed retaining rings fixedly positioned on the upper surface of the mounting base; (3) apertured mounting projections extending upwardly from the upper surface of the mounting base; and (4) clamping ring halves adjustably secured with respect to the mounting projections. An aperture extends through the lower end of each clamping ring half with an long ring pin positionable through the apertures and the mounting projections to secure the clamping ring halves in a predetermined orientation on the mounting base.