Patents Represented by Attorney Robert B. Block
  • Patent number: 4713823
    Abstract: The present invention provides a Ram airbreathing laser adapted to use with an aircraft which operates primarily in the Mach 3 to Mach 6 regime. Valves, or gates, are provided in the propulsive flow path and the auxiliary flow path for laser in a manner such that the air entering the aircraft engine inlet duct system is either directed to the laser or to the propulsive flow path depending upon the desired mode of operation of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Eugene A. Smith
  • Patent number: 4711415
    Abstract: The present invention provides a single seat aircraft having the capabilities of vertical takeoff, landing and hovering operations utilizing the X-Wing as a conventional helicopter rotating wing. After transition to forward flight following takeoff, the rotating wing is stopped and becomes a fixed wing of "X" configuration. The aircraft utilizes two engines within the fuselage, one engine being positioned vertically above the other along the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, the particular arrangement of engines allowing aircraft size and weight to be substantially reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Binden
  • Patent number: 4710433
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for the manufacture of optical conductive transparent windows and coatings having high transparency over a wide bandwidth combined with a large acceptance angle of incidence. Particulars for making windows and coatings with gold films of high transparency and low sheet resistance using specified nucleating and barrier layers are given. Examples include windows and coatings constructed for operation in the infrared and ultraviolet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventors: James M. Rowe, Rudolph W. Modster
  • Patent number: 4705398
    Abstract: A ring laser gyroscope incorporates a resonant cavity generally shaped as an irregular pentagon having a portion thereof conformed as three legs of a rectangle closed by two symmetrical other legs to form an apex. As result the enclosed area is increased, increasing sensitivity and decreasing lock-in, while magnetic effects are reduced. Additionally, the irregular shape allows for the extension of the gain medium which therefore increases the effectiveness thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventors: Wah L. Lim, James P. Hauck, Jack W. Raquet
  • Patent number: 4704699
    Abstract: A digital film recorder, peripheral and method adapted to receive high level digital command instructions from a host computer or terminal and to develop a color hardcopy therefrom without further graphics instructions. It includes a digital input interface, local computer ROM and RAM, and a display controller for developing the graphics to be stored in a display memory. A lookup memory exchanges data between the display memory, the local computer, and the display controller and contains user preassigned color and brightness information. The output consists of a video and sync signal which may be either alternating RGB or simultaneous RGB delivered to an analog film recorder preferably incorporated as an integral part of the unit. Print command control is direct from the output of the host computer to the digital input of the digital film recorder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1987
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Company
    Inventors: John J. Farina, Takeo Z. O'Ishi
  • Patent number: 4702145
    Abstract: A stores handling system for an aircraft having a fuselage including a chamber for enclosing the stores handling system proximate an area openable through said fuselage through which stores may be loaded into and ejected from the aircraft. The handling system comprises a magazine arranged substantially vertically within the chamber for storing and positioning ejectable stores and including a flexible drive having stores holding shoes spaced apart thereon for engaging and retaining stores against movement within the aircraft, and for lifting and/or lowering stores within the magazine; and a launching mechanism for receiving stores individually from said magazine drive, and including an actuator having hands pivotable between a first closed position and a second open position for engaging the lowermost store to preclude ejecting movement when said hands are in said first position, and for engaging said stores to eject same from the aircraft when said hands are in said second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventors: John T. Kannapell, Haig Asdurian, Robert F. Buttles
  • Patent number: 4695715
    Abstract: An infrared radiation detection device utilizing an array of metal electrodes deposited on the insulated surface of a suitable semiconductor material such as an indium antimonide substrate. The detector electrodes are read out by discharging each electrode to a preselected voltage through an integrating capacitor. The charge accumulated on each integrating capacitor is related to the charge collected at the insulator substrate interface under each detector electrode due to interaction of the infrared radiation with the indium antimonide substrate. The integrating capacitors and related charging and switching circuitry are located on a silicon substrate. The integrating capacitors and related circuitry on the silicon substrate are connected to the detector electrodes on the indium antimonide substrate by means of an array of metal tabs fabricated on the silicon substrate and deflected to contact the detector electrodes by electrostatic attraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Robert E. Malm
  • Patent number: 4689794
    Abstract: A method for injection locking a xenon chloride laser at 308.4 nm. Neon (Ne) is used as a diluent in the laser to shift slightly the gain profile of the laser towards the longer wavelengths and towards 308.4 nm. The laser is operated at a lower level of gain than is used in the prior art by using a lower level of electrical discharge than was used in the prior art. The lowered gain reduces the numerical magnitude of the difference in the gain of the laser at 308.4 nm and its gain at the highest gain modes of operation. Either a low level signal at 308.4 nm is injected into the laser to mode lock the lowered gain laser at 308.4 nm. or a frequency selection device such as etalons is inserted within the laser cavity to restrict operation to 308.4 nm. The period of the electrical discharge also is lengthened from that typically used in the prior art so as to obtain saturation of the output at 308.4 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen J. Brosnan
  • Patent number: 4682520
    Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanically lockable fastener assembly for maintaining workpieces assembled, when an elongated bolt with threads formed along a length thereof, and substantially axially aligned rotation resisting surfaces formed along another length thereof, is mechanically assembled with a cooperating nut having a threaded portion and a compressible portion deformable into engagement with said rotation resisting surfaces of said bolt to cause the bolt and the nut of the assembly to be inseparable by untorqued unthreading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Warren E. Gray
  • Patent number: 4677886
    Abstract: A tool in the form of a honeycomb cutter/chip breaker assembly for conveniently and efficiently machining a workpiece of honeycombed material or the like. The assembly includes a honeycomb cutter member having a cutting knife and a shaft. The cutting knife is disc-shaped with a sharp peripheral edge and is formed integrally with the outboard end of the shaft for concurrent rotation therewith. The inboard end of the shaft is adapted to be received by rotational motion imparting mechanisms. The assembly also includes a chip breaker/chaf remover device having a central bore mountable over the shaft with its outboard face in contact with the inboard face of the cutting knife for rotation therewith during operation and use. The radially outward edges of the chip breaker/chaf remover device are formed as sharp breaker edges for breaking the material cut by the cutting knife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Horst W. Neu
  • Patent number: 4663568
    Abstract: An improved electrical gap switch for use with pulsed gas discharge lasers. The closure of a spark gap, railgap, or other multichannel switch is triggered by the application of a second voltage in combination with the primary voltage that is closed by the switch. The second voltage is of opposite polarity and applied to an electrode opposite from that to which the primary voltage is applied. The second voltage has a more rapid rise time than that of the first, and its application to the switch is momentarily isolated from the load by a saturable inductor. Following triggering of the switch by the combination of voltages, the inductor saturates and provides a low impedance path for the voltage and charge from the primary source to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: David B. Cohn
  • Patent number: 4654855
    Abstract: A pulsed electrical discharge gas laser uses acoustic diodes to cause the gas to circulate between the active region of the laser and a gas heat exchanger. The diodes take the form of asymmetrical obstacles placed within the gas flow exhibit asymmetrical resistance to the passage of compression waves in the gas that are generated by the electrical discharge and, as a consequence, cause a net flow of gas in one direction through the obstacles, thus causing the gas to circulate from the active region of the laser through the gas heat exchanger and return. A series of columns having cup-shaped cross sections act as the acoustic diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Kang R. Chun
  • Patent number: 4651781
    Abstract: A distributed accumulator integral constructed to form a hydraulic line for interconnecting components. The accumulator includes a non-porous flexible convoluted inner tube resiliently supported in a closed-cell, plastic foam shell, both being supported in a structural tubing member serving as containment piping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Allen Kandelman
  • Patent number: 4649727
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rotatably drivable tool for mechanically joining together threaded nut and bolt components of a fastener assembly to maintain together the assembly and workpieces joined thereby, the tool having a socket portion for receiving the nut of the fastener assembly, and swaging inserts spaced inwardly of the interior wall of the tool socket portion to compress a portion of the nut of the fastener assembly into mechanical engagement with the bolt of the fastener assembly upon driving of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Warren E. Gray
  • Patent number: 4648571
    Abstract: Disclosed is a propulsive lift mechanism which improves the short takeoff and landing capabilities of an aircraft by generating transverse thrust lift augmentation by exhausting gasses ported from the main exhaust through a nozzle, close behind and parallel with the trailing edges of the wings of the aircraft, which transverse jet together with thrust vectoring means of the aircraft, provide improved aerodynamic lift on the wings of the aircraft. The transverse nozzle, having means adjustable for creating reverse thrust, and optionally for discharging said exhaust gasses with a swirling motion, may provide both increased circulation of air over the wings as well as improved flow separation control on the trailing edge flaps of the wings. Exhaust gas from the jet engine of the aircraft is ported to the transverse nozzles by flap valves operating in the exhaust of the jet engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Heinz A. Gerhardt
  • Patent number: 4641819
    Abstract: A flexible assembly jig for positioning a workpiece multi-dimensionally by a plurality of positioner units to enable a tool to operate thereon. Each positioner unit includes a locator adjustable in three-dimensions into unrestricted operative positions, including positions in horizontal fields overlapping the horizontal fields of operative positions of the locators of adjacent positioner units. The positioner units with the locators are movable into storage chambers of a diameter less than the maximum horizontal operating fields in which the locator is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: David A. Poland
  • Patent number: 4634503
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for immersion plating using a vat separated by a baffle into a reservoir of plating liquid joined through a port in the baffle and weir to a plating section into which having closely spaced and parallel anode and cathode beneath which a continuously flowing sheet of fluid is upwardly directed to flow into and between the cathode and anode, around all their edges and back through the port and weir to the reservoir. Plating currents of 130 ASF and plating times of under ten minutes have been achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Inventor: Daniel Nogavich
  • Patent number: 4633190
    Abstract: A compensator for maintaining the amplification of one or more electronic signal amplifiers independent of fluctuations in the voltage and/or currents supplied to the amplifiers from voltage and/or current sources. A dummy amplifier is used which is substantially similar to the amplifier whose amplification is to be compensated and which is connected to the same sources. The changes in the output of the dummy amplifier are amplified and used to control a variable load which loads down, or alters, one or more of the voltage or current sources to the extent necessary to maintain the output of the dummy amplifier independent of variations in the voltage and/or current sources. Since the output of the dummy amplifier is maintained constant independent of supply variations, the outputs of the similar, electronic signal amplifiers also are maintained independent of supply variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Robert E. Malm
  • Patent number: 4631583
    Abstract: In a laser video imaging system, fiducial marks serving as reference points are physically applied to the faceplate of a video camera so that the fiducial marks become recorded on the observed scene. A boresight reticle produced by system electronics maintains a fixed relationship with the fiducial marks so that the reticle appears in proper superposition over an observed target, even when line-of-sight errors are introduced by extraneous influences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1986
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: Mark O. Paul
  • Patent number: D291194
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1987
    Assignee: Northrop Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Binden