Abstract: Apparatus for supporting equipment in alignment and for re-aligning it when it is accidentally placed out of alignment, including a stator and rotor. The stator is supported, typically, from an overhead rack, and an item to be aligned is supported from the rotor. Should the item to be aligned accidentally be placed out of alignment, apparatus is provided on the rotor and stator to re-align the rotor--and hence the item that was placed out of alignment.

Abstract: Acousto-optical apparatus for determining the chip rate of a pseudo-random sequence of signals.

Abstract: A bearing having a cylindrical bore and a shaft in the bore with ferrofluid between the shaft and the bore walls. The cylindrical bearing is made of ferromagnetic material, and it is magnetized with its internal magnetization radially directed relative to the axis of the bore. Also pertains to a method for making and magnetizing the bearing.

Abstract: An acoustic resonant structure for use in a tunable acousto-optic filter to reduce drive power requirements. The undesirable ripples in the tuning bandpass response due to acoustic resonance is minimized by reducing the effective finesse of the filter.

Abstract: The invention uses a laser frame which has a central opening about its sensing axis. There is a structural support member in the shape of two substantially conical frustums attached together at their largest diameter portions, with their axes coaxial, and attached to the periphery of the central opening of the frame. The support member is slotted with axially and radially directed slots to form therebetween axially and radially directed struts. The struts have surfaces at their smallest diameter portions for attachment to a post member. The angles of the frustums and the struts are such that when the support member is attached to a post member, thermal expansion of such post member would produce substantially pure bending of the struts.

Abstract: A star pattern within the field of view is transmitted through a non-collinear acousto optic filter and is focused upon the input screen of a vidicon, which in turn is coupled to input storage devices of a computer, each device being associated with a particular frequency band within the spectrum of light being examined. The contents of the input storage devices are compared with binary data within a star catalog which contains geometric reference patterns of stars and their frequency signatures. When a correlation signal is produced by the comparator, an output signal indicating the position of the pattern in the sky may be produced by a dictionary which could form part of the computer or be remotely located with respect to the computer.

Abstract: The invention provides a means for determining rapidly and accurately frequency information of electromagnetic radiation. It combines the operation of an Instantaneous Frequency Measurement receiver with the operation of an Instantaneous Fourier Transform receiver which utilizes a Laser-Bragg cell-photodetector array. The operational characteristics of the two receivers are such that, when they are controlled by signal processing elements, including a programmable frequency memory screen to enable or inhibit data transfers, they complement each other to provide the combined advantages of both receiver types, namely broad RF bandwidth, rapid response, ability to deal with high pulse densities, multiple CW signals, combined CW and pulse signals. The complementary IFM/IFT system operates under conditions for which either receiver operating separately would fail.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for dithering ring laser angular rotation sensors, including a plurality of such sensors with substantially identical natural dither frequencies and having different sensor axes mounted upon a resilient structure; applying energy to dither such sensors; the energy being connected and disconnected from the dithering of each sensor in response to the amplitude of dither of that particular sensor to minimize lock-in; and frequency or phase modulating the energy applied to dithering to avoid continued uni-directional coning effects.

Abstract: A circular waveguide window between two rectangular wave-guides, having increased bandwidth and increased power handling capability. It uses particular window and an impedance matching structures whose dimensions are related in a particular way to the dimensions of the rectangular waveguides.

Abstract: A magnet for use in a bearing, such magnet preferably having a cylindrical bore to receive a shaft and ferrofluid between the shaft and the bore walls. The magnet is magnetized with its internal magnetization radially directed relative to the axis of the bore.

Abstract: A seal between a metal surface and a surface of glass or glass-like ceramic having, in juxtaposition, the metal, gold, an indium-gold alloy, indium, and either glass or a glass-like ceramic.

Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance gyro using two nuclear magnetic resonance gases, preferably xenon 129 and xenon 131, together with two alkaline metal vapors, preferably rubidium, potassium or cesium, one of the two alkaline metal vapors being pumped by light which has the wavelength of that alkaline metal vapor, and the other alkaline vapor being illuminated by light which has the wavelength of that other alkaline vapor.

Abstract: A dithered ring laser particularly adapted for use as a gyro wherein backscatter from the mirrors is minimized by servoing the mirror inward and outward positions so that the sum of the AM amplitudes of the envelopes of the counterpropagating waves is reduced to a minimum value, then further servoing the mirrors to reduce the difference between such AM amplitudes.

Abstract: A technique for simulating various signals, such as from radar emitters, in a broad frequency spectrum by generating at any given instant only those of the signals that affect a receiver which is tuned to a particular bandwidth. As the receiver is tuned to a new bandwidth, the simulating system responds by quickly generating any signal or signals that exist in the new bandwidth.

Abstract: A matrix of light emitting diodes constructed of mosaic sectors each having a predetermined number of light emitting diodes, characterized by the cathode contacts of said diodes being outward, the cathodes being covered by conductors which have holes strategically placed so that the light emitted by said diodes is confined to small high intensity dots; said diodes having conductors positioned to connect to the anodes of said diodes and thermally connected to an anodized aluminum substrate which acts as a heat sink, the outer surface of said cathode conductors being blackened to absorb sunlight, and the exposed surface of said cathodes being nonreflective; a grid of optically and electrically insulative properties isolates and separates said diodes.

Abstract: A ring laser having at least one cathode and means for illuminating the cathode.

Abstract: A mirror constrained to translation and whose position is controlled by a piezoelectric ceramic operating as a bimorph.

Abstract: This invention relates to a laser gyro coupling system which utilizes a pair of resilient rings located between a plate attached to the laser dither suspension mechanism and the lower surface of a ring laser to form a reservoir for a viscous fluid. The coupling system permits the dither suspension mechanism to drive the ring laser at its dither frequency without transmitting stresses to the ring laser due to thermal expansion.

Abstract: Apparatus including two two-degree-of-freedom gyroscopes and at least two accelerometers mounted on a turntable on a vehicle. The turntable can be positioned about a vehicle vertical axis in one or the other of two positions 180 degrees apart for alignment. After alignment, the turntable is caged into its zero degree position, and the instruments thereafter operate in a strap-down mode with the yaw, roll and pitch angles of the vehicle computed by computer mechanisms which are sensitive to signals from the gyroscopes and accelerometers.

Abstract: A DC to DC converter is shown having an inductor with primary and secondary windings whose primary winding is serially connected to the center tap of the primary winding of a push-pull transformer. The primary of the transformer is then connected through its ends by a pair of transistor switches to ground while the ends of the secondary of the transformer connect through diodes to an output terminal. The ends of the secondary of the transformer also connect through diodes to the inductor secondary and then to the output terminal. The presence of the inductor prevents the voltage across the switches from becoming twice the input voltage as in conventional circuits. By equalizing the secondary to primary turns ratio between the inductor and transformer, it is possible to equalize the voltage output during the time intervals when the switches are on and off.