Abstract: A load carrying system comprising a pack frame and a waist-encircling belt. he pack frame is adapted for fastening around the body of a wearer and includes a top end, a bottom end and a male formation extending substantially downward from the frame bottom end. The male formation has an engagement portion. The waist-encircling belt has a wearer facing side, an exterior side, a pair of ends and a complementary pair of fasteners. Each fastener is attached to a respective end of the belt. The belt further includes a receptacle attached to the exterior side of the belt and located substantially midway between the belt ends. The receptacle has an opening and is sized for receiving the male formation. The load-carrying system further includes at least one interfering member attached to the receptacle and positioned within the receptacle opening. The interfering member is adapted for engaging the engagement portion of the male formation.

Abstract: A diffusive sampler for effectively determining chemical vapor levels, the ampler having a thin pouch-like container made up of an impermeable back sheet and a selectively permeable front membrane attached thereto along its peripheral edges. The front membrane is made of a material capable of passing preselected vapors therethrough and for preventing other preselected vapors from passing therethrough and preferably has substantially the same permeation rate as human skin. Located within the pouch-like container is an adsorbent substance for adsorbing the chemical vapor and for providing information with respect to the chemical vapor levels adsorbed thereby. In use a plurality of the samplers are adhered to the skin of an individual wearing a protective garment to establish the effectiveness of the garment when subjected to specific chemical vapors.

Abstract: An interlocking attaching system for removably securing objects such as pets to a garment. The system having at least one object and a garment, and where the object has at least one strap thereon for removably engaging the garment in an interlocking fashion. The garment and the object having webs thereon for removably receiving the straps in an interlocking fashion in order to effectively, removably mount the object to the garment.

Abstract: A method of fabricating nanoscale structural materials via the spontaneous organization of self-assembling proteins and the self-assembling proteins themselves. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the self-assembling proteins included at least one occurrence of the following recognition sequence: ##STR1## wherein Xaa is a charged residue selected from the group consisting of Glu, Lys, Arg and Asp, and the method comprises admixing proteins which include species of the aforementioned recognition sequence which are prone to dimerization, whereby the admixed proteins are caused to spontaneously organize into nanoscale structural materials via their respective recognition sequences.

Abstract: There is presented a time-temperature indicator method for determining lelity of high-temperature food processing using a capsule comprising a cylindrical tube having a closed end and an open end, a cap for connection to and removal from the open end to close and open the tube, and a solution in the tube which is reactive to accumulated temperature and time exposure to fluoresce proportionally to the accumulated temperature and time exposure. There is further presented a time-temperature indicator system including the above capsule, a pipetting device for removing the solution from the capsule, and a spectrofluorometer for indicating the fluorescence of the solution, said fluorescence being directly correlatable to the time-temperature integral F.sub.0 by linear regression. There is still further presented methods for determining when food processed under high temperature conditions attains a selected low level of microbial population, the methods utilizing, respectively, the above systems.

Abstract: A load securing and releasing system for releasably attaching two objects gether, one of the objects preferably being a parachute. The secure and release system having a main load carrying component with a first end portion and a second end portion, a secure/release mechanism for securing the end portions together and for releasing the end portions. The secure/release mechanism being made up of plurality of interlocking members which provide a substantial mechanical advantage to the system. The system further includes a closure member for securing the interlocking members together. A detachment component is operably connected to the closure member for detaching the closure member from the interlocking members. By proper interrelationship of the interconnecting members the objects are secured together until such time when the detachment component is activated and the objects are thereby released.

Abstract: A chemical protective fabric for use in garments worn by persons in a cheally hostile environment comprises a layer of felted foam impregnated with superactivated carbon, a polyurethane emulsion binder for bonding the superactivated carbon to the foam, a first stretchable material layer bonded to the layer of foam on a first of the major surfaces thereof, and a second stretchable material layer bonded to the layer of foam on a second of the major surfaces thereof.

Abstract: A protective helmet assembly to be worn on the head of a person includes a rotective shell and a removable, adjustable suspension system mounted on the inner surface of the shell. The suspension system includes an impact liner mounted on the inner surface of the protective shell, a plurality of sizing pads removably mounted on the impact liner, and a plurality of spare sizing pads. The plurality of sizing pads and spare sizing pads are sized and shaped of varying thickness so as to enable the protective helmet assembly to accommodate a broad range of head sizes and shapes. The protective helmet assembly further includes a pair of earcups pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the shell. Each of the earcups are pivotally adjustable by a pair of ratchet buckles mounted on the protective shell, and a pair of retainer straps. Each retainer strap is attached to the outer surface of one of the earcups and to one of the ratchet buckles.

Abstract: A method for making body heating/cooling garment which utilizes fluid-carrying tubes and provides both air and vapor permeability to promote convective heat transfer while also providing conductive heat transfer.

Abstract: There is presented an indicator capsule for determining temperature and t exposure required for food processing comprising a cylindrical tube having a closed end and an open end, a cap for connection to and removal from the open end to close and open the tube, and a solution in the tube which is reactive to accumulated temperature and time exposure to fluoresce proportionally to the accumulated temperature and time exposure. There is further presented an indicator system for determining temperature and time exposure required for food processing including the above capsule, a pipetting device for removing the solution from the capsule, and a spectrofluorometer for indicating the fluorescence of the solution. There is still further presented an indicator capsule wherein the solution comprises bacterial spores; a system including the capsule, a pipetting device, and an agar plate for providing a count of the surviving spores to, in turn, provide an indication of the aggregate thermal effect on the solution.

Abstract: There is presented a time-temperature indicator capsule comprising a cyliical tube having a closed end and an open end, a cap for connection to and removal from the open end to close and open the tube, and a solution in the tube which is reactive to accumulated temperature and time exposure. There is presented an indicator capsule wherein the solution comprises bacterial spores; a system including the capsule, a pipetting device, and an agar plate for providing a count of the surviving spores to, in turn, provide an indication of the aggregate thermal effect on the solution. There is still further presented methods for determining when food processed under high temperature conditions attains a selected low level of microbial population, the methods utilizing, respectively, the above systems.

Abstract: Flameless chemical heaters based on the iron-promoted magnesium-water reaon (Mg+H.sub.2 O.fwdarw.Mg(OH).sub.2 +H.sub.2) are reliable and potentially useful. The major limitation to their widespread application is the cogeneration of flammable dihydrogen gas in this reaction. The invention is a new chemical composition that removes this drawback by producing a controlled surge of heat without the release of large quantities of dangerous dihydrogen gas. The release of H.sub.2 gas is avoided by completely or almost completely suppressing H.sub.2 creation rather than by removing H.sub.2 after it is created. The reagents that suppress dihydrogen gas generation react with and remove (i.e., scavenge) precursors of H.sub.2 such as aquated electrons and H-atoms. The overall heat-generating reactions of the invention, for example, Mg+CuCl.sub.2 .fwdarw.Mg.sup.2+ +2Cl.sup.- +Cu.sup.0 release more heat per unit weight of magnesium than the Mg-H.sub.2 O reaction; in this case, approximately 70% more heat.

Abstract: A non-destructive technique for examining the oxidative status of packaged, dry or intermediate moisture foods. In a preferred embodiment, the technique involves packaging the foods in an assembly comprising a container or pouch formed from a pair of sheets heat-sealed to one another along their peripheries. The sheets may each be a trilaminate comprising a polyethylene terephthalate outer layer, an aluminum foil middle layer and a polyolefin inner layer. One of the sheets is provided with a cut-out portion which serves as a light transmissive window. A device comprising a strip of polyethylene terephthalate which is coated on one side with a polyamide coating is mounted across the light transmissive window, with the polyamide coating facing in towards the interior of the pouch. The food within the pouch is stored within about 2 cm of the polyamide coating during oxidation.

Abstract: A photodetection device uses configurations of photodynamic proteins which exhibit a change in electrical conductivity in response to a corresponding change in incident light intensity in the presence of an applied voltage. The photodynamic proteins are coupled to an electrical conductor, a voltage source and a conductivity sensor. The photodynamic protein complex includes at least one layer of a photodynamic protein and preferably includes a multi-layered thin-film structure with each layer comprised of either a photodynamic protein or a conductive polymer or oligomer. Groups of linked photodetectors where the photodetectors have different, but overlapping, spectral response ranges are used to detect specific wavelengths of incident light. An array of these groups of linked photodetectors arranged in a predetermined spatial pattern allows detection of both colon and images.

Abstract: A solid-state cyclotron maser for generating low power (1 watt or less) signals in the submillimeter frequency range (300 GHz-30,000 GHz) includes an accelerating region, a drift region, and a metal grid therebetween. Both regions are formed from semiconductor material, such as indium antimonide, having non-parabolic energy bands. The drift region is a thin disc having metallized outer surfaces, but includes an annular opening in the metal on the front side and a circular opening in the metal on the back side, and is grounded. A grid of metal rings is placed on the annular opening of the drift region. The accelerating region is a hollow cylinder having a metallized front surface. It couples to the drift region for covering the annular opening and the grid. A negative bias voltage is applied to the accelerating region and a magnetic field is applied to the maser at an angle to the axis of the maser. Electrons propagate in spiral trajectories through the accelerating region, grid and drift region.

Abstract: A system, which interfaces with a radar indicator, for improving signal-toise ratio (SNR) and enhancing the detection of moving targets includes an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, an integrator, a digital memory, a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter, and a synchro-to-digital converter. Radar video is converted to digital signals which are integrated and stored in memory. The angle signal from the antenna pedestal synchro is fed to the synchro-to-digital converter and stored in memory. The contents of the memory is processed, converted to analog form, and fed to the indicator. The radar provides a number M of sweeps within each beamwidth, or angular sector, of the antenna during each antenna scan. Contiguous sets of M sweeps are added to form batches. The signal content for each batch is displayed on the indicator in the angular sector which is identified with the M sweeps. The width of each sector is approximately a beamwidth.

Abstract: A heat-to-electricity converter, particularly adaptable for use by high-atude platforms such as aerostats and space stations, for changing heat energy of radiation from the earth to electric power during day and/or night. The converter includes an array of heat-collector sources and radiator heat sinks interconnected by thermoelectric n- and p- doped material elements. The array is fabricated on thin films of plastic and may be mounted on a high-altitude platform. The collectors absorb infrared (IR) heat from the earth and conduct the heat to the thermoelectric elements. The elements convert the heat to electricity. The absorbed heat less the heat converted to electricity is emitted to space by the radiator heat sinks.

Abstract: A system for integrating weapon control radars which operate at the same or ifferent frequency bands, and for permitting every weapon control radar, for example on a ship, to lock through every weapon control antenna, thereby enabling all radars to be used against all targets, includes interconnecting broad-band antennas that can be time - and/or frequency-shared by all the radars. Each antenna has a coaxial monopulse feed at the various bands of operation. Each antenna also includes a switch for time-sharing the radars either simultaneously or sequentially into the antenna. A second switch for each antenna sends the radar outputs associated with each antenna to a control system for that antenna and its associated weapon launcher.

Abstract: A high-frequency (9.3 GH.sub.z -94 GH.sub.z) gallium arsenide (GaAs) mixer iode having a low Schottky barrier height (approximately 0.4 eV) for operating at low noise figure levels at low local oscillator power levels (0.25 mW -0.75 mW), includes a GaAs substrate, a thin (about 100 A) epitaxial layer of germanium on the substrate, the epitaxial germanium being deposited at a rate of about 6 A per minute and at a substrate temperature in the range of 325.degree. C.-425.degree. C., a layer of silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2), the SiO.sub.2 being etched, and layers of platinum-titanium-molybdenum-gold on the growth of epitaxial germanium. Contact areas are then plated with a layer of gold. Ohmic contact to the GaAs substrate side includes a deposition of gold-germanium alloy. Each of the layers are individually deposited at certain temperatures and thicknesses in a vacuum.

Abstract: A system based on the magnetic compression of ion rings, for generating intense (high-current), high-energy ion pulses that are guided to a target without a metallic wall or an applied external magnetic field includes a vacuum chamber; an inverse reflex tetrode for producing a hollow ion beam within the chamber; magnetic coils for producing a magnetic field, B.sub.