Abstract: A motor operated restrictor valve including a valve assembly for preventing noise at lavatories and galleys of an aircraft while permitting waste water to pass overboard through the drain mast.

Abstract: A narrow susceptor is incorporated into the die in the vicinity of a bondline between two or more parts in an induction heating workcell. When the induction coil of the workcell is energized, the susceptor heats and preferentially heats the parts near the bondline. The preferential heating is localized at the bondline and reduces energy losses otherwise expended to heat large thermal masses in the workcell or to heat the entire parts.

Abstract: A method of making a large airplane structure from a plurality of subassemblies. The method comprises drilling coordination holes in selected components which are made for accurate assembly of the subassemblies, and that will be located on the subassemblies in a position to be used to accurately position the subassemblies relative to each other so the spatial relationships between key features of the subassemblies as defined by the coordination holes make the subassemblies self-locating and intrinsically determinate of the final contour and configuration of the large airplane structure, independent of tooling. The drilling of coordination holes in the selected components is done using an end effector carried by a precision computer controlled robot that is directed to the drilling locations using a digital dataset taken directly from original digital part definition records.

Abstract: A ceramic composite is provided comprising ceramic fibers and microparticles bound together as a porous matrix with a ceramic binder. The ceramic composite is particularly useful for transporting cryogenic fluids.

Abstract: Aircraft cabin noise and engine vibration are monitored at selected cabin and engine locations (51a/51b), respectively. An optimizing equation uses aircraft cabin noise information to separately determine for each engine a balance solution (60) that minimizes aircraft cabin noise at the selected cabin locations over the engine RPM range of interest. Next, the balance solutions are used to predict the engine vibration levels (63) that will be produced if the balanced solution is implemented. Then a test (65) is made to determine if the predicted engine vibration levels are acceptable, i.e., below a predetermined level. If acceptable, the balance solutions are used to select balance weights suitable for the engines being balanced (66) and the result displayed (67) for implementation by engine maintenance personnel. If the predicted vibration level is unacceptable, a new balance solution is determined for each engine (68) using the optimizing equation constrained by the allowable vibration level.

Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection system for determining the presence, location, and size of flaws in laminated structure such as an "I" stiffener in a single inspection cycle. The exemplary system includes an immersion tank, five (5) single probes, 188 transducers, four (4) motor assemblies, two (2) encoder assemblies, a collection tank, and a recirculation assembly. The probes are designed to match the shape of the stringer. Two (2) motors fore and two (2) motors aft of the immersion tank, produce information related to the position of the stringer with respect to the position of the transducer. The position encoder is spring-loaded against the stringer.

Abstract: A clamp structure for holding a workpiece in a vertical position, and which is reconfigurable to enable manufacture of an opposite hand version of the workpiece, includes a plurality of pillars mounted on a fixed solid base and a clamp post on each of the pillars having a top end on which is mounted a clamp. An air cylinder has one end connected to the pillar and an opposite end connected to the clamp post. The air cylinder is connected to a source of air pressure for pressurizing the air cylinder to a pressure sufficient to substantially counterbalance the weight of the clamp post and clamp. A pair of holes in structure mounted on the pillar, and a pair of holes in structure mounted on the clamp post are alignable in pairs for two heights of the clamp for two different configurations of the workpiece, so the clamp structure can be used to clamp two different configurations of the workpiece.

Abstract: A method of upsetting rivets with an electromagnetic riveter having a flat, high amperage capacity coil which impells the driver against the rivet, and attaining a short stroke for the coil, includes positioning the coil in contact with the face of the driver on one side of the coil, and in contact with a conductive transducer on the other side of the coil. A recoil mass is positioned on the side of the transducer opposite to its face in contact with the coil, and firm face contact is established between the transducer and the recoil mass. Hard mechanical contact is established between the coil, the driver, and the die, and a pulse of high amperage current is delivered to the flat coil through a power lead to generate a repulsive force between the coil and the transducer. The the force is transmitted from the coil, through the driver to the die to deliver a single, high power, short stroke impulse against the rivet to upset the rivet.

Abstract: A nut feeding method and apparatus for an automatic assembly machine includes a carrousel for carrying a large supply of nuts on vertical feed rods hanging from a rotating head from which the nuts can be fed to a nut runner. A shaft projects on an axis of rotation from the rotating head, and a drive mechanism rotates the shaft to rotate the carrousel about the axis of rotation. The body of the apparatus has a sliding surface adjacent the lower end of the rods around which a lower nut on each rod slides in a circular path as the carrousel rotates. A nut on one of the rods can pass through an opening, when selectively uncovered by a movable plug, in the sliding surface at one radial position on the circular path for feeding to the nut runner. A nut channel beneath and communicating with the opening conveys the nut to a nut loading station. An air cylinder moves a nut feed pin to feed the nut to the nut driver socket in the nut driver.

Abstract: Multidimensional oligomers of the present invention are surprisingly useful for advanced composites because each generally has a use temperature greatly in excess of its curing temperature. The oligomers have essentially no arms, and comprise crosslinking phenylimide end caps condensed directly onto an aromatic hub (preferably, phenyl) through "commodity" polymeric linkages, such as amide, diimide, ether, or ester. For example, p-nadicimidobenzoylchloride can be condensed with triaminobenzene to yield a multidimensional, crosslinking amide oligomer. Short chains of ether/carbonyl aromatic chains can be included, if desired. Methods for making these high-performance oligomers with ether/carbonyl aromatic chains use an Uhlman ether synthesis followed by a Friedel-Crafts reaction.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for superplastic forming. The workpiece is held between a pair of dies that are electrically and thermally nonconductive, and is heated inductively by a coil embedded within the dies. The dies are formed of a material that is substantially transparent to inductive heating. A plurality of electrical conductors are embedded within the die. The electrical conductors are interconnected into one or more electrically conductive coils that surround the workpiece. The electrical conductors are used to produce a time varying magnetic field that is used to heat the workpiece. In one embodiment, the workpiece is a composite material that is susceptible to inductive heating. The composite material includes an electrically conductive material. The time varying magnetic field heats the electrical conductive material, thereby heating the workpiece. The die also includes a forming surface having a shape corresponding to a desired shape of the workpiece.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the real time estimation of the location of the center of gravity in an aircraft using a linear estimation technique. The center of gravity estimate is used in the aircraft's flight control system (12) to implement flight control laws that depend on the aircraft's center of gravity. The center of gravity is initially estimated based on signals indicative of the aircraft angle of attack, flap setting, elevator position, and stabilizer position. The initial approximation is then refined by multiplying or dividing the center of gravity estimate by additional factors including the weight of the aircraft, the expected load factor on the aircraft, the dynamic pressure on the aircraft, and the reference wing area of the aircraft. The resulting center of gravity estimate is measured as a percentage of the mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) of the aircraft.

Abstract: A ceramic composite is provided comprising ceramic fibers, glass microballoons and/or diatoms, bound together with a ceramic reinforcing cloth with a sol-gel ceramic binder. The composite is particularly useful as a high strength, high temperature insulation material.

Abstract: A process for making a layered product having a honeycomb core having cells filled with a foam material, the process comprising the steps of: (a) placing a first layer of an uncured, heat-expandable, foamable material on the top side of a central honeycomb core having empty cells, and placing a second layer of an uncured, heat-expandable, foamable material on the bottom side of the central honeycomb core; (b) placing a first layer of an uncured preform material above the first layer of uncured, heat-expandable, foamable material, and placing a second layer of an uncured preform material above the second layer of uncured, heat-expandable, foamable material; (c) placing the charge made by steps (a) and (b) inside a mold and closing the mold; (d) heating the mold to the cure temperature of the heat-expandable, foamable material, and holding the mold at this temperature for sufficient time to expand and cure the heat-expandable, foamable material; (e) reducing the temperature of the mold to the injection temperat

Abstract: A process for making a layered product having a honeycomb core having empty cells, the process comprising the steps of: (a) placing a first layer of an uncured adhesive film on the top side of a central honeycomb core having empty cells, and placing a second layer of an uncured adhesive film on the bottom side of the central honeycomb core; (b) placing a first layer of an uncured prepreg material above the first layer of uncured adhesive film, and placing a second layer of an uncured prepreg material below the second layer of uncured adhesive film; (c) placing a first layer of a dry fiber preform above the first layer of uncured prepreg material, and placing a second layer of a dry fiber preform below the second layer of uncured prepreg material; (d) placing the charge made by steps (a)-(c) inside a mold and closing the mold; (e) heating the mold to the cure temperature of the adhesive film and the prepreg material, and holding the mold at this temperature for sufficient time to cure the adhesive film and the

Abstract: A method of cooling the coil of an electromagnetic riveter includes bringing a transducer into contact with the coil and transferring heat from the coil to the transducer by conduction. The heat is removed from the transducer by unconditioned plant air blown across a set of fins in the sides of the transducer.

Abstract: A conformal mask permits the manufacture of precision frequency selective surface that have patterns on complexly curved surfaces. The mask has a transparent substrate and a patterned opaque layer on the substrate. The layer may be patterned by laser ablation. Alternatively, the patterning of the opaque layer can be accomplished by applying a layer of photosensitive material over the opaque layer and then defining temporary and permanent areas thereof. The temporary areas of the photosensitive layer and the opaque layer are removed sequentially to define the transparent portions of the mask. Parts are made by intimately mating the mask and a part body to which a layer of metal and a layer of photosensitive material have been applied, and exposing the part to radiation through the mask. The exposed part is then chemically developed, the layer of metal is etched, and the remainder of the layer of photosensitive material is removed to complete the patterning of the part body surface.

Abstract: An overhead storage compartment that may be reconfigured to account for different seating configurations. The storage bin includes an overhead structure that is attached to the ceiling of an aircraft. A storage bin is mounted within the overhead structure by an extension/retraction mechanism. The extension/retraction mechanism may be easily reconfigured to allow the storage bin to move either approximately linearly downward or downward and outward depending upon the application. The retraction mechanism includes an upper link and a lower link connected between the support structure and the storage bin. A drive link is connected between the upper link and an idler link. A balance spring is connected between an intersection of the idler link and the drive link and the support structure. The retraction mechanism also includes a snubber connected between the upper link and the lower link.

Abstract: An automatic liquid lubricant application device for applying a liquid lubricant to the inside of a hole in a workpiece includes an applicator for insertion into the hole for application of the lubricant. The applicator includes a perforated tube surrounded by a sleeve of wicking material. A shoulder surrounding the applicator is sized to engage the workpiece on the marginal portions around the hole. The shoulder is mounted for limited axial movement when pressed against the workpiece. A fluid flow channel connected at one end to a source of lubricant is connected at the other end to the perforated tube. A flow control device for controlling the flow of lubricant in the channel is actuated by axial movement of the shoulder when engaging the workpiece.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for generating a very fast electron pulse (30) in a vacuum. The electron source comprises a pulse-forming line (12), a solid-state switch (14), a cold field-emitting cathode (16), and an anode grid (18). The anode grid forms a portion of a side of an evacuated circuit (20) that may be used to produce an oscillating output signal or that may be a portion of a waveguide carrying an rf signal to be amplified. In operation, the pulse-forming line is charged to a desirable voltage. The solid-state switch is then closed, coupling the pulse-forming line to the cathode. An electric field develops between the cathode and anode grid. Under the influence of the electric field, the cathode emits an electron current pulse that is attracted by the anode grid. The current pulse enters the region between the anode and closure grids, and interacts with the electromagnetic field in the cavity at the appropriate time to add its energy to the electromagnetic field of the cavity.