Abstract: An ammunition round has a plastic molded driving band on a projectile. The driving band is mechanically attached to the projectile by opposing curved hooks bent toward one another and defining a restraining area therebetween. The seating area for the driving band has a plurality of pairs of such hooks circumferentially and longitudinally displaced from one another.

Abstract: An adapter which comprises a pre-manufactured assembly capable of infinite vertical adjustment and self-adjusting width capability. To this end, the adapter of the present invention comprises a two-part unit in which the two parts thereof are relatively shiftable widthwise of the rack, yet a first of the parts is telescoped within the second part and secured by screws to the adjacent side of the chassis unit to be mounted. The second part of the adapter can be snap-fitted into the central, hollow portion of a vertical rail of the rack and normally remains stationary with respect to such rail; whereas, the first part of the adapter can be inserted into the second part before the second part is inserted into the hollow center portion of the rail.

Abstract: A telescoped ammunition round has a propellant charge with an axial cavity. A projectile is housed within the cavity for being fired from the ammunition round. A wear additive is coupled to the forward portion of the propellant charge adjacent the axial cavity.

Abstract: An opening in the nose of a missile allows entry of ram air during missile flight to a central chamber. Oppositely oriented steering jets are innerconnected with the aft end of the central chamber. A diverting mechanism is located between the central chamber and each of the steering jets to allow either one or none of the steering jets to provide correctional steering forces when desired. The rotatable diverting mechanism is pneumatically driven by ram air communicated to an actuation chamber located aft of the valve and controlled by electrically energized solenoids.

Abstract: A polarization insensitive mirror (3) comprises a single homogeneous coating (1) coated onto a typically metallic reflective surface (2). The mirror (3) is substantially insensitive to polarization of incident radiation (4) over a wide range of angles of incidence (A). The coating (1) has an index of refraction (n) greater than 2.4, is substantially transmissive to the incident radiation (4), and has a thickness (t) substantially equal to L.sub.0 /2n, where L.sub.0 is the wavelength of the incident radiation (4) in freespace. Germanium makes a good coating (1). The reflective surface (2) is typically gold or silver. Increasing slightly the thickness (t) of the coating (1) increases the range of incident angles (A) over which the mirror (3) exhibits minimized phase differentials (B). Graphs (FIGS. 3-8) are presented comparing the reflectivity, phase differential (B), and average reflectivity of mirrors (3) fabricated according to the teachings of the present invention with those of the prior art.

Abstract: A bit synchronizer for a BPSK input signal having a sinusoidal carrier frequency f that is much greater than the modulating signal bit rate. The synchronizer comprises means (29, 31) for repetitively sampling the amplitude of the input signal over a preselected sampling interval portion of each modulating signal bit period (T). For each sampling interval, three numbers are recorded: N1, the total number of samples; N2, the number of samples that do not change sign with respect to a reference sample; and N3, the number of samples that do change sign with respect to the reference sample. When the number of samples not changing sign exceeds a preselected threshold value, which takes into account noise corruption of the input signal, bit synchronization is declared, a synchronized output clock (39) is generated, and digital data having a 180.degree. ambiguity is sent to subsequent ambiguity resolution means.

Abstract: A telescoped ammunition round has a projectile positioned in the axial cavity of a propellant charge. A generally tubular casing surrounding the propellant charge has two longitudinal splits dividing the casing into two substantially identical halves which can separate during firing and sustain the pressure created by the propellant charge without deforming. An end cap assembly couples adjacent ends of the halves of the tubular casing to each other.

Abstract: An open-ended diffusion chamber and an adjacent combustion chamber located in the nose of a projectile to receive ram air that ignites a solid fuel material within the combustion chamber. A pair of oppositely disposed lateral steering ports are provided aft of the combustion chamber and are interconnected therewith via a diverting valve that is controllable to selectively divert the escaping combustion gases from the combustion chamber to one or both of the steering ports to thereby change or maintain the trajectory course of the projectile after firing.

Abstract: An opening in the nose of a missile allows entry of ram air during missile flight to a central chamber. Oppositely oriented steering jets are interconnected with the aft end of the central chamber and escaping ram air provides lateral steering thrust forces. A movable diverting means controls the direction that the escaping ram air is diverted and thereby controls the steering forces.

Abstract: In a housing for a high energy laser, an aperture is formed to allow projection of the beam from the laser. A transparent membrane is attached over the aperture in order to prevent contaminants from entering the housing and provide a low cost, low distortion window to the projected beam.

Abstract: A modular solar radiation concentrator consists of many identical reflective panels (1), each having the shape of a portion of the surface of a sphere. The panels (1) are mass produced, mounted between a pair of horizontal beams (2) so they can partially rotate about two orthogonal axes, and aligned as part of multi-beam (2) modules (3) on a test fixture so that all panels (1) reflect distant radiation upon a small aperture (36). Spaces occur between all panels (1) when mounted in the concentrator. The reflector support structure (4) has a finite number of identically angled bends so that the overall reflector (47) approximates the surface of a sphere. A solar radiation receiver (34) is hingedly suspended to the support structure (4) at the focal point of each of the panels (1). The reflector (47) is mounted upon an azimuth/elevation mount (6, 46), which rotates reflector (47) 360.degree. about a vertical azimuth axis and 90.degree. or more about an orthogonal elevation axis.

Abstract: A confocal parabolic antenna system includes a grid of parallel metallic strips placed in the focal plane of the antenna system. The strips are oriented in the direction of an uplink wave polarization and eliminate the grating lobes at the uplink frequency band by reflecting the energy of the particular spatial harmonic components which give rise to the grating lobes.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus embodied in a gyroscopic missile seeker to provide a rosette scan pattern of the field of view. A single driving motor is employed with a traction drive assembly to produce the necessary counter-rotation of slightly canted scanning elements and thereby effect the rosette scan pattern. A canted primary focusing mirror is directly driven by the motor and is connected through a traction drive to a canted secondary mirror to effect proportional counter-rotation of the secondary mirror.

Abstract: A bit synchronizer capable of operation over all frequencies, limited only by the speed of the integrated circuits and other components. The input data can be any random antipodal data. A programmable scaling circuit allows the operator to select the desired half octave range of operation. Half octaves can be scanned automatically by the autorange feature of the invention. An acquisition circuit sweeps over the selected half octave, diverting frequency correction pulses in order to sweep a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). Lock is recognized when a preselected number of data transitions with phase error below a preset maximum occur consecutively. A second order phase lock loop (PLL) provides both phase and frequency correction.

Abstract: A septum polarizer offering an exceptionally low axial ratio over a wide frequency band. A first trapped mode resonator or resonator pair is inserted in the circularly polarizing waveguide within the same plane as the septum and tuning screws to create a desired resonant response at a frequency lower than the cutoff frequency of the polarizer. Optionally, a second pair of trapped mode resonators is inserted in two opposing waveguide walls that are orthogonal to the septum, to create a desired resonant response at a higher frequency than the upper frequency limit of the polarizer. The resonators serve to flatten the phase response of the polarizer throughout its passband, thereby maximizing the purity of circularly polarized radiation produced thereby.

Abstract: This specification discloses a microwave antenna system using an offset J-hook feed to achieve low sidelobe energy level over the entire radiation space from an electrical circular reflector antenna. An electromagnetic horn is positioned along the central axis of symmetry of a parabolic reflector. A waveguide feed is coupled to the horn and intersects the reflective surface at a position offset from the axis of symmetry.

Abstract: This specification discloses a polarization network for selectively converting between linear and circular polarization. The network includes a twistable waveguide having a generally rectangular cross section. Coupled to the twistable rectangular waveguide is a transducer waveguide which acts as an interface between the rectangular waveguide and circular waveguide. A polarizer having a generally circular cross section is coupled to the transducer waveguide and can convert transmitted electromagnetic waves between linear and circular polarization. A coupling means permits relative rotation between the transducer waveguide and the polarizer and selective securing at any of three rotational positions. A first position permits a linearly polarized signal to pass through the polarizer remaining linearly polarized. A second position converts between a linearly polarized signal and a right hand circularly polarized signal.

Abstract: A clutch assembly for use in a high speed starter motor/turbine assembly wherein the elements thereof must be extremely well balanced. Opposing clutch elements are unitary rigid structures without moving parts. The starter motor rotor and one of the clutch elements are assembled as a unitary balanced structure for high speed rotation and axial movement to engage or disengage the other clutch element and its associated balanced turbine load.

Abstract: A bit synchronous switching system is disclosed which has applicability in a space diversity system of digital telecommunications. Two versions of a signal waveform are received at two remote locations from the same signal source. The end user is able always to receive the more intelligible signal by means of instantaneous switching logic. An acquisition and tracking circuit, which can include a delay lock loop, keeps the two signal streams synchronized. One data stream is used as a reference and the time delay of the other is varied so that the time differential between the two streams is tracked out. The system features continuous tracking and does not require any frame synchronization to be superimposed on the data stream.

Abstract: This specification discloses an ammunition round and a method of firing the ammunition round. Consecutive and reproducible firing of a primer charge and a main propellant charge is accomplished as a result of the physical movement of a divider physically separating the primer charge from the main charge. Firing of the primer charge causes movement of the divider, initiates movement of a projectile within the ammunition round, and, when the combustion gases of the primer charge are in communication with the main propellant charge, causes firing of the main propellant charge. The divider is retained within the ammunition round by a ring which limits movement of the divider.